Mitochondrial DNA variation in the western house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) close to its site of origin: studies in Turkey

In contrast to a substantial inventory of mitochondrial d -loop sequences from the West European part of the range of the western house mouse Mus musculus domesticus , there are few such data from close to the Middle Eastern origin of the subspecies. This paper attempts to rectify this situation, with details of d -loop sequences of 92 mice from 45 localities in Turkey, adding to the six mice from three localities previously studied from that country. The molecular data were found to be consistent with Turkey being close to the site of origin of M. m. domesticus . The 54 Turkish haplotypes were distributed throughout a phylogenetic tree incorporating representative sequences described previously, and there was high nucleotide diversity among the Turkish mice. There was weak genetic structure in Turkey, although haplotypes of the 'Main Turkish Clade', while common over much of Turkey, were absent from Southern Anatolia. Haplotypes of the Main Turkish Clade were also found in western Europe and it is believed that they derived from Turkey, which thus represents one of the source areas for the westwards expansion of M. m. domesticus .  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 84 , 473–485.     

A RAPID BIOASSAY TO DETECT MYCOTOXINS USING A MELANIN PRECURSOR OVERPRODUCER MUTANT OF THE CILIATETETRAHYMENA THERMOPHILA

Four different mycotoxins (patulin, T-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol and roquefortine) were used to study growth inhibitory effects on a melanin precursor overproducer mutant of the ciliateTetrahymena thermophilaThis strain is especially sensitive to diacetoxyscirpenol and T-2 toxin. The secretion capacity of melanin precursors into the culture medium by this mutant and its biosensor capacity are very useful characteristics to elaborate a rapid bioassay to detect some specific mycotoxins.     

Complete mitochondrial genomes of Chionomys roberti and Chionomys nivalis (Mammalia: Rodentia) from Turkey: Insight into their phylogenetic position within Arvicolinae

Organisms Diversity & Evolution - The complete mitochondrial DNA (mitogenome) sequences of Chionomys nivalis and C. roberti were first presented as reference mitogenomes by the current study...     

Long‐term relationship between diet breadth and breeding success in a declining population of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus

Between 2000 and 2009 we studied the diet and breeding success of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus in southern Spain. Wild species accounted for 74.9% of prey items (n = 1071) with a predominance of mammals (62.3%), followed by birds (20.8%) and reptiles (13.1%). Spatially, the diet was highly varied and not restricted to carcasses of livestock; wild Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus accounted for 54% of the overall remains. The spatial variability may reflect regional and local disparity in the availability of main prey. The temporal relationship between variation in trophic diversity and Vulture nesting productivity (both values showing a long‐term decrease) might suggest a causal link between variation in diet and reproductive output. We hypothesize that high turnover rates could explain productivity variation as a consequence of the recruitment of less experienced individuals to the breeding population. This could in turn generate covariation between diet and reproductive output.