A KCNJ10 mutation previously identified in the Russell group of terriers also occurs in Smooth-Haired Fox Terriers with hereditary ataxia and in related breeds

Background

Hereditary ataxias with similar phenotypes were reported in the Smooth-Haired Fox Terrier, the Jack Russell Terrier and the Parson Russell Terrier. However, segregation analyses showed differing inheritance modes in these breeds. Recently, molecular genetic studies on the Russell group of terriers found independent mutations in KCNJ10 and CAPN1, each associated with a specific clinical subtype of inherited ataxia. The aim of this study was to clarify whether or not Smooth-Haired Fox Terriers with hereditary ataxia and dogs of other related breeds harbor either of the same mutations. A sub goal was to update the results of KCNJ10 genotyping in Russell group terriers.

Findings

Three Smooth-Haired Fox Terriers with hereditary ataxia and two Toy Fox Terriers with a similar phenotype were all homozygous for the KCNJ10 mutation. The same mutation was also found in a heterozygous state in clinically unaffected Tenterfield Terriers (n = 5) and, in agreement with previous studies, in Jack Russell Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, and Russell Terriers.

Conclusions

A KCNJ10 mutation, previously associated with an autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia in Jack Russell Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, and Russell Terriers segregates in at least three more breeds descended from British hunting terriers. Ataxic members of two of these breeds, the Smooth-Haired Fox Terrier and the Toy Fox Terrier, were homozygous for the mutation, strengthening the likelihood that this genetic defect is indeed the causative mutation for the disease known as “hereditary ataxia” in Fox Terriers and “spinocerebellar ataxia with myokymia, seizures or both” in the Russell group of terriers.     

Isoflucypram,the first representative of a new succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicide subclass: Its chemical discovery and unusual binding mode

Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) have played a crucial role in disease control to protect cereals as well as fruit and vegetables for more than a decade. Isoflucypram, the first representative of a newly installed subclass of SDHIs inside the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) family of complex II inhibitors, offers unparalleled long‐lasting efficacy against major foliar diseases in cereals. Herein we report the chemical optimization from early discovery towards isoflucypram and the first hypothesis of its altered binding mode in the ubiquinone binding site of succinate dehydrogenase. © 2020 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Chloropicrin Soil Fumigation Reduces <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spongospora subterranea</Emphasis> Soil Inoculum Levels but Does Not Control Powdery Scab Disease on Roots and Tubers of Potato

The effect of chloropicrin fumigation on the soil populations of Spongospora subterranea and the development of powdery scab, formation of root galls and tuber yield was investigated in seven field trials conducted in Minnesota and North Dakota. Sixteen potato cultivars, with different levels of susceptibility to disease on roots and tubers, were planted in plots treated with chloropicrin at rates ranging from zero to 201.8 kg a.i. ha^?1. The amount of S. subterranea DNA in soil was determined using qPCR. Bioassays were conducted to further assess the effect of chloropicrin fumigation on root colonization by S. subterranea in two potato cultivars with contrasting disease susceptibility. In the field, chloropicrin applied at rates between 70.1 to 201.8 kg a.i. ha^?1 significantly decreased S. subterranea initial inoculum in soil but increased the amount of disease observed on roots and tubers of susceptible cultivars. The effect of increasing disease was confirmed in controlled conditions experiments. Although the amount of S. subterranea DNA in roots of bioassay plants increased with increasing chloropicrin rates, it remained similar among potato cultivars. Chloropicrin fumigation significantly increased tuber yield which in cultivars such as Shepody and Umatilla Russet were associated with the amount root galls (r = 0.30; P < 0.03). Results of these studies contradict earlier reports on the use of chloropicrin fumigation for the control of powdery scab. Factors other than inoculum level, such as environmental conditions that affect inoculum efficiency and host susceptibility, may be significant contributors to the development of powdery scab and root gall formation.     

Predation on native sculpin by exotic brown trout exceeds that by native cutthroat trout within a mountain watershed (Logan,UT, USA)

We explored potential negative effects of exotic brown trout (Salmo trutta) on native sculpin (Cottus sp.) on the Logan River, Utah, USA by (i) examining factors most strongly correlated with sculpin abundance (e.g., abiotic conditions or piscivory?), (ii) contrasting the extent of brown trout predation on sculpin with that by native cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii utah) and (iii) estimating the number of sculpin consumed by brown trout along an elevational gradient using bioenergetics. Abundance of sculpin across reaches showed a strong (r ≥ 0.40) and significant (P < 0.05) correlation with physical variables describing width (positive) and gradient (negative), but not with abundance of piscivorous brown trout or cutthroat trout. In mainstem reaches containing sculpin, we found fish in 0% of age‐1, 10% of age‐2 and 33% of age‐3 and older brown trout diets. Approximately 81% of fish consumed by brown trout were sculpin. Despite a similar length–gape relationship for native cutthroat trout, we found only two fish (one sculpin and one unknown) in the diets of native cutthroat trout similar in size to age‐3 brown trout. Based on bioenergetics, we estimate that an average large (> 260 mm) brown trout consumes as many as 34 sculpin per year. Nevertheless, results suggest that sculpin abundance in this system is controlled by abiotic factors and not brown trout predation. Additional research is needed to better understand how piscivory influences brown trout invasion success, including in‐stream experiments exploring trophic dynamics and interactions between brown trout and native prey under different environmental conditions.     

Multivariate analysis of invasive plant species distributions in southern US forests

Landscape Ecology - Invasive plants cause significant impacts in forested areas throughout the world. However, little is known about the relative importance of environmental drivers on the...     

Soundscape in a context of acoustic and landscape ecology

Soundscape ecology is being proposed as a new synthesis that leverages two important fields of study: landscape ecology and acoustic ecology. These fields have had a rich history. Running “in parallel” for over three decades now, soundscape ecology has the potential to unite these two (among other) fields in ways that provide new perspectives on the acoustics of landscapes. Each of us was involved in the “birth” of these two fields. We each reflect here on the rich history of landscape ecology and acoustic ecology and provide some thoughts on the future of soundscape ecology as a new perspective.