Bushmeat genetics: setting up a reference framework for the DNA typing of African forest bushmeat

The bushmeat trade in tropical Africa represents illegal, unsustainable off‐takes of millions of tons of wild game – mostly mammals – per year. We sequenced four mitochondrial gene fragments (cyt b, COI, 12S, 16S) in >300 bushmeat items representing nine mammalian orders and 59 morphological species from five western and central African countries (Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea). Our objectives were to assess the efficiency of cross‐species PCR amplification and to evaluate the usefulness of our multilocus approach for reliable bushmeat species identification. We provide a straightforward amplification protocol using a single ‘universal’ primer pair per gene that generally yielded >90% PCR success rates across orders and was robust to different types of meat preprocessing and DNA extraction protocols. For taxonomic identification, we set up a decision pipeline combining similarity‐ and tree‐based approaches with an assessment of taxonomic expertise and coverage of the GENBANK database. Our multilocus approach permitted us to: (i) adjust for existing taxonomic gaps in GENBANK databases, (ii) assign to the species level 67% of the morphological species hypotheses and (iii) successfully identify samples with uncertain taxonomic attribution (preprocessed carcasses and cryptic lineages). High levels of genetic polymorphism across genes and taxa, together with the excellent resolution observed among species‐level clusters (neighbour‐joining trees and Klee diagrams) advocate the usefulness of our markers for bushmeat DNA typing. We formalize our DNA typing decision pipeline through an expert‐curated query database – DNAbushmeat – that shall permit the automated identification of African forest bushmeat items.     

Scale of population synchrony confirms macroecological estimates of minimum viable range size

Global ecosystems are facing a deepening biodiversity crisis, necessitating robust approaches to quantifying species extinction risk. The lower limit of the macroecological relationship between species range and body size has long been hypothesized as an estimate of the relationship between the minimum viable range size (MVRS) needed for species persistence and the organismal traits that affect space and resource requirements. Here, we perform the first explicit test of this assumption by confronting the MVRS predicted by the range-body size relationship with an independent estimate based on the scale of synchrony in abundance among spatially separated populations of riverine fish. We provide clear evidence of a positive relationship between the scale of synchrony and species body size, and strong support for the MVRS set by the lower limit of the range-body size macroecological relationship. This MVRS may help prioritize first evaluations for unassessed or data-deficient taxa in global conservation assessments.     

Deregulation of cyclin E in human cells interferes with prereplication complex assembly

Deregulation of cyclin E expression has been associated with a broad spectrum of human malignancies. Analysis of DNA replication in cells constitutively expressing cyclin E at levels similar to those observed in a subset of tumor-derived cell lines indicates that initiation of replication and possibly fork movement are severely impaired. Such cells show a specific defect in loading of initiator proteins Mcm4, Mcm7, and to a lesser degree, Mcm2 onto chromatin during telophase and early G1 when Mcm2-7 are normally recruited to license origins of replication. Because minichromosome maintenance complex proteins are thought to function as a heterohexamer, loading of Mcm2-, Mcm4-, and Mcm7-depleted complexes is likely to underlie the S phase defects observed in cyclin E-deregulated cells, consistent with a role for minichromosome maintenance complex proteins in initiation of replication and fork movement. Cyclin E-mediated impairment of DNA replication provides a potential mechanism for chromosome instability observed as a consequence of cyclin E deregulation.     

Body size, ecological tolerance and potential for water quality bioindication in the genus Anacroneuria (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from South America

Knowledge about the biology and ecology of neotropical aquatic taxa is crucial to establish general ecological rules and water protection systems. Based mainly on published data, the present work shows the following biological and ecological characteristics of Anacroneuria species (Klapálek 1909): (a) the wide range of environmental conditions of rivers where Anacroneuria species occur, (b) species number decreases along an increasing elevation gradient, (c) body size increases in relation to the maximum altitude of occurrence, (d) altitudinal range increases with body size, (e) there is a constant relationship between male and female body size, and finally, (f) larger females lay larger eggs. In temperate countries, the family Perlidae in general, and the genus Anacroneuria in particular, are viewed as excellent water quality indicators. We suggest that, considering the complexity of the group's ecology in South America, it should not be automatically considered an excellent bioindicator in the Neotropical region.     

Renewed hope for a vaccine against the intestinal adult Taenia solium

Review of experimental and observational evidence about various cestode infections of mammalian hosts revives hope for the development of an effective vaccine against adult intestinal tapeworms, the central protagonists in their transmission dynamics. As for Taenia solium, there are abundant immunological data regarding cysticercosis in humans and pigs, but information about human taeniasis is scarce. A single publication reporting protection against T. solium taeniasis by experimental primo infection and by vaccination of an experimental foster host, the immunocompetent female hamster, kindles the hope of a vaccine against the tapeworm to be used in humans, its only natural definitive host.     

Shifts in fisheries management: adapting to regime shifts

For many years, fisheries management was based on optimizing yield and maintaining a target biomass, with little regard given to low-frequency environmental forcing. However, this policy was often unsuccessful. In the last two to three decades, fisheries science and management have undergone a shift towards balancing sustainable yield with conservation, with the goal of including ecosystem considerations in decision-making frameworks. Scientific understanding of low-frequency climate–ocean variability, which is manifested as ecosystem regime shifts and states, has led to attempts to incorporate these shifts and states into fisheries assessment and management. To date, operationalizing these attempts to provide tactical advice has met with limited success. We review efforts to incorporate regime shifts and states into the assessment and management of fisheries resources, propose directions for future investigation and outline a potential framework to include regime shifts and changes in ecosystem states into fisheries management.     

Alpha sarcoglycan is required for FGF-dependent myogenic progenitor cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo

Mice deficient in α-sarcoglycan (Sgca-null mice) develop progressive muscular dystrophy and serve as a model for human limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2D. Sgca-null mice suffer a more severe myopathy than that of mdx mice, the model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This is the opposite of what is observed in humans and the reason for this is unknown. In an attempt to understand the cellular basis of this severe muscular dystrophy, we isolated clonal populations of myogenic progenitor cells (MPCs), the resident postnatal muscle progenitors of dystrophic and wild-type mice. MPCs from Sgca-null mice generated much smaller clones than MPCs from wild-type or mdx dystrophic mice. Impaired proliferation of Sgca-null myogenic precursors was confirmed by single fiber analysis and this difference correlated with Sgca expression during MPC proliferation. In the absence of dystrophin and associated proteins, which are only expressed after differentiation, SGCA complexes with and stabilizes FGFR1. Deficiency of Sgca leads to an absence of FGFR1 expression at the membrane and impaired MPC proliferation in response to bFGF. The low proliferation rate of Sgca-null MPCs was rescued by transduction with Sgca-expressing lentiviral vectors. When transplanted into dystrophic muscle, Sgca-null MPCs exhibited reduced engraftment. The reduced proliferative ability of Sgca-null MPCs explains, at least in part, the severity of this muscular dystrophy and also why wild-type donor progenitor cells engraft efficiently and consequently ameliorate disease.     

Polymerization of hemoglobins in Arctic fish: Lycodes reticulatus and Gadus morhua

In vitro, and possibly in vivo, hemoglobin polymerization and red blood cell sickling appear to be widespread in codfish. In this article, we show that the hemoglobins of the two Arctic fish Lycodes reticulatus and Gadus morhua also have the tendency to polymerize, as monitored by dynamic light scattering experiments. The elucidation of the primary structure of the single hemoglobin of the zoarcid L. reticulatus shows the presence of a large number of cysteyl residues in α and β chains. Their role in eliciting the ability to produce polymers was also addressed by MALDI-TOF and TOF-TOF mass spectrometry. The G.morhua globins are also rich in Cys, but unlike in L. reticulatus, polymerization does not seem to be disulfide driven. The widespread occurrence of the polymerization phenomenon displayed by hemoglobins of Arctic fish supports the hypothesis that this feature may bea response to stressful environmental conditions.     

Antioxidant effect of red wine polyphenols on red blood cells

The protective effect of red wine polyphenols against hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced oxidation was investigated in normal human erythrocytes (RBCs). RBCs, preincubated with micromolar amounts of wine extract and challenged with H(2)O(2), were analyzed for reactive oxygen species (ROS), hemolysis, methemoglobin production, and lipid peroxidation. All these oxidative modifications were prevented by incubating the RBCs with oak barrel aged red wine extract (SD95) containing 3.5 mM gallic acid equivalent (GAE) of phenolic compounds. The protective effect was less apparent when RBCs were incubated with wines containing lower levels of polyphenols. Furthermore, resveratrol and quercetin, well known red wine antioxidants, showed lower antioxidant properties compared with SD95, indicating that interaction between constituents may bring about effects that are not necessarily properties of the singular components. Our findings demonstrate that the nonalcoholic components of red wine, mainly polyphenols, have potent antioxidant properties, supporting the hypothesis of a beneficial effect of red wine in oxidative stress in human system.     

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7(3H)-ones as novel series of potent β isoform selective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors

A series of 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7(3H)-ones with excellent enzyme inhibition, improved isoform selectivity, and excellent inhibition of downstream phosphorylation of AKT has been identified. Several compounds in the series demonstrated potent (～ 0.100 μM IC(50)) growth inhibition in a PTEN deficient cancer cell line.