Further Electrophoretic Characterization of Strains of Tetrahymena pyriformis*

Mobility patterns of 5 isozymes in strains of Tetrahymena pyriformis were demonstrated using polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. Six stock strains were compared in these patterns to 4 strains representative of each of the previously described 4 major “phenotypic sets.” Stock strains segregated into predicted “phenosets,” and essentially confirmed validity and reproducibility of such a discrimination method. The proposal that new strain designations be assigned on a basis of “phenoset” conformity is reaffirmed.     

Expression of the lactate dehydrogenase genes in Xenopus species hybrids

The lactate dehydrogenase isozyme patterns of six Xenopus species-hybrid combinations have been investigated. The genes from both parental species were equally expressed in all of them. “Hybrid” isozymes originating from aggregation of subunits from both parents could be visualized and demonstrated random aggregation of enzyme subunits. Reciprocal crosses displayed the same pattern demonstrating also random aggregation of subunits.     

Resemblance in phylogenetic diversity among ecological assemblages

Questions: How can a resemblance (similarity or dissimilarity) measure be formulated to include information on both the evolutionary relationships and abundances of organisms, and how does it compare to measures lacking such information? Methods: We extend the family of Phylogenetic Diversity (PD) measures to include a generalized method for calculating pair‐wise resemblance of ecological assemblages. Building on previous work, we calculate the matching/mismatching components of the 2 × 2 contingency table so as to incorporate information on both phylogeny and abundance. We refer to the class of measures so defined as “PD resemblance” and use the term “SD resemblance” for the traditional class of measures based on species diversity alone. As an illustration, we employ data on the diversity and stem density of shrubs of Toohey Forest, Australia, to compare PD resemblance to its SD resemblance equivalent for both incidence and abundance data. Results: While highly correlated, PD resemblance consistently measures assemblages as more similar than does SD resemblance, and tends to “smooth out” the otherwise skewed and truncated distribution of pair‐wise resemblance indices of our high‐turnover data set, resulting in nMDS ordinations with lower stress. Randomization of species distributions across assemblages indicates that phylogeny has made a significant contribution to the ordination pattern. Conclusions: PD resemblance measures, in addition to providing an evolutionary perspective, have great potential to improve distance‐based analyses of community patterns, particularly if species responses to ecological gradients are unimodal and phylogenetically conserved.     

The isozymes of lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and glucosephosphate isomerase in Italian ictalurids

1. The isozymes of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and glucose-phosphate isomerase (GPI) of three species of Italian ictalurids: Ictalurus sp., I. nebulosus marmoratus, and I. punctatus, were analyzed. 2. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) was applied to polyacrylamide gel plates, and the isozymes revealed by means of specific histochemical staining. 3. Species-specific monomorphic patterns were found for LDH. 4. In contrast, MDH and GPI have the same patterns in I. sp. and I. nebulosus marmoratus and different patterns in I. punctatus. 5. Comparison of the isozymatic patterns of the three species clearly showed the close relationship between I. sp. and I. nebulosus marmoratus and the relative taxonomic distance of I. punctatus, and thus the early detachment of this last species from a presumptive common ancestral lineage.     

Impact of protein diversification on morphometric behavior of Andrographis paniculata Nees

Proteins are important biochemical parameters in genetic diversity and controlling morphological characteristics in plants. In this study, the proteomic and morphometric data of an important medicinal herb “Aci Pa?a” (Andrographis paniculata) were combined together to illustrate their impacts on genetic variation of the plant’s population and to realize the connection between protein patterns and phenotypic behavior of the species. We used three protein extraction buffers including Tris, potassium phosphate, and sodium citrate. The Tris buffer was significantly different (p ≤ 0.01) than other two in terms of the quality and quantity of protein bands by producing 15 types of proteins ranged from 13 to 105 kDa of which two of them were polymorphic. Consequently, a total of 12 accessions of A. paniculata were subjected to morpho-proteomic analyses. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average cluster analysis of the accessions based on the protein data and morphological characteristics generated three and four clusters, respectively, at a Euclidean distance of 2.53 for the morphological traits. Moreover, seed proteins analysis revealed that the two polymorphic protein bands sized 20.5 (protein “b”) and 30 kDa (protein “a”) effectively diversified the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic relationships among the 12 accessions of A. paniculata. Interestingly, the protein “b” acted as an activator agent for the number of branches, leaves and total dry weight, while the protein “a” performed a suppressive role for the same traits. Additionally, the two high-weighted faint bands “c” (75 kDa) and “d” (100 kDa) with a very low expression in accession 11228 proved their suppressive role along with the “a” band, while these bands were strongly expressed in the rest of the accessions. These findings suggest that these four proteins should be sequenced and perfectly established for further proteomic analyses. Ultimately, the mentioned proteins can be developed for any prospective breeding program or gene identification.     

Studies on the species of Sedum sarmentosum and S. angustifolium

The Chinese medicine “Chuipencao” is studied. But, as a matter of fact, this Chinese name represents two distinct forms, one with broad leaves and the other with narrow leaves. As a result of a comprehensive study on gross morphology, pollen morphology, histological structure, isozymes, GC analysis of chemical constituents of the plants in question has shown that the narrow-leafed form is different from the broadleafed form and therefore is considered as a new species, Sedum angustifolium Z. B.Hu et X. L. Huang sp. no     

Studies on Taxonomy and Evolution of Citrus and Its Related Genera by Isozyme Analysis

The leaf or bark tissue extracts of 108 biotypes of Citrus and its five related genera were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for isozymes of peroxidase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, phosphoglucose isomerase, phosphoglucose mutase, superoxide dismutase, tetrazolium oxidase, NADP+- dependent malate dehydrogenase and esterase. The inter-or intra-generic differences of isozymograms were compared. Dissimilarities of the isozyme patterns among the samples were calculated by computer based on the UPGMA method to demonstrate the phylogenetic relationship of the biotypes. There are remarkable isozymogramatic differences among the six genera. Generally speaking, each genus possesses its own unique bands. Based on the cluster analysis, the total Citrus biotypes are classified into seven groups, i.e. Honghe papeda, Mauritius papeda, Pummelo, Ichang papeda, Citron, Lemon-lime and Mandarin-orange. Ichang papeda is suggested to be the third subgenus of the genus Citrus. The Fuming trifoliata orange is accepted as a new species of Poncirus-P. polyandra S. Q. Ding. It might be the evolutionary bridge between Poncirus and Citrus, and one of the “missing links” as suggested by W. T. Swingle. Microacrumen (small- fruited mandarin) is the primitive form of the mandarins. It seems better to consid er“ Horse-nose mandarin ”or “Xipigoushigan mandarin” as the typic mandarin originated in China. Euacrumen (large-fruited mandarin) might have arised through two ways. One is hybridization of Microacrumen and C. sinensis, and the other is just the variation of Microacrumen. Ancestors of some biotypes are inferred based on isozyme data. Fortunella obovata Tan. may be a hybrid of Fortunella and Citrus. C. unshiu Marc. arose from the nucellar mutation of“Huangyanbendiguangju mandarin”( C. nobilis Lour.) in Huangyan of Zhejiang Province. C. junos Sieb. came from hybridization of Ichang papeda and mandarin. C. grandis Osbeck and mandarin may have been involved in the origin of C. aurantium L.. C. limonia Osbeck may be a hybrid between C. medica L. and mandarin. The evolutionary trend of citrus fruit trees is proposed, anda tentative phylogenetic diagram is drawn.     

Xerophytic species evaluated for renewable energy resources

Previously, the USDA Northern Regional Research Center has examined 600 plant species in 88 families for their multipurpose, energy-producing potential. About three-fourths of these species have been from central and southern Illinois, but only about 2% have been from arid or semiarid regions of the United States. For this report, 100 species collected from Arizona were evaluated, bringing the total number of species evaluated at this Center to 700 in 96 families. Plant specimens were analyzed for yields of fractions referred to as “oil,” “polyphenol,” “hydrocarbon,” and protein and were examined for botanical characteristics. Oil and hydrocarbon fractions of selected species were partially characterized. Ten species gave high yields of oil and/or polyphenol. For example,Asclepias linaria yielded 8.7% oil (dry, ash-free sample basis) + 11.7% polyphenol (1.9% hydrocarbon).Rhus choriophylla yielded 7.0% oil + 20% polyphenol (0.4% hydrocarbon) andJuglans major yielded 7.0% oil + 9.4% polyphenol (0.2% hydrocarbon).Pittosporum tobira gave the highest yield of hydrocarbon (23%). Fourteen species contained at least 18% protein. In general, the percentages of species yielding substantial amounts of oil and/or polyphenol were considerably higher for the Arizona species than for those 600 species previously analyzed. Complete analytical data are presented for 38 species and are discussed in relationship to the 600 species previously reported.     

Walnut: past and future of genetic improvement

Persian or English walnut (Juglans regia L.), the walnut species cultivated for nut production, is one of the oldest food sources known. Persian walnuts, native to the mountain valleys of Central Asia, are grown worldwide in temperate areas. World production exceeds three million tons since 2012, mostly provided by China, the USA, and Iran. Despite very ancient culture of walnut species (Juglans spp.), breeding actually started in the twentieth century. Using a range of methodologies, from morphological markers to the most recent advances in genome analysis, many genetic studies of walnut have been conducted during the past 30 years, including examination of diversity, determination of relationships within or among germplasm collections and populations, phylogenetic and origin elucidation, genetic map construction, and biotic or abiotic stress investigations. The genetic improvement of walnut has undergone great evolution. The producing countries of the Middle East have widely studied morphological characteristics of walnut. The USA and France, for example, are behind important cultivar releases such as “Chandler” and “Franquette.” Finally, genomics represents a major breakthrough in walnut improvement, in particular by recent sequencing of both chloroplast and nuclear genomes. This review summarizes worldwide molecular and “omics” studies and gives an overview of the main walnut breeding programs.     

Spatial patterns of fungal endophytes in a subtropical montane rainforest of northern Taiwan

Fungal endophytes of plants are ubiquitous and important to host plant health. Wood-inhabiting and foliar endophyte communities from multiple tree hosts were sampled at multiple spatial scales across the Fushan forest dynamics plot in northern Taiwan, using culture-free, community DNA amplicon sequencing methods. Fungal endophyte communities were distinct between leaves and wood, but the mycobiomes were highly variable across and within tree species. Despite this, host tree species was an important predictor of mycobiome community-composition. Within a single common tree species, “core” mycobiomes were characterized using co-occurrence analysis. The spatial co-occurrence patterns of these few species of fungal endophytes appear to explain the strong host effect. For wood endophytes, a consistent core mycobiome coexisted with the host across the extent of the study. For leaf endophytes, the core fungi resembled a more dynamic, “gradient” model of the core microbiome, changing across the topography and distance of the study.     

Differences in terrestrial velocity in Macaca and Presbytis

Over 150 sequences of terrestrial movement were timed and measured in the toque macaque, the gray langur, and the purple-faced langur to determine the relation between velocity, gait, and psychosocial context. Species differences were found in mean velocity, “favored” gait, and surface preference. All three species used the walk and the gallop at the slowest and fastest speeds respectively. The macaques and gray langurs walked frequently, but the purple-faced langurs were never seen to do so. At intermediate speeds, the macaques used either the “fast” walk or the “slow” gallop, whereas the gray langurs used irregular patterns of walk-gallop-walk-gallop. The purple-faced langurs were faster (about 20 fps) and less variable than the other species, regardless of distance. These data suggest that motor expression varies among the Cercopithecoid monkeys: the correlation between locomotion and anatomy is not as close as it is among wholly terrestrial or arboreal forms; slowness in the macaque is an expression of social confidence, not of biomechanical inability; high speed in the purple-faced langur is due to psychosocial factors rather than to “terrestrial” adaptability.     

Genetic diversity and population structure in Tunisian Lavandula stoechas L. and Lavandula multifida L. (Lamiaceae)

The genetic diversity and population structure of 20 Tunisian Lavandula stoechas L. and Lavandula multifida L. populations, from different bioclimates, were analysed by starch gel electrophoresis using seven isozymes. The genetic diversity within populations varied according to species. Variation in L. multifida was higher than that observed for L. stoechas, and exclusive alleles were detected for taxa.

A high differentiation among populations, for each species, estimated by Wright's F-statistics was revealed. The genetic structure of populations from the same bioclimate was substantial. Nei's, R. [1978. Estimation of average heterozygosity and genetic distance from a small number of individuals. Genetics 89, 583–590] genetic distance among pairs of populations was low. The UPGMA cluster analysis of genetic distance values revealed that populations for each species were not strictly clustered together according to bioclimate or geographic proximity.

For each species, the low genetic divergence among populations and their substantial structure indicate their recent fragmentation due to anthropic pressures. The dendrogram generated from pairwise genetic distance among all populations showed two distinct clusters each corresponding to one species. The high genetic divergence between the two species, based on isozymes, corroborates their taxonomic status, as previously reported using morphological traits. The strategy for the management and conservation of populations should be made for each taxa according to its level of diversity and bioclimate.     

Expression of lactate dehydrogenase phenotypes in intraspecific and interspecific matings of two species of Xenopus

Starch gel electrophoresis has been used to examine lactate dehydrogenase phenotypes in two species of Xenopus and their hybrids obtained from reciprocal crosses. The patterns are complex, consisting of as many as 18 bands in some material. Differences between laevis and mulleri isozymes allow an evaluation of the contribution of both parents to the phenotypes of their hybrid offspring, and the determination of approximate times of paternal allele expression. The phenotype of early embryos resembles that of the maternal parent until hatching, when evidence of paternal influence is first apparent. Regardless of the early appearance of paternal enzyme, reciprocal hybrids bear a stronger resemblance to the maternal parent until well after tadpole growth begins. Once this maternal effect disappears, both laevis and mulleri appear to contribute to the LDH phenotype without predominance of the isozymes of either species. Evidence for the possible formation of “hybrid” enzymes consisting of subunits of both species in one active enzyme molecule is presented. Expression of LDH phenotype is variable in the unfertilized eggs of fertile hybrid females.     

Male–male relationships in chimpanzees and the evolution of human pair bonds

The evolution of monogamy has been a central question in biological anthropology. An important avenue of research has been comparisons across “socially monogamous” mammals, but such comparisons are inappropriate for understanding human behavior because humans are not “pair living” and are only sometimes “monogamous.” It is the “pair bond” between reproductive partners that is characteristic of humans and has been considered unique to our lineage. I argue that pair bonds have been overlooked in one of our closest living relatives, chimpanzees. These pair bonds are not between mates but between male “friends” who exhibit enduring and emotional social bonds. The presence of such bonds in male–male chimpanzees raises the possibility that pair bonds emerged earlier in our evolutionary history. I suggest pair bonds first arose as “friendships” and only later, in the human lineage, were present between mates. The mechanisms for these bonds were co-opted for male-female bonds in humans.     

A review of the West Palaearctic aphidiines (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) parasitic on Uroleucon spp., with the description of a new species

A review of aphidiine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitizing the Uroleucon species in the West Palaearctic is presented. Eleven species are keyed and illustrated. In addition, a new hymenopteran parasitoid species: Praon nonveilleri n. sp. from Uroleucon inulicola (Hille Ris Lambers) infesting Inula ensifolia L., is described. The new species is diagnosed and illustrated. It belongs to the “dorsale-yomenaé” species group and was collected from the Djetinja canyon in Serbia and Montenegro. The aphidiines presented in this work were identified from 97 aphid taxons occurring on 236 plant taxons. Furthermore, 361 original parasitoid – host aphid – host plant associations of the species mentioned in the key are presented. Finally, phylogenetic relationships inside the “dorsale-yomenae” species group and related species were reconstructed using cladistic distance methods.     

Biogeographic and anthropogenic correlates of Aleutian Islands plant diversity: A machine‐learning approach

This is the first comprehensive analysis of vascular plant diversity patterns in the Aleutian Islands to identify and quantify the impact of Aleutian Island distance dispersal barriers, geographical, ecological and anthropogenic factors. Data from public Open Access databases, printed floristic accounts, and from collections made by the primary author were used to develop an Aleutian floristic database. The most common plant distribution pattern was “an eastern origin community”, though it compared similarly to the “Western” and “Widespread” distribution pattern. We established an ecological plant community composition class for each island, based on clustering species assemblage dissimilarity measurements (Jaccard Index), and a measurement of phylogenetic dissimilarity (UniFrac). We modelled these composition classes and species richness values in non‐parametric algorithmic models and concepts (data cloning using machine learning, stochastic boosting‐ TreeNet) based on classic and Aleutians‐specific island biogeography hypotheses. Plant species richness is strongly associated with the equilibrium model variables of area and island isolation, as well as distance to the Alaska Peninsula, and island total stream length. Species composition is strongly associated with the landmass groups during the last glacial maximum, maximum island elevation, island isolation and island area. Phylogenetic composition is associated with island area, distance from the islands to the Chukotka Peninsula, maximum island elevation, island geologic age, and island isolation. This study extends the equilibrium theory of island biogeography by including additional drivers of diversity during the Anthropocene, such as the landmass during the LGM, as well as factors that may be related to anthropogenic extinction rate.     

Experimental Identification of “Songlan” (Isatis indigotica) and Woad (I.tinctoria) Introduced into China

“Song Lan” is a source of Chinese drugs such as “Daqingye”, “Banlangen” or “Qingdai”. We have discovered that the two species, “Song Lan” (Isatis indigotica Fort.) and woad (I. tinctoria L.), were mistakenly described in the literature due to their morphological polymorphism. In order to clarify the two species, cytology examination, pollen analysis, electrophoretic analysis of isoenzymes and soluble protein were performed. The results show that previous non-trichiferous type of woad is a “Song Lan”. As in woad, “Song Lan” is also morphologically of great variability. The base of canline leaves in this species may be sagittate or auriculate. We have not found the non-trichiferous type of woad in our country. It is reported for the first time that the chromosome number for “Song Lan” is 2n=14. The content of the indole glucoside in fresh leaves of “Song Lan” is about five timeshigher than in woad. For medicine cultivation of “Song Lan” is favorable.     

ATTRIBUTES OF CHLOROCOCCUM SPECIES: A NUMERICAL ANALYSIS2

From previously published data, 73 characteristics of 17 species of Chlorococcum were compiled. Comparisons of character states of each character were made, and simple matching coefficients were calculated for each species by following the procedure of Sokal & Michener. From a data matrix of the matching coefficients, a phenogram was constructed according to the unweighted pair group method of Sokal & Sneath. Arithmetic averages were used in transferring data from one matrix to another. The frequency of each character state was calculated, and the character states of the highest frequency (the modes) were used to describe a “typical” Chlorococcum species. Comparisons were made between the “typical” Chlorococcum species and each of the 17 species studied. Simple matching coefficients were also calculated from these comparisons. All of the species had a relatively high affinity for the data of the calculated “typical”. Suggestions are made about the use of a “typical” taxonomic unit, and questions are raised about the taxonomic relationship among species of the genus Tetracystis and the genus Chlorococcum.     

Isozyme Variation in a Tropical Pioneer Tree Species (Cecropia obtusifolia,Moraceae) with High Contents of Secondary Compounds1

We define 48 allozyme loci for a tropical pioneer tree species, Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol, which has high contents of secondary compounds. Our goals were to find the effects of extraction procedures on artifacts and variation in resolution of enzyme banding patterns; to explore the relationship among the variation of the loci sampled and the enzymes' molecular structure, metabolic function and substrate; to obtain estimates of the genetic variation in this species at Los Tuxtlas rain forest (México) and to explore the variation of allelic frequencies in six successive life-history stages of the species. The resolution of the isozymes bands and the actual banding pattern varied with the type and age of tissue, the collection and storage procedures, the extraction buffer, and other loading and running procedural details. However, artifactual variation was eliminated with a new extraction buffer for species with high contents of secondary compounds. Of the 26 enzymes resolved for C. obtusifolia, we found that enzymes with a greater number of substrates and an oligomeric quaternary structure tended to be more variable than their counterparts, but the relationship was not statistically significant. The proportion of polymorphic systems varied significantly with the metabolic pathway and the function of the enzymes. Enzymes involved in starch synthesis are significantly more variable (p < 0.05) than all others, except those involved in amino acids metabolism and the proportion of polymorphic enzymes is also significantly associated with the hnction of the enzyme, the hydrolases and isomerases are significantly more variable than lyases and oxidoreductases enzymes. The percentage of polymorphic loci for C. obtusifolia was estimated at P = 27.1%. The effective number of alleles was estimated at ne = 1.3 and ne = 2.4 for all loci and only polymorphic ones respectively and the average heterozygosity (H) for all 48 loci was estimated at H = 0.05. Allele frequencies varied throughout the life-cycle of the species, with significant differences for some alleles and loci among some life-cycle stages. “Tree seeds” allele frequencies differ significantly (P < 0.05) from “rainy dispersed seeds” in 7 of 8 loci and from “soil seeds” in Six of eight loci. Allele frequencies of all three seed categories (“tree seeds”, “rainy dispersed seeds”, and “soil seeds”) differed strongly from established individuals (seedlings, juveniles and adults), while allele frequencies of established individuals are relatively similar to one another. Seedling allele frequencies at most loci were also significantly different from those found in seeds collected from trees, seed-rain, and soil. Two alleles (at GOT-2 and FE-2) were only found in soil seeds and one allele (at LAP-2) was only found in seedlings.     

Hydraulic aspects of pool-weir fishways as ecologically friendly water structure

Today, natural rivers are increasingly fragmented by human-made obstacles such as dams. Due to these structures fish populations in natural rivers rapidly diminish. In this context, fishways are a useful hydraulic structure in the creation of ecosystem for fish migration. Three dimensional mean flow and turbulence structure of pool-weir fishways were experimentally explored. During the experiments, three different notch sizes were applied while the size of the orifice was kept constant. Two acoustic Doppler velocimeters were employed throughout the velocity measurements. Three-dimensional mean velocity and normalized turbulent kinetic energy patterns in the pool were experimentally analyzed considering the swimming ability of different fish species to check whether the given design conditions provide suitable flow patterns. Based on the data, a linear relationship between the parameters “the discharge” and “the average depth in a pool” was generated. An equation was derived which gives the “energy dissipation rate per unit pool volume” in terms of the parameters “geometrical characteristics of the fishway”, “head difference between pools”, “slope”, and “acceleration due to gravity”. The discharge ratios between “flow through orifice” and “flow over notch” were expressed based on the data.