Systematics within Gyps vultures: a clade at risk

Background  

Populations of the Oriental White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) have declined by over 95% within the past decade. This decline is largely due to incidental consumption of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory veterinary pharmaceutical diclofenac, commonly used to treat domestic livestock. The conservation status of other Gyps vultures in southern Asia is also of immediate concern, given the lack of knowledge regarding status of their populations and the continuing existence of taxonomic uncertainties. In this study, we assess phylogenetic relationships for all recognized species and the majority of subspecies within the genus Gyps. The continuing veterinary use of diclofenac is an unknown but potential risk to related species with similar feeding habits to Gyps bengalensis. Therefore, an accurate assessment of the phylogenetic relationships among Gyps vultures should aid in their conservation by clarifying taxonomic uncertainties, and enabling inference of their respective relatedness to susceptible G. bengalensis.     

Plasma 11-Hydroxycorticoid Levels after Carbenoxolone Sodium

A definite rise in plasma 11-hydroxycorticoid levels has been shown in eight patients with duodenal ulcer following the oral administration of carbenoxolone sodium. A similar rise was seen in one patient with sarcoidosis whose pituitary A.C.T.H. secretion had been acutely suppressed with dexamethasone. No such rise, however, was seen in three patients suffering from adrenal insufficiency. It is suggested that carbenoxolone acts directly on the adrenal cortex, causing an increased production of corticosteroids.     

Patterns of divergence during evolution of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitors in mammals

alpha 1-Proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1-PI), a member of the serine proteinase inhibitor superfamily, has a primary role in controlling neutrophil elastase activity within the mammalian circulation. Several studies have indicated that the reactive center region of alpha 1-PI, the amino acid sequence of which is critical to recognition of and binding to target proteinases, is highly divergent within and among species. This appears to be a consequence of accelerated rates of evolution that may have been driven by positive Darwinian selection. In order to examine this and other features of alpha 1-PI evolution in more detail, we have isolated and sequenced cDNAs representing alpha 1- PI mRNAs of the mouse species Mus saxicola and Mus minutoides and have compared these with a number of other mammalian alpha 1-PI mRNAs. Relative to other mammalian mRNAs, the extent of nonsynonymous substitution is generally high throughout the alpha 1-PI mRNA molecule, indicating greater overall rates of amino acid substitution. Within and among mouse species, the 5'-half of the mRNA, but not the 3'-half, has been homogenized by concerted evolution. Finally, the reactive center is under diversifying or positive Darwinian selection in murid rodents (rats, mice) and guinea pigs yet is under purifying selection in primates and artiodactyls. The significance of these findings to alpha 1-PI function and the possible selective forces driving evolution of serpins in general are discussed.      

Mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms in subterranean mole-rats of the Spalax ehrenbergi superspecies in Israel, and its peripheral isolates

Patterns of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation were examined in 133 mole-rats constituting all four chromosomal species (2n = 52, 2n = 54, 2n = 58, and 2n = 60) of the Spalax ehrenbergi superspecies in Israel, as well as the peripheral isolates of 2n = 60. In the main range of the complex, a total of 28 mtDNA haplotypes were found in 64 mole-rats, with most haplotypes being unique to either a single chromosomal species or population. mtDNA divergence increased from low to high diploid number in a north-to-south direction in Israel. Overall levels of mtDNA diversity were unexpectedly the highest in the 2n = 60, the youngest species of the complex. The mtDNA haplotypes can be separated into two major groups, 2n = 52-54 and 2n = 58-60, and a phylogenetic analysis for each group revealed evidence of a few haplotypes not sorted by diploid number. The overall patterns of mtDNA divergence seen within and among the four chromosomal species are consistent with the parapatric mode of speciation as suggested from previous studies of allozyme and DNA hybridization. In a separate data set the patterns of mtDNA variation were examined across the main geographic range and across peripheral semi-isolates and isolates of the 2n = 60 chromosomal species. Fifteen haplotypes were found in 69 mole-rats. High levels of mtDNA diversity characterized the main range, semi-isolated, and even some desert isolated populations. The peripheral isolates contain much mtDNA diversity, including novel haplotypes.      

Respiratory control in aquatic insects dictates their vulnerability to global warming

Forecasting species responses to climatic warming requires knowledge of how temperature impacts may be exacerbated by other environmental stressors, hypoxia being a principal example in aquatic systems. Both stressors could interact directly as temperature affects both oxygen bioavailability and ectotherm oxygen demand. Insufficient oxygen has been shown to limit thermal tolerance in several aquatic ectotherms, although, the generality of this mechanism has been challenged for tracheated arthropods. Comparing species pairs spanning four different insect orders, we demonstrate that oxygen can indeed limit thermal tolerance in tracheates. Species that were poor at regulating oxygen uptake were consistently more vulnerable to the synergistic effects of warming and hypoxia, demonstrating the importance of respiratory control in setting thermal tolerance limits.     

Global and regional patterns in lotic meiofauna

• 1 Parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE) was used to assess patterns in the distribution of harpacticoid copepods (all freshwater species and stream species only) at global and regional scales. These analyses provided a focus for reviewing large scale patterns and processes in freshwater meiofauna.
• 2 On a global scale, PAE suggested that large‐scale biogeographical events have been most important in shaping present‐day distributions in the Canthocamptidae. A small proportion (4%) of canthocamptid species were widespread (i.e. occurred in more than one biogegraphical region), suggesting that dispersal may also play a role in determining distribution at the species level. Global distribution patterns for other meiofauna suggest varying roles for dispersal and vicariant events. No consistent latitudinal trends in species diversity were evident, although a lack of distributional data for many regions, and uncertainty over the status of many cosmopolitan species, precludes more robust analyses. Molecular techniques should prove useful in identifying truly cosmopolitan taxa.
• 3 On a regional scale, a PAE within Western Europe demonstrated a clear link between the distribution of canthocamptid species and the extent of the Last (Wiechselian) glaciation. Northern and southern areas of Europe contain distinctive harpacticoid faunas and the recolonisation of northern Europe appears to have been from the Balkans rather than other Mediterranean peninsulae. The high harpacticoid diversity in southern Europe, may reflect a lack of glacial disruption of groundwater habitats.
• 4 A PAE of lotic data for harpacticoid copepods within the Holarctic reflected the global PAE for freshwater harpacticoids as a whole, but not the regional PAE. A high proportion of stream‐dwelling harpacticoids are widespread species, but only one (Bryocamptus zschokkei) was found in streams across the Holarctic. Other cosmopolites were restricted to streams in Europe or North America, suggesting that species‘ niche requirements might differ among regions. There appeared to be some convergence in the composition of lotic copepod communities in terms of the number of species within genera.
• 5 We conclude that large‐scale processes inevitably have a major influence on the local composition of lotic meiofaunal communities, but that the relative importance of small scale vs. large scale processes is unclear at present, largely due to a paucity of suitable data.

     

Phylogenetic utility of the nuclear gene arginine decarboxylase: an example from Brassicaceae

Arginine decarboxylase (ADC) is an important enzyme in the production of putrescine and polyamines in plants. It is encoded by a single or low-copy nuclear gene that lacks introns in sequences studied to date. The rate of Adc amino acid sequence evolution is similar to that of ndhF for the angiosperm family studied. Highly conserved regions provide several target sites for PCR priming and sequencing and aid in nucleotide and amino acid sequence alignment across a range of taxonomic levels, while a variable region provides an increased number of potentially informative characters relative to ndhF for the taxa surveyed. The utility of the Adc gene in plant molecular systematic studies is demonstrated by analysis of its partial nucleotide sequences obtained from 13 representatives of Brassicaceae and 3 outgroup taxa, 2 from the mustard oil clade (order Capparales) and 1 from the related order Malvales. Two copies of the Adc gene, Adc1 and Adc2, are found in all members of the Brassicaceae studied to data except the basal genus Aethionema. The resulting Adc gene tree provides robust phylogenetic data regarding relationships within the complex mustard family, as well as independent support for proposed tribal realignments based on other molecular data sets such as those from chloroplast DNA.