Two microsatellite markers flanking a dominant gene for resistance to soybean cust nematode race 3

The purpose of this work was to identifymicrosatellite markers linked to a gene forresistance to Heterodera glycinesIchinohe (Soybean Cyst Nematode – SCN) insoybean cultivar Hartwig. ABC₁F₂ mapping population derivedfrom a cross between Hartwig (resistant)and the Brazilian soybean line Y23(susceptible) was used. About 200microsatellite or simple sequence repeat(SSR) primer pairs were tested in a bulkedsegregant analysis (BSA). Those thatshowed clear polymorphisms were amplifiedin the BC₁F₂ population, whichhad been previously inoculated andevaluated for resistance/susceptibility toSCN Race 3. Three SSR markers linked toSCN resistance were detected in thepopulation. Two of them, Satt 038 and Satt163, flanking a dominant resistant gene(d/a = –0.90), explained 37% of thephenotypic variance. This gene was mappedat the edge of molecular linkage group G. Broad and narrow sense heritabilities wereestimated to be 50.54% and 37.73%,respectively. A selection efficiency of91.18% was obtained with the simultaneoususe of the two markers. The identified SSRmarkers will be useful tools for assistingthe selection of homozygous genotypes andfor expediting the introgression of the SCNresistance locus from cv. Hartwig tosoybean elite cultivars.     

Fertility restoration and nor suppression caused by Aegilops mutica chromosomes in alloplasmic hybrids and lines

By crossing Aegilops mutica with Triticum dicoccum as a bridge species and backcrossing with common wheat as a recurrent pollen parent, male sterile alloplasmic line(s) were produced. In progeny of the crosses, a self fertile plant with 42 chromosomes was selected and named R 20. From this plant several lines that possessed Rf (fertility restoring) genes and/or powdery mildew resistant genes were obtained. Apparently, the system of sterility-fertility of pollen can be applied for hybrid wheat production. In addition, the disease resistance may be used in breeding. The male fertile lines possessed one or more Ae. mutica sat-chromosome(s), which show the ability to suppress the nucleolar organizing regions of chromosomes 1B and 6B of common wheat. The relation between the sat-chromosomes and male fertility restoration is not yet clear. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Tracing trophic pathways through the marine ecosystem of Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

1. The structure of food webs provides important insight into biodiversity, organic matter (OM) pathways, and ecosystem functioning.
2. Stable isotope analysis (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) was used to characterize the trophic structure and the main OM pathways supporting food webs in the Rapa Nui coastal marine ecosystem.
3. The trophic position of consumers and isotopic niche metrics were estimated for different assemblages (i.e. mesozooplankton, emergent zooplankton, reef invertebrates, reef fishes, pelagic fishes, and seabirds). Furthermore, the relative importance of different OM sources (i.e. macroalgae, zooxanthellate corals, and particulate OM [POM]) was assessed for heterotrophic consumers using Bayesian mixing model (MixSIAR).
4. Results show a clear pattern of ¹³C and ¹⁵N enrichment from small-sized pelagic and benthic invertebrates, to reef and pelagic fishes, and seabirds. Most invertebrates were classified as primary consumers, reef fishes as secondary consumers and pelagic predators and seabirds as tertiary and quaternary consumers.
5. Isotopic niche metrics indicate a low trophic diversity for pelagic assemblages (mesozooplankton and pelagic fishes), in contrast to reef fauna (invertebrates and fishes), whose higher trophic diversity suggest the exploitation of a wider range of trophic resources. Overlapping of standard ellipses areas between reef invertebrates and reef fishes indicates that both assemblages could be sharing trophic resources.
6. Mixing models results indicate that POM is the main trophic pathway for mesozooplankton, macroalgae (Rhodophyta) for emergent zooplankton, and a mix of coral-derived OM and Rhodophyta for coral reef assemblages such as macrobenthos and reef invertebrates. In contrast, POM contribution was notably more important for some pelagic fishes and seabirds from upper trophic levels.
7. This study provides key elements for conservation efforts on coral reefs, management planning and full-implementation of the recently created Rapa Nui Multiple Use Marine Protected Area.

     

Henneguya cynoscioni sp. n. (Myxosporea: Bivalvulida), an agent of severe cardiac lesions in the spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus (Teleostei: Sciaenidae)

A new myxosporean species, Henneguya cynoscioni sp. n., is described from the spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus (Cuvier) (Sciaenidae) as a causative agent of cardiac henneguyosis. This new myxosporean species is characterized by the morphology of spores and the sequence of SSU rDNA. Examination of 227 spotted seatrout from four South Carolina estuaries in 2008-2010 revealed a 33.5% total prevalence of H. cynoscioni. Henneguya cynoscioni produces lesions in the bulbus arteriosus, its specific site of infection. The severity of lesions and their impact on the bulbus arteriosus is proportional to the number of plasmodial stages developing in this segment of the heart, being most pronounced in host reaction directed against spores liberated from plasmodia.     

Soil-solution chemistry in a low-elevation spruce-fir ecosystem,Howland, Maine

Soil solutions were collected monthly by tension and zero-tension lysimeters in a low-elevation red spruce stand in east-central Maine from May 1987 through December 1992. Soil solutions collected by Oa tension lysimeters had higher concentrations of most constituents than the Oa zero-tension lysimeters. In Oa horizon soil solutions growing season concentrations for SO₄, Ca, and Mg averaged 57, 43, and 30 μmol L^?1 in tension lysimeters, and 43, 28, and 19 μmol L^?1 in zero-tension lysimeters, respectively. Because tension lysimeters remove water held by the soil at tensions up to 10 kPa, solutions are assumed to have more time to react with the soil compared to freely draining solutions collected by zero-tension lysimeters. Solutions collected in the Bs horizon by both types of collectors were similar which was attributed to the frequency of time periods when the water table was above the Bs lysimeters. Concentrations of SO₄ and NO₃ at this site were lower than concentrations reported for most other eastern U.S. spruce-fir sites, but base cation concentrations fell in the same range. Aluminum concentrations in this study were also lower than reported for other sites in the eastern U.S. and Ca/Al ratios did not suggest inhibition of Ca uptake by roots. Concentrations of SO₄, Ca, K, and Cl decreased significantly in both the Oa and Bs horizons over the 56-month sampling period, which could reflect decreasing deposition rates for sulfur and base cations, climatic influences, or natural variation. A longer record of measured fluxes will be needed to adequately define temporal trends in solution chemistry and their causes.     

Predicting Recovery from Acidic Deposition: Applying a Modified TAF (Tracking and Analysis Framework) Model to Maine (USA) High Elevation Lakes

We adapted a reduced-form model, built to predict the aquatic effects of alternative nitrogen and sulfur emissions scenarios on Adirondack lakes, New York, for use on high elevation lakes of Maine (HELM), USA. The Tracking and Analysis Framework (TAF) model was originally designed to evaluate the biotic, economic, and health effects of acid deposition. The TAF model developed in our study was used to assess the biotic effects of different levels of sulfate deposition resulting from alternative emissions scenarios. The aquatic portion of the model is based on a lumped-parameter watershed chemistry model, MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments). The original TAF model was built by calibrating MAGIC to 33 lakes in the Adirondack Mountains. We calibrated MAGIC to 78 HELM lakes, and built reduced-form models from these MAGIC predictions. We evaluated TAF predictions of acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), a fish acid stress index (ASI), and the probability of fish presence in 2030 for four different SO₂ emissions-reduction scenarios. The most dramatic emissions reduction scenario produced only modest increases in mean ANC (16.8 μeq/L ± 7.9 μeq/L) and slight increases in mean predicted probability of presence of acid-sensitive fish (0.07± 0.09) across all lakes. However, a small number of lakes were predicted to have more substantial increases in ANC and improvements in other conditions for acid-sensitive fish. Our results reflect the reality that many of the high elevation lakes of Maine historically had low ANC and that some were even acidic in pre-industrial times. Thus, ’recovery’ for most of the high elevation lakes of Maine will be modest under any scenario of reduced acidic deposition.     

Litterfall Mercury in Two Forested Watersheds at Acadia National Park, Maine, USA

Litterfall can be an important flux of mercury (Hg) to soils in forested landscapes, yet typically the only available data to evaluate Hg deposition is from precipitation Hg monitoring. Litterfall was collected at 39 sampling sites in two small research watersheds, in 2003 and 2004, and analyzed for total Hg. Four vegetation classes were designated in this study as hardwoods, softwoods, mixed and scrub. The mean litter Hg concentration in softwoods (58.8 ± 3.3 ng Hg g^?1 was significantly greater than in mixed (41.7 ± 2.8 ng Hg g^?1 and scrub (40.6 ± 2.7 ng Hg g^?1, and significantly lower than in hardwoods (31.6 ± 2.6 ng Hg g^?1. In contrast, the mean weighted litter Hg flux was not significantly different among vegetation classes. The lack of a significant difference in litter Hg flux between hardwoods and softwoods was attributable to the large autumnal hardwood litter Hg flux being balanced by the higher softwood litter Hg concentrations, along with the higher chronic litterfall flux throughout the winter and spring in softwoods. The estimated annual deposition of Hg via litterfall in Hadlock Brook watershed (10.1 μg m^?2 and Cadillac Brook watershed (10.0 μg m^?2 was greater than precipitation Hg deposition and similar to or greater than the magnitude of Hg deposition via throughfall. These results demonstrate that litterfall Hg flux to forested landscapes can be at least as important as precipitation Hg inputs.     

The transport of albendazole and albendazole sulphoxide in the lancet fluke (Dicrocoelium dendriticum)

Albendazole (ABZ) is one of the most important benzimidazole compounds possessing high activity against the lancet fluke, Dicrocoelium dendriticum. ABZ sulphoxide (ABZ.SO) is the main molecule present in the bloodstream of an ABZ-treated host. The aim of this study was to characterise the pattern of ex vivo uptake of ABZ and ABZ.SO by lancet flukes and the export of both anthelmintics from these parasites. Transport of these anthelmintics in both living and dead flukes was compared. The adult flukes were collected from mouflons (Ovis musimon) which had been infected naturally. Results showed that more lipophilic ABZ was imported to a higher extent than ABZ.SO, and that significantly higher concentrations of ABZ were detected within living flukes as compared to dead ones. The same pattern was revealed in the study of ABZ and ABZ.SO export from the flukes' bodies. In addition to passive diffusion, active ABZ uptake and active efflux of ABZ and ABZ.SO in D. dendriticum could be assumed.     

IncN plasmids carrying bla CTX-M-1 in Escherichia coli isolates on a dairy farm

The aim of the study was to compare the prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli bovine isolates on a conventional dairy cattle farm with high consumption of parenteral and intramammary cephalosporins (farm A) and on an organic dairy farm with no cephalosporin use (farm B). ESBL-producing E. coli were isolated from rectal swabs and milk filters by selective cultivation on MacConkey agar with cefotaxime (2mg/l). ESBL genes were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing, and the genetic diversity of the isolates was determined by XbaI pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Conjugative transfer, incompatibility group, and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) profiles of the ESBL-carrying plasmids were studied. Higher prevalence (39%, n(rectal samples in cows)=309) of CTX-M-1-producing E. coli isolates was found on farm A compared to farm B (<1%, n(rectal samples in cows)=154; 0%, n(rectal samples in calves)=46). Using PFGE, the isolates from farm A were divided into nine pulsotypes. In all ESBL-positive isolates, the bla(CTX-M-1) gene was carried on 40 kb IncN conjugative plasmids of three related HincII restriction profiles. Horizontal gene transfer through transmission of IncN plasmids harboring bla(CTX-M-1) as well as clonal dissemination of a particular clone seems to be involved in dissemination of CTX-M-1-producing E. coli isolates in cows on the farm using cephalosporins in treating bacterial infections. The study demonstrates a possible role of cephalosporin use in the widespread occurrence of CTX-M-1-producing E. coli on the conventional dairy cattle farm compared to the organic farm.     

NKp46 defines ovine cells that have characteristics corresponding to NK cells

ABSTRACT: Natural killer (NK) cells are well recognized as playing a key role in innate immune defence through cytokine production and cytotoxic activity; additionally recent studies have identified several novel NK cell functions. The ability to study NK cells in the sheep has been restricted due to a lack of specific reagents. We report the generation of a monoclonal antibody specific for ovine NKp46, a receptor which in a number of mammals is expressed exclusively in NK cells. Ovine NKp46+ cells represent a population that is distinct from CD4+ and γδ+ T-cells, B-cells and cells of the monocytic lineage. The NKp46+ cells are heterogenous with respect to expression of CD2 and CD8 and most, but not all, express CD16 - characteristics consistent with NK cell populations in other species. We demonstrate that in addition to populations in peripheral blood and secondary lymphoid organs, ovine NKp46+ populations are also situated at the mucosal surfaces of the lung, gastro-intestinal tract and non-gravid uterus. Furthermore, we show that purified ovine NKp46+ populations cultured in IL-2 and IL-15 have cytotoxic activity that could be enhanced by ligation of NKp46 in re-directed lysis assays. Therefore we conclude that ovine NKp46+ cells represent a population that by phenotype, tissue distribution and function correspond to NK cells and that NKp46 is an activating receptor in sheep as in other species.