Diversity and Spatial Structure of Belowground Plant–Fungal Symbiosis in a Mixed Subtropical Forest of Ectomycorrhizal and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Plants

Plant–mycorrhizal fungal interactions are ubiquitous in forest ecosystems. While ectomycorrhizal plants and their fungi generally dominate temperate forests, arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis is common in the tropics. In subtropical regions, however, ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal plants co-occur at comparable abundances in single forests, presumably generating complex community structures of root-associated fungi. To reveal root-associated fungal community structure in a mixed forest of ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal plants, we conducted a massively-parallel pyrosequencing analysis, targeting fungi in the roots of 36 plant species that co-occur in a subtropical forest. In total, 580 fungal operational taxonomic units were detected, of which 132 and 58 were probably ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal, respectively. As expected, the composition of fungal symbionts differed between fagaceous (ectomycorrhizal) and non-fagaceous (possibly arbuscular mycorrhizal) plants. However, non-fagaceous plants were associated with not only arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi but also several clades of ectomycorrhizal (e.g., Russula) and root-endophytic ascomycete fungi. Many of the ectomycorrhizal and root-endophytic fungi were detected from both fagaceous and non-fagaceous plants in the community. Interestingly, ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were concurrently detected from tiny root fragments of non-fagaceous plants. The plant–fungal associations in the forest were spatially structured, and non-fagaceous plant roots hosted ectomycorrhizal fungi more often in the proximity of ectomycorrhizal plant roots. Overall, this study suggests that belowground plant–fungal symbiosis in subtropical forests is complex in that it includes “non-typical” plant–fungal combinations (e.g., ectomycorrhizal fungi on possibly arbuscular mycorrhizal plants) that do not fall within the conventional classification of mycorrhizal symbioses, and in that associations with multiple functional (or phylogenetic) groups of fungi are ubiquitous among plants. Moreover, ectomycorrhizal fungal symbionts of fagaceous plants may “invade” the roots of neighboring non-fagaceous plants, potentially influencing the interactions between non-fagaceous plants and their arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungal symbionts at a fine spatial scale.     

Brief Communication: Orphaned male Chimpanzees die young even after weaning

If a social‐living animal has a long life span, permitting different generations to co‐exist within a social group, as is the case in many primate species, it can be beneficial for a parent to continue to support its weaned offspring to increase the latter's survival and/or reproductive success. Chimpanzees have an even longer period of dependence on their mothers' milk than do humans, and consequently, offspring younger than 4.5–5 years old cannot survive if the mother dies. Most direct maternal investments, such as maternal transportation of infants and sharing of night shelters (beds or nests), end with nutritional weaning. Thus, it had been assumed that a mother's death was no longer critical to the survival of weaned offspring, in contrast to human children, who continue to depend on parental care long after weaning. However, in theory at least, maternal investment in a chimpanzee son after weaning could be beneficial because in chimpanzees' male‐philopatric society, mother and son co‐exist for a long time after the offspring's weaning. Using long‐term demographic data for a wild chimpanzee population in the Mahale Mountains, Tanzania, we show the first empirical evidence that orphaned chimpanzee sons die younger than expected even if they lose their mothers after weaning. This suggests that long‐lasting, but indirect, maternal investment in sons continues several years after weaning and is vital to the survival of the sons. The maternal influence on males in the male‐philopatric societies of hominids may be greater than previously believed. Am J Phys Anthropol, 153:139–143, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Migration of Sakhalin taimen (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Parahucho perryi</Emphasis>): evidence of freshwater resident life history types

Sakhalin taimen (Parahucho perryi) range from the Russian Far East mainland along the Sea of Japan coast, and Sakhalin, Kuril, and Hokkaido Islands and are considered to primarily be an anadromous species. We used otolith strontium-to-calcium ratios (Sr/Ca) to determine the chronology of migration between freshwater and saltwater and identify migratory contingents of taimen collected from the Koppi River, Russia. In addition, we examined taimen from the Sarufutsu River, Japan and Tumnin River, Russia that were captured in marine waters. Transects of otolith Sr/Ca for the Sarufutsu River fish were consistent with patterns observed in anadromous salmonids. Two fish from the Tumnin River appeared to be recent migrants to saltwater and one fish was characterized by an otolith Sr/Ca transect consistent with marine migration. Using these transects as benchmarks, all Koppi River taimen were classified as freshwater residents. These findings suggest more work is needed to assess life history variability among locations and the role of freshwater productivity in controlling migratory behavior in taimen.     

Studies on the formation mechanism and the structure of the anisotropic collagen gel prepared by dialysis-induced anisotropic gelation

We have found that dialysis of 5 mg/mL collagen solution into the phosphate solution with a pH of 7.1 and an ionic strength of 151 mM [corrected] at 25 °C results in a collagen gel with a birefringence and tubular pores aligned parallel to the growth direction of the gel. The time course of averaged diameter of tubular pores during the anisotropic gelation was expressed by a power law with an exponent of 1/3, suggesting that the formation of tubular pores is attributed to a spinodal decomposition-like phase separation. Small angle light scattering patterns and high resolution confocal laser scanning microscope images of the anisotropic collagen gel suggested that the collagen fibrils are aligned perpendicular to the growth direction of the gel. The positional dependence of the order parameter of the collagen fibrils showed that the anisotropic collagen gel has an orientation gradient.     

Central command contributes to increased blood flow in the noncontracting muscle at the start of one-legged dynamic exercise in humans

Whether neurogenic vasodilatation contributes to exercise hyperemia is still controversial. Blood flow to noncontracting muscle, however, is chiefly regulated by a neural mechanism. Although vasodilatation in the nonexercising limb was shown at the onset of exercise, it was unclear whether central command or muscle mechanoreflex is responsible for the vasodilatation. To clarify this, using voluntary one-legged cycling with the right leg in humans, we measured the relative changes in concentrations of oxygenated-hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) of the noncontracting vastus lateralis (VL) muscle with near-infrared spectroscopy as an index of tissue blood flow and femoral blood flow to the nonexercising leg. Oxy-Hb in the noncontracting VL and femoral blood flow increased (P < 0.05) at the start period of voluntary one-legged cycling without accompanying a rise in arterial blood pressure. In contrast, no increases in Oxy-Hb and femoral blood flow were detected at the start period of passive one-legged cycling, suggesting that muscle mechanoreflex cannot explain the initial vasodilatation of the noncontracting muscle during voluntary one-legged cycling. Motor imagery of the voluntary one-legged cycling increased Oxy-Hb of not only the right but also the left VL. Furthermore, an increase in Oxy-Hb of the contracting VL, which was observed at the start period of voluntary one-legged cycling, had the same time course and magnitude as the increase in Oxy-Hb of the noncontracting muscle. Thus it is concluded that the centrally induced vasodilator signal is equally transmitted to the bilateral VL muscles, not only during imagery of exercise but also at the start period of voluntary exercise in humans.     

The first genetic maps for subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) and comparative genomics with T. pratense L. and Medicago truncatula Gaertn. to identify new molecular markers for breeding

This study reports on the construction of the first genetic maps of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.), a diploid, inbreeding annual pasture legume, and alignment of its linkage groups with those of red clover (T. pratense L.) and Medicago truncatula Gaertn. Transferability of red and white clover (T. repens L.) simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to subterranean clover was observed. A total of 343 SSR loci were mapped into eight subterranean clover linkage groups, with 6?C31 loci per linkage group and 27 loci with similar locations between two distinct F ₂ mapping populations. Phenotypic data obtained for flowering time, content of three isoflavonoids (formononetin, genistein and biochanin A), hardseededness, leaf markings, calyx pigmentation and hairiness of stems were analyzed, together with genotypic data. Genomic intervals influencing each trait were assigned to one to three chromosome regions, accounting for 5.5?C59.8% of the phenotypic variance. Syntenic relationships were observed among subterranean clover, red clover and Medicago truncatula genomes. Comparisons of loci shared between the three species indicated that at least two chromosomal regions have undergone duplications in the subterranean clover genome. Candidate genes for isoflavone content were identified using M. truncatula as a reference genome. Synteny-based segmentation observed in Brassicaceae chromosomes helped to account for the apparent segmental-based relationship between the clover genomes, particularly within the subterranean clover lines. The proposed segmental nature of clover genome could account for the extensive variation observed between the parental genotypes, while not preventing production of fertile intercrosses.     

CRBP-III:lacZ expression pattern reveals a novel heterogeneity of vascular endothelial cells

Vascular endothelial cells are structurally and functionally heterogeneous. However, the molecular basis of this heterogeneity remains poorly defined. We used subtractive and differential screening to identify genes that exhibit heterogeneous expression patterns among vascular endothelial cells. One such gene is cellular retinol binding protein III (CRBP-III/Rbp7). Analysis of the lacZ knockin line for this gene (CRBP-III:lacZ) revealed a novel organ-specific vascular endothelial expression pattern. LacZ was expressed in vascular endothelial cells in heart, skeletal muscle, adipose tissues, thymus, and salivary gland. However, it was not detected in other tissues such as brain, liver, and lung. Furthermore, the expression within each organ was primarily restricted to small capillary endothelial cells, but could not be detected in larger vessels. This organ-specific vascular endothelial expression of CRPB:lacZ is relatively resistant to the changes of organ microenvironment. However, the level of expression can be modified by vitamin A deficiency. Therefore, our results provide novel molecular evidence for the heterogeneity of vascular endothelial cells.     

5a-Carba-β-D-glucopyranose derivatives as novel sodium-dependent glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors for the treatment of type 2 diabetes

5a-Carba-β-D-glucopyranose derivatives were synthesized and identified as novel SGLT2-selective inhibitors. These inhibitors exhibited potent SGLT2 inhibition with high selectivity over SGLT1. Among the tested compounds, 6f indicated the most potent hSGLT2 inhibition and the highest selectivity over hSGLT1. Moreover, the pharmacokinetics data also showed that 6h, which had the same aglycon structure as sergliflozin-active (3-active), had a threefold longer half-life time (T(1/2)) than sergliflozin (3) with a high distribution volume in db/db mice. Subsequently, 6h lowered blood glucose levels as much as 3 and showed longer hypoglycemic action than 3 in db/db mice.