Influence of sea turtle nesting on hunting behavior and movements of jaguars in the dry forest of northwest Costa Rica

Jaguars (Panthera onca) are opportunistic predators that prey on large profitable prey items, such as sea turtles at nesting beaches. Here, we use jaguar and sea turtle track-count surveys, combined with satellite telemetry of one jaguar, to evaluate whether jaguar hunting behavior and movements are influenced by seasonal sea turtle nesting in the Sector Santa Rosa of Área de Conservación Guanacaste in northwest Costa Rica. We used generalized linear models to evaluate the effect of moon phase and sea surface temperature on olive ridley (Lepidochelis olivacea) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting abundance, as well as the combination of these predictors on the frequency of jaguar predation activity (proximity to nesting beaches) and movements. For home-range size and location analyses, we calculated kernel density estimates for each season at three different temporal scales. Sea turtle nesting season influenced jaguar activity patterns, as well as sea turtle abundance was related to jaguar locations and predation events, but jaguar home-range size (88.8 km² overall) did not differ between nesting seasons or among temporal scales. Environmental conditions influenced sea turtle nesting and, as a consequence, also influenced jaguar movements and foraging activity. Our study defined the home range of a female jaguar in the tropical dry forest and its relationship to seasonally abundant turtles. Additional information related to the effect of tourism on jaguar–sea turtle interactions would improve conservation of these species at unique nesting beaches in the area.     

Mosaicism for FMR1 gene full mutation and intermediate allele in a female foetus: A postzygotic retraction event

Fragile X syndrome is caused by the expansion of an unstable CGG repeat in the 5′UTR of FMR1 gene. The occurrence of mosaicism is not uncommon, especially in male patients, whereas in females it is not so often reported. Here we report a female foetus that was subject to prenatal diagnosis, because of her mother being a premutation carrier. The foetus was identified as being a mosaic for an intermediate allele and a full mutation of FMR1 gene, in the presence of a normal allele. The mosaic status was confirmed in three different tissues of the foetus – amniotic fluid, skin biopsy and blood – the last two obtained after pregnancy termination. Karyotype analysis and X-chromosome STR markers analysis do not support the mosaicism as inheritance of both maternal alleles. Oligonucleotide array-CGH excluded an imbalance that could contain the primer binding site with a different repeat size. The obtained results give compelling evidence for a postzygotic expansion mechanism where the foetus mosaic pattern originated from expansion of the mother's premutation into a full mutation and consequent regression to an intermediate allele in a proportion of cells. These events occurred in early embryogenesis before the commitment of cells into the different tissues, as the three tested tissues of the foetus have the same mosaic pattern. The couple has a son with Fragile X mental retardation syndrome and choose to terminate this pregnancy after genetic counselling.     

Conditioning of surfaces by macromolecules and its implication for the settlement of zoospores of the green alga Ulva linza

Conditioning, ie the adsorption of proteins and other macromolecules, is the first process that occurs in the natural environment once a surface is immersed in seawater, but no information is available either regarding the conditioning of surfaces by artificial seawater or whether conditioning affects data obtained from laboratory assays. A range of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with different chemical terminations was used to investigate the time-dependent formation of conditioning layers in commercial and self-prepared artificial seawaters. Subsequently, these results were compared with conditioning by solutions in which zoospores of the green alga Ulva linza had been swimming. Spectral ellipsometry and contact angle measurements as well as infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) were used to reveal the thickness and chemical composition of the conditioning layers. The extent that surface preconditioning affected the settlement of zoospores of U. linza was also investigated. The results showed that in standard spore settlement bioassays (45–60 min), the influence of a molecular conditioning layer is likely to be small, although more substantial effects are possible at longer settlement times.     

Morphometric and molecular variation in concert: taxonomy and genetics of the reticulate Pyrenean and Iberian alpine spiny fescues (Festuca eskia complex,Poaceae)

The Iberian mountain spiny fescues are a reticulate group of five diploid grass taxa consisting of three parental species and two putative hybrids: F. × souliei (F. eskia × F. quadriflora) and F. × picoeuropeana (F. eskia × F. gautieri). Phenotypic and molecular studies were conducted with the aim of determining the taxonomic boundaries and genetic relationships of the five taxa and disentangling the origins of the two hybrids. Statistical analyses of 31 selected phenotypic traits were conducted on individuals from 159 populations and on nine type specimens. Molecular analyses of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were performed on 29 populations. The phenotypic analyses detected significant differences between the five taxa and demonstrated the overall intermediacy of the F. × picoeuropeana and F. × souliei between their respective parents. The RAPD analysis corroborated the genetic differentiation of F. eskia, F. gautieri and F. quadriflora and the intermediate nature of the two hybrids; however, they also detected genetic variation within F. × picoeuropeana. These results suggest distinct origins for F. × picoeuropeana in the Cantabrian and Pyrenean mountains, with the sporadic Pyrenean populations having potentially resulted from recent hybridizations and the stabilized Cantabrian ones from older events followed by potential displacements of the parents. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 173 , 676–706.     

Blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) activity in sun exposed and shaded carrion in Portugal

The first forensic entomological study performed in Portugal is presented. Two piglet (Sus scrofa L.) carcasses were used to determine adult Calliphoridae activity on carrion over a period of 121 days, all along the end of spring and the summer, both in a shaded and a sunny site. Five decomposition stages were observed and a total of 10723 adult Calliphoridae, belonging to 11 species, were collected. Calliphora vicina, Calliphora vomitoria, Chrysomya albiceps and Lucilia caesar were the dominant species in this study. Decomposition was faster on the carcass exposed to the sun and the number of Calliphoridae specimens was higher there than in the shaded site. It was found a significant effect of the decomposition stage in the number of specimens attracted to the carcass, as well as a significant effect of the interaction between the decomposition stage and insolation regime. Calliphora and Lucilia species did not show preference for sunny or shaded areas. Important differences in the Calliphoridae community structure were found compared to other regions of the Iberian Peninsula, reinforcing the need of further studies in different environments and regions of this geographical area in order to collect information about the local necrophagous fauna used in forensic practice.     

Clipping of Flexible Tails of Histones H3 and H4 Affects the Structure and?Dynamics of the Nucleosome

Förster resonance energy transfer was used to monitor the dynamic conformations of mononucleosomes under different chromatin folding conditions to elucidate the role of the flexible N-terminal regions of H3 and H4 histones. The H3 tail was shown to partake in intranucleosomal interactions by restricting the DNA breathing motion and compacting the nucleosome. The H3 tail effects were mostly independent of the ionic strength and valency of the ions. The H4 tail was shown to not greatly affect the nucleosome conformation, but did slightly influence the relative population of the preferred conformation. The role of the H4 tail varied depending on the valency and ionic strength, suggesting that electrostatic forces play a primary role in H4 tail interactions. Interestingly, despite the H4 tail’s lack of influence, when H3 and H4 tails were simultaneously clipped, a more dramatic effect was seen than when only H3 or H4 tails were clipped. The combinatorial effect of H3 and H4 tail truncation suggests a potential mechanism by which various combinations of histone tail modifications can be used to control accessibility of DNA-binding proteins to nucleosomal DNA.