Report of the parasitoid wasp Eretmocerus delhiensis (Hym.: Aphelinidae) from Iran

The occurrence of the hymenopterous parasitoid of the sugarcane whitefly, Neomaskellia andropogonis Corbett (Hem.: Aleyrodidae), in Iran is newly reported. The aphelinid species, Eretmocerus delhiensis Mani, which was reared from nymphs of the sugarcane whitefly, belongs to the subfamily Aphelininae and tribe Eretmocerini

Bacteria contribute to plant secondary compound degradation in a generalist herbivore system.

Herbivores must overcome a variety of plant defenses, including coping with plant secondary compounds (PSCs). To help detoxify these defensive chemicals, several insect herbivores are known to harbor gut microbiota with the metabolic capacity to degrade PSCs. Leaf-cutter ants are generalist herbivores, obtaining sustenance from specialized fungus gardens that act as external digestive systems and which degrade the diverse collection of plants foraged by the ants. There is in vitro evidence that certain PSCs harm Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, the fungal cultivar of leaf-cutter ants, suggesting a role for the Proteobacteria-dominant bacterial community present within fungus gardens. In this study, we investigated the ability of symbiotic bacteria present within fungus gardens of leaf-cutter ants to degrade PSCs. We cultured fungus garden bacteria, sequenced the genomes of 42 isolates, and identified genes involved in PSC degradation, including genes encoding cytochrome P450 enzymes and genes in geraniol, cumate, cinnamate, and alfa-pinene/limonene degradation pathways. Using metatranscriptomic analysis, we showed that some of these degradation genes are expressed in situ. Most of the bacterial isolates grew unhindered in the presence of PSCs and, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), we determined that isolates from the genera Bacillus, Burkholderia, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas degrade alfa-pinene, beta-caryophyllene, or linalool. Using a headspace sampler, we show that subcolonies of fungus gardens reduced alfa-pinene and linalool over a 36-h period, while L. gongylophorus strains alone reduced only linalool. Overall, our results reveal that the bacterial communities in fungus gardens play a pivotal role in alleviating the effect of PSCs on the leaf-cutter ant system.Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center/[DE-SC0018409]/GLBRC/Estados UnidosGreat Lakes Bioenergy Research Center/[DE-FC02- 07ER64494]/GLBRC/Estados UnidosNational Institutes of Health/[U19 TW009872]/NIH/Estados UnidosNational Institutes of Health/[U19 AI142720]/NIH/Estados UnidosNational Science Foundation/[DEB-1927155]/NSF/Estados UnidosUniversidad de Costa Rica/[810-B0-501]/UCR/Costa RicaMinisterio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Telecomunicaciones/[FI-290-09]/MICITT/Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMIC)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular (CIBCM)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Salud::Facultad de Medicina::Escuela de Medicin

Fungal Genomes and Insights into the Evolution of the Kingdom

The kingdom Fungi comprises species that inhabit nearly all ecosystems. Fungi exist as both free-living and symbiotic unicellular and multicellular organisms with diverse morphologies. The genomes of fungi encode genes that enable them to thrive in diverse environments, invade plant and animal cells, and participate in nutrient cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The continuously expanding databases of fungal genome sequences have been generated by individual and large-scale efforts such as Génolevures, Broad Institute's Fungal Genome Initiative, and the 1000 Fungal Genomes Project (http://1000.fungalgenomes.org). These efforts have produced a catalog of fungal genes and genomic organization. The genomic datasets can be utilized to better understand how fungi have adapted to their lifestyles and ecological niches. Large datasets of fungal genomic and transcriptomic data have enabled the use of novel methodologies and improved the study of fungal evolution from a molecular sequence perspective. Combined with microscopes, petri dishes, and woodland forays, genome sequencing supports bioinformatics and comparative genomics approaches as important tools in the study of the biology and evolution of fungi

Changes in fungal associate abundance over mountain pine beetle lifecycle using target-specific primers and quantitative PCR

The mountain pine beetle (MPB) is a native bark beetle of western North America that attacks pine tree species, in particular, lodgepole pine. It is closely associated several ophiostomatoid fungi, with which it has a mutually beneficial relationship. This thesis is comprised of two sections. The first objective was to develop target-specific PCR primers that could identify the major fungal species associated with MPB: the pathogenic Grosmannia clavigera and Leptographium longiclavatum, the less pathogenic Ophiostoma montium, and an un-described Ceratocystiopsis species (Cop. sp.1). Growing, isolating and extracting DNA from fungi vectored by MPB can be time and labour intensive, and these associates can be difficult to differentiate morphologically. I designed three rDNA primer sets that specifically amplify short rDNA amplicons from O. montium, Cop. sp.1. and the pine Leptographium clade (i.e. G. clavigera and L. longiclavatum). I also designed two primer sets, from another gene, that can differentiate G. clavigera and L. longiclavatum. The primers reliably identify their targets from DNA obtained from pure fungal cultures, pulverized beetles, beetle galleries, and tree phloem inoculated with G. clavigera. The second objective was to use these target-specific primers in conjunction with qPCR to compare the relative abundance of MPB fungal associates during the beetle life cycle. To determine the changes in relative abundance of the fungal species, MPB galleries were sampled at four phases in the beetle life cycle: eggs, larvae, pupae and teneral adults. Multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that changes in the relative abundance of the fungi over the lifecycle of the MPB were statistically significant. Univariate analysis of covariance showed a statistically significant difference in the abundance of Cop. sp.1 through the lifecycle, and pair- wise analysis showed that the difference occurs after the larval phase. The staining fungi O. montium and the Leptographium species did not change significantly through the MPB lifecycle. The work described in this thesis contributes to our understanding of the interactions between the MPB and its fungal associates and provides a tool for further studies that require rapid detection, identification and quantification of MPB fungal associates.Forestry, Faculty ofGraduat

Qualitative assessment of surface water using the CWQI method and with the Aquachem software (Case study: Qaen River in South Khorasan)

Introduction: Qualitative assessment of water resources using qualitative indicators as one of the most suitable methods for managing water areas and having a regular program for water quality protection and pollution prevention is necessary. Subject & method: The use of the CWQI index to identify the country's water resources (especially lakes and rivers) can be a good tool. In this study, water quality was evaluated in two ophthalmic stations of Oliyakhonic and Farokhi in the Gain river basin of southern Khorasan province during the years of 2007-2016 with the use of this indicator and Aquachem software. In this study, parameters of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chloride, sulfate, electrical conductivity and acidity were used. Results: The CWQI index for agricultural consumption has been decreasing from the upstream downstream, which may be due to increased water salinity in the downstream direction or the flow of agricultural, industrial and urban wastewater (household and industrial waste). The level of pollution and the concentration of undesirable factors rises from the upstream and downstream, and undesirable water quality for fish life, so that most stations require purification for aquaculture. Conclusion: Both stations are in bad rank for drinking, aquatic, irrigation and livestock. Also, for both recreation both stations were in high rank. Also, according to the Piper diagram, the type and the water facies are bicarbonate-magnesium-calcium

Rapid identification and detection of pine pathogenic fungi associated with mountain pine beetles by padlock probes

Fifteen million hectares of pine forests in western Canada have been attacked by the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae; MPB), leading to devastating economic losses. Grosmannia clavigera and Leptographium longiclavatum, are two fungi intimately associated with the beetles, and are crucial components of the epidemic. To detect and discriminate these two closely related pathogens, we utilized a method based on ligase-mediated nucleotide discrimination with padlock probe technology, and signal amplification by hyperbranched rolling circle amplification (HRCA). Two padlock probes were designed to target species-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located at the inter-generic spacer 2 region and large subunit of the rRNA respectively, which allows discrimination between the two species. Thirty-four strains of G. clavigera and twenty-five strains of L. longiclavatum representing a broad geographic origin were tested with this assay. The HRCA results were largely in agreement with the conventional identification based on morphology or DNA-based methods. Both probes can also efficiently distinguish the two MPBassociated fungi from other fungi in the MPB, as well as other related fungi in the order Ophiostomatales. We also tested this diagnostic method for the direct detection of these fungi from the DNA of MPB. A nested PCR approach was used to enrich amplicons for signal detection. The results confirmed the presence of these two fungi in MPB. Thus, the padlock probe assay coupled with HRCA is a rapid, sensitive and reproducible method for the identification and detection of these ophiostomatoid fungi. Crow

Identifying genotype profile of chronic hepatitis C infection in Southwest Iran

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the most important risk factors for liver failure which can lead to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Approximately 170-200 million (almost 3% of the world's population) people have been reported to have HCV infection worldwide. HCV has six genotypes and multiple subtypes. HCV genotyping and identification of subtypes are critical steps for HCV vaccine development. Materials and Methods: In this community-based study, we aimed to investigate the HCV genotypes in infected patients referring to the laboratory of Hajar Hospital of Shahrekord city (the capital of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province) in Iran from November 21, 2016, to October 21, 2017. During 2016-2017, the sera were obtained from 2377 individuals referring to the laboratory of Hajar Hospital of Shahrekord, Iran. The anti-HCV antibody was tested for all sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. Following HCV RNA isolation and cDNA synthesis, HCV genotype detection was performed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Results: Genotypes 3, 1a, and 1b were found in 28.6% (95% confidence interval CI]: 17.0%-40.0%), 9.5% (95% CI: 2.1%-17.0%), and 3.2% (95% CI: 0.0%-7.6%) of the patients, respectively. In 5 patients (7.9%, 95% CI: 1.1%-14.8%), however, we did not observe any genotypes. We could not find any significant difference between the plasma viral load of infected patients and different genotypes. There was no significant difference either between age groups and genotypes (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the present study determined that HCV genotype 3 was the predominant genotype followed by the genotypes 1a and 1b in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province

Stingless Bee Larvae Require Fungal Steroid to Pupate

The larval stage of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis must consume a specific brood cell fungus in order to continue development. Here we show that this fungus is a member of the genus Zygosaccharomyces and provides essential steroid precursors to the developing bee. Insect pupation requires ecdysteroid hormones, and as insects cannot synthesize sterols de novo, they must obtain steroids in their diet. Larval in vitro culturing assays demonstrated that consuming ergosterol recapitulates the developmental effects on S. depilis as ingestion of Zygosaccharomyces sp. cells. Thus, we determined the molecular underpinning of this intimate mutualistic symbiosis. Phylogenetic analyses showed that similar cases of bee-Zygosaccharomyces symbiosis may exist. This unprecedented case of bee-fungus symbiosis driven by steroid requirement brings new perspectives regarding pollinator-microbiota interaction and preservation