Description of the last-instar larva of Zenithoptera lanei Santos, 1941 (Odonata: Libellulidae)

The larva of Zenithoptera lanei Santos, 1941 is described and illustrated based on three exuviae of reared larvae collected in Misiones, Argentina, Roraima and Amazonas, Brazil. A comparison with the larva of Z. anceps Pujol-Luz, 1993 is included.Fil: Rippel, Camila Gisel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Neiss, Ulisses G.. Instituto de Criminalística; BrasilFil: del Palacio, Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Schröder, Noelia Malena. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Cs.exactas Químicas y Naturales. Departamento de Bioquímica Clinica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Fleck, Günther. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; BrasilFil: Hamada, Neusa. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; BrasilFil: Marti, Dardo Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Schweigmann, Nicolás J.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentin

Morphological, ultrastructural, genetic characteristics and remarkably low prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis species isolated from sheep and goats in Kurdistan region, Iraq

IntroductionSarcocystis is a genus of cyst-forming parasites that infest both humans and livestock. Some parasites cause clinical and subclinical diseases in their hosts, resulting in economic losses.MethodsEsophagus, diaphragm, and skeletal muscle from slaughtered sheep and goats were examined macroscopically, microscopically, and ultrastructurally and subjected to DNA analysis.ResultsWe isolated macrocysts of S. gigantea and of S. caprafelis moulei from naturally infected sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra hircus). The macrocyst wall thickness was 18.9 µm in sheep and 15.3 µm in goats, and consisted of an inner Periodic acid Schiff- (PAS) negative primary wall and an outer glycoconjugates containing i.e. PAS-positive secondary wall. The walls inner surface was compartmentalized and filled with bradyzoites. In S. gigantea the bradyzoites were approximently 12.3 x 2.6 µm in size, while in S. caprafelis moulei they were 13.9 x 4.4 µm. Ultrastructurally, both species have nearly identical morphology: cauliflower-like protrusions with numerous microtubules and often dendritic-like filaments, branching from the primary wall. The 18S rRNA gene in S. gigantea was 85.9% identical to that in S. medusiformis and 80.4% to the S. caprafelis moulei gene. The 28S rRNA gene in S. gigantea was 94.6% identical to that in S. medusiformis and 97.3% to the S. caprafelis moulei.ConclusionThis study is the first to (i) detail the ultrastructure of the macrocyst wall of S. caprafelis moulei, (ii) identify S. medusiformis in Iraqi sheep, and (iii) compare the prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis at different time periods within the same region. A positive finding was the reduction of macroscopic sarcocystosis occurrences (0.01% in sheep and 0.02% in goats) compared to our previous data from 1992 (4.1%: sheep, 33.6%: goats)

Transcriptional regulation and function of the Neurospora clock gene white collar 2 and its isoforms

FREQUENCY (FRQ) and the White Collar Complex (WCC), consisting of WC1 and WC2 subunits, are crucial components of positive and negative feedback loops of the circadian clock of Neurospora. In the positive limb, FRQ supports the accumulation of WC1 on a post-translational level and activates transcription of wc2. We analysed the transcriptional regulation of wc2. The WCC indirectly inhibits wc2 by controlling expression of a putative repressor. FRQ activates wc2 transcription by inhibiting WCC. A putative transcriptional activator binds to the wc2 promoter and antagonizes the repressor function. Furthermore, an internal promoter in the wc2 coding region drives expression of an amino-terminally shortened isoform, sWC2. Full-length WC2 and sWC2 are expressed in an antagonistic manner; thus, sWC2 expression seems to be a fail-safe mechanism that maintains total WC2 levels above a threshold

Circadian activity and abundance rhythms of the Neurospora clock transcription factor WCC associated with rapid nucleo–cytoplasmic shuttling

The Neurospora clock protein FREQUENCY (FRQ) inhibits its transcriptional activator WHITE COLLAR COMPLEX (WCC) in a negative feedback loop and supports its accumulation in a positive loop. We show that positive feedback is a delayed effect of negative feedback underlying the same post-translational mechanisms: DNA-binding-competent active WCC commits rapidly to degradation. FRQ-dependent phosphorylation of WCC, which interferes with DNA binding (negative feedback), leads to reduced turnover and slow accumulation of newly expressed WCC (positive feedback). When DNA binding of WCC is compromised by mutation, its accumulation is independent of FRQ. Cycles of FRQ-dependent inactivation and PP2A-dependent reactivation of WCC occur in the minute range and are coupled to obligate rapid cycles of nucleo–cytoplasmic shuttling. WCC shuttling and activity cycles are modulated by FRQ in circadian fashion

Data_Sheet_1_Morphological, ultrastructural, genetic characteristics and remarkably low prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis species isolated from sheep and goats in Kurdistan region, Iraq.PDF

IntroductionSarcocystis is a genus of cyst-forming parasites that infest both humans and livestock. Some parasites cause clinical and subclinical diseases in their hosts, resulting in economic losses.MethodsEsophagus, diaphragm, and skeletal muscle from slaughtered sheep and goats were examined macroscopically, microscopically, and ultrastructurally and subjected to DNA analysis.ResultsWe isolated macrocysts of S. gigantea and of S. caprafelis moulei from naturally infected sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra hircus). The macrocyst wall thickness was 18.9 µm in sheep and 15.3 µm in goats, and consisted of an inner Periodic acid Schiff- (PAS) negative primary wall and an outer glycoconjugates containing i.e. PAS-positive secondary wall. The walls inner surface was compartmentalized and filled with bradyzoites. In S. gigantea the bradyzoites were approximently 12.3 x 2.6 µm in size, while in S. caprafelis moulei they were 13.9 x 4.4 µm. Ultrastructurally, both species have nearly identical morphology: cauliflower-like protrusions with numerous microtubules and often dendritic-like filaments, branching from the primary wall. The 18S rRNA gene in S. gigantea was 85.9% identical to that in S. medusiformis and 80.4% to the S. caprafelis moulei gene. The 28S rRNA gene in S. gigantea was 94.6% identical to that in S. medusiformis and 97.3% to the S. caprafelis moulei.ConclusionThis study is the first to (i) detail the ultrastructure of the macrocyst wall of S. caprafelis moulei, (ii) identify S. medusiformis in Iraqi sheep, and (iii) compare the prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis at different time periods within the same region. A positive finding was the reduction of macroscopic sarcocystosis occurrences (0.01% in sheep and 0.02% in goats) compared to our previous data from 1992 (4.1%: sheep, 33.6%: goats).</p

Table_1_Morphological, ultrastructural, genetic characteristics and remarkably low prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis species isolated from sheep and goats in Kurdistan region, Iraq.docx

IntroductionSarcocystis is a genus of cyst-forming parasites that infest both humans and livestock. Some parasites cause clinical and subclinical diseases in their hosts, resulting in economic losses.MethodsEsophagus, diaphragm, and skeletal muscle from slaughtered sheep and goats were examined macroscopically, microscopically, and ultrastructurally and subjected to DNA analysis.ResultsWe isolated macrocysts of S. gigantea and of S. caprafelis moulei from naturally infected sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra hircus). The macrocyst wall thickness was 18.9 µm in sheep and 15.3 µm in goats, and consisted of an inner Periodic acid Schiff- (PAS) negative primary wall and an outer glycoconjugates containing i.e. PAS-positive secondary wall. The walls inner surface was compartmentalized and filled with bradyzoites. In S. gigantea the bradyzoites were approximently 12.3 x 2.6 µm in size, while in S. caprafelis moulei they were 13.9 x 4.4 µm. Ultrastructurally, both species have nearly identical morphology: cauliflower-like protrusions with numerous microtubules and often dendritic-like filaments, branching from the primary wall. The 18S rRNA gene in S. gigantea was 85.9% identical to that in S. medusiformis and 80.4% to the S. caprafelis moulei gene. The 28S rRNA gene in S. gigantea was 94.6% identical to that in S. medusiformis and 97.3% to the S. caprafelis moulei.ConclusionThis study is the first to (i) detail the ultrastructure of the macrocyst wall of S. caprafelis moulei, (ii) identify S. medusiformis in Iraqi sheep, and (iii) compare the prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis at different time periods within the same region. A positive finding was the reduction of macroscopic sarcocystosis occurrences (0.01% in sheep and 0.02% in goats) compared to our previous data from 1992 (4.1%: sheep, 33.6%: goats).</p

Table_3_Morphological, ultrastructural, genetic characteristics and remarkably low prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis species isolated from sheep and goats in Kurdistan region, Iraq.docx

IntroductionSarcocystis is a genus of cyst-forming parasites that infest both humans and livestock. Some parasites cause clinical and subclinical diseases in their hosts, resulting in economic losses.MethodsEsophagus, diaphragm, and skeletal muscle from slaughtered sheep and goats were examined macroscopically, microscopically, and ultrastructurally and subjected to DNA analysis.ResultsWe isolated macrocysts of S. gigantea and of S. caprafelis moulei from naturally infected sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra hircus). The macrocyst wall thickness was 18.9 µm in sheep and 15.3 µm in goats, and consisted of an inner Periodic acid Schiff- (PAS) negative primary wall and an outer glycoconjugates containing i.e. PAS-positive secondary wall. The walls inner surface was compartmentalized and filled with bradyzoites. In S. gigantea the bradyzoites were approximently 12.3 x 2.6 µm in size, while in S. caprafelis moulei they were 13.9 x 4.4 µm. Ultrastructurally, both species have nearly identical morphology: cauliflower-like protrusions with numerous microtubules and often dendritic-like filaments, branching from the primary wall. The 18S rRNA gene in S. gigantea was 85.9% identical to that in S. medusiformis and 80.4% to the S. caprafelis moulei gene. The 28S rRNA gene in S. gigantea was 94.6% identical to that in S. medusiformis and 97.3% to the S. caprafelis moulei.ConclusionThis study is the first to (i) detail the ultrastructure of the macrocyst wall of S. caprafelis moulei, (ii) identify S. medusiformis in Iraqi sheep, and (iii) compare the prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis at different time periods within the same region. A positive finding was the reduction of macroscopic sarcocystosis occurrences (0.01% in sheep and 0.02% in goats) compared to our previous data from 1992 (4.1%: sheep, 33.6%: goats).</p

Table_2_Morphological, ultrastructural, genetic characteristics and remarkably low prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis species isolated from sheep and goats in Kurdistan region, Iraq.docx

IntroductionSarcocystis is a genus of cyst-forming parasites that infest both humans and livestock. Some parasites cause clinical and subclinical diseases in their hosts, resulting in economic losses.MethodsEsophagus, diaphragm, and skeletal muscle from slaughtered sheep and goats were examined macroscopically, microscopically, and ultrastructurally and subjected to DNA analysis.ResultsWe isolated macrocysts of S. gigantea and of S. caprafelis moulei from naturally infected sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra hircus). The macrocyst wall thickness was 18.9 µm in sheep and 15.3 µm in goats, and consisted of an inner Periodic acid Schiff- (PAS) negative primary wall and an outer glycoconjugates containing i.e. PAS-positive secondary wall. The walls inner surface was compartmentalized and filled with bradyzoites. In S. gigantea the bradyzoites were approximently 12.3 x 2.6 µm in size, while in S. caprafelis moulei they were 13.9 x 4.4 µm. Ultrastructurally, both species have nearly identical morphology: cauliflower-like protrusions with numerous microtubules and often dendritic-like filaments, branching from the primary wall. The 18S rRNA gene in S. gigantea was 85.9% identical to that in S. medusiformis and 80.4% to the S. caprafelis moulei gene. The 28S rRNA gene in S. gigantea was 94.6% identical to that in S. medusiformis and 97.3% to the S. caprafelis moulei.ConclusionThis study is the first to (i) detail the ultrastructure of the macrocyst wall of S. caprafelis moulei, (ii) identify S. medusiformis in Iraqi sheep, and (iii) compare the prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis at different time periods within the same region. A positive finding was the reduction of macroscopic sarcocystosis occurrences (0.01% in sheep and 0.02% in goats) compared to our previous data from 1992 (4.1%: sheep, 33.6%: goats).</p