Mysterious bio-duck sound attributed to the Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis)

For decades, the bio-duck sound has been recorded in the Southern Ocean, but the animal producing it has remained a mystery. Heard mainly during austral winter in the Southern Ocean, this ubiquitous sound has been recorded in Antarctic waters and contemporaneously off the Australian west coast. Here, we present conclusive evidence that the bio-duck sound is produced by Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis). We analysed data from multi-sensor acoustic recording tags that included intense bio-duck sounds as well as singular downsweeps that have previously been attributed to this species. This finding allows the interpretation of a wealth of long-term acoustic recordings for this previously acoustically concealed species, which will improve our understanding of the distribution, abundance and behaviour of Antarctic minke whales. This is critical information for a species that inhabits a difficult to access sea-ice environment that is changing rapidly in some regions and has been the subject of contentious lethal sampling efforts and ongoing international legal action.     

Seasonal changes in the cecal microflora of the high-arctic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus)

The dominant cecal bacteria in the high-arctic Svalbard reindeer were characterized, their population densities were estimated, and cecal pH was determined in summer, when food quality and availability is good, and in winter, when it is very poor. In summer the total culturable viable bacterial population was (8.9 +/- 5.3) X 10(8) cells ml-1, whereas in winter it was (1.5 +/- 0.7) X 10(8) cells ml-1, representing a decrease to 17% of the summer population density. Of the dominant species of cultured bacteria, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens represented 23% in summer and 18% in winter. Streptococcus bovis represented 17% in summer and 5% in winter. Bacteroides ruminicola represented 10% in summer and 26% in winter. In summer and winter, respectively, the proportion of the viable population showing the following activities was as follows: fiber digestion, 36 and 48%; cellulolysis, 10 and 6%; xylanolysis, 33 and 48%; and starch utilization, 77 and 71%. The most abundant cellulolytic species in summer was Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, representing 62% of the total cellulolytic population, and in winter it was Ruminococcus albus, representing 80% of the total cellulolytic population. The most abundant xylanolytic species in summer was Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, and in winter it was Bacteroides ruminicola, representing 59 and 54% of the xylanolytic isolates in summer and winter, respectively. The cecal bacterial of the Svalbard reindeer have the ability to digest starch and the major structural carbohydrates of the diet that are not digested in the rumen. The cecum in these animals has the potential to contribute very substantially to the digestion of the available plant material in both summer and winter.     

Regulation of enterochelin synthetase in Escherichia coli K-12

Enterochelin synthetase activity is controlled by both repression and feed-back inhibition mechanisms. Inclusion of iron in growth media results in synthesis of all four (D, E, F and G) components of enterochelin synthetase being repressed. The specific inhibition of L-serine activation (partial reaction catalyzed by the F component) by the end products, ferric-enterochelin and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine, is shown to inhibit overall enterochelin synthetase activity.     

Retinal Changes Precede Visual Dysfunction in the Complement Factor H Knockout Mouse

We previously reported that aged mice lacking complement factor H (CFH) exhibit visual defects and structural changes in the retina. However, it is not known whether this phenotype is age-related or is the consequence of disturbed development. To address this question we investigated the effect of Cfh gene deletion on the retinal phenotype of young and mid-age mice. Cfh ^−/− mouse eyes exhibited thickening of the retina and reduced nuclear density, but relatively normal scotopic and photopic electroretinograms. At 12 months there was evidence of subtle astroglial activation in the Cfh ^−/− eyes, and significant elevation of the complement regulator, decay-accelerating factor (DAF) in Müller cells. In the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of young control and Cfh ^−/− animals mitochondria and melanosomes were oriented basally and apically respectively, whereas the apical positioning of melanosomes was significantly perturbed in the mid-age Cfh ^−/− RPE. We conclude that deletion of Cfh in the mouse leads to defects in the retina that precede any marked loss of visual function, but which become progressively more marked as the animals age. These observations are consistent with a lifelong role for CFH in retinal homeostasis.     

Seasonal changes in the ruminal microflora of the high-arctic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus).

The dominant rumen bacteria in high-arctic Svalbard reindeer were characterized, their population densities were estimated, and ruminal pH was determined in summer, when food quality and availability are good, and in winter, when they are poor. In summer the total cultured viable population density was (2.09 +/- 1.26) X 10(10) cells ml-1, whereas in winter it was (0.36 +/- 0.29) X 10(10) cells ml-1, representing a decrease to 17% of the summer population density. On culture, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens represented 22% of the bacterial population in summer and 30% in winter. Streptococcus bovis represented 17% of the bacterial population in summer but only 4% in winter. Methanogenic bacteria were present at 10(4) cells ml-1 in summer and 10(7) cells ml-1 in winter. In summer and winter, respectively, the proportions of the viable population showing the following activities were as follows: starch utilization, 68 and 63%; fiber digestion, 31 and 74%; cellulolysis, 15 and 35%; xylanolysis, 30 and 58%; proteolysis, 51 and 28%; ureolysis, 40 and 54%; and lactate utilization, 13 and 4%. The principal cellulolytic bacterium was B. fibrisolvens, which represented 66 and 52% of the cellulolytic population in summer and winter, respectively. The results indicate that the microflora of the rumen of Svalbard reindeer is highly effective in fiber digestion and nitrogen metabolism, allowing the animals to survive under the austere nutritional conditions typical of their high-arctic habitat.