Algunes dades sobre la captura d'un exemplar de Cetorhinus maximus (Gunner, 1765) (pisces, Cetorhinidae) a l'Estartit (Torroella de Montgrí, mar català)

Se cita una nova captura de Cetorhinus maximus (Gunner, 1765) prop de les illes Medes (mar català). Es detallen en una taula totes les dades que s'obtingueren referents a la seva biometria, i es remarca la presencia d'algues d'origen atlantic en el seu tracte intestinal

Development and Validation of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) Markers from Two Transcriptome 454-Runs of Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) Using High-Throughput Genotyping

The turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) is a commercially valuable flatfish and one of the most promising aquaculture species in Europe. Two transcriptome 454-pyrosequencing runs were used in order to detect Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in genesrelated to immune response and gonad differentiation. A total of 866 true SNPs were detected in 140 different contigs representing 262,093 bp as a whole. Only one true SNP was analyzed in each contig. One hundred and thirteen SNPs out of the 140 analyzed were feasible (genotyped), while Ш were polymorphic in a wild population. Transition/transversion ratio (1.354) was similar to that observed in other fish studies. Unbiased gene diversity (He) estimates ranged from 0.060 to 0.510 (mean = 0.351), minimum allele frequency (MAF) from 0.030 to 0.500 (mean = 0.259) and all loci were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction. A large number of SNPs (49) were located in the coding region, 33 representing synonymous and 16 non-synonymous changes. Most SNP-containing genes were related to immune response and gonad differentiation processes, and could be candidates for functional changes leading to phenotypic changes. These markers will be useful for population screening to look for adaptive variation in wild and domestic turbot

High-throughput sequence analysis of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) transcriptome using 454-pyrosequencing for the discovery of antiviral immune genes

Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.) is an important aquacultural resource both in Europe and Asia. However, there is little information on gene sequences available in public databases. Currently, one of the main problems affecting the culture of this flatfish is mortality due to several pathogens, especially viral diseases which are not treatable. In order to identify new genes involved in immune defense, we conducted 454-pyrosequencing of the turbot transcriptome after different immune stimulations.

Quorum-sensing regulates biofilm formation in Vibrio scophthalmi

Background: In a previous study, we demonstrated that Vibrio scophthalmi, the most abundant Vibrio species among the marine aerobic or facultatively anaerobic bacteria inhabiting the intestinal tract of healthy cultured turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), contains at least two quorum-sensing circuits involving two types of signal molecules (a 3-hydroxy-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone and the universal autoinducer 2 encoded by luxS). The purpose of this study was to investigate the functions regulated by these quorum sensing circuits in this vibrio by constructing mutants for the genes involved in these circuits. Results. The presence of a homologue to the Vibrio harveyi luxR gene encoding a main transcriptional regulator, whose expression is modulated by quorumsensing signal molecules in other vibrios, was detected and sequenced. The V. scophthalmi LuxR protein displayed a maximum amino acid identity of 82% with SmcR, the LuxR homologue found in Vibrio vulnificus. luxR and luxS null mutants were constructed and their phenotype analysed. Both mutants displayed reduced biofilm formation in vitro as well as differences in membrane protein expression by mass-spectrometry analysis. Additionally, a recombinant strain of V. scophthalmi carrying the lactonase AiiA from Bacillus cereus, which causes hydrolysis of acyl homoserine lactones, was included in the study. Conclusions: V. scophthalmi shares two quorum sensing circuits, including the main transcriptional regulator luxR, with some pathogenic vibrios such as V. harveyi and V. anguillarum. However, contrary to these pathogenic vibrios no virulence factors (such as protease production) were found to be quorum sensing regulated in this bacterium. Noteworthy, biofilm formation was altered in luxS and luxR mutants. In these mutants a different expression profile of membrane proteins were observed with respect to the wild type strain suggesting that quorum sensing could play a role in the regulation of the adhesion mechanisms of this bacterium.

Vespignani, Giorgio, Iппoδρoμoς. Il circo di Costantinopoli nuova Roma dalla realtà alla storiografia, Fondazione Centro Italiano di Studi sull"Alto Medioevo, Spoleto, 2010, 303 páginas. ISBN: 978 88-7988-197-5

"El Circo Máximo es su templo, su hogar, su asamblea y la esperanza de todos sus deseos" (AmmiAnvs mArc., Res gest., XXVIII, 4, 29: eisque templum et habitaculum et contio et cupitorum spes omnis Circus est maximus). De este modo describió el historiador Amiano Marcelino, hacia el 382/397, la pasión que la plebe de Roma sentía hacia los espectáculos, especialmente hacia los ludi circenses. Se trata de una afición que se fue incrementando a lo largo de toda la historia del Imperio Romano, hasta el extremo que a mediados del siglo iv, según el calendario de Filócalo (CIL, I2, 1, p. 256-278), se alcanzaron los 177 días de juegos anuales. Y evidentemente tal apasionamiento no fue exclusivo de la ciudad de Roma, sino que se vivió de un modo común en todo el Imperio, sobre todo en las ciudades más grandes, entre las que destacó de una manera especial la capital de Oriente, Constantinopla, la nueva Roma fundada por Constantino I.