Plenty of rooftops with few neighbours occupied by young breeding Yellow-legged Gulls (Larus michahellis): Does this occur at the expense of their health condition?

Gulls, as largely flexible opportunistic individuals, have been increasingly breeding in many cities around the world, but it is still unclear whether urban habitats are of equal or higher quality than traditional natural habitats or represent an ecological trap with immediate reproductive benefits but longer-term detrimental consequences to health. Here we present a study of breeding parameters (nest density, egg dimensions, clutch size, hatching success and adult body condition) and physiological parameters (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, haemoglobin concentration and measurements of oxidative stress) as indicators of the general health condition of Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis adults and chicks from natural and urban colonies. Yellow-legged Gulls in the largest urban area (Porto) laid smaller eggs and clutches, showed a significantly lower occurrence of inflammatory processes in chicks, and showed a slower early chick growth than in the natural colony of Deserta. This suggests that urban gulls might be facing important trade-offs between the advantages of breeding in lower density urban colonies, with fewer intraspecific interactions and a lower disease transmission probability, and the disadvantages of having an anthropogenic diet usually lower in nutritional value.     

First chromosome scale genomes of ithomiine butterflies (Nymphalidae: Ithomiini): Comparative models for mimicry genetic studies

The ithomiine butterflies (Nymphalidae: Danainae) represent the largest known radiation of Müllerian mimetic butterflies. They dominate by number the mimetic butterfly communities, which include species such as the iconic neotropical Heliconius genus. Recent studies on the ecology and genetics of speciation in Ithomiini have suggested that sexual pheromones, colour pattern and perhaps hostplant could drive reproductive isolation. However, no reference genome was available for Ithomiini, which has hindered further exploration on the genetic architecture of these candidate traits, and more generally on the genomic patterns of divergence. Here, we generated high-quality, chromosome-scale genome assemblies for two Melinaea species, M. marsaeus and M. menophilus, and a draft genome of the species Ithomia salapia. We obtained genomes with a size ranging from 396 to 503 Mb across the three species and scaffold N50 of 40.5 and 23.2 Mb for the two chromosome-scale assemblies. Using collinearity analyses we identified massive rearrangements between the two closely related Melinaea species. An annotation of transposable elements and gene content was performed, as well as a specialist annotation to target chemosensory genes, which is crucial for host plant detection and mate recognition in mimetic species. A comparative genomic approach revealed independent gene expansions in ithomiines and particularly in gustatory receptor genes. These first three genomes of ithomiine mimetic butterflies constitute a valuable addition and a welcome comparison to existing biological models such as Heliconius, and will enable further understanding of the mechanisms of adaptation in butterflies.     

ENTRANCE INTO STAGE III FASTING BY STARVELING NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL PUPS

Blood metabolites and urea kinetics were determined in starveling elephant seal pups to assess the transition to stage III fasting in this fasting-adapted species. Five postmolt and two premolt starvelings, denned as having a mass <50 kg, were studied until death or departure to sea. Premolt starvelings died on the rookery while postmolt starvelings departed to sea. Increased mass loss and a significant inverse relationship between mass and the ratio of blood urea nitrogen to creatinine suggested that premolt starvelings had enrered stage III starvation prior to death while urea kinetics suggested that postmolt pups engaged stage III starvation prior to departure. The mean rate of protein catabolism was estimated at 19.4 g/d for departing starvelings, twice the absolute rate and about four times the mass-specific rate estimated in healthy weanlings after eight weeks of fasting. Three starvelings stranded after departure, possibly as a result of thermoregulatory challenges and inefficient dive behavior. Entrance into stage III fasting interrupts the development of diving in emaciated pups (<50 kg) suggesting that an increased rate of protein catabolism might be linked to the cue to forage. This biochemical trigger is possibly different than the cue to feed in healthy weanlings, which depart the rookery with substantial fat stores.     

Computer-aided comparison of protein electrophoretic patterns for grouping and identification of heterotrophic bacteria from mineral water

The microflora of a natural mineral water was studied immediately after bottling (T0) and after 7 d storage (T7) during 6 months, and isolates were clustered by SDS-PAGE of wholecell protein profiles. Isolates from each cluster were further characterized by API 20NE, fatty acid composition and quinone profiles. The numerical analysis of the electrophoregrams of all bacteria isolated from the mineral water formed 15 clusters and five unclustered strains. Except for five minor clusters, all clusters were composed of strains isolated over several months. The numerical analysis of the electrophoregrams of bacteria isolated immediately after bottling formed 15 clusters while after 7 d storage only four of these populations could be isolated, indicating that populations present in the mineral water were stable and that changes occurring after bottling probably resulted from a selection process. Only one unclustered strain was identified simultaneously by all the systems, as Sphingomonas paucimobilis. The monitoring of the aquifer and the bottling system, and the construction of a large database with bacteria of the autochthonous flora allows the detection of alterations in the aquifer by changes in the microflora.     

Oligosaccharides derived from the xyloglucan isolated from the seeds of Hymenaea courbaril var. stilbocarpa

On aqueous extraction, Hymenaea courbaril var. stilbocarpa, known in Brazil as jatobá, furnishes a high yield of viscous xyloglucan (45%) from its seeds. The crude polysaccharide (B1) was hydrolysed and the products, analysed as alditol acetates, were glucose, xylose, galactose and arabinose in the ratio 50:35:13:2. After further fractionation on a DEAE-cellulose column (chloride form), the main fraction (70% yield, B2) was obtained. The basic structure of the xyloglucan was determined as a cellulose-type (1 → 4)-linked β-d-glucan backbone partially substituted with side chains at 06 of -d-xylopyranose, some of which were themselves substituted at 02 by the units of β-d-galactopyranose. Treatment of the xyloglucan (B2) with commercial cellulase from Trichoderma sp. yielded six oligosaccharides. These oligosaccharides were isolated by preparative paper chromatography, and their structures were determined by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy of the derived partially O-methylated alditol acetates. These results confirm the structure proposed for jatobá seed xyloglucan.     

Polysaccharides from the seeds of Senna multijuga

The seeds of Senna multijuga were extracted with water or 1% acetic acid and treated with ethanol, resulting in two insoluble fractions. After purification, the major one (FIA, 23%) was shown to be a galactomannan (Man:Gal 2.3:1;[] = + 54.6;[η]=1340mlg⁻¹). It consists of a main chain of (1 → 4)-linked β-d-mannopyranosyl residues substituted at 06 by single-unit -d-galactopyranosyl side chains. The second fraction (FIB, 2.5%) was an O-acetyl-glucuronoarabinoxylan from the seed coats (O-acetyl 8.3 mol%; glucuronic acid 11.7%, Xyl:Ara ratio 20:1), which showed a predominance of 4-O-substituted Xylp units (84.4%), branched at 03 with non-reducing end units of Xylp, Araf and glucuronic acid. The O-acetyl positions in d-xylosyl units are at 02 (4.8%), 03 (4.4%) and 02,3 (0.9%). The ratio between 03 and 02 determined by ¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is 1.5:1.     

Compatible Solutes in the Thermophilic Bacteria Rhodothermus marinus and "Thermus thermophilus"

(sup13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and (sup1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to identify and quantify the organic solutes of several strains of halophilic or halotolerant thermophilic bacteria. Two strains of Rhodothermus marinus and four strains of "Thermus thermophilus" grown in complex medium containing NaCl were examined. 2-O-Mannosylglycerate was a major compatible solute in all strains: the Thermus strains accumulated the (beta)-anomer only, whereas both anomers were found in R. marinus. 2-O-(beta)-mannosylglycerate and 2-O-(alpha)-mannosylglycerate were the major compatible solutes in R. marinus. The former was the predominant solute in cells grown in 2.0 and 4.0% NaCl-containing medium, while the latter was the predominant compatible solute at higher salinities. Glutamate, trehalose, and glucose were also present as minor components. The intracellular K(sup+) concentration, as determined by (sup39)K nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, in R. marinus increased with salinity and was sufficient to balance the negative charges of the mannosylglycerate. In addition to 2-O-(beta)-mannosylglycerate, trehalose was a major compatible solute of "T. thermophilus." 2-O-(beta)-Mannosylglycerate was the main solute in medium containing 1.0 or 2.0% NaCl, while trehalose predominated in cells grown in medium supplemented with 3.0 or 4.0% NaCl. Glycine betaine, in lower concentrations, was also detected in two "T. thermophilus" strains. This is the first report of mannosylglycerate as a compatible solute in bacteria.