The role of corals on the abundance of a fish ectoparasite in the Great Barrier Reef

Coral Reefs - Gnathiid isopods, common fish ectoparasites, can affect fish physiology, behaviour and survival. Gnathiid juveniles emerge from the benthos to feed on fish blood. In the Caribbean,...     

Felling the giants: integral projection models indicate adult management to control an exotic invasive palm

Plant Ecology - Population models are helpful for understanding demographic trends in invasive plants and crucial in defining effective management actions. Here, we assessed the dynamics of three...     

Impacts of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) on isotopic niche size and niche overlap among fish species in a mesotrophic lake

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) filter feed phytoplankton and reduce available pelagic energy, potentially driving fish to use littoral energy sources in lakes. However, changes in food webs and energy flow in complex fish communities after zebra mussel establishment are poorly known. We assessed impacts of zebra mussels on fish littoral carbon use, trophic position, isotopic niche size, and isotopic niche overlap among individual fish species using δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N data collected before (2014) and after (2019) zebra mussel establishment in Lake Ida, MN. Isotope data were collected from 11 fish species, and from zooplankton and littoral invertebrates to estimate baseline isotope values. Mixing models were used to convert fish δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N into estimates of littoral carbon and trophic position, respectively. We tested whether trophic position, littoral carbon use, isotopic niche size, and isotopic niche overlap changed from 2014 to 2019 for each fish species. We found few effects on fish trophic position, but 10 out of 11 fish species increased littoral carbon use after zebra mussel establishment, with mean littoral carbon increasing from 43% before to 67% after establishment. Average isotopic niche size of individual species increased significantly (2.1-fold) post zebra mussels, and pairwise-niche overlap between species increased significantly (1.2-fold). These results indicate zebra mussels increase littoral energy dependence in the fish community, resulting in larger individual isotopic niches and increased isotopic niche overlap. These effects may increase interspecific competition among fish species and could ultimately result in reduced abundance of species less able to utilize littoral energy sources.

     

Incorporation of mineral nitrogen into the soil food web as affected by plant community composition

Although nitrogen (N) deposition is increasing globally, N availability still limits many organisms, such as microorganisms and mesofauna. However, little is known to which extent soil organisms rely on mineral‐derived N and whether plant community composition modifies its incorporation into soil food webs. More diverse plant communities more effectively compete with microorganisms for mineral N likely reducing the incorporation of mineral‐derived N into soil food webs. We set up a field experiment in experimental grasslands with different levels of plant species and functional group richness. We labeled soil with ¹⁵NH₄ ¹⁵NO₃ and analyzed the incorporation of mineral‐derived ¹⁵N into soil microorganisms and mesofauna over 3 months. Mineral‐derived N incorporation decreased over time in all investigated organisms. Plant species richness and presence of legumes reduced the uptake of mineral‐derived N into microorganisms. In parallel, the incorporation of mineral‐derived ¹⁵N into mesofauna species declined with time and decreased with increasing plant species richness in the secondary decomposer springtail Ceratophysella sp. Effects of both plant species richness and functional group richness on other mesofauna species varied with time. The presence of grasses increased the ¹⁵N incorporation into Ceratophysella sp., but decreased it in the primary decomposer oribatid mite Tectocepheus velatus sarekensis. The results highlight that mineral N is quickly channeled into soil animal food webs via microorganisms irrespective of plant diversity. The amount of mineral‐derived N incorporated into soil animals, and the plant community properties affecting this incorporation, differed markedly between soil animal taxa, reflecting species‐specific use of food resources. Our results highlight that plant diversity and community composition alter the competition for N in soil and change the transfer of N across trophic levels in soil food webs, potentially leading to changes in soil animal population dynamics and community composition. Sustaining high plant diversity may buffer detrimental effects of elevated N deposition on soil biota.     

DNA mutagenesis in 2- and 20-yr-old Panax ginseng cell cultures

Previously, Panax ginseng var. Mimaki C.A. Meyer had been shown to accumulate genetic mutations during long-term propagation of a callus culture over a period of 20 yr. In this study, we analyzed the mutation types and frequency in a 2-yr-old P. ginseng callus culture and compared it with the 20-yr-old callus culture, and leaves of cultivated plants. We analyzed the sequence variability between the Actin genes, which are a family of housekeeping genes; phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and dammarenediol synthase (DDS), which actively participate in the biosynthesis of ginsenosides; and the somatic embryogenesis receptor kinases (SERK), which control plant development. The frequency of point mutations in the Actin, PAL, DDS, and SERK genes in the 2-yr-old P. ginseng callus culture was markedly higher than in cultivated plants, but lower than in the 20-yr-old callus culture. Most of the mutations in the 2-yr-old P. ginseng calli were A?G and T?C transitions, as in the 20-yr-old calli and intact P. ginseng plants. The number of nonsynonymous mutations was higher in the 2- and 20-yr-old callus cultures than the number of nonsynonymous mutations in cultivated P. ginseng. Interestingly, the total number of N→G or N→C substitutions in the analyzed genes was 1.6 times higher than the total number of N→A or N→T substitutions. Using a methylation-sensitive DNA fragmentation assay, we showed the level of methylcytosine to be higher in the DNA of the 20-yr-old P. ginseng calli that than in the DNA of the 2-yr-old cultures.     

Phylogenetic analyses of endoparasitic Acanthocephala based on mitochondrial genomes suggest secondary loss of sensory organs

The metazoan taxon Syndermata (Monogononta, Bdelloidea, Seisonidea, Acanthocephala) comprises species with vastly different lifestyles. The focus of this study is on the phylogeny within the syndermatan subtaxon Acanthocephala (thorny-headed worms, obligate endoparasites). In order to investigate the controversially discussed phylogenetic relationships of acanthocephalan subtaxa we have sequenced the mitochondrial (mt) genomes of Echinorhynchus truttae (Palaeacanthocephala), Paratenuisentis ambiguus (Eoacanthocephala), Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus (Archiacanthocephala), and Philodina citrina (Bdelloidea). In doing so, we present the largest molecular phylogenetic dataset so far for this question comprising all major subgroups of Acanthocephala. Alongside with publicly available mt genome data of four additional syndermatans as well as 18 other lophotrochozoan (spiralian) taxa and one outgroup representative, the derived protein-coding sequences were used for Maximum Likelihood as well as Bayesian phylogenetic analyses. We achieved entirely congruent results, whereupon monophyletic Archiacanthocephala represent the sister taxon of a clade comprising Eoacanthocephala and monophyletic Palaeacanthocephala (Echinorhynchida). This topology suggests the secondary loss of lateral sensory organs (sensory pores) within Palaeacanthocephala and is further in line with the emergence of apical sensory organs in the stem lineage of Archiacanthocephala.     

Evaluation of the mechanisms involved in leucine-induced oxidative damage in cerebral cortex of young rats

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a metabolic disorder caused by the deficiency of the activity of the mitochondrial enzyme complex branched-chain l-2-keto acid dehydrogenase. The metabolic block results in tissue and body fluid accumulation of the branched-chain amino acids leucine (Leu), isoleucine and valine, as well as of their respective α-keto acids. Neurological sequelae are usually present in MSUD, but the pathophysiologic mechanisms of neurotoxicity are still poorly known. It was previously demonstrated that Leu elicits oxidative stress in rat brain. In the present study we investigated the possible mechanisms involved in Leu-induced oxidative damage. We observed a significant attenuation of Leu-elicited increase of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBA-RS) measurement when cortical homogenates were incubated in the presence of the free radical scavengers ascorbic acid plus trolox, dithiothreitol, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase, suggesting a probable involvement of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals in this effect. In contrast, the use of N^ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester or catalase (CAT) did not affect TBA-RS values. We also demonstrated an inhibitory effect of Leu on the activities of the antioxidant enzymes CAT and gluthathione peroxidase, as well as a significant reduction in the membrane-protein thiol content from mitochondrial enriched preparations. Furthermore, dichlorofluorescein levels were increased although not significantly by Leu. Taken together, our present data indicate that an unbalance between free radical formation and inhibition of critical enzyme activities may explain the mechanisms involved in the Leu-induced oxidative damage.     

Aromatic interactions with naphthylalanine in a β‐hairpin peptide

Stable peptides have been explored as epitope mimics for protein–protein and protein–nucleic acid interactions; however, presentation of a regular structure is critical. Aromatic interactions are ubiquitous and are competent at stabilizing a β‐hairpin fold. The greatest stabilization has been reported from pairs of tryptophan side chains. Naphthylalanine residues are often used as tryptophan replacements, but it is not clear if 1‐naphthylalanine or 2‐naphthylalanine is adequate at replicating the geometry and stability observed with tryptophan aromatic interactions. Herein, a 12‐residue peptide has been constructed with laterally disposed aromatic amino acids. A direct comparison is made between tryptophan and other bicyclic, unnatural amino acids. Significant stabilization is gained from all bicyclic amino acids; however, geometric analysis shows that only 1‐naphthylalanine adopts a similar edge to face geometry as tryptophan, whereas the 2‐naphthylalanine appears most similar to a substituted phenylalanine. Copyright © 2013 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.