bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does 'acoustic anchoring' reduce post-translocation dispersal of North Island robins?
Authors: Bradley David W. , Ninnes Calum E. , Valderrama Sandra V. , Waas Joseph R.
Published: March 2011

Context
Animal translocations are an important conservation tool; however, post-release dispersal can hinder successful population establishment. Playback of conspecific song attracts dispersing individuals in some species, although its application following animal translocation has yet to be rigorously investigated.

Aims
To determine whether conspecific song can be used as an ‘acoustic anchor’, we adopted an experimental approach during the translocation of 60 North Island robins (Petroica longipes).

Methods
At one of two release locations, we broadcast song at natural rates from four speakers (4 h per morning), for 9 days following release; we set the second release location as a control where identical conditions were established but no playback occurred. To assess the impact of playback, we monitored speaker and control locations, surveyed tracks around the release areas, and radio-tracked robins over nine playback days and an additional 9 days.

Key results
Most robins left both immediate release areas; however, our results showed that (1) more robins (6 birds on 14 of the 18 days), in particular females (3 birds), approached the playback location than the ‘flagged’ control location (3 male birds on 5 of the 18 days), (2) individual robins returned to the playback location repeatedly, unlike those at the control site, and (3) robins also visited the playback location longer after playback than they did silent control locations. In contrast, radio-telemetry data from five robins suggested that general dispersal was not influenced by playback. Two radio-tracked females moved over long distances (some to >3 km from their release location), whereas two radio-tracked males remained relatively close to the release sites.

Conclusions
We demonstrated a short-term attraction effect of playback over a period of several weeks for some birds, particularly females. In contrast, we detected fewer birds over a shorter period at the silent control release site, where no females were detected. However, long-term monitoring at both sites suggested that the effect of playback on reducing post-release dispersal was transitory.

Implications
The lack of a clear and lasting effect of acoustic anchoring on dispersal in the present study has provided information on the limited utility of song playback as a conservation management tool for this species. Consideration of the species’ ecology and suitability for ‘acoustic anchoring’ must be made before playback is employed as a conservation measure to reduce excess post-translocation dispersal.
Identifying governance strategies that effectively support ecosystem services, resource sustainability, and biodiversity
Authors: Kenward R. E. , Whittingham M. J. , Arampatzis S. , Manos B. D. , Hahn T. , Terry A. , Simoncini R. , Alcorn J. , Bastian O. , Donlan M. , Elowe K. , Franzén F. , Karacsonyi Z. , Larsson M. , Manou D. , Navodaru I. , Papadopoulou O. , Papathanasiou J. , von Raggamby A. , Sharp R. J. A. , Söderqvist T. , Soutukorva Å. , Vavrova L. , Aebischer N. J. , Leader-Williams N. , Rutz C.
Published: March 2011

Conservation scientists, national governments, and international conservation groups seek to devise, and implement, governance strategies that mitigate human impact on the environment. However, few studies to date have systematically investigated the performance of different systems of governance in achieving successful conservation outcomes. Here, we use a newly-developed analytic framework to conduct analyses of a suite of case studies, linking different governance strategies to standardized scores for delivering ecosystem services, achieving sustainable use of natural resources, and conserving biodiversity, at both local and international levels. Our results: (
i
) confirm the benefits of adaptive management; and (
ii
) reveal strong associations for the role of leadership. Our work provides a critical step toward implementing empirically justified governance strategies that are capable of improving the management of human-altered environments, with benefits for both biodiversity and people.
Resolving variation in the reproductive tradeoff between sperm size and number
Authors: Immler Simone , Pitnick Scott , Parker Geoff A. , Durrant Kate L. , Lüpold Stefan , Calhim Sara , Birkhead Tim R.
Published: March 2011

Spermatozoa are amongst the most variable cells, and three factors are thought to account for this variation in design: fertilization mode, phylogeny, and postcopulatory sexual selection. In addition, it has long been assumed that a tradeoff exists between sperm size and number, and although postcopulatory sexual selection affects both traits, empirical evidence for a tradeoff has so far been elusive. Our recent theoretical model predicts that the nature of a direct tradeoff between sperm size and number varies with sperm competition mechanism and sperm competition risk. We test these predictions using a comparative approach in two very different taxa with different sperm competition mechanisms: passerine birds (mechanism: simple raffle) and
Drosophila
fruit flies (sperm displacement). We show that in both groups, males increase their total ejaculate investment with increasing sperm competition risk, but whereas passerine birds allocate disproportionately to sperm number, drosophilids allocate disproportionately to sperm size. This striking difference between the two groups can be at least partly explained by sperm competition mechanisms depending on sperm size relative to the size of the female reproductive tract: in large animals (passerines), sperm numbers are advantageous in sperm competition owing to dilution inside the female tract, whereas in small animals (drosophilids), large sperm are advantageous for physical competition (sperm displacement). Our study provides two important results. First, we provide convincing evidence for the existence of a sperm size–number tradeoff. Second, we show that by considering both sperm competition mechanism and dilution, can we account for variation in sperm size between different taxa.
A single Mid-Pleistocene long-distance dispersal by a bird can explain the extreme bipolar disjunction in crowberries (
Empetrum
)
Authors: Popp Magnus , Mirré Virginia , Brochmann Christian
Published: March 2011

The proposed age of the striking biogeographic disjunction between the Arctic and southernmost South America varies from more than 65 million to a few thousand years, but no estimates based on explicit models and molecular data are available. Here we address the origin of bipolarity in crowberries (
Empetrum
), which are heath-forming dwarf shrubs with animal-dispersed fruits. We apply a fossil-calibrated relaxed molecular clock to model sequence evolution in two nuclear low-copy and two plastid DNA regions from 41 individual plants (420 clones for the nuclear regions) representing the entire geographic distribution of crowberries. The plastid region
mat
K and four fossil calibration points were used to infer the ages of the crowberry stem and crown groups. All analyses resolved three major crowberry clades (A–C). Clade A contained sequences from the eastern Canadian pink-fruited crowberry (
E. eamesii
) as sister to clades B and C, which both contained sequences from the black-fruited northern hemisphere crowberry (
E. nigrum
). Clade B also contained a subclade with all sequences from the red-fruited southern hemisphere crowberry, which is often referred to as a distinct species,
E. rubrum
. Its closest relatives were consistently identified as black-fruited plants from northwestern North America. The median time to the most recent common ancestor for northern and southern hemisphere crowberries was estimated to 0.56–0.93 Ma, and 0.26–0.59 Ma for the southern plants only. We conclude that a single dispersal by a bird from northwestern North America to southernmost South America, taking place in the Mid-Pleistocene, is sufficient to explain the disjunction in crowberries.
Fiber density between rhinal cortex and activated ventrolateral prefrontal regions predicts episodic memory performance in humans
Authors: Schott Björn H. , Niklas Christoph , Kaufmann Jörn , Bodammer Nils C. , Machts Judith , Schütze Hartmut , Düzel Emrah
Published: March 2011

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is assumed to contribute to goal-directed episodic encoding by exerting cognitive control on medial temporal lobe (MTL) memory processes. However, it is thus far unclear to what extent the contribution of PFC-MTL interactions to memory manifests at a structural anatomical level. We combined functional magnetic resonance imaging and fiber tracking based on diffusion tensor imaging in 28 young, healthy adults to quantify the density of white matter tracts between PFC regions that were activated during the encoding period of a verbal free-recall task and MTL subregions. Across the cohort, the strength of fiber bundles linking activated ventrolateral PFC regions and the rhinal cortex (comprising the peri- and entorhinal cortices) of the MTL correlated positively with free-recall performance. These direct white matter connections provide a basis through which activated regions in the PFC can interact with the MTL and contribute to interindividual differences in human episodic memory.
Spacecraft instrument technology and cosmochemistry
Authors: McSween Harry Y. , McNutt Ralph L. , Prettyman Thomas H.
Published: March 2011

Measurements by instruments on spacecraft have significantly advanced cosmochemistry. Spacecraft missions impose serious limitations on instrument volume, mass, and power, so adaptation of laboratory instruments drives technology. We describe three examples of flight instruments that collected cosmochemical data. Element analyses by Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometers on the Mars Exploration Rovers have revealed the nature of volcanic rocks and sedimentary deposits on Mars. The Gamma Ray Spectrometer on the Lunar Prospector orbiter provided a global database of element abundances that resulted in a new understanding of the Moon’s crust. The Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer on Cassini has analyzed the chemical compositions of the atmosphere of Titan and active plumes on Enceladus.
Climate-related disaster opens a window of opportunity for rural poor in northeastern Honduras
Authors: McSweeney Kendra , Coomes Oliver T.
Published: March 2011

Two distinct views are evident in research on how rural communities in developing countries cope with extreme weather events brought by climate change: (
i
) that the resource-reliant poor are acutely vulnerable and need external assistance to prepare for such events, and (
ii
) that climate-related shocks can offer windows of opportunity in which latent local adaptive capacities are triggered, leading to systemic improvement. Results from a longitudinal study in a Tawahka community in Honduras before and after Hurricane Mitch (1994–2002) indicate that residents were highly vulnerable to the hurricane—due in part to previous development assistance—and that the poorest households were the hardest hit. Surprisingly, however, the disaster enabled the poor to initiate an institutional change that led to more equitable land distribution, slowed primary forest conversion, and positioned the community well to cope with comparable flooding occurring 10 y later. The study provides compelling evidence that communities can seize on the window of opportunity created by climate-induced shocks to generate sustained social-ecological improvement, and suggests that future interventions should foster local capacities for endogenous institutional change to enhance community resilience to climate shocks.
An anticlastogenic function for the Polycomb Group gene Bmi1
Authors: Chagraoui Jalila , Hébert Josée , Girard Simon , Sauvageau Guy
Published: March 2011

BMI1
is a key component of multiprotein Polycomb repression complex 1 (PRC1), and its disruption in mice induces severe aplastic anemia by early adulthood. The contributing mechanisms responsible for this phenotype remain elusive. Here we show that transformed human cell lines as well as primitive hematopoietic cells exhibit a high frequency of spontaneous chromosome breaks upon BMI1 depletion and are hypersensitive to genotoxic agents. Consistent with these observations, we found that BMI1 is recruited rapidly to DNA damage foci where it blocks transcriptional elongation. We also show that BMI1 contributes to homologous recombination DNA repair and is required for checkpoint recovery. Taken together, our results suggest that BMI1 is critical for the maintenance of chromosome integrity in both normal and transformed cells.
TNF-α from inflammatory dendritic cells (DCs) regulates lung IL-17A/IL-5 levels and neutrophilia versus eosinophilia during persistent fungal infection
Authors: Fei Mingjian , Bhatia Shikha , Oriss Timothy B. , Yarlagadda Manohar , Khare Anupriya , Akira Shizuo , Saijo Shinobu , Iwakura Yoichiro , Fallert Junecko Beth A. , Reinhart Todd A. , Foreman Oded , Ray Prabir , Kolls Jay , Ray Anuradha
Published: March 2011

Aspergillus fumigatus
is commonly associated with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in patients with severe asthma in which chronic airway neutrophilia predicts a poor outcome. We were able to recapitulate fungus-induced neutrophilic airway inflammation in a mouse model in our efforts to understand the underlying mechanisms. However, neutrophilia occurred in a mouse strain-selective fashion, providing us with an opportunity to perform a comparative study to elucidate the mechanisms involved. Here we show that TNF-α, largely produced by Ly6c
+
CD11b
+
dendritic cells (DCs), plays a central role in promoting IL-17A from CD4
+
T cells and collaborating with it to induce airway neutrophilia. Compared with C57BL/6 mice, BALB/c mice displayed significantly more TNF-α–producing DCs and macrophages in the lung. Lung TNF-α levels were drastically reduced in CD11c-DTR BALB/c mice depleted of CD11c+ cells, and TNF-α–producing Ly6c
+
CD11b
+
cells were abolished in Dectin-1
−/−
and MyD88
−/−
BALB/c mice. TNF-α deficiency itself blunted accumulation of inflammatory Ly6c
+
CD11b
+
DCs. Also, lack of TNF-α decreased IL-17A but promoted IL-5 levels, switching inflammation from a neutrophil to eosinophil bias resembling that in C57BL/6 mice. The TNF-α
low
DCs in C57BL/6 mice contained more NF-κB p50 homodimers, which are strong repressors of TNF-α transcription. Functionally, collaboration between TNF-α and IL-17A triggered significantly higher levels of the neutrophil chemoattractants keratinocyte cytokine and macrophage inflammatory protein 2 in BALB/c mice. Our study identifies TNF-α as a molecular switch that orchestrates a sequence of events in DCs and CD4 T cells that promote neutrophilic airway inflammation.
Diatoms respire nitrate to survive dark and anoxic conditions
Authors: Kamp Anja , de Beer Dirk , Nitsch Jana L. , Lavik Gaute , Stief Peter
Published: March 2011

Diatoms survive in dark, anoxic sediment layers for months to decades. Our investigation reveals a correlation between the dark survival potential of marine diatoms and their ability to accumulate NO
3
−
intracellularly. Axenic strains of benthic and pelagic diatoms that stored 11–274 mM NO
3
−
in their cells survived for 6–28 wk. After sudden shifts to dark, anoxic conditions, the benthic diatom
Amphora coffeaeformis
consumed 84–87% of its intracellular NO
3
−
pool within 1 d. A stable-isotope labeling experiment proved that
15
NO
3
−
consumption was accompanied by the production and release of
15
NH
4
+
, indicating dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). DNRA is an anaerobic respiration process that is known mainly from prokaryotic organisms, and here shown as dissimilatory nitrate reduction pathway used by a eukaryotic phototroph. Similar to large sulfur bacteria and benthic foraminifera, diatoms may respire intracellular NO
3
−
in sediment layers without O
2
and NO
3
−
. The rapid depletion of the intracellular NO
3
−
storage, however, implies that diatoms use DNRA to enter a resting stage for long-term survival. Assuming that pelagic diatoms are also capable of DNRA, senescing diatoms that sink through oxygen-deficient water layers may be a significant NH
4
+
source for anammox, the prevalent nitrogen loss pathway of oceanic oxygen minimum zones.
Polyploidy and ecological adaptation in wild yarrow
Authors: Ramsey Justin
Published: March 2011

Chromosome evolution in flowering plants is often punctuated by polyploidy, genome duplication events that fundamentally alter DNA content, chromosome number, and gene dosage. Polyploidy confers postzygotic reproductive isolation and is thought to drive ecological divergence and range expansion. The adaptive value of polyploidy, however, remains uncertain; ecologists have traditionally relied on observational methods that cannot distinguish effects of polyploidy per se from genic differences that accumulate after genome duplication. Here I use an experimental approach to test how polyploidy mediates ecological divergence inAchillea borealis(Asteraceae), a widespread tetraploid plant with localized hexaploid populations. In coastal California, tetraploids and hexaploids occupy mesic grassland and xeric dune habitats, respectively. Using field transplant experiments with wild-collected plants, I show that hexaploids have a fivefold fitness advantage over tetraploids in dune habitats. Parallel experiments with neohexaploids—first-generation mutants screened from a tetraploid genetic background—reveal that a 70% fitness advantage is achieved via genome duplication per se. These results suggest that genome duplication transforms features ofA. borealisin a manner that confers adaptation to a novel environment.
Microbiota regulates immune defense against respiratory tract influenza A virus infection
Authors: Ichinohe Takeshi , Pang Iris K. , Kumamoto Yosuke , Peaper David R. , Ho John H. , Murray Thomas S. , Iwasaki Akiko
Published: March 2011

Although commensal bacteria are crucial in maintaining immune homeostasis of the intestine, the role of commensal bacteria in immune responses at other mucosal surfaces remains less clear. Here, we show that commensal microbiota composition critically regulates the generation of virus-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells and antibody responses following respiratory influenza virus infection. By using various antibiotic treatments, we found that neomycin-sensitive bacteria are associated with the induction of productive immune responses in the lung. Local or distal injection of Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands could rescue the immune impairment in the antibiotic-treated mice. Intact microbiota provided signals leading to the expression of mRNA for pro–IL-1β and pro–IL-18 at steady state. Following influenza virus infection, inflammasome activation led to migration of dendritic cells (DCs) from the lung to the draining lymph node and T-cell priming. Our results reveal the importance of commensal microbiota in regulating immunity in the respiratory mucosa through the proper activation of inflammasomes.
Direct regulation of
Escherichia coli
ribosomal protein promoters by the transcription factors ppGpp and DksA
Authors: Lemke Justin J. , Sanchez-Vazquez Patricia , Burgos Hector L. , Hedberg Gina , Ross Wilma , Gourse Richard L.
Published: March 2011

We show here that the promoters for many of the
Escherichia coli
ribosomal protein operons are regulated directly by two transcription factors, the small RNA polymerase-binding protein DksA and the nutritional stress-induced nucleotide ppGpp. ppGpp and DksA work together to inhibit transcription initiation from ribosomal protein promoters in vitro and in vivo. The degree of promoter regulation by ppGpp/DksA varies among the r-protein promoters, but some are inhibited almost as much as rRNA promoters. Thus, many r-protein operons are regulated at the level of transcription in addition to their control by the classic translational feedback systems discovered ~30 y ago. We conclude that direct control of r-protein promoters and rRNA promoters by the same signal, ppGpp/DksA, makes a major contribution to the balanced and coordinated synthesis rates of all of the ribosomal components.
Physical effects underlying the transition from primitive to modern cell membranes
Authors: Budin Itay , Szostak Jack W.
Published: March 2011

To understand the emergence of Darwinian evolution, it is necessary to identify physical mechanisms that enabled primitive cells to compete with one another. Whereas all modern cell membranes are composed primarily of diacyl or dialkyl glycerol phospholipids, the first cell membranes are thought to have self-assembled from simple, single-chain lipids synthesized in the environment. We asked what selective advantage could have driven the transition from primitive to modern membranes, especially during early stages characterized by low levels of membrane phospholipid. Here we demonstrate that surprisingly low levels of phospholipids can drive protocell membrane growth during competition for single-chain lipids. Growth results from the decreasing fatty acid efflux from membranes with increasing phospholipid content. The ability to synthesize phospholipids from single-chain substrates would have therefore been highly advantageous for early cells competing for a limited supply of lipids. We show that the resulting increase in membrane phospholipid content would have led to a cascade of new selective pressures for the evolution of metabolic and transport machinery to overcome the reduced membrane permeability of diacyl lipid membranes. The evolution of phospholipid membranes could thus have been a deterministic outcome of intrinsic physical processes and a key driving force for early cellular evolution.
Drug screening in a zebrafish model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Kawahara Genri , Karpf Jeremy A. , Myers Jennifer A. , Alexander Matthew S. , Guyon Jeffrey R. , Kunkel Louis M.
Published: March 2011

Two known zebrafish dystrophin mutants,sapjeandsapje-like (sapc/100), represent excellent small-animal models of human muscular dystrophy. Using these dystrophin-null zebrafish, we have screened the Prestwick chemical library for small molecules that modulate the muscle phenotype in these fish. With a quick and easy birefringence assay, we have identified seven small molecules that influence muscle pathology in dystrophin-null zebrafish without restoration of dystrophin expression. Three of seven candidate chemicals restored normal birefringence and increased survival of dystrophin-null fish. One chemical, aminophylline, which is known to be a nonselective phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, had the greatest ability to restore normal muscle structure and up-regulate the cAMP-dependent PKA pathway in treated dystrophin-deficient fish. Moreover, other PDE inhibitors also reduced the percentage of affectedsapjefish. The identification of compounds, especially PDE inhibitors, that moderate the muscle phenotype in these dystrophin-null zebrafish validates the screening protocol described here and may lead to candidate molecules to be used as therapeutic interventions in human muscular dystrophy.
Tuning the affinity of aminoacyl-tRNA to elongation factor Tu for optimal decoding
Authors: Schrader Jared M. , Chapman Stephen J. , Uhlenbeck Olke C.
Published: March 2011

To better understand why aminoacyl-tRNAs (aa-tRNAs) have evolved to bind bacterial elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) with uniform affinities, mutant tRNAs with differing affinities for EF-Tu were assayed for decoding on
Escherichia coli
ribosomes. At saturating EF-Tu concentrations, weaker-binding aa-tRNAs decode their cognate codons similarly to wild-type tRNAs. However, tighter-binding aa-tRNAs show reduced rates of peptide bond formation due to slow release from EF-Tu•GDP. Thus, the affinities of aa-tRNAs for EF-Tu are constrained to be uniform by their need to bind tightly enough to form the ternary complex but weakly enough to release from EF-Tu during decoding. Consistent with available crystal structures, the identity of the esterified amino acid and three base pairs in the T stem of tRNA combine to define the affinity of each aa-tRNA for EF-Tu, both off and on the ribosome.
Two ubiquitin ligases, APC/C-Cdh1 and SKP1-CUL1-F (SCF)-β-TrCP, sequentially regulate glycolysis during the cell cycle
Authors: Tudzarova Slavica , Colombo Sergio L. , Stoeber Kai , Carcamo Saul , Williams Gareth H. , Moncada Salvador
Published: March 2011

During cell proliferation, the abundance of the glycolysis-promoting enzyme, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase, isoform 3 (PFKFB3), is controlled by the ubiquitin ligase APC/C-Cdh1 via a KEN box. We now demonstrate in synchronized HeLa cells that PFKFB3, which appears in mid-to-late G1, is essential for cell division because its silencing prevents progression into S phase. In cells arrested by glucose deprivation, progression into S phase after replacement of glucose occurs only when PFKFB3 is present or is substituted by the downstream glycolytic enzyme 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase. PFKFB3 ceases to be detectable during late G1/S despite the absence of Cdh1; this disappearance is prevented by proteasomal inhibition. PFKFB3 contains a DSG box and is therefore a potential substrate for SCF-β-TrCP, a ubiquitin ligase active during S phase. In synchronized HeLa cells transfected with PFKFB3 mutated in the KEN box, the DSG box, or both, we established the breakdown routes of the enzyme at different stages of the cell cycle and the point at which glycolysis is enhanced. Thus, the presence of PFKFB3 is tightly controlled to ensure the up-regulation of glycolysis at a specific point in G1. We suggest that this up-regulation of glycolysis and its associated events represent the nutrient-sensitive restriction point in mammalian cells.
Suicidal [
PSI
+
] is a lethal yeast prion
Authors: McGlinchey Ryan P. , Kryndushkin Dmitry , Wickner Reed B.
Published: March 2011

[
PSI
+
] is a prion of the essential translation termination factor Sup35p. Although mammalian prion infections are uniformly fatal, commonly studied [
PSI
+
] variants do not impair growth, leading to suggestions that [
PSI
+
] may protect against stress conditions. We report here that over half of [
PSI
+
] variants are sick or lethal. These “killer [
PSI
+
]s” are compatible with cell growth only when also expressing minimal Sup35C, lacking the N-terminal prion domain. The severe detriment of killer [
PSI
+
] results in rapid selection of nonkiller [
PSI
+
] variants or loss of the prion. We also report variants of [URE3], a prion of the nitrogen regulation protein Ure2p, that grow much slower than
ure2
Δ cells. Our findings give a more realistic picture of the impact of the prion change than does focus on “mild” prion variants.
Report on the Advanced Research and Training Seminars (ARTS) 2010
Authors: Bullock Merry , Soygüt Gonca
Published: March 2011

The 2010 Advanced Research and Training Seminars (ARTS) program is described, with a history of the ARTS program, its reorganization in 2009, and implementation in 2010. ARTS is held every two years at a major international congress, and is designed to enhance research skills, promote attendance at international congresses, and provide networking possibilities for scholars from developing countries. From over 85 applicants, 46 psychologists from 18 countries, with a median age of 34, were selected to participate in one of three ARTS seminars, held in Melbourne, Australia in the summer of 2010. Each seminar was evaluated by participants and conveners. Program details and future directions are discussed.
The astrin–kinastrin/SKAP complex localizes to microtubule plus ends and facilitates chromosome alignment
Authors: Dunsch Anja K. , Linnane Emily , Barr Francis A. , Gruneberg Ulrike
Published: March 2011

Astrin is a mitotic spindle–associated protein required for the correct alignment of all chromosomes at the metaphase plate. Astrin depletion delays chromosome alignment and causes the loss of normal spindle architecture and sister chromatid cohesion before anaphase onset. Here we describe an astrin complex containing kinastrin/SKAP, a novel kinetochore and mitotic spindle protein, and three minor interaction partners: dynein light chain, Plk1, and Sgo2. Kinastrin is the major astrin-interacting protein in mitotic cells, and is required for astrin targeting to microtubule plus ends proximal to the plus tip tracking protein EB1. Cells overexpressing or depleted of kinastrin mislocalize astrin and show the same mitotic defects as astrin-depleted cells. Importantly, astrin fails to localize to and track microtubule plus ends in cells depleted of or overexpressing kinastrin. These findings suggest that microtubule plus end targeting of astrin is required for normal spindle architecture and chromosome alignment, and that perturbations of this pathway result in delayed mitosis and nonphysiological separase activation.
P granules extend the nuclear pore complex environment in the C. elegans germ line
Authors: Updike Dustin L. , Hachey Stephanie J. , Kreher Jeremy , Strome Susan
Published: March 2011

The immortal and totipotent properties of the germ line depend on determinants within the germ plasm. A common characteristic of germ plasm across phyla is the presence of germ granules, including P granules in Caenorhabditis elegans, which are typically associated with the nuclear periphery. In C. elegans, nuclear pore complex (NPC)–like FG repeat domains are found in the VASA-related P-granule proteins GLH-1, GLH-2, and GLH-4 and other P-granule components. We demonstrate that P granules, like NPCs, are held together by weak hydrophobic interactions and establish a size-exclusion barrier. Our analysis of intestine-expressed proteins revealed that GLH-1 and its FG domain are not sufficient to form granules, but require factors like PGL-1 to nucleate the localized concentration of GLH proteins. GLH-1 is necessary but not sufficient for the perinuclear location of granules in the intestine. Our results suggest that P granules extend the NPC environment in the germ line and provide insights into the roles of the PGL and GLH family proteins.
PGL proteins self associate and bind RNPs to mediate germ granule assembly in C. elegans
Authors: Hanazawa Momoyo , Yonetani Masafumi , Sugimoto Asako
Published: March 2011

Germ granules are germ lineage–specific ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, but how they are assembled and specifically segregated to germ lineage cells remains unclear. Here, we show that the PGL proteins PGL-1 and PGL-3 serve as the scaffold for germ granule formation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Using cultured mammalian cells, we found that PGL proteins have the ability to self-associate and recruit RNPs. Depletion of PGL proteins from early C. elegans embryos caused dispersal of other germ granule components in the cytoplasm, suggesting that PGL proteins are essential for the architecture of germ granules. Using a structure–function analysis in vivo, we found that two functional domains of PGL proteins contribute to germ granule assembly: an RGG box for recruiting RNA and RNA-binding proteins and a self-association domain for formation of globular granules. We propose that self-association of scaffold proteins that can bind to RNPs is a general mechanism by which large RNP granules are formed.
Transcriptional regulation of the Th17 immune response by IKKα
Authors: Li Li , Ruan Qingguo , Hilliard Brendan , DeVirgiliis Jennifer , Karin Michael , Chen Youhai H.
Published: March 2011

Th17 cells are a subset of T cells that play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases. We report here the identification of IKKα (inhibitor of NF-κB kinase-α) as a key transcriptional regulator of the Th17 lineage. T cells expressing a nonactivatable form of IKKα were significantly compromised in their ability to produce IL-17 and to initiate neural inflammation. IKKα is present in the nuclei of resting CD4+ T cells. Upon Th17 differentiation, IKKα selectively associated with the Il17a locus, and promoted its histone H3 phosphorylation and transcriptional activation in a NF-κB–independent manner. These findings indicate that nuclear IKKα maintains the Th17 phenotype by activating the Il17a gene.
High-latitude climate variability and its effect on fisheries resources as revealed by fossil cod otoliths
Authors: Geffen Audrey J. , Høie Hans , Folkvord Arild , Hufthammer Anne Karin , Andersson Carin , Ninnemann Ulysses , Pedersen Rolf B. , Nedreaas Kjell
Published: March 2011

Geffen, A. J., Høie, H., Folkvord, A., Hufthammer, A. K., Andersson, C., Ninnemann, U., Pedersen, R. B., and Nedreaas, K. 2011. High-latitude climate variability and its effect on fisheries resources as revealed by fossil cod otoliths. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 1081–1089. Cod (Gadus morhua) otoliths from archaeological sites in northern Norway were analysed to reconstruct the temperature regime and determine the age structure, growth, and population identity of the fish harvested. Otoliths were selected from late- and post-medieval sites (700–300 years ago) to evaluate historical changes in the geographic region that matches the present-day stocks of Northeast Arctic cod (NEAC) and Norwegian coastal cod (NCC). Seasonal temperature cycles were reconstructed from stable isotope (δ18O) measurements along transects representing fish ages 1.5–3 years old. Reconstructions of the size, age, and growth characteristics of individual fish were based on otolith growth increments. The geographical source and stock identity of the individuals were estimated based on otolith elemental composition and otolith growth features. Both NCC and NEAC fish were represented at Måsøy and Vanna. The results indicate that fishing at Vanna exploited NEAC during their spawning migration, compared with fishing at Måsøy, which was restricted to more coastal fish. Fish growth patterns appeared to be affected by changes in the temperature regimes as estimated from otolith δ18O and back-calculated fish length-at-age, with evident differences between pre- and post-1600 periods.
The Helper Component Proteinase Cistron of Potato virus Y Induces Hypersensitivity and Resistance in Potato Genotypes Carrying Dominant Resistance Genes on Chromosome IV
Authors: Moury Benoît , Caromel Bernard , Johansen Elisabeth , Simon Vincent , Chauvin Laura , Jacquot Emmanuel , Kerlan Camille , Lefebvre Véronique
Published: March 2011

The Nctbr and Nytbr genes in Solanum tuberosum determine hypersensitive reactions, characterized by necrotic reactions and restriction of the virus systemic movement, toward isolates belonging to clade C and clade O of Potato virus Y (PVY), respectively. We describe a new resistance from S. sparsipilum which possesses the same phenotype and specificity as Nctbr and is controlled by a dominant gene designated Ncspl. Ncspl maps on potato chromosome IV close or allelic to Nytbr. The helper component proteinase (HC-Pro) cistron of PVY was shown to control necrotic reactions and resistance elicitation in plants carrying Ncspl, Nctbr, and Nytbr. However, inductions of necrosis and of resistance to the systemic virus movement in plants carrying Ncspl reside in different regions of the HC-Pro cistron. Also, genomic determinants outside the HC-Pro cistron are involved in the systemic movement of PVY after induction of necroses on inoculated leaves of plants carrying Nytbr. These results suggest that the Nytbr resistance may have been involved in the recent emergence of PVY isolates with a recombination breakpoint near the junction of HC-Pro and P3 cistrons in potato crops. Therefore, this emergence could constitute one of the rare examples of resistance breakdown by a virus which was caused by recombination instead of by successive accumulation of nucleotide substitutions.
Resistance toTomato yellow leaf curl virusAccumulation in the Tomato Wild RelativeSolanum habrochaitesAssociated with the C4 Viral Protein
Authors: Tomás Diego M. , Cañizares M. Carmen , Abad Jesús , Fernández-Muñoz Rafael , Moriones Enrique
Published: March 2011

Tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD) is a severe threat to tomato crops worldwide and is caused by Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and several other begomoviruses (genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae). Host plant resistance is the best TYLCD control method but limited sources of resistance are available. In this study, two Solanum habrochaites TYLCD-resistance sources, EELM-388 and EELM-889, were found after a wide germplasm screening and were further characterized. A consistent resistance to the widely distributed strain TYLCV-IL was observed when plants were inoculated by Bemisia tabaci or by agroinoculation using an infectious clone, with no symptoms or virus accumulation observed in inoculated plants. Moreover, the resistance was effective under field conditions with high TYLCD pressure. Two independent loci, one dominant and one recessive, were associated with EELM-889 resistance. The study shows these loci to be distinct from that of the resistance gene (Ty-1 gene) commonly deployed in commercial tomato cultivars. Therefore, both kinds of resistance could be combined to provide improved resistance to TYLCD. Four additional TYLCD-associated viruses were challenged, showing that the resistance always prevented symptom expression, although systemic infection could occur in some cases. By using chimeric and mutant expression constructs, the C4 protein was shown to be associated with the ability to result in effective systemic infection.
Genomic and phylogenetic characterization of Leanyer virus, a novel orthobunyavirus isolated in northern Australia
Authors: Savji Nazir , Palacios Gustavo , Travassos da Rosa Amelia , Hutchison Stephen , Celone Christopher , Hui Jeffrey , Briese Thomas , Calisher Charles H. , Tesh Robert B. , Lipkin W. Ian
Published: March 2011

Leanyer virus (LEAV), currently classified as a member of the genusOrthobunyavirus, in the familyBunyaviridae, was originally isolated from a pool ofAnopheles meraukensismosquitoes, collected at Leanyer, Northern Territory, Australia in 1974. When it failed to react in serological tests with antisera from other known viruses, full-length genomic sequencing was pursued to determine the relationship of LEAV to other orthobunyavirus species. Genetic and serological characterization confirmed its antigenic distance from other orthobunyaviruses, including to its closest genetic neighbours, the Simbu group viruses, suggesting that it may represent a new antigenic complex.
Sequence similarities of the capsid gene of Chilean and European isolates of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus point towards a common origin
Authors: Mutoloki Stephen , Evensen Øystein
Published: March 2011

The Chilean salmonid industry was developed by importing breeding materials, a practice still in effect due to deficits in the national supply of roe. Importation of breeding materials is often associated with the transmission of pathogens. The objectives of this study were to compare the infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) isolates from Chile to those of European origin and to determine the diversity of the Chilean IPNV. The VP2 genes of IPNV from Chilean fish (whose eggs originated from Scotland, Iceland and Norway) were compared to isolates from fish in Norway and Ireland. The results show that the isolates are identical (97–99 %) and cluster into one genogroup. Our findings support previous reports of association between the trade-in breeding materials and transmission of pathogens. Furthermore, our results demonstrate the genotypic diversity of Chilean IPNV isolates. These findings have important implications for IPNV disease diagnosis and control in Chile.
Evolution of a tissue-specific splicing network
Authors: Taliaferro J. Matthew , Alvarez Nehemiah , Green Richard E. , Blanchette Marco , Rio Donald C.
Published: March 2011

Alternative splicing of precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) is a strategy employed by most eukaryotes to increase transcript and proteomic diversity. Many metazoan splicing factors are members of multigene families, with each member having different functions. How these highly related proteins evolve unique properties has been unclear. Here we characterize the evolution and function of a new Drosophila splicing factor, termed LS2 (Large Subunit 2), that arose from a gene duplication event of dU2AF50, the large subunit of the highly conserved heterodimeric general splicing factor U2AF (U2-associated factor). The quickly evolving LS2 gene has diverged from the splicing-promoting, ubiquitously expressed dU2AF50 such that it binds a markedly different RNA sequence, acts as a splicing repressor, and is preferentially expressed in testes. Target transcripts of LS2 are also enriched for performing testes-related functions. We therefore propose a path for the evolution of a new splicing factor in Drosophila that regulates specific pre-mRNAs and contributes to transcript diversity in a tissue-specific manner.
Making sense of cancer genomic data
Authors: Chin Lynda , Hahn William C. , Getz Gad , Meyerson Matthew
Published: March 2011

High-throughput tools for nucleic acid characterization now provide the means to conduct comprehensive analyses of all somatic alterations in the cancer genomes. Both large-scale and focused efforts have identified new targets of translational potential. The deluge of information that emerges from these genome-scale investigations has stimulated a parallel development of new analytical frameworks and tools. The complexity of somatic genomic alterations in cancer genomes also requires the development of robust methods for the interrogation of the function of genes identified by these genomics efforts. Here we provide an overview of the current state of cancer genomics, appraise the current portals and tools for accessing and analyzing cancer genomic data, and discuss emerging approaches to exploring the functions of somatically altered genes in cancer.
A duplex PCR method for the simultaneous identification of Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae
Authors: Schlenzig A.
Published: March 2011

Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae are two fungus‐like organisms affecting a wide range of hardy ornamental plants and trees. Emergency measures are implemented in the European Union for P. ramorum and aim to eradicate, or at least prevent the further spread of this harmful pathogen. Phytophthora kernoviae has so far been found only in New Zealand, the UK and Ireland, and is regulated on a UK level using the same measures as for P. ramorum. Both Phytophthora species have a similar host range and can be diagnosed using similar methods. Therefore a duplex PCR detection, based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the ribosomal DNA, was developed to enable simultaneous testing to reduce diagnostic times. The method was tested for its specificity and sensitivity, and on plant samples, and was shown to be reliable for identification of the two organisms.
Status and trends in the alien flora of Corsica
Authors: Jeanmonod D. , Schlüssel A. , Gamisans J.
Published: March 2011

This article summarizes and analyses some of the data published in Flora Corsica (Jeanmonod & Gamisans, 2007) in order to characterize the alien vascular plant flora of the island. The data analysed focus on different aspects of the alien flora such as diversity (species richness), abundance, life‐forms, vegetation belts, habitats and biogeographical origins. The results show that the alien species richness is currently high, representing 16.5% of the total flora, amongst which 37.5% are naturalized. The penetration of this flora occurs mainly at lower altitudes, and is still weak or absent in the higher altitude vegetation belts whereas it has increased over time within natural closed habitats. Over the last 11 years, the species richness of xenophytes has increased by 18.1%, which corresponds to an increase of 23.0% of the naturalized plants. Moreover, 24.8% of the alien taxa have increased in abundance. A scenario highlighting the trends of the introduced flora, and that includes issues of native biodiversity conservation, is proposed based on the results. The special case of invasive species is also considered, and their exponential increase on Corsica is highlighted. Other aspects of the alien flora, such as its taxonomic spectrum and biogeographical origins, are also analysed and are, whenever possible, compared with those of other geographical regions, particularly from the Mediterranean (Sardinia, Balearic Islands) and Continental Europe.
Literature review: understanding nursing competence in dementia care
Authors: Traynor Victoria , Inoue Kumiyo , Crookes Patrick
Published: March 2011

Aims and objectives.  The aim of this study was to review dementia nursing competencies. The objectives were to explain the relevancy of dementia competencies across care settings and levels of practice.

Background.  Dementia is strongly associated with increasing age and as the world population ages there is an imperative to ensure the healthcare workforce is fully equipped to meet the needs of people with dementia and their carers.

Design.  A literature review study addressed the research aim and objectives.

Method.  Literature sources were (i) academic databases, (ii) the internet and (iii) snowballing. Search terms were ‘dementia’, ‘care standards’, ‘training and education’ and ‘competency’.

Results.  The sample consisted of 59 reviewed publications. A synthesis of the findings generated 10 dementia competencies: (i) Understanding Dementia; (ii) Recognising Dementia; (iii) Effective Communication; (iv) Assisting with Daily Living Activities; (v) Promoting a Positive Environment; (vi) Ethical and Person‐Centred Care; (vii) Therapeutic Work (Interventions); (viii) Responding the needs of Family Carers; (ix) Preventative Work and Health Promotion and (x) Special Needs Groups. There were also five levels of practice: (i) Novice; (ii) Beginner; (iii) Competent; (iv) Proficient and (v) Expert and no care setting specific competencies were generated.

Conclusion.  Government initiatives demonstrate commitments to dementia, such as Australia’s adoption of dementia as a National Health Priority and the UK National Dementia Strategy. Registration boards for the nursing workforce in Japan and the UK included dementia competencies in generalist frameworks to emphasise the importance of dementia as a healthcare issue. This study demonstrated that there is no dementia competency framework relevant across care settings or levels of practice.

Relevance to clinical practice.  An empirical study will develop a multi‐disciplinary dementia competency framework relevant across care settings and levels of practice to ensure the healthcare workforce can effectively deliver services to people with dementia and their carers.