Macrocentrus cingulum is an important polyembryonic endoparasitic wasp that attacks larvae of the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) and the European corn borer, O. nubilalis (Hübner). Parasitoids use antennae as the main sensory organ to recognize herbivore-induced plant volatiles as host searching cues. The antennal olfaction proteins, odorant receptors (ORs) and ionotropic receptors (IRs) are involved in olfactory signal transduction pathway as a sensory neuron response. In the present study, we constructed a cDNA library from the male and female antennae for identifying the olfaction-related genes in M. cingulum. For that, we sequenced 3160 unique gene sequences and annotated them with gene ontology (GO), cluster of orthologous groups of proteins (COG), and KEGG ontology (KO). Through the homology search, we identified 9 odorant receptors (ORs), 3 ionotropic receptors (IRs) and 1 odorant binding protein (OBP) genes from the cDNA library sequences. Additionally, the expression patterns of these ORs and IRs in different tissues (antennae, heads, thoraxes, abdomens, and legs) were demonstrated by RT-PCR. The qualitative gene expression analyses showed that most of the OR genes were more highly expressed in female than male antennae; whereas IRs, unlike ORs, were more expressed in various male than females tissues. We are the first to report ORs and IRs in M. cingulum, which should help in deciphering the molecular basis of olfaction system in this wasp., Tofael Ahmed, Tian-Tao Zhang, Zhen-Ying Wang, Kang-Lai He, Shu-Xiong Bai., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Novel microsatellite markers for the spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus L.) are identified and characterized using next generation sequencing technology. 18 polymorphic loci were obtained by screening 10,684 reads and tested on 35 bark beetle samples from different locations in Bavaria, Germany. Allelic richness ranged from two to 38 alleles, observed heterozygosity from 0.03 to 0.66 and expected heterozygosity from 0.08 to 0.97. Four loci showed significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and no linkage between loci was detected. The 18 loci, along with another six loci previously described, provide effective analytical tools for analyzing the fine-scale genetic structure of bark beetle populations. The result of this study demonstrates that next generation sequencing technology is a valuable method for isolating microsatellites of a coleopteran species. and Bernhard C. STOECKLE, Ralph KUEHN.
Novel microsatellite markers for the solitary bee, Anthophora plumipes, were identified and characterised using 454 GS-FLX Titanium pyrosequencing technology. Thirty seven loci were tested using fluorescently labelled primers on a sample of 20 females from Prague. The number of alleles ranged from 1 to 10 (with a mean of 4 alleles per locus), resulting in an observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.05 to 0.9 and an expected heterozygosity from 0.097 to 0.887. None of the loci showed a significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and only two loci showed the significant presence of null alleles. No linkage between loci was detected. We further provide information on a single multiplex PCR consisting of 11 of the most polymorphic loci. This multiplex approach provides an effective analytical tool for analysing genetic structure and carrying out parental analyses on Anthophora populations. Most of the 37 loci tested also showed robust amplification in five other Anthophora species (A. aestivalis, A. crinipes, A. plagiata, A. pubescens and A. quadrimaculata). The result of this study demonstrates that next generation sequencing technology is a valuable method for isolating quality microsatellites in non-model species of solitary bees. and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Tapinoma melanocephalum is a worldwide distributed, highly invasive ant species. It lives in close association with human societies and its distribution is human-mediated in large measure. The geographical origin of this ant species is unknown, but its introduction in areas previously devoided of its presence can represent a threat to the native biota, act as an agricultural pest or as a pathogen vector. To investigate the genetic structure and phylogeography of this species we identified 12 new polymorphic microsatellite markers, and in addition, we tested and selected 12 ant-universal microsatellites polymorphic in T. melanocephalum. We genotyped 30 individuals from several islands of Micronesia and Papua-New Guinea. All 24 loci exhibited strong homozygosity excess (45-100%, mean = 86%), while the number of alleles per locus reached usual values (2-18, mean = 6.5), resulting in levels of expected heterozygosity much higher than observed. Based on several robust tests, we were able to exclude artefacts such as null alleles and allelic dropout as a possible cause of the observed pattern. Homozygosity excess might be a consequence of founder effect, bottleneck and/or inbreeding. As our sample population was composed of individuals from several distinct localities, the Wahlund effect might have contributed to the increased homozygosity as well. Despite the provisionally observed deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the newly developed microsatellites will provide an effective tool for future genetic investigations of population structure as well as for the phylogeographic study of T. melanocephalum., Jan Zima Jr., Ophélie Lebrasseur, Michaela Borovanská, Milan Janda., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The effects of different abiotic agents that may modulate the activity of an insect’s immune system are reviewed. These agents include insecticides, chitin synthesis inhibitors, juvenile hormone analogues, inert particles, antibiotics, heavy metals, radiation and miscellaneous substances. The significance of studying immunomodulation in insects treated with abiotic agents in relation to both insect control and insect-borne parasitic diseases and the link between immunomodulation in insects post-treatment with both abiotic and biotic agents are discussed., El-Sayed H. Shaurub., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Among animal constructions, the orb webs of spiders are perfect geometrical architectural models. Webs are constructed by means of a succession of behaviours, which are often considered as instinctive and stereotyped. Anomalies in web structure are considered to be a consequence of variability in behaviour. In order to assess the variability in web structure, the spider Zygiella x-notata was allowed to build webs in the laboratory under standardized conditions. Webs (n = 127) were examined for anomalies, which were defined as modifications in the geometrical structure. Ten anomalies in the structure of webs produced by females, aged from 16 to 21 days after their adult moult, are described. The frequency of anomalies per web varies from 5 to 98. A very low percentage of the spiral elements of a web (less than 5%) were affected. Anomalies in the radii were less numerous (mean = 3 ± 3) than those in the sticky spiral (mean = 21 ± 11). Anomalies in the sticky spiral were different and more frequent in the peripheral than central parts of the webs. They were also relatively more numerous in the upper than in the lower part of the webs. Total number of anomalies was positively correlated with particular web characteristics (capture area, length of capture thread, width of the lower part of the web and mean distance between two spiral turns in the lower part) but not to the physical characteristics of the spiders (mass and size). Our results indicate that the orb webs of spiders, which are considered to be perfect geometrical structures, include anomalies mainly in the structure of the sticky spiral. These anomalies were the result of variability in behaviour during web building. In conclusion, their identification and description enable one to use them in spider webs as an index of behavioural variability., Alain Pasquet ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Animals, including human beings, tend to respond more strongly to stimuli that are associated with the highest relative rewards. This applies not only to food rewards but also to reproductive success. In the present review article this issue is discussed for insects in connection with intersexual communication and flower-visiting behaviour. Implications of the preference for supernormal visual releasing stimuli are examined from a sensory and evolutionary perspective, including a consideration of the choice of potential mates and recognition of the most rewarding flowers., Karl Kral., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Parasitic organisms inhabiting the alimentary canal should permanently resist the destructive action of host digestive enzymes. The intestinal parasites were shown to produce specific protease inhibitors protecting them from proteolysis. However, little is known about this adaptive mechanism in cestodes so far, especially for the tapeworms dwelling inside the fish intestines. Here, we explored the ability to inactivate proteolytic enzymes in the fish tapeworm Eubothrium rugosum (Batsch, 1786) (Bothriocephalidea) parasitising the intestine of wild burbot, Lota lota (Linnaeus). The assays were conducted with different concentrations of commercial trypsin and homogenate of intestinal mucosa both being the sources of proteinases. The incubation of live E. rugosum in trypsin solutions of two different concentrations caused a significant decrease in the enzyme activity. The extent of activity reduction was dependent on trypsin concentration. At the same time, the inhibitory effect of the worm incubation medium turned out to be statistically insignificant. These findings suggest partial adsorption of the enzyme to the tegument surface, with its further inactivation. In contrast to the incubation medium, the worm extract suppressed over 80% of trypsin activity and nearly half of the proteolytic activity in the mucosa homogenate. Notably, the inhibitory activity of the tapeworms hardly depended on their size characteristics. Finally, the research has demonstrated secretion of proteinase inhibitor in E. rugosum, which appears to be essential for its survival in enzymatically hostile environment., Galina I. Izvekova, Tatyana V. Frolova, Evgeny I. Izvekov., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The biology of sialic acids has been an object of interest in many models of acquired and inherited skeletal muscle pathology. The present study focuses on the sialylation changes in mouse skeletal muscle after invasion by the parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis (Owen, 1835). Asynchronous infection with T. spiralis was induced in mice that were sacrificed at different time points of the muscle phase of the disease. The amounts of free sialic acid, sialylated glycoproteins and total sialyltransferase activity were quantified. Histochemistry with lectins specific for sialic acid was performed in order to localise distribution of sialylated glycoconjugates and to clarify the type of linkage of the sialic acid residues on the carbohydrate chains. Elevated intracellular accumulation of α-2,3- and α-2,6-sialylated glycoconjugates was found only within the affected sarcoplasm of muscle fibres invaded by the parasite. The levels of free and protein-bound sialic acid were increased and the total sialyltransferase activity was also elevated in the skeletal muscle tissue of animals with trichinellosis. We suggest that the biological significance of this phenomenon might be associated with securing integrity of the newly formed nurse cell within the surrounding healthy skeletal muscle tissue. The increased sialylation might inhibit the affected muscle cell contractility through decreased membrane ion gating, helping the parasite accommodation process., Rositsa Milcheva, Dimitar Ivanov, Ivan Iliev, Russy Russev, Svetlozara Petkova, Pavel Babál., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Which factors influence the occurrence, population size and density of species in fragmented habitat patches are key questions in population and conservation ecology. Metapopulation theory predicts that larger and less isolated habitat patches should positively influence species occurrence and population size. However, recent studies have shown that habitat quality, human activity and permeability of the landscape surrounding habitat patches may be also important. In this paper we test the relative effects of habitat patch characteristics, human settlement and landscape permeability on the occurrence, local population size and density of the Chalk-hill Blue Polyommatus coridon a charismatic butterfly inhabiting calcareous grasslands in a fragmented landscape in southern Poland. Patch occupancy rate (corrected for the butterfly detection probability) was 0.45. Habitat patch area, proximity of human settlement and cover of larval food plants positively affected occurrence of the Chalk-hill Blue. Local population size of the Chalk-hill Blue was positively affected by patch area and proximity of human settlement, and negatively by patch isolation. Local density was higher in patches located close to human settlement. Our study is one of the few showing a positive effect of human settlement on a grassland specialist butterfly although the mechanism hidden behind this phenomenon is unknown and requires further examination. In order to maintain local populations of the Chalk-hill Blue in southern Poland, conservation action should be focused on large, closely connected calcareous grasslands. Moreover, extensive management of this habitat should be maintained by local inhabitants who are better placed to undertake such work. and Zuzanna M. ROSIN, Piotr SKÓRKA, Magdalena LENDA, Dawid MORON, Tim H. SPARKS, Piotr TRYJANOWSKI.