New Records Of Bird Species From Ilha Grande, State Of Rio De Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)We add 32 new records of species to the existing checklist of birds of the coastal island of Ilha Grande, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Notably, seven of these species are endemic to the Atlantic Forest. Sporophila falcirostris is globally Vulnerable and Haematopus palliatus is Near Threatened in Brazil. We also report the second record of Agelaioides badius from Rio de Janeiro state. We also compare our species list with lists of birds of Ilhabela and Anchieta islands. While some of the newly recorded species are probably non-resident to Ilha Grande or represent range expansions, most species occur in Rio de Janeiro throughout the year. Thus, our records may be a consequence of the surveying new sites on the island but also recent colonization. Our study increases the number of bird species known to occur on Ilha Grande from 222 to 254, which is one-third of the species reported from Rio de Janeiro state. We recorded 13 species threatened by extinction at regional, national or global levels. © 2016 Check List and Authors.126CNPq, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico305798/2014-6, FAPERJ, Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de JaneiroE-26/102.837868/2012, FAPERJ, Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de JaneiroUERJ, Universidade do Estado do Rio de JaneiroConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

The transcriptome of metamorphosing flatfish

Background Flatfish metamorphosis denotes the extraordinary transformation of a symmetric pelagic larva into an asymmetric benthic juvenile. Metamorphosis in vertebrates is driven by thyroid hormones (THs), but how they orchestrate the cellular, morphological and functional modifications associated with maturation to juvenile/adult states in flatfish is an enigma. Since THs act via thyroid receptors that are ligand activated transcription factors, we hypothesized that the maturation of tissues during metamorphosis should be preceded by significant modifications in the transcriptome. Targeting the unique metamorphosis of flatfish and taking advantage of the large size of Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) larvae, we determined the molecular basis of TH action using RNA sequencing. Results De novo assembly of sequences for larval head, skin and gastrointestinal tract (GI-tract) yielded 90,676, 65,530 and 38,426 contigs, respectively. More than 57 % of the assembled sequences were successfully annotated using a multi-step Blast approach. A unique set of biological processes and candidate genes were identified specifically associated with changes in morphology and function of the head, skin and GI-tract. Transcriptome dynamics during metamorphosis were mapped with SOLiD sequencing of whole larvae and revealed greater than 8,000 differentially expressed (DE) genes significantly (p < 0.05) up- or down-regulated in comparison with the juvenile stage. Candidate transcripts quantified by SOLiD and qPCR analysis were significantly (r = 0.843; p < 0.05) correlated. The majority (98 %) of DE genes during metamorphosis were not TH-responsive. TH-responsive transcripts clustered into 6 groups based on their expression pattern during metamorphosis and the majority of the 145 DE TH-responsive genes were down-regulated. Conclusions A transcriptome resource has been generated for metamorphosing Atlantic halibut and over 8,000 DE transcripts per stage were identified. Unique sets of biological processes and candidate genes were associated with changes in the head, skin and GI-tract during metamorphosis. A small proportion of DE transcripts were TH-responsive, suggesting that they trigger gene networks, signalling cascades and transcription factors, leading to the overt changes in tissue occurring during metamorphosis

Transcriptome of the Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus)

Although the Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) is an important commercial species, there is still a deficit with regard to the number of transcripts in the databases, which can be accessed and exploited for targeted candidate gene and pathway studies. In this study, the RNAs from head, skin and GI tract from different developmental stages were sequenced to generate 22,272 contigs of 500 base pairs or greater as a molecular resource for this specie

Kinin B1 receptor controls maternal adiponectin levels and influences offspring weight gain

Given the importance of the kinin B1 receptor in insulin and leptin hormonal regulation, which in turn is crucial in maternal adaptations to ensure nutrient supply to the fetus, we investigated the role of this receptor in maternal metabolism and fetoplacental development. Wild-type and kinin B1 receptor-deficient (B1KO) female mice were mated with male mice of the opposite genotype. Consequently, the entire litter was heterozygous for kinin B1 receptor, ensuring that there would be no influence of offspring genotype on the maternal phenotype. Maternal kinin B1 receptor blockade reduces adiponectin secretion by adipose tissue ex vivo, consistent with lower adiponectin levels in pregnant B1KO mice. Furthermore, fasting insulinemia also increased, which was associated with placental insulin resistance, reduced placental glycogen accumulation, and heavier offspring. Therefore, we propose the combination of chronic hyperinsulinemia and reduced adiponectin secretion in B1KO female mice create a maternal obesogenic environment that results in heavier pups