Early Badenian transgression on the outer flank of Western Carpathian Foredeep, Hluchov area, Czech Republic

This multidisciplinary study, based on borehole cores from the Hluchov area in Czech Republic, docu- ments an early Badenian marine transgression on the outer flank of the Western Carpathian Foredeep . The shallow-marine deposits represent coastal transgression over a terrestrial topography of weathered pre-Cenozoic bedrock. The lower facies association (FA1) consists of siliciclastic sediment derived from local substrate erosion. Facies indicate a wave-dominated environment with unstable bottom, variable rate of sediment supply and an incremental rise of relative sea level. The upper facies association (FA2) consists of carbonates indicating a major landward shift of shoreline, decline in siliciclastic input and further sea-level rise. The succession represents a transgressive to highstand systems tract. The maximum flooding surface, ca . 1 m above the FA1/FA2 boundary, is signified by an anomalous decrease in K and Th, an increased Th/K ratio and highest U concentration. The heavy-mineral assemblages in FA1 confirm local sediment provenance, whereas those in FA2 indicate broader sediment derivation, including volcanic component from contemporaneous rhyolitic to rhyodacitic eruptions. The deposits contain a wide range of marine fauna, with the foraminifers and molluscs indicating an early Badenian age. Molluscs, bryozoans and echinoderms indicate a normal-salinity environment with a decreasing hydraulic energy. Foraminifers indicate salinity fluctua- tions in the lowest part of the succession. The isotopic composition of mollusc shells shows marked inter-species differences and a general negative shift in the d 13 C and d 18 O values, indicating diagenetic alteration. The impact of diagenetic processes appears to have been controlled by sedimentary facies. The highly negative d 13 C and d 18 O values correspond to sediment layers with the highest Th/K ratios and hence low clay content. Sediment permea- bility was thus probably crucial in controlling the differential circulation and impact of diagenetic fluids

Massively Parallel RNA Sequencing Identifies a Complex Immune Gene Repertoire in the lophotrochozoan Mytilus edulis

The marine mussel Mytilus edulis and its closely related sister species are distributed world-wide and play an important role in coastal ecology and economy. The diversification in different species and their hybrids, broad ecological distribution, as well as the filter feeding mode of life has made this genus an attractive model to investigate physiological and molecular adaptations and responses to various biotic and abiotic environmental factors. In the present study we investigated the immune system of Mytilus, which may contribute to the ecological plasticity of this species. We generated a large Mytilus transcriptome database from different tissues of immune challenged and stress treated individuals from the Baltic Sea using 454 pyrosequencing. Phylogenetic comparison of orthologous groups of 23 species demonstrated the basal position of lophotrochozoans within protostomes. The investigation of immune related transcripts revealed a complex repertoire of innate recognition receptors and downstream pathway members including transcripts for 27 toll-like receptors and 524 C1q domain containing transcripts. NOD-like receptors on the other hand were absent. We also found evidence for sophisticated TNF, autophagy and apoptosis systems as well as for cytokines. Gill tissue and hemocytes showed highest expression of putative immune related contigs and are promising tissues for further functional studies. Our results partly contrast with findings of a less complex immune repertoire in ecdysozoan and other lophotrochozoan protostomes. We show that bivalves are interesting candidates to investigate the evolution of the immune system from basal metazoans to deuterostomes and protostomes and provide a basis for future molecular work directed to immune system functioning in Mytilus

Insights into the evolution of mammalian telomerase: Platypus TERT shares similarities with genes of birds and other reptiles and localizes on sex chromosomes

Background The TERT gene encodes the catalytic subunit of the telomerase complex and is responsible for maintaining telomere length. Vertebrate telomerase has been studied in eutherian mammals, fish, and the chicken, but less attention has been paid to other vertebrates. The platypus occupies an important evolutionary position, providing unique insight into the evolution of mammalian genes. We report the cloning of a platypus TERT (OanTERT) ortholog, and provide a comparison with genes of other vertebrates. Results The OanTERT encodes a protein with a high sequence similarity to marsupial TERT and avian TERT. Like the TERT of sauropsids and marsupials, as well as that of sharks and echinoderms, OanTERT contains extended variable linkers in the N-terminal region suggesting that they were present already in basal vertebrates and lost independently in rayfinned fish and eutherian mammals. Several alternatively spliced OanTERT variants structurally similar to avian TERT variants were identified. Telomerase activity is expressed in all platypus tissues like that of cold-blooded animals and murine rodents. OanTERT was localized on pseudoautosomal regions of sex chromosomes X3/Y2, expanding the homology between human chromosome 5 and platypus sex chromosomes. Synteny analysis suggests that TERT co-localized with sex-linked genes in the last common mammalian ancestor. Interestingly, female platypuses express higher levels of telomerase in heart and liver tissues than do males. Conclusions OanTERT shares many features with TERT of the reptilian outgroup, suggesting that OanTERT represents the ancestral mammalian TERT. Features specific to TERT of eutherian mammals have, therefore, evolved more recently after the divergence of monotremes.Radmila Hrdličková, Jiří Nehyba, Shu Ly Lim, Frank Grützner, Henry R Bose J

Sedimentological study of the Nikolčice Formation : evidence of the Middle Jurassic transgression onto the Bohemian Massif (subsurface data)

The Jurassic sedimentary succession along the eastern margin of the Bohemian Massif starts with mostly fluvial deposits of the Gresten Formation and continues after marine transgression with the deposition of the Nikolčice Formation (Middle Jurassic, Callovian). The provenance and depositional environment of the Nikolčice Formation showed that deposition occurred within offshore, transitional zone, shoreface, foreshore and littoral sand bar environments; however, shoreface and foreshore deposits dominate in the cores studied. The crystalline units along the eastern margins of the Bohemian Massif represent the primary source of deposits of the Nikolčice Formation. An important role was played by acidic and intermediate plutonites and highly metamorphosed metasedimentary rocks (granulite and amphibolite metamorphic facies), which indicates an advanced stage of erosion of the source area. The role of volcanic and intrusive rocks was small. The primary source was followed by an additional recycled source from older sedimentary rocks (especially the Moravo-Silesian Paleozoic deposits – the Líšeň Formation, the Myslejovice Formation). A similarity of the source areas for the Nikolčice Formation and the underlying Gresten Formation was recognized. Identified differences in their source areas are mainly explained by varied erosional levels due to successive exhumation of the source Variscan orogen and possibly also by an expansion of the source area

Sedimentological and palaeocological records of the evolution of the south west ern part of the Carpathian Foredeep (Czech Republic) during the early Badenian

The depositional environment of the southern part of the Carpathian Foredeep in the Czech Republic was studied in two boreholes using sedimentological and palaeontological methods. Eight lithofacies were recognised within cores of the early Badenian deposits, comprising two facies associations, namely deposits of a coarse-grained Gilbert delta and offshore deposits. As sem blages of foraminifers document the early Badenian (Middle Miocene age). Two types of assemblages were recognised: (1) primary taphocoenoses reflecting the original environment of sedimentation, i. e. a relatively deep sublittoral (circalittoral) environment with low to normal ox ygen bottom conditions and deep-water euryoxibiont foraminifers, numerous planktonic foraminifers, agglutinated foraminifers and mixed assemblages of deep- and shallow-water foraminifers, (2) secondary taphocoenoses of shallower sublittoral (infralittoral) condition redeposited into the basin by gravity currents. These assemblages contain shallow-water foraminifers coupled with an abundant and diverse bryozoan fauna

Timing of Langhian bioevents in the Carpathian Foredeep and northern Pannonian Basin in relation to oceanographic, tectonic and climatic processes

The succession of bioevents in planktonic foraminifer and calcareous nannoplankton communities is reviewed and summarized for the Carpathian Foredeep and northern Pannonian Basin in the time interval between ~16 and 13.5 Ma. This succession can be subdivided into three principal intervals: (1) an interval with rare Praeorbulina sicana and P. glomerosa. It was characterized by a limited immigration of index taxa linked to the lack of a warm surface water layer in the Central Paratethys. This interval can be correlated with the first Badenian transgression near the Burdigalian/Langhian boundary. The rare occurrence of biostratigraphical markers does not allow its precise dating and interregional correlation; (2) a brief interval of the first occurrences of Praeorbulina circularis, Orbulina suturalis and Helicosphaera waltrans. This can be related to the formation of a warm surface water layer suitable for the survival of orbulinas and praeorbulinas and a change from estuarine to anti-estuarine circulation. This interval can be correlated with the second Badenian transgression, which, however, was not isochronous over the area as inferred from different successions of these first occurrences; (3) a limited appearance of new index taxa in the Central Paratethys prior to the Wielician Salinity Crisis. This time interval was characterized by increased seasonality and salinity oscillations followed by climate cooling. A “reverse” migration of the stress-tolerant species Helicosphaera walbersdorfensis from the Central Paratethys to the Mediterranean is suggested. Several local bioevents with limited stratigraphic correlation potential have been recognized in this interval

The sedimentary environment of Devonian siliciclastics in the Babí lom locality (Brunovistulian Platform cover, Southern Moravia, Czech Republic)

Sandstones and conglomerates, which northwards of Brno agglomeration build a hill (ridge) named Babí lom are strongly diagenezed (anchi-metamorphozed) and tectonically deformed. Their regional distribution and stratigraphic position between the Cambrian(?) clastics and Upper Devonian limestones, as well as their appearance meant that they age is considering as Middle Devonian. They are distinguished as the so-called „Basal Devonian Clastics“. Almost all primary sedimentary features are well preserved and distinct. In the metasediments of the Babí lom hill were distinguished both the facies and structures typical of alluvial fans and rivers. Among others they are channel lags with imbricated grains, cross beddings and debrites. Within sedimentary association was established the way-up direction what clearly evidences a coarsening upwards sequence. Assuming the lack of rotation of series of sediments in the X-Y plane, the palaeotrasport was toward the north while major supply with material was from the east

Timing of Langhian bioevents in the Carpathian Foredeep and northern Pannonian Basin in relation to oceanographic, tectonic and climatic processes

The succession of bioevents in planktonic foraminifer and calcareous nannoplankton communities is reviewed and summarized for the Carpathian Foredeep and northern Pannonian Basin in the time interval between ~16 and 13.5 Ma. This succession can be subdivided into three principal intervals: (1) an interval with rare Praeorbulina sicana and P. glomerosa. It was characterized by a limited immigration of index taxa linked to the lack of a warm surface water layer in the Central Paratethys. This interval can be correlated with the first Badenian transgression near the Burdigalian/Langhian boundary. The rare occurrence of biostratigraphical markers does not allow its precise dating and interregional correlation; (2) a brief interval of the first occurrences of Praeorbulina circularis, Orbulina suturalis and Helicosphaera waltrans. This can be related to the formation of a warm surface water layer suitable for the survival of orbulinas and praeorbulinas and a change from estuarine to anti-estuarine circulation. This interval can be correlated with the second Badenian transgression, which, however, was not isochronous over the area as inferred from different successions of these first occurrences; (3) a limited appearance of new index taxa in the Central Paratethys prior to the Wielician Salinity Crisis. This time interval was characterized by increased seasonality and salinity oscillations followed by climate cooling. A “reverse” migration of the stress-tolerant species Helicosphaera walbersdorfensis from the Central Paratethys to the Mediterranean is suggested. Several local bioevents with limited stratigraphic correlation potential have been recognized in this interval

Reconstruction of the unusual Middle Miocene (Badenian) palaeoenvironment of the Carpathian Foredeep (Lomnice/Tišnov denudational relict, Czech Republic)

Multiproxy sedimentological, gamma-spectrometric, foraminiferal, calcareous nannoplankton, and otolith data were used for the reconstruction of the Badenian (Middle Miocene) history of the Moravian part of the Carpathian Foredeep. The study material originated from the new borehole LOM-1, which drilled >20 metres of monotonous clayey siltstones with exceptionally rich and well-preserved microfossil assemblages. Distal parts of the Carpathian Foredeep (a forebulge depozone) are exposed in this succession. Generally, a quiet environment of outer shelf to upper bathyal of monotonous clayey silts was interpreted, which is typical for the proximal parts of a peripheral foreland basin. The section studied can be subdivided into six intervals, confirming the cyclical character of Middle Miocene sedimentation in the Central Paratethys. Interannual oscillations of nutrient content, temperature and/or salinity are interpreted based on the oscillations of geochemical as well as palaeobiological data. The turnover connected with the initiation of the Middle Miocene Climatic Transition is recorded above the LO (last occurrence) of Helicosphaera waltrans in agreement with previous observations in the Carpathian Foredeep. The changes include cooling, a decrease in nutrients, a probable increase of the salinity of surface water, and increase of seasonality. Seasonality was manifested by an alternation of mixed and stratified water columns with a seasonal input of nutrients. Concerning nutrients, sources of seasonal riverine input or seasonal upwelling are both possible