Evolution of pathogenicity and sexual reproduction in eight Candida genomes

Candida species are the most common cause of opportunistic fungal infection worldwide. Here we report the genome sequences of six Candida species and compare these and related pathogens and non-pathogens. There are significant expansions of cell wall, secreted and transporter gene families in pathogenic species, suggesting adaptations associated with virulence. Large genomic tracts are homozygous in three diploid species, possibly resulting from recent recombination events. Surprisingly, key components of the mating and meiosis pathways are missing from several species. These include major differences at the mating-type loci (MTL); Lodderomyces elongisporus lacks MTL, and components of the a1/2 cell identity determinant were lost in other species, raising questions about how mating and cell types are controlled. Analysis of the CUG leucine-to-serine genetic-code change reveals that 99% of ancestral CUG codons were erased and new ones arose elsewhere. Lastly, we revise the Candida albicans gene catalogue, identifying many new genes.publishe

Independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene, and improved complementary feeding, on child stunting and anaemia in rural Zimbabwe: a cluster-randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Child stunting reduces survival and impairs neurodevelopment. We tested the independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF) on stunting and anaemia in in Zimbabwe. METHODS: We did a cluster-randomised, community-based, 2 × 2 factorial trial in two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Clusters were defined as the catchment area of between one and four village health workers employed by the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care. Women were eligible for inclusion if they permanently lived in clusters and were confirmed pregnant. Clusters were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to standard of care (52 clusters), IYCF (20 g of a small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement per day from age 6 to 18 months plus complementary feeding counselling; 53 clusters), WASH (construction of a ventilated improved pit latrine, provision of two handwashing stations, liquid soap, chlorine, and play space plus hygiene counselling; 53 clusters), or IYCF plus WASH (53 clusters). A constrained randomisation technique was used to achieve balance across the groups for 14 variables related to geography, demography, water access, and community-level sanitation coverage. Masking of participants and fieldworkers was not possible. The primary outcomes were infant length-for-age Z score and haemoglobin concentrations at 18 months of age among children born to mothers who were HIV negative during pregnancy. These outcomes were analysed in the intention-to-treat population. We estimated the effects of the interventions by comparing the two IYCF groups with the two non-IYCF groups and the two WASH groups with the two non-WASH groups, except for outcomes that had an important statistical interaction between the interventions. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01824940. FINDINGS: Between Nov 22, 2012, and March 27, 2015, 5280 pregnant women were enrolled from 211 clusters. 3686 children born to HIV-negative mothers were assessed at age 18 months (884 in the standard of care group from 52 clusters, 893 in the IYCF group from 53 clusters, 918 in the WASH group from 53 clusters, and 991 in the IYCF plus WASH group from 51 clusters). In the IYCF intervention groups, the mean length-for-age Z score was 0·16 (95% CI 0·08-0·23) higher and the mean haemoglobin concentration was 2·03 g/L (1·28-2·79) higher than those in the non-IYCF intervention groups. The IYCF intervention reduced the number of stunted children from 620 (35%) of 1792 to 514 (27%) of 1879, and the number of children with anaemia from 245 (13·9%) of 1759 to 193 (10·5%) of 1845. The WASH intervention had no effect on either primary outcome. Neither intervention reduced the prevalence of diarrhoea at 12 or 18 months. No trial-related serious adverse events, and only three trial-related adverse events, were reported. INTERPRETATION: Household-level elementary WASH interventions implemented in rural areas in low-income countries are unlikely to reduce stunting or anaemia and might not reduce diarrhoea. Implementation of these WASH interventions in combination with IYCF interventions is unlikely to reduce stunting or anaemia more than implementation of IYCF alone. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Department for International Development, Wellcome Trust, Swiss Development Cooperation, UNICEF, and US National Institutes of Health.The SHINE trial is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1021542 and OPP113707); UK Department for International Development; Wellcome Trust, UK (093768/Z/10/Z, 108065/Z/15/Z and 203905/Z/16/Z); Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; US National Institutes of Health (2R01HD060338-06); and UNICEF (PCA-2017-0002)

MoorIS: Contents and Future Possibilities for the Peatland Information System for Lower Saxony

Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland hat im Klimaschutzgesetz formuliert, bis zum Jahr 2045 eine Treibhausgasneutralität anzustreben. Die Änderung der Landnutzung auf Moorstandorten wird als integraler Bestandteil der Zielsetzung angesehen. Durch die landwirtschaftliche Nutzung von Moorstandorten werden 53 Millionen Tonnen Treibhausgase pro Jahr emittiert. Damit ist die Nutzung der entwässerten Moore der größte einzelne Treibhausgasemittent außerhalb des Energiesektors. Die Verfügbarkeit von Daten und Informationen für ein klimaschonendes Management der Moorflächen ist essentiell für die langfristige Reduktion der Emissionen aus Mooren und den Erhalt weiterer Landschaftsfunktionen wie der Biodiversität. Die Landesfläche Niedersachsens beheimatet ein Drittel der deutschen Moorflächen. Damit obliegt dem Bundesland eine wichtige Verantwortung in der Reduktion der Emissionen auf Mooren und kohlenstoffreichen Böden. Das Moorinformationssystem „MoorIS“ (https://mooris-niedersachsen.de/) stellt behördenübergreifende Daten und Informationen zu den niedersächsischen Mooren zur Verfügung. Diese umfassen neben landesweiten kartographischen Aufbereitungen und Bohrungen auch Informationen zu Moorgebieten und Moorprojekten, eine Übersicht und Arbeitshilfen für Moormanagementoptionen. Ergänzt wird dies durch moorkundliche Erläuterungen sowie Ausführungen zur Nutzung und Geschichte der niedersächsischen Moore. Das Zielpublikum des MoorIS umfasst vor allem Fachpublikum mit Vorkenntnissen zu Mooren. Das reicht von Verwaltungen, Entscheidungstragenden in Politik und Wirtschaft, über Verbände und Vereine im Natur- und Umweltschutz, Planungsbüros bis hin zu Forschung und Lehre. Gleichzeitig bietet die Webseite auch Informationen zu Niedersachsens Mooren für Nutzende mit wenig bis keinen Vorkenntnissen. Die Webseite umfasst vor allem landesweite Karten und Auszüge aus Datenbanken mehrerer Landesbehörden. In zukünftigen Erweiterungen des Informationssystems könnten Daten, die im Rahmen von Moorprojekten erhoben wurden, integriert werden. Damit würden vor allem lokale Informationen zum Boden und zur Hydrologie erfasst werden. Diese Integration von Daten Dritter erfordert eine enge behördliche Zusammenarbeit, um bestehende Standards und Datenstrukturen nutzen zu können und doppelte Datenhaltungen zu vermeiden. Im Moorinformationssystem wird die Bereitstellung von umfassenden sowie belastbaren Informationen angestrebt, sodass eine breite Informationsbasis für zukünftige Entscheidungen im Sinne des Schutzes der niedersächsischen Moore zur Verfügung stehen wird.Germany aims to become greenhouse gas neutral by 2045. An integral part of reaching this goal will be changing the land use of peatlands. The agricultural use of peatlands in Germany results in the emission of 53 Mio. T greenhouse gases each year, making peatlands the single largest emitter of GHGs outside of the energy sector. In order to reduce GHG Emissions from peatlands and to achieve other environmental objectives like biodiversity goals, stakeholders in peatland management will need access to reliable site data as well as information about climate-friendly management options. With over one third of the peatland area in Germany, Lower Saxony plays an important role in reducing GHG emissions from peatlands. The peatland information system for Lower Saxony (MoorIS) is a website, which bundles peatland data from different institutions, i.e. nature protection and geological institutes. The content of the website covers maps, detailed information on peatland areas and peatland projects, best practices documents on various climate-friendly management options as well as general texts on peatland management, ecology and regional land use. Furthermore, an online form, which will allow stakeholders to upload basic information about new peatland related projects, will allow users to contribute information to the website. The main target group for MoorIS is users with some previous peatland knowledge, i.e. administrative authorities, stakeholder in politics and industry, non-governmental organizations, planning offices. General texts on peatland topics will allow also users with little previous knowledge to acquire general background knowledge of peatlands in Lower Saxony. Currently, the website focusses on providing small-scale information in the form of maps and databases from various state institutions. However, future expansion of the website could integrate detailed project data. This addition would include local data, such as soil and hydrology data, compiled by management projects. The integration of additional data would entail cooperation with institutes that have existing databases to avoid the duplication of data. Overall, MoorIS aims to provide reliable and comprehensive data to enable stakeholders to plan and manage Lower Saxony’s peatlands in a climate-friendly manner.SUB Göttingen, DGMTrepor

Evolution of pathogenicity and sexual reproduction in eight Candida genomes

Candida species are the most common cause of opportunistic fungal infection worldwide. Here we report the genome sequences of six Candida species and compare these and related pathogens and non-pathogens. There are significant expansions of cell wall, secreted and transporter gene families in pathogenic species, suggesting adaptations associated with virulence. Large genomic tracts are homozygous in three diploid species, possibly resulting from recent recombination events. Surprisingly, key components of the mating and meiosis pathways are missing from several species. These include major differences at the mating-type loci (MTL); Lodderomyces elongisporus lacks MTL, and components of the a1/α2 cell identity determinant were lost in other species, raising questions about how mating and cell types are controlled. Analysis of the CUG leucine-to-serine genetic-code change reveals that 99% of ancestral CUG codons were erased and new ones arose elsewhere. Lastly, we revise the Candida albicans gene catalogue, identifying many new genes. © 2009 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved