Chemical Composition of the Eggs of the Freshwater Turtle Phrynops hilarii (Chelidae: Testudines)

At oviposition, amniote eggs contain all the nutrients required for complete neonate tissue development. For reptiles and birds, the egg yolk is the main embryonic energy source and is composed predominantly of proteins and lipids, while also providing essential inorganic ions including calcium (Ca), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg), and trace elements such as zinc (Z) and iron (Fe). Despite the fact that the Hilaire’s Toadhead Turtle, Phrynops hilarii, is one of the most representative and widely distributed turtle species in Argentina, there are very few studies regarding its reproductive biology. The objectives of this work were to (1) describe the morphological characteristics of Phrynops hilarii eggs, specifically egg and yolk size; (2) determine the relative proportions of egg yolk components (water, ash, lipids, proteins, and minerals); and (3) examine the relationships between egg size, yolk size and yolk components. We collected 171 eggs from 11 individual nests during the 2012 March-April reproductive season. We analyzed one egg per clutch (n = 11) to determine the egg yolk chemical composition. Yolks were composed of 58.3% water, while the dry component was 2.7% ash, 24.9% lipids, and 56.7% protein. The most abundant macromineral detected was K (0.63%) and the most abundant trace mineral was Mg (0.13%). We did not find associations between egg measurements and components, but there were many significant correlations between egg components. Data we collected for this study are important to begin to understand the roles of different nutrients in embryonic development and to further explore maternal investment patterns in Phrynops hilarii.En el momento de la oviposición los huevos amniotas contienen todos los nutrientes necesarios para el desarrollo completo del tejido neonatal. Para reptiles y aves, la yema del huevo es la principal fuente de energía embrionaria y está compuesta predominantemente de proteínas y lípidos y además proporciona iones inorgánicos esenciales que incluyen calcio (Ca), potasio (K) y magnesio (Mg) y trazas de oligoelementos como zinc (Z) y hierro (Fe). A pesar de que Phrynops hilarii es una de las especies de tortugas más representativas y ampliamente distribuidas de Argentina, existen muy pocos estudios sobre su biología reproductiva. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron (1) describir las características morfológicas de los huevos de Phrynops hilarii, específicamente el tamaño del huevo y la yema; (2) determinar las proporciones relativas de los componentes de la yema de huevo (humedad, ceniza, lípidos, proteínas y minerales); y (3) examinar las relaciones entre el tamaño del huevo, el tamaño de la yema y los componentes de la yema. Recolectamos 171 huevos de 11 nidos individuales durante la temporada reproductiva de marzo a abril de 2012. Analizamos un huevo por nidada (n = 11) para determinar la composición química de la yema de huevo. Las yemas presentaron un 58,3% de humedad, mientras que el componente seco fue un 2,7% de ceniza, un 24,9% de lípidos y un 56,7% de proteína. El macromineral más abundante detectado fue K (0,63%) y el oligoelemento más abundante fue Mg (0,13%). No encontramos asociaciones entre las mediciones y los componentes del huevo, pero hubo muchas correlaciones significativas entre los componentes del huevo. Los datos que recopilamos para este estudio son importantes para comenzar a comprender los roles de los diferentes nutrientes en el desarrollo embrionario y para explorar más a fondo los patrones de inversión materna en Phrynops hilarii.Fil: Prieto, Yanina. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; ArgentinaFil: Bernardi, Cecilia Gabriela. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Rozycki, Víctor Rodolfo. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Manzano, Adriana Silvina. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos; Argentina. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; Argentin

Polymorphisms of seed storage proteins in Olea europaea L. cultivars

The use of Olea europaea globulins as genetic markers for the identification of the cultivars was perfomed in the laboratory of Genetics of Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa. The major component of Olea europaea L. seed storage proteins is represented by globulins. These fractions were characterised by electrophoresis and compared with the proteins extracted from protein bodies. The biochemical analysis of the olive seed globulins was carried out in sixteen different cultivars coming from several geographical areas of Italy. The electrophoretic patterns in polyacrylamide gels electrophoresis in denaturing conditions (SDS-PAGE) evidenced both qualitative and quantitative differences. It was possible to identify all the cultivars by their electrophoretic spectra. Number and position of the electrophoretic bands allowed the construction of a similarity matrix and of a dendrogram that allowed the separation into groups, according to their phylogenetic relationships. The several clusters seem to be related with agronomic traits such as fruit size or oil production; no relationships were found with the geographical cultivation area

Rhizophagus intraradices or its associated bacteria affect gene expression of key enzymes involved in the rosmarinic acid biosynthetic pathway of basil

In recent years, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been reported to enhance plant biosynthesis of secondary metabolites with health-promoting activities, such as polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins, anthocyanins, flavonoids and lycopene. In addition, plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacteria were shown to modulate the concentration of nutraceutical compounds in different plant species. This study investigated for the first time whether genes encoding key enzymes of the biochemical pathways leading to the production of rosmarinic acid (RA), a bioactive compound showing antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, were differentially expressed in Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil) inoculated with AMF or selected PGP bacteria, by using quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR. O. basilicum plants were inoculated with either the AMF species Rhizophagus intraradices or a combination of two PGP bacteria isolated from its sporosphere, Sinorhizobium meliloti TSA41 and Streptomyces sp. W43N. Present data show that the selected PGP bacteria were able to trigger the overexpression of tyrosine amino-transferase (TAT), hydroxyphenylpyruvate reductase (HPPR) and p-coumaroyl shikimate 3′-hydroxylase isoform 1 (CS3′H iso1) genes, 5.7- fold, 2-fold and 2.4-fold, respectively, in O. basilicum leaves. By contrast, inoculation with R. intraradices triggered TAT upregulation and HPPR and CS3′H iso1 downregulation. Our data suggest that inoculation with the two selected strains of PGP bacteria utilised here could represent a suitable biotechnological tool to be implemented for the production of O. basilicum plants with increased levels of key enzymes for the biosynthesis of RA, a compound showing important functional properties as related to human health

Accounting for river morphology in the management of red river (vietnam): a numerical modeling approach

During last 15 years, the Red River in northern VietNam has experienced severe river bed degradation along its lower course. The continued decrease of the minimum water levels aggravated water scarcity for agriculture. These outcomes can be attributed to strong in stream sediment mining, major upstream impoundments, climatic and land use changes. The aim of this work is to provide a valuable tool to assess the effects of different reservoir water releases and sediment mining policies on river reach morphology. A 1D mobile bed finite volume numerical model has been set up and preliminary results on the recent 2000-2009 period are presented and discussed. The model features facilitate its integration in optimization algorithms devoted to water management strategies

Ozone damage and tolerance in leaves of two poplar genotypes.

The effects induced by an acute ozone exposure were investigated in two poplar hybrids differen- tially O3 susceptible in terms of leaf injuries: Populus deltoides x maximowiczii, Eridano clone and..

Characterization and performance of a toluene-degrading biofilm developed on pumice stones

BACKGROUND: Hydrocarbon-degrading biofilms in the treatment of contaminated groundwaters have received increasing attention due to the role played in the so-called "biobarriers". These are bioremediation systems in which a microbial consortium adherent to a solid support is placed across the flow of a contaminated plume, thus promoting biodegradation of the pollutant. RESULTS: A microbial consortium adherent to pumice granules (biofilm) developed from a toluene-enriched microflora in a mini-scale system, following continuous supply of a mineral medium containing toluene, over a 12-month period. Observation by scanning electron microscopy, together with quantification of the biomass attached to pumice, evidenced the presence of abundant exopolymeric material surrounding the cells in the biofilm. Toluene removal monitored during 12-month operation, reached 99%. Identification of the species, based on comparative 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence analysis, revealed that Rhodococcus erythropolis and Pseudomonas marginalis were the predominant bacterial species in the microbial consortium. CONCLUSION: A structurally complex toluene-degrading biofilm, mainly formed by Rhodococcus erythropolis and Pseudomonas marginalis, developed on pumice granules, in a mini-scale apparatus continuously fed with toluene