Phylogeography of a Palaearctic sedentary passerine,the willow tit (Parus montanus)

We analysed variation of the mitochondrial control region from willow tits through its Palaearctic distribution range. Although we found high amount of genetic variation (π=1.114%), there was almost no differentiation between subspecies or geographical localities. This may be because of a combination of several ecological and genetic factors, including a relatively homogenic habitat through the distribution range, lack of geographical barriers, high gene flow and a large long‐term effective population size. On the contrary, in the songar tit, which is sometimes considered to be conspecific with the willow tit, the mitochondrial lineages seem to correlate with the geographical locality and are clearly distinct from the willow tit. We concluded that the common ancestors of willow and songar tits existed some 1.5–2 Myr ago in the south‐eastern Asia. After the last Ice Ages, the willow tit expanded all through the Palaearctic, whereas the songar tit remained in eastern Asia.     

The Potential for pathogenicity was present in the ancestor of the Ascomycete subphylum Pezizomycotina

Background  

Previous studies in Ascomycetes have shown that the function of gene families of which the size is considerably larger in extant pathogens than in non-pathogens could be related to pathogenicity traits. However, by only comparing gene inventories in extant species, no insights can be gained into the evolutionary process that gave rise to these larger family sizes in pathogens. Moreover, most studies which consider gene families in extant species only tend to explain observed differences in gene family sizes by gains rather than by losses, hereby largely underestimating the impact of gene loss during genome evolution.     

Akustische Differenzierung verwandtschaftlicher Beziehungen in derParus (Periparus)-Gruppe nach Untersuchungen im Nepal-Himalaya

Zusammenfassung Die fünf Formen der UntergattungParus (Periparus) des südlichen Zentral-Asien(rufonuchalis, rubidiventris, beavani, melanolophus, aemodius) werden morphologisch, biologisch-ökologisch und vor allem akustisch differenziert. Die Spezifität der Gesänge gilt als wesentliches Art-Kriterium; sie wird mit Attrappen-Versuchen getestet.1.Rufonuchalis, rubidiventris undbeavani (Fichtenmeisen-Gruppe) bilden im Nepal-Himalaya Arealgrenzen aus.Rufonuchalis undrubidiventris leben dort sympatrisch,rubidiventris undbeavani allopatrisch ohne Introgressionszone. Rubidiventris undbeavani haben übereinstimmende ökologische Ansprüche;rufonuchalis als größere und trockenadaptierte Form weicht merklich ab. Die Arealgrenzen vonrufonuchalis undrubidiventris sind im westlichen Nepal-Himalaya klimatisch bedingt (Monsun!), nicht durch Konkurrenz mit anderenPeriparus-Formen.Reviergesänge der farblich fast ununterscheidbarenrufonuchalis undbeavani divergieren sehr, die vonrubidiventris undbeavani sind gleich. Rufonuchalis verfügt über 2 Gesangstypen: Trillergesang dient der Reviermarkierung, Pfiffgesang der Revierverteidigung. Beide Gesangsformen entsprechen nicht demParus-Gesangsschema, wohl aber der Klappergesang vonrubidiventris undbeavani. Beavani reagiert im Attrappen-Test nur auf denrufonuchalis-Pfiffgesang und besitzt vergleichbare Lautäußerungen.Rufonuchalis-Trillergesang findet beibeavani ebenfalls Entsprechungen, jedoch nicht beirubidiventris.Spezialisierte Trillergesang-Elemente vonrufonuchalis undbeavani werden als homolog betrachtet. Bei diesen allopatrischen Formen konnten sie erhalten bleiben, der mitrufonuchalis sympatrischerubidiventris hat sie reduziert.Die gleichfarbigenrufonuchalis undbeavani haben das Himalaya-System nie kontinuierlich besiedelt; ihre Areale standen ursprünglich über die Waldzonen Zentralasiens miteinander in Verbindung.Akustische Analyse und Verbreitungsmuster weisenrufonuchalis undrubidiventris (mit den Subspeziesrubidiventris undbeavani) als eigene Spezies aus; sie werden zu einer Superspezies verklammert.2. Die Areale vonP. ater aemodius undP. melanolophus stehen im zentralen Himalaya in sekundärem Kontakt; sie bilden dort eine Hybrid-(Introgressions-)Zone von 70 km Breite.An keiner Stelle desaemodius- bzw.melanolophus-Areals kommen die beiden Ausgangsformen bzw. Hybriden und Ausgangsformen nebeneinander vor. Merkliche Zuwanderung in das Hybridgebiet aus östlichen oder westlichen Arealteilen findet nicht statt.Es existieren Hybriden, die nicht intermediär zwischen den Ausgangsformen stehen, sondern von ihnen in Farbmuster und Färbung markant abweichen (rostbäuchige Hybriden).Vom Gebiet reineraemodius-Phäne zu dem reinermelanolophus-Phäne verläuft eine Merkmalsprogression:aemodius-Beige der Unterseite zu Rostrot;aemodius-Beige der Flanken zumelanolophus-Grau. Rostrot der Unterseite schlägt fast ohne Übergang zumelanolophus-Grau um (bisher nur für eine Population belegt).Alle Populationen des Hybridgürtels sind voll fortpflanzungsfähig (Reviergesang, Revierabgrenzung, -Brutfleck, -Gonadenentwicklung). Die Ausgangsformen haben (noch) keine verschiedenen adaptiven Niveaus erreicht; die Hybriden sind bei der Paarbildung (offensichtlich) nicht unterlegen.Isolationsmechanismen zwischen Ausgangsformen und Hybriden sind (heute) nicht (mehr) entwickelt; füraemodius undmelanolophus werden gering entwickelte akustische (und optische) postuliert (Hinweise durch Hybridisation in Gefangenschaft).Rostfarbigkeit wird als altes Merkmal derPeriparus-Gruppe angesehen, sein Auftreten bei den Hybriden als Atavismus.Reviergesänge aus derater/melanolophus-Gruppe sind einander sehr ähnlich. Der Gesang mitteleuropäischera. ater und der vonmelanolophus zeichnet sich durch ansteigende Elemente aus, diea. aemodius fehlen. Auf solche Gesangstypen reagiertaemodius nur mangelhaft.Die Gesänge in den Hybridpopulationen gleichen jenen vonaemodius; das wird auf Lernen desaemodius-Repertoires der Hybriden während des ersten Kontaktes vonmelanolophus undaemodius zurückgeführt.Süddeutschea. ater reagieren nur zur Zeit höchster Revierverteidigungs-Bereitschaft auf einen bestimmtenaemodius-Strophentyp. Auf diesen Strophentyp reagierten auch syntop lebendeP. major; er enthält Merkmale der Gesänge beider Arten.Die genetische Divergenz vonaemodius undmelanolophus — kenntlich an den rostbäuchigen Hybriden — legt nahe, den Artstatus beider bedingt aufrechtzuerhalten: SuperspeziesP. ater mit den SemispeziesP. ater undP. melanolophus.

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Acoustic differentiation of phylogenetic relations in theParus (Periparus) group from investigations in the Nepal Himalayas

Summary In the Nepal Himalayas 5 taxa of the subgenusParus (Periparus) exist — the greatest concentration of this subgenus in the whole Palearctic region. The taxa belong to 2 groups: 1.rufonuchalis, rubidiventris, beavani; 2. aemodius, melanolophus (fig. 1). All forms settle in the same altitude belt from about 2800 to 4200 m — three of them even in the same locality.Rufonuchalis is adapted to dry habitats mainly of West Central Asia and is thus restricted in Nepal to the Western parts (fig. 3, 4).The up to now unclarified status of all forms is determined as follows: Distinct species areP. rufonuchalis andP. rubidiventris (with highly different subspeciesP. r. rubidiventris andP. r. beavani) and they are regarded as a superspecies.P. rufonuchalis andP. r. rubidiventris live syntopically in West Nepal and display different territorial songs.Both differ remarkably in body size and bill size. Certain acoustic similarities indicating close relationship could be shown betweenrufonuchalis and the allopatric (fig. 3, 4)rubidiventris beavani; r. beavani reacts to the playback of whistle song (Pfiffgesang, fig. 10) ofP. rufonuchalis (see also fig. 14).The areas ofP. r. rubidiventris andP. r. beavani are separated apparently only by the Bhote Kosi river in East Nepal (fig. 4). Introgression is not (yet) known; the songs are identical (fig. 8). P. melanolophus andP. ater aemodius hybridize in West Nepal in a zone of secondary contact. Their areas are linked by a zone of introgression (fig. 17, 18). In that zone cinnamomeous bellied hybrids locally occur differing thus strikingly in colour from both parental species (fig. 1). Sympatric occurrence ofmelanolophus andater aemodius is not known and is not expected either.Territorial songs ofa. aemodius (fig. 21) andmelanolophus (fig. 25) are very similar and both species obviously do not differ in their ecology. Despite the small introgression belt, similar songs and apparently very similar or even identical adaptive peaks,P. ater andP. melanolophus are still treated as distinct species but reduced to semispecies level. In doing so the genetic divergence betweenater aemodius andmelanolophus indicated by the cinnamomeous bellied hybrids is emphasized.

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Mit einem Jahresstipendium des Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienstes und einer Sachbeihilfe der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft. — Ergebnisse der Nepal-Reisen 1969/70, 1973 und 1974, Nr. 36. — Nr. 35: Senckenbergiana biol., 56 (4/6): 247–256, 1975.     

Antibodies raised against tobacco aquaporins of the PIP2 class label viscin tissue of the explosive dwarf mistletoe fruit

Dwarf mistletoes, genus Arceuthobium , are parasitic flowering plants and forest pests. In western North America, Arceuthobium americanum (lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe) is principally found on Pinus contorta var. latifolia (lodgepole pine). Dwarf mistletoes disperse their seeds by an explosive process that involves the buildup of hydrostatic pressure within a mucilaginous fruit tissue called the 'viscin'. Living viscin tissue envelops the discharged seeds. This study examined the possibility that aquaporins, critical in plant water relations, might be found in the dwarf mistletoe fruit, specifically the viscin cells. An antibody raised against a tobacco plasma membrane intrinsic 2 (PIP2) aquaporin was used with a gold-labeled secondary antibody to probe dwarf mistletoe fruit at various developmental stages. Viscin cell plasma membranes were successfully labeled with the anti-tobacco probe, and the validity of the immunolabeling was supported by Western blot analysis, showing a strong signal at about 30 kDa, which is at the expected size of a PIP2. A definitive immunolabeling pattern, supported by quantification of gold signal per membrane length, was observed: viscin cells sampled early in development had abundant gold label at their plasma membranes (1.93 ± 0.13 to 2.13 ± 0.33 gold particles per μm membrane), while other areas of the cells had no discernible label. Viscin cells sampled near the time of explosive discharge had significantly less label at the plasma membrane (0.21 gold particles ± 0.11 per μm membrane, P   <   0.05), and label was seen at vesicular membranes. Aquaporins likely have a role in directing water to the viscin mucilage early in development, but are retrieved via endocytosis to prevent excess water loss from viscin cells when discharge is imminent.     

Coordinate induction of PPAR alpha and SREBP2 in multifunctional protein 2 deficient mice

Mice with inactivation of the D-specific multifunctional protein 2 (MFP2), a crucial enzyme of peroxisomal beta-oxidation, develop multiple pathologies in diverse tissues already starting in the postnatal period. Gene expression profiling performed on liver of 2-day-old pups revealed up-regulation of PPAR alpha responsive genes in knockout mice. Surprisingly, also genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis were markedly induced. Real-time PCR confirmed the induction of PPAR alpha target genes and of HMGCR and SREBP2, both involved in cholesterol synthesis, in lactating and in adult MFP2 knockout mice. In accordance, the rate of cholesterol biosynthesis was significantly increased in liver of knockout mice but the hepatic cholesterol concentration was unaltered. In MFP2/PPAR alpha double knockout mice, up-regulations of SREBP2 and HMGCR were markedly attenuated. These data demonstrate a tight interrelationship between induction of PPAR alpha by endogenous ligands and up-regulation of genes of cholesterol biosynthesis through increased expression of SREBP2.     

Interactions between cognitive and sensory load while planning and controlling complex gait adaptations in Parkinson’s disease

Background

Recent research has argued that removal of relevant sensory information during the planning and control of simple, self-paced walking can result in increased demand on central processing resources in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, little is known about more complex gait tasks that require planning of gait adaptations to cross over an obstacle in PD.

Methods

In order to understand the interaction between availability of visual information relevant for self-motion and cognitive load, the current study evaluated PD participants and healthy controls while walking toward and stepping over an obstacle in three visual feedback conditions: (i) no visual restrictions; (ii) vision of the obstacle and their lower limbs while in complete darkness; (iii) vision of the obstacle only while in complete darkness; as well as two conditions including a cognitive load (with a dual task versus without a dual task). Each walk trial was divided into an early and late phase to examine changes associated with planning of step adjustments when approaching the obstacle.

Results

Interactions between visual feedback and dual task conditions during the obstacle approach were not significant. Patients with PD had greater deceleration and step time variability in the late phase of the obstacle approach phase while walking in both dark conditions compared to control participants. Additionally, participants with PD had a greater number of obstacle contacts when vision of their lower limbs was not available specifically during the dual task condition. Dual task performance was worse in PD compared to healthy control participants, but notably only while walking in the dark regardless of visual feedback.

Conclusions

These results suggest that reducing visual feedback while approaching an obstacle shifts processing to somatosensory feedback to guide movement which imposes a greater demand on planning resources. These results are key to fully understanding why trips and falls occur in those with PD.

     

High Performance Proteomics: 7th HUPO Brain Proteome Project Workshop March 7-9, 2007 Wellcome Trust Conference Centre, Hinxton, UK

The Wellcome Trust Conference Centre at Hinxton, UK, was the meeting place of the 7th HUPO Brain Proteome Project Workshop entitled "High Performance Proteomics". It started on Wednesday, March 7, 2007 with a steering committee meeting followed by a two days series of talks dealing with the standardization and handling of tissues, body fluids as well as of proteomics data. The presentation and accompanying vivid discussions created a picture of actual strategies and standards in recent proteomics.     

Discovery of A-type procyanidin dimers in yellow raspberries by untargeted metabolomics and correlation based data analysis

Introduction

Raspberries are becoming increasingly popular due to their reported health beneficial properties. Despite the presence of only trace amounts of anthocyanins, yellow varieties seems to show similar or better effects in comparison to conventional raspberries.

Objectives

The aim of this work is to characterize the metabolic differences between red and yellow berries, focussing on the compounds showing a higher concentration in yellow varieties.

Methods

The metabolomic profile of 13 red and 12 yellow raspberries (of different varieties, locations and collection dates) was determined by UPLC–TOF-MS. A novel approach based on Pearson correlation on the extracted ion chromatograms was implemented to extract the pseudospectra of the most relevant biomarkers from high energy LC–MS runs. The raw data will be made publicly available on MetaboLights (MTBLS333).

Results

Among the metabolites showing higher concentration in yellow raspberries it was possible to identify a series of compounds showing a pseudospectrum similar to that of A-type procyanidin polymers. The annotation of this group of compounds was confirmed by specific MS/MS experiments and performing standard injections.

Conclusions

In berries lacking anthocyanins the polyphenol metabolism might be shifted to the formation of a novel class of A-type procyanidin polymers.

     

NPY-mRNA expressions in the nucleus accumbens,caudate putamen and cerebral cortex of apomorphine-susceptible and apomorphine-unsusceptible rats

Using the apomorphine-induced stereotyped gnawing response as a selection criterion, two distinct groups of rats can be distinguished, apomorphine-susceptible (APO-SUS) and apomorphine-unsusceptible (APO-UNSUS) rats. These two lines differ in several components of both striatal and extrastriatal areas. This study deals with the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY)mRNA-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens, caudate putamen and cerebral cortex of both rat lines, using non-radioactive in situ hybridisation. The morphology of the neurons in the three regions is similar, viz. oblong, rectangular or triangular, with two or three processes. The neurons are homogeneously distributed in all regions, and in the nucleus accumbens they are particularly numerous ventrally to the anterior commissure. Using automated image analysis, the mean numerical density of NPYmRNA-positive neurons per brain region and the mean NPYmRNA expression level per neuron per brain region were determined. No differences appear in the numerical densities of NPYmRNA-containing neurons in the nucleus accumbens, caudate putamen and cortex between APO-SUS and APO-UNSUS rats. However, distinct differences between the rat lines are present in the level of NPYmRNA expression per neuron in the nucleus accumbens and in the caudate putamen, showing that NPY contributes to the differential neurochemical make-up of these rat lines that is responsible for their obvious differences in behaviour, physiology and immune competence.