Phakopsora pachyrhizi, the causal agent of Asian soybean rust

The plant pathogenic basidiomycete fungi Phakopsora pachyrhizi and Phakopsora meibomiae cause rust disease in soybean plants. Phakopsora pachyrhizi originated in Asia–Australia, whereas the less aggressive P. meibomiae originated in Latin America. In the New World, P. pachyrhizi was first reported in the 1990s to have spread to Hawaii and, since 2001, it has been found in South America. In 2004, the pathogen entered continental USA. This review provides detailed information on the taxonomy and molecular biology of the pathogen, and summarizes strategies to combat the threat of this devastating disease.
Taxonomy: Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd. & P. Syd; uredial anamorph: Malupa sojae (syn. Uredo sojae ); Domain Eukaryota; Kingdom Fungi; Phylum Basidiomycota; Order Uredinales; Class Urediniomycetes; Family Phakopsoraceae; Genus Phakopsora ( http://www.indexfungorum.org ). The nomenclature of rust spores and spore-producing structures used within this review follows Agrios GN (2005) Plant Pathology , 5th edn. London: Elsevier/Academic Press.
Host range: In the field, P. pachyrhizi infects leaf tissue from a broad range (at least 31 species in 17 genera) of leguminous plants. Infection of an additional 60 species in other genera has been achieved under laboratory conditions.
Disease symptoms: At the beginning of the disease, small, tan-coloured lesions, restricted by leaf veins, can be observed on infected soybean leaves. Lesions enlarge and, 5–8 days after initial infection, rust pustules (uredia, syn. uredinia) become visible. Uredia develop more frequently in lesions on the lower surface of the leaf than on the upper surface. The uredia open with a round ostiole through which uredospores are released.     

AMNICOLA CALLOSA PAULUCCI, 1881, REDESCRIBED AND ASSIGNED TO ORIENTALINA RADOMAN, 1978, A GENUS NEW FOR THE ITALIAN FAUNA (GASTROPODA, PROSOBRANCHIA, HYDROBIIDAE)

Anatomical study of topotypes of Amnicola callosa Paulucci,1881 from Abruzzo (Central Italy) produced evidence that thespecies belongs to Orientalina Radoman, 1978, a genus previouslyonly known from the Balkan Peninsula. (Received 26 June 1991; accepted 20 August 1991)     

Platynereis nadiae sp. n. (Polychaeta: Nereididae) from Italian coasts

A new species, Platynereis nadiae sp. n. (Polychacta: Ncrcididac), from thc Mediterranean Sea is described. It is clearly distinguished from the other Platynereis species by the distribution and the morphology of the homogomph falciger setae and by the structure of thc tcntacular cirri.     

Biosynthesis,Structure, and Function of Neuromelanin and its Relation to Parkinson's Disease: A Critical Update

No longer dismissed as just a mere curiosity in the family of melanin pigments, neuromelanin is attracting increasing interest as a central constituent of certain populations of dopaminergic neurons in the human substantia nigra, which may hold the key for the understanding of neuron functioning and degeneration in aging and in Parkinson's disease. It is the purpose of this article to provide a concise review of the most significant data on the origin, structure, and functional significance of neuromelanin that accrued over the past few years. It also aims at critically surveying the currently debated views regarding the role of such intriguing pigment in the etiology and biochemical pathology of Parkinson's disease.     

The genus Minona (Platyhelminthes, Seriata) in eastern Australia

Four new species of the genus Minona Marcus, 1946 from eastern Australia are described. Minona proculvaginata sp. n., M. australis sp. n. and M. concharum sp. n. have four genital pores, and differ in details of the copulatory organs. The epidermis of these three species is unciliated in a ventral area around the male pore. Based on this synapomorphic feature, they are sister species. The karyotype of M. proculvaginata and M. concharum is described. Minona heronensis sp. n. is distinct from congeneric species on the basis of the size of its accessory stylet and copulatory organ, pore indices and karyotype. It is compared to numerous similar Indo-Pacific species. Additional data on the anatomy and karyology of M. beaglei Martens & Curini-Galletti, 1989 from N. Australia, are given. One specimen from Heron Island is tentatively attributed to M. dolichovesiculu Tajika, 1982 a species widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific. Its karyotype is given.     

Upgrade of Castanea sativa (Mill.) genetic resources by sequencing of barcode markers

Journal of Genetics -     

Uptake and Transport of Fusicoccin in Higher Plant Tissues

The uptake and release of ³H-labelled fusicoccin (FC) fed topea internode segments and the transport of [³H]FC in wholeplants and in excised parts of plants of pea, maize, and pumpkinhave been investigated. FC uptake showed three phases apparentlycorresponding to the penetration of FC: (1) into the free space;(2) into the cytoplasm; (3) into the vacuole. The first phase is a little thermosensitive and apparently includesadsorption binding to some free space component (cell surface?).The second and third phases are highly temperaturesensitiveand in part energy-dependent. However, no accumulation of FCagainst a concentration gradient is observed at high externalFC concentration. Accumulation at low concentration seems dueto the formation of a poorly exchangeable complex with somecell structure. The efflux of the FC penetrated within the cells is limitedby some highly temperature-sensitive process. A small fractionof the accumulated FC tends to be retained in the tissue, eitherbecause sequestered in some compartment or because bound tosome cellular component. FC transport in whole plants as well as in isolated plant partsseems to depend mainly on simple diffusion and on transportby mass flow in the xylem. Long distance transport of the toxinin pumpkin plants mainly occurs in the xylem, while the slowmovement in non-vascular tissues seems to depend on diffusioncombined with mass flow in the free space, and does not seemheavily influenced by metabolic factors.     

Influence of the Kid on Space Use and Habitat Selection of Female Alpine Ibex

Abstract: Mammalian females change their behavior during the last stages of pregnancy and during the weaning as a response to new energetic requirements and antipredator behavior. From March 2001 to December 2004, we studied the effects of parturition and weaning on home-range sizes and habitat selection in 28 female Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) in a 1,700-ha free area in the Gran Paradiso National Park (Western Italian Alps). We calculated Kernel home range enclosing 95% of each female's locations according to seasonal and bimonthly timescales. Pregnancy did not seem to modify spatial behavior. Lactating females showed smaller home ranges than nonlactating ones after the birth period in June-July. Hot summers slowed kids' growth and prolonged maternal care, modifying mothers' behavior. In summer 2003, which was hotter and drier than usual, weaning females showed even smaller home ranges. Because of their use of antipredator tactics during the weaning season, lactating females showed a higher use of safer habitats, such as rocky slopes. Our results are consistent with the findings of previous cervid and bovid studies, and they suggest that ungulate mothers may move to suboptimal, but safer, habitats during weaning to reduce the predation risk for their offspring.     

Body size estimation and evolution in metriorhynchid crocodylomorphs: implications for species diversification and niche partitioning

Metriorhynchids were a peculiar group of fully marine Mesozoic crocodylomorphs, some of which reached large body size and were probably apex predators. The estimation of their total body length in the past has proven problematic. Rigorous size estimation was provided using five complete metriorhynchid specimens, by means of regression equations derived from basicranial and femoral length against total body length. The use of the Alligator femoral regression equation as a proxy to estimate metriorhynchid total body length led to a slight underestimation, whereas cranial regression equations of extant genera resulted in an overestimation of body length. Therefore, the scaling of crania and femora to total body length of metriorhynchids is noticeably different from that of extant crocodylians, indicating that extant crocodylians are not ideal proxies for size reconstruction of extinct taxa that deviate from their semi‐aquatic morphotype. The lack of a correlation between maximum, minimum, or the range of generic body lengths with species richness demonstrates that species diversification is driven by factors other than just variation in body size. Maximum likelihood modelling also found no evidence for directionality in body size evolution. However, niche partitioning in Metriorhynchidae is mediated not only by craniodental differentiation, as shown by previous studies, but also by body size variation. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 163 , 1199–1216.