Genetic association with high‐resolution climate data reveals selection footprints in the genomes of barley landraces across the Iberian Peninsula

Landraces are local populations of crop plants adapted to a particular environment. Extant landraces are surviving genetic archives, keeping signatures of the selection processes experienced by them until settling in their current niches. This study intends to establish relationships between genetic diversity of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces collected in Spain and the climate of their collection sites. A high‐resolution climatic data set (5 × 5 km spatial, 1‐day temporal grid) was computed from over 2,000 temperature and 7,000 precipitation stations across peninsular Spain. This data set, spanning the period 1981–2010, was used to derive agroclimatic variables meaningful for cereal production at the collection sites of 135 barley landraces. Variables summarize temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration, potential vernalization and frost probability at different times of the year and time scales (season and month). SNP genotyping of the landraces was carried out combining Illumina Infinium assays and genotyping‐by‐sequencing, yielding 9,920 biallelic markers (7,479 with position on the barley reference genome). The association of these SNPs with agroclimatic variables was analysed at two levels of genetic diversity, with and without taking into account population structure. The whole data sets and analysis pipelines are documented and available at https://eead-csic-compbio.github.io/barley-agroclimatic-association . We found differential adaptation of the germplasm groups identified to be dominated by reactions to cold temperature and late‐season frost occurrence, as well as to water availability. Several significant associations pointing at specific adaptations to agroclimatic features related to temperature and water availability were observed, and candidate genes underlying some of the main regions are proposed.     

Unwanted Horse Population in Illinois: Perceptions of Horse Owners,Non-Horse Owners,and Equine Industry Stakeholders

This paper presents the results of an investigation to determine perceptions, awareness, and knowledge of the unwanted horse population in Illinois from the viewpoint of horse owners, non-horse owners, and equine industry stakeholders. A questionnaire included items that pertained to knowledge of current legislation, equine background, current methods of controlling the unwanted horse population, and methods that respondents believe would reduce the unwanted horse population in Illinois. Results indicated that 58% of horse owners viewed horses as companion animals. Respondents perceived financial hardship to be the major reason why horses become unwanted. Current methods of managing unwanted horse populations were found to be ineffective. Reducing the costs of euthanasia and carcass disposal, allowing processing facilities to reopen in Illinois, and increasing the availability of gelding programs emerged as the most effective ways to manage the unwanted horse population. Results of this survey may lead to greater awareness of the unwanted horse population in Illinois. Furthermore, these results may lead to discussions about future legislation in the State designed to support and manage unwanted horses.     

A striking new unifoliolate and polycarpellate species of Senna (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae) from Andhra Pradesh,India

Senna andhrica P.V. Ramana, J. Swamy and M. Ahmedullah, a new species from Andhra Pradesh, India, is described. The species is remarkable in having unifoliolate, oblong or ovate leaves, 2–3 carpellate gynoecium and reniform seeds. It is the second described species with unifoliolate leaves in the Cassiinae. In most other morphological characters, it is closely allied to Senna occidentalis (L.) Link.     

Field and Laboratory Studies on Nile Phytoplankton in Egypt IV. Phytoplankton of Aswan High Dam Lake (Lake Nasser)

Seasonal, local and monthly vertical variations in chlorophyll a concentration and in qualitative and quantitative counts in Aswan High Dam Lake (AHDL) phytoplankton were followed from March 1982 to February 1984. The chlorophyll a values correlated more or less with the total phytoplankton counts. Total algal counts exhibited considerable local variations in the different seasons and tended to decrease in the most southern part of AHDL, especially during the flood period. The temporal course of algal development showed an almost inverse trend to that of dissolved nitrate-nitrogen. The possibility of nitrogen limitation of algal growth was verified. Diatoms and blue-green algae alternated in the dominance of the phytoplankton community. The genera Cyclotella and Anabaenopsis respectively were the most predominant genera among the diatoms and blue-greens and consequently in the phytoplankton community.     

Designing an immunoinformatic vaccine for peri-implantitis using a structural biology approach

ObjectivesPeri-implantitis is a destructive inflammatory process that affects the soft and hard tissues around dental implants. porphyromonas gingivalis, an anaerobic gram-negative bacterium, appears to be the main culprit. Since there is no efficient and specific vaccine to treat peri-implantitis, the goal of our research has been to develop a multi-epitope vaccination utilizing an immunoinformatics approach that targeted P. gingivalis type I fim A.Materials and methodsP. gingivalis peptides 6JKZ and 6KMF are suitable for vaccine development. B- and T-cell epitopes from 6KMF and 6JKZ were detected and evaluated based on critical factors to produce a multi-epitope vaccine construct. It was assessed based on allergenicity, antigenicity, stability. The vaccine's dual major histocompatibility complex (MHC-I and MHC-II) binding epitopes allowed it to reach a larger population. P. gingivalis fimbriae induce immune subversion through TLR -CXCR4 receptor complex pathway. The ClusPro 2.0 server was used to do the molecular docking using TLR2 - CXCR4 and vaccine epitopes as receptor and ligand respectively.ResultsThe designed vaccine was non-allergenic and had a high antigenicity, solubility, and stability. The 3D structure of the vaccine revealed strong interaction with CXCR4(TLR2) using molecular docking. The vaccine-CXCR4 interface was more consistent, possibly because the vaccination has a higher affinity for the CXCR4-TLR2 complex.ConclusionThis study details the vaccine's distinct and sustained interaction with the CXCR4(TLR2) immunological receptor and its consistent and effective utterance in the bacterial system. As a result, our vaccine formulation will evoke a significant memory response and induce an adaptive immune response against P. gingivalis.     

The dual probiotic and antibiotic nature of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is a predatory bacterium which attacks and consumes other bacterial strains, including the well known pathogens E. coli O157 : H7, Salmonella typhimurium and Helicobacter pylori. This remarkable activity has been the focus of research for nearly five decades, with exciting practical applications to medical, agriculture and farming practices recently being published. This article reviews many of the exciting steps research into this bacterium, and similar bacteria, has taken, focusing primarily on their use as both an antibiotic to remove harmful and pathogenic bacteria and as a probiotic to help curb and control the bacterial populations within the intestinal tract. Owing to the unique and dual nature of this bacterium, this review proposes the use of "amphibiotic" to describe these bacteria and their activities.     

Do Plasmodium ookinetes invade a specific cell type in the mosquito midgut?

Recent debate in Plasmodium ookinete invasion has been centered on whether the parasite chooses a specific cell type to cross the midgut epithelium in the mosquito. A few publications have described the mosquito midgut being composed of complex surface-structures, histochemically and biochemically diverse cell types, and have proposed that Plasmodium gallinaceum ookinetes prefers a specific cell type (Ross cell) in Aedes aegypti for crossing the midgut epithelium. Two recent publications reported, however, that with differential interference contrast microscopy, all midgut epithelial cells in uninfected mosquitoes appear structurally similar and argued that ookinetes do not invade a specific cell type. These observations are discussed here in the context of the 'Ross cell' hypothesis.