Host perception of jasmonates promotes infection by Fusarium oxysporum formae speciales that produce isoleucine‐ and leucine‐conjugated jasmonates

Three pathogenic forms, or formae speciales (f. spp.), of Fusarium oxysporum infect the roots of Arabidopsis thaliana below ground, instigating symptoms of wilt disease in leaves above ground. In previous reports, Arabidopsis mutants that are deficient in the biosynthesis of abscisic acid or salicylic acid or insensitive to ethylene or jasmonates exhibited either more or less wilt disease, than the wild‐type, implicating the involvement of hormones in the normal host response to F. oxysporum. Our analysis of hormone‐related mutants finds no evidence that endogenous hormones contribute to infection in roots. Mutants that are deficient in abscisic acid and insensitive to ethylene show no less infection than the wild‐type, although they exhibit less disease. Whether a mutant that is insensitive to jasmonates affects infection depends on which forma specialis (f. sp.) is infecting the roots. Insensitivity to jasmonates suppresses infection by F. oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans and F. oxysporum f. sp. matthioli, which produce isoleucine‐ and leucine‐conjugated jasmonate (JA‐Ile/Leu), respectively, in culture filtrates, whereas insensitivity to jasmonates has no effect on infection by F. oxysporum f. sp. raphani, which produces no detectable JA‐Ile/Leu. Furthermore, insensitivity to jasmonates has no effect on wilt disease of tomato, and the tomato pathogen F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici produces no detectable jasmonates. Thus, some, but not all, F. oxysporum pathogens appear to utilize jasmonates as effectors, promoting infection in roots and/or the development of symptoms in shoots. Only when the infection of roots is promoted by jasmonates is wilt disease enhanced in a mutant deficient in salicylic acid biosynthesis.     

Existence of species complex largely reduced barcoding success for invasive species of Tephritidae: a case study in Bactrocera spp.

Fruit flies in the family Tephritidae are the economically important pests that have many species complexes. DNA barcoding has gradually been verified as an effective tool for identifying species in a wide range of taxonomic groups, and there are several publications on rapid and accurate identification of fruit flies based on this technique; however, comprehensive analyses of large and new taxa for the effectiveness of DNA barcoding for fruit flies identification have been rare. In this study, we evaluated the COI barcode sequences for the diagnosis of fruit flies using 1426 sequences for 73 species of Bactrocera distributed worldwide. Tree‐based [neighbour‐joining (NJ)]; distance‐based, such as Best Match (BM), Best Close Match (BCM) and Minimum Distance (MD); and character‐based methods were used to evaluate the barcoding success rates obtained with maintaining the species complex in the data set, treating a species complex as a single taxon unit, and removing the species complex. Our results indicate that the average divergence between species was 14.04% (0.00–25.16%), whereas within a species this was 0.81% (0.00–9.71%); the existence of species complexes largely reduced the barcoding success for Tephritidae, for example relatively low success rates (74.4% based on BM and BCM and 84.8% based on MD) were obtained when the sequences from species complexes were included in the analysis, whereas significantly higher success rates were achieved if the species complexes were treated as a single taxon or removed from the data set – BM (98.9%), BCM (98.5%) and MD (97.5%), or BM (98.1%), BCM (97.4%) and MD (98.2%).     

Evolutionary relationships among American mud crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Xanthoidea) inferred from nuclear and mitochondrial markers,with comments on adult morphology

Members of the brachyuran crab superfamily Xanthoidea sensu Ng, Guinot & Davie (2008) are a morphologically and ecologically diverse assemblage encompassing more than 780 nominal species. On the basis of morphology, Xanthoidea is presently regarded to represent three families: Xanthidae, Pseudorhombilidae, and Panopeidae. However, few studies have examined this superfamily using modern phylogenetic methods, despite the ecological and economic importance of this large, poorly understood group. In this study we examine phylogenetic relationships within the superfamily Xanthoidea using three mitochondrial markers, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and cytochrome oxidase I (COI), and three nuclear markers, 18S rRNA, enolase (ENO) and histone H3 (H3). Bayesian and maximum‐likelihood analyses indicate that the superfamily Xanthoidea is monophyletic; however, the families Xanthidae, Panopeidae, and Pseudorhombilidae, as defined by Ng et al., are not, and their representative memberships must be redefined. To this end, some relevant morphological characters are discussed. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London     

Integrative taxonomy and evolutionary history of a newly revealed spider Dysdera ninnii complex (Araneae: Dysderidae)

The spider genus Dysdera is a species‐rich clade of specialized woodlice predators, composed typically of complexes of sibling species. Here, we analyse the Dysdera ninnii complex, distinguishing three species that exhibit slight but constant differences in the morphology of their copulatory organs, and in their genetic background. We designate a neotype for D. ninnii and redescribe it. We consider Dysdera pavesii Thorell, 1873 to be a junior synonym of Dysdera ninnii Canestrini, 1868. In addition, we describe two new species ( D ysdera moravica sp. nov. and D ysdera microdonta sp. nov. ). All three species occur in the region of north‐eastern Italy, Slovenia, and north‐western Croatia. D ysdera moravica sp. nov. expanded to central Europe. The species occur allopatrically or parapatrically. All three species possess the same diploid number and X0 sex chromosome determination. In some individuals we found chromosome fusions, and such polymorphism is common in spiders with holokinetic chromosomes. The analysis of mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI) and nuclear ribosomal (internal transcribed spacer 2, ITS2) DNA markers revealed two clades, one formed by D. ninnii and D . microdonta sp. nov. , and a second by D . moravica sp. nov. Species of the first clade are not well defined by DNA markers. We noticed only weak separation of maternally inherited COI, and even overlap of autosomally inherited ITS2 sequences. We suggest that either short speciation time, unfinished lineage sorting, or rare hybridization events caused this pattern. In one sample of D . microdonta sp. nov. we detected the coxA gene of a Rickettsia species, which is the first record of this parasitic bacteria from the spider family Dysderidae. D ysdera microdonta sp. nov. occurs at higher altitudes than D. ninnii, and their distribution ranges form a long contact zone. Remarkably, we did not record any overlap of the two distribution ranges, suggesting that the lack of a precopulatory interspecific barrier causes a loss of reproduction potential. We hypothesize that because of the unsolved interspecific barrier together with only tiny differences in morphology and COI sequences, and no differences in karyotypes and ITS2 sequences, the D. ninnii species complex is evolutionarily young. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London     

湖南黑刺粉虱不同寄主植物种群和不同地理种群的COI基因分化

根据线粒体COI基因片段分析,柑橘黑刺粉虱Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintance)种群和茶园黑刺粉虱种群之间的遗传距离(0.185-0.247)明显高于柑橘黑刺粉虱不同地理种群之间的遗传距离(0.002-0.076),也明显高于茶园黑刺粉虱不同地理种群之间的遗传距离(0-0.053)。由此推断柑橘黑刺粉虱和茶园黑刺粉虱属于黑刺粉虱的不同生物型,或不同种的Aleurocanthus属粉虱。地理距离和柑橘黑刺粉虱遗传距离具有较大的相关性,同类寄主专化型黑刺粉虱,岳阳洞庭湖区地理种群与其他地区地理种群遗传距离最远。长沙不同柑橘品种上的黑刺粉虱种群之间遗传距离小于0.01。     

COI1参与茉莉酸调控拟南芥吲哚族芥子油苷生物合成过程

芥子油苷是一类具有防御作用的植物次生代谢产物,外源激素茉莉酸对吲哚族芥子油苷的合成具有强烈的诱导作用,但茉莉酸调控吲哚族芥子油苷生物合成的分子机制并不清楚。以模式植物拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)的野生型和coi1-22、coi1-23两种突变体为研究材料,通过茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)处理,比较了拟南芥野生型和coi1突变体植株吲哚族芥子油苷含量、吲哚族芥子油苷合成前体色氨酸的生物合成基因(ASA1、TSA1和TSB1)、吲哚族芥子油苷生物合成基因(CYP79B2、CYP79B3和CYP83B1)及调控基因(MYB34和MYB51)的表达对MeJA的响应差异,由此确定茉莉酸信号通过COI1蛋白调控吲哚族芥子油苷生物合成,即茉莉酸信号通过信号开关COI1蛋白作用于转录因子MYB34和MYB51,进而调控吲哚族芥子油苷合成基因CYP79B2、CYP79B3、CYP83B1和前体色氨酸的合成基因ASA1、TSA1、TSB1。并且推断,COI1功能缺失后,茉莉酸信号可能通过其他未知调控因子或调控途径激活MYB34转录因子从而调控下游基因表达。     

Five new genera of the subfamily Psilodercinae (Araneae:Ochyroceratidae) from Southeast Asia

Five new genera of the spider family Ochyroceratidae with remarkable palpal and epigynal characters are described:Luzonacera Li & Li,gen.nov.,Qiongocera Li & Li,gen.nov.,Relictocera Li & Li,gen.nov.,Sinoderces Li & Li,gen.nov.,and Thaiderces Li & Li,gen.nov.Six new species are described based on specimens collected in China,Philippines,Vietnam,and Thailand:Luzonacera chang Li & Li,sp.nov.,Luzonacera duan Li & Li,sp.nov.,Qiongocera hongjunensis Li & Li,sp.nov.,Relictocera qiyi Li & Li,sp.nov.,Sinoderces nawanensis Li & Li,sp.nov.,and Thaidercesjian Li & Li,sp.nov.In addition,two Psiloderces species are transferred to other genera:Sinoderces exilis (Wang & Li,2013) comb.nov.and Thaiderces vulgaris (Deeleman-Reinhold,1995) comb.nov.All type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Zoology,Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZCAS) in Beijing.     

A DNA barcode library for Germany′s mayflies,stoneflies and caddisflies (Ephemeroptera,Plecoptera and Trichoptera)

Mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) are prominent representatives of aquatic macroinvertebrates, commonly used as indicator organisms for water quality and ecosystem assessments. However, unambiguous morphological identification of EPT species, especially their immature life stages, is a challenging, yet fundamental task. A comprehensive DNA barcode library based upon taxonomically well‐curated specimens is needed to overcome the problematic identification. Once available, this library will support the implementation of fast, cost‐efficient and reliable DNA‐based identifications and assessments of ecological status. This study represents a major step towards a DNA barcode reference library as it covers for two‐thirds of Germany's EPT species including 2,613 individuals belonging to 363 identified species. As such, it provides coverage for 38 of 44 families (86%) and practically all major bioindicator species. DNA barcode compliant sequences (≥500 bp) were recovered from 98.74% of the analysed specimens. Whereas most species (325, i.e., 89.53%) were unambiguously assigned to a single Barcode Index Number (BIN) by its COI sequence, 38 species (18 Ephemeroptera, nine Plecoptera and 11 Trichoptera) were assigned to a total of 89 BINs. Most of these additional BINs formed nearest neighbour clusters, reflecting the discrimination of geographical subclades of a currently recognized species. BIN sharing was uncommon, involving only two species pairs of Ephemeroptera. Interestingly, both maximum pairwise and nearest neighbour distances were substantially higher for Ephemeroptera compared to Plecoptera and Trichoptera, possibly indicating older speciation events, stronger positive selection or faster rate of molecular evolution.