Paracapillaria (Paracapillaria) gastrica n. sp. (Nematoda: Capillariidae) from the marine fish Synodus variegatus Lacépède (Synodontidae,Aulopiformes) off New Caledonia

Systematic Parasitology - Based on light and scanning electron microscopical studies, a new nematode parasite, Paracapillaria (Paracapillaria) gastrica n. sp. (Capillariidae), is described from the...     

Some nematodes from eels (Anguilliformes: Anguillidae) in Japan,with descriptions of two new species

Systematic Parasitology - Recent occasional examinations of two species of eels (Anguilliformes: Anguillidae) in Japan, the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica Temminck & Schlegel from central...     

Structural analysis of glycosaminoglycans from Colla corii asini by liquid chromatography-electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry

Glycoconjugate Journal - Colla corii asini (CCA) made from donkey-hide has been widely used as a traditional animal-based Chinese medicine. Chondroitin sulfate (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS) and...     

Toward Modern Classification of Eustigmatophytes,Including the Description of Neomonodaceae Fam. Nov. and Three New Genera1

The class Eustigmatophyceae includes mostly coccoid, freshwater algae, although some genera are common in terrestrial habitats and two are primarily marine. The formal classification of the class, developed decades ago, does not fit the diversity and phylogeny of the group as presently known and is in urgent need of revision. This study concerns a clade informally known as the Pseudellipsoidion group of the order Eustigmatales, which was initially known to comprise seven strains with oval to ellipsoidal cells, some bearing a stipe. We examined those strains as well as 10 new ones and obtained 18S rDNA and rbcL gene sequences. The results from phylogenetic analyses of the sequence data were integrated with morphological data of vegetative and motile cells. Monophyly of the Pseudellipsoidion group is supported in both 18S rDNA and rbcL trees. The group is formalized as the new family Neomonodaceae comprising, in addition to Pseudellipsoidion, three newly erected genera. By establishing Neomonodus gen. nov. (with type species Neomonodus ovalis comb. nov.), we finally resolve the intricate taxonomic history of a species originally described as Monodus ovalis and later moved to the genera Characiopsis and Pseudocharaciopsis. Characiopsiella gen. nov. (with the type species Characiopsiella minima comb. nov.) and Munda gen. nov. (with the type species Munda aquilonaris) are established to accommodate additional representatives of the polyphyletic genus Characiopsis. A morphological feature common to all examined Neomonodaceae is the absence of a pyrenoid in the chloroplasts, which discriminates them from other morphologically similar yet unrelated eustigmatophytes (including other Characiopsis-like species).     

Carbon starvation reduces carbohydrate and anthocyanin accumulation in red-fleshed fruit via trehalose 6-phosphate and MYB27

Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) is a recently domesticated fruit crop with several novel-coloured cultivars being developed. Achieving uniform fruit flesh pigmentation in red genotypes is challenging. To investigate the cause of colour variation between fruits, we focused on a red-fleshed Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis genotype. It was hypothesized that carbohydrate supply could be responsible for this variation. Early in fruit development, we imposed high or low (carbon starvation) carbohydrate supplies treatments; carbohydrate import or redistribution was controlled by applying a girdle at the shoot base. Carbon starvation affected fruit development as well as anthocyanin and carbohydrate metabolite concentrations, including the signalling molecule trehalose 6-phosphate. RNA-Seq analysis showed down-regulation of both gene-encoding enzymes in the anthocyanin and carbohydrate biosynthetic pathways. The catalytic trehalose 6-phosphate synthase gene TPS1.1a was down-regulated, whereas putative regulatory TPS7 and TPS11 were strongly up-regulated. Unexpectedly, under carbon starvation MYB10, the anthocyanin pathway regulatory activator was slightly up-regulated, whereas MYB27 was also up-regulated and acts as a repressor. To link these two metabolic pathways, we propose a model where trehalose 6-phosphate and the active repressor MYB27 are involved in sensing the carbon starvation status. This signals the plant to save resources and reduce the production of anthocyanin in fruits.     

Sex-based differences in vigor and site preferences of Juniperus communis subsp. nana

Dioecious alpine juniper has been influenced by human impacts, management and climate changes; hence, its present populations are remnant fragments of its former distribution in central Europe. Complex environmental shifts have had fatal consequences for growth, reproduction and health of juniper and hence for its population structure. We asked the questions: 1) what was the population size structure, the sex ratio and the health status of individuals? 2) How were the population parameters linked with the environmental conditions and surrounding vegetation? The study area was close and above the upper forest limit in central Europe, the Hrubý Jeseník Mts. The parameters of each juniper individual and its environmental conditions were obtained, Ellenberg's indicator values and habitat categories were also determined. Proportions of sex categories, shrub size and environmental conditions were investigated to assess relationships between the population categories and environmental factors. We revealed linkage among the shrub size, health vigor, vegetation cover, a habitat and environmental factors. While there was equal ratio of females and males (1:1), small individuals of undetermined sex predominated that reducing the effective population size. Juniper health vigor was associated with surrounding vegetation cover. Individuals of undetermined sex were smaller than those of remaining sex categories and prefer specific habitats at higher elevation, underlining the effect of abiotic conditions on sex performance and ratio. The observed pattern, which was attributed to shift in land-use practices in the middle of 20th century and climate changes, could be improved by management. We recommended experimental local grazing and mowing accompanying by profound and continuing assessment of interaction among environmental factors and juniper performance.     

Efficient plant regeneration from in vitro leaves and petioles via shoot organogenesis in Sapium sebiferum Roxb.

Sapium sebiferum Roxb. is a widespread and economically important multipurpose tree due to its high value in ornamental, and biodiesel production as well as medicine. A highly efficient in vitro plant regeneration system through direct shoot organogenesis was established for the first time from leaves and petioles of S. sebiferum. The results showed that plant growth regulators (PGRs), mechanical damage, explant orientation, explant source, and developmental stage had a strong influence on the in vitro morphogenesis of S. sebiferum. For shoot organogenesis from leaves, the highest adventitious shoot induction rate (96.67%) with 25.67 shoots per explant was obtained when mechanically damaged leaves (the first three leaf explants at the top, leaf #1–3) were cultured with the abaxial surface placed down on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.5 mg L^?1 thidiazuron (TDZ). For in vitro morphogenesis of petioles, the combination of 1-naphthylacetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzylainopurine (6-BA) played a key role in cell fate determination. All of the in vitro petioles produced adventitious shoots on MS medium containing 1.0 mg L^?1 6-BA and 0.1 mg L^?1 NAA, while they produced green calli on medium fortified with 0.5 mg L^?1 6-BA and 1.0 mg L^?1 NAA. The shoots were subcultured in medium fortified with 0.5 mg L^?1 6-BA and 0.1 mg L^?1 NAA for multiplication and elongation. The elongated shoots successfully rooted on half-strength MS (1/2 MS) medium fortified with 0.5 mg L^?1 indole-butyric acid (IBA) and 0.25 mg L^?1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and the regenerated plantlets successfully acclimatized with a survival rate of 92.56% in the greenhouse. The genetic fidelity of in vitro regenerated plants was evaluated using inter simple sequence repeat molecular markers. The in vitro regenerated plants were found to be the true to their mother plant. This study will be beneficial for the large-scale propagation as well as the genetic improvement of S. sebiferum.

     

A novel cadmium(II) complex of bipyridine derivative: synthesis,X-ray crystal structure,DNA-binding and antibacterial activities

Abstract

A mononuclear cadmium(II) complex of formula [Cd(5,5′-dmbipy)₂(OAc)₂]·2H₂O (5,5′-dmbipy = 5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine and OAc?=?acetato ligand) has been synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, UV–Vis, ¹H-NMR, elemental analysis and single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. The molecular structure of the complex shows a distorted tetragonal antiprism CdN₄O₄ coordination geometry around the cadmium atom, resulting in coordination by four nitrogen atoms from two 5,5′-dmbipy ligands and four oxygen atoms from two acetate anions. The interaction of this complex to FS-DNA (fish sperm DNA) has also been studied by electronic absorption, fluorescence and gel electrophoresis techniques. Binding constant (K_b), Stern–Volmer constant (K_sv), number of binding sites (n) and bimolecular quenching rate constant (k_q) have been calculated from these spectroscopic data. These results have revealed that the metal complex can bind effectively to FS-DNA via groove binding. The calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔH°, ΔS° and ΔG°) show that hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces have an important function in the Cd(II) complex–DNA interaction. The antibacterial effects of the synthesized cadmium complex have also been examined in vitro against standard bacterial strains: one Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, ATCC 25923) and one Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, ATCC 25922) bacteria, using disk diffusion and macro-dilution broth methods. The obtained results show that the Cd(II) complex exhibits a marked antibacterial activity which is significantly better than those observed for its free ligand and metal salt for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, this metal complex is a more potent antibacterial agent against the Gram-positive than that of the Gram-negative bacteria.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma