Pattern of morphological variation and diversity of Cocos nucifera (Arecaceae) in Mexico

The pattern of morphological variation of Cocos nucifera in Mexico was statistically and numerically evaluated. Forty-one populations were analyzed, using 17 morphological fruit characters. Principal components and cluster analyses indicated four main groups of coconut populations that showed high similarity with four different genotypes recently imported into Mexico from areas that could be the origin of Mexican coconut populations. These four genotypes were evaluated with regard to the lethal yellowing disease in Jamaica and showed a differential susceptibility. Therefore it is possible to speculate upon a difference in susceptibility of the Mexican genotypes. The analysis of correlation between morphological and geographical distances showed a high positive correlation that supports: (1) historical evidence that indicates early introductions of coconut from different regions of the world, (2) that on both coasts of Mexico two different patterns of dispersal were involved: continuous and in jumps. Collectively these results suggest that the impact of the lethal yellowing disease on coconut populations will vary depending on the specific area and the origin of its coconuts.     

Land‐use strategies to balance livestock production,biodiversity conservation and carbon storage in Yucatán,Mexico

Balancing the production of food, particularly meat, with preserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem services is a major societal challenge. Research into the contrasting strategies of land sparing and land sharing has suggested that land sparing—combining high‐yield agriculture with the protection or restoration of natural habitats on nonfarmed land—will have lower environmental impacts than other strategies. Ecosystems with long histories of habitat disturbance, however, could be resilient to low‐yield agriculture and thus fare better under land sharing. Using a wider suite of species (birds, dung beetles and trees) and a wider range of livestock‐production systems than previous studies, we investigated the probable impacts of different land‐use strategies on biodiversity and aboveground carbon stocks in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico—a region with a long history of habitat disturbance. By modelling the production of multiple products from interdependent land uses, we found that land sparing would allow larger estimated populations of most species and larger carbon stocks to persist than would land sharing or any intermediate strategy. This result held across all agricultural production targets despite the history of disturbance and despite species richness in low‐ and medium‐yielding agriculture being not much lower than that in natural habitats. This highlights the importance, in evaluating the biodiversity impacts of land use, of measuring population densities of individual species, rather than simple species richness. The benefits of land sparing for both biodiversity and carbon storage suggest that safeguarding natural habitats for biodiversity protection and carbon storage alongside promoting areas of high‐yield cattle production would be desirable. However, delivering such landscapes will probably require the explicit linkage of livestock yield increases with habitat protection or restoration, as well as a deeper understanding of the long‐term sustainability of yields, and research into how other societal outcomes vary across land‐use strategies.     

Detection and differentiation of the coconut lethal yellowing phytoplasma in coconut‐growing villages of Grand‐Lahou,Côte d'Ivoire

Surveys for the Côte d'Ivoire lethal yellowing (CILY) phytoplasma were conducted in eight severely CILY‐affected villages of Grand‐Lahou in 2015. Leaves, inflorescences and trunk borings were collected from coconut palms showing CILY symptoms and from symptomless trees. Total DNA was extracted from these samples and tested by nested polymerase chain reaction/RFLP and sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA, ribosomal protein (rp) and the translocation protein (secA) genes. The CILY phytoplasma was detected in 82.9% of the symptom‐bearing palms collected from all the surveyed villages and from all the plant parts. Trunk borings were recommended as the most suitable plant tissue type for sampling. Results indicate that the CILY phytoplasma may have a westward spread to other coconut‐growing areas of Grand‐Lahou. CILY phytoplasma strains infecting coconut palms in the western region of Grand‐Lahou exhibited unique single nucleotide polymorphisms on the rp sequence compared to the strains from the eastern region. Moreover, single nucleotide polymorphisms on the SecA sequence distinguished the CILY phytoplasma from the Cape St. Paul Wilt Disease phytoplasma in Ghana, and the Lethal Yellowing phytoplasma in Mozambique.     

Occurrence and Characterization of a 16SrII‐D Subgroup Phytoplasma Associated with Parsley Witches’ Broom Disease in Iran

During 2010–2013 surveys for the presence of phytoplasma diseases in Yazd province (Iran), a parsley witches’ broom (PrWB) disease was observed. Characteristic symptoms were excessive development of short spindly shoots from crown buds, little leaf, yellowing, witches’ broom, stunting, flower virescence and phyllody. The disease causative agent was dodder transmitted from symptomatic parsley to periwinkle and from periwinkle to periwinkle by grafting inducing phytoplasma‐type symptoms. Expected length DNA fragments of nearly 1800 and 1250 bp were, respectively, amplified from naturally infected parsley and experimentally inoculated periwinkle plants in direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using phytoplasma primer pair P1/P7 or nested PCR using the same primer pair followed by R16F2n/R16R2 primers. Restriction fragment length polymorphism and phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the phytoplasma associated with PrWB disease in Yazd province belong to 16SrII‐D phytoplasma subgroup. This is the first report of association of a 16SrII‐related phytoplasma with PrWB disease in Iran.     

Fruit‐ and seed‐feeding habit of the crane fly Libnotes puella (Diptera: Limoniidae) in Ryukyu Islands,Japan

Although most crane fly larvae consume decaying plant materials and their associated microorganisms, all Libnotes species investigated so far are known to be xylophilous insects. Here we report the novel herbivorous feeding ecology of Libnotes puella. We found that L. puella larvae consumed the fruits or seeds of three unrelated plants, Mitrastemon yamamotoi (Mitrastemonaceae), Balanophora tobiracola (Balanophoraceae) and Barringtonia racemosa (Lecythidaceae). The larvae live within dense tubes formed by their feces fastened by their mucous excretions at the final stage, and they pupate within such tubes. This is the first detailed documentation of the fruit‐ and seed‐feeding habit of crane flies.     

Detection and Identification of Two Phytoplasmas (16SrIII‐B and 16SrXII‐A) From Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in Serbia

Plants of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) exhibiting general stunting, proliferation and phyllody associated with leaf yellowing and reddening were observed in three localities of Central Serbia. Phytoplasma strains belonging to 16SrIII‐B and 16SrXII‐A groups were detected and identified by RFLP and sequence analysis of 16S rDNA. Stolbur phytoplasma tuf gene RFLP analysis showed the presence of the TufAY‐b‐type phytoplasma subgroup in 80% of symptomatic samples. This is the first report of 16SrIII‐B and 16SrXII‐A phytoplasma groups affecting alfalfa in Serbia.     

Crystal structure of human WBSCR16, an RCC1‐like protein in mitochondria

WBSCR16 (Williams‐Beuren Syndrome Chromosomal Region 16) gene is located in a large deletion region of Williams‐Beuren syndrome (WBS), which is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Although the relationship between WBSCR16 and WBS remains unclear, it has been reported that WBSCR16 is a member of a functional module that regulates mitochondrial 16S rRNA abundance and intra‐mitochondrial translation. WBSCR16 has RCC1 (Regulator of Chromosome Condensation 1)‐like amino acid sequence repeats but the function of WBSCR16 appears to be different from that of other RCC1 superfamily members. Here, we demonstrate that WBSCR16 localizes to mitochondria in HeLa cells, and report the crystal structure of WBSCR16 determined to 2.0 Å resolution using multi‐wavelength anomalous diffraction. WBSCR16 adopts the seven‐bladed β‐propeller fold characteristic of RCC1‐like proteins. A comparison of the WBSCR16 structure with that of RCC1 and other RCC1‐like proteins reveals that, although many of the residues buried in the core of the β‐propeller are highly conserved, the surface residues are poorly conserved and conformationally divergent.     

Sequence Analysis of 16S rRNA and secA Genes Confirms the Association of 16SrI‐B Subgroup Phytoplasma with Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) Stunting Disease in India

During January 2010, severe stunting symptoms were observed in clonally propagated oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Leaf samples of symptomatic oil palms were collected, and the presence of phytoplasma was confirmed by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using universal phytoplasma‐specific primer pairs P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R16R2 for amplification of the 16S rRNA gene and semi‐nested PCR using universal phytoplasma‐specific primer pairs SecAfor1/SecArev3 followed by SecAfor2/SecArev3 for amplification of a part of the secA gene. Sequencing and BLAST analysis of the ～1.25 kb and ～480 bp of 16S rDNA and secA gene fragments indicated that the phytoplasma associated with oil palm stunting (OPS) disease was identical to 16SrI aster yellows group phytoplasma. Further characterization of the phytoplasma by in silico restriction enzyme digestion of 16S rDNA and virtual gel plotting of sequenced 16S rDNA of ～1.25 kb using iPhyClassifier online tool indicated that OPS phytoplasma is a member of 16SrI‐B subgroup and is a ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’‐related strain. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA and secA of OPS phytoplasma also grouped it with 16SrI‐B. This is the first report of association of phytoplasma of the 16SrI‐B subgroup phytoplasma with oil palm in the world.     

CSF levels of the neuronal injury biomarker visinin‐like protein‐1 in Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies

The overlapping clinical features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) make differentiation difficult in the clinical environment. Evaluating the CSF levels of biomarkers in AD and DLB patients could facilitate clinical diagnosis. CSF Visinin‐like protein‐1 (VILIP‐1), a calcium‐mediated neuronal injury biomarker, has been described as a novel biomarker for AD. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic utility of CSF VILIP‐1 and VILIP‐1/Aβ_1–42 ratio to distinguish AD from DLB. Levels of CSF VILIP‐1, t‐tau, p‐tau_181P, Aβ_1–42, and α‐synuclein were measured in 61 AD patients, 32 DLB patients, and 40 normal controls using commercial ELISA kits. The results showed that the CSF VILIP‐1 level had significantly increased in AD patients compared with both normal controls and DLB patients. The CSF VILIP‐1 and VILIP‐1/Aβ_1–42 levels had enough diagnostic accuracy to allow the detection and differential diagnosis of AD. Additionally, CSF VILIP‐1 levels were positively correlated with t‐tau and p‐tau_181P within each group and with α‐synuclein in the AD and control groups. We conclude that CSF VILIP‐1 could be a diagnostic marker for AD, differentiating it from DLB. The analysis of biomarkers, representing different neuropathologies, is an important approach reflecting the heterogeneous features of AD and DLB.

     

Detection and Molecular Characterization of a 16SrII‐A* Phytoplasma in Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) with Huanglongbing‐like Symptoms in China

In the year 2010, in a survey in Guangxi Province, China, to detect and characterize phytoplasmas in a huanglongbing (HLB)‐infected grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) orchard, 87 leaf samples with symptoms of blotchy mottle were collected from symptomatic grapefruit trees, and 320 leaf samples from symptomless trees adjacent to the symptomatic trees. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using universal phytoplasma primer set P1/P7 followed by primer set fU5/rU3 identified 7 (8.0%) positive samples from symptomatic samples but none from symptomless samples. Of the 87 symptomatic samples, 77 (88.5%) were positive for ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ and 5 for both phytoplasma and ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’. Sequence analysis indicated that seven 881‐bp amplicons, amplified by nested phytoplasma primer sets P1/P7 and fU5/rU3, shared 100.0% sequence identity with each other. Genome walking was then performed based on the 881 bp known sequences, and 5111 bp of upstream and downstream sequences were obtained. The total 5992 bp sequences contained a complete rRNA operon, composed of a 16S rRNA gene, a tRNA^Ile gene, a 23S rRNA gene and a 5S rRNA gene followed by eight tRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis and virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis confirmed the phytoplasma was a variant (16SrII‐A*) of phytoplasma subgroup 16SrII‐A. As phytoplasmas were only detected in blotchy‐mottle leaves, the 16SrII‐A* phytoplasma identified was related to HLB‐like symptoms.     

Nutritional status of free‐ranging Mexican howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata mexicana) in Veracruz,Mexico: Serum chemistry; lipoprotein profile; vitamins D,A, and E; carotenoids; and minerals

The purpose of this work was to measure important nutritional status parameters for a group of free‐ranging Mexican mantled howler monkeys (A. palliata mexicana) and compare those data to published data for primates. The nutritional status of six free‐ranging Mexican mantled howler monkeys was examined using biochemical analysis. Blood samples were analyzed for serum chemistry; lipids; vitamins D, A, and E; carotenoids; and minerals. Serum chemistries were somewhat different from published values, but did not indicate clear abnormalities. Circulating lipids were not different from those in captive primates. Circulating vitamin D metabolites (83±16.3 for 25(OH)D ng/mL; 563±53.8 for 1,25(OH)₂D pg/mL) were similar to those in wild‐caught tamarins (Saguinus oedipus), lower than some published data for captive Cebidae and Callitrichidae, and higher than for Old World primates. Serum concentrations of retinol (16.5±1.64 μg/dl) were similar to those in captive spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Retinyl palmitate and retinyl stearate was present in howler samples and may have reflected recent dietary intake. Circulating α‐tocopherol (997±97.6 μg/dl) was similar to published values for other primates. Carotenoid levels in howlers were within the ranges reported for many primates. A significant finding was the presence of cadmium in samples that should be further studied. The number of individuals sampled was limited, and further investigation into the effects of seasonality is needed. However, this information provides new data for howler monkeys and for free‐ranging primates in general. Zoo Biol 22:239–251, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Occurrence of Aphelenchoides besseyi in Louisiana Rice Seed and Its Interaction with Sclerotium oryzae in Selected Cultivars

Aphelenchoides besseyi, the nematode causal agent of white-tip disease of rice, was recovered from 5.5% of 474 seed samples obtained from rice seed warehouses in Louisiana. Laboratory tests in which A. besseyi-infested rice seed was treated with Phostoxin®, a compound used for control of insects in stored grain, indicate that it also has nematicidal properties. In 18-week-duration greenhouse tests, populations of A. besseyi increased 4-5-fold on the cultivars Saturn and Melrose and 3-fold on Nova ''76. Green weights of Nova ''76 plants inoculated with A. besseyi and Sclerotium oryzae, the causal agent of rice stem rot, were significantly reduced below those of plants inoculated with either organism alone or with distilled water. Weights of Melrose plants were reduced significantly by treatments with A. besseyi alone and A. besseyi plus S. oryzae, but not by S. oryzae alone. Saturn plant weights were not reduced significantly by either organism alone or by the two in combination.     

Molecular Identification of a 16SrII‐A Group‐Related Phytoplasma Associated with Cinnamon Yellow Leaf Disease in China

Chinese cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia Presl), an evergreen tree native to China, is a multifaceted medicinal plant. The stem bark of cinnamon is used worldwide in traditional and modern medicines and is one of the most popular cooking spices. In recent years, cinnamon with pronounced yellow leaf symptoms has been observed in their natural habitat in Hainan, China. Phytoplasmas were detected from symptomatic cinnamon trees via polymerase chain reaction using phytoplasma universal primers P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R16R2. No amplification products were obtained from templates of asymptomatic cinnamon trees. These results indicated a direct association between phytoplasma infection and the cinnamon yellow leaf (CYL) disease. Sequence analysis of the CYL phytoplasma 16S rRNA gene determined that CYL phytoplasma is a ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma australasiae’‐related strain. Furthermore, virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern analysis and phylogenetic studies showed that CYL phytoplasma belongs to the peanut witches’‐broom (16SrII) group, subgroup A. This is the first report of a 16SrII group phytoplasma infecting cinnamon under natural conditions.     

Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti and Aedes (Howardina) cozumelensis in Yucatán State,México,with a summary of published collection records for Ae. cozumelensis

We collected mosquito immatures from artificial containers during 2010–2011 from 26 communities, ranging in size from small rural communities to large urban centers, located in different parts of Yucatán State in southeastern México. The arbovirus vector Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti was collected from all 26 examined communities, and nine of the communities also yielded another container‐inhabiting Aedes mosquito: Aedes (Howardina) cozumelensis. The communities from which Ae. cozumelensis were collected were all small rural communities (<6,000 inhabitants) in the north‐central part of Yucatán State. These new collection records for Ae. cozumelensis demonstrate that this mosquito has a far broader geographic range in the Yucatán Peninsula than previously known. Ae. cozumelensis immatures were collected from both residential premises and cemeteries, with specimens recovered from rock holes as well as various artificial containers including metal cans, flower vases, buckets, tires, and a water storage tank. The co‐occurrence with Ae. aegypti in small rural communities poses intriguing questions regarding linkages between these mosquitoes, including the potential for direct competition for larval development sites. Additional studies are needed to determine how commonly Ae. cozumelensis feeds on human blood and whether it is naturally infected with arboviruses or other pathogens of medical or veterinary importance. We also summarize the published records for Ae. cozumelensis, which are restricted to collections from México's Yucatán Peninsula and Belize, and uniformly represent geographic locations where Ae. aegypti can be expected to occur.     

The absence of concordant population genetic structure in the black‐tailed prairie dog and the flea,Oropsylla hirsuta,with implications for the spread of Yersinia pestis

The black‐tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is a keystone species on the mid‐ and short‐grass prairies of North America. The species has suffered extensive colony extirpations and isolation as a result of human activity including the introduction of an exotic pathogen, Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of sylvatic plague. The prairie dog flea, Oropsylla hirsuta, is the most common flea on our study colonies in north‐central Montana and it has been shown to carry Y. pestis. We used microsatellite markers to estimate the level of population genetic concordance between black‐tailed prairie dogs and O. hirsuta in order to determine the extent to which prairie dogs are responsible for dispersing this potential plague vector among prairie dog colonies. We sampled fleas and prairie dogs from six prairie dog colonies in two regions separated by about 46 km. These colonies were extirpated by a plague epizootic that began months after our sampling was completed in 2005. Prairie dogs showed significant isolation‐by‐distance and a tendency toward genetic structure on the regional scale that the fleas did not. Fleas exhibited higher estimated rates of gene flow among prairie dog colonies than the prairie dogs sampled from the same colonies. While the findings suggested black‐tailed prairie dogs may have contributed to flea dispersal, we attributed the lack of concordance between the population genetic structures of host and ectoparasite to additional flea dispersal that was mediated by mammals other than prairie dogs that were present in the prairie system.     

Characterization,expression analysis and localization pattern of toll‐like receptor 1 (tlr1) and toll‐like receptor 2 (tlr2) genes in grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella

In this study, the toll‐like receptor 1 (tlr1) and toll‐like receptor 2 (tlr2) genes of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella were cloned and characterized. tlr1 and tlr2 were found to be highly expressed in immune system organs such as spleen, middle kidney and heart kidney. The expression level of tlr1 and tlr2 was found to be up‐regulated at the later stage of viral challenge process. Moreover, subcellular localization indicated that Tlr1 and Tlr2 shared similar localization pattern and both of them may locate in the plasma membrane of transfected cells.     

ZmSTK1 and ZmSTK2, encoding receptor‐like cytoplasmic kinase,are involved in maize pollen development with additive effect

Pollen germination and pollen tube growth are important physiological processes of sexual reproduction of plants and also are involved in signal transduction. Our previous study reveals that ZmSTK1 and ZmSTK2 are two receptor‐like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCK) homologs in Zea mays as members of receptor‐like protein kinase (RLK) subfamily, sharing 86% identity at the amino acid level. Here, we report that ZmSTK1 and ZmSTK2, expressed at late stages of pollen development, regulate maize pollen development with additive effect. ZmSTK1 or ZmSTK2 mutation exhibited severe pollen transmission deficiency, which thus influenced pollen fertility. Moreover, the kinase domains of ZmSTKs were cross‐interacted with C‐terminus of enolases detected by co‐immunoprecipitation (Co‐IP) and yeast two‐hybrid system (Y2H), respectively. Further, the detective ZmSTK1 or ZmSTK2 was associated with decreased activity of enolases and also reduced downstream metabolite contents, which enolases are involved in glycolytic pathway, such as phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), pyruvate, ADP/ATP, starch, glucose, sucrose and fructose. This study reveals that ZmSTK1 and ZmSTK2 regulate maize pollen development and indirectly participate in glycolytic pathway.