cometadata/datacite-titles-descriptions-related-identifiers huggingface dataset:
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825623
title: A lipase with broad temperature range from an alkaliphilic gamma‐proteobacterium isolated in Greenland

description: A gamma‐proteobacterium related to the genera <i>Alteromonadales</i> and <i>Pseudomonadales</i>, isolated from a cold and alkaline environment in Greenland, has been shown to produce a lipase active between 5°C and 80°C, with optimal activity at 55°C and pH 8. PCR‐based screening of genomic DNA from the isolated bacterium, followed by genome walking, resulted in two complete open reading frames, which were predicted to encode a lipase and its helper protein, a lipase foldase. The amino acid sequence derived for the lipase showed resemblance to lipases from <i>Pseudomonas</i>, <i>Rhodoferax, Aeromonas</i> and <i>Vibrio</i>. The two genes were cloned into different expression systems in <i>E. coli</i> with or without a putative secretion sequence, but despite the fact that both recombinant lipase and lipase foldase were observed on SDS–PAGE, no recombinant lipase activity was detected. Attempts to refold the recombinant lipase <i>in vitro</i> using a purified lipase foldase remained unsuccessful.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825624
title: Neighbours' talk: interspecific choruses among songbirds

description: In territorial songbirds, duets between mates represent one of the best-known examples of communal display, with the main function being the defence of joint resources. In this study, we found evidence of a coordinated choral display performed by neighbouring heterospecific songbirds. In such choruses, most of the participating species perform a deliberate temporal overlap of songs, thus suggesting agonistic behaviour. However, they then utilize a complex form of behaviour to avoid signal jamming, making the aggressive purpose unlikely. We define these displays as “coordinated interspecific choruses”. We recorded dusk choruses of songbirds living in a mixed turkey oak wood in central Italy, and then carried out a niche overlap analysis using null models that were intended for investigations of concurrent emissions of songs, finding that species tend to sing concurrently instead of using the refractory period of another species. Among the species singing concurrently, about half used the same frequency range, but instead of finding considerable spectral overlap between their vocalizations, the number of real spectral overlaps was lower than would be expected by chance. We propose a tentative explanation for this, where such choruses are the expression of the existence of a neighbourhood of different species that has evolved a communal signal that is similar to that used by mates in a pair, i.e. coordinated vocalizations. As coordination requires experience of each other's songs, we propose that evolution has selected individuals that are more skilled at learning heterospecific songs.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825620
title: An eyespot that “blinks”: an open and shut case of eye mimicry in <i>Eumorpha</i> caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)

description: We describe the final instars of two tropical Sphingidae caterpillars – <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> and <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> – from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica, whose anal horn has become a posterior eyespot structure capable of rapid palpitation. When approached or harassed, the caterpillars palpitate this eyespot and produce the effect of a blinking vertebrate eye. We propose that this “blinking” is an extension of eye mimicry or at least draws attention to the eyespot, functioning to startle or intimidate would-be predators. As snakes lack eyelids and do not blink, this suggests that the blinking eye represents a more generalized (or possibly mammalian) eye. Eyespot “blinking” is probably controlled by the same musculature used to wave the anal horn in earlier instars. The extent to which this eyespot is perceived as a blinking eye, and the degree of protection from the caterpillars’ suite of potential predators, remain to be discovered.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825621
title: Diversity and nectar hosts of flower-settling moths within a Florida sandhill ecosystem

description: The purpose of this study was to document and identify flower-settling moths within a Florida sandhill ecosystem and investigate their potential pollination capabilities. A combination of methods incorporating observation, morphology, pollen analysis and behaviour were applied. Fifty-two species of moths were documented taking nectar on flowers. A novel nectar-feeding behaviour categorized as fluttering resulted in increased pollen collection. Significant morphological match of moth proboscis length with flower corolla length was found. A preliminary list of sandhill moths is presented, and a pollen library of flowers found throughout the study area was created. This study was the first to conduct observations of settling moths in upland pine communities, and offers a rare glimpse into the interactions of moths with flowers within a unique ecosystem.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825624.v1
title: Neighbours' talk: interspecific choruses among songbirds

description: In territorial songbirds, duets between mates represent one of the best-known examples of communal display, with the main function being the defence of joint resources. In this study, we found evidence of a coordinated choral display performed by neighbouring heterospecific songbirds. In such choruses, most of the participating species perform a deliberate temporal overlap of songs, thus suggesting agonistic behaviour. However, they then utilize a complex form of behaviour to avoid signal jamming, making the aggressive purpose unlikely. We define these displays as “coordinated interspecific choruses”. We recorded dusk choruses of songbirds living in a mixed turkey oak wood in central Italy, and then carried out a niche overlap analysis using null models that were intended for investigations of concurrent emissions of songs, finding that species tend to sing concurrently instead of using the refractory period of another species. Among the species singing concurrently, about half used the same frequency range, but instead of finding considerable spectral overlap between their vocalizations, the number of real spectral overlaps was lower than would be expected by chance. We propose a tentative explanation for this, where such choruses are the expression of the existence of a neighbourhood of different species that has evolved a communal signal that is similar to that used by mates in a pair, i.e. coordinated vocalizations. As coordination requires experience of each other's songs, we propose that evolution has selected individuals that are more skilled at learning heterospecific songs.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825619
title: The territoriality, vocalizations and aggressive interactions of the red-spotted glassfrog, <i>Nymphargus grandisonae</i>, Cochran and Goin, 1970 (Anura: Centrolenidae)

description: In many frog species, males defend a territory through direct male-to-male interactions and/or aggressive calling behaviour. We describe the site fidelity, vocalizations, aggressive interactions, and male combat behaviour of the glassfrog <i>Nymphargus grandisonae</i>. We show high specificity of males’ calling and mating sites. We then describe the temporal and spectral differences for six types of vocalizations. We link these vocalizations to behavioural observations, describing their aggressive and reproductive contexts. Additionally, we show that combat is highly variable and includes three previously described and two unreported variations. We describe injuries resulting from combat and we report the first observation of a multiple night fight between the same two males. Our observations on site fidelity and aggression provide evidence for territoriality among males. Furthermore, our results suggest that combat behaviour in glassfrogs is more complex than previously hypothesized and that hypotheses on the evolution of combat behaviour need re-evaluation.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825623.v1
title: A lipase with broad temperature range from an alkaliphilic gamma‐proteobacterium isolated in Greenland

description: A gamma‐proteobacterium related to the genera <i>Alteromonadales</i> and <i>Pseudomonadales</i>, isolated from a cold and alkaline environment in Greenland, has been shown to produce a lipase active between 5°C and 80°C, with optimal activity at 55°C and pH 8. PCR‐based screening of genomic DNA from the isolated bacterium, followed by genome walking, resulted in two complete open reading frames, which were predicted to encode a lipase and its helper protein, a lipase foldase. The amino acid sequence derived for the lipase showed resemblance to lipases from <i>Pseudomonas</i>, <i>Rhodoferax, Aeromonas</i> and <i>Vibrio</i>. The two genes were cloned into different expression systems in <i>E. coli</i> with or without a putative secretion sequence, but despite the fact that both recombinant lipase and lipase foldase were observed on SDS–PAGE, no recombinant lipase activity was detected. Attempts to refold the recombinant lipase <i>in vitro</i> using a purified lipase foldase remained unsuccessful.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825620.v1
title: An eyespot that “blinks”: an open and shut case of eye mimicry in <i>Eumorpha</i> caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)

description: We describe the final instars of two tropical Sphingidae caterpillars – <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> and <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> – from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica, whose anal horn has become a posterior eyespot structure capable of rapid palpitation. When approached or harassed, the caterpillars palpitate this eyespot and produce the effect of a blinking vertebrate eye. We propose that this “blinking” is an extension of eye mimicry or at least draws attention to the eyespot, functioning to startle or intimidate would-be predators. As snakes lack eyelids and do not blink, this suggests that the blinking eye represents a more generalized (or possibly mammalian) eye. Eyespot “blinking” is probably controlled by the same musculature used to wave the anal horn in earlier instars. The extent to which this eyespot is perceived as a blinking eye, and the degree of protection from the caterpillars' suite of potential predators, remain to be discovered.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825621.v2
title: Diversity and nectar hosts of flower-settling moths within a Florida sandhill ecosystem

description: The purpose of this study was to document and identify flower-settling moths within a Florida sandhill ecosystem and investigate their potential pollination capabilities. A combination of methods incorporating observation, morphology, pollen analysis and behaviour were applied. Fifty-two species of moths were documented taking nectar on flowers. A novel nectar-feeding behaviour categorized as fluttering resulted in increased pollen collection. Significant morphological match of moth proboscis length with flower corolla length was found. A preliminary list of sandhill moths is presented, and a pollen library of flowers found throughout the study area was created. This study was the first to conduct observations of settling moths in upland pine communities, and offers a rare glimpse into the interactions of moths with flowers within a unique ecosystem.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825619.v2
title: The territoriality, vocalizations and aggressive interactions of the red-spotted glassfrog, <i>Nymphargus grandisonae</i>, Cochran and Goin, 1970 (Anura: Centrolenidae)

description: In many frog species, males defend a territory through direct male-to-male interactions and/or aggressive calling behaviour. We describe the site fidelity, vocalizations, aggressive interactions, and male combat behaviour of the glassfrog <i>Nymphargus grandisonae</i>. We show high specificity of males’ calling and mating sites. We then describe the temporal and spectral differences for six types of vocalizations. We link these vocalizations to behavioural observations, describing their aggressive and reproductive contexts. Additionally, we show that combat is highly variable and includes three previously described and two unreported variations. We describe injuries resulting from combat and we report the first observation of a multiple night fight between the same two males. Our observations on site fidelity and aggression provide evidence for territoriality among males. Furthermore, our results suggest that combat behaviour in glassfrogs is more complex than previously hypothesized and that hypotheses on the evolution of combat behaviour need re-evaluation.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825620.v3
title: An eyespot that “blinks”: an open and shut case of eye mimicry in <i>Eumorpha</i> caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)

description: We describe the final instars of two tropical Sphingidae caterpillars – <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> and <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> – from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica, whose anal horn has become a posterior eyespot structure capable of rapid palpitation. When approached or harassed, the caterpillars palpitate this eyespot and produce the effect of a blinking vertebrate eye. We propose that this “blinking” is an extension of eye mimicry or at least draws attention to the eyespot, functioning to startle or intimidate would-be predators. As snakes lack eyelids and do not blink, this suggests that the blinking eye represents a more generalized (or possibly mammalian) eye. Eyespot “blinking” is probably controlled by the same musculature used to wave the anal horn in earlier instars. The extent to which this eyespot is perceived as a blinking eye, and the degree of protection from the caterpillars’ suite of potential predators, remain to be discovered.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825619.v1
title: The territoriality, vocalizations and aggressive interactions of the red-spotted glassfrog, <i>Nymphargus grandisonae</i>, Cochran and Goin, 1970 (Anura: Centrolenidae)

description: In many frog species, males defend a territory through direct male-to-male interactions and/or aggressive calling behaviour. We describe the site fidelity, vocalizations, aggressive interactions, and male combat behaviour of the glassfrog <i>Nymphargus grandisonae</i>. We show high specificity of males’ calling and mating sites. We then describe the temporal and spectral differences for six types of vocalizations. We link these vocalizations to behavioural observations, describing their aggressive and reproductive contexts. Additionally, we show that combat is highly variable and includes three previously described and two unreported variations. We describe injuries resulting from combat and we report the first observation of a multiple night fight between the same two males. Our observations on site fidelity and aggression provide evidence for territoriality among males. Furthermore, our results suggest that combat behaviour in glassfrogs is more complex than previously hypothesized and that hypotheses on the evolution of combat behaviour need re-evaluation.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825621.v1
title: Diversity and nectar hosts of flower-settling moths within a Florida sandhill ecosystem

description: The purpose of this study was to document and identify flower-settling moths within a Florida sandhill ecosystem and investigate their potential pollination capabilities. A combination of methods incorporating observation, morphology, pollen analysis and behaviour were applied. Fifty-two species of moths were documented taking nectar on flowers. A novel nectar-feeding behaviour categorized as fluttering resulted in increased pollen collection. Significant morphological match of moth proboscis length with flower corolla length was found. A preliminary list of sandhill moths is presented, and a pollen library of flowers found throughout the study area was created. This study was the first to conduct observations of settling moths in upland pine communities, and offers a rare glimpse into the interactions of moths with flowers within a unique ecosystem.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825620.v2
title: An eyespot that “blinks”: an open and shut case of eye mimicry in <i>Eumorpha</i> caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)

description: We describe the final instars of two tropical Sphingidae caterpillars – <i>Eumorpha phorbas</i> and <i>Eumorpha labruscae</i> – from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica, whose anal horn has become a posterior eyespot structure capable of rapid palpitation. When approached or harassed, the caterpillars palpitate this eyespot and produce the effect of a blinking vertebrate eye. We propose that this “blinking” is an extension of eye mimicry or at least draws attention to the eyespot, functioning to startle or intimidate would-be predators. As snakes lack eyelids and do not blink, this suggests that the blinking eye represents a more generalized (or possibly mammalian) eye. Eyespot “blinking” is probably controlled by the same musculature used to wave the anal horn in earlier instars. The extent to which this eyespot is perceived as a blinking eye, and the degree of protection from the caterpillars’ suite of potential predators, remain to be discovered.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825609
title: Structural dynamics of full-length retroviral integrase: a molecular dynamics analysis

description: HIV integrase catalyzes the integration between host and viral DNA and is considered as an interesting target for treating HIV. Knowledge of the complete structure of integrase is inevitable to describe the communicative inter-domain interactions affecting the HIV integration and disintegration process and hence the study on full-length integrase turns out to be an essential task. In this investigation, a structure of full-length integrase is designed to analyze the global dynamics of integrase dimer and monomers (with and without the C-terminal, 270–288 amino acids) for a period of 20 ns. The molecular dynamics analysis and the subsequent DynDom analysis reveal (i) a stable dynamics of dimeric CCD and NTD domains and (ii) CCD-α11-mediated rotational-cum-translational CTD motion as the functional dynamics of IN dimer. This observation supports that (i) aggregation enhances the integrase activity and (ii) flexible CTD for its <i>cis</i> and <i>trans</i> coordination with CCD. The role of C-loop over the dynamics of integrase is also explored, which unveils that the spatial arrangement of integrase domains is changed during dynamics in the absence of C-loop. In essence, here we report a C-loop-dependent structural dynamics of integrase and the active dynamics of integrase in dimer. Further studies on C-loop sensing mechanism and the multimerization of integrase would provide insight into HIV integration and disintegration processes. <b>Supplementary material</b>. Movies generated from molecular dynamics trajectory showing the CTD dynamics of IN structures (monomers with & without C-loop and dimer) are linked online to this article. The remaining supplementary data can be downloaded from the author’s server at the URL http://ramutha.bicpu.edu.in.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825606
title: Behavioural patterns of a Tiger Shark (<i>Galeocerdo cuvier</i>) feeding aggregation at a blue whale carcass in Prony Bay, New Caledonia

description: Tiger Sharks, <i>Galeocerdo cuvier</i>, are large top-level predators usually solitary as adults. Observation of their scavenging activity on the carcass of a dead whale offered a rare opportunity for better understanding the pattern of intra-specific behaviour within the aggregations of these large predators. In January 2002, the stranding, subsequent death and consumption of a 17.4 m total length (TL) blue whale, <i>Balaenoptera musculus</i>, was observed and filmed in Prony Bay, southern New Caledonia. After three weeks of confinement in the bay, the cetacean was killed by adult bullsharks <i>Carcharhinus leucas</i>. The first adult Tiger Shark was subsequently observed around the carcass after 36 h. The fat slicks from the carcass attracted further Tiger Sharks which arrived after an additional 24 h. The use of photo-identification on video footage collected during four observation sessions over an eight-day period identified 46 individual Tiger Sharks (primarily adult females between 3.3 and 4 m TL) participating in the feeding aggregation. Only four animals were identified in two seperate observation sessions (over two consecutive days), suggesting a short-term residency pattern of several hours (&lt;36 h) around the carcass. As the arrival time of Tiger Sharks to the carcass differed, most arrivals of a new participant were followed by a frenzied period of intense intra-specific interaction. Different biting and agonistic behaviours were demonstrated by the Tiger Sharks on the carcass, including three new behaviours previously undescribed for this species. Size and level of aggressiveness appeared to be the determining factors of dominance amongst Tiger Sharks. These observations and analysis demonstrate that systematic study of feeding aggregations supported by photo-identification could contribute to knowledge of large shark ecology when coupled with capture-recapture, genetic fingerprinting and tagging techniques. Clip 1 - Feeding frenzy
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.825609.v1
title: Structural dynamics of full-length retroviral integrase: a molecular dynamics analysis

description: HIV integrase catalyzes the integration between host and viral DNA and is considered as an interesting target for treating HIV. Knowledge of the complete structure of integrase is inevitable to describe the communicative inter-domain interactions affecting the HIV integration and disintegration process and hence the study on full-length integrase turns out to be an essential task. In this investigation, a structure of full-length integrase is designed to analyze the global dynamics of integrase dimer and monomers (with and without the C-terminal, 270–288 amino acids) for a period of 20 ns. The molecular dynamics analysis and the subsequent DynDom analysis reveal (i) a stable dynamics of dimeric CCD and NTD domains and (ii) CCD-α11-mediated rotational-cum-translational CTD motion as the functional dynamics of IN dimer. This observation supports that (i) aggregation enhances the integrase activity and (ii) flexible CTD for its <i>cis</i> and <i>trans</i> coordination with CCD. The role of C-loop over the dynamics of integrase is also explored, which unveils that the spatial arrangement of integrase domains is changed during dynamics in the absence of C-loop. In essence, here we report a C-loop-dependent structural dynamics of integrase and the active dynamics of integrase in dimer. Further studies on C-loop sensing mechanism and the multimerization of integrase would provide insight into HIV integration and disintegration processes. <b>Supplementary material</b>. Movies generated from molecular dynamics trajectory showing the CTD dynamics of IN structures (monomers with & without C-loop and dimer) are linked online to this article. The remaining supplementary data can be downloaded from the author’s server at the URL http://ramutha.bicpu.edu.in.