Unstudied Species Research Articles

Mating behavior and spermatophore morphology of the whip scorpion Typopeltis dalyi Pocock, 1900 (Uropygi, Thelyphonida)

Abstract Whip scorpions are an enigmatic group of terrestrial raptorial arachnids that show remarkable mating and courtship behavior in which the male forms a complex spermatophore. While whip spiders (Amblypygi) are relatively well-studied, whip scorpions (Uropygi) are poorly known. The two orders form the Pedipalpi, whip scorpions (Uropygi include Thelyphonida and Schizomida) and whip spiders (Amblypygi). Two major groups have been described based on the mode of sperm transfer that differ in the duration and mode of the typical female–male tandem mating dance. Because comprehensive studies are lacking, in this study we add to our knowledge of the reproductive biology of whip scorpions by analyzing the mating behavior and spermatophore morphology of the previously unstudied species Typopeltis dalyi Pocock, 1900. Our observations show that this species belongs to the second group and supports the hypothesis of P. Weygoldt that their mode of sperm transfer appears more effective than that of the first group and that sufficient sperm can be supplied with one mating. The mating behavior and spermatophore morphology in T. dalyi are similar to those of closely related species and add additional characters applicable for species classification and phylogenetic inferences.

Inflorescence and Flower Development in Orchidantha chinensis T. L. Wu (Lowiaceae; Zingiberales): Similarities to Inflorescence Structure in the Strelitziaceae

Premise of research. The monotypic Lowiaceae remains the least-known family in the plant order Zingiberales, yet it may hold an important key to unraveling the phylogenetic placement of the families Musaceae, Heliconiaceae, Strelitziaceae, and Lowiaceae. After nine phylogenetic studies, the (Lowiaceae, Strelitziaceae) clade is the only stable clade that has emerged in this half of the order. This study was undertaken to verify the unusual inflorescence and flower structure in Orchidantha and to search for new characters that might be used in future phylogenetic analyses. We describe both inflorescence and flower development in a previously unstudied species; confirm inflorescence morphology in the genus; and compare the structure of the inflorescence in the Lowiaceae with that of the Strelitziaceae, its potential sister group.Methodology. Standard collection and SEM procedures were used to collect and prepare the material for study.Pivotal results. The inflorescence of Orchidantha is borne at the end of a vegetative shoot and is composed of two lateral branches that each bear four bracts and a single flower before aborting. The fourth bract and its associated flower form the highly reduced flower cluster (florescence) that characterizes this genus. In technical terms, Orchidantha has a polytelic synflorescence that lacks a main florescence (it has a truncated polytelic synflorescence) and bears solitary flowers in coflorescences on determinate enriching branches. The enriching branches produce a fixed number of bracts before aborting (i.e., they are special paracladia). Many of these features are shared with the Strelitziaceae.Conclusions. Similarities between the Lowiaceae and Strelitziaceae include inflorescence structure; the presence of a long prolongation of the ovary; and a delay in the formation of the third sepal during flower development, a character that is also shared with the Musaceae. Inflorescence and flower structure is now well established in this small but important family.

Staphylococcus saccharolyticus: An Overlooked Human Skin Colonizer.

Coagulase-negative staphylococcal species constitute an important part of the human skin microbiota. In particular, facultative anaerobic species such as Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus capitis can be found on the skin of virtually every human being. Here, we applied a culture-independent amplicon sequencing approach to identify staphylococcal species on the skin of healthy human individuals. While S. epidermidis and S. capitis were found as primary residents of back skin, surprisingly, the third most abundant member was Staphylococcus saccharolyticus, a relatively unstudied species. A search of skin metagenomic datasets detected sequences identical to the genome of S. saccharolyticus in diverse skin sites, including the back, forehead, and elbow pit. Although described as a slow-growing anaerobic species, a re-evaluation of its growth behavior showed that S. saccharolyticus can grow under oxic conditions, and, in particular, in a CO2-rich atmosphere. We argue here that S. saccharolyticus was largely overlooked in previous culture-dependent and -independent studies, due to its requirement for fastidious growth conditions and the lack of reference genome sequences, respectively. Future studies are needed to unravel the microbiology and host-interacting properties of S. saccharolyticus and its role as a prevalent skin colonizer.

Social organization in a North African ground squirrel

AbstractResearch on sociality in temperate ground-dwelling squirrels has focused on female philopatry and other life history trade-offs, which are influenced by constraints in the duration of the active growing season. Temperate ground-dwelling squirrels that experience high predation pressure, are large in body size, and have a short active season, show a more complex social organization. In contrast, African ground squirrels are active year-round, suggesting that instead of a short active season, distinct selective pressures influence their social organization. We examined the social organization of Barbary ground squirrels, Atlantoxerus getulus, and compared the social organization of temperate and African ground-dwelling sciurids. Anecdotal accounts on Barbary ground squirrels’ social organization suggested that they were either solitary or gregarious, or live in small family groups. We recorded the group size, composition, cohesion, and genetic relatedness, of the population on the arid island of Fuerteventura, Spain. Our data indicate that females live in small (1–8) all-female kin groups separate from adult males, and that unrelated adult males share sleeping burrows with immature individuals of either sex. We observed sex-biased dispersal with males primarily the dispersing sex and females primarily philopatric. Females sleep solitarily during gestation and lactation and nest either communally or singly after juvenile emergence. During the day, males and females can be active in the same area. Barbary ground squirrels are social because the squirrels share sleeping burrows and show spatiotemporal overlap. Barbary ground squirrels’ social organization resembles that of the closely related Cape ground squirrel rather than that of the temperate ground-dwelling sciurids, although the former are more temperate, seasonal breeders. In addition to describing the social organization of a previously unstudied species, this paper sheds light on the ecological drivers of sociality, and the evolution of distinct social organizations in ground-dwelling sciurids.

Preliminary insights into the spatial ecology and movement patterns of a regionally critically endangered skate (Rostroraja alba) associated with a marine protected area

ABSTRACTThe implementation of spatial protection measures is currently a priority in batoid species' conservation strategies, but their spatial ecology remains largely unknown. We provide some preliminary insights into the movement patterns of the white skate (Rostroraja alba), a batoid classified as Critically Endangered in European waters. Three individuals (two females: one mature, one immature; and one immature male) were monitored with acoustic telemetry in a marine protected area (Portugal). The mature female remained present in the study area throughout the whole monitoring period (20 months). Residency analyses revealed this specimen spent more than 70% of the time within this coastal marine park. The immature female and the immature male were only detected during three and four months, respectively. Whether the uncovered movement patterns are common within the population remains unclear, but the present study provides useful information to better plan future research on the movement ecology of a rather unstudied species.

Wasting disease and static environmental variables drive sea star assemblages in the Northern Gulf of Alaska

Sea stars are ecologically important in rocky intertidal habitats where they can play an apex predator role, completely restructuring communities. The recent sea star die-off throughout the eastern Pacific, known as Sea Star Wasting Disease, has prompted a need to understand spatial and temporal patterns of sea star assemblages and the environmental variables that structure these assemblages. We examined spatial and temporal patterns in sea star assemblages (composition and density) across regions in the northern Gulf of Alaska and assessed the role of seven static environmental variables (distance to freshwater inputs, tidewater glacial presence, exposure to wave action, fetch, beach slope, substrate composition, and tidal range) in influencing sea star assemblage structure before and after sea star declines. Environmental variables correlated with sea star distribution can serve as proxies to environmental stressors, such as desiccation, attachment, and wave action. Intertidal sea star surveys were conducted annually from 2005 to 2018 at five sites in each of four regions that were between 100 and 420 km apart across the northern Gulf of Alaska. In the pre-disease years, assemblages were different among regions, correlated mostly to tidewater glacier presence, fetch, and tidal range. The assemblages after wasting disease were different from those before the event with lower diversity and lower density. In addition to these declines, the disease manifested itself at different times across the northern Gulf of Alaska and did not impact all species uniformly across sites. Post sea star wasting, there was a shift in the environmental variables that correlated with sea star structure, resulting in sea star assemblages being highly correlated with slope, fetch, and tidal range. In essence, sea star wasting disease resulted in a shift in the sea star assemblage that is now correlating with a slightly different combination of environmental variables. Understanding the delicate interplay of environmental variables that influence sea star assemblages could expand knowledge of the habitat preferences and tolerance ranges of important and relatively unstudied species within the northern Gulf of Alaska.

Prospects of genomic resources available at the global databases for the flora of United Arab Emirates.

This article emphasizes available genomic resources at the global databases National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank, Gramene and Phytozome for the selected 378 plant taxa of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Germplasm of these species was collected and banked at the Sharjah Seed Bank and Herbarium (SSBH) along with their related information on habit, habitat and occurrence. The occurrence statistics exhibits almost 19.84% species under rare-to-very rare category, the GenBank search statistics for this category indicates 17.72% species as studied and 2.11% as not studied. Overall, from the global search statistics for 378 plant species, it seems that about 40 (10.58%) species remained unstudied. Most of the unstudied species were herbaceous plants belonging to the mountainous habitat. Moreover, full genomes were recorded for 7 species at NCBI GenBank, 2 species at Phytozome and 1 species at Gramene database. The local search statistics (for UAE) exhibits about 10.58% of the flora that still remained unstudied and only 11 (2.90%) of the recorded species were having genomic information at NCBI GenBank. It is necessary to prioritize studies on such species that could provide valuable insight on their genetic composition in order to understand their adaptation to the natural environment. At present, the SSBH is cataloguing UAE's flora using core barcode and assisted markers that could provide a robust DNA barcode library for native plants of UAE. Our study appeals researchers to recognize and prioritize the species that need attention to enrich their genomic resources at the global databases by supporting nucleotide libraries with their conspecifics. At present, genomic resources for UAE plant taxa are limited, but with the advent of low-cost sequencing technologies these resources would flourish in the near future. Nevertheless, the information generated through genomic studies could be utilized for conservation and management of threatened and endangered plant species, Crop Wild Relatives and medicinal plants. We hope this article will promote interest in conducting additional studies in genomics of desert plants by encouraging researchers to participate in this emerging field.

Characterisation of the microbiome for two hexactinellid sponges and purification of associated antimicrobial agents from their resident microbes

The imminent threat of antimicrobial resistance has necessitated that the search for novel antimicrobials be widened to lesser-explored environments. Marine and freshwater sponges have emerged as the most prolific source of such compounds over the last decade, representing the most widely sampled phyla in the hunt for novel biologics over the last 45 years. Most of the work however has focused on sponges from shallow waters, with the deep-sea sponge microbiome highlighted as a major source of untapped antimicrobial potential. Optimisation of bacterial recovery was carried out for two previously unstudied species of deep-sea Hexactinellid sponge species (Pheronema carpenteri and Rhabdodictyum delicatum recovered from the Rockall Trough, North Atlantic), using a variety of culture media, supplementation and environmental conditions. This optimisation was carried out in parallel with 16S rDNA metagenomic sequencing in order to determine community composition for both sponge species (IonTorrent, Life Technologies). All recovered isolates were assayed for antimicrobial activity, forming a panel of ‘active’ organisms. Two isolates (Ph16-28; A11) were selected for downstream purification and characterisation of the responsible antimicrobial agent via column chromatography. Isolate identities are currently being confirmed via draft whole-genome sequencing (MinION, Oxford Nanopore), and are suspected to be members of the Bacillus and Streptomyces genera. Current data provides a working axiom for the cultivation of deep-sea sponge microbes and suggests the deep-sea sponge microbiome to be a promising source for novel antimicrobials.

Taxonomic affinity, habitat and seed mass strongly predict seed desiccation response: a boosted regression trees analysis based on 17 539 species.

Seed desiccation response plays an important role in plant regeneration ecology, and has significant implications for species conservation. The majority of seed plants produce desiccation-tolerant (orthodox) seeds, whilst comparatively few produce desiccation-sensitive (recalcitrant) seeds that are unable to survive dehydration, and which cannot be conserved in traditional seed banks. This study develops a set of models to predict seed desiccation response in unstudied species. Taxonomy, trait, location and climate data were compiled to form a global data set of 17 539 species. Three boosted regression trees models were then developed to predict species' seed desiccation responses based on habitat and trait information for the species, and the seed desiccation responses of close relatives (either members of the same genus, family or order, depending on the model). Ten-fold cross-validation was used to test model predictive success. The utility of the models was then demonstrated by predicting seed desiccation response for two floras: Ecuador, and Britain and Ireland. The three models had varying success rates for identifying the desiccation-sensitive species: 89 % for the genus-level model, 79 % for the family-level model and 60 % for the order-level model. The most important predictor variables were the seed desiccation responses of a species' relatives, seed mass and annual precipitation. It is predicted that 10 % of seed plants from Ecuador and 1.2 % of those from Britain and Ireland produce desiccation-sensitive seeds. Due to data availability, prediction accuracy is likely to be higher for the British and Irish flora, where it is estimated that a desiccation-sensitive species had a 96.7 % chance of being correctly identified, compared with 80.8 % in the Ecuador flora. These models can utilize existing data to predict species' likely seed desiccation responses, providing a gap-filling tool for global studies of plant traits, as well as critical decision-making support for plant conservation activities.

Community-wide patterns of plastic ingestion in seabirds breeding at French Frigate Shoals, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Between 2006 and 2013, we salvaged and necropsied 362 seabird specimens from Tern Island, French Frigate Shoals, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Plastic ingestion occurred in 11 of the 16 species sampled (68.75%), representing four orders, seven families, and five foraging guilds: four plunge-divers, two albatrosses, two nocturnal-foraging petrels, two tuna-birds, and one frigatebird. Moreover, we documented the first instance of ingestion in a previously unstudied species: the Brown Booby. Plastic prevalence (percent occurrence) ranged from 0% to 100%, with no significant differences across foraging guilds. However, occurrence was significantly higher in chicks versus adult conspecifics in the Black-footed Albatross, one of the three species where multiple age classes were sampled. While seabirds ingested a variety of plastic (foam, line, sheets), fragments were the most common and numerous type. In albatrosses and storm-petrels, the plastic occurrence in the two stomach chambers (the proventriculus and the ventriculus) was not significantly different.

Marine mammals and sonar: Dose‐response studies, the risk‐disturbance hypothesis and the role of exposure context

Abstract Marine mammals may be negatively affected by anthropogenic noise. Behavioural response studies (BRS) aim to establish a relationship between noise exposure conditions (dose) from a potential stressor and associated behavioural responses of animals. A recent series of BRS have focused on the effects of naval sonar sounds on cetaceans. Here, we review the current state of understanding of naval sonar impact on marine mammals and highlight knowledge gaps and future research priorities. Many marine mammal species exhibit responses to naval sonar sounds. However, responses vary between and within individuals and populations, highlighting the importance of exposure context in modulating dose–response relationships. There is increasing support from both terrestrial and marine systems for the risk‐disturbance hypothesis as an explanation for underlying response processes. This proposes that sonar sounds may be perceived by animals as a threat, evoking a response shaped by the underlying species‐specific risk of predation and anti‐predator strategy. An understanding of responses within both the dose–response and risk‐disturbance frameworks may enhance our ability to predict responsiveness for unstudied species and populations. Many observed behavioural responses are energetically costly, but the way that these responses may lead to long‐term individual and population‐level impacts is poorly understood. Synthesis and applications. Behavioural response studies have greatly improved our understanding of the potential effects of naval sonar on marine mammals. Despite data gaps, we believe a dose‐response approach within a risk‐disturbance framework will enhance our ability to predict responsiveness for unstudied species and populations. We advocate for (1) regulatory frameworks to utilize peer‐reviewed research findings when making predictions of impact, (2) regulatory frameworks to account for the inherent uncertainty in predictions of impact and (3) investment in monitoring programmes that are both directed by recent research and offer opportunities for validation of predictions at the individual and population level.

Flowering biology of Aspidistra (Asparagaceae): new data on pollination by dipteran insects

The genus Aspidistra comprises about 160 species of herbaceous plants. In previous investigations, different authors suggested that Aspidistra is pollinated by flies, fungus gnats, slugs, amphipods and even collembolans. The vast majority of data was based on only one species, A. elatior, and was not confirmed by direct observations. Recent field observations of anthetic plants confirm the idea of pollination by flies for two other species of the genus. The present study summarizes direct observations of flowering phenology and pollination of five previously unstudied species of Aspidistra. Flowering biology was studied using visual observations as well as video and photo monitoring. Flowers and captured pollinators were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. As a result, knowledge of the flowering biology of Aspidistra has been increased. The absence of heat production and an ultraviolet pattern were verified. The present data show that flowers of Aspidistra can serve as a food resource for animals. The investigated species of Aspidistra are pollinated by dipteran insects: A. formosa, A. marasmioides and A. subrotata are pollinated by fungus gnats; A. multiflora and A. oviflora are pollinated by flies. The occurrence of fungus‐gnat pollination was directly demonstrated for the first time in the genus Aspidistra. The present study confirmed the idea of myiophily in the genus Aspidistra. Apparently, myiophily is common and diverse in Aspidistra. More likely, pollinators are attracted by scent, which is undetectable by humans, but the attraction mechanism is still not completely clear.

Cambial variations of Piper (Piperaceae) in Taiwan

BackgroundCambial variations in lianas of Piperaceae in Taiwan have not been studied previously. The stem anatomy of seven Piper species from Taiwan was examined to document cambial variations and better distinguish the species when leaves are absent.ResultsA key for the seven species is provided, based on the internal stem anatomy. The seven Piper species climb via adventitious roots, and in cross section, the stems were generally eccentric and oblate, although a transversely elliptic stem was found in P. kadsura (Choisy) Ohwi and P. sintenense Hatus. A cambial variant with secondary growth of external primary vascular bundles and xylem in plates was observed in all species except Piper betle L., which developed another cambium variant with xylem furrowed deeply by parenchyma proliferation. The sclerenchymatous ring surrounding the medullary vascular bundles was always continuous except in P. betle, where it was discontinuous. Mucilage canals varied from absent to present in the center of the pith, or present in the pith and inner cortex. Different sizes of vessels dispersed throughout the stem were ring or diffuse porous. The numbers of medullary and peripheral vascular bundles were distinctive and the widths of rays were noticeably different in each species. Differences in the growth rate of the medullary vascular bundles produced two development types of vascular bundles, although in both types, the peripheral vascular bundles gradually lengthen and become separated from each other by wide rays.ConclusionsWe documented the internal stem anatomy of six previously unstudied species of Piper, including three endemic species, P. kwashoense Hayata, P. sintenense, and P. taiwanense Lin and Lu, and found that P. betle had deeply furrowed xylem, which had not been reported for the species before. The descriptions and photographs of seven Piper species will also provide a basis for further morphological studies.

Molecular sexing applicable in 4000 species of lizards and snakes? From dream to real possibility

Summary While the stability of sex chromosomes is widely accepted in viviparous mammals and birds, ectothermic vertebrates are still largely viewed as having frequent turnovers in sex‐determining systems. Frequent changes in sex‐determining systems in ectotherms could be problematic for field ecological studies as well as for breeding programs, as molecular sexing across a phylogenetically widespread spectrum of ectothermic vertebrates would not be possible. However, we recently documented that sex‐determining systems in three important reptile lineages (caenophidian snakes, iguanas and lacertid lizards) are in fact highly conserved. We applied a new molecular procedure to identify sex within each of these three lineages (encompassing altogether around 4000 species, i.e. nearly 50% of the recent species of reptiles). This technique uses quantitative PCR (qPCR) to compare copy numbers of genes specific for their respective Z (in caenophidian snakes and lacertids) and X (in iguanas) chromosomes between male and female genomes. The DNA samples required can be collected relatively non‐invasively. Unlike molecular sexing based on repetitive elements, this technique can be easily applied to previously unstudied species of these lineages, as the number of copies of protein‐coding genes linked to the differentiated sex chromosomes is evolutionarily highly conserved in each. We suggest that qPCR‐based molecular sexing using the comparison of gene copy number is a practical choice for non‐model species of caenophidian snakes, iguanas and lacertids. Moreover, it should also soon be available for other reptile lineages with differentiated sex chromosomes.

Antioxidative activity of Lenzites warnieri basidiocarps

Considering that mushrooms synthesize different kinds of compounds with antioxidative activity and that search for natural antioxidants is a topical study area, testing of unstudied species is fully justified. The aim of the study was to evaluate antioxidative capacity of Lenzites warnieri basidiocarps using different solvents. Antioxidative potential of 96% ethanolic, 70% ethanolic and methanolic extracts was evaluated by 2,2?-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) bleaching assay and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay. Additionally, total content of phenols and flavonoids in extracts was determined as galic acid equivalent (GAE) and quercetin equivalent (QE), respectively. Presented as EC50, 70% ethanolic extracts showed the highest antioxidative capacity by DPPH assay (3.08 ? 0.49 mg/mL) and 96% ethanolic extract by ABTS assay (3.08 ? 0.24 mg/mL). Methanolic extract exhibited the lowest antioxidative activity in both assays (6.02 ? 0.99 mg/mL and 4.92 ? 0.38 mg/mL, respectively). Results showed that antioxidative capacity of extracts depended on solvents and assay used, indicating that ethanolic extracts were with higher capacity in free radicals neutralization. The highest content of total phenols was detected in 70% ethanolic extract (37.45 ? 0.36 ?g GAE/mg of dried extract) while the lowest amount was noted in methanolic extract (22.73 ? 0.05 ?g GAE/mg of dried extract). Total flavonoid contents were negligible and ranged between 1.91 ? 0.10 and 2.24 ? 0.13 ?g QE/mg of dried extract. The obtained results indicate that Lenzites warnieri possess significant antioxidative capacity which is mainly correlated to phenols present in the extracts.

Biobanking and fertility preservation for rare and endangered species

For more than 25 years, systematic gathering and cryo-storage of biomaterials from diverse wild species have been ongoing to save gene diversity and improve captive (ex situ) and wild (in situ) animal management. Cryo-storage of biomaterials offers broad opportunities - from helping understand the fundamental biology of unstudied species to enhanced conservation breeding, genomics and veterinary medicine. While promoted for decades, the banking of germplasm, tissue, blood and DNA from wildlife species only recently has been considered by some to be a core function of animal conservation programs. Importantly, reproductive biotechnologies and fertility preservation are critical tools for saving and maintaining endangered species and are tightly related to biobanking. Some successes have been reported with the use and integration of artificial insemination (with fresh or frozen-thawed semen) in conservation programs. However, not a single wild species is currently managed through oocyte freezing or embryo-based technologies. This is primarily due to the lack of knowledge of species biology, as well as inadequate facilities, space, expertise, and funding needed for their successful application. More fundamental studies on animal reproductive biology as well as more fertility preservation options are needed with all parties involved (reproductive technologists, zoo biologists and conservationists) adopting parallel efforts to sustain wild populations and habitats

Life History and Mating Behavior of Rhagoletis solanophaga (Diptera: Tephritidae), a Non-Diapausing Species with Highly Variable Mating Duration

As an initial contribution to understanding the adaptive value of behavioral and life-history strategies, the life cycle and mating behavior of an unstudied species of tephritid fruit fly in the genus Rhagoletis are characterized for the first time. Over a 9-month fruiting period, a small proportion of Solanum appendiculatum Dunal (< 10 %) was found to be infested with a single larva of Rhagoletis solanophaga (Hernandez & Frias). The average duration of R. solanophaga lifecycle (c.a. 140 days from egg laying to death of adults) exceeded the three month fruitless period. Additionally, R. solanophaga is capable of exploiting Solanaceous plants in at least two genera. These features could have selected for a non-diapausing species of Rhagoletis, a genus where most species are univoltine. Nevertheless, some individuals in the population became dormant. As other members of the genus, R. solanophaga exhibited a resource defense mating system with forced copulations and multiple mating. Both males and females could be highly promiscuous and individual mating success exhibited a wide range of outcomes. Regardless of mating success, mated females stored similar amounts of sperm in two spherical spermathecae. Long copulations were observed, perhaps functioning as a form of mate guarding with probable disadvantages for females. We outline hypotheses and opportunities for future comparative studies examining sperm competition and mate guarding.

Improving the forecast for biodiversity under climate change.

New biological models are incorporating the realistic processes underlying biological responses to climate change and other human-caused disturbances. However, these more realistic models require detailed information, which is lacking for most species on Earth. Current monitoring efforts mainly document changes in biodiversity, rather than collecting the mechanistic data needed to predict future changes. We describe and prioritize the biological information needed to inform more realistic projections of species' responses to climate change. We also highlight how trait-based approaches and adaptive modeling can leverage sparse data to make broader predictions. We outline a global effort to collect the data necessary to better understand, anticipate, and reduce the damaging effects of climate change on biodiversity.

Native and engineered tropism of vectors derived from a rare species D adenovirus serotype 43.

Unique molecular properties of species D adenoviruses (Ads)—the most diverse yet underexplored group of Ads—have been used to develop improved gene vectors. The low seroprevalence in humans of adenovirus serotype 43 (Ad43), an otherwise unstudied species D Ad, identified this rare serotype as an attractive new human gene therapy vector platform. Thus, in this study we wished to assess biological properties of Ad43 essential to its vectorization. We found that (1) Ad43 virions do not bind blood coagulation factor X and cause low random transduction upon vascular delivery; (2) they clear host tissues more quickly than do traditionally used Ad5 vectors; (3) Ad43 uses CD46 as primary receptor; (4) Ad43 can use integrins as alternative primary receptors. As the first step toward vectorization of Ad43, we demonstrated that the primary receptor specificity of the Ad43 fiber can be altered to achieve infection via Her2, an established oncotarget. Whereas this modification required use of the Ad5 fiber shaft, the presence of this domain in chimeric virions did not make them susceptible for neutralization by anti-Ad5 antibodies.

Identification of Miscellaneous Peptides from the Skin Secretion of the European Edible Frog, Pelophylax kl. Esculentus.

The chemical compounds synthesised and secreted from the dermal glands of amphibian have diverse bioactivities that play key roles in the hosts' innate immune system and in causing diverse pharmacological effects in predators that may ingest the defensive skin secretions. As new biotechnological methods have developed, increasing numbers of novel peptides with novel activities have been discovered from this source of natural compounds. In this study, a number of defensive skin secretion peptide sequences were obtained from the European edible frog, P. kl. esculentus, using a 'shotgun' cloning technique developed previously within our laboratory. Some of these sequences have been previously reported but had either obtained from other species or were isolated using different methods. Two new skin peptides are described here for the first time. Esculentin-2c and Brevinin-2Tbe belong to the Esculentin-2 and Brevinin-2 families, respectively, and both are very similar to their respective analogues but with a few amino acid differences. Further, [Asn-3, Lys-6, Phe-13] 3-14-bombesin isolated previously from the skin of the marsh frog, Rana ridibunda, was identified here in the skin of P. kl. esculentus. Studies such as this can provide a rapid elucidation of peptide and corresponding DNA sequences from unstudied species of frogs and can rapidly provide a basis for related scientific studies such as those involved in systematic or the evolution of a large diverse gene family and usage by biomedical researchers as a source of potential novel drug leads or pharmacological agents.