Antennatula katumotoi,a new euantennariaceous sooty mould,with a Hormisciomyces-like synasexual morph from central Honshu,Japan

A new species of euantennariaceous sooty mould, Antennatula katumotoi, is described and illustrated. It has a Hormisciomyces-like synasexual morph and inhabits twigs of the conifer Abies veitchii in Sugenuma (alt. ca. 1719 m), Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. The expected Euantennaria-like sexual morph linked to this genus was not seen in the specimen studied. This is the first proof that the genus Antennatula of the family Euantennariaceae also occurs in Japan. In addition, A. katumotoi also occurs with another metacapnodiaceous sooty mould that is composed of characteristic moniliform, barrel-shaped hyphae probably of a Capnobotrys-like asexual morph, but this is a minor inhabitant in the subicula.     

Engineered heterologous FPP synthases-mediated Z,E-FPP synthesis in E. coli

Production of Z-type farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) has not been reported in Escherichia coli. Here we present the fusion enzyme (ILRv) of E. coli E,E-FPP synthase (IspA) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Z,E-FPP synthase (Rv1086), which can produce primarily Z,E-FPP rather than E,E-FPP, the predominant stereoisomer found in most organisms. Z,E-farnesol (FOH) was produced from E. coli harboring the bottom portion of the MVA pathway and the fusion FPP synthase (ILRv) at a titer of 115.6 mg/L in 2 YT medium containing 1% (v/v) glycerol as a carbon source and 5 mM mevalonate. The Z,E-FOH production was improved by 15-fold, compared with 7.7 mg/L obtained from the co-overexpression of separate IspA and Rv1086. The Z,E-FPP was not metabolized in native metabolic pathways of E. coli. It would be of interest to produce Z,E-FPP derived sesquiterpenes from recombinant E. coli due to no loss of Z,E-FPP substrate in endogenous metabolism of the host strain.     

The SKPO-1 Peroxidase Functions in the Hypodermis to Protect Caenorhabditis elegans From Bacterial Infection

In recent years, the synergistic relationship between NADPH oxidase (NOX)/dual oxidase (DUOX) enzymes and peroxidases has received increased attention. Peroxidases utilize NOX/DUOX-generated H₂O₂ for a myriad of functions including, but not limited to, thyroid hormone biosynthesis, cross-linking extracellular matrices (ECM), and immune defense. We postulated that one or more peroxidases produced by Caenorhabditis elegans would act in host defense, possibly in conjunction with BLI-3, the only NOX/DUOX enzyme encoded by the genome that is expressed. Animals exposed to RNA interference (RNAi) of the putative peroxidase genes were screened for susceptibility to the human pathogen Enterococcus faecalis. One of three genes identified, skpo-1 (ShkT-containing peroxidase), was studied in depth. Animals mutant for this gene were significantly more susceptible to E. faecalis, but not Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A slight decrease in longevity was also observed. The skpo-1 mutant animals had a dumpy phenotype of incomplete penetrance; half the animals displayed a dumpy phenotype ranging from slight to severe, and half were morphologically wild type. The SKPO-1 protein contains the critical catalytic residues necessary for peroxidase activity, and in a whole animal assay, more H₂O₂ was detected from the mutant compared to the wild type, consistent with the loss of an H₂O₂ sink. By using tissue-specific skpo-1 RNAi and immunohistochemical localization with an anti-SKPO-1 antibody, it was determined that the peroxidase is functionally and physically present in the hypodermis. In conclusion, these results characterize a peroxidase that functions protectively in the hypodermis during exposure to E. faecalis.     

Low genetic diversity and weak population differentiation in Firmiana danxiaensis,a tree species endemic to Danxia landform in northern Guangdong,China

Danxia landform, a unique type of petrographic geomorphology, sporadically occurs in southern China. There are about 400 rare or threatened plants and animals in this landform, but little information on genetic aspects of these species has been available. Of them, Firmiana danxiaensis is a dominant tree species endemic to Mount Danxia, a typical Danxia landform in northern Guangdong, China. In this study, we examined genetic diversity and population structure of F. danxiaensis, in comparison with two other narrowly distributed Firmiana species, Firmiana hainanensis and Firmiana kwangsiensis, which grow in non-Danxia-landform regions. Nine microsatellite markers were used to investigate genetic diversity and differentiation in a total of 256 individuals from nine populations of F. danxiaensis, three of F. hainanensis, and one of F. kwangsiensis. The results showed that F. danxiaensis had the lowest genetic diversity (H_E = 0.364 ± 0.019) among the three species, but weak population structure similar to another Firmiana species (F_ST = 0.042 and 0.020, respectively). This low genetic diversity observed in F. danxiaensis is possibly due to confined natural distribution range and strong selective pressure in soils of Danxia landform, which may also be true for other endemic species in Danxia landform. For the long term survival of these endemic species, habitat conservation and anthropogenic introduction to similar habitats such as the adjacent Danxia landform areas should be two major strategies.     

Taxonomic study of the genus Laena from Sichuan in China,with description of four new species (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

The genus Laena Dejean, 1821 belongs to the subfamily Lagriinae, tribe Laenini. Four new species of this genus are described and illustrated from Sichuan under the following name: Laena ceratina Wei & Ren, sp. nov., Laena edentata Zhao & Ren, sp. nov. (from Sichuan and Qinghai), Laena latitarsia Wei & Ren, sp. nov. (from Sichuan and Yunnan) and Laena sufflofemora Wei & Ren, sp. nov.. A key to the known Laena species from Sichuan is provided. www.zoobank.org/urn:urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8DBFD10F-F968-400C-846B-1C23E8DEC177.     

Taxonomic review of the Indian species of Asecodes Fӧrster (Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae), with description of four new species

The Indian species of Asecodes F?rster (Eulophidae: Entedoninae) are reviewed. Six species are recognized for the genus, of which four species are described as new: A. doganlari Jamali & Zeya, sp. nov., A. massi Jamali & Zeya, sp. nov., A. sela Jamali & Zeya, sp. nov, A. zhui Jamali & Zeya, sp. nov.. One species: A. delucchii (Bou?ek) is recorded for the first time from the country.     

Taxonomy of the genus Laena from Yunnan in China,with description of eight new species (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Lagriinae)

Eight new species of the genus Laena Dejean, 1821 (subfamily Lagriinae, tribe Laenini) from Yunnan Province of China were described and illustrated: L. acutidentata Wei & Ren, sp. nov., L. brevicarina Wei & Ren, sp. nov., L. dongchuana Zhao & Ren, sp. nov., L. glabridentipa Wei & Ren, sp. nov., L. nuda Zhao & Ren, sp. nov., L. raropuncta Wei & Ren, sp. nov., L. rugulosa Wei & Ren, sp. nov. and L. spinicla Wei & Ren, sp. nov.. Illustrations and a key to the known Laena species from Yunnan Province are provided.www.zoobank.org/urn:urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FDEDA1E8-2F2E-4732-8DB4-FE2D7BDC75D8.     

A new species of Stibadocerella Brunetti, 1918 from China (Diptera,Cylindrotomidae)

Four species of the genus Stibadocerella Brunetti, 1918 were previously known from the world. Here one new species, Stibadocerella shennongensis Zhang & Yang, sp. nov. is reported from Hubei, China. New record Stibadocerella pristina Brunetti, 1918 from Hainan, China is re-described and illustrated. A key to the known species of Stibadocerella is presented.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:45002F67-2C20-4F3C-A543-81F802EA3900.     

Eomyops noeliae sp. nov., a new Eomyidae (Mammalia,Rodentia) from the Aragonian of Spain

A new species of Eomyops, Eomyops noeliae, is described. from the locality MT-20A (Morteral section, Magro basin, eastern Spain). It is intermediate in size between the large eomiid, E. hebeiseni, and the small species of the group E. catalaunicus, E. bodvanus and E. oppligeri. The age range is Lower Aragonian. MT-20A is located between deposits that contain Megacricetodon primitivus and M. collongensis. Morphologically, E. noeliae sp. nov. is clearly different from the rest of species of the genus, due to an important reduction of the lingual anteroloph of M^1,2,3 and the labial anterolophid of M₃. The lower incisor shows two parallel ridges along the enamel like the type species of the genus, E. catalaunicus. This character is basic for the distinction between Eomyops and the North American genus Leptodontomys.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Enigmagraptus</Emphasis> n. gen., a new graptoloid (Přídolí, Silurian,New South Wales,Australia)

Enigmagraptus n. gen. comprises a group of the smallest known graptolites, with problematical evolutionary ancestors. The species described, all of Přídolí age are:E. yassensis (Rickards &Wright, 1999),E. cf.yassensis, E. mitchelli (Rickards &Wright, 1999) andE. pennyae n. sp.      

Identification and characterization of parvalbumin-like protein in Trichophyton violaceum

Parvalbumins play crucial physiological roles in neuromuscular systems of vertebrates, such as cell-cycle, development of neurons, contraction of muscles, and regulation of intracellular calcium. To perform these neuromuscular functions, parvalbumin may be in associated with other proteins including calbindin, carbonic anhydrase, and cytochrome oxidase. Humans may show an IgE-specific hypersensitivity to parvalbumins after consumption of some distinct fish species. While this protein is abundant in fish muscles, literature review of publications related to fish parvalbumins, do not point to the presence of parvalbumins in eukaryotic microbes. In this study, we propose that distantly related parvalbumins may be found in some non-fish species. Bioinformatics studies such as multiple sequence alignment (MSA), phylogenetic analysis as well as molecular-based experiments indicate that, at least two parvalbumins sequences (UniProt IDs: A0A178F775 and A0A178F7E4) with EF-hand domains and Ca²⁺-binding sites could be identified in Trichophyton violaceum, a pathogenic fungal species.It was determined that both genes consisted of a single exon and encoded for parvalbumin proteins possessing conserved amino acid motifs. Antigenicity prediction revealed antigenic sites located in both sides of the Ca²⁺-binding site of the first EF-hand domain. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that one of parvalbumins (UniProt ID: 0A178F775) can be evolved to other parvalbumins in T. violaceum (UniProt ID: A0A178F7E4) and fish species through evolutionary phenomenon. To confirm our in-silico findings, we designed three primer pairs to detect one of the T. violaceum parvalbumins (UniProt ID: A0A178F7E4) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR); one primer pair showed a strong and specific band in agarose gel electrophoresis. To evaluate the specificity of the method, the primers were tested on extracted DNA from Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes. The results demonstrated that the evaluated parvalbumin gene (UniProt ID: A0A178F7E4) was T. violaceum-specific and this pathogenic fungus can be differentiated from T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes through identification of parvalbumin genes. Further studies are necessary to unravel the biochemical and physiological functions of parvalbumins in T. violaceum.     

Description of four new mayfly species of Indialis Peters & Edmunds, 1970 (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) from Peninsular India

Four new species of the genus Indialis Peters & Edmunds (1970) viz., Indialis thirparapensis sp. nov. Indialis payaswini sp. nov. Indialis kannani sp. nov. and Indialis kodagi sp. nov. are described from southern Western Ghats of India, based on larval and adult characters. The affinities towards related species are discussed.LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3C0F5252-4E80-4B7B-89FB-D43E3F2474A1.     

The differential contributions of herkogamy and dichogamy as mechanisms of avoiding self‐interference in four self‐incompatible Epimedium species

Self‐interference is one of the most important selective forces in shaping floral evolution. Herkogamy and dichogamy both can achieve reductions in the extent of self‐interference, but they may have different roles in minimizing self‐interference in a single species. We used four self‐incompatible Epimedium species to explore the roles of herkogamy and dichogamy in avoiding self‐interference and to test the hypothesis that herkogamy and dichogamy may be separated and become selected preferentially in the taxa. Two species (E. franchetii and E. mikinorii) expressed strong herkogamy and weak protogyny (adichogamy), whereas another two species (E. sutchuenense and E. leptorrhizum) expressed slight herkogamy and partial protandry. Field investigations indicated that there was no physical self‐interference between male function and female function regarding pollen removal and pollen deposition in all species. Self‐pollination (autonomous or facilitated) was greater in species with slight herkogamy than in those with strong herkogamy. Artificial pollination treatments revealed that self‐pollination could reduce outcrossed female fertility in all species, and we found evidence that self‐interference reduced seed set in E. sutchuenense and E. leptorrhizum in the field, but not in E. franchetii and E. mikinorii. These results indicate that well‐developed herkogamy is more effective compared with dichogamy in avoiding self‐interference in the four species. In genus Epimedium, herkogamy instead of dichogamy should be selected preferentially and evolved as an effective mechanism for avoiding self‐interference and might not need to evolve linked with dichogamy.     

Revision of the Barsine punicea Moore, 1878 species-group,with descriptions of two new species and two new subspecies (Lepidoptera,Erebidae, Arctiinae)

The Barsine puniceaMoore, 1878 species-group is revised. Two new species, Barsine bachma Volynkin & ?erný, sp. nov. (Central Vietnam and Hainan, China) and Barsine sirikitae Volynkin & ?erný, sp. nov. (North Thailand), and two new subspecies, Barsine punicea kachina Volynkin & ?erný, ssp. nov. (North Myanmar) and Barsine bachma bolovena Volynkin & ?erný, ssp. nov. (South Laos) are described. Barsine punicea melanandra ?erný, 2009 is upgraded to the species level: Barsine melanandra ?erný, 2009, stat. nov.Miltochrista rothschildiDraudt, 1914 is synonymized with Barsine punicea and downgraded to the subspecies status: Barsine punicea rothschildi (Draudt, 1914), syn. & stat. nov. The lectotype for Miltochrista coccineaRothschild, 1913 is designated. Adult, male and female genitalia are illustrated.     

Redescription of Echinostoma trivolvis (Cort, 1914) (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) with a discussion on its identity

The life-cycle of Echinostoma trivolvis (Cort, 1914) has been completed experimentally and the validity and identity of this species are discussed. Synonyms for cercariae and adults of E. trivolvis are as follows: Cercaria trivolvis Cort, 1914, C. trisolenata Faust, 1917, C. acanthostoma Faust, 1918, C. complexa Faust, 1919; Distoma echinatum Zeder, 1803, of Leidy (1888, 1904) and Hassall (1896); E. echinatum (Zeder, 1803) of Hassall (1896), Stiles & Hassall (1895), Barker & Laughlin (1911), Barker (1916) and Swales (1933); E. revolutum (Frölich, 1802) Dietz, 1909 of Johnson (1920), Fallis (1934), Beaver (1937) and Fried & co-workers (1968–1989); E. armigerum Barker & Irvine, 1915; E. coalitum Barker & Beaver, 1915; E. callawayensis Barker & Noll, 1915; E. paraulum Dietz, 1909 of Miller (1937); E. multispinosum Vigueras, 1944; and Echinoparyphium contiguum Barker & Bastron, 1915. The first intermediate host is the planorbid snail Helisoma trivolvis. Second intermediate hosts are various pulmonate and prosobranch snails, mussels, planarians, fishes, frogs, tadpoles and freshwater turtles. Final hosts are various birds and mammals. E. trivolvis occurs only in North America.     

PAGODATROCHUS, A NEW GENUS FOR MINOLIA VARIABILIS H. ADAMS, 1873 (GASTROPODA: TROCHIDAE)

Nomenclaturel confusion surrounding the name Minolia variabilisH. Adams, 1873 is clarified. Joint consideration of overallshell morphology and radula structure indicates previous subfamilialand generic referral of the taxon to be incorrect. This necessitatesthe proposal of Pagodatrochus gen. nov. which is provisionallyplaced in the Gibbulinae. Trochus mariei Fischer, 1886, andMinolia eutyches Melvill, 1918, are shown to be synonyms. Lectotypesof the following species are designated and figured: M. eutyches,Gibbula holdsworthana G. & H. Nevill, 1871, and Vanitrochustragema (Melvill & Standen, 1896); the holotype of Trochusmariei is also figured. Minolia charmosyne Melvill, 1918, issynonymised with Gibbula holdsworthana G. & H. Nevill, 1871. (Received 24 April 1988; accepted 26 May 1988)     

Reconsidering locomotor habits and life style of the Balearic insular giant rodent Hypnomys Bate, 1918 from the allometry of the limb long bones

The genus Hypnomys Bate, 1918 includes some endemic Neogene chronospecies from Mallorca and Menorca, evolved in insularity conditions from the Lower Pliocene to the human arrival at the archipelago. The study of the allometric proportions (functional length and sagittal diameter) of the limbs’ long bones of Hypnomys eliomyoides Agusti, 1980 (Lower Pleistocene of Menorca), Hypnomys sp. (Pleistocene of Menorca), Hypnomys onicensis (Reumer, 1994) (Upper Pliocene-Lower Pleistocene of Mallorca) and Hypnomys morpheus Bate, 1918 (Upper Pleistocene of Mallorca) only indicates small differences with the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus Linnaeus, 1776) and other mainland rodents and insectivores. The study about the locomotion type by means of Similarity Matrix of Bou indicates that 1) Hypnomys spp. presents the greater similarities with the arboreal, jumping and gliding species; 2) the jumping and digging life style of Hypnomys spp. are more developed (25%) than in E. quercinus; 3) the walking locomotion of Hypnomys spp. is only a 7% greater than in E. quercinus; and 4) the degree of similarity with the gliding locomotion of Hypnomys sp. is greater (17%) than in E. quercinus. Some of this data indicates that Hypnomys spp. was better adapted to the arboreal life than E. quercinus, due to the relationship between the jumping and gliding capacities with the arboreal locomotion. The greater similarity of Hypnomys spp. with the walking locomotion does not necessarily involve more terrestrial habits. Our interpretation contrasts with earlier conclusions of Hypnomys life style (Hypnomys cf. onicensis and Hypnomys morpheus) where the terrestrial locomotion was overestimated in front of the arboreal locomotion. The locomotion type of Hypnomys would be related with the presence of important forest masses on the Balearic Islands during the Neogene, a different degree of environmental stress from that of the mainland ecosystems and a probable expansion of the ecological niche occupied by these species.     

Secondary metabolites from Eurotium species, Aspergillus calidoustus and A. insuetus common in Canadian homes with a review of their chemistry and biological activities

As part of studies of metabolites from fungi common in the built environment in Canadian homes, we investigated metabolites from strains of three Eurotium species, namely E. herbariorum, E. amstelodami, and E. rubrum as well as a number of isolates provisionally identified as Aspergillus ustus. The latter have been recently assigned as the new species A. insuetus and A. calidoustus. E. amstelodami produced neoechinulin A and neoechinulin B, epiheveadride, flavoglaucin, auroglaucin, and isotetrahydroauroglaucin as major metabolites. Minor metabolites included echinulin, preechinulin and neoechinulin E. E. rubrum produced all of these metabolites, but epiheveadride was detected as a minor metabolite. E. herbariorum produced cladosporin as a major metabolite, in addition to those found in E. amstelodami. This species also produced questin and neoechinulin E as minor metabolites. This is the first report of epiheveadride occurring as a natural product, and the first nonadride isolated from Eurotium species. Unlike strains from mainly infection-related samples, largely from Europe, neither ophiobolins G and H nor austins were detected in the Canadian strains of A. insuetus and A. calidoustus tested, all of which had been reported from the latter species. TMC-120 A, B, C and a sesquiterpene drimane are reported with certainty for the first time from indoor isolates, as well as two novel related methyl isoquinoline alkaloids.     

A Ubiquitin E2 Variant Protein Acts in Axon Termination and Synaptogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans

In the developing nervous system, cohorts of events regulate the precise patterning of axons and formation of synapses between presynaptic neurons and their targets. The conserved PHR proteins play important roles in many aspects of axon and synapse development from C. elegans to mammals. The PHR proteins act as E3 ubiquitin ligases for the dual-leucine-zipper-bearing MAP kinase kinase kinase (DLK MAPKKK) to regulate the signal transduction cascade. In C. elegans, loss-of-function of the PHR protein RPM-1 (Regulator of Presynaptic Morphology-1) results in fewer synapses, disorganized presynaptic architecture, and axon overextension. Inactivation of the DLK-1 pathway suppresses these defects. By characterizing additional genetic suppressors of rpm-1, we present here a new member of the DLK-1 pathway, UEV-3, an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme variant. We show that uev-3 acts cell autonomously in neurons, despite its ubiquitous expression. Our genetic epistasis analysis supports a conclusion that uev-3 acts downstream of the MAPKK mkk-4 and upstream of the MAPKAPK mak-2. UEV-3 can interact with the p38 MAPK PMK-3. We postulate that UEV-3 may provide additional specificity in the DLK-1 pathway by contributing to activation of PMK-3 or limiting the substrates accessible to PMK-3.CHEMICAL synapses are specialized cellular junctions that enable neurons to communicate with their targets. An electrical impulse causes calcium channel opening and consequently stimulates synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic terminals to fuse at the plasma membrane. Neurotransmitter activates receptors on the postsynaptic membrane and triggers signal transduction in the target cell. For this communication to occur efficiently, the organization of the proteins within these juxtaposed pre- and postsynaptic terminals must be tightly regulated (Jin and Garner 2008). Previous studies in Caenorhabditis elegans have identified RPM-1, a member of the conserved PHR (Pam/Highwire/RPM-1) family of proteins, as an important regulator for the synapse (Schaefer et al. 2000; Zhen et al. 2000). Recent functional studies of other PHR proteins have shown that they are also required for a number of steps during nervous system development including axon guidance, growth, and termination (Wan et al. 2000; D''souza; et al. 2005; Bloom et al. 2007; Grill et al. 2007; Lewcock et al. 2007; Li et al. 2008).The signaling cascades regulated by the PHR proteins have been identified using genetic modifier screens (Diantonio et al. 2001; Liao et al. 2004; Nakata et al. 2005; Collins et al. 2006) and biochemical approaches (Grill et al. 2007; Wu et al. 2007). These studies reveal that a major function of PHR proteins is to act as ubiquitin E3 ligases (Jin and Garner 2008). In C. elegans, RPM-1 (Regulator of Presynaptic Morphology-1) regulates the abundance of its substrate, the dual-leucine-zipper-bearing MAP kinase kinase kinase (DLK MAPKKK), and controls the activity of the MAP kinase cascade composed of three additional kinases, MAPKK MKK-4, p38 MAPK PMK-3, and MAPKAPK MAK-2 (Nakata et al. 2005; Yan et al. 2009). This signaling cascade further regulates the activity of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP), CEBP-1, via a mechanism involving 3′-UTR-mediated mRNA decay.Signal transduction involving MAP kinases can be fine tuned using multiple mechanisms to ensure optimal signaling outputs (Raman et al. 2007). For example, scaffold proteins for MAP kinases can provide spatial regulation of kinase activation in response to different stimuli (Remy and Michnick 2004; Whitmarsh 2006). Small protein tags such as ubiquitin have also been shown to control the activation of kinases. Specifically, in the IKK pathway ubiquitination via Lys63 chain formation catalyzed by the Ubc13/Uev1a E2 complex and TRAF6 E3 ligase is required for TAK1 kinase activation (Skaug et al. 2009).To further the understanding of the DLK-1 pathway in the development of the nervous system, we characterized a new complementation group of rpm-1(lf) suppressors. These mutations affect the gene uev-3, a ubiquitin E2 conjugating (UBC) enzyme variant (UEV). UEV proteins belong to the UBC family, but lack the catalytic active cysteine necessary for conjugating ubiquitin (Sancho et al. 1998). The best characterized UEV proteins are yeast Mms2 and mammalian Uev1A, both of which act as the obligatory partner for the active E2 Ubc13 and function in DNA repair and IKB pathways, respectively (Deng et al. 2000; Hurley et al. 2006). In addition, UEV proteins, such as Tsg101, can also regulate endosomal trafficking (Babst et al. 2000). We find that similar to other members of the DLK-1 pathway, uev-3 functions cell autonomously in neurons. uev-3 genetically acts downstream of mkk-4 and upstream of mak-2. UEV-3 can bind PMK-3 in heterologous protein interaction assays. We hypothesize that UEV-3 may add specificity to the DLK-1 pathway by binding to PMK-3 for its activation or for selecting specific downstream targets.