Uncovering hidden coral diversity: a new cryptic lobophylliid scleractinian from the Indian Ocean

Extant biodiversity can easily be underestimated owing to the presence of cryptic taxa, even among commonly observed species. Scleractinian corals are challenging to identify because of their ecophenotypic variation and morphological plasticity. In addition, molecular analyses have revealed the occurrence of cryptic speciation. Here, we describe a new cryptic lobophylliid genus and species Paraechinophyllia variabilis gen. nov., sp. nov., which is morphologically similar to Echinophyllia aspera and E. orpheensis. The new taxon occurs in Mayotte Island, Madagascar, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Six molecular markers (COI, 12S, ATP6-NAD4, NAD3-NAD5, histone H3 and ITS) and 46 morphological characters at three different levels (macromorphology, micromorphology and microstructure) were examined. The resulting molecular phylogenetic reconstruction showed that Paraechinophyllia gen. nov. represents a distinct group within the Lobophylliidae that diverged from the lineage leading to Echinophyllia and Oxypora in the Early Miocene, approximately 21.5 Ma. The morphological phylogenetic reconstruction clustered Paraechinophyllia gen. nov., Echinophyllia and Oxypora together in a single clade. A sole morphological character, calice relief, discriminated Paraechinophyllia gen. nov. from the latter two genera, suggesting that limited morphological variation has occurred over a long period. These results highlight the importance of cryptic taxa in reef corals, with implications for population genetics, ecological studies and conservation.     

Inhibitory effect of lycorine on cell division and cell elongation

Lycorine, an alkaloid isolated from bulbs of Amarillidaceae,was found to be a powerful inhibitor of cell division and elongation.Adding different concentrations of lycorine from 10^–6M to 10^–4 M in an appropriate growth-medium strongly inhibitedcell division in explants of lettuce pith parenchyma. The sameresult was obtained with liquid yeast cultures growing exponentially. Lycorine-treated meristematic cells of the primary roots ofVicia faba also showed rapid inhibition of the mitotic indexwhile interphase cells increased proportionately. Lycorine alsoinhibited endogenous and auxin-induced cell elongation in Avenacoleoptiles and pea segments. Since both cell division and cell elongation require proteinsynthesis and RNA synthesis, the assumption is that lycorineprobably inhibits one of the two syntheses. ¹This study was supported by a contract between the NationalResearch Council of Italy and University of Bari, Instituteof Botany. (Received November 27, 1972; )     

An Inhibitory Lateral Hypothalamic-Preoptic Circuit Mediates Rapid Arousals from Sleep

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Development of reagents for differential protein quantitation by subtractive parent (precursor) ion scanning

We present a generic approach for quantitative differential proteomics that reduces data complexity in proteome analysis by automated selection of peptides for MS/MS analysis according to their isotope-labeling ratio. Isotopic reagents were developed that give products which fragment easily to generate a unique pair of signature ions. Using the ion-pair ratio, we show that it is possible to select only BSA peptides (with a 3:1 light heavy isotope ratio) for MS/MS when spiked in a whole yeast extract using Parent (precursor) Ion Quantitation Scanning (PIQS) for MS/MS.     

Prevalence of the E1317Q variant of the APC gene in Italian patients with colorectal adenomas

Loss of APC is an initial, rate-limiting event in inherited and sporadic colorectal tumorigenesis. Rare germline APC mutations have been identified in patients with multiple colorectal adenomas. Recently, the E1317Q APC variant has been associated with a predisposition to the development of multiple colorectal adenomas. In this study, the prevalence of the E1317Q variant was examined in 182 patients with single or multiple colorectal adenomas, and in 235 controls. In all, E1317Q was identified in two of 182 patients with adenomatous polyps (1.1%) and in two of 235 controls (0.8%) (p = 0.59). The risk of harboring adenoma(s) among subjects bearing the E1317Q variant was 1.29 (95% CI 0.09-18.0). No difference in the prevalence of E1317Q between cases with single (2.0%) or multiple colorectal adenomas (0.7%) and controls (0.8%) was found. None of the subjects with a family history of colorectal cancer carried the E1317Q variant. In conclusion, our results confirm that only a very small fraction of colorectal adenomas may be associated with the presence of E1317Q.     

Cell loss and proliferation in non-small cell lung carcinoma: correlation with histological subtype

BACKGROUND: Cell kinetic data are important indicators of the aggressiveness of tumor and treatment response. The size of a neoplasm depends on the balance between cell proliferation and death. Thus, the analysis of the kinetics of cell proliferation and death may explain differences in the rates of tumour progression. METHODS: We studied apoptosis and proliferative indices in 95 cases of non-small cell lung carcinomas. The analysis was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue, by both MIB-1 immunocytochemical detection to establish the proliferation index and the in-situ end labelling method for the apoptosis index. The two indices were related. RESULTS: Our results showed a high proliferative index and cell loss rate in squamous cell carcinoma, and a low proliferative index and cell loss rate in adenocarcinoma, suggesting two different growth patterns. CONCLUSION: These findings could explain the different biological behaviour and treatment response of the tumours. The tendency of a cancer cell to undergo apoptosis may be especially important for the chemotherapy of malignant tumours with a low growth rate, which are typically resistant to cytostatic agents.