Host-associated speciation in the coral barnacle Wanella milleporae (Cirripedia: Pyrgomatidae) inhabiting the Millepora coral

Speciation by host shift is a common phenomenon observed in many symbiotic animals. The symbiont–host interaction is highly dynamic, but it is poorly documented in the marine realm. In the present study, we examined the genetic and morphological differentiation of the coral barnacle Wanella milleporae (obligate to fire corals) collected from four different Millepora host species in Taiwan to investigate the host specificity of this barnacle. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial COI gene for 241 individuals of Wanella revealed five distinct clades, whose sequence divergences are comparable to values between other cogeneric barnacle species. The five clades also differ in shell and opercular plate morphology and colour. Genetic and morphological differentiations together strongly suggest the presence of cryptic species. Although the five clades do not display species-level host specificity, they showed a significant difference in preference on host growth form. Clades 1 and 2 were predominantly found on encrusting Millepora exaesa and Millepora platyphylla , while clades 3, 4 and 5 live exclusively on branching-form fire corals Millepora dichotoma and Millepora tenella . Phylogeny inferred from the combined mitochondrial COI, 16S and 12S (2182 bp) analysis suggests the division of the five clades into two major lineages congruent with the morphology of the host coral. Multiple independent invasions to the same form of host and subsequent speciation are evident in the Red Sea and Taiwan. Our results indicate that ecological/sympatric speciation could occur in marine symbiotic invertebrates through host shift and specialization. It appears that, as in their terrestrial counterparts, host–symbiont radiations in the marine realm are more prevalent than we expected and thus warrant further investigation.     

First morphogenetic identification of <i>Fusarium solani</i> isolated from orange fruit in Egypt

Losses due to postharvest decay may occur at any time during postharvest handling, from harvest to consumption affecting the produce quality and quantity. Accurate identification of the pathogen causing postharvest disease is essential to the selection of an appropriate disease control approach. Nine isolates of Fusarium recovered from orange fruit were identified as Fusarium solani. The fungus is involved with fruit decay. The obtained cultures were purified and grown on potato-dextrose agar (PDA), malt yeast agar (MYA), and Czapek's nutrient media (CNM) under light for identification. A pathogenicity test was carried out to fulfil Koch's postulates. The pathogen could only enter ripe orange fruit through wounds and cracks causing the rot disease. The identification of the fungal isolates was confirmed to be F. solani by DNA sequencing, which was 99 to 100% homologous to those deposited in the Gen- Bank. The identity of nine fungal isolates was confirmed to be F. solani by DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA region (GenBank Accession Nos. DQ486874 to DQ486881 and KC758879). To our knowledge, this is the first morphogenetic identification of F. solani isolated from orange fruit in Egypt.     

Genetic differentiation,hybridization and adaptive divergence in two subspecies of the acorn barnacle Tetraclita japonica in the northwestern Pacific

Two acorn barnacles, Tetraclita japonica japonica and Tetraclita japonica formosana, have been recently reclassified as two subspecies, because they are morphologically similar and genetically indistinguishable in mitochondrial DNA sequences. The two barnacles are distinguishable by parietes colour and exhibit parapatric distributions, coexisting in Japan, where T. j. formosana is very low in abundance. Here we investigated the genetic differentiation between the subspecies using 209 polymorphic amplified fragment length polymorphism markers and 341 individuals from 12 locations. The subspecies are genetically highly differentiated (Φ_CT = 0.267). Bayesian analysis and principal component analysis indicate the presence of hybrids in T. j. formosana samples from Japan. Strong differentiation between the northern and southern populations of T. j. japonica was revealed, and a break between Taiwan and Okinawa was also found in T. j. formosana. The differentiation between the two taxa at individual loci does not deviate from neutral expectation, suggesting that the oceanographic pattern which restricts larval dispersal is a more important factor than divergent selection in maintaining genetic and phenotypic differentiation. The T. j. formosana in Japan are probably recent migrants from Okinawa, and their presence in Japan may represent a poleward range shift driven by global warming. This promotes hybridization and might lead to a breakdown of the boundary between the subspecies. However, both local adaptation and larval dispersal are crucial in determining the population structure within each subspecies. Our study provides new insights into the interplay of local adaptation and dispersal in determining the distribution and genetic structure of intertidal biota and the biogeography of the northwestern Pacific.     

Scl binds to primed enhancers in mesoderm to regulate hematopoietic and cardiac fate divergence

Scl/Tal1 confers hemogenic competence and prevents ectopic cardiomyogenesis in embryonic endothelium by unknown mechanisms. We discovered that Scl binds to hematopoietic and cardiac enhancers that become epigenetically primed in multipotent cardiovascular mesoderm, to regulate the divergence of hematopoietic and cardiac lineages. Scl does not act as a pioneer factor but rather exploits a pre‐established epigenetic landscape. As the blood lineage emerges, Scl binding and active epigenetic modifications are sustained in hematopoietic enhancers, whereas cardiac enhancers are decommissioned by removal of active epigenetic marks. Our data suggest that, rather than recruiting corepressors to enhancers, Scl prevents ectopic cardiogenesis by occupying enhancers that cardiac factors, such as Gata4 and Hand1, use for gene activation. Although hematopoietic Gata factors bind with Scl to both activated and repressed genes, they are dispensable for cardiac repression, but necessary for activating genes that enable hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell development. These results suggest that a unique subset of enhancers in lineage‐specific genes that are accessible for regulators of opposing fates during the time of the fate decision provide a platform where the divergence of mutually exclusive fates is orchestrated.     

不同退化阶段高寒草甸土壤化学计量特征

为了阐明不同退化阶段高寒草甸土壤的化学计量特征,沿着高寒草甸退化的梯度选取了原生嵩草草甸、轻度退化草甸和严重沙化草甸,测定了高寒草甸退化过程中不同深度土壤的有机碳、全氮、全磷和全钾含量。结果表明:随着高寒草甸的退化,0～100cm土壤的有机碳、全氮、全磷和全钾含量以及碳氮比、碳磷比、碳钾比、氮磷比、氮钾比和磷钾比均呈降低趋势,且土壤有机碳对高寒草甸退化的敏感性最高,全氮、全磷和全钾的敏感性依次降低,表层20cm的土壤有机碳和全氮可作为表征高寒草甸退化程度最敏感的土壤养分指标。另外,随着草甸的退化,土壤的有机碳、全氮、全磷和全钾含量及其化学计量比的垂直分布明显不同:随着土壤深度的增加,原生嵩草草甸和轻度退化草甸的土壤有机碳、全氮和全磷含量以及碳氮比、碳磷比、碳钾比、氮磷比、氮钾比和磷钾比在0～40cm范围内锐减,在40cm以下缓慢降低并趋于稳定;而沙化草甸土壤的有机碳、全氮、全磷和全钾及其化学计量比随着土壤深度的增加保持不变。     

红细胞在钙离子和离子载体A23187作用下的流变特性研究

用新激光衍射法研究了钙离子及离子载体A23187对红细胞流变特性的影响.用不同浓度的钙离子及离子载体A23187分别处理红细胞后,测量其取向指数和小变形指数.结果表明离子载体A23187较细胞外钙离子浓度对红细胞流变特性的影响更大.而且,最大取向指数和最大小变形指数随着钙离子及离子载体A23187浓度的增加而降低.离子载体A23187浓度增加导致红细胞变形能力明显降低.