Entomopathogenic microorganisms in the foci of the gypsy moth (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Lymantria dispar</Emphasis> L.) in nut-fruit forests of the south of Kyrgyzstan

In the nut-fruit forests of the south of Kyrgyzstan the population of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) is significantly regulated by the nucleopolyhedrovirus. In 2005–2007, half of all dead caterpillars died due to viruses. At the same time bacterial infection caused by Bacillus thuringiensis resulted in the 31.2% mortality rate of the herbivore, and mycotic and mixed bacterial-viral infection, in about 20%. It is revealed that the virulence of the Central Asian strains of the nucleopolyhedrovirus is higher as compared with that of the West Siberian strains.     

Geographic variations and their impact on bioefficacy amongst <Emphasis Type=Italic>Helicoverpa armigera</Emphasis> Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus isolates from India

Helicoverpa armigera Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (HearNPV) was isolated from the larva, obtained from four different geographic locations in India. All the HearNPV isolates appeared clear, irregular, six sided in outline with rounded edges; phase bright under phase contrast microscope; but varied in size, bioefficacy and restriction profiles. Anand isolate had largest mean diameter, highest frequency of large polyhedral inclusion bodies and gave highest total percent mortality with lowest LC₅₀ and LT₅₀ followed by Surat, Patancheru and Junagadh isolates. Mortality rate of Anand and Surat isolates projected two peaks at two different time intervals pointing at the presence of more than one genotype in the same host origin. Restriction digestion analysis produced many unique fragments for each isolates proving that variation existed between the four isolates. These studies have clearly demonstrated that baculoviruses are very diverse, and that this diversity occurs at a range of scales from between isolates collected from the same host species, to between caterpillars collected at the same site and, from the current study, within variants collected from within an individual larva. The efficacy of such geographic isolates can be greatly improved by a deeper knowledge of their physical, chemical and biological properties. The knowledge can be applied for strain selection of the viruses from wild populations which would prove useful to develop NPVs desirable for biopesticides.     

Release mechanism of sex pheromone in the female gypsy moth <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lymantria dispar</Emphasis>: a morpho-functional approach

A morpho-functional investigation of the sex pheromone-producing area was correlated with the pheromone release mechanism in the female gypsy moth Lymantria dispar. As assessed by male electroantennograms (EAG) and morphological observations, the pheromone gland consists of a single-layered epithelium both in the dorsal and ventral halves of the intersegmental membrane between the 8th and 9th abdominal segments. By using the male EAG as a biosensor of real-time release of sex pheromone from whole calling females, we found this process time coupled with extension movements of the ovipositor. Nevertheless, in females in which normal calling behavior was prevented, pheromone release was detected neither in absence nor in presence of electrical stimulation of the ventral nerve cord/terminal abdominal ganglion (TAG) complex. Tetramethylrhodamine-conjugated dextran amine stainings also confirm the lack of any innervation of the gland from nerves IV to VI emerging from the TAG. These findings indicate that the release of sex pheromone from the glands in female gypsy moths is independent of any neural control exerted by the TAG on the glands, at least by way of its three most caudally located pairs of nerves, and appears as a consequence of a squeezing mechanism in the pheromone-producing area.     

Adaptation of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Pteridium aquilinum</Emphasis> (L.) Kuhn in Siberia

The study has revealed some specific ecological and biological characteristics of bracken that facilitate not only its adaptation to temperate climate, but also dominance in the herbaceous cover, and advancement into new areas within its range. It has been shown that the ecological optimum of bracken is oceanic climate and in Siberia the fern occurs at the northern limits of its range.     

Analysis of the causes of declines in Western Siberian outbreaks of the nun moth <Emphasis Type=Italic>Lymantria monacha</Emphasis>

This study presents the results of an investigation into the causal factors of precipitous population declines after five mass outbreaks of nun moths (Lymantria monacha) in territories of Western Siberian (Novosibirsk and Tyumen oblasts, Russia). Nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) and parasitoids represented by the families Tachinidae and Sarcophagidae (Diptera) were found to be major contributors to the degradation of these outbreaks. Viable occlusion bodies persisted on pine needles during a two-year observation period and contaminated nun moth eggs, resulting in the death of the insects from NPV infection. A high probability of insect/virus contacts was largely attributable to the poor flying ability of female moths. Moreover, a latent virus was apparently activated in part of the insect population due to asynchrony between the growth rate of larvae and pine phenology.     

Risk assessment of the gypsy moth, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lymantria dispar</Emphasis> (L), in New Zealand based on phenology modelling

The gypsy moth is a global pest that has not yet established in New Zealand despite individual moths having been discovered near ports. A climate-driven phenology model previously used in North America was applied to New Zealand. Weather and elevation data were used as inputs to predict where sustainable populations could potentially exist and predict the timing of hatch and oviposition in different regions. Results for New Zealand were compared with those in the Canadian Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) where the gypsy moth has long been established. Model results agree with the current distribution of the gypsy moth in the Canadian Maritimes and predict that the majority of New Zealand’s North Island and the northern coastal regions of the South Island have a suitable climate to allow stable seasonality of the gypsy moth. New Zealand’s climate appears more forgiving than that of the Canadian Maritimes, as the model predicts a wider range of oviposition dates leading to stable seasonality. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of climate change on the predicted potential distribution for New Zealand. Climate change scenarios show an increase in probability of establishment throughout New Zealand, most noticeably in the South Island.     

The genetic structure of red raspberry (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Rubus idaeus</Emphasis> L.) populations in Lithuania

The red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) is widely distributed in Lithuania and occupies a range of habitats. The presence of coadapted gene pools in local populations of R. idaeus is a question of interest not only to plant scientists, but also to plant breeders. In this study, we investigated the genetic structure of R. idaeus and the influence of local habitats on the genetic diversity within and among populations. Nineteen populations of R. idaeus were sampled from different habitats in various agroclimatic subregions of Lithuania, and analyzed using RAPD markers. 113 RAPD bands were identified among 315 individuals; 84.31% of these were polymorphic. The mean values of Shannon’s information index for different populations ranged from 0.341 to 0.455. Nei’s gene diversity established within populations averaged 0.266. An AMOVA revealed 74% of genetic variation among individuals within populations of R. idaeus, and 23% among populations. The remaining genetic variation was distributed among populations from different agroclimatic subregions (3%). The results of this study suggest that the genetic structure of R. idaeus populations in Lithuania may be influenced partially by isolation by distance as well as by local environmental conditions.     

Density-dependent resistance of the gypsy moth <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lymantria dispar</Emphasis> to its nucleopolyhedrovirus,and the consequences for population dynamics

The processes controlling disease resistance can strongly influence the population dynamics of insect outbreaks. Evidence that disease resistance is density-dependent is accumulating, but the exact form of this relationship is highly variable from species to species. It has been hypothesized that insects experiencing high population densities might allocate more energy to disease resistance than those at lower densities, because they are more likely to encounter density-dependent pathogens. In contrast, the increased stress of high-density conditions might leave insects more vulnerable to disease. Both scenarios have been reported for various outbreak Lepidoptera in the literature. We tested the relationship between larval density and disease resistance with the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) and one of its most important density-dependent mortality factors, the nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) LdMNPV, in a series of bioassays. Larvae were reared in groups at different densities, fed the virus individually, and then reared individually to evaluate response to infection. In this system, resistance to the virus decreased with increasing larval density. Similarly, time to death was faster at high densities than at lower densities. Implications of density–resistance relationships for insect–pathogen population dynamics were explored in a mathematical model. In general, an inverse relationship between rearing density and disease resistance has a stabilizing effect on population dynamics.     

Dynamics of energy metabolism in ontogenesis of striped shield bug (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Graphosoma lineatum</Emphasis> L.) and cabbage moth (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Mamestra brassicae</Emphasis> L.)

Dynamics of growth and oxygen consumption during ontogenesis of insects with direct (striped shield bug Graphosoma lineatum L.) and indirect (cabbage moth Mamestra brassicae L.) development have been compared. The correlation between a character of energy metabolism alteration and peculiarities of development of the insects has been shown. Cyclic decrease of oxygen consumption during molt and sharp dropping during metamorphosis have been observed in insects with indirect development. The decrease of oxygen consumption has been observed in insects with direct development only during molts. The coefficient a of allometric dependence of oxygen consumption on body weight of imago for cabbage moth was two times higher than that for striped shield bug.     

Karyological characteristics of Siberian fir (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Abies sibirica</Emphasis> Ledeb.) in Central Siberia

Data are presented on the karyotype structure of the Siberian fir (Abies sibirica Ledeb.) from five populations of the Central Siberia. The chromosome set (2n = 24) contains seven pairs of metacentric (I–VII), four pairs of submetacentric (VIII and X–XII), and one pair of intercentric (IX) chromosomes. The morphometric parameters of the identified chromosome groups had close values in the studied populations. The variation coefficients of chromosomal parameters of the Siberian fir correspond to very low and low variability. The intraspecific chromosome polymorphism of the Siberian fir is connected mainly to variations in the number and peculiarities of the nucleolar organizing regions of chromosomes. In the territory with technogenic loading, a wide spectrum of genomic mutations of the mixoploidy type was observed in the seed off-spring of the Siberian fir; triploid seedlings, as well as rare cases of somatic reduction of chromosomes, were revealed.     

Group effect in the gypsy moth (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lymantria dispar</Emphasis>, Lepidoptera,Lymantriidae) related to the population characteristics and food composition

The group effect was absent in some cases of rearing of gypsy moth larvae on artificial nutrient medium with high-polymer components. The appearance of this effect is analyzed with respect to the composition of the artificial diet (AD), the hydrothermal conditions under which the parental generation develops, and population density. The meteorological conditions were found to have only a negligible influence on the group effect. The larvae from micropopulations living under the conditions of high humidity and high population density showed the greatest similarity of survival and development parameters observed in the larvae reared separately and in groups.     

Molecular evidence of symbiotic activity between <Emphasis Type=Italic>Symbiodinium</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>Tridacna maxima</Emphasis> larvae

Dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium (zooxanthellae) provide the photosynthesis that sustains the majority of primary production in coral reefs. They occur symbiotically with several phyla, including mollusks such as giant clams (Tridacna spp.). This mutualistic association is obligatory for the giant clams, but the exact point in which this symbiosis is established and the main translocated photosynthate are unknown. In this study, we tracked the expression of specific genes for symbiosis and glycerol synthesis during a time course experiment. Giant clam larvae were raised until 75 h post-fertilization and then infected with cultured isolates of Symbiodinium clade A3. Expression of symbiosis-specific and housekeeping genes was monitored at four time points. The expression of H⁺-ATPase, a symbiosis-specific gene in Symbiodinium, was observed at 24 h after symbiont acquisition by the clam larvae. The expression of an enzyme responsible for glycerol synthesis was also observed. Together, these results show that the symbiotic relationship was already in place 24 h after Symbiodinium acquisition, during veliger larval stage. This is the first report using a molecular symbiosis-specific marker that supports symbiotic activity between Symbiodinium and a metazoan larva of an organism that acquires symbionts horizontally. From the expression of the glycerol-synthesizing gene, it was qualitatively determined that Symbiodinium cells may produce glycerol regardless of whether they are free-living or in symbiosis.     

Distribution and parameters of genetic polymorphism in northern red-backed vole (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Clethrionomys rutilus</Emphasis>) and bank vole (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Clethrionomys glareolus</Emphasis>) in West Siberia

This article presents data on the genetic variability of the northern red-backed vole and the bank vole that live sympatrically in West Siberia. The two species of voles have comparable, relatively high indices of genetic variability of inter simple sequences repeats DNA. The proportion of polymorphic DNA markers is 95–98%, and the Nei’s genetic diversity index is 0.33–0.35. A total of 47–58% of allozyme loci in the voles are polymorphic, and the average heterozygosity per locus is 0.058 in the northern red-backed vole and 0.054 in the bank vole. Interpopulation differentiation is less pronounced in the red-backed vole (F _ST 0.293) compared to the bank vole (F _ST 0.475). Individuals of the hybrid line of the bank vole with the mitochondrial haplotype of the red-backed vole have been found by PCR typing of cytochrome b gene fragment of mtDNA. The distribution boundary of the hybrid line of bank voles goes farther to the northeast than was shown in earlier works. The proportion of hybrid specimens range from 2 to 34%. The indices of genetic variability in the hybrid line of the bank vole are lower than those of the parental species.     

Efficient separation and purification of allophycocyanin from <Emphasis Type=Italic>Spirulina</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Arthrospira</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type=Italic>platensis</Emphasis>

Allophycocyanin (APC) is a minor component of phycobiliproteins in cyanobacteria and red algae. This paper describes a simple and inexpensive extracting method for isolating APC from Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis with high efficiency. The crude phycobiliprotein extract was pretreated by ammonium sulfate fractionation. Then, by adding hydroxylapatite into crude phycobiliprotein extract dissolved in 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), APC was selectively adsorbed by hydroxylapatite but C-phycocyanin (C-PC) was not. The hydroxylapatite was collected and APC was extracted from the crude phycobiliprotein extract. Then, the enriched APC was washed off from the hydroxylapatite using 100 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). In this simple extracting method it was easy to remove C-PC and isolate APC in large amounts. The absorbance ratio A ₆₅₀/A ₂₈₀ of extracted APC reached 2.0. The recovery yield was 70%, representing 4.61 mg · g⁻¹ wet weight. The extracted APC could be further purified by a simple anion-exchange chromatography with a pH gradient from 5.6 to 4.0. The absorbance ratio A ₆₅₀/A ₂₈₀ of the purified APC reached 5.0, and the overall recovery yield was 43%, representing 2.83 mg · g⁻¹ wet weight. Its purity was confirmed by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE.     

Chemical modulators of the innate immune response alter gypsy moth larval susceptibility to <Emphasis Type=Italic>Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis>

Background  

The gut comprises an essential barrier that protects both invertebrate and vertebrate animals from invasion by microorganisms. Disruption of the balanced relationship between indigenous gut microbiota and their host can result in gut bacteria eliciting host responses similar to those caused by invasive pathogens. For example, ingestion of Bacillus thuringiensis by larvae of some species of susceptible Lepidoptera can result in normally benign enteric bacteria exerting pathogenic effects.     

Detecting spatial interactions in the ragweed (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Ambrosia artemissifolia</Emphasis> L.) and the ragweed beetle (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Ophraella communa</Emphasis> LeSage) populations

We observed a weed (Ambrosia artemissifolia)–beetle herbivore (Ophraella communa) system for three years in a spatially continuous field (≈200 ha). We analyzed our field data in the light of two contrasting theories: the resource-concentration hypothesis and reaction–diffusion theory. For the resource-concentration hypothesis, we calculated the correlation coefficients between weed and beetle abundances for every season in each year. Although we found weak support for resource concentration in some seasons, we could not find any clear relationships in other seasons. We discuss a dispersal-based mechanism to explain the differences observed among seasons in lieu of the resource-concentration hypothesis. For the reaction–diffusion theory, we estimated the nonparametric spatial covariance functions for the spatial autocorrelation of weeds and beetles. Although we could not find any strong spatial structure for the individual species, we found evidence of spatial interactions between weeds and beetles using time lagged cross-correlation functions. Weed abundance enhanced local beetle abundance. Through time, there was evidence of beetle spillover to adjacent locations at roughly the one beetle-generation time scale. Sites with large number of beetles did not seem to reduce subsequent weed abundance.     

Stability of genetic parameters in <Emphasis Type=Italic>Drosophila melanogaster</Emphasis> populations from Odesa

The dynamics of allele frequency of the carboxiesterase gene, the frequency of sex-linked lethal mutations, and recombination events in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster from Odesa were studied. All studied estimates were shown to remain unchanged in June, July, and August during the 2009 collection season.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Agrobacterium</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of cotton (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Gossypium hirsutum</Emphasis> L.) via vacuum infiltration

AnAgrobacterium-mediated gene transfer system with recovery of putative transformants was developed for cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cv. Cocker-312. Two-month-old hypocotyl-derived embryogenic calli were infected through agroinfiltration for 10 min at 27 psi in a suspension ofAgrobacterium tumefaciens strain GV3101 carrying tDNA with theGUS gene, encoding β-glucuronidase (GUS), and the neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) gene as a kanamycin-resistant plant-selectable marker. Six days after the histochemicalGUS assay was done, 46.6% and 20%GUS activity was noted with the vacuum-infiltration and commonAgrobacterium-mediated transformation methods, respectively. The transformed embryogenic calli were cultured on selection medium (100 mg/L and 50 mg/L kanamycin for 2 wk and 10 wk, respectively) for 3 mo. The putative transgenic plants were developed via somatic embryogenesis (25 mg/L kanamycin). In 4 independent experiments, up to 28.23% transformation efficiency was achieved. PCR amplification and Southern blot analysis fo the transformants were used to confirm the integration of the transgenes. Thus far, this is the only procedure available for cotton that can successfully be used to generate cotton transformants.     

High-density AFLP map of nonbrittle rachis 1 (<Emphasis Type=Italic>btr1</Emphasis>) and 2 (<Emphasis Type=Italic>btr2</Emphasis>) genes in barley (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Hordeum vulgare</Emphasis> L.)

Wild relatives of barley disperse their seeds at maturity by means of their brittle rachis. In cultivated barley, brittleness of the rachis was lost during domestication. Nonbrittle rachis of occidental barley lines is controlled by a single gene (btr1) on chromosome 3H. However, nonbrittle rachis of oriental barley lines is controlled by a major gene (btr2) on chromosome 3H and two quantitative trait loci on chromosomes 5HL and 7H. This result suggests multiple mutations of the genes involved in the formation of brittle rachis in oriental lines. The btr1 and btr2 loci did not recombine in the mapping population analyzed. This result agrees with the theory of tight linkage between the two loci. A high-density amplified fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP) map of the btr1/btr2 region was constructed, providing an average density of 0.08 cM/locus. A phylogenetic tree based on the AFLPs showed clear separation of occidental and oriental barley lines. Thus, barley consists of at least two lineages as far as revealed by molecular markers linked to nonbrittle rachis genes.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at An erratum to this article can be found at