Extraintestinal gamogony of Aggregata octopiana in the reared common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae)

Aggregata octopiana (Apicomplexa, Aggregatidae) is the most prevalent coccidian in the wild common octopus (Octopus vulgaris), whose heteroxenous life cycle includes gamogony and sporogony undergoing in the octopus digestive tract. In the infected reared octopi, we observed an unusual extraintestinal distribution of the coccidian, with both gamogony and sporogony ongoing in dermal and gill tissue. Oocysts and macrogamonts were embedded in the dermal connective tissue of octopian arms, demarcated by a thin cyst wall or multilayered dark membrane. In gill connective and epithelial tissue all developmental stages were observed, eliciting hemocytic infiltration. Sometimes a complete substitution of the tissue by cysts and developmental stages occurred, resulting in necrosis of gill tissue.     

寄生在鲤鱼及草(鲩)鱼的鱊头槽绦虫的多样性

研究了寄生于鲤鱼及草(鲩)鱼的鱊头槽绦虫(Bothriocephalus acheiloghathi)的多样性.作者在1986-2000年收集材料,遍及中国19个省及自治区.在江苏等5省只收集到其它寄生虫的材料,故结果未列入附录1和2.研究结果表明,鲤鱼及草鱼的寄生鱊头槽绦虫的地理分布截然不同.寄生于鲤鱼的鱊头槽绦虫分布于黄河水系的西北地区及黑龙江水系的东北各省及长江上游的四川、云南和贵州,南方各省的鲤鱼不感染这种绦虫.寄生于草鱼的鱊头槽绦虫分布于沿珠江水系的广东、广西及闽江水系的福建,感染池塘的幼龄草鱼,天然水体中未发现感染阳性的草鱼.交义感染试验表明,寄生在这两种鲤科鱼类的头槽绦虫有极强的宿主特异性,草鱼感染的头槽绦虫一年内大部分时间排出发育完全的胚胎卵,而鲤鱼感染的头槽绦虫排出的虫卵多为早期分裂卵,甚至在盛夏,水温在28℃-30℃的情况下也无例外.虫卵发育程度不同,卵的孵化期也有差异.在同等温度28℃-29℃时,草鱼头槽绦虫虫卵的孵化期为1.69±0.17 d;鲤鱼的头槽绦虫虫卵的孵化期为3.98±0.3 d.此外,种群结构也有明显区别,草鱼的头槽绦虫在繁殖季节,体长＜1 cm的幼虫占种群的主体,年终时绦虫全部从宿主体内消失,生活周期从初染至消敛约1年;鲤鱼的头槽绦虫主体全年皆为孕节成虫,在Ⅱ龄商品鱼中继续繁殖.本研究表明,鲤鱼及草鱼的寄生鱊头槽绦虫显示的多样性是因长期适应不同生活环境从而演化为两个不同的亚种[动物学报 53(3):470-480,2007].     

Non-invasive measurement of small peptides in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus): a radiolabeled clearance study and endogenous excretion under varying social conditions

A non-invasive assay for measurement of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) in primates would enable researchers to study the relationship between the endocrine system and behavior without disturbing potentially endangered animals in their natural habitats. In order to test whether or not OT specifically would be measurable in the urine of a primate, 10 microCi of tritium-labeled OT were injected into the peripheral blood supply of four adult male common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), with continuous urinary collection over 48 h. When urine was processed by HPLC separation and beta counting for radioactive clearance, the label was present in all samples in the fraction where OT elutes. Large amounts of OT were also seen in a fraction other than that containing the OT standard, indicating that OT is measurable but that it also undergoes substantial metabolic breakdown. In a second experiment, we isolated six common marmosets for 48 h and then exposed them to social contact to evaluate the effect of changing social stimuli on endogenous urinary measurement of both OT and AVP. Both were measured after HPLC separation to isolate the intact molecule and also to control for cross-reactivity with metabolites in subsequent RIA. Cortisol was also measured to objectively evaluate the stress response. A priori assumptions were that urinary OT and AVP would be lower during a period of isolation and higher during periods of social contact. These assumptions were met, leading us to conclude that peripheral OT and AVP are measurable via urinary assay and that such an assay is a valid means of evaluating social condition in this species.     

鲤鱼肌肉生长抑制素基因(MSTN)的克隆及其组织表达特征

肌肉生长抑制素(Myostatin,MSTN)是动物肌肉发育和生长过程中的负调控因子,对MSTN的研究将有助于促进动物生产。鲤鱼是我国的主要淡水养殖对象之一。因此,我们采用RT-PCR方法克隆了鲤鱼MSTN cDNA(No.EF551058)的部分序列,长度为921bp,编码306个氨基酸残基。鲤鱼MSTN具有MSTN的共同特征,有蛋白酶水解位点RIRR和9个保守的半胱氨酸残基。多重序列比较发现其与斑马鱼GDF8有极近的亲缘关系,96.7%的氨基酸序列同源。不同组织的RT-PCR分析发现鲤鱼MSTN主要在肌肉和脑部表达,而其他所检测组织未见表达。鲤鱼MSTN不仅在肌肉生长发育中发挥作用,可能在神经系统发育中也有其作用。     

Evaluation of the bioherbicide Myrothecium verrucaria for weed control in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)

An isolate of the fungus Myrothecium verrucaria was evaluated for its biocontrol potential against common purslane, horse purslane, spotted spurge, and prostrate spurge, all serious weed pests in commercial tomato fields in the southeastern US. In greenhouse and field tests, M. verrucaria was highly virulent against these weeds when applied as conidial sprays formulated in 0.2% Silwet L-77 surfactant, even in the absence of dew. In field test plots naturally infested with these weeds, seedlings in the two-to-three leaf growth stage treated with M. verrucaria at 2×10⁷ conidia mL^-1 in 0.2% Silwet, exhibited leaf and stem necrosis within 24 h following inoculation, with mortality occurring within 96 h. After 7 days, M. verrucaria had killed 90-95% of both purslane species and 85-95% of both spurge species. Tomatoes that were transplanted into plots treated with M. verrucaria remained healthy and vigorous throughout the growing season. Since M. verrucaria effectively controlled several common weeds under field conditions, this fungus appears to have potential as an effective bioherbicide for pre-plant weed control in production systems with transplanted tomato.     

Structural and expression analyses of two vitellogenin genes in the carp, Cyprinus carpio

We cloned and sequenced two vitellogenin (vg) cDNAs of the carp, Cyprinus carpio, using a cDNA library constructed from estradiol-17β (E₂)-treated livers. One was a novel, longer 5000 bp-long cDNA termed vg-B2 encoding 1624 amino acids in a single open reading frame. The other was a shorter cDNA (vg-B1), identical to that registered previously as carp vg cDNA in the international nucleotide sequence database. The deduced amino acid sequences of these two molecules were well-aligned with known vertebrate Vgs sharing common characteristics such as N-terminal lipovitellin I (LVI), phosvitin (PV) and C-terminal lipovitellin II (LVII). The novel Vg-B2 bore a highly conserved GL/ICG motif within the LVII region, in contrast to the shorter Vg-B1 that has a truncated C-terminal and lacks the β-component within the LVII region including the GL/ICG motif. Both vg-B2 and vg-B1 genes were expressed in the livers of females and E₂-injected males. Western blot analysis using anti-Vg and anti-vitellin (Vn) antisera demonstrated that both Vg-B2 and Vg-B1 were detected as polypeptides with an estimated molecular mass of 180 kDa and 160 kDa, respectively, in the blood of females and E₂-injected males. The results suggest the potential utilization of these genes as sensitive xenoestrogenic markers.     

Genotyping of somatic hybrids between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Festuca arundinacea</Emphasis> Schreb. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis> L.

In order to genotype hybrid genomes of distant asymmetric somatic hybrids, we synthesized hybrid calli and plants via PEG-mediated protoplast fusion between recipient tall fescue (Festuca. arundinacea Schreb.) and donor wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Seventeen and 25 putative hybrid clones were produced from the fusion combinations I and II, each with the donor wheat protoplast treated by UV light for 30 s and 1 min, respectively. Isozyme and RAPD profiles confirmed that ten hybrid clones were obtained from combination I and 19 from combination II. Out of the 29 hybrids, 12 regenerated hybrid plants with tall fescue phenotype. Composition and methylation-variation of the nuclear and cytoplasmic genomes of some hybrids, either with or without regenerative ability, were compared by genomic in situ hybridization, restriction fragment length polymorphism, and DNA methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism. Our results indicated that these selected hybrids all contained introgressed nuclear and cytoplasmic DNA as well as obvious methylation variations compared to both parents. However, there were no differences either in nuclear/cytoplasmic DNA or methylation degree between the regenerable and non-regenerable hybrid clones. We conclude that both regeneration complementation and genetic material balance are crucial for hybrid plant regeneration.     

Melatonin in the regulation of annual testicular events in carp Catla catla: evidence from the studies on the effects of exogenous melatonin, continuous light, and continuous darkness

The physiological significance of melatonin in the regulation of annual testicular events in a major carp Catla catla was evaluated through studies on the effects of graded dose (25, 50, or 100 µg/100 g body wt.) of melatonin exogenously administered for different durations (1, 15, or 30 days) and manipulation of the endogenous melatonin system by exposing the fish to constant darkness (DD) or constant light (LL) for 30 days. An identical experimental schedule was followed during the preparatory (February-March), pre-spawning (April-May), spawning (July-August), and post-spawning (September-October) phases of the annual cycle. Irrespective of the reproductive status of the carp, LL suppressed while DD increased the mid-day and mid-night values of melatonin compared to respective controls. Influences of exogenous melatonin varied in relation to the dose and duration of treatment and the reproductive status of the carp. However, testicular response to exogenous melatonin (at 100 µg, for 30 days) and DD in each reproductive phase was almost identical. Notably, precocious testicular maturation occurred in both DD and melatonin-injected fish during the preparatory phase and in LL carps during the pre-spawning phase. In contrast, testicular functions in both the melatonin-treated and DD fish were inhibited during the pre-spawning and spawning phases, while the testes did not respond to any treatment during the post-spawning phase. In conclusion, this study provided the first experimental evidence that melatonin plays a significant role in the regulation of annual testicular events in a sub-tropical surface-dwelling carp Catla catla, but the influence of this pineal hormone on the seasonal activity of testis varies in relation to the reproductive status of the concerned fish.     

The Invasion of Barred Owls and its Potential Effect on the Spotted Owl: a Conservation Conundrum

The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) is a threatened species in many areas of its western North American range. Concomitant with its decline has been a rapid invasion of its range and habitat by barred owls (Strix varia), a native species that was restricted, until relatively recently, to eastern North America. We assess the theoretical potential for negative interactions between these two owls by examining size dimorphism and ecological relationships within various owl assemblages throughout the world. We then review the anecdotal, natural history, modeling, and experimental evidence that suggest barred owls may negatively affect spotted owls with at least a potential for the competitive exclusion of spotted owls by barred owls throughout all or part of the former’2019;s range. While it is widely accepted that barred owls are either causing or exacerbating declines of spotted owl populations, there are confounding factors, such as habitat loss and bad weather that also may contribute to declines of spotted owls. Both theory and empirical information suggest that barred owls are likely to have negative effects on spotted owl range and density, but the degree of the impact is not predictable. There is a conservation conundrum here, in that the barred owl is a native species that has expanded its range westwards, either naturally or with a degree of human facilitation, and now constitutes a major threat to the viability of another native species, the threatened spotted owl. We propose that only through carefully designed experiments involving removal of barred owls will we be able to determine if recent declines in spotted owl populations are caused by barred owls or by other factors. It is rare in conservation science that replicate study areas exist for which we also have long-standing demographic information, as is the case with the spotted owl. Removal experiments would take advantage of the wealth of data on spotted owls, and allow ecologists to assess formally the impacts of an invasive species on a threatened species, as well as to suggest mitigation measures.