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Mechanics has an important role during morphogenesis, both in the generation of forces driving cell shape changes and in determining the effective material properties of cells and tissues. Drosophila dorsal closure has emerged as a reference model system for investigating the interplay between tissue mechanics and cellular activity. During dorsal closure, the amnioserosa generates one of the major forces that drive closure through the apical contraction of its constituent cells. We combined quantitation of live data, genetic and mechanical perturbation and cell biology, to investigate how mechanical properties and contraction rate emerge from cytoskeletal activity. We found that a decrease in Myosin phosphorylation induces a fluidization of amnioserosa cells which become more compliant. Conversely, an increase in Myosin phosphorylation and an increase in actin linear polymerization induce a solidification of cells. Contrary to expectation, these two perturbations have an opposite effect on the strain rate of cells during DC. While an increase in actin polymerization increases the contraction rate of amnioserosa cells, an increase in Myosin phosphorylation gives rise to cells that contract very slowly. The quantification of how the perturbation induced by laser ablation decays throughout the tissue revealed that the tissue in these two mutant backgrounds reacts very differently. We suggest that the differences in the strain rate of cells in situations where Myosin activity or actin polymerization is increased arise from changes in how the contractile forces are transmitted and coordinated across the tissue through ECadherin-mediated adhesion. Altogether, our results show that there is an optimal level of Myosin activity to generate efficient contraction and suggest that the architecture of the actin cytoskeleton and the dynamics of adhesion complexes are important parameters for the emergence of coordinated activity throughout the tissue.
The mitochondrial kinase PINK1 and the ubiquitin ligase Parkin are participating in quality control after CCCP- or ROSinduced mitochondrial damage, and their dysfunction is associated with the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease. Furthermore, PINK1 expression is also induced by starvation indicating an additional role for PINK1 in stress response. Therefore, the effects of PINK1 deficiency on the autophago-lysosomal pathway during stress were investigated. Under trophic deprivation SH-SY5Y cells with stable PINK1 knockdown showed downregulation of key autophagic genes, including Beclin, LC3 and LAMP-2. In good agreement, protein levels of LC3-II and LAMP-2 but not of LAMP-1 were reduced in different cell model systems with PINK1 knockdown or knockout after addition of different stressors. This downregulation of autophagic factors caused increased apoptosis, which could be rescued by overexpression of LC3 or PINK1. Taken together, the PINK1-mediated reduction of autophagic key factors during stress resulted in increased cell death, thus defining an additional pathway that could contribute to the progression of Parkinson’s disease in patients with PINK1 mutations.
It was long assumed that translation initiation in prokaryotes generally occurs via the so-called Shine Dalgarno (SD) mechanism. Recently, it became clear that translation initiation in prokaryotes is more heterogeneous. In the haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii, the majority of transcripts is leaderless and most transcripts with a 5′-UTR lack a SD motif. Nevertheless, a bioinformatic analysis predicted that 20–30% of all genes are preceded by a SD motif in haloarchaea. To analyze the importance of the SD mechanism for translation initiation in haloarchaea experimentally the monocistronic sod gene was chosen, which contains a 5′-UTR with an extensive SD motif of seven nucleotides and a length of 19 nt, the average length of 5′UTRs in this organism. A translational fusion of part of the sod gene with the dhfr reporter gene was constructed. A mutant series was generated that matched the SD motif from zero to eight positions, respectively. Surprisingly, there was no correlation between the base pairing ability between transcripts and 16S rRNA and translational efficiency in vivo under several different growth conditions. Furthermore, complete replacement of the SD motif by three unrelated sequences did not reduce translational efficiency. The results indicate that H. volcanii does not make use of the SD mechanism for translation initiation in 5′-UTRs. A genome analysis revealed that while the number of SD motifs in 5′-UTRs is rare, their fraction within open reading frames is high. Possible biological functions for intragenic SD motifs are discussed, including re-initiation of translation at distal genes in operons.
Haloferax volcanii uses extracellular DNA as a source for carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous. However, it can also grow to a limited extend in the absence of added phosphorous, indicating that it contains an intracellular phosphate storage molecule. As Hfx. volcanii is polyploid, it was investigated whether DNA might be used as storage polymer, in addition to its role as genetic material. It could be verified that during phosphate starvation cells multiply by distributing as well as by degrading their chromosomes. In contrast, the number of ribosomes stayed constant, revealing that ribosomes are distributed to descendant cells, but not degraded. These results suggest that the phosphate of phosphate-containing biomolecules (other than DNA and RNA) originates from that stored in DNA, not in rRNA. Adding phosphate to chromosome depleted cells rapidly restores polyploidy. Quantification of desiccation survival of cells with different ploidy levels showed that under phosphate starvation Hfx. volcanii diminishes genetic advantages of polyploidy in favor of cell multiplication. The consequences of the usage of genomic DNA as phosphate storage polymer are discussed as well as the hypothesis that DNA might have initially evolved in evolution as a storage polymer, and the various genetic benefits evolved later.
Poster presentation at 1st International Workshop on Odor Spaces.
Mice are exceptional in their ability to capture their chemical environment, mapping the olfactory world into a basic sensory representation with over one thousand different types of chemical sensors, that is, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). OSNs of each type converge in the olfactory bulb onto exclusive distinct physiological areas called glomeruli. The glomeruli constitute the first relay station of olfactory stimulus representation in the mouse brain. Thus, the stimulus induced glomerular input pattern spatially embodies an important part of the sensory representation in the olfactory bulb. Still, topographic organization principles (chemotopy, tunotopy) are under debate. One reason might be that investigation are, due to experimental limitations, only performed on stimuli sets in the size of one hundred odors. But this represents only a tiny snapshot of the vast amount of molecules in the olfactory world and topographic relationships might be disguised in the incomplete representation of molecular receptive ranges (MRR). Therefore we investigated the problem with the MOR18-2 glomerulus as point of reference: First we determined it's MRR. Then, based on a measurement set covering this MRR, we elucidated the topographic embedding. It shows that MOR18-2 is embedded in a hierarchy of patchy tunotopic domains.
A third Supplement to the 1992 Catalog of the Scolytidae and Platypodidae (Coleoptera) of the World (Wood and Bright 1992) is presented. This Supplement updates the taxonomy, distribution, and biology pertaining to these families of Coleoptera from 2000 to the end of 2010. A few 2011 taxonomic references are included in order to make the nomenclature as current as possible. The format of this Supplement differs slightly from the format of the original 1992 Catalog and the two previous Supplements. Only references relating to general biology, systematics and distribution were selected to be included. Tribal arrangement follows the scheme established in the 1992 World Catalog, with additions. Each genus is listed alphabetically under the current tribe and the species are listed alphabetically under the current genus. Additional information on figures, distribution, hosts, and references relating to the above are given. The bibliography used with this Supplement lists 580 references, most published from 2000 to the end of 2010. New synonymy proposed: Phloeotribus carinatus Burgos and Equihua, 2003 (= Phloeotribus ebeneus Wood, 2007). New combinations proposed: Phloeosinus kinabaluensis Bright to Hyledius; Phloeosinus phyllocladus Bright to Hyledius.
An argument is made for the retention of the family status of the Scolytidae and Platypodidae as members of the superfamily Curculionoidea. A new subfamily and tribal arrangement is proposed: SCOLYTIDAE comprising 13 subfamilies, Hylesininae, with 12 tribes, Hyorrhynchinae, with one tribe; Scolytinae, with one tribe; Hexacolinae, with one tribe; Cylindrobrotinae, with one tribe; Scolytoplatypodinae, with one tribe; Cactopininae, with one tribe; Carphodicticinae, with one tribe; Micracidinae, with one tribe; Crypturginae, with one tribe; Ipinae, with six tribes; Cryphalinae, with one tribe and Corthylinae, with two tribes and PLATYPODIDAE comprising three subfamilies, Coptonotinae, with three tribes; Tesserocerinae, with two tribes and Platypodinae, with one tribe.
The use of reporter gene fusions to assess cellular processes such as protein targeting and regulation of transcription or translation is established technology in archaeal, bacterial, and eukaryal genetics. Fluorescent proteins or enzymes resulting in chromogenic substrate turnover, like β -galactosidase, have been particularly useful for microscopic and screening purposes. However, application of such methodology is of limited use for strictly anaerobic organisms due to the requirement of molecular oxygen for chromophore formation or color development. We have developed β -lactamase from Escherichia coli (encoded by bla) in conjunction with the chromogenic substrate nitrocefin into a reporter system usable under anaerobic conditions for the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans. By using a signal peptide of a putative flagellin from M. acetivorans and different catabolic promoters, we could demonstrate growth substrate-dependent secretion of β -lactamase, facilitating its use in colony screening on agar plates. Furthermore, a series of fusions comprised of a constitutive promoter and sequences encoding variants of the synthetic tetracycline-responsive riboswitch (tc-RS) was created to characterize its influence on translation initiation in M. acetivorans. One tc-RS variant resulted in more than 11-fold tetracycline-dependent regulation of bla expression, which is in the range of regulation by naturally occurring riboswitches. Thus, tc-RS fusions represent the first solely cis-active, that is, factor-independent system for controlled gene expression in Archaea.
Background: Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of functional endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity. It affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. This chronic condition commonly leads to consequences such as pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, infertility and an elevated risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. Despite the prevalence of endometriosis and its impact on women's lives, there are relatively few in vitro and in vivo models available for studying the complex disease biology, pathophysiology, and for use in the preclinical development of novel therapies. The goal of this study was to develop a novel three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model of ovarian endometriosis and to test whether it is more reflective of endometriosis biology than traditional two dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures.
Methods: A novel ovarian endometriosis epithelial cell line (EEC16) was isolated from a 34-year old female with severe endometriosis. After characterization of cells using in vitro assays, western blotting and RNA-sequencing, this cell line and a second, already well characterized endometriosis cell line, EEC12Z, were established as in vitro 3D spheroid models. We compared biological features of 3D spheroids to 2D cultures and human endometriosis lesions using immunohistochemistry and real-time semi-quantitative PCR.
Results: In comparison to normal ovarian epithelial cells, EEC16 displayed features of neoplastic transformation in in vitro assays. When cultured in 3D, EEC16 and EEC12Z showed differential expression of endometriosis-associated genes compared to 2D monolayer cultures, and more closely mimicked the molecular and histological features of human endometriosis lesions.
Conclusions: To our knowledge, this represents the first report of an in vitro spheroid model of endometriosis. 3D endometriosis models represent valuable experimental tools for studying EEC biology and the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
The haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii was shown to contain 145 intergenic and 45 antisense sRNAs. In a comprehensive approach to unravel various biological roles of haloarchaeal sRNAs in vivo, 27 sRNA genes were selected and deletion mutants were generated. The phenotypes of these mutants were compared to that of the parent strain under ten different conditions, i.e. growth on four different carbon sources, growth at three different salt concentrations, and application of four different stress conditions. In addition, cell morphologies in exponential and stationary phase were observed. Furthermore, swarming of 17 mutants was analyzed. 24 of the 27 mutants exhibited a difference from the parent strain under at least one condition, revealing that haloarchaeal sRNAs are involved in metabolic regulation, growth under extreme conditions, regulation of morphology and behavior, and stress adaptation. Notably, 7 deletion mutants showed a gain of function phenotype, which has not yet been described for any other prokaryotic sRNA gene deletion mutant. Comparison of the transcriptomes of one sRNA gene deletion mutant and the parent strain led to the identification of differentially expressed genes. Genes for flagellins and chemotaxis were up-regulated in the mutant, in accordance with its gain of function swarming phenotype. While the deletion mutant analysis underscored that haloarchaeal sRNAs are involved in many biological functions, the degree of conservation is extremely low. Only 3 of the 27 genes are conserved in more than 10 haloarchaeal species. 22 of the 27 genes are confined to H. volcanii, indicating a fast evolution of haloarchaeal sRNA genes.
Genome-wide association studies are widely used to correlate phenotypic traits with genetic variants. These studies usually compare the genetic variation between two groups to single out certain Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that are linked to a phenotypic variation in one of the groups. However, it is necessary to have a large enough sample size to find statistically significant correlations. Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) genetic testing can supply additional data: DTC-companies offer the analysis of a large amount of SNPs for an individual at low cost without the need to consult a physician or geneticist. Over 100,000 people have already been genotyped through Direct-To-Consumer genetic testing companies. However, this data is not public for a variety of reasons and thus cannot be used in research. It seems reasonable to create a central open data repository for such data. Here we present the web platform openSNP, an open database which allows participants of Direct-To-Consumer genetic testing to publish their genetic data at no cost along with phenotypic information. Through this crowdsourced effort of collecting genetic and phenotypic information, openSNP has become a resource for a wide area of studies, including Genome-Wide Association Studies. openSNP is hosted at http://www.opensnp.org, and the code is released under MIT-license at http://github.com/gedankenstuecke/snpr.
Three neonicotinoids, imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiacloprid, agonists of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in the central brain of insects, were applied at non-lethal doses in order to test their effects on honeybee navigation. A catch-and-release experimental design was applied in which feeder trained bees were caught when arriving at the feeder, treated with one of the neonicotinoids, and released 1.5 hours later at a remote site. The flight paths of individual bees were tracked with harmonic radar. The initial flight phase controlled by the recently acquired navigation memory (vector memory) was less compromised than the second phase that leads the animal back to the hive (homing flight). The rate of successful return was significantly lower in treated bees, the probability of a correct turn at a salient landscape structure was reduced, and less directed flights during homing flights were performed. Since the homing phase in catch-and-release experiments documents the ability of a foraging honeybee to activate a remote memory acquired during its exploratory orientation flights, we conclude that non-lethal doses of the three neonicotinoids tested either block the retrieval of exploratory navigation memory or alter this form of navigation memory. These findings are discussed in the context of the application of neonicotinoids in plant protection.
A novel xanthomonadin-dialkylresorcinol hybrid named arcuflavin was identified in Azoarcus sp. BH72 by a combination of feeding experiments, HPLC-MS and MALDI-MS and gene clusters encoding the biosynthesis of this non-isoprenoid aryl-polyene containing pigment are reported. A chorismate-utilizing enzyme from the XanB2-type producing 3- and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and an AMP-ligase encoded by these gene clusters were characterized, that might perform the first two steps of the polyene biosynthesis. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the already known or novel biosynthesis gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of polyene containing pigments like arcuflavin, flexirubin and xanthomonadin revealed the presence of similar gene clusters in a wide range of bacterial taxa, suggesting that polyene and polyene-dialkylresorcinol pigments are more widespread than previously realized.
A revision of the genus Asterostegus Mortensen, 1933 (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea: Euryalidae) is based on seven specimens, including the holotype of Asterostegus maini McKnight, 2003. A new species, Asterostegus sabineae sp. nov., is described from off Reunion Island and two other species, A. tuberculatus Mortensen, 1933 and A. maini, are redescribed. A tabular key to the three species of the genus Asterostegus is provided. Some terminology of the taxonomy of euryalid ophiuroids is revised.
The types of nominal species of Diapriinae in the collection of the Natural History Museum, London, are catalogued. Lectotypes are designated for the following taxa: Diapria peraffinis Ashmead, 1896; D. smithii Ashmead, 1896; Galesus bipunctatus Ashmead,1894; G. (G.) foersteri var. nigricornis Kieffer, 1911; G. sexpunctatus Ashmead, 1893; G. walkeri Kieffer, 1907; Idiotypa nigriceps Kieffer, 1909; I. nigriceps Kieffer, 1911; I. pallida Ashmead, 1893; I. pallida Ashmead in Riley, Ashmead & Howard, 1894; Paramesius angustipennis Kieffer, 1911; P. cameroni Kieffer, 1911; Phaenopria cameroni Kieffer, 1911; P. halterata Kieffer, 1911; P. magniclavata Ashmead, 1896; Tropidopsis clavata Ashmead, 1893; T. clavata Ashmead in Riley, Ashmead & Howard, 1894. New combinations are proposed: Aneuropria bifurcata comb. nov. for Mantara bifurcata Dodd, 1920; Basalys quadridens comb. nov. for Microgalesus quadridens Kieffer, 1912; Coptera cratocerus comb. nov. for Galesus cratocerus Cameron, 1912; Coptera sexpunctata comb. nov. for Galesus sexpunctatus Ashmead, 1893; Doliopria magniclavata comb. nov. for Phaenopria magniclavata Ashmead, 1896; Spilomicrus aterrimus comb. nov. for Hoplopria aterrima Dodd,
1920; Spilomicrus campbellanus comb. nov. for Antarctopria campbellana Yoshimoto, 1964; Spilomicrus coelopae comb. nov. for Antarctopria coelopae Early, 1978; Spilomicrus diomedeae comb. nov. for Antarctopria diomedeae Early, 1978; Spilomicrus helosciomyzae comb. nov. for Malvina helosciomyzae Early & Horning, 1978; Spilomicrus insulae comb. nov. for Malvina insulae Early, 1980; Spilomicrus latigaster comb. nov. for Antarctopria latigaster Brues in Tillyard, 1920; Spilomicrus punctatus comb. nov. for Malvina punctata Cameron, 1889; Spilomicrus rekohua comb. nov. for Antarctopria rekohua Early, 1978; Trichopria bouceki comb. nov. for Oxypria bouceki Masner, 1959; Trichopria nigriceps comb. nov. for Tropidopria nigriceps Ashmead in Riley, Ashmead & Howard, 1894; Trichopria nigriceps comb. nov. for Xyalopria nigriceps Kieffer, 1907; Trichopria spinosiceps comb. nov. for Acidopria spinosiceps Dodd, 1920; Trichopria walkeri comb. nov. for Diapria walkeri Dalla Torre, 1890. New replacement names are proposed: Coptera mosselensis nom. nov. for C. nigricornis Nixon, 1930 preocc.; Coptera pijiguaorum nom. nov. for C. sexpunctata Montilla & García, 2008 preocc.; Spilomicrus kozlovi nom. nov. for S. punctatus Kozlov, 1978 preocc.; Trichopria fluminis nom. nov. for T. nigriceps (Kieffer, 1907) preocc.; T. thermarum nom. nov. for T. nigriceps (Kieffer, 1913) preocc. New specific synonyms are proposed: Basalys cursitans (Kieffer, 1911) = B. pedisequa (Kieffer, 1911) syn. nov. (the former removed from synonymy with B. parvus Thomson, 1858); B. iphicla Nixon, 1980 = B. macroptera (Kieffer, 1911) syn. nov.; Coptera bipunctata (Ashmead in Riley, Ashmead & Howard, 1894) = C. sexpunctata (Ashmead, 1893) syn. nov.; Idiotypa nigriceps Kieffer, 1911 = I. nigriceps Kieffer, 1909 syn. nov.; I. pallida Ashmead in Riley, Ashmead & Howard, 1894 = I. pallida Ashmead, 1893 syn. nov.; Psilus nigricornis (Kieffer, 1911) = P. fuscipennis (Curtis, 1831) syn. nov.; P. walkeri (Kieffer, 1907) = P. fuscipennis (Curtis, 1831) syn. nov.; T. bouceki (Masner, 1959) = T. conotoma (Kieffer, 1911) syn. nov.; Trichopria halterata (Kieffer, 1911) = T. halterata (Kieffer, 1909) syn. nov. New generic synonyms are proposed: Antarctopria Brues in Tillyard, 1920 = Spilomicrus Westwood, 1832 syn. nov.; Malvina Cameron, 1889 = Spilomicrus Westwood, 1832 syn. nov.; Mantara Dodd, 1920 = Aneuropria Kieffer, 1905 syn. nov.; Microgalesus Kieffer, 1912 = Basalys Westwood, 1833 syn. nov.; Xyalopria Kieffer, 1907 = Trichopria Ashmead, 1893 syn. nov. (Xyalopria is removed from synonymy with Megaplastopria Ashmead, 1903). A brief account of some aspects of the history of these types is given.
Three fossil leafhopper inclusions from Eocene Baltic amber, representing three new extinct genera and species, are described and illustrated. Eomegophthalmus lithuaniensis gen. et sp. nov. is tentatively placed in Megophthalminae, although it may represent the stem group from which Megophthalminae, Ulopinae, and Membracidae arose. Xestocephalites balticus gen. et sp. nov. and Brevaphrodella nigra gen. et sp. nov. are placed in Aphrodinae: Xestocephalini based on the structure of the head, leg chaetotaxy, and male genital capsule. These new genera and species represent the oldest known representatives of their respective subfamilies and the latter is the oldest known brachypterous adult leafhopper.
The study of the Portuguese marine ichthyofauna has a long historical tradition, rooted back in the 18th Century. Here we present an annotated checklist of the marine fishes from Portuguese waters, including the area encompassed by the proposed extension of the Portuguese continental shelf and the Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ). The list is based on historical literature records and taxon occurrence data obtained from natural history collections, together with new revisions and occurrences. It comprises a total of 1191 species, distributed among 3 superclasses, 4 classes, 42 orders, 212 families and 617 genera. If considering only the EEZ and present territorial waters, this list represents an increase of 230 species (27.8%) and of 238 species (29.0%), when compared to the information available in FishBase (2012) and in the last checklist of marine and estuarine fishes of Portugal (1993), respectively. The order Perciformes shows the highest diversity, with 54 families, 162 genera and 299 species. Stomiidae (80 species), Myctophidae (71 species) and Macrouridae (37 species) are the richest families. From the listed species, 734 are present off mainland Portugal, 857 off the Azores and 766 off Madeira. Within the limits of the examined area, three species are reported for the first time in mainland Portugal and twenty-nine records are identified as doubtful. A total of 133 species have been recorded from the extended Portuguese continental shelf (2 off mainland Portugal, 117 off the Azores and 14 off Madeira), two of which are common to the Azores and Madeira extensions. Biogeographically, the Atlantic group is the most important (548 species – 46.01%), followed by the Lusitanian group (256 species – 21.49%), the African group (71 species – 5.96%), the Boreal group (34 species – 2.85%), the Mediterranean group (31 species – 2.60%), the Macaronesian group (21 species – 1.76%), the Atlantic/African group (19 species – 1.60%) and the Mediterranean/African and the Arctic groups, each with only 1 species (0.08%). Regarding the preferences for vertical habitat, the demersal fishes are the most important group (305 species – 25.61%), followed by the mesopelagic group (228 species – 19.14%), the bathypelagic group (164 species – 13.77%), the benthopelagic group (147 species – 12.34%), the bathydemersal group (115 species – 9.66%), the reef-associated group (88 species – 7.39%), the pelagic group (74 species – 6.21%), the epipelagic group (58 species – 4.87%) and 1 species (0.08%) of the benthic group. The oceanic habitat is the best represented group comprising 446 species (37.45%), followed by the shelf group (199 species – 16.71%), the slope group (164 species – 13.77%), the inner shelf group (89 species – 7.47%), the coastal group (70 species – 5.88%), the outer shelf group (29 species – 2.43%) and the oceanic/shelf group (7 species – 0.59%).
For the first time Amphipoda have been discovered living in Bryozoa. A new genus and species of the amphipod family Chevaliidae, Bryoconversor tutus gen. et sp. nov. is described from New Zealand at depths of 530–1500 m. The species lives in an inquiline relationship with the cheilostome bryozoan Onchoporoides moseleyi (Calwelliidae), inhabiting an abfrontal basal coelom of the bryozoan beneath the membranous ectocyst (cuticularized epithelium) that conceals and protects the amphipods. The colony is strengthened along all edges by a unique intracoelomic rod of calcium carbonate that is formed within the marginal kenozooids of the colony. The potential benefits and costs to the bryozoan are discussed.
Xylotrechus rameyi, new species, (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is described from southern Utah. Comments on its biology including habitat, host plants and larval history are provided along with photographs of the holotype, allotype, the related species X. insignis LeConte, and the larval galleries and pupal chamber.
A revised checklist for the butterfly families Papilionidae, Pieridae and Nymphalidae of Trinidad (Trinidad and Tobago) is presented, bringing nomenclature in line with modern usage, indicating synonyms from earlier lists and adding new records since the last checklist was published in 1970. Migrant and vagrant species are provisionally recognised, and records considered incorrect are discussed. The checklist includes 204 species: 15 Papilionidae, 29 Pieridae and 160 Nymphalidae. The only taxonomic change is to treat Hamadryas feronia insularis (Fruhstorfer) as a synonym of H. f. feronia (Linnaeus), syn. nov., and not as a synonym of H. feronia farinulenta (Fruhstorfer).
The Guadeloupe Archipelago, the French overseas Département de Guadeloupe, is a geographically associated group of islands and a natural biogeographic unit. The islands have been available for terrestrial colonization since the late Tertiary. From the viewpoint of beetle systematics and biodiversity, this is the most important set of islands of the Lesser Antilles because more species have been described or recorded from Guadeloupe than any other island or group in the Lesser Antilles. We present a summary of the 1338 beetle species recorded in the literature from the archipelago, in 60 families, and 719 genera. The families with the largest numbers of species are Curculionidae (420), Staphylinidae (153), Chrysomelidae (75), Cerambycidae (69), Scarabaeidae (64), and Tenebrionidae (59). Four hundred eighty two species are known only from one or more islands of the Guadeloupe group and likely speciated there. Guadeloupe is the type locality for an additional 59 species. At least 61 species have been accidentally introduced by human activities. A total of 261 species are known only from the Lesser Antilles including Guadeloupe. The remaining species are naturally more widespread in the Lesser Antilles, or the West Indies, and elsewhere in the New World. The actual number of species on the Guadeloupe Archipelago is estimated to be around 1850 or more species.
A checklist and classification of the species of Elateridae reported from mainland Ecuador are given. Anchastus boulardi Chassain, Cardiorhinus apicalis Golbach, Physorhinus marginatus Candèze, and P. sexnotatus Steinheil are reported from Ecuador for the first time. The recorded elaterid fauna of Ecuador is now represented by 140 species, 38 genera, and 9 subfamilies, which are low taxon richness numbers when compared to those of neighboring countries.
The Virgin Islands (except St. Croix) are geologically part of the Puerto Rico Bank and biologically related to Puerto Rico, but their cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattaria) were not yet as well studied as those on Puerto Rico. To elucidate the number of species, life history, range distribution, and seasonal abundance of these cockroaches, we have conducted a quantitative study since June 2000 using a Malaise trap on Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, in addition to other conventional collecting methods. We found 21 species: Blattella germanica (Linnaeus), Cariblatta antiguensis (Saussure and Zehntner), Cariblatta sp. 2, Cariblatta sp. 3, Colapteroblatta sp. 1, Eurycotis improcera Rehn, Eurycotis sp. 2, Euthlastoblatta facies (Walker), Hemiblabera brunneri (Saussure), Nyctibora lutzi Rehn and Hebard, Panchlora sagax Rehn and Hebard, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus), P. australasiae (Fabricius), Plectoptera infulata Rehn and Hebard, P. rhabdota Rehn and Hebard, Plectoptera sp. 3, Pycnoscelus surinamensis (Linnaeus), Symploce pararufi collis Roth, S. rufi collis (Fabricius), polyphagid sp. 1 (Compsodes sp. 1), and polyphagid sp. 2. Among them, nine are new records for the Virgin Islands and fi ve for Guana Island. In addition, Euthlastoblatta diaphana (Fabricius), Nyctibora noctivaga Rehn, Panchlora nivea (Linnaeus), P. viridis (Fabricius), and Rhyparobia maderae (Fabricius) were recorded historically but were not rediscovered. As a result, the number of species is increased from 17 to 26 for the Virgin Islands, and from 10 to 15 for Guana Island. Overall, only fi ve species are edifi carian and likely introduced. Nymphs of polyphagid sp. 2 and Euthlastoblatta facies are reported for the fi rst time as dwellers in termite runways. Only eight species came to the Malaise trap; their phenology illustrates close but not necessarily synchronic relationship with both the timing and amount of rainfall. Monthly abundance showed spring and fall highs and summer and winter lows. Yearly abundance reached lows when annual rainfall decreased below a threshold average of 2.0 mm per day. Seasonality and response to drought varied among species. This paper lays a foundation for further research on diversity of cockroaches from the Virgin Islands and their relationships with those from Puerto Rico.
The female of Phileurus bucculentus Ohaus, 1911 is described for the first time. It is compared with the male and also with the females of Phileurus carinatus Prell, 1914, with which it can be confused. Additional data for Phileurus carinatus are provided with four new country records for Guyana, Colombia, Peru and Argentina, and its taxonomic status is reviewed.
Pinnaspis chamaecyparidis Takagi, Pinnaspis hikosana Takagi and Pinnaspis uniloba (Kuwana), occurring on Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl., Styrax japonica S. et Z. and Cleyera japonica Thunb. are newly documented in the Korean fauna of armored scales (Diaspididae). The characters of these species are here redescribed with illustrative photographs and information on distribution and hosts along with a dichotomous key to the species of Pinnaspis for correct species identifi cation. In addition, the paper discusses the current status of Pinnaspis buxi (Bouché) and Pinnaspis strachani (Cooley) which are known as native armored scale insects of Korea by analyzing information on the result of the survey.
Examination of the type series of Schizotus gibbifrons Lewis 1887 and Pyrochroa higoniae Lewis 1895, together with examination of the historical Lewis collection of Pseudopyrochroa japonica (Heyden 1879), provide hints as to the conspecifi city of these binomials. This evidence, together with concurrent collection events spanning more than 100 years and general anatomy suggests Pseudopyrochroa japonica (Heyden 1879) and Pseudopyrochroa gibbifrons (Lewis 1887) are conspecifi c. Schizotus gibbifrons Lewis is proposed as a new junior synonym of Pyrochroa japonica Heyden, where it joins the established synonym, Pyrochroa higoniae Lewis (1895). Schizotus theresae Pic 1911 is also proposed as a new junior synonym of Pyrochroa basalis Pic 1906, where it joins a long list of synonyms. Complete synonymies are presented for both species.
This document describes the biological cycle of two species of the genus Corades Doubleday, C. chelonis Hewitson and C. dymantis Thieme. The morphological characteristics of the two species are compared to each other, to other species of Corades and to other members of the subtribe Pronophilina. An outstanding character of the larvae of C. chelonis is the united cephalic horns which differ from the other species of Corades. The hostplant of both species is Chusquea serrulata. Oviposition varies between the two species of the study. Immature stage development takes an average of 147 days for C. chelonis and 150 days for C. dymantis. Both species were raised ex situm in the same life zone. Ethological aspects of the larvae and adults are discussed and compared.
In 2012, two articles were published describing new species of the genus Chelotrupes Jekel, 1866 (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae); the fi rst one included fi ve new species and the second a single species. However, the species described in the second article, Chelotrupes annamariae Byk 2012, is identical to Chelotrupes algarvicus Hillert, Král and Schneider 2012 and should be considered a junior synonym: Chelotrupes algarvicus Hillert, Král and Schneider 2012 = Chelotrupes annamariae Byk 2012, syn. nov.
Considerations of the alimentary canal, mesodermal reproductive organs, and ventral nervous system and brain are provided. The treatise is based on studies of 301 species, representing 99 genera, 11 subfamilies, and two cleroid families. A comparative morphology summary is provided. Morphological variations of the stomodaeum, ventriculus, malpighian tubules, confi guration of the spermathecal capsule, shape of the bursa copulatrix, male accessory glands, and testes provide taxonomically useful characteristics. Provided are 252 illustrations. A new name, Katachaetosoma, nom. nov., is proposed to replace the preoccupied name Chaetosoma Dejean (Insecta: Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).
Sundapyrochroa, a new genus of pyrochroine Pyrochroidae, is described from three Sunda Shelf species most recently assigned to Pseudopyrochroa Pic: Sundapyrochroa atricolor (Pic), comb. nov., recorded from Peninsular Malaysia, Sundapyrochroa nigripennis (Pic), comb. nov., recorded from Peninsular Malaysia, and Sundapyrochroa sumatrensis (Pic), comb. nov., recorded from Borneo (Malaysia: Sabah) and Sumatra (Indonesia). Schizotus rotundicollis Pic, syn. nov., is proposed as a junior synonym of S. sumatrensis. No evidence could be found to support subspecifi c categories for S. nigripennis, thus, Pseudopyrochroa nigripennis notaticeps Pic, syn. nov., is proposed as a junior synonym of S. nigripennis. Gross anatomy of the cranium (female, male), antennae (female, male), and genitalia (male) are both diagnostic and enigmatic, suggesting no clear relationships with other pyrochroine genera.
Tynommatidae, n. stat., elevated from Tynommatinae, is established as a schizopetalidean family encompassing the western North American callipodidans previously assigned to the Mediterranean Schizopetalidae. It is considered a valid taxon despite somewhat anatomically dissimilar subfamilies, and Colactidinae, Texophoninae, Diactidinae, and Aspidiophoninae constitute tribal elevations and additional new statuses. With a subbasal telopodal prefemoral process, Diactis hedini, n. sp., requires rediagnoses of all three diactidine genera, Diactis Loomis, 1937, and Florea and Caliactis, both by Shelley, 1996, and suggests that telopodal branches ‘B’ in congeners and Florea represent distal relocations of the process along the stem. Similarities in the sizes and shapes of the pleurotergal carinae suggest a sister-group relationship with the other, and partly sympatric, New World family, Abacionidae, which is supported by gonopodal similarities between Colactidinae and Abacion Rafi nesque, 1820. The Western Interior Seaway of the Cretaceous Period, Mesozoic Era, ~141–66 million years ago, appears to have fueled divergence by isolating “proto-abacionid stock” in “Appalachia,” the Eastern North American land mass, which has subsequently spread well into previously inundated areas. The allopatric position of Texophoninae, on the Gulf Coast of south Texas around 1,136 km (710 mi) east of the most proximate familial records, is attributed to this waterway, which eradicated faunal linkages with “proto-Tynommatidae” in “Laramidia,” the Western North American land mass. Texophoninae probably survived the Cretaceous on insular refugia; however, it is rarely encountered anymore and seems destined for imminent extinction. Representatives of the east-Asian families, Caspiopetalidae, Paracortinidae, and Sinocallipodidae, also possess demarcated pleurotergal crests and, implausible though it seems, may share ancestry with the North American taxa vis-à-vis the “Asiamerica” and or “Boreotropic” concepts.
A recent investigation was conducted to assess the threat of insect venom hypersensitivity to deployed U.S. service members operating in the region. In parallel with this study, a checklist of medically important Hymenoptera was assembled from limited fi eld collections as well as a comprehensive review of the literature and information provided by electronic databases. We compiled names of 14 families comprising 396 species of Hymenoptera capable of stinging humans. This is the first such checklist for Afghanistan, and should aid future taxonomic work and provide reference information for public health-related entomology in this region.
Scolopendra morsitans L., 1758, is documented from Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, the fi rst record of this anthropochoric chilopod from both the archipelago and state. Hawaii thus becomes the second American state to harbor the species, the other being Florida, where an individual has been taken in Jacksonville, Duval County. Meristic and morphological data are presented for three Hawaiian specimens. At least two other species of Scolopendra, both introduced, occur on these islands: S. polymorpha Wood, 1861, known only from one specimen from Oahu, and one or more representatives of the “S. subspinipes Leach, 1815, complex,” which is widespread and even inhabits Midway Atoll.
A new species of coffee stem and root borer from Colombia is described: Plagiohammus colombiensis, sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae). The new species differs from other species of the genus Plagiohammus Dillon and Dillon by the yellow pattern of spots on the elytra, the morphology of the antenna and pronotum as well as characters of the male genitalia. A key to species of Plagiohammus is provided. This study examines the current situation of the new species of coffee stem and root borer in Colombia. Information on its biology and damage to the coffee plantations is presented.
Thirty five Western Hemisphere species of Glaresidae (Coleoptera) are recognized. Descriptions of new species, redescriptions of those previously described, keys to groups and species, and illustrations of pertinent morphological characters are presented. Nineteen newly described species are Glaresis australis, G. bajaensis, G. bautista, G. caenulenta, G. california, G. costaricensis, G. costata, G. falli, G. dentata, G. donaldi, G. imitator, G. limbata, G. montenegro, G. paramendica, G. sabulosa, G. tumida, G. warneri, G. yanegai, and G. zacateca. Glaresis cartwrighti Gordon is recognized as a junior synonym of G. inducta Horn.
A revision of the genus Acentroptera Guérin-Méneville, 1844 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae)
(2014)
The species of the genus Acentroptera Guérin-Méneville, 1844 are revised. Thirteen species are treated as valid and are illustrated. A neotype is designated for A. tessellata Baly. Acentroptera maculata Pic from Brazil and A. rubronotata Pic from Brazil are treated as incertae sedis. Acentroptera bita n. sp. and A. lineata n. sp. both from Panama are described as new. A key to the 13 treated species is presented. Five species appear to be associated with bromeliads (Bromeliaceae).
Four species of mole crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) are known from the West Indies: Neocurtilla hexadactyla (Perty), Scapteriscus abbreviatus Scudder, S. didactylus (Latreille), and S. imitatus Nickle and Castner. All are adventive (not native). We document their distributions in West Indian islands/countries by use of records from the literature and examination of specimens. Scapteriscus abbreviatus has been suggested to have arrived in, and been transported about the West Indies in ship ballast (immigration). Based on records of arrival in various parts of the West Indies and the species’ inability to fly, this suggestion seems reasonable. Scapteriscus imitatus pparently was released in Puerto Rico as a result of mistaken identification (introduction – arriving with assistance from humans – although inadvertent), and has not expanded its range in the West Indies. Although the principal mode of dispersal for the other two species also has been suggested to be ship ballast, we present an alternative based on flight which would seem at least equally as plausible. We suggest that S. didactylus could have dispersed by flight from South America through the Lesser Antilles; likewise N. hexadactyla probably from the Yucatan Peninsula to Cuba, and from South America northward through the Lesser Antilles, in at least some localities assisted by wind. Our zoogeographical alternative, if correct, means that the natural range expansions of these latter two species began very long ago and without human assistance – they were not introduced recently to the West Indies.
Cupido comyntas (Godart), the eastern tailed-blue, is a legume-feeding caterpillar native to North America. One of its three subspecies, Cupido comyntas comyntas (Godart), is distributed over the eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada. This subspecies was recorded for the first time feeding on cultivated soybean. Caterpillars fed upon soybean at various developmental stages, ranging from seedlings to podded plants, in several fields within a 5-km radius in Brookings County, South Dakota, from July 1 – 25, 2013. Feeding was confined to leaves, and no pod damage was observed. The caterpillars occurred at relatively low densities that were unlikely to have affected yield of soybean crops. An early maturity soybean line, H007Y12, had a lower incidence of C. comyntas comyntas caterpillars than a relatively later maturity line, H19Y11. Butterflies of C. comyntas comyntas were observed feeding from soybean flowers on multiple dates in July and early August. As the geographic distribution of C. comyntas comyntas considerably overlaps the area where soybean is grown, entomologists should watch for and document any additional infestation of soybean by these caterpillars.
A new species of the genus Onychopygia Beier, 1962 Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae) from the northern slopes of Los Cuchumatanes Mountains, Huehuetenango, Guatemala is described and illustrated. The morphological differences and peculiarities between O. panamensis Beier, 1962 and O. brachyptera n. sp. are discussed. The finding of this new taxon extends considerably into entral America our previous knowledge on the distribution of the Eucocconotini tribe. Finally we provide a revised taxonomic key to the Eucocconotini tribe.
New Species of Phyllophaga Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from northeastern Mexico
(2014)
Three new species of Phyllophaga are described from northeastern Mexico: P. (s.str.) gramma n. sp. from grasslands near Monterrey city, state of Nuevo Leon; P. (s.str.) jeanmathieui n. sp. from mixed forests of Sierra Chipinque, Nuevo Leon; and P. (Listrochelus) pinophilus n. sp. from pine-oak forests of mountains in Nuevo Leon and Coahuila. Illustrations of diagnostic structures and comments about the relations of each species are provided.
Background: Simple peak-picking algorithms, such as those based on lineshape fitting, perform well when peaks are completely resolved in multidimensional NMR spectra, but often produce wrong intensities and frequencies for overlapping peak clusters. For example, NOESY-type spectra have considerable overlaps leading to significant peak-picking intensity errors, which can result in erroneous structural restraints. Precise frequencies are critical for unambiguous resonance assignments.
Results: To alleviate this problem, a more sophisticated peaks decomposition algorithm, based on non-negative matrix factorization (NMF), was developed. We produce peak shapes from Fourier-transformed NMR spectra. Apart from its main goal of deriving components from spectra and producing peak lists automatically, the NMF approach can also be applied if the positions of some peaks are known a priori, e.g. from consistently referenced spectral dimensions of other experiments.
Conclusions: Application of the NMF algorithm to a three-dimensional peak list of the 23 kDa bi-domain section of the RcsD protein (RcsD-ABL-HPt, residues 688-890) as well as to synthetic HSQC data shows that peaks can be picked accurately also in spectral regions with strong overlap.
Conjugated vaccines consisting of flagellin and antigen activate TLR5 and induce strong innate and adaptive immune responses. Objective of the present study was to gain further insight into the mechanisms by which flagellin fusion proteins mediate their immune modulating effects. In a mouse model of Ova-induced intestinal allergy a fusion protein of flagellin and Ova (rflaA:Ova) was used for intranasal and intraperitoneal vaccination. Aggregation status of flaA, Ova and flaA:Ova were compared by light scattering, uptake of fluorescence labeled proteins into mDC was analyzed, processing was investigated by microsomal digestion experiments. Mechanism of DC-activation was investigated using proteasome and inflammasome inhibitors. Immune responses of wildtype, IL-10−/−, TLR5−/− mDCs and Ova-transgenic T cells were investigated. Mucosal and i.p.-application of rflaA:Ova were able to prevent allergic sensitization, suppress disease-related symptoms, prevent body weight loss and reduction in food uptake. Intranasal vaccination resulted in strongest suppression of Ova-specific IgE production. These protective effects were associated with increased aggregation of rflaA:Ova and accompanied by tenfold higher uptake rates into mDC compared to the mixture of both proteins. Microsomal digestion showed that stimulation with rflaA:Ova resulted in faster degradation and the generation of different peptides compared to rOva. rflaA:Ova-mediated activation of mDC could be suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by the application of both inflammasome and proteasome inhibitors. Using TLR5−/− mDC the rflaA:Ova induced IL-10 secretion was shown to be TLR5 dependent. In co-cultures of IL-10−/− mDC with DO11.10 T cells the lack of rflaA:Ova-mediated IL-10 secretion resulted in enhanced levels of both TH2 (IL-4, IL-5) and TH1 (IL-2 and IFN-y) cytokines. In summary, mucosal vaccination with flaA:Ova showed strongest preventive effect. Stimulation with rflaA:Ova results in strong immune modulation mediated by enhanced uptake of the aggregated fusion protein, likely resulting in a different processing by DC as well as stronger TLR5 mediated cell activation.
The taxon Syndermata comprises the biologically interesting wheel animals (“Rotifera”: Bdelloidea + Monogononta + Seisonidea) and thorny-headed worms (Acanthocephala), and is central for testing superordinate phylogenetic hypotheses (Platyzoa, Gnathifera) in the metazoan tree of life. Recent analyses of syndermatan phylogeny suggested paraphyly of Eurotatoria (free-living bdelloids and monogononts) with respect to endoparasitic acanthocephalans. Data of epizoic seisonids, however, were absent, which may have affected the branching order within the syndermatan clade. Moreover, the position of Seisonidea within Syndermata should help in understanding the evolution of acanthocephalan endoparasitism. Here, we report the first phylogenomic analysis that includes all four higher-ranked groups of Syndermata. The analyzed data sets comprise new transcriptome data for Seison spec. (Seisonidea), Brachionus manjavacas (Monogononta), Adineta vaga (Bdelloidea), and Paratenuisentis ambiguus (Acanthocephala). Maximum likelihood and Bayesian trees for a total of 19 metazoan species were reconstructed from up to 410 functionally diverse proteins. The results unanimously place Monogononta basally within Syndermata, and Bdelloidea appear as the sister group to a clade comprising epizoic Seisonidea and endoparasitic Acanthocephala. Our results support monophyly of Syndermata, Hemirotifera (Bdelloidea + Seisonidea + Acanthocephala), and Pararotatoria (Seisonidea + Acanthocephala), rejecting monophyly of traditional Rotifera and Eurotatoria. This serves as an indication that early acanthocephalans lived epizoically or as ectoparasites on arthropods, before their complex lifecycle with arthropod intermediate and vertebrate definite hosts evolved.