Development of microsatellite markers for two Australian Persoonia (Proteaceae) species using two different techniques.

UNLABELLED: • PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Microsatellite markers were developed and cross-species transferability assessed for two Persoonia species to evaluate genetic diversity and population genetic structure of these broadly distributed southwest Australian tree species. • METHODS AND RESULTS: Microsatellite-enriched libraries and 454 GS-FLX shotgun sequencing were used to identity nine microsatellite loci for P. elliptica (one 454; eight cloning) and six for P. longifolia (three 454; three cloning). These loci were screened for variation in individuals from populations in southwestern Australia. In P. elliptica, observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.46 to 0.93 and 0.42 to 0.88, respectively. For P. longifolia, observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.04 to 0.88 and 0.04 to 0.84, respectively. • CONCLUSIONS: The microsatellites identified in this study will enable the examination of population and spatial structuring of genetic diversity in P. elliptica and P. longifolia, two priority species for mine site restoration in southwestern Australia

Developmental phenology of Persoonia longifolia (Proteaceae) and the impact of fire on these events

Persoonia longifolia R.Br. is a common understorey tree that is difficult to re-establish following bauxite extraction and land restoration in parts of the jarrah forest of south-western Western Australia. To improve restoration outcomes for P. longifolia, understanding its phenology is vital for developing methods for returning this plant to rehabilitated areas. The present study investigated in detail different aspects of the phenology of P. longifolia over a 3-year-period. Most vegetative growth occurred during the summer months and flowering and fruiting occurred concurrently. Fruit matured from July through to September, at which time these dropped to the forest floor. Germination occurred in late winter-early spring from fruit that was at least 1-year old, with poor seedling survival in natural bush (<10%) during the first 12 months. Following fire, P. longifolia plants resprouted prolifically in the next growing season, although there was very little fruit production in the first year following fire. Fruit was not produced until at least the second year following a fire, and when dispersed, required at least another year in the soil seed bank before germination commenced (i.e. 3 years post-fire). Results from the present study will improve restoration outcomes for this species, by providing guidance on better seed-collection strategies and baseline information concerning growth rates under natural conditions that can then be used to assess performance of this species in restored environments

Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of 1,684 Streptococcus pneumoniae and 2,039 Streptococcus pyogenes Isolates and Their Ecological Relationships: Results of a 1-Year (1998–1999) Multicenter Surveillance Study in Spain

A nationwide multicenter susceptibility surveillance study which included 1,684 Streptococcus pneumoniae and 2,039 S. pyogenes isolates was carried out over 1 year in order to assess the current resistance patterns for the two most important gram-positive microorganisms responsible for community-acquired infections in Spain. Susceptibility testing was done by a broth microdilution method according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards M100-S10 interpretative criteria. For S. pneumoniae, the prevalences of highly resistant strains were 5% for amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid; 7% for cefotaxime; 22% for penicillin; 31% for cefuroxime; 35% for erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin; and 42% for cefaclor. For S. pyogenes, the prevalence of erythromycin resistance was 20%. Efflux was encountered in 90% of S. pyogenes and 5% of S. pneumoniae isolates that exhibited erythromycin resistance. Erythromycin resistance was associated with clarithromycin and azithromycin in both species, regardless of phenotype. Despite the different nature of the mechanisms of resistance, a positive correlation (r = 0.612) between the two species in the prevalence of erythromycin resistance was found in site-by-site comparisons, suggesting some kind of link with antibiotic consumption. Regarding ciprofloxacin, the MIC was ≥4 μg/ml for 7% of S. pneumoniae and 3.5% of S. pyogenes isolates. Ciprofloxacin resistance (MIC, ≥4 μg/ml) was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with macrolide resistance in both S. pyogenes and S. pneumoniae and with penicillin nonsusceptibility in S. pneumoniae