Systematics of the Neotropical Genus Leptodactylus Fitzinger, 1826 (Anura: Leptodactylidae): Phylogeny, the Relevance of Non-molecular Evidence, and Species Accounts

A phylogeny of the species-rich clade of the Neotropical frog genus Leptodactylus sensu stricto is presented on the basis of a total evidence analysis of molecular (mitochondrial and nuclear markers) and non-molecular (adult and larval morphological and behavioral characters) sampled from > 80% of the 75 currently recognized species. Our results support the monophyly of Leptodactylus sensu stricto, with Hydrolaetare placed as its sister group. The reciprocal monophyly of Hydrolaetare and Leptodactylus sensu stricto does not require that we consider Hydrolaetare as either a subgenus or synonym of Leptodactylus sensu lato. We recognize Leptodactylus sensu stricto, Hydrolaetare, Adenomera, and Lithodytes as valid monophyletic genera. Our results generally support the traditionally recognized Leptodactylus species groups, with exceptions involving only a few species that are easily accommodated without proposing new groups or significantly altering contents. The four groups form a pectinate tree, with the Leptodactylus fuscus group diverging first, followed by the L. pentadactylus group, which is sister to the L. latrans and L. melanonotus groups. To evaluate the impact of non-molecular evidence on our results, we compared our total evidence results with results obtained from analyses using only molecular data. Although non-molecular evidence comprised only 3.5% of the total evidence matrix, it had a strong impact on our total evidence results. Only one species group was monophyletic in the molecular-only analysis, and support differed in 86% of the 54 Leptodactylus clades that are shared by the results of the two analyses. Even though no non-molecular evidence was included for Hydrolaetare, exclusion of that data partition resulted in that genus being nested within Leptodactylus, demonstrating that the inclusion of a small amount of non-molecular evidence for a subset of species can alter not only the placement of those species, but also species that were not scored for those data. The evolution of several natural history and reproductive traits is considered in the light of our phylogenic framework. Invasion of rocky outcrops, larval oophagy, and use of underground reproductive chambers are restricted to species of the Leptodactylus fuscus and L. pentadactylus groups. In contrast, larval schooling, larval attendance, and more complex parental care are restricted to the L. latrans and L. melanonotus groups. Construction of foam nests is plesiomorphic in Leptodactylus but their placement varies extensively (e.g., underground chambers, surface of waterbodies, natural or excavated basins). Information on species synonymy, etymology, adult and larval morphology, advertisement call, and geographic distribution is summarized in species accounts for the 30 species of the Leptodactylus fuscus group, 17 species of the L. pentadactylus group, eight species of the L. latrans group, and 17 species of the L. melanonotus group, as well as the three species that are currently unassigned to any species group.Se presenta una filogenia del género Leptodactylus, un ciado neotropical rico en especies, basada en análises combinados de datos moleculares (marcadores nuclear y mitocondriales) y no moleculares (caracteres de la morfología de adultos y larvas así como de comportamiento) se muestrearon > 80% de las 75 especies reconocidas. Los resultados apoyan la monofília de Leptodactylus sensu stricto, con Hydrolaetare como su grupo hermano. La monofília recíproca de Hydrolaetare y Leptodactylus no requiere considerar a Hydrolaetare como un subgénero o sinónimo de Leptodactylus sensu lato. Se reconocen Leptodactylus sensu stricto, Hydrolaetare, Adenomera y Lithodytes como géneros monofiléticos válidos. Los resultados en general resuelven los grupos tradicionalmente reconocidos de Leptodactylus, con excepciones de algunas especies que son reasignadas sin la necesidad de proponer nuevos grupos o alterar significativamente el contenido de los grupos tradicionales. Los cuatro grupos de especies forman una topología pectinada donde el grupo de L. fuscus tiene una posición basal, seguido por el grupo de L. pentadactylus que es el grupo hermano al clado formado por los grupo de L. latrans y L. melanonotus. Se estimó el impacto de los datos no moleculares en los resultados, comparándose los resultados de evidencia total con los de los análises de datos moleculares solamente. Los datos no moleculares representan un 3.5% de la matriz de evidencia total, pero estos datos tuvieron un impacto significativo en los resultados del análisis de evidencia total. En el análisis estrictamente molecular solamente un grupo de especies resultó monofilético, y el apoyo difirió en 86% de los 54 ciados de Leptodactylus compartidos entre los dos análises. A pesar que datos no moleculares no fueron incluidos para Hydrolaetare, la exclusión de evidencia no molecular resultó en el género estar dentro de Leptodactylus, demostrando que la inclusión de evidencia no molecular pequeña para un subgrupo de especies altera no solamente la posición topológica de esas especies, sino tambien de las especies para las cuales dichos datos no fueron codificados. La evolución de patrones de historia natural y reprodución se evalúan en el contexto filogenético. La invasión de afloramientos rocosos y la construción de cámaras de reprodución subterraneas está limitada a los grupos de Leptodactylus fuscus y L. pentadactylus, mientras que la oofagia larval está restringida al grupo de L. pentadactylus. Por otro lado, los cárdumenes larvales, la proteción del cárdumen, y otros comportamientos parentales complejos carecterizan al clado formado por los grupos de especies de L. latrans y L. melanonotus. Los resúmenes de especies incluyen información de sinonimias, etimología, morfología de adultos y larvas, cantos, y distribución geográfica para las 30 especies del grupo de Leptodactylus fuscus, 17 especies del grupo L. pentadactylus, ocho especies del grupo de L. latrans, 17 especies del grupo de L. melanonotus, así como para las tres especies que actualmente no se encuentran asociadas a ninguno de los grupos de especies.Taran Grant was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico Proc. 307001/2011-3 and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo Proc. 2012/10000-5

Biosynthesis and antioxidant activity of 4NRC β-glycoside

AbstractThis Letter describes glycosylation of 4-Nerolidylcatechol (4-NRC) the major secondary metabolite from Pothomorphe peltata and Pothomorphe umbellata showing remarkable antioxidant, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-HIV activities. One step biosynthesis was catalyzed by Cunninghamella echinulata ATCC 9245 and the reaction was undertaken in PDSM medium at 27°C, 200rpm for 96h. After purification by silica gel flash column chromatography the 4-NRC β-glycoside was identified by ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry and 1H NMR. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by differential pulse voltammetry

Petroleomics: Rapid And Comprehensive Characterization Of Crude Oil And Derivatives Via Ultra-high Resolution And Accuracy Ft Ms Mass Spectrometry [petroleômica: Caracterização Rápida E Abrangente De Petróleo Bruto E Derivados Via Espectrometria De Massas Ft Ms De Altíssima Resolução E Exatidão]

A new frontier in the characterization of crude oil emerged through the development of a new technique known as petroleomics. This innovative technique uses electrospray ionization and Fourier transform mass spectrometry (ESI-FT MS), allowing the analysis of polar compounds present in oils with high speed and ultra-high resolution and accuracy. In doing so, the technique reveals new classes of biomarkers for various aspects of geochemical exploration and refining, such as origin, biodegradation, thermal evolution, acidity, corrosiveness, and API grade. This study shows the results obtained in the development of new methods and application of this technique in the characterization of Brazilian oils.2001/02/15211228Belov, M.E., Nikolaev, E.N., Anderson, G.A., Udseth, H.R., Conrads, T.P., Veenstra, T.D., Masselon, C.D., Smith, R.D., Design and performance of an ESI interface for selective external ion accumulation coupled to a fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometer (2001) Analytical Chemistry, 73 (2), pp. 253-261. , Washington JanComisarow, M.B., Marshall, A.G., Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance spectroscopy (1974) Chemical Physical Letters, 25 (2), pp. 282-283. , Holanda MarCorilo, Y.E., Vaz, B.G., Simas, R.C., Lopes Nascimento, H.D., Klitzke, C.F., Pereira, R.C.L., Bastos, W.L., Eberlin, M.N., Petro mass spec: Simplifying petroleomic data analysis via software processing data (2010) AMERICAN SOCIETY for MASS SPECTROMETRY CONFERENCE on MASS SPECTROMETRY and ALLIED TOPICS, 58. , Salt Lake City. Proceedings⋯ Canada: University of Victoria, 2010Hatcher, P.G., Lerch, H.E., Bates, A.L., Verheyen, T.V., Solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance studies of coalified gymnosperm xylem tissue from Australian brown coals (1989) Organic Geochemistry, 14 (2), pp. 145-155. , United KingdomHughey, C.A., Hendrickson, C.L., Rodgers, R.P., Marshall, A.G., Kendrick mass defect spectrum: A compact visual analysis for ultrahigh-resolution broadband mass spectra (2001) Analytical Chemistry, 73 (19), pp. 4676-4681. , Washington OctKendrick, E., A mass scale based on CH2 = 14.0000 for high resolution mass spectrometry of organic compounds (1963) Analytical Chemistry, 35 (13), pp. 2146-2154. , Washington DecMarshall, A.G., Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (1985) Accounts of Chemical Research, 18 (10), pp. 316-322. , United States Oc tMarshall, A.G., Rodgers, R.P., Petroleomics: The next grand challenge for chemical analysis (2004) Accounts of Chemical Research, 37 (1), pp. 53-59. , United StatesMarshall, A.G., Hendrickson, C.L., Jackson, G.S., Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry: A primer (1998) Mass Spectrometry Reviews, 17 (1), pp. 1-35. , United StatesPeters, K.E., Moldowan, J.M., (1993) The Biomarker Guide: Interpreting Molecular Fossils in Petroleum and Ancient Sediments, 363p. , New Jersey: Prentice-HallRodgers, R.P., Blumer, E.N., Hendrickson, C.L., Marsahall, A.G., Stable isotope incorporation triples the upper mass limit for determination of elemental composition by accurate mass measurement (2000) Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 11 (10), pp. 835-840. , New York OctRodgers, R.P., Schaub, T.M., Marshall, A.G., Petroleomics: MS returns to its roots (2005) Analytical Chemistry, 77 (1), pp. 20A-27A. , Washington JanSchmitt-Kopplin, P., Englmann, M., Rossellomora, R., Schiewek, R., Brockmann, K.J., Benter, T., Schmitz, O.J., Combining chip-ESI with APLI (cESILI) as a multimode source for analysis of complex mixtures with ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (2008) Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 391 (8), pp. 2803-2809. , Germany AugSchrader, W., Panda, S.K., Brockmann, K.J., Thorsten Benter, T., Characterization of non-polar aromatic hydrocarbons in crude oil using atmospheric pressure laser ionization and fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (APLI FT-ICR MS) (2008) The Analyst, 133 (7), pp. 867-869. , United Kingdom JulySmith, D.F., Rahimi, P., Teclemariam, A., Rodgers, R.P., Marshall, A.G., Characterization of athabasca bitumen heavy vacuum gas oil distillation cuts by negative/positive electrospray ionization and automated liquid injection field desorption ionization fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (2008) Energy & Fuels, 22 (5), pp. 3118-3125. , United StatesTissot, B.P., Welte, D.H., (1984) Petroleum Formation and Occurrence, 699p. , 2nd. Berlin: Springer-VerlagVan Krevelen, D.W., Graphical-statistical method for the study of structure and reaction processes of coal (1950) Fuel, 29 (12), pp. 269-284. , DunkerqueZhan, D.L., Fenn, J.B., Electrospray mass spectrometry of fossil fuels (2000) International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 194 (2-3), pp. 197-208. , United Kingdom Ja

Non-classical gluconeogenesis-dependent glucose metabolism in Rhipicephalus microplus embryonic cell line BME26

In this work we evaluated several genes involved in gluconeogenesis, glycolysis and glycogen metabolism, the major pathways for carbohydrate catabolism and anabolism, in the BME26 Rhipicephalus microplus embryonic cell line. Genetic and catalytic control of the genes and enzymes associated with these pathways are modulated by alterations in energy resource availability (primarily glucose). BME26 cells in media were investigated using three different glucose concentrations, and changes in the transcription levels of target genes in response to carbohydrate utilization were assessed. The results indicate that several genes, such as glycogen synthase (GS), glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), and glucose-6 phosphatase (GP) displayed mutual regulation in response to glucose treatment. Surprisingly, the transcription of gluconeogenic enzymes was found to increase alongside that of glycolytic enzymes, especially pyruvate kinase, with high glucose treatment. In addition, RNAi data from this study revealed that the transcription of gluconeogenic genes in BME26 cells is controlled by GSK-3. Collectively, these results improve our understanding of how glucose metabolism is regulated at the genetic level in tick cells