The mitochondrial and nuclear genetic structure of Myotis capaccinii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in the Eurasian transition, and its taxonomic implications

Allopatric isolation in glacial refugia has caused differentiation and speciation in many taxa globally. In this study, we investigated the nuclear and mitochondrial genetic differentiation of the long fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii during the ice ages in south-eastern Europe and Anatolia. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analyses indicated a suture zone similar to those recorded in other animal species, including bats, suggesting the association of more than one refugium with the region. Contrary to most of the other species where a suture zone was seen in Anatolia, for M. capaccinii the geographical location of the genetic break was in south-eastern Europe. This mitochondrial differentiation was not reflected in the nuclear microsatellites, however, suggesting that the lack of contact during the ice ages did not result in reproductive isolation. Hence taxonomically, the two mitochondrial clades cannot be treated as separate species.     

Electrophysiological characteristics of cardiac pacemaker cells of the frog Caudiverbera caudiverbera

1. The cardiac pacemaker cells of the frog Caudiverbera caudiverbera are centrally located in the sinus venosus. These cells are rounded, smaller than contractile fibres and have large nuclei. 2. Intracellular recording confirmed the existence of primary and transitional pacemaker cells. 3. Action potentials from primary cells were resistant to blockade by tetrodotoxin (TTX), but were abolished by verapamil suggesting that their bioelectric activity is dependent on a slow inward current. 4. Transitional cells appeared to have two different inward currents contributing to the upstroke: a fast TTX-sensitive and a slow verapamil-sensitive current.     

Ecoepidemiology of Haemonchus contortus bahiensis, ecotype present in sheep of arid zones of Venezuela

The frequency distribution of female Haemonchus contortus bahiensis Grisi, 1974 in sheep from Venezuelan arid zones is 15.32% for the type with vulvar flap, 51.6% for the vulvar-knob and 33.07% for smooth type. A Shannon-Weaver diversity index corresponding to 1.44 bits was calculated for these forms with similarities in the general size, egg-size and in the number of the longitudinal cuticular ridges. An aggregated kind of distribution in the host population according to the K parameter of a negative binomial distribution was recorded for male and female worms. A complicated interaction was observed between the abundance, aggregation and prevalence of this ecotype and the importance of these findings is discussed with regard to host-parasite relationships.     

The multiple-minima problem in small peptides revisited. The Threshold Accepting approach.

A recently reported optimization method, known as Threshold Accepting, was tested for the purpose of locating the structure of several peptide molecules with the lowest conformational energy. A comparison with previous results obtained with the Simulated Annealing technique was made. Our study indicate Threshold Accepting as a better technique in locating such structures.     

Effect of chronic ingestion of iodide during pregnancy and lactation on rat pup brain enzymes

The developmental pattern of several key enzymes in brain of pups born to mothers receiving high levels of iodide (1.1 mg daily intake) during pregnancy and lactation were followed up to the weaning period. We found that in the initial states of postnatal development, glutamic dehydrogenase increased above control levels, whereas succinic dehydrogenase decreased. At late stages, we observed differences in phosphofructokinase and malic enzyme activities which were all increased at 30 days. There was no change in hexokinase. Animal weight did not vary with respect to controls and we only obtained discrete increases (not statistically different) in serum thyroxine values, which led us to assume that the enzymatic modifications might be a consequence of either a very mild hormonal alteration or to the direct effect of iodide.     

Suicide vector for transposon mutagenesis in Pseudomonas solanacearum.

A suicide vector was constructed by cloning the transfer genes of the wide-host-range (IncW group) plasmid R388 into the BamHI site of pBR325. This plasmid can deliver Tn5 into Pseudomonas solanacearum at frequencies ranging from 10(-6) to 10(-9) per recipient.