GLOBAL POPULATION STRUCTURE AND NATURAL HISTORY OF THE GREEN TURTLE (CHELONIA MYDAS) IN TERMS OF MATRIARCHAL PHYLOGENY

To address aspects of the evolution and natural history of green turtles, we assayed mitochondrial (mt) DNA genotypes from 226 specimens representing 15 major rookeries around the world. Phylogenetic analyses of these data revealed (1) a comparatively low level of mtDNA variability and a slow mtDNA evolutionary rate (relative to estimates for many other vertebrates); (2) a fundamental phylogenetic split distinguishing all green turtles in the Atlantic-Mediterranean from those in the Indian-Pacific Oceans; (3) no evidence for matrilineal distinctiveness of a commonly recognized taxonomic form in the East Pacific (the black turtle C.m. agassizi or C. agassizi); (4) in opposition to published hypotheses, a recent origin for the Ascension Island rookery, and its close genetic relationship to a geographically proximate rookery in Brazil; and (5) a geographic population substructure within each ocean basin (typically involving fixed or nearly fixed genotypic differences between nesting populations) that suggests a strong propensity for natal homing by females. Overall, the global matriarchal phylogeny of Chelonia mydas appears to have been shaped by both geography (ocean basin separations) and behavior (natal homing on regional or rookery-specific scales). The shallow evolutionary population structure within ocean basins likely results from demographic turnover (extinction and colonization) of rookeries over time frames that are short by evolutionary standards but long by ecological standards.     

Probing the structure of the Ff bacteriophage major coat protein transmembrane helix dimer by solution NMR

The transmembrane (TM) segment of the major coat protein from Ff bacteriophage has been extensively studied as an example of dimerization in detergent and lipid bilayer systems. However, almost all the information regarding this interaction has been gained through mutagenesis studies, with little direct structural information being available. To this end solution NMR has the potential to provide new insights into structure of the dimer. In order to evaluate the utility of this approach we have studied a selectively ¹⁵N-labeled peptide containing the TM segment of MCP (MCP_TM) by solution NMR. This peptide was found to give rise to detergent concentration-dependent spectra that were assigned to monomeric and dimeric forms. The standard free energy of this interaction in SDS was estimated from these spectra and found to be consistent with weak but specific dimerization. In addition, similar spectra could be obtained in β-octyl glucoside with intermolecular paramagnetic relaxation experiments demonstrating a parallel arrangement of TM helices in the dimer. In both detergents backbone chemical shift differences between monomeric and dimeric forms of MCP_TM showed that the largest changes occur around its GXXXG motif. The resulting structural model is consistent with observations made for MCP mutants previously characterized in biological membranes, opening the door to detailed structural characterization of this form of MCP. These results also have general implications for the study of weakly interacting TM segments by solution NMR since the use of similar sample conditions should allow structural data to be accessed for oligomeric states from a wide range systems that undergo biologically relevant but weak associations in the membrane.     

Properties of the Coat Protein of a New Tobacco Mosaic Virus Coat Protein ts-Mutant

Amino acid substitutions in a majority of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) coat protein (CP) ts-mutants have previously been mapped to the same region of the CP molecule tertiary structure, located at a distance of about 70 Å from TMV virion axis. In the present work some properties of a new TMV CP ts-mutant ts21-66 (two substitutions I21 T and D66 G, both in the 70-Å region) were studied. Thermal inactivation characteristics, sedimentation properties, circular dichroism spectra, and modification by a lysine-specific reagent, trinitrobenzensulfonic acid, of ts21–66 CP were compared with those of wild-type (U1) TMV CP. It is concluded that the 70-Å region represents the most labile portion of the TMV CP molecule. Partial disordering of this region in the mutant CP at permissive temperatures leads to loss of the capacity to form two-layer aggregates of the cylindrical type, while further disordering induced by mild heating results also in the loss of the ability to form ordered helical aggregates.     

Production of Bean yellow mosaic virus resistant subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) plants by transformation with the virus coat protein gene

Transgenic lines of subterranean clover were constructed that contained three different Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) coat protein (CP) gene constructs; full-length CP, the core region of the CP, and full-length CP plus the 3′ untranslated region of the viral genome. Transgenic plants containing the full-length and core CP gene constructs showed high and moderate levels of BYMV resistance. Resistance was measured as a lack or amelioration of viral disease symptoms, which was correlated with a reduction in virus levels and yield loss. A range of different resistance phenotypes was observed. They included reduced infection rates, delay and reduction in local lesion development, and delay and reduction in severity of systemic symptom development. Resistance levels were not correlated with transgene mRNA levels and no transgene-encoded protein was detected in any of the transgenic lines. This is the first example of genetically engineered virus resistance in a clover.     

The curly coat phenotype of the Ural Rex feline breed is associated with a mutation in the lipase H gene

Mutations in lipase H (LIPH) and lysophosphatidic acid receptor 6 (LPAR6), which are essential for the lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signalling pathway, are associated with hypotrichosis and wooly hair in humans. Mutations in LPAR6 and keratin 71 (KRT71), result in unusual fur growth and hair structure in several cat breeds (Cornish Rex, Devon Rex and Selkirk Rex). Here, we performed target sequencing of the LIPH, LPAR6 and KRT71 genes in six cat breeds with specific hair-growth phenotypes. A LIPH genetic variant (LIPH:c.478_483del; LIPH:p.Ser160_Gly161del) was found in Ural Rex cats with curly coats from Russia, but was absent in all other cat breeds tested. In silico three-dimensional analysis of the LIPH mutant protein revealed a contraction of the α3-helix structure in the enzyme phospholipid binding site that may affect its activity.     

Effect of storage, photoperiod and mechanical scarification on seed germination in Ocimum americanum

Seeds of Ocimum americanum L. display an absolute light requirement for germination. The minimal length of the daily photoperiod required to induce a high germination decreased with increasing seed age, but the length of the photoperiod under potential control of terminal far-red light inhibition remained unchanged. There was a gradual escape from the far-red inhibition with increase in the length of the photoperiod. Seeds developed flash photosensitivity after the first 13 h photoperiod. Scarification treatment did not allow the seeds to bypass the light requirement, but it enhanced the germination considerably. Under conditions of natural day length in the field, weakening of the testa by sand may abolish the need for a second exposure to light for most of the seed population, thus rendering them non-photoperiodic.     

Dramatic changes in the return date of Guillemots Uria aalge to colonies in Shetland, 1962–2005

Capsule Changes in return date coincided with marked changes in population size that probably resulted in fluctuating competition for nest-sites.

Aims To document the changes in return dates over a 44-year period and to identify the factors associated with these changes.

Methods We compared changes in return date at Shetland colonies with those for the Isle of May, southeast Scotland, and with the available information on population size, the abundance of some fish species eaten by Common Guillemots and large-scale changes in the oceanography and climate of the eastern Atlantic as reflected by the winter index of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO).

Results Common Guillemots normally return to colonies in Shetland in late winter. However, during the 1960s return dates became gradually earlier with birds present from early October. Autumn return remained the norm for about ten years after which return dates gradually reverted back to late winter. In contrast, Common Guillemots on the Isle of May, 400 km south of Shetland, showed no marked shift, returning in October each year. There was a strong negative correlation between date of return of Shetland birds and population size, whereas on the Isle of May birds came back earlier when there was a large positive winter NAO index. There was no convincing evidence that changes in wintering areas or fish abundance influenced when birds returned to the colonies, although the fish data may not have been collected on the correct spatial scale.

Conclusion Competition for high quality nest-sites is the most likely reason for Common Guillemots returning to the colonies during the autumn and winter.     

Ceramide in Rice Grain

A rice lamina inclination test that is simple and specific for brassinosteroids was used as a micro-quantitative bioassay for brassinolide 1 and its 6-keto congener, castasterone 2, in the concentration range of 5 x 10^–5 /ig/ml to 5 x 10^–3μg/ml, when uniform seedlings of the rice cultivars Arborio J-l and Nihonbare were selected. A phytohormone, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), showed similar activity in this bioassay. Its lowest effective concentration, however, was 50 /ig/μl, about five orders of magnitude greater than that of brassinolide. Other phytohormones, abscisic acid (ABA) and the cytokinins kinetin and A⁶-benzyladenine, inhibited the lamina inclination of rice seedlings. The addition of a cytokinin reduced the promoting effect of brassinolide. Thus, the rice lamina inclination test can be used both as a micro-quantitative bioassay for brassinosteroids and as a method for detecting antibrassinolide compouds.     

Sex difference in natal dispersal distances of Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos in Scotland

Natal dispersal distance (NDD) is critical in understanding and defining populations and their conservation. It is defined as the linear distance between the natal location and first reproductive (‘effective NDD’) or potential reproductive (‘gross NDD’) location. It is a measure of gene flow and the functional connectivity across generations between individuals breeding in the same or different geographies. NDD is difficult to record in large raptors. GPS-satellite telemetry has facilitated its recording. Previous Scottish studies showed that gross and effective NDD were apparently equivalent, and an algorithm based on telemetric data could identify the territory settlement timing and location of birds originally tagged as nestlings. We analysed natal dispersal data from 39 Golden Eagles GPS-tagged in Scotland to estimate NDD. Raw median estimates were 29.8 km for males (n = 22) and 58.6 km for females (n = 17), 38.1 km averaged across sexes. Males had significantly shorter NDD, as theoretically predicted. Our NDD estimates were shorter but not grossly dissimilar to those from the USA, where sex differences in NDD had not been confirmed. Respective sample sizes may underly the latter contrast in confirmation. We also showed that in the absence of data from sexed birds, NDD estimates can be different. Natal dispersal duration was not related to NDD, suggesting that time to prospect a territory opportunity was not associated with the selected territory's distance from the natal site. The previous status of the subsequent settled territory (occupied or vacant) was also not related to NDD. We conclude that sex differences in NDD are important in application to population demography and conservation. Although we found no support for two other potential drivers of NDD (natal dispersal duration and previous territory status), identifying additional influences on NDD is in its infancy in large raptors and deserves more study.