Aphanomyces frigidophilus, fungus-like organisms isolated from water of springs in Białystok, Poland

Investigations into occurrence of fungus Aphanomyces frigidophilus in water of springs Dojlidy Górne, Jaroszówka and Pietrasze within the town Białystok in Podlasie Province, Poland were conducted in Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn of the year 2005. Samples were processed in the laboratory by routine methods commonly used to isolate these organisms. Bait method with the use of hemp seeds Cannabis sativa, small pieces of snake skin Natrix natrix and exuviae of shrimp Gammarus sp. as bait was applied to isolate the fungus Aphanomyces frigidophilus from the springs. The isolate was maintained on Potato Dextrose Agar PDA and stored in the culture collection of the Real Jardín Botánico CSIC Madrid, Spain. Aphanomyces frigidophilus occurred in 18 [(6)16.7%) in Winter, 3(8.3%) in Spring, 2(5.6%) in Summer, 7(19.4%) in Autumn, 2005] of the examined water samples. In Spring Dojlidy Górne it was very common and was found in all research seasons. The isolate was characterized by studding sequencing the internal transcribed spacer of nuclear DNA (ITS1+5.8S+ITS2). The results indicated the sequence comparisons of two ITS nuclear DNA for species identification: Aphanomyces frigidophilus 18S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence, internal transcribed spacer 1, 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, and internal transcribed spacer 2, complete sequence and 28S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence. The results indicated the sequence of our isolate corresponded to the species Aphanomyces frigidophilus (AY647192, version AY647192.1; GI: 48766837).Key words: Aphanomyces frigidophilus, snake skin of Natrix natrix and exuviae of shrimp Gammarus sp

Towards an automated analysis of video-microscopy images of fungal morphogenesis

7 páginas, 6 figuras.[EN] Fungal morphogenesis is an exciting field of cell biology and several mathematical models have been developed to describe it. These models require experimental evidences to be corroborated and, therefore, there is a continuous search for new microscopy and image analysis techniques. In this work, we have used a Canny-edge-detector based technique to automate the generation of hyphal profiles and calculation of morphogenetic parameters such as diameter, elongation rates and hyphoid fitness. The results show that the data obtained with this technique are similar to published data generated with manualbased tracing techniques and that have been carried out on the same species or genus. Thus, we show that application of edge detector-based technique to hyphal growth represents an efficient and accurate method to study hyphal morphogenesis. This represents the first step towards an automated analysis of videomicroscopy images of fungal morphogenesis.[ES] La morfogénesis de los hongos es un área de estudio de gran relevancia en la biología celular y en la que se han desarrollado varios modelos matemáticos. Los modelos matemáticos de procesos biológicos precisan de pruebas experimentales que apoyen y corroboren las predicciones teóricas y, por este motivo, existe una búsqueda continua de nuevas técnicas de microscopía y análisis de imágenes para su aplicación en el estudio del crecimiento celular. En este trabajo hemos utilizado una técnica basada en un detector de contornos llamado “Canny-edge-detector” con el objetivo de automatizar la generación de perfiles de hifas y el cálculo de parámetros morfogenéticos, tales como: el diámetro, la velocidad de elongación y el ajuste con el perfil hifoide, es decir, el perfil teórico de las hifas de los hongos. Los resultados obtenidos son similares a los datos publicados a partir de técnicas manuales de trazado de contornos, generados en la misma especie y género. De esta manera demostramos que la aplicación de esta técnica para el trazado de perfiles en hifas en crecimiento es un método eficaz y preciso para el estudio de la morfogénesis de hifas. Este trabajo representa el primer paso en la automatización de análisis de imágenes de video-microscopía de morfogénesis de hifas.This work was supported in part by the project Flora Micológica Ibérica V (REN2002-04068-C02-01GLO), Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología, Spain. Dr. Diéguez-Uribeondo was supported by a NATO postdoctoral fellowship.Peer reviewe

El parásito Saprolegnia diclina (Oomycetes), otra amenaza para la conservación species Atelopus nanay

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Global distribution of two fungal pathogens threatening endangered sea turtles

This work was supported by grants of Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain (CGL2009-10032, CGL2012-32934). J.M.S.R was supported by PhD fellowship of the CSIC (JAEPre 0901804). The Natural Environment Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council supported P.V.W. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Thanks Machalilla National Park in Ecuador, Pacuare Nature Reserve in Costa Rica, Foundations Natura 2000 in Cape Verde and Equilibrio Azul in Ecuador, Dr. Jesus Muñoz, Dr. Ian Bell, Dr. Juan Patiño for help and technical support during samplingPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Genomic Characterisation

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Invasion of fluvial ecosystems by red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii

Trabajo presentado en el International Symposium on Conservation of Native European Freshwater Crayfish, celebrado en Olot (Girona) del 23 al 25 de septiembre de 2015.Biological invasions are one of the biggest threats to biodiversity and conservation of native species, playing a key role in global change. To try to control them, it is important to understand two types of phenomena: mechanisms that allow a species to successfully establish in a new environment, and the ecological, evolutionary and socio-economic consequences of an invasion. We will address both types of phenomena using a multidisciplinary approach and multi-scale research, employing as study model an invasive species of global importance, which has invaded many inland waters: the red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii. In its native area, this species mainly lives in marshes; nevertheless, it has been able to invade a new environment, streams, in invaded areas (in our case: West Andalusia in South Western Spain). Since its introduction over 40 years ago, this invasion is causing serious damage to native species like the European freshwater crayfish, Austropotamobius pallipes. We have five main objectives in this study: (1) to compare the genetic diversity of invasive populations with the native area, identifying patterns of introduction, propagation and gene flow; (2) to determine what mechanisms (at the level of gene expression in different tissues) allow P. clarkii to adapt to new conditions or environmental stress: identify genes and loci responsible for local adaptation; (3) to explore the ecological effects of P. clarkii in streams, in terms of structure and ecosystem functioning, and interactions with populations of native crayfish (A. pallipes) and native amphibians and fishes. To do this, we will compare the ecological effects of stream populations (which have potentially evolved in response to the new environment) with those of founding populations from marshes; (4) to compare the ecological effects of P. clarkii with those of A. pallipes and determine whether the invasive species is occupying the same ecological niche as the native species which has displaced; and (5) to examine the prevalence of Aphanomyces astaci in the red swamp crayfish, given that this invasive species is a chronic carrier of the crayfish plague, aphanomycosis, causing the death of European freshwater crayfish; and that of the fungus that causes chytridiomycosis in amphibians. In this project, we expect to find mechanisms that allow the red swamp crayfish to successfully establish in a new environment and the consequences that this entails for native species.Peer reviewe