B chromosome in the beetle Coprophanaeus cyanescens (Scarabaeidae): emphasis in the organization of repetitive DNA sequences

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Molecular organization of 5S rDNA in sharks of the genus Rhizoprionodon: insights into the evolutionary dynamics of 5S rDNA in vertebrate genomes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Molecular identification and characterization of canine Hepatozoon species from Brazil

Canine Hepatozoon species from Brazil was molecular identified and characterized for the first time. From 31 dogs, 7 were positive for blood smear examination and 21 positive for PCR. Partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene from eight naturally infected dogs were analyzed. Sequences revealed that Brazilian Hepatozoon is closely related with the Japanese Hepatozoon, that has 99% nucleotide identity with Hepatozoon canis from Israel, and different from Hepatozoon americanum. These results indicate that the canine Hepatozoon species from Brazil is H. canis.

Chromosomal organization of the 18S and 5S rRNAs and histone H3 genes in Scarabaeinae coleopterans: insights into the evolutionary dynamics of multigene families and heterochromatin

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Chromosomal mapping of rDNAs and H3 histone sequences in the grasshopper rhammatocerus brasiliensis (acrididae, gomphocerinae): extensive chromosomal dispersion and co-localization of 5S rDNA/H3 histone clusters in the A complement and B chromosome

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Candida leandrae sp nov., an asexual ascomycetous yeast species isolated from tropical plants

The novel yeast species Candida leandrae is described based on eight isolates from decaying fruits of Leandra reversa Cogn. (Melastomataceae) in an Atlantic rainforest site in Brazil, one from a Convolvulaceae flower in Costa Rica and one from a drosophilid in Hawai'i. The strains differed in their colony morphology, one being butyrous and smooth and the other being filamentous and rugose. Sequences of the D1/D2 domains of the large-subunit rRNA gene from both morphotypes were identical. C. leandrae belongs to the Kodamaea clade and is closely related to Candida restingae. The two species can be separated on the basis of growth at 37degreesC and the assimilation of melezitose, negative in the novel species. The type culture of C. leandrae is strain UNESP 00-64R(T) (= CBS 9735(T) = NRRL Y-27757(T)).

Bacillus lehensis-an alkali-tolerant bacterium isolated from cassava starch wastewater: optimization of parameters for cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase production

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fungal diversity associated with Brazilian energy transmission towers

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ecology of microfungal communities in gardens of fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): a year-long survey of three species of attine ants in Central Texas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)National Science Foundation (NSF)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Phylogenetic relationships of Pseudis and Lysapsus (Anura, Hylidae, Hylinae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences

The previous uncertain placement of Lysapsus and Pseudis within the neobatrachians was recently resolved by molecular and morphological studies, which supported them as members of the Hylinae subfamily. Their inter- and intrageneric relationships, however, have long been under debate and no studies shed light on these questions. Aiming to elucidate such questions, this paper used 3.2 kb comprising the mitochondrial genes 12S, tRNA valine, 16S and cytochrome b, and the nuclear exon 1 coding for rhodopsin, to all representatives of both genera (except to two subspecies of Pseudis paradoxa). The results identified three major clades: the clade 1 was composed by Lysapsus species and subspecies; clade 2 included the subspecies of the Pseudis paradoxa (Pseudis paradoxa paradoxa, P. paradoxa platensis and P. paradoxa occidentalis), P. fusca, P. bolbodactyla and P. tocantins, and clade 3 was composed by Pseudis southern Brazil species (Pseudis cardosoi and P. minuta). As closely related taxa we found Pseudis minuta + P. cardosoi; P. tocantins + P. fusca, and the subspecies within each genus. Evidence that Pseudis is not monophyletic with respect to Lysapsus was found and we suggest Lysapsus to be a junior synonym of Pseudis. Based on pair-wise comparison among gene sequences, we also suggest that the subspecies of Pseudis paradoxa and Lysapsus limellum must be considered as full species. (c) the Willi Hennig Society 2007.

Molecular phylogeny and karyotype differentiation in Paratelmatobius and Scythrophrys (Anura, Leptodactylidae)

Paratelmatobius and Scythrophrys are leptodactylid frogs endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic forest and their close phylogenetic relationship was recently inferred in an analysis that included Paratelmatobius sp. and S. sawayae. To investigate the interspecific relationships among Paratelmatobius and Scythrophrys species, we analyzed a mitochondrial region (approximately 2.4 kb) that included the ribosomal genes 12S and 16S and the tRNAval in representatives of all known localities of these genera and in 54 other species. Maximum parsimony inferences were done using PAUP* and support for the clades was evaluated by bootstrapping. A cytogenetic analysis using Giemsa staining, C-banding and silver staining was also done for those populations of Paratelmatobius not included in previous cytogenetic studies of this genus in order to assess their karyotype differentiation. Our results suggested Paratelmatobius and Scythrophrys formed a clade strongly supported by bootstrapping, which corroborated their very close phylogenetic relationship. Among the Paratelmatobius species, two clades were identified and corroborated the groups P. mantiqueira and P. cardosoi previously proposed based on morphological characters. The karyotypes of Paratelmatobius sp. 2 and Paratelmatobius sp. 3 described here had diploid chromosome number 2n = 24 and showed many similarities with karyotypes of other Paratelmatobius representatives. The cytogenetic data and the phylogenetic analysis allowed the proposal/corroboration of several hypotheses for the karyotype differentiation within Paratelmatobius and Scythrophrys. Namely the telocentric pair No. 4 represented a synapomorphy of P. cardosoi and Paratelmatobius sp. 2, while chromosome pair No. 5 with interstitial C-bands could be interpreted as a synapomorphy of the P. cardosoi group. The NOR-bearing chromosome No. 10 in the karyotype of P. poecilogaster was considered homeologous to chromosome No. 10 in the karyotype of Scythrophrys sp., chromosome No. 9 in the karyotype of Paratelmatobius sp. 1, chromosome No. 8 in the karyotypes of Paratelmatobius sp. 2 and of Paratelmatobius sp. 3, and chromosome No. 7 in the karyotype of P. cardosoi. A hypothesis for the evolutionary divergence of these NOR-bearing chromosomes, which probably involved events like gain in heteochromatin, was proposed.

Phylogenetic relationships within anuran clade Terrarana, with emphasis on the placement of Brazilian Atlantic rainforest frogs genus Ischnocnema (Anura: Brachycephalidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A phylogenetic analysis of Pleurodema (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences, with comments on the evolution of anuran foam nests

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Acid phosphatase activity distribution in salivary glands of triatomines (Heteroptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Patterns of nucleolar activity during spermatogenesis of two triatomines, Panstrongylus megistus and P-herreri

The present work analyzed spermatogenesis in two species of triatomines (genus Panstrongylus) using silver-ion impregnation. The sex chromosomes of P. megistus and P. herreri had nucleolar organizing activity and became strongly impregnated during the phases of meiotic prophase I. Fragmentation of the nucleolus occurred in both species during the meiotic cycle. The nucleolar region could be observed up to diakinesis in meiotic prophase after which only nucleolar bodies and fragments were seen. Postmeiotic reactivation of rRNA synthesis occurred in these two species and was probably related to cell differentiation.