Spatial genetic structure of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) outbreak in western Canada: historical patterns and contemporary dispersal

Environmental change has a wide range of ecological consequences, including species extinction and range expansion. Many studies have shown that insect species respond rapidly to climatic change. A mountain pine beetle epidemic of record size in North America has led to unprecedented mortality of lodgepole pine, and a significant range expansion to the northeast of its historic range. Our goal was to determine the spatial genetic variation found among outbreak population from which genetic structure, and dispersal patterns may be inferred. Beetles from 49 sampling locations throughout the outbreak area in western Canada were analysed at 13 microsatellite loci. We found significant north-south population structure as evidenced by: (i) Bayesian-based analyses, (ii) north-south genetic relationships and diversity gradients; and (iii) a lack of isolation-by-distance in the northernmost cluster. The north-south structure is proposed to have arisen from the processes of postglacial colonization as well as recent climate-driven changes in population dynamics. Our data support the hypothesis of multiple sources of origin for the outbreak and point to the need for population specific information to improve our understanding and management of outbreaks. The recent range expansion across the Rocky Mountains into the jack/lodgepole hybrid and pure jack pine zones of northern Alberta is consistent with a northern British Columbia origin. We detected no loss of genetic variability in these populations, indicating that the evolutionary potential of mountain pine beetle to adapt has not been reduced by founder events. This study illustrates a rapid range-wide response to the removal of climatic constraints, and the potential for range expansion of a regional population.     

Sweat gland density and response during high-intensity exercise in athletes with spinal cord injuries

Sweat production is crucial for thermoregulation. However, sweating can be problematic for individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI), as they display a blunting of sudomotor and vasomotor responses below the level of the injury. Sweat gland density and eccrine gland metabolism in SCI are not well understood. Consequently, this study examined sweat lactate (S-LA) (reflective of sweat gland metabolism), active sweat gland density (SGD), and sweat output per gland (S/G) in 7 SCI athletes and 8 able-bodied (AB) controls matched for arm ergometry VO₂peak. A sweat collection device was positioned on the upper scapular and medial calf of each subject just prior to the beginning of the trial, with iodine sweat gland density patches positioned on the upper scapular and medial calf. Participants were tested on a ramp protocol (7 min per stage, 20 W increase per stage) in a common exercise environment (21±1°C, 45-65% relative humidity). An independent t-test revealed lower (p<0.05) SGD (upper scapular) for SCI (22.3 ±14.8 glands · cm⁻²) vs. AB. (41.0 ± 8.1 glands · cm⁻²). However, there was no significant difference for S/G between groups. S-LA was significantly greater (p<0.05) during the second exercise stage for SCI (11.5±10.9 mmol · l⁻¹) vs. AB (26.8±11.07 mmol · l⁻¹). These findings suggest that SCI athletes had less active sweat glands compared to the AB group, but the sweat response was similar (SLA, S/G) between AB and SCI athletes. The results suggest similar interglandular metabolic activity irrespective of overall sweat rate.     

Substrate specificities of recombinant murine Golgi alpha1, 2- mannosidases IA and IB and comparison with endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi processing alpha1,2-mannosidases

The catalytic domains of murine Golgi alpha1,2-mannosidases IA and IB that are involved in N-glycan processing were expressed as secreted proteins in P.pastoris . Recombinant mannosidases IA and IB both required divalent cations for activity, were inhibited by deoxymannojirimycin and kifunensine, and exhibited similar catalytic constants using Manalpha1,2Manalpha-O-CH3as substrate. Mannosidase IA was purified as a 50 kDa catalytically active soluble fragment and shown to be an inverting glycosidase. Recombinant mannosidases IA and IB were used to cleave Man9GlcNAc and the isomers produced were identified by high performance liquid chromatography and proton-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Man9GlcNAc was rapidly cleaved by both enzymes to Man6GlcNAc, followed by a much slower conversion to Man5GlcNAc. The same isomers of Man7GlcNAc and Man6GlcNAc were produced by both enzymes but different isomers of Man8GlcNAc were formed. When Man8GlcNAc (Man8B isomer) was used as substrate, rapid conversion to Man5GlcNAc was observed, and the same oligosaccharide isomer intermediates were formed by both enzymes. These results combined with proton-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy data demonstrate that it is the terminal alpha1, 2-mannose residue missing in the Man8B isomer that is cleaved from Man9GlcNAc at a much slower rate. When rat liver endoplasmic reticulum membrane extracts were incubated with Man9GlcNAc2, Man8GlcNAc2was the major product and Man8B was the major isomer. In contrast, rat liver Golgi membranes rapidly cleaved Man9GlcNAc2to Man6GlcNAc2and more slowly to Man5GlcNAc2. In this case all three isomers of Man8GlcNAc2were formed as intermediates, but a distinctive isomer, Man8A, was predominant. Antiserum to recombinant mannosidase IA immunoprecipitated an enzyme from Golgi extracts with the same specificity as recombinant mannosidase IA. These immunodepleted membranes were enriched in a Man9GlcNAc2to Man8GlcNAc2- cleaving activity forming predominantly the Man8B isomer. These results suggest that mannosidases IA and IB in Golgi membranes prefer the Man8B isomer generated by a complementary mannosidase that removes a single mannose from Man9GlcNAc2.      

Dynamic model based algorithms for screening and genotyping over 100 K SNPs on oligonucleotide microarrays

MOTIVATION: A high density of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) coverage on the genome is desirable and often an essential requirement for population genetics studies. Region-specific or chromosome-specific linkage studies also benefit from the availability of as many high quality SNPs as possible. The availability of millions of SNPs from both Perlegen and the public domain and the development of an efficient microarray-based assay for genotyping SNPs has brought up some interesting analytical challenges. Effective methods for the selection of optimal subsets of SNPs spanning the genome and methods for accurately calling genotypes from probe hybridization patterns have enabled the development of a new microarray-based system for robustly genotyping over 100,000 SNPs per sample. RESULTS: We introduce a new dynamic model-based algorithm (DM) for screening over 3 million SNPs and genotyping over 100,000 SNPs. The model is based on four possible underlying states: Null, A, AB and B for each probe quartet. We calculate a probe-level log likelihood for each model and then select between the four competing models with an SNP-level statistical aggregation across multiple probe quartets to provide a high-quality genotype call along with a quality measure of the call. We assess performance with HapMap reference genotypes, informative Mendelian inheritance relationship in families, and consistency between DM and another genotype classification method. At a call rate of 95.91% the concordance with reference genotypes from the HapMap Project is 99.81% based on over 1.5 million genotypes, the Mendelian error rate is 0.018% based on 10 trios, and the consistency between DM and MPAM is 99.90% at a comparable rate of 97.18%. We also develop methods for SNP selection and optimal probe selection. AVAILABILITY: The DM algorithm is available in Affymetrix's Genotyping Tools software package and in Affymetrix's GDAS software package. See http://www.affymetrix.com for further information. 10 K and 100 K mapping array data are available on the Affymetrix website.     

The Effects of Melatonin on the Physical Properties of Bones and Egg Shells in the Laying Hen

Laying hens often experience unbalanced calcium utilization which can cause deficiencies in bone and egg mineralization. Because melatonin has been shown to affect bone mineralization in other animals, we examined whether treating hens with melatonin would affect eggshell thickness and improve skeletal performance, thereby reducing skeletal and egg shell defects. Birds were given a diet containing either low (30 µg/kg), medium (300 µg/kg), or high (3 mg/kg) concentrations of melatonin, or control feed through approximately one laying cycle. We examined the weight, length, and strength of egg, femur, tibia, and keel. Hens treated with a high concentration of melatonin showed significant strengthening in their femur and tibia, as measured by maximum force sustained and breaking force, compared to controls. Egg weights from hens treated with melatonin were significantly greater than those from hens that were not treated with melatonin. Conversely, egg shell mass of hens treated with melatonin was significantly lower than those of hens not treated with melatonin. Our data suggest that melatonin may affect the allocation of calcium to bone at the expense of egg shell mineralization.     

Animal models of human tissue expansion

Although tissue expansion is being used extensively in humans, many fundamental scientific questions remain to be addressed which can best be answered using an animal model. Presently, no single animal has been identified for research of this kind which is comparable both subjectively and objectively to humans. This study evaluates the skin of the rat, guinea pig, pig, and dog and identifies the dog as the best model based on biomechanical and practical considerations.     

Patterns of forest succession and impacts of flood in the Upper Mississippi River floodplain ecosystem

The widespread loss of oak-hickory forests and the impacts of flood have been major issues of ecological interest concerning forest succession in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) floodplain. The data analysis from two comprehensive field surveys indicated that Quercus was one of the dominant genera in the UMR floodplain ecosystem prior to the 1993 flood and constituted 14% of the total number of trees and 28% of the total basal area. During the post-flood recovery period through 2006, Quercus demonstrated slower recovery rates in both the number of trees (4%) and basal area (17%). In the same period, Carya recovered greatly from the 1993 flood in terms of the number of trees (11%) and basal area (2%), compared to its minor status before the flood. Further analyses suggested that different species responded to the 1993 flood with varying tolerance and different succession strategies. In this study, the relation of flood-caused mortality rates and DBH, f_m(d), can be expressed in negative exponential functions for each species. The results of this research also indicate that the growth functions are different for each species and might also be different between pre- and post-flood time periods. These functions indicate different survival strategies and emergent properties in responding to flood impacts. This research enhances our understanding of forest succession patterns in space and time in the UPR floodplain. And such understanding might be used to predict long-term impacts of floods on UMR floodplain forest dynamics in support of management and restoration.     

Studies on the Bacteriophage 2 Receptors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The lysogenization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain BI with phage 2 resulted in the loss of the capacity to adsorb the same phage. The absence of phage 2 receptors on the surface of the lysogenized strain BI(2)(8) was confirmed by the failure of purified slime polysaccharide (SPB) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to inactivate phage 2. SPB and LPS from a phage 2-resistant strain also failed to inactivate phage 2 in contrast to the phage inactivation exhibited by the SPB and LPS obtained from the wild-type strain BI. Chemically, quantitative differences were apparent when the SPB and LPS of strains BI(2)(8) and BI/2S(2) were compared with those of the wild-type strain BI. The most striking difference noted was the absence of amino sugars in the SPB of strain BI/2S(2). The SPB of strain BI(2)(8) also contained a lower percentage of amino sugars compared with the SPB of the wild-type strain BI.