Leucistic Antarctic fur seals at Bouvetøya

One leucistic and one partially leucistic Antarctic fur seal Arctocephalus gazella were seen at Bouvetøya during the 1996/97 austral summer. Both likely came from South Georgia, where this colour morph is common. No individuals of this colour morph were sighted during three subsequent expeditions to Bouvetøya. The prevalence of this colour morph in the abundant populations of the Scotia Arc may be due to founder effect, as at least one leucistic animal was present at South Georgia when the Antarctic fur seal was close to extinction.     

Parasitism <Emphasis Type="Italic">versus</Emphasis> mutualism in the ant-garden parabiosis between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Camponotus femoratus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crematogaster levior</Emphasis>

Ant-gardens represent a special type of association between ants and epiphytes. Frequently, two ant species can share the same nest in a phenomenon known as ‘parabiosis’, but the exact nature (i.e., mutualistic or parasitic) of this interaction is the subject of debate. We thus attempted to clarify the mutual costs and benefits for each partner (ants and plants) in the Crematogaster levior/Camponotus femoratus ant-garden parabiosis. The ants’ response to experimental foliar damage to the epiphytes and to the host tree as well as their behavior and interactions during prey capture were investigated to see if the purported parasitic status of Cr. levior could be demonstrated in either the ant-ant or in the ant-plant interactions. The results show that both species take part in protecting the epiphytes, refuting the role of Cr. levior as a parasite of the ant-garden mutualism. During capture of large prey Ca. femoratus took advantage from the ability of Cr. levior to discover prey; by following Cr. levior trails Ca. femoratus workers discover the prey in turn and usurp them during agonistic interactions. Nevertheless, the trade-off between the costs and benefits of this association seems then to be favorable to both species because it is known that Cr. levior benefits from Ca. femoratus building the common carton nests and furnishing protection from vertebrates. Consequently, parabiosis can then be defined as the only mutualistic association existing between ant species, at least in ant-gardens. Received 31 August 2006 ; revised 8 December 2006 ; accepted 12 December 2006     

First report of the Asian seaweed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sargassum filicinum</Emphasis> Harvey (Fucales) in California,USA

We report the occurrence of the brown seaweed Sargassum filicinum Harvey in southern California. Sargassum filicinum is native to Japan and Korea. It is monoecious, a trait that increases its chance of establishment. In October 2003, Sargassum filicinum was collected in Long Beach Harbor. In April 2006, we discovered three populations of this species on the leeward west end of Santa Catalina Island. Many of the individuals were large, reproductive and senescent; a few were small, young but precociously reproductive. We compared the sequences of the mitochondrial cox3 gene for 6 individuals from the 3 sites at Catalina with 3 samples from 3 sites in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan region. The 9 sequences (469 bp in length) were identical. Sargassum filicinum may have been introduced through shipping to Long Beach; it may have spread to Catalina via pleasure boats from the mainland.     

Female Genital Coccidioidomycosis (FGC), Addison's Disease and Sigmoid Loop Abscess Due to Coccidioides Immites; Case Report and Review of Literature on FGC

Nine fungal strains of Dichotomomyces cejpii were studied for their ability to produce antibiotic metabolites. It was found that they produced secondary exo- and endo metabolites with antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, yeasts and moulds and with a toxic effect against animal organs in vitro. Detailed chemical characterization of these active principles need to be carried out. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Unchanging diet in a stable colony: contemporary and past diet composition of black-legged kittiwakes <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rissa tridactyla</Emphasis> at Helgoland,south-eastern North Sea

In contrast to the situation at the west coast of the North Sea, the breeding colony of black-legged kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla at Helgoland in the south-eastern North Sea did not exhibit severe declines since 1990 but instead numbers increased and only lately stabilised. Declines at the west coast of the North Sea were attributed to a lower abundance and lower quality of the key prey, sandeels. We hypothesised that kittiwakes at Helgoland do not rely as heavily on sandeels as their conspecifics. We analysed stomach contents of nestlings and adults of 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2006. In concordance with earlier studies of the 1980s and 1990s, young whiting Merlangius merlangus was the most important prey species in 2001, 2002 and 2004. Clupeids and sandeels were consumed in lower proportions. While earlier studies suggested whiting to originate from fisheries discards, evidence now supports that kittiwakes prey upon whiting in areas of hydrographic fronts. No whiting was recovered in samples of 2006 and the proportion of fish prey was low. Main prey items were polychaete worms (Nereidae), which were presumably consumed as swarming Heteronereis stages. An observed strong rise in water temperature in summer 2006 might have influenced food availability of kittiwakes by inducing swarming of Nereidae. Overall, kittiwakes breeding on Helgoland showed a positive population trend for several decades while mainly feeding on whiting.     

Nocturnal primates of kibale forest: Effects of selective logging on prosimian densities

To evaluate the potential impact of logging on nocturnal primates, densities ofGalago demidovii, G. inustus, andPerodictus potto were determined in two areas of the Kibale Forest Reserve, Uganda. One of these areas had been logged at a moderate level in the late 1960's, while the second area was relatively undisturbed. The density of the nocturnal primates was lower in the logged area than in the neighboring unlogged area. For the most frequently sighted nocturnal primate,G. demidovii, sightings were spatially clustered both within a year and between years, suggesting that clumped resources and/or social factors were influencing space use.     

Evaluation of the Experimental Inoculation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptococcus albidus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptococcus laurentii</Emphasis> in Normal Mice: Virulence Factors and Molecular Profile Before and After Animal Passage

The genus Cryptococcus includes free-developing species, a few of which are of medical importance. Some, such as C. neoformans and C. gattii, cause infections in man frequently and C. albidus and C. laurentii cause less so. The aims of this study were to evaluate organ colonization after inoculation of C. albidus and C. laurentii isolates in normal BALB/c mice, the virulence factors (growth at 37°C, capsule, melanin, proteinase, and phospholipase production) and the molecular profile (PCR-fingerprinting) of the yeasts before and after infection. The importance of different profiles (virulence and molecular) was considered in relation to the distribution in different organs and to the time intervals of isolation from organs. C. albidus was isolated from animal organs 2 to 10 days after inoculation and C. laurentii from 2 to 120 days. Most isolates of the two species kept the virulence factors showed before inoculation. The high homogeneity of the molecular profile of C. albidus and the high heterogeneity of C. laurentii were kept through the passages in animals. It is concluded that most isolates of both species were recovered from the animal organs after 5 or more days, and phenotypes were not altered by inoculation. No molecular alteration was detected and the virulence factors were not related to the time intervals before isolation from organs.     

The subfossil occurrence and paleoecological implications of Macrotarsomys petteri (Rodentia: Nesomyidae) in extreme southeastern Madagascar

Remains of a large-bodied species of endemic nesomyid rodent, Macrotarsomys petteri Goodman and Soarimalala, 2005, were identified from subfossil deposits recovered from Andrahomana Cave in extreme southeastern Madagascar. This recently described extant species was previously only known from a single specimen collected at a site about 450 km northwest of Andrahomana and with distinctly different forest habitat than currently found in the vicinity of the cave. Radiocarbon dating of remains of M. petteri from the cave site indicates that it persisted in the region subsequent to human settlement. Previous reports of a large member of Macrotarsomys from other Quaternary sites in southern Madagascar are almost certainly of M. petteri. It is proposed that this species once had a broad distribution across the southern portion of the island during a more mesic period and subsequent aridification of the region has led to its local extirpation across most of its former range. To cite this article: S.M. Goodman et al., C. R. Palevol 5 (2006).     

The first record of infection and sterilization by the nematode <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sphaerularia</Emphasis> in hornets (Hymenoptera,Vespidae, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vespa</Emphasis>)

Parasitic nematodes of the genus Sphaerularia are known to infect and sterilize the overwintering gynes (potential queens) of bumblebees.We found that 70% of the overwintered gynes of the hornet Vespa simillima collected using bait traps were infected and sterilized by Sphaerularia sp. This is the first solid record of parasitism by Sphaerularia in hornets (Vespa spp.). Received 22 June 2006; revised 24 October 2006; accepted 3 November 2006.     

Fungal infection for cyanobacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anabaena smithii</Emphasis> by two chytrids in eutrophic region of large reservoir Lake Shumarinai,Hokkaido, Japan

Fungal infection of the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena smithii was observed in Lake Shumarinai in 2004–2006. Two fungal species were found to parasitize the specialized cells of A. smithii. These fungi might not correspond to the chytrid species that the previous studies reported as the parasites for Anabaena species. One fungus showed selective attachment to the akinete (akinete type). The filaments parasitized by this fungus increased in August 2004 and October 2006, when akinete and filament densities also increased. The maximum percentage of parasitized filaments was 3.2% of all filaments in October 2006. The other fungus was usually attached to the heterocyst (heterocyst type). The filaments parasitized by this fungus increased in October from 2004 to 2006. The maximum percentage of parasitized filaments was 20.6% in October 2004. The biomass of A. smithii was not suppressed by akinete-type fungus because of the low percentage of parasitized filaments. The heterocyst-type fungus might disturb the nitrogen fixation, but its effect was negligible due to a high concentration of available nitrogen for planktonic algae in Lake Shumarinai.     

Differential expression of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2r in the developing ovary and testis of penaeid shrimp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Marsupenaeus japonicus</Emphasis>

In order to identify genes involved in oogenesis and spermatogenesis in penaeid shrimp Marsupenaeus japonicus, a modified annealing control primer (ACP) system was adapted to identify genes differentially expressed in ovary and testis at different developmental stages. By using 20 pairs of ACP primers, 8 differentially expressed genes were obtained. One of these genes is ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2r (UBE2r). Bioinformatics analyses show that this gene encodes a protein of 241 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 27.4 kDa. Real time PCR analyses demonstrated that the expression level changed significantly in the developing testis and ovary. In the stage 2 of testis, it reached its highest expression level, the lowest expression level present in the stage 1 of ovary. The significantly different expression levels in developing testis and ovary suggest that UBE2r has an important role in oogenesis and spermatogenesis. This article is the first report of UBE2r in crustaceans and also is the first report showing that UBE2r is differentially expressed at different stages of the developing ovary and testis in an animal.     

Study of tauopathies by comparing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila</Emphasis> and human <Emphasis Type="Italic">tau</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila</Emphasis>

The microtubule-binding protein tau has been investigated for its contribution to various neurodegenerative disorders. However, the findings from transgenic studies, using the same tau transgene, vary widely among different laboratories. Here, we have investigated the potential mechanisms underlying tauopathies by comparing Drosophila (d-tau) and human (h-tau) tau in a Drosophila model. Overexpression of a single copy of either tau isoform in the retina results in a similar rough eye phenotype. However, co-expression of Par-1 with d-tau leads to lethality, whereas co-expression of Par-1 with h-tau has little effect on the rough eye phenotype. We have found analogous results by comparing larval proteomes. Through genetic screening and proteomic analysis, we have identified some important potential modifiers and tau-associated proteins. These results suggest that the two tau genes differ significantly. This comparison between species-specific isoforms may help to clarify whether the homologous tau genes are conserved. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. This study was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (30270341; 30630028), the Multidisciplinary Program (Brain and Mind) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Major State Basic Research Program (“973 program”; G2000077800; G2006CB806600; 2006CB911003), the Precedent Project of Important Intersectional Disciplines in the Knowledge Innovation Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KJCX1-09-03).     

Characterization of free and immobilized (<Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>)-aminotransferase for acetophenone production

Gordonia amicalis F.5.25.8 has the unique ability to desulfurize dibenzothiophene and to metabolize carbazole [Santos et al., Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 71:355–362, 2006]. Efforts to amplify the dsz genes from G. amicalis F.5.25.8 based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers designed using the dsz gene sequences of Rhodococcus erythropolis IGTS8 were mostly unsuccessful. A comparison of the protein sequences of dissimilar desulfurization enzymes (DszABC, BdsABC, and TdsABC) revealed multiple conserved regions. PCR primers targeting some of the most highly conserved regions of the desulfurization genes allowed us to amplify dsz genes from G. amicalis F.5.25.8. DNA sequence data that include nearly the entirety of the desulfurization operon as well as the promoter region were obtained. The most closely related dsz genes are those of G. alkinovorans strain 1B at 85% identity. The PCR primers reported here should be useful in microbial ecology studies and the amplification of desulfurization genes from previously uncharacterized microbial cultures.     

Acclimation to light in seedlings of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus petraea</Emphasis> (Mattuschka) Liebl. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus pyrenaica</Emphasis> Willd. planted along a forest-edge gradient

Photosynthetic acclimation of two co-occurring deciduous oaks (Quercus petraea and Quercus pyrenaica) to a natural light gradient was studied during one growing season. In the spring of 2003, 90 seedlings per species were planted along a transect resulting from a dense Pinus sylvestris stand, an adjacent thinned area and a 10-m-wide firebreak (16.5–60.9% Global Site Factor (GSF)). In two dates of the following summer, we measured leaf gas exchange, carboxylation efficiency (CE), chlorophyll and nitrogen content, light–response curves of chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, and leaf mass per area (LMA). Summer was mild, as evidenced by leaf predawn water potential (Ψ_pd), which reduced the interactive effect of water stress on the response of seedlings to light. Q. pyrenaica had higher LMA, CE, stomatal conductance (g _{s max}) and photosynthesis per unit area than Q. petraea at all growth irradiances. , LMA, g _{s max} and electron transport rate (ETR) all increased with light availability (GSF) in a similar fashion in both species. Light had also a clear effect on the organization of Photosystem II (PS II), as deduced by chlorophyll a fluorescence curves. Chlorophyll concentration (Chl_m) decreased with increasing light availability in Q. pyrenaica but it did not in Q. petraea. Seedlings of Q. petraea acclimated to higher irradiances showed a greater non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) than those of Q. pyrenaica. This suggests a higher susceptibility to high light in Q. petraea, which would be consistent with a better adaptation to shade, inferred from the lower LMA or the lower rate of photosynthesis.     

Nematodes from saline and freshwater lakes of the Vestfold Hills,East Antarctica,including the description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hypodontolaimus antarcticus</Emphasis> sp. n.

The invertebrate fauna of many Antarctic ice-free areas, even those close to permanent research stations, can be poorly known. Here we describe some nematodes from freshwater and saline, marine-derived lakes of the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. The freshwater lakes contained the widespread East Antarctic endemic species, Plectus frigophilus Kirjanova, 1958. The saline lakes were inhabited by two recently described species, Halomonhystera halophila Andrássy, 2006 and Halomonhystera continentalis Andrássy, 2006, and by a new species described in this report, Hypodontolaimus antarcticus sp. n. Originally marine but now brackish Highway Lake contained a nematode fauna with both freshwater and marine-derived components. The nematode fauna of Antarctica now consists of 54 named species, 22 of which are found in East Antarctica.     

Characterisation of Fmrp in zebrafish: evolutionary dynamics of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">fmr1</Emphasis> gene

Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited form of mental retardation. It is caused by the lack of the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP), which is encoded by the FMR1 gene. Although Fmr1 knockout mice display some characteristics also found in fragile X patients, it is a complex animal model to study brain abnormalities, especially during early embryonic development. Interestingly, the ortholog of the FMR1 gene has been identified not only in mouse, but also in zebrafish (Danio rerio). In this study, an amino acid sequence comparison of FMRP orthologs was performed to determine the similar regions of FMRP between several species, including human, mouse, frog, fruitfly and zebrafish. Further characterisation of Fmrp has been performed in both adults and embryos of zebrafish using immunohistochemistry and western blotting with specific antibodies raised against zebrafish Fmrp. We have demonstrated a strong Fmrp expression in neurons of the brain and only a very weak expression in the testis. In brain tissue, a different distribution of the isoforms of Fmrp, compared to human and mouse brain tissue, was shown using western blot analysis. Due to the high similarity between zebrafish Fmrp and human FMRP and their similar expression pattern, the zebrafish has great potential as a complementary animal model to study the pathogenesis of the fragile X syndrome, especially during embryonic development.Edited by D. Tautz     

Perinuclear and nuclear envelope localizations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis> Ran proteins

Using phragmoplastin-interacting protein 1 (PhrIP1) as bait, we isolated an Arabidopsis cDNA encoding Ran2, a small Ras-like GTP-binding protein. The interaction between PhrIP1 and Ran2 was confirmed by an in vitro protein–protein interaction assay with purified Ran2 and PhrIP1. The plant Ran2 shares high sequence homology, 78 and 86% at the amino acid level, with human Ran/TC4 and C. elegans Ran, respectively. Our results obtained from enzyme assays and Western blot analysis show that Ran2 has intrinsic GTPase activity and is present in the soluble fraction of Arabidopsis seedling extract. Fluorescent microscopy using anti-Ran2 antibody revealed that the Ran protein is localized in the perinuclear region with the highest concentration at the nuclear envelope. In contrast to its animal counterparts that are present in the nucleoplasm, the Ran protein is absent inside the nucleus. These results suggest that plant Ran proteins may be involved in mediation of nucleocytoplasmic transport and assembly of the nuclear envelope after karyokinesis in plant cells.     

固化河岸对长江江豚栖息活动的影响

长江江豚主要栖居在近岸浅水水域,喜好泥沙质类型的河岸。但在长江干流,有很多自然河岸被固化,河岸固化给长江江豚分布和栖息活动造的影响仍不甚清楚。2016年3月—2017年1月,对长江干流2个自然河段江豚的数量和分布做了12次考察,并收集了这2个河段岸型的相关数据,来分析固化河岸对江豚栖息活动的影响。12次考察累计发现江豚215头次,平均每次考察观察到江豚(17.92±7.09)头次。研究区域的固化河岸约占岸线总长的59%,分析发现,仅约13.9%的江豚分布在固化河岸水域,86.1%的江豚均分布在自然河岸水域。江豚在单位河岸长度的分布数量与该段固化河岸长度所占的比例呈显著负相关(r=-0.639,P0.01)。在自然河岸,分布在近岸50 m水域的江豚占31.8%,而在固化河岸,仅观察到2头江豚活动在近岸50 m水域内。由此可见,固化河岸对江豚的近岸分布有明显影响。调查还发现,安庆城区建设带约10 km江段12次考察均未发现江豚分布,城区建设带可能对江豚栖息已造成严重影响。长江干流的固化河岸所占比例非常高,研究结果提示这可能导致长江干流江豚栖息地的丧失和破碎化加剧,在制定长江江豚保护措施必需慎重考虑此因素的影响,并据此提出相应的栖息地保护和恢复方案。     

RifP; a membrane protein involved in rifamycin export in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Amycolatopsis mediterranei</Emphasis>

The rifamycin gene cluster in Amycolatopsis mediterranei includes the gene rifP, whose role in antibiotic production has not yet been established. In this work, the rifP gene was silenced and the results indicated that it codes for a protein to export rifamycin, avoiding its accumulation inside the cell. An antisense cassette was constructed by inserting the rifP gene in an antisense orientation downstream from the modified ermE^* promoter, and upstream of the Tasd terminator (aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase of A. lactamdurans). Partial silencing of the rifP gene by the use of the antisense cassette, cloned in the plasmid pUAMAE5, resulted in a 70% decrease in the extracellular rifamycin B. A protein of 53 kDa was absent in the membrane fraction of the silenced strain. This is the same size of the expected product from the rifP gene. The 2D structure analysis indicated it belongs to a Drug:H⁺ antiporter family which includes a wide number of membrane transport proteins.