Small subunit rDNA and Bayesian inference reveal Pectenophilus ornatus (Copepoda incertae sedis) as highly transformed Mytilicolidae, and support assignment of Chondracanthidae and Xarifiidae to Lichomolgoidea (Cyclopoida)

Phylogenetic analysis of newly obtained data from the complete small subunit rDNA (18S) nuclear gene of a wide range of copepods placed the enigmatic Pectenophilus ornatus firmly in the Cyclopoida. Both maximum parsimony tree reconstruction, and Bayesian analysis operating under the GTR + I + Γ model of nucleotide substitution, gave identical solutions and placed P. ornatus at the base of the poecilostome families, in apposition to the mytilicolid taxa. The recently suggested assignment to the Siphonostomatoida on the basis of a tubular mouth cone in the pygmy male was rejected not only by the molecular data but also by new morphological observations. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the appendage previously interpreted as the mandible was in reality the maxilla, the presumptive ‘labium’ only an intermaxillary outgrowth of the ventral cephalic sclerite bearing the widely separated paragnaths, and that there was no basal fusion between the labrum and the ‘posterior lip’ as in genuine siphonostomatoids. Absence of mandibles and their functional replacement by the anteriorly displaced maxillae is a unique and robust apomorphy for the Mytilicolidae and placed unequivocally P. ornatus in that family. The morphology of male Pectenophilus probably evolved as a result of global progenesis, involving early sexual maturation at the metanauplius stage and the complete cessation of somite and limb development. The molecular data were also employed to examine the relationships of two other highly modified parasitic families, the Xarifiidae (inhabiting hard corals) and the Chondracanthidae (parasitic on marine demersal fishes). Our analyses rejected the previously proposed relationship between Xarifiidae and Vahiniidae and strongly supported an Anchimolgidae + (Rhynchomolgidae + Xarifiidae) clade as sister group to the Sabelliphilidae within a monophyletic Lichomolgoidea. The obtained topology suggests that the common ancestor of this clade had already established a symbiotic relationship with scleractinian corals and that host switching occurred only secondarily in the Rhynchomolgidae, involving predominantly other cnidarian and occasionally noncnidarian hosts. Reassessment of the morphology of Parangium provided new evidence for a relationship with the xarifiids, rendering its current position in the Serpulidicolidae extremely unlikely. Both parsimony and Bayesian analyses revealed an unexpected but strongly supported relationship between the Chondracanthidae and Pseudanthessiidae. This result contrasts with earlier views advocating affinity to the Synapticolidae or Lichomolgidae, but was congruent with the previously unnoticed morphological similarity in antennary armature patterns in the first copepodid stage. The morphological grounds used to establish the Lernaeosoleidae were shown to be secondarily derived characters shared with one or several chondracanthid genera. Particularly the similarity between the Lernaeosoleidae and Markevitchielinus demonstrated that the former evolved from a mesoparasitic ancestor within the Chondracanthidae and consequently should sink as a synonym of the latter. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 87 , 403–425.     

Prothoracicotropic Hormone Bioassay: Pupal-Adult Bombyx Assay

Blockage of adult development by brain removal and its resumption by application of the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) were studied using pupae of a racial hybrid J-122 × C-115 of Bombyx mori . A log-linear dose-response relationship was obrained after injection of a PTTH solution. The Bombyx -unit of PTTH has been defined from this dose-response curve.     

Permeability of the Nitella internodal cell to organic substances as measured by the double chamber method

Permeability coefficients for the cell membrane of Nitella jlexilishave been determined for some organic substances by measuringtheir transcellular transport with the double chamber method.Benzyl alcohol is rapidly taken up in the vacuole of the cell.In the double chamber method benzyl alcohol taken up in thevacuole at one end of the cell is not as rapidly transportedto the other end as expected from the rate of protoplasmic streamingin the vacuole. This can be explained by assuming the presenceof a "non-streaming part" in the vacuole. The uptake of ureainto the streaming part of the cell is stimulated by directlyilluminating the part where the cell is immersed in urea solution. (Received March 10, 1971; )     

Species Specificity of the Insect Prothoracicotropic Hormone (PITH): the Presence of Bombyx-and Samia-Specific PTTHs in the Brain of Bombyx mori

Crude extracts of Bombyx mori brains can provoke adult development when injected into brain-removed dormant pupae of Bombyx mori and Samia Cynthia ricini. From this fact the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) of Bombyx has long been thought to be species-nonspecifically active on Samia. Chemical fractionation of Bombyx brain or head extracts by fractional precipitation with acetone, Sephadex G-50 gel-filtration, and DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B chromatography, however, separated the fractions which activated Bombyx brainless pupae from those which activated Samia. Those results reveal the existence of two species-specific PTTHs.     

Origins of Laboratory Mice Deduced from Restriction Patterns of Mitochondrial DNA

To determine the origins of laboratory mice, the restriction patterns of mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) from various strains were compared with those of relevant subspecies and/or races of mus musculus . In most strains and substrains of laboratory mice examined (50/55), the cleavage patterns were identical to those of the European subspecies M. m. domesticus . Those that varied include two sublines of NZB, the strain NZC, and the Japanese strain RR. The NZB and NZC patterns were identical to that of the European subspecies M. m. brevirostris , which itself has restriction patterns similar to M. m. domesticus . On the other hand, the RR pattern was identical to M. m. molossinus -like mice trapped in Western China and slightly different from Japanese M. m. molossinus . These findings suggest that the strains NZB and NZC stemmed from a European founder stock which differed from the ancestral stocks of other laboratory strains and that the ancestral mice of the RR strain had been transported from China to Japan. Therefore, most laboratory strains of mice are derived from the European subspecies M. m. domesticus while M. m. brevirostris and M. m. molossinus have made minor contributions. M. m. musculus does not appear to have made any contribution.     

Detection of recombinant haplotypes in wild mice (Mus musculus) provides new insights into the origin of Japanese mice

Japanese house mice (Mus musculus molossinus) are thought to be a hybrid lineage derived from two prehistoric immigrants, the subspecies M. m. musculus of northern Eurasia and M. m. castaneus of South Asia. Mice of the western European subspecies M. m. domesticus have been detected in Japanese ports and airports only. We examined haplotype structuring of a 200 kb stretch on chromosome 8 for 59 mice from throughout Eurasia, determining short segments (≈ 370–600 bp) of eight nuclear genes (Fanca, Spire2, Tcf25, Mc1r, Tubb3, Def8, Afg3l1 and Dbndd1) which are intermittently arranged in this order. Where possible we identified the subspecies origin for individual gene alleles and then designated haplotypes for concatenated alleles. We recovered 11 haplotypes among 19 Japanese mice examined, identified either as ‘intact’ haplotypes derived from the subspecies musculus (57.9%), domesticus (7.9%), and castaneus (2.6%), or as ‘recombinant’ haplotypes (31.6%). We also detected recombinant haplotypes unique to Sakhalin. The complex nature of the recombinant haplotypes suggests ancient introduction of all three subspecies components into the peripheral part of Eurasia or complicated genomic admixture before the movement from source areas. ‘Intact’domesticus and castaneus haplotypes in other Japanese wild mice imply ongoing stowaway introductions. The method has general utility for assessing the history of genetic admixture and for disclosing ongoing genetic contamination.     

Bacterial overgrowth in the jejunum of ICR mice and Wistar rats orally administered with a single lethal dose of fusarenon-X, a trichothecene mycotoxin

A single oral dose of fusarenon-X (F-X), a trichothecene mycotoxin, resulted in abnormal microflora in the jejunum in ICR mice and Wistar rats with some differences in dose response between the species. In the acute phase, enterobacteria, streptococci, Clostridium perfringens and bacteroides showed remarkably increased counts in the jejunum of mice and rats dosed with F-X while lactobacilli showed a decrease in count. F-X brought an invasion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa into the livers, lungs, kidneys and spleens of ICR mice. Changes in the jejunal microflora appeared after 7 h in ICR mice and after 24 h in Wistar rats after a single oral dose of F-X of 7–5 and 4–0 mg/kg b.w., respectively, and the microflora returned to its normal state at 72 h in mice and 96 h in rats. The changes of intestinal microflora were followed by alterations in the growth curves of both animal species. The pH in the glandular stomach was also greatly enhanced before changes in the jejunal microflora. Acute F-X intoxication may be an involved manifestation of essential cytotoxicity of F-X mycotoxin alone and secondary bacterial overgrowth in the bowel.     

PRODUCTION OF TRIPLOID AND GYNOGENETIC DIPLOID XENOPUS BY COLD TREATMENT

Methods are described for producing triploids and gynogenetic diploids of Xenopus laevis. A high frequency of triploids was obtained when the eggs were refrigerated at 2-3 C for 15 min, starting 10–16 min after insemination. By this procedure, the suppression of second polar body emission was cytologically evident. The occurrence of triploidy was confirmed by chromosome and nucleolar counts, as well as microspectrophotomctric determination of nuclear DNA contents. Thus, more than 60% of the feeding tadpoles were triploids. Using the refrigeration method for inducing triploids, gynogenetic diploids were produced by inseminating eggs by sperm previously irradiated with ultraviolet light. Triploids and gynogenelic diploids thus obtained developed normally beyond metamorphosis, and have been growing well for more than 1.5 years.