55 research outputs found
A genome-wide resource for the analysis of protein localisation in Drosophila
The Drosophila genome contains >13000 protein-coding genes, the majority of which remain poorly investigated. Important reasons include the lack of antibodies or reporter constructs to visualise these proteins. Here, we present a genome-wide fosmid library of 10000 GFP-tagged clones, comprising tagged genes and most of their regulatory information. For 880 tagged proteins, we created transgenic lines, and for a total of 207 lines, we assessed protein expression and localisation in ovaries, embryos, pupae or adults by stainings and live imaging approaches. Importantly, we visualised many proteins at endogenous expression levels and found a large fraction of them localising to subcellular compartments. By applying genetic complementation tests, we estimate that about two-thirds of the tagged proteins are functional. Moreover, these tagged proteins enable interaction proteomics from developing pupae and adult flies. Taken together, this resource will boost systematic analysis of protein expression and localisation in various cellular and developmental contexts
Confirmation of beach accretion by grain-size trend analysis: Camposoto beach, CĂĄdiz, SW Spain
An application of the grain size trend analysis
(GSTA) is used in an exploratory approach to characterize
sediment transport on Camposoto beach (CĂĄdiz, SW Spain).
In May 2009 the mesotidal beach showed a well-developed
swash bar on the upper foreshore, which was associated
with fair-weather conditions prevailing just before and during
the field survey. The results were tested by means of an
autocorrelation statistical test (index I of Moran). Two sedimentological
trends were recognized, i.e. development towards
finer, better sorted and more negatively skewed
sediment (FBâ), and towards finer, better sorted and less
negatively or more positively skewed sediment (FB+). Both
vector fields were compared with results obtained from
more classical approaches (sand tracers, microtopography
and current measurements). This revealed that both trends
can be considered as realistic, the FB+ trend being identified
for the first time in a beach environment. The data demonstrate
that, on the well-developed swash bar, sediment
transported onshore becomes both finer and better sorted
towards the coast. On the lower foreshore, which exhibits a
steeper slope produced by breaking waves, the higherenergy
processes winnow out finer particles and thereby
produce negatively skewed grain-size distributions. The upper
foreshore, which has a flatter and smoother slope, is
controlled by lower-energy swash-backwash and overwash
processes. As a result, the skewness of the grain-size distributions
evolves towards less negative or more positive
values. The skewness parameter appears to be distributed
as a function of the beach slope and, thus, reflects variations
in hydrodynamic energy. This has novel implications for
coastal management
Spatial Analyses of Benthic Habitats to Define Coral Reef Ecosystem Regions and Potential Biogeographic Boundaries along a Latitudinal Gradient
Marine organism diversity typically attenuates latitudinally from tropical to colder climate regimes. Since the distribution of many marine species relates to certain habitats and depth regimes, mapping data provide valuable information in the absence of detailed ecological data that can be used to identify and spatially quantify smaller scale (10 s km) coral reef ecosystem regions and potential physical biogeographic barriers. This study focused on the southeast Florida coast due to a recognized, but understudied, tropical to subtropical biogeographic gradient. GIS spatial analyses were conducted on recent, accurate, shallow-water (0â30 m) benthic habitat maps to identify and quantify specific regions along the coast that were statistically distinct in the number and amount of major benthic habitat types. Habitat type and width were measured for 209 evenly-spaced cross-shelf transects. Evaluation of groupings from a cluster analysis at 75% similarity yielded five distinct regions. The number of benthic habitats and their area, width, distance from shore, distance from each other, and LIDAR depths were calculated in GIS and examined to determine regional statistical differences. The number of benthic habitats decreased with increasing latitude from 9 in the south to 4 in the north and many of the habitat metrics statistically differed between regions. Three potential biogeographic barriers were found at the Boca, Hillsboro, and Biscayne boundaries, where specific shallow-water habitats were absent further north; Middle Reef, Inner Reef, and oceanic seagrass beds respectively. The Bahamas Fault Zone boundary was also noted where changes in coastal morphologies occurred that could relate to subtle ecological changes. The analyses defined regions on a smaller scale more appropriate to regional management decisions, hence strengthening marine conservation planning with an objective, scientific foundation for decision making. They provide a framework for similar regional analyses elsewhere
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Electrical power generation from ocean currents in the Straits of Florida: Some environmental considerations
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Some environmental considerations of electrical power generation from ocean currents in the straits of Florida
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