Mice get their annual check-up

A report on the 2004 meeting on Mouse Molecular Genetics, Cold Spring Harbor, USA, 1-5 September 2004.     

Bacterial comparative genomics

A report on 'Genomes 2004: International Conference on the Analysis of Microbial and Other Genomes', Hinxton, UK, 14-17 April 2004.     

'Horizontal' plant biology on the rise

A report on the Plant Genomics European Meeting (Plant-GEMS2004), Lyon, France, 22-25 September 2004.     

Developmental biology reaches new lineages

A report on the Developmental Biology Annual Symposium and GENETICS 2004, Warwick, UK, 14-16 March 2004.     

Habitat expansion of an exotic lace bug, Corythucha marmorata (Uhler) (Hemiptera: Tingidae), on the Kii Peninsula and Shikoku Island in western Japan

Habitat expansion of an exotic lace bug Corythucha marmorata (Uhler) was observed on the Kii Peninsula in 2003–2004, and on Shikoku Island between 2004 and 2007. The bug was first sighted in Nishinomiya City in Hyogo Prefecture in 2000, and then further south in central Kii Peninsula in 2003 before reaching the southern tip of the peninsula by 2004. The bug was first observed in the Tokushima and Ehime Prefectures of Shikoku Island in 2004, after which the range expanded and extended across the entire island by 2007. In this study, six wild Asteraceae species were identified as the host plants to the lace bug.     

Linkage mapping of 1454 new maize candidate gene Loci

Bioinformatic analyses of maize EST sequences have highlighted large numbers of candidate genes putatively involved in agriculturally important traits. To contribute to ongoing efforts toward mapping of these genes, we used two populations of intermated recombinant inbred lines (IRILs), which allow a higher map resolution than nonintermated RILs. The first panel (IBM), derived from B73 x Mo17, is publicly available from the Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center. The second panel (LHRF) was developed from F2 x F252 to map loci monomorphic on IBM. We built framework maps of 237 loci from the IBM panel and 271 loci from the LHRF panel. Both maps were used to place 1454 loci (1056 on map IBM_Gnp2004 and 398 on map LHRF_Gnp2004) that corresponded to 954 cDNA probes previously unmapped. RFLP was mostly used, but PCR-based methods were also performed for some cDNAs to map SNPs. Unlike in usual IRIL-based maps published so far, corrected meiotic centimorgan distances were calculated, taking into account the number of intermating generations undergone by the IRILs. The corrected sizes of our framework maps were 1825 cM for IBM_Gnp2004 and 1862 cM for LHRF_Gnp2004. All loci mapped on LHRF_Gnp2004 were also projected on a consensus map IBMconsensus_Gnp2004. cDNA loci formed clusters near the centromeres except for chromosomes 1 and 8.     

The nature,pattern and function of human sequence variation

A report on the 2004 Keystone Symposium 'Human Genome Sequence Variation and the Inherited Basis of Common Disease', Breckenridge, USA, 8-13 January 2004.     

Natural occurrence of Beauveria bassiana in Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) populations in unsprayed coffee fields

Three unsprayed coffee farms (farm 1, 2 and 3) were studied for the natural occurrence of the insect pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana in Hypothenemus hampei populations throughout the rainy season of 2004 (July-November) and 2005 (July-December). B. bassiana infections were found during most sampling dates in both years, on all three farms. The B. bassiana infection levels were higher in 2005 than in 2004 with mean prevalence of 12.1% and 2.7%, respectively. No consistent significant differences in infection level between farms were found in any of the years. B. bassiana infection levels fluctuated widely throughout the season, and peaked at 13.5% on farm 3 in 2004 and at 44.0% on farm 1 in 2005. The H. hampei population was significantly higher in 2004 than in 2005, with 6.9% of the berries infested in 2004 and only 0.7% in 2005. In both years, the H. hampei infestation level was significantly higher on farm 2. No consistent significant differences in H. hampei infestation levels were found between sampling dates on any of the farms. H. hampei infestation levels fluctuated throughout both seasons, and peaked at 15.3% on farm 2 in 2004 and 2.2% on farm 2 in 2005. No consistent density dependent correlation between H. hampei infestation level and B. bassiana infection level was found. Correlations between climatic conditions and B. bassiana or H. hampei were not found.     

Suppression of adult lesser mealworm (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) using soil incorporation of poultry manure

The effectiveness of manure incorporation in reducing the numbers of adult lesser mealworms emerging from caged-layer poultry manure applied to agricultural fields was examined in summer 2002 and 2004. Incorporation treatments included control (no incorporation), disk (7-cm depth), harrow (15-cm depth), chisel plow (30-cm depth), and moldboard plow (33-cm depth) on silt loam soils in New York state. An estimated 55,192 and 183,500 live adult lesser mealworms were applied to the field in 2002 and 2004, respectively. Mortality due to the action of the manure spreader was 32.4% in 2002 and 6.5% in 2004. No significant differences were observed between treatments in 2002. However, moldboard plowing significantly reduced beetle emergence compared with no tillage in 2004. Peak beetle flight was observed 10 and 17 d after manure application in 2002 and 2004, respectively.     

A study of the adsorption of bacterial cells on porous materials

The paper presents experimental data on the adsorption of bacterial cells on porous materials.Translated from Mikrobiologiya, Vol. 73, No. 6, 2004, pp. 810–816.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Samonin, Elikova.     

Health assessment of Black-crowned Night-herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) of the New York Harbor estuary

Blood samples from 145 Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax, BCNH) chicks (mean age 3 weeks) were taken from four island colonies (Goose (2004), Canarsie Pol (2005), Hoffman (2004 and 2005) and North Brother (2004 and 2005)) in New York Harbor in 2004 and 2005 to establish baseline health reference ranges for this species and to compare health indices of birds reared on different islands. Packed cell volume (PCV) and total solids (TS) did not differ among islands in either year. Herons raised on Hoffman Island in 2004 had lower white blood cell count (WBC), and higher activities of creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate amino transferase (AST), higher concentrations of potassium (K) and phosphorous (PHOS) and lower liver derived proteins (TP, prealbumin, albumin, alpha 1 globulins, alpha 2 globulins, beta globulins and gamma globulins) compared to herons from Goose and North Brother Islands. These changes suggest compromised health in chicks reared on Hoffman Island in 2004. On Hoffman in 2005, these biochemical analytes did not differ from concentrations and enzyme activities measured from birds on other islands. Although no single etiology can explain these extensive changes, it is likely that exposure to contaminants at foraging sites used by birds nesting on Hoffman and/or changes in prey availability and abundance causing birds to forage in different locations between years, led to differences measured in blood-based health indices. Avian health assessments coupled with foraging ecology serve as an excellent method for evaluating ecosystem health of the New York Harbor estuary system.     

Mediated electrochemical measurement of the inhibitory effects of furfural and acetic acid on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida shehatae</Emphasis>

The toxic effects of furfural and acetic acid on two yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida shehatae, were evaluated using an electrochemical method. Intracellular redox activities were lowered by 40% and 78% for S. cerevisiae and C. shehatae, respectively, by 8 g furfural l^–1, and by 46% and 67%, respectively, by 8 g acetic acid l^–1. The proposed method can accurately measure the effects of inhibitors on cell cultures.Revisions requested 27 September 2004/17 November 2004; Revisions received 15 November 2004/10 December 2004     

Resistance of melanized feathers to bacterial degradation: is it really so black and white?

Melanins are common feather pigments that contribute to signaling and crypsis. Melanins may also help feathers resist feather‐degrading bacteria (FDB). Two recent studies (Goldstein et al. 2004, Grande et al. 2004) tested the resistance of melanized versus unmelanized feathers to FDB using in vitro experiments, but draw opposite conclusions. Goldstein et al. (2004) concluded that melanized feathers resist FDB more than unmelanized feathers, while Grande et al. (2004) concluded that unmelanized feathers resist FDB more than melanized feathers. To resolve this conflict in the literature, we replicated previous studies but included additional tests not previously used. We inoculated melanized and unmelanized feathers of domestic geese Anser anser domesticus, with the FDB Bacillus licheniformis and measured bacterial activity every two days over two weeks. Three metrics of bacterial activity on feathers were measured: soluble protein content around feathers in solution, bacterial growth on feathers, and loss of feather mass. The latter two metrics were not considered in the aforementioned studies, which indirectly measured bacterial activity. We conducted two trials, one in which feathers were sterilized by autoclaving before inoculation (Goldstein et al. 2004, Grande et al. 2004), and a second in which feathers were sterilized by ethylene oxide gas. This allowed us to test whether autoclaving, done in previous studies, influences bacterial activity on feathers and could confound results. In both trials, unmelanized feathers degraded earlier, supported greater bacterial growth, and lost more mass than melanized feathers. These results support the findings of Goldstein et al. (2004); melanized feathers are more resistant to FDB than unmelanized feathers. Thus, using direct metrics of bacterial activity, we resolve a current conflict in the literature. We also found that autoclaving feathers influences FDB activity on them, and thus autoclaving should be avoided in future studies.     

浙江省森林生物量动态

以浙江省1976至2004年森林资源连续清查资料为数据源,采用基于生物量与蓄积之间关系的生物量转换因子连续函数法,对全省林分生物量和包括林分在内的森林生物量动态进行估计。森林生物量为包括林分、疏林、灌木林、竹林、经济林和四旁树在内的所有林木生物量之和。结果表明,浙江省1976至2004年间森林生物量从1.00828&#215;10^8Mg上升到2.44426&#215;10^8Mg;其中,林分生物量由0.5712&#215;10^8Mg上升到1.51128&#215;10^8Mg。森林生物量和林分生物量的年平均增长速度分别为5.1%和9.1%。在1999至2004年间,森林生物量和林分生物量增长速度均明显加快,分别达到8.6%和10.1%。在1976至2004年间,全省森林面积年均增长速度为1.0%,森林平均生物量从16.50Mg&#183;hm^-2上升到36.59Mg&#183;hm^-2。但是,在森林资源总量不断增加的同时,全省林分质量仍维持较低水平。2004年全省林分单位面积生物量为38.40Mg&#183;hm^-2,远低于全国平均水平（77.40Mg&#183;hm^-2）。研究还表明,利用森林资源连续清查数据和基于单株测树因子的森林生物量模型能够估计大尺度范围内的森林生物量及其动态,但亟待在统一标准下建立和完善覆盖所有树种的生物量模型。     

A REVISION OF THE FOSSIL PIRATE SPIDERS (ARACHNIDA: ARANEAE: MIMETIDAE)

Abstract:  Fossil pirate spiders (Araneae: Mimetidae) are revised. The extinct genera Succinero Wunderlich, 2004 a and Palaeoero Wunderlich, 2004 a are interpreted as synonyms of the extant genus Ero C. L. Koch, 1836. We recognize here the following fossil species as valid: E. carboneana Petrunkevitch, 1942, E. longitarsus (Wunderlich, 2004 a ) comb. nov. and E. permunda Petrunkevitch, 1942, all from Baltic amber (Paleogene: Eocene), and E. rovnoensis (Wunderlich, 2004 b ) comb. nov. from Rovno (Ukranian) amber (Paleogene: Eocene). Mimetus bituberculatus Wunderlich, 1988 from Dominican Republic amber (Neogene: Miocene) can be assigned to a specifically American clade of Mimetus Hentz, 1932. Mimetus brevipes Wunderlich, 2004 a from Baltic amber is synonymized with M. longipes Wunderlich, 2004 a syn. nov. Of the other species (all Baltic amber), Ero aberrans Petrunkevitch, 1958 lacks taxonomically useful characters. Ero setulosa C. L. Koch and Berendt, 1854 is based on two non-conspecific, and non-mimetid, spiders. Mimetarchaea gintaras Eskov, 1992 is a subadult male mimetid. The putative oarcine 'missing link' Praeoarces exitus Wunderlich, 2004 a is a subadult female mimetine. All four are treated here as nomina dubia . Other fossil mimetid species in the literature are nomina nuda .     

Current options for improving leafspot disease resistance and yield of groundnut in an Ultisols

A two-season experiment was conducted in 2003 and 2004 on the current options for improving the severity of leafspot disease and yield of groundnut in the Ultisiols of Imo State. Four plant densities were variously combined with three organic manures at four replications with zero as the control in 2003 and 2004, respectively. The result showed that organic manure significantly reduced the severity of leafspot disease (P<0.05; 0.52 and 0.66). It also significantly influence stalk yield (tha^?1) and yield (tha^?1) 11.00; 12.86; 14.05; 15.82 in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Planting density 250 000 plants/ha, recorded the least leafspot severity 0.48; 0.55 while 444 444 plants/ha recorded the highest leafspot severity of 1.00 and 1.25 in 2003 and 2004. Fowl droppings significantly reduced the severity of leafspot disease 0.38; 0.50 in comparison with cow dung 0.66; 0.88 which were lower in 2003 and 2004, respectively. However, control (O-treatment) recorded the highest severity of leafspot disease 0.92; 1.30 in 2003 and 2004, respectively. The same trends were observed in stalk yield with fowl dropping recording the highest yield 14.28, 15.06 followed by cow dung 13.25; 14.00 while O-treatment (control) recorded the lowest 11.96; 12.50 in 2003 and 2004, respectively. But 250 000 plants/ha produced the lower stalk yield (tha^?1) 13.64; 14.40, but the highest seed yield 11.35; 12.00, while 444 444 plants/ha had the highest stalk yield 16.28; 17.10 but lower seed yield 11.26; 11.88 tha^?1 in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Also, the severity of leafspot disease increases with plant age in all treatments and all seasons. Edaphic conditions of the study site especially concerning soil reaction influenced the incidence and severity of leafspot disease on groundnut. The succulence of groundnut leaves promoted leafspot disease attack.     

嗜酸乳杆菌YIT2004株的抗生素敏感性 及对万古霉素耐药机制

摘要：目的 研究嗜酸乳杆菌YIT2004株的抗生素敏感性及其耐药机制。方法 最低抑菌浓度法检测嗜酸乳杆菌YIT2004株对抗生素的敏感性;提取YIT2004株基因组,用特异性引物对耐药基因进行PCR扩增。结果 嗜酸乳杆菌YIT2004株对青霉素、氨苄西林、亚胺培南、庆大霉素、红霉素和克林霉素敏感,对万古霉素耐药;YIT2004株基因组中不存在vanA、vanB耐药基因,但存在高度相似的aad、ddl万古霉素耐药基因。该耐药为固有耐药,不具备传递性。结论 嗜酸乳杆菌YIT2004株对青霉素、氨苄西林、亚胺培南、庆大霉素、红霉素和克林霉素敏感,对万古霉素固有耐药且其耐药性不可传递。嗜酸乳杆菌YIT2004株的使用具有安全性。     

Effect of floating nest platforms on the breeding performance of Black Terns

ABSTRACT.   In 2003 and 2004, we placed 41 floating nest platforms on Grassy Lake in southeastern Wisconsin (USA) to test the hypothesis that reproductive success of Black Terns ( Chlidonias niger ) is limited by the quality of suitable nesting habitat. Extreme differences in water levels between these 2 yr provided a natural experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of the nest platforms during a drought year (2003) when natural nesting substrate was abundant, and a flood year (2004) when natural substrate was limited during the peak nesting period. Terns nested on 27 of 41 (66%) of the platforms in 2003 and 26 of 41 (63%) in 2004. No difference in the occupancy rate of platforms and natural nests was evident in 2003, but the pattern of clutch initiations early in the season in 2004 indicated that platforms were preferred over natural substrates. In 2003, nest survival rates did not differ between nests placed on platforms and those placed on natural substrates, but platform nests had significantly higher hatching success and nest survival rates in 2004. Both the Kaplan-Meier and Apparent Nest Success methods of calculating nest survival provided similar estimates. In both years, eggs laid on platforms were significantly larger than those laid on natural substrates, suggesting that platforms were occupied by high-quality birds. Our study indicates that floating nest platforms can be an effective management tool to enhance nesting habitat for Black Terns and other aquatic birds that construct floating nests, primarily because platforms provide nest sites when natural sites are not available due to flooding. Nest platforms also may be useful for addressing questions concerning habitat selection and parental quality.     

Permissible variation in the 3' non-coding region of the haemagglutinin genome segment of the H5N1 candidate influenza vaccine virus NIBRG-14 [corrected

The candidate H5N1 vaccine virus NIBRG-14 was created in response to a call from the World Health Organisation in 2004 to prepare candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs) to combat the threat of an H5N1 pandemic. NIBRG-14 was created by reverse genetics and is composed of the neuraminidase (NA) and modified haemagglutinin (HA) genes from A/Vietnam/1194/2004 and the internal genes of PR8, a high growing laboratory adapted influenza A(H1N1) strain. Due to time constraints, the non-coding regions (NCRs) of A/Vietnam/1194/2004 HA were not determined prior to creating NIBRG-14. Consequently, the sequence of the primers used to clone the modified A/Vietnam/1194/2004 HA was based upon previous experience of cloning H5N1 viruses. We report here that the HA 3' NCR sequence of NIBRG-14 is different to that of the parental wild type virus A/Vietnam/1194/2004; however this does not appear to impact on its growth or antigen yield. We introduced additional small changes into the 3'NCR of NIBRG-14; these had only minor effects on viral growth and antigen content. These findings may serve to assure the influenza vaccine community that generation of CVVs using best-guess NCR sequences, based on sequence alignments, are likely to produce robust viruses.