Attenuation of insulin signalling contributes to FSN‐1‐mediated regulation of synapse development

A neuronal F‐box protein FSN‐1 regulates Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junction development by negatively regulating DLK‐mediated MAPK signalling. In the present study, we show that attenuation of insulin/IGF signalling also contributes to FSN‐1‐dependent synaptic development and function. The aberrant synapse morphology and synaptic transmission in fsn‐1 mutants are partially and specifically rescued by reducing insulin/IGF‐signalling activity in postsynaptic muscles, as well as by reducing the activity of EGL‐3, a prohormone convertase that processes agonistic insulin/IGF ligands INS‐4 and INS‐6, in neurons. FSN‐1 interacts with, and potentiates the ubiquitination of EGL‐3 in vitro, and reduces the EGL‐3 level in vivo. We propose that FSN‐1 may negatively regulate insulin/IGF signalling, in part, through EGL‐3‐dependent insulin‐like ligand processing.     

The natural place to begin: The ethnoprimatology of the Waorani

Ethnoprimatology is an important and growing discipline, studying the diverse relationships between humans and primates. However there is a danger that too great a focus on primates as important to humans may obscure the importance of other animal groups to local people. The Waorani of Amazonian Ecuador were described by Sponsel [Sponsel (1997) New World Primates: Ecology, evolution and behavior. New York: Aldine de Gruyter. p 143–165] as the “natural place” for ethnoprimatology, because of their close relationship to primates, including primates forming a substantial part of their diet. Therefore they are an ideal group in which to examine contemporary perceptions of primates in comparison to other types of animal. We examine how Waorani living in Yasuní National Park name and categorize primates and other common mammals. Although there is some evidence that the Waorani consider primates a unique group, the non‐primate kinkajou and olingo are also included as part of the group “monkeys,” and no evidence was found that primates were more important than other mammals to Waorani culture. Instead, a small number of key species, in particular the woolly monkey (Lagothrix poeppigii) and white‐lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), were found to be both important in the diet and highly culturally salient. These results have implications for both ethnoprimatologists and those working with local communities towards broader conservation goals. Firstly, researchers should ensure that they and local communities are referring to the same animals when they use broad terms such as “monkey,” and secondly the results caution ethnoprimatologists against imposing western taxonomic groups on indigenous peoples, rather than allowing them to define themselves which species are important. Am. J. Primatol. 75:1117–1128, 2013. © 2013 The Authors. American Journal of Primatology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Cytogenetics of Batrachyla species (Anura: Neobatrachia: Ceratophryidae) of southern South America,with phylogenetics comments

Abstract

A comparative cytogenetic analysis showed that B. antartandica, B. leptopus, B. nibaldoi and B. taeniata share the same diploid number 2n = 26, but not the same fundamental number (FN), which was 52 in B. leptopus and 50 in the other three species. The karyotype of B. nibaldoi, including C‐band patterns and locations of the NORs, are described for the first time. The C‐band patterns were species‐specific and were helpful in distinguishing taxa. Batrachyla leptopus can be distinguished from its congeners by the absence of telocentric chromosomes and by secondary constrictions in the long arms of pair 6 and short arms of pairs 7 and 11. The chromosomal data suggest that Batrachyla might be a paraphyletic genus.