Genealogical analysis of the use of two wheatgrass (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agropyron</Emphasis>) species in common wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis> L.) breeding for disease resistance

During the last 80 years, in order to increase the genetic variability of wheat, translocations containing nine elongated wheatgrass (Agropyron elongatum) and eight intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium) genes, which control resistance to pathogens, were transferred to this crop culture. Genealogical and statistical analysis of 1500 varieties developed using the wheatgrass gave evidence of the continuing increase in the proportion of such varieties in the total number of wheat varieties over the last half-century. Translocations from Ag. elongatum most commonly occur in the pedigrees of the varieties from the United States, less frequently they can be found in Australian and Chinese varieties, and they are extremely rare—in European and African ones. Ag. intermedium most frequently occurs in the pedigrees of the Eastern European varieties, mainly in those from Russia, as well as in the varieties from China. The observed uneven distribution of such varieties may be associated with either the effectiveness of the translocation in the development of resistance to the local populations of pathogens or with the effect of the translocation on the adaptive traits of plants. By computer tracking of pedigrees, we performed an inventory of the translocation donors from Ag. elongatum and Ag. intermedium used in the breeding programs in the United States, Russia, Australia, India, and China. The most widely occurring combinations of the gene complex Lr24/Sr24 of Ag. elongatum with other resistance genes were revealed. In Russia, there were developed varieties in which the 6D chromosome was substituted by the 6Ai chromosome of Ag. intermedium, which controls disease resistance and the adaptivity of plants. The identification and introgression of new translocations indicates that the possibilities of using wheatgrass species for broadening of genetic variability of wheat are far from being exhausted.     

Species Identification of Multimammate Rats of the Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mastomys</Emphasis> (Rodentia: Muridae) in Eastern Africa Using PCR Typing of Cytochrome <Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis> Gene Fragments

The multimammate rats of the genus Mastomys are widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa. They are the major agricultural pests and reservoirs of many infections dangerous to humans. A simple and accurate species identification of multimammate rats is crucial in ecological and epidemiological studies; however, it is complicated by the absence of pronounced morphological differentiation between Mastomys species. We describe a simple molecular assay based on PCR typing of the cytochrome b gene fragments as a method that allows fast genotyping of a large number of samples without sequencing to distinguish Mastomys species of East Africa.     

Genetically encoded fluorescent indicators for live cell pH imaging

Background

Intracellular pH underlies most cellular processes. There is emerging evidence of a pH-signaling role in plant cells and microorganisms. Dysregulation of pH is associated with human diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

Toward the synthesis of taxonomy,ontogeny, and phylogenetics: A new concept of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Ontogenetic Systematics</Emphasis>

Over the past decade, the morphological paradigm in the traditional field of systematics and evolutionary biology has been challenged and has actually been replaced by the molecular paradigm. In this study, an attempt is made to evaluate the current state of the problem concerning the relationship between the fundamentals of systematics and evolution. It is shown that the interrelatedness of evolution, ontogeny, systematics, and phylogenetics is deeply underestimated in the approaches used in recent research. Instead of considering the above fields of biology as separate categories, as is common in recent studies, the synthetic concept of ontogenetic systematics is proposed, which unifies them into an integrated process.     

Introduction of far eastern woody plants to the middle-taiga subzone of the Komi Republic

The author reports on promising Far Eastern woody plants that can be introduced to the Komi Republic. Of the 68 tested species and life forms maintained in the Botanical Garden, about 65% have shown superior hardiness performance. Seasonal development rhythms of the Far Eastern species are similar to those of the local woody species.     

Deep-water Ophiuroidea of the northern Atlantic with descriptions of three new species and taxonomic remarks on certain genera and species

Based on material from the fourth cruise of the RV Akademik Mstislav Keldysh and the MAR-ECO cruise of the RV G.O. Sars, 31 species of Ophiuroidea were identified from the section of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between the Reykjanes Ridge and the Azores. The taxonomy of the group of genera with reduced arm comb and tentacle pores restricted only to the proximal arm segments is reviewed. It is suggested that the genera Homalophiura H.L. Clark, 1915, Ophiurolepis Matsumoto, 1915, Theodoria Fell, 1961 and Homophiura Paterson, 1985 should be regarded as synonyms of the genus Ophioplinthus Lyman, 1878. From examination of the type specimens, it is demonstrated that the six-armed species Ophiacantha anomala G.O. Sars, 1871 also includes five-armed specimens previously identified as the separate species Ophiacantha cuspidata Lyman, 1878. The latter taxon is considered here as the junior synonym of O. anomala. Previously mentioned 'deep-water populations of the common shallow water species Ophiacantha bidentata (Retzius, 1805)' represent a separate species, Ophiacantha fraterna Verrill, 1885, which is well distinguished by the shape of the spicules of the disk, narrow outer oral papilla and narrower tentacle scale as well as a hermaphroditic nature. Three new species, i.e. Ophioplinthus pseudotessellata sp. nov., Ophiocamax patersoni sp. nov. and Ophiophyllum nesisi sp. nov., are described.     

Comparison of Amplification Methods of Single Trophoblast Cells for Their Subsequent Analysis Using Metaphase Comparative Genomic Hybridization

Single trophoblast cells circulating in the bloodstream of pregnant women are potential objects for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. Owing to the very low concentration of cells of a fetal nature in the peripheral maternal blood, the choice of the method for whole genome amplification of the genetic material becomes topical. The key point in the use of single cells of a fetal nature for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis is to obtain DNA in an amount and of a quality acceptable for the analysis. In order to select the optimal method for whole genome amplification, a model experiment was conducted. We compared three different methods of whole genome amplification: linker-adaptor polymerase chain reaction (LA-PCR), degenerate oligonucleotide- primed PCR (DOP-PCR), and multiple displacement amplification (MDA). Subsequent analysis of the amplification products was performed by metaphase comparative genomic hybridization in order to evaluate the molecular karyotype of cells of a fetal nature with the known chromosome complement. As a result, an optimal method for whole genome amplification of the genetic material of single cells in a model experiment was determined by linker-adaptor PCR, which showed a more uniform representation of the genome regions compared with the other methods used.     

Integrative systematics of northern and Arctic nudibranchs of the genus Dendronotus (Mollusca,Gastropoda), with descriptions of three new species

The taxonomy of common northern nudibranch molluscs of the genus Dendronotus in the vast cold regions of Eurasia remains largely unknown. Abundant material collected in many localities from the Barents Sea, via the Arctic region, to the north‐west Pacific was analysed for the first time. An integrated approach combining morphological and ontogenetic data with molecular four‐gene (COI, 16S, H3, and 28S) analysis reveals seven species, including three previously undescribed. Dendronotus frondosus (Ascanius, 1774) and Dendronotus dalli Bergh, 1879 were commonly considered as amphiboreal species; however, according to this study they are restricted to the North Atlantic and the North Pacific, respectively. In the north‐west Pacific two new species were discovered, D endronotus kamchaticus sp. nov. and D endronotus kalikal sp. nov. , that are externally similar to D. frondosus, but that show significant distance according to molecular analysis and are considerably different in radular morphology. In the North Atlantic a new species D endronotus niveus sp. nov. , sibling to North Pacific D. dalli, is revealed. The separate status of North Atlantic Dendronotus lacteus (Thompson, 1840) is confirmed, including considerable range extension. The essential similarity of early ontogenetic stages of radular development common for species with disparate adult radular morphology (such as D. frondosus and D. dalli) is shown, and its importance for taxonomy is discussed. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London     

Chromophore aspartate oxidation-decarboxylation in the green-to-red conversion of a fluorescent protein from Zoanthus sp. 2

The red fluorescence of a Discosoma coral protein is the result of an additional autocatalytic oxidation of a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-like chromophore. This reaction creates an extra pi-electron conjugation by forming a C=N-C=O substituent. Here we show that the red fluorescence of a protein from Zoanthus sp. 2 (z2FP574) arises from a coupled oxidation-decarboxylation of Asp-66, the first amino acid of the chromophore-precursory DYG sequence. Comparative mutagenesis of highly homologous green (zFP506) and red (z2FP574) fluorescent proteins from Zoanthus species reveals that an aspartate at position 66 is critical for the development of red fluorescence. The maturation kinetics of wild-type z2FP574 and the zFP506 N66D mutant indicates that the "green" GFP-like form is the actual intermediate in producing the red species. Furthermore, via maturation kinetics analysis of zFP506 N66D, combined with mass spectrometry, we determined that the oxidation-decarboxylation of Asp-66 occurs without detectable intermediate products. According to mass spectral data, the minor "red" chromophore of the z2FP574 D66E mutant appears to be oxidized and completely decarboxylation deficient, indicating that the side chain length of acidic amino acid 66 is critical in controlling efficient oxidation-decarboxylation. Substitutions with aspartate at the equivalent positions of a Condylactis gigantea purple chromoprotein and Dendronephthya sp. green fluorescent protein imply that additional oxidation of a GFP-like structure is a prerequisite for chromophore decarboxylation. In summary, these results lead to a mechanism that is related to the chemistry of beta-keto acid decarboxylation.     

Polymorphism of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Avr2</Emphasis> gene of oomycete <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis> (Mont.) de Bary in the population of Moscow region

The goal of the present study was to investigate the nucleotide sequence polymorphism of the Avr2 virulence gene in the population of P. infestans from Moscow region. The SSCP technique was applied for estimation of this polymorphism. As a result, the Avr2 gene was shown to have a high degree of polymorphism of the primary structure. In particular, seven variants of genotypes associated with the Avr2 gene polymorphism were identified. It was also found that the distribution of these genotypes among the samples of the studied population had a spatially dependent manner.