Widespread bone-based fluorescence in chameleons

Fluorescence is widespread in marine organisms but uncommon in terrestrial tetrapods. We here show that many chameleon species have bony tubercles protruding from the skull that are visible through their scales, and fluoresce under UV light. Tubercles arising from bones of the skull displace all dermal layers other than a thin, transparent layer of epidermis, creating a 'window' onto the bone. In the genus Calumma, the number of these tubercles is sexually dimorphic in most species, suggesting a signalling role, and also strongly reflects species groups, indicating systematic value of these features. Co-option of the known fluorescent properties of bone has never before been shown, yet it is widespread in the chameleons of Madagascar and some African chameleon genera, particularly in those genera living in forested, humid habitats known to have a higher relative component of ambient UV light. The fluorescence emits with a maximum at around 430 nm in blue colour which contrasts well to the green and brown background reflectance of forest habitats. This discovery opens new avenues in the study of signalling among chameleons and sexual selection factors driving ornamentation

The IronChip evaluation package: a package of perl modules for robust analysis of custom microarrays

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gene expression studies greatly contribute to our understanding of complex relationships in gene regulatory networks. However, the complexity of array design, production and manipulations are limiting factors, affecting data quality. The use of customized DNA microarrays improves overall data quality in many situations, however, only if for these specifically designed microarrays analysis tools are available.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The IronChip Evaluation Package (ICEP) is a collection of Perl utilities and an easy to use data evaluation pipeline for the analysis of microarray data with a focus on data quality of custom-designed microarrays. The package has been developed for the statistical and bioinformatical analysis of the custom cDNA microarray IronChip but can be easily adapted for other cDNA or oligonucleotide-based designed microarray platforms. ICEP uses decision tree-based algorithms to assign quality flags and performs robust analysis based on chip design properties regarding multiple repetitions, ratio cut-off, background and negative controls.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>ICEP is a stand-alone Windows application to obtain optimal data quality from custom-designed microarrays and is freely available here (see "Additional Files" section) and at: <url>http://www.alice-dsl.net/evgeniy.vainshtein/ICEP/</url></p

Quantitative determination of cross-relaxation rates in NMR using selective pulses to inhibit spin diffusion

Overhauser effects and hence internuclear distances can be measured accurately with selective expts. designed to suppress spin diffusion. It is essential to consider effects of both transverse and longitudinal relaxation during selective radiofrequency pulses. Fitting procedures allow one to refine selected cross-relaxation rate consts., and hence det. internuclear distances with improved accuracy. For the sake of illustration, selected cross-relaxation rates are detd. that correspond to short- and long-range distances involving two diastereotopic sugar protons in a double-stranded B-DNA dodecamer. Such distances are difficult to distinguish by traditional Overhauser methods because of spin-diffusion effects. [on SciFinder (R)

Little-known advantages of very high fields in NMR

Several cases are identified where high fields may lead to gains not due to enhanced Zeeman polarization and to improved dispersion: increasing transverse relaxation times, selective pulses of shorter durations, improved measurement of cross-correlation rates by selective spin-locking, and increased CSA-dipolar cross correlation. [on SciFinder (R)

Isolation of selected exchange processes in nuclear magnetic resonance

It is possible to inhibit the transfer of magnetization in a system with several exchanging sites in dynamic equil., as in a mixt. of cis- and trans-ZrCl4L2 with excess free ligand L (L = (CH3O)3PO). The forward and backward reaction rates involving two selected sites can be studied while the effect of competing exchange processes is quenched. This can be achieved either by selective inversion of the magnetization of the two chosen sites in the reaction interval, or alternatively by inversion of the magnetization of all other sites in the exchange network. The rate of exchange from the free to the cis site is kcic->free = 0.018s-2. In the usual methods, this process would tend to be overshadowed by the almost two hundred times faster competing exchange process from the cis to the trans site (ktrans->cis = 3.32 s-1). [on SciFinder (R)

The genetic basis of cadmium resistance of Burkholderia cenocepacia

Burkholderia species are highly resistant to heavy metals (HMs), yet their resistance mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study we screened 5000 mini-Tn5 transposon insertion mutants of Burkholderia cenocepacia H111 for loss of cadmium tolerance. Of the four genes identified three affected outer membrane biogenesis and integrity or DNA repair. The fourth gene, BCAE0587, encoded a P1-type ATPase belonging to the CadA family of HM exporters. CadA-deficient strains lost the ability to grow in the presence of cadmium, zinc and lead, whereas resistance to nickel, copper and cobalt was not affected. Expression studies using a transcriptional fusion of the cadA promoter to gfp confirmed this specificity, as induction was only observed in presence of cadmium, zinc and lead. The promoter activity was found to be highest at neutral pH with an activation threshold of 30 nM cadmium. Inoculation of the HM-hyperaccumulating plant Arabidopsis halleri with a RFP-marked derivative of B. cenocepacia H111 containing the PcadA–gfp fusion demonstrated the applicability of this biosensor for monitoring cadmium at the single cell level in a natural environment

Neon-green fluorescence in the desert gecko Pachydactylus rangei caused by iridophores

Abstract Biofluorescence is widespread in the natural world, but only recently discovered in terrestrial vertebrates. Here, we report on the discovery of iridophore-based, neon-green flourescence in the gecko Pachydactylus rangei, localised to the skin around the eyes and along the flanks. The maximum emission of the fluorescence is at a wavelength of 516 nm in the green spectrum (excitation maximum 465 nm, blue) with another, smaller peak at 430 nm. The fluorescent regions of the skin show large numbers of iridophores, which are lacking in the non-fluorescent parts. Two types of iridophores are recognized, fluorescent iridophores and basal, non-fluorescent iridophores, the latter of which might function as a mirror, amplifying the omnidirectional fluorescence. The strong intensity of the fluorescence (quantum yield of 12.5%) indicates this to be a highly effective mechanism, unique among tetrapods. Although the fluorescence is associated with iridophores, the spectra of emission and excitation as well as the small Stokes shifts argue against guanine crystals as its source, but rather a rigid pair of fluorophores. Further studies are necessary to identify their morphology and chemical structures. We hypothesise that this nocturnal gecko uses the neon-green fluorescence, excited by moonlight, for intraspecific signalling in its open desert habitat