Mojave Applied Ecology Notes Summer 2009

BLM and wildfire protection in the Mojave, studies of the sticky ringstem flowering phenology in Lake Mead NRA, restoration work within gypsum soils, post-fire response synthesis for Mojave and Sonoran desert

Pyocele of the middle turbinate

Pneumatization of the middle turbinate bone is a result of migration of ethmoid air cells. The accumulation of mucus when the ostium is blocked results in the formation of -a mucocele or, if superadded infection is present, a pyocele (empyema)

Management Techniques for the Control of Sahara Mustard (Brassica Tournefortii) in the Mojave Desert

In the southwestern United States, Brassica tournefortii(Sahara mustard) is a highly invasive plant that colonizes roadsides, beaches, sand dunes, and open desert threatening native annuals. Sahara mustard is believed to contribute to fuel loads in the Mojave Desert in areas where Schismussp. and Bromussp. occur. Sahara mustard may act as ladder fuel, thereby facilitating the spread of fire throughout the landscape. Manpower limitations and insufficient funding limits the abilities of managers to effectively control Sahara mustard. We tested seed germinability in Sahara mustard after fruiting plants were treated with either 2%, 5%, or 12% triclopyr. Sahara mustard seed pods were labeled based on three developmental stages prior to treatment. Application of herbicide decreased germination from control seeds; however, effectiveness did not differ across concentrations of triclopyr (2, 5, and 12%). We also tested seed germinability in Sahara mustard after fruiting plants were separated from their resources and allowed to dry in the field. Seed pods were labeled by developmental stage before treatment. The three treatments consisted of: 1) pulling plants with roots intact; 2) pulling the plant and breaking the roots and leaf rosette from the inflorescence; 3) pulling off individual fruits. All treatments resulted in a decrease in germination from control seeds

Enzymatic degradation of phenazines can generate energy and protect sensitive organisms from toxicity

Diverse bacteria, including several Pseudomonas species, produce a class of redox-active metabolites called phenazines that impact different cell types in nature and disease. Phenazines can affect microbial communities in both positive and negative ways, where their presence is correlated with decreased species richness and diversity. However, little is known about how the concentration of phenazines is modulated in situ and what this may mean for the fitness of members of the community. Through culturing of phenazine-degrading mycobacteria, genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and molecular analysis, we identified several conserved genes that are important for the degradation of three Pseudomonas-derived phenazines: phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA), phenazine-1-carboxamide (PCN), and pyocyanin (PYO). PCA can be used as the sole carbon source for growth by these organisms. Deletion of several genes in Mycobacterium fortuitum abolishes the degradation phenotype, and expression of two genes in a heterologous host confers the ability to degrade PCN and PYO. In cocultures with phenazine producers, phenazine degraders alter the abundance of different phenazine types. Not only does degradation support mycobacterial catabolism, but also it provides protection to bacteria that would otherwise be inhibited by the toxicity of PYO. Collectively, these results serve as a reminder that microbial metabolites can be actively modified and degraded and that these turnover processes must be considered when the fate and impact of such compounds in any environment are being assessed

Older Adults' Views on Genetic Testing

https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145710/1/NPHA_Genetic-Testing-Report_092518-FINAL.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145710/2/13_October-2018-Genetic-Testing-Report-Qs_092018.pd

Draft Genome Sequence of the Redox-Active Enteric Bacterium Citrobacter portucalensis Strain MBL

We grew a soil enrichment culture to identify organisms that anaerobically oxidize phenazine-1-carboxylic acid. A strain of Citrobacter portucalensis was isolated from this enrichment and sequenced by both Illumina and PacBio technologies. It has a genome with a length of 5.3 Mb, a G+C content of 51.8%, and at least one plasmid

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes Summer 2008

Soil climate project, rare plant monitoring, JFS update, granivory and Sahara mustar