Allorecognition behavior of slime mold plasmodium—Physarum rigidum slime sheath-mediated self-extension model

When allogeneic plasmodia of Myxomycetes encounter each other, they fuse or avoid each other depending on the combination, indicating that plasmodia can recognize self and non-self. The mechanisms of allorecognition are not fully understood from the perspective of behavior. In the present study design, Physarum rigidum geographical strains naturally encountered each other with the aim of formulating a model of allorecognition behavior. The plasmodia of P. rigidum can recognize each other by touching the cell membrane surface. However, contact is not necessary. Cases involving the absence of contact occur by the slime sheath of hyaline mucus that covers plasmodium. This so-called non-contact allorecognition has distinct characteristics regardless of distance and is faster compared to that involving contact. These facts suggest that the plasmodia of one P. rigidum can recognize others and can rapidly and safely decide whether to avoid or fuse with other plasmodia, using the non-contact allorecognition. Previous studies on P. polycephalum have regarded the slime sheath as a repellent or as an external memory for self. These studies advocated that the principle of the plasmodium is basically avoidance of other individuals. In this study, we propose the self-extension model based on data of the allorecognition behavior of P. rigidum. According to the model, the slime sheath functions as a signal that disperses information about self into the environment. Self-extension by the slime sheath enables non-contact allorecognition

藻類寄生性ツボカビの分類学的研究

筑波大学 (University of Tsukuba)201

Novel parasitic chytrids infecting snow algae in an alpine snow ecosystem in Japan

IntroductionMicrobial communities are important components of glacier and snowpack ecosystems that influence biogeochemical cycles and snow/ice melt. Recent environmental DNA surveys have revealed that chytrids dominate the fungal communities in polar and alpine snowpacks. These could be parasitic chytrids that infect snow algae as observed microscopically. However, the diversity and phylogenetic position of parasitic chytrids has not been identified due to difficulties in establishing their culture and subsequent DNA sequencing. In this study, we aimed to identify the phylogenetic positions of chytrids infecting the snow algae, Chloromonas spp., bloomed on snowpacks in Japan.MethodsBy linking a microscopically picked single fungal sporangium on a snow algal cell to a subsequent sequence of ribosomal marker genes, we identified three novel lineages with distinct morphologies.ResultsAll the three lineages belonged to Mesochytriales, located within “Snow Clade 1”, a novel clade consisting of uncultured chytrids from snow-covered environments worldwide. Additionally, putative resting spores of chytrids attached to snow algal cells were observed.DiscussionThis suggests that chytrids may survive as resting stage in soil after snowmelt. Our study highlights the potential importance of parasitic chytrids that infect snow algal communities

Prevalence and Intra-Family Phylogenetic Divergence of Burkholderiaceae-Related Endobacteria Associated with Species of Mortierella.

Endofungal bacteria are widespread within the phylum Mucoromycota, and these include Burkholderiaceae-related endobacteria (BRE). However. the prevalence of BRE in Mortierellomycotinan fungi and their phylogenetic divergence remain unclear. Therefore, we examined the prevalence of BRE in diverse species of Mortierella. We surveyed 238 isolates of Mortierella spp. mainly obtained in Japan that were phylogenetically classified into 59 species. BRE were found in 53 isolates consisting of 22 species of Mortierella. Among them, 20 species of Mortierella were newly reported as the fungal hosts of BRE. BRE in a Glomeribacter-illycoavidus Glade in the family Burkholderiaceae were separated phylogenetically into three groups. These groups consisted of a group containing Mycoavidus cysteinexigens, which is known to be associated with M. elongata, and two other newly distinguishable groups. Our results demonstrated that BRE were harbored by many species of Mortierella and those that associated with isolates of Mortierella spp. were more phylogenetically divergent than previously reported

Seasonality of parasitic and saprotrophic zoosporic fungi: linking sequence data to ecological traits

Zoosporic fungi of the phylum Chytridiomycota (chytrids) regularly dominate pelagic fungal communities in freshwater and marine environments. Their lifestyles range from obligate parasites to saprophytes. Yet, linking the scarce available sequence data to specific ecological traits or their host ranges constitutes currently a major challenge. We combined 28 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing with targeted isolation and sequencing approaches, along with cross-infection assays and analysis of chytrid infection prevalence to obtain new insights into chytrid diversity, ecology, and seasonal dynamics in a temperate lake. Parasitic phytoplankton-chytrid and saprotrophic pollen-chytrid interactions made up the majority of zoosporic fungal reads. We explicitly demonstrate the recurrent dominance of parasitic chytrids during frequent diatom blooms and saprotrophic chytrids during pollen rains. Distinct temporal dynamics of diatom-specific parasitic clades suggest mechanisms of coexistence based on niche differentiation and competitive strategies. The molecular and ecological information on chytrids generated in this study will aid further exploration of their spatial and temporal distribution patterns worldwide. To fully exploit the power of environmental sequencing for studies on chytrid ecology and evolution, we emphasize the need to intensify current isolation efforts of chytrids and integrate taxonomic and autecological data into long-term studies and experiments.Alliance of German Science Organizations///AlemaniaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de Biologí

Solving the Bethe-Salpeter Equation for Scalar Theories in Minkowski Space

The Bethe-Salpeter (BS) equation for scalar-scalar bound states in scalar theories without derivative coupling is formulated and solved in Minkowski space. This is achieved using the perturbation theory integral representation (PTIR), which allows these amplitudes to be expressed as integrals over weight functions and known singularity structures and hence allows us to convert the BS equation into an integral equation involving weight functions. We obtain numerical solutions using this formalism for a number of scattering kernels to illustrate the generality of the approach. It applies even when the na\"{\i}ve Wick rotation is invalid. As a check we verify, for example, that this method applied to the special case of the massive ladder exchange kernel reproduces the same results as are obtained by Wick rotation.Comment: 23 pages with 3 uuencoded, compressed Postscript figures. Entire manuscript available as a ps file at http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/theory/home.html . Also available at ftp://adelphi.adelaide.edu.au/pub/theory/ADP-94-24.T164.p

Seasonality of parasitic and saprotrophic zoosporic fungi: linking sequence data to ecological traits

Zoosporic fungi of the phylum Chytridiomycota (chytrids) regularly dominate pelagic fungal communities in freshwater and marine environments. Their lifestyles range from obligate parasites to saprophytes. Yet, linking the scarce available sequence data to specific ecological traits or their host ranges constitutes currently a major challenge. We combined 28 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing with targeted isolation and sequencing approaches, along with cross-infection assays and analysis of chytrid infection prevalence to obtain new insights into chytrid diversity, ecology, and seasonal dynamics in a temperate lake. Parasitic phytoplankton-chytrid and saprotrophic pollen-chytrid interactions made up the majority of zoosporic fungal reads. We explicitly demonstrate the recurrent dominance of parasitic chytrids during frequent diatom blooms and saprotrophic chytrids during pollen rains. Distinct temporal dynamics of diatom-specific parasitic clades suggest mechanisms of coexistence based on niche differentiation and competitive strategies. The molecular and ecological information on chytrids generated in this study will aid further exploration of their spatial and temporal distribution patterns worldwide. To fully exploit the power of environmental sequencing for studies on chytrid ecology and evolution, we emphasize the need to intensify current isolation efforts of chytrids and integrate taxonomic and autecological data into long-term studies and experiments.</p

Probing vacuum birefringence under a high-intensity laser field with gamma-ray polarimetry at the GeV scale

International audienceProbing vacuum structures deformed by high intense fields is of great interest in general. In the context of quantum electrodynamics (QED), the vacuum exposed by a linearly polarized high-intensity laser field is expected to show birefringence. We consider the combination of a 10 PW laser system to pump the vacuum and 1 GeV photons to probe the birefringent effect. The vacuum birefringence can be measured via the polarization flip of the probe γ-rays which can also be interpreted as phase retardation of probe photons. We provide theoretically how to extract phase retardation of GeV probe photons via pairwise topology of the Bethe-Heitler process in a polarimeter and then evaluate the measurability of the vacuum birefringence via phase retardation given a concrete polarimeter design with a realistic set of laser parameters and achievable pulse statistics