Listening In on the Past: What Can Otolith δ18O Values Really Tell Us about the Environmental History of Fishes?

Oxygen isotope ratios from fish otoliths are used to discriminate marine stocks and reconstruct past climate, assuming that variations in otolith δ18O values closely reflect differences in temperature history of fish when accounting for salinity induced variability in water δ18O. To investigate this, we exploited the environmental and migratory data gathered from a decade using archival tags to study the behaviour of adult plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.) in the North Sea. Based on the tag-derived monthly distributions of the fish and corresponding temperature and salinity estimates modelled across three consecutive years, we first predicted annual otolith δ18O values for three geographically discrete offshore sub-stocks, using three alternative plausible scenarios for otolith growth. Comparison of predicted vs. measured annual δ18O values demonstrated >96% correct prediction of sub-stock membership, irrespective of the otolith growth scenario. Pronounced inter-stock differences in δ18O values, notably in summer, provide a robust marker for reconstructing broad-scale plaice distribution in the North Sea. However, although largely congruent, measured and predicted annual δ18O values of did not fully match. Small, but consistent, offsets were also observed between individual high-resolution otolith δ18O values measured during tag recording time and corresponding δ18O predictions using concomitant tag-recorded temperatures and location-specific salinity estimates. The nature of the shifts differed among sub-stocks, suggesting specific vital effects linked to variation in physiological response to temperature. Therefore, although otolith δ18O in free-ranging fish largely reflects environmental temperature and salinity, we counsel prudence when interpreting otolith δ18O data for stock discrimination or temperature reconstruction until the mechanisms underpinning otolith δ18O signature acquisition, and associated variation, are clarified

A T3 and T7 Recombinant Phage Acquires Efficient Adsorption and a Broader Host Range

It is usually thought that bacteriophage T7 is female specific, while phage T3 can propagate on male and female Escherichia coli. We found that the growth patterns of phages T7M and T3 do not match the above characteristics, instead showing strain dependent male exclusion. Furthermore, a T3/7 hybrid phage exhibits a broader host range relative to that of T3, T7, as well as T7M, and is able to overcome the male exclusion. The T7M sequence closely resembles that of T3. T3/7 is essentially T3 based, but a DNA fragment containing part of the tail fiber gene 17 is replaced by the T7 sequence. T3 displays inferior adsorption to strains tested herein compared to T7. The T3 and T7 recombinant phage carries altered tail fibers and acquires better adsorption efficiency than T3. How phages T3 and T7 recombine was previously unclear. This study is the first to show that recombination can occur accurately within only 8 base-pair homology, where four-way junction structures are identified. Genomic recombination models based on endonuclease I cleavages at equivalent and nonequivalent sites followed by strand annealing are proposed. Retention of pseudo-palindromes can increase recombination frequency for reviving under stress

Properties and crystallization of a genetically engineered, water-soluble derivative of penicillin-binding protein 5 of Escherichia coli K12

Derivatives of the Escherichia coli penicillin-binding protein 5 (PBP5) with truncated carboxyl terminals were obtained by altering the carboxyl-coding end of the dacA gene. After cloning the modified dacA gene into a runaway-replication-control plasmid, one clone that overproduced and excreted the desired protein into the periplasm was used as a source for the isolation of a water-soluble PBP5 (i.e. PBP5S). In PBP5S the carboxyl-terminal 21-amino-acid region of the wild-type protein was replaced by a short 9-amino-acid segment. Milligram amounts of PBP5S were purified by penicillin affinity chromatography in the absence of detergents or of chaotropic agents. PBP5S was stable and possessed DD-carboxypeptidase activity without added Triton X-100. Upon reaction with [14C]benzylpenicillin it was converted into a rather short-lived acyl-enzyme complex, as observed with PBP5. Both PBP5 and PBP5S were crystallized. In contrast to PBP5, PBP5S yielded enzymatically active, well-formed prismatic crystals suitable for X-ray analysis

25th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting: CNS-2016

Abstracts of the 25th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting: CNS-2016 Seogwipo City, Jeju-do, South Korea. 2–7 July 201

25th annual computational neuroscience meeting: CNS-2016

The same neuron may play different functional roles in the neural circuits to which it belongs. For example, neurons in the Tritonia pedal ganglia may participate in variable phases of the swim motor rhythms [1]. While such neuronal functional variability is likely to play a major role the delivery of the functionality of neural systems, it is difficult to study it in most nervous systems. We work on the pyloric rhythm network of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) [2]. Typically network models of the STG treat neurons of the same functional type as a single model neuron (e.g. PD neurons), assuming the same conductance parameters for these neurons and implying their synchronous firing [3, 4]. However, simultaneous recording of PD neurons shows differences between the timings of spikes of these neurons. This may indicate functional variability of these neurons. Here we modelled separately the two PD neurons of the STG in a multi-neuron model of the pyloric network. Our neuron models comply with known correlations between conductance parameters of ionic currents. Our results reproduce the experimental finding of increasing spike time distance between spikes originating from the two model PD neurons during their synchronised burst phase. The PD neuron with the larger calcium conductance generates its spikes before the other PD neuron. Larger potassium conductance values in the follower neuron imply longer delays between spikes, see Fig. 17.Neuromodulators change the conductance parameters of neurons and maintain the ratios of these parameters [5]. Our results show that such changes may shift the individual contribution of two PD neurons to the PD-phase of the pyloric rhythm altering their functionality within this rhythm. Our work paves the way towards an accessible experimental and computational framework for the analysis of the mechanisms and impact of functional variability of neurons within the neural circuits to which they belong

A century of intermittent eco‐evolutionary feedbacks resulted in novel trait combinations in invasive Great Lakes alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus)

Abstract Species introductions provide opportunities to quantify rates and patterns of evolutionary change in response to novel environments. Alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) are native to the East Coast of North America where they ascend coastal rivers to spawn in lakes and then return to the ocean. Some populations have become landlocked within the last 350 years and diverged phenotypically from their ancestral marine population. More recently, alewives were introduced to the Laurentian Great Lakes (~150 years ago), but these populations have not been compared to East Coast anadromous and landlocked populations. We quantified 95 years of evolution in foraging traits and overall body shape of Great Lakes alewives and compared patterns of phenotypic evolution of Great Lakes alewives to East Coast anadromous and landlocked populations. Our results suggest that gill raker spacing in Great Lakes alewives has evolved in a dynamic pattern that is consistent with responses to strong but intermittent eco‐evolutionary feedbacks with zooplankton size. Following their initial colonization of Lakes Ontario and Michigan, dense alewife populations likely depleted large‐bodied zooplankton, which drove a decrease in alewife gill raker spacing. However, the introduction of large, non‐native zooplankton to the Great Lakes in later decades resulted in an increase in gill raker spacing, and present‐day Great Lakes alewives have gill raker spacing patterns that are similar to the ancestral East Coast anadromous population. Conversely, contemporary Great Lakes alewife populations possess a gape width consistent with East Coast landlocked populations. Body shape showed remarkable parallel evolution with East Coast landlocked populations, likely due to a shared response to the loss of long‐distance movement or migrations. Our results suggest the colonization of a new environment and cessation of migration can result in rapid parallel evolution in some traits, but contingency also plays a role, and a dynamic ecosystem can also yield novel trait combinations

Optische Verbindungstechnik fuer zukuenftige Signalprozessoren. T. 1 und 2 Optische Interchip- und Leiterplattenverbindungen. Laserdioden niedriger Schwelle. Abschlussbericht

For future high-speed signal processors we have developed optical chip-to-chip and optical board-to-board interconnects as well as GaAs laser diodes with low threshold currents. For optical chip-to-chip interconnects a demonstrator, distributing clock/data signals from one transmitter to four receivers, has been realized. Signal transmission between chips occurs via an optical distribution plate, which is mounted in short distance above the electrical substrate. The distribution structure was realized by ion exchange in glass and the coupling micromirrors were manufactured by photoablation; chip positioning was done by flip-chip solder bonding. Using this test systemdata distribution at 1GBit/s has been demonstrated successfully. Concerning optical board-to-board interconnects initially we were interested in free-space interconnects between neighbouring boards. For this application we have evaluated a star bus structure with optical waveguides on a backplane. GaAs lasers with low threshold currents have been realized as Fabry-Perot lasers as well as surface-emitter lasers. For Fabry-Perot lasers we have adopted the ridge-structure with single quantum well (SQW) active layers. With short cavities (#>=# 100 #mu#m) and high reflecting, slightly asymmetrical, mirrors (90%/96%) we have obtained threshold currents as low as 1.2 mA. For surface-emitters lasers best results have been achieved when using InGaAs-QW layers within the resonator. Emitters with a 10 #mu#m wide active area, which was determined by ion implantation yielded threshhold currents around 1.4 mA. The modulation bandwith of both laser types was about 5 GHz. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F94B1265+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Diffusive methane emissions to the atmosphere from Lake Kivu (Eastern Africa)

We report a data-set of methane (CH4) concentrations in the surface waters of Lake Kivu obtained during four cruises (March 2007, September 2007, June 2008, April 2009) covering the two main seasons, rainy (October to May) and dry (June to September). Spatial gradients of CH4 concentrations were modest in the surface waters of the main basin. In Kabuno Bay (a small sub-basin), CH4 concentrations in surface waters were significantly higher than in the main basin. Seasonal variations of CH4 in the main basin were strongly driven by deepening of the mixolimnion and mixing of surface waters with deeper waters rich in CH4. On an annual basis, both Kabuno Bay and the main basin of Lake Kivu were over-saturated in CH4 with respect to atmospheric equilibrium (7330% and 2510%, respectively), and emitted CH4 to the atmosphere (39 mmol m-2 yr-1 and 13 mmol m-2 yr-1, respectively). The source of CH4 to atmosphere was two orders of magnitude lower than the CH4 upward flux. The source of CH4 to the atmosphere from Lake Kivu corresponded to ~60% of the terrestrial sink of atmospheric CH4 over the lake’s catchment. A global cross-system comparison of CH4 in surface waters of lakes shows that both Kabuno Bay and the main basin are at the lower end of values in lakes globally, despite the huge amounts of CH4 in the deeper layers of the lake. This is related to the strongly meromictic nature of the lake that promotes an intense removal of CH4 by bacterial oxidation.AFRIVA