Identification of sexually dimorphic gene expression in brain tissue of the fish Leporinus macrocephalus through mRNA differential display and real time PCR analyses

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

Diversity and evolution of sexually dimorphic mental and lateral glands in Cophomantini treefrogs (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae)

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

Isolamentos e caracterização de DETs(Differentially Expressed Transcripts) em espécies de peixes: Leporinus macrocephalus(Characiformes) e Danio rerio (Cypriniformes)

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

Population structure and reproductive period of the tropical hermit crab Calcinus tibicen (Decapoda : Diogenidae) in the region of Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil

The population of the hermit crab Calcinus tibicen in the Ubatuba region was studied with emphasis on seasonal abundance, seasonal size-frequency distribution, sex-ratio, and reproductive period based on the percentage of ovigerous females. The animals were collected at 2-month intervals for 2 consecutive years (from January 1993 to November 1994). Total mean animal size in shield length was 5.14 +/- 1.23 mm for males, 4.23 +/- 0.79 mm for females, and 4.53 +/- 0.60 for ovigerous females. A discontinuity in reproduction was observed, with an absence of ovigerous females in July (winter) and a high incidence from September to May (spring to autumn). Calcinus tibicen is sexually dimorphic in relation to size, with a higher growth rare in males. The sex-ratio pattern changes with season, indicating that it is more a function of season or habitat than of size.

Aggressive Behavior and Performance in the Tegu Lizard Tupinambis merianae

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Size composition, monthly condition factor and morphometrics for fishery-dependent samples of Rioraja agassizi (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae), off Santos, Southeast Brazil

Espécimes de Rioraja agassizi foram mensalmente coletados em águas ao largo de Santos, sudeste do Brasil entre as latitudes 23º37'S e 27º40'S, desde março de 2005 até março de 2006. Um total de 278 machos e 1023 fêmeas foi capturado. A amplitude de profundidade de ocorrência foi 10-120 m, estando a espécie ausente em profundidades >120 m. A razão sexual favoreceu as fêmeas. A amplitude completa de comprimentos de R. agassizi esteve representada e oscilou nas fêmeas entre 16.0-59.4 cm comprimento e nos machos entre 13.0-47.2 cm. O tamanho médio das fêmeas foi significativamente maior do que dos machos. A distribuição de freqüência de comprimentos por amostras agrupadas foi assimétrica em ambos os sexos. As curvas da relação comprimento-largura foram sexualmente dimórficas. As fêmeas foram mais largas que os machos em todas as classes de comprimento maiores do que 25 cm. As curvas comprimento-peso total foram significativamente diferentes das curvas comprimento-peso eviscerado em ambos os sexos. As fêmeas foram mais pesadas do que os machos para uma determinada classe de comprimento. O coeficiente angular b foi <3 nos machos (alometría negativa) e nas fêmeas, mas com exceção da primavera, onde a alometría foi positiva (b>3). O fator de condição variou significativamente ao longo do ano em ambos os sexos.

The bizarre male of Spalangia dozieri (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae): adaptations for male phoresy or the result of sexual selection?

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

Length-weight relationships, condition and population structure of the genus Atlantoraja (Elasmobranchii, Rajidae, Arhynchobatinae) in Southeastern Brazilian waters, SW Atlantic Ocean

During the present study, 107 specimens of Atlantoraja castelnaui, 188 of A. platana, and 770 of A. cyclophora, were obtained by commercial vessels operating in Southeastern Brazil from March 2005 to April 2006. Males of A. castelnaui ranged from 17.9-111.0 cm and females from 17.4-116.0 cm total length. Males of A. platana ranged from 13.1-70.0 cm and females from 12.5-76.0 cm total length. Males of A. cyclophora ranged from 13.3-58.5 cm and females from 11.5-68.0 cm total length. Length-weight curves were sexually dimorphic in the three species. The analysis of the angular coefficient (b) demonstrated that growth (in weight) in relation to length was allometric (b>3) in males of A. castelnaui and A. platana, while isometric (b = 3) in females of these species. Conversely, growth of A. cyclphora was isometric in males, while in females it was allometric (b>3). The condition factor varied significantly throughout the year only in females of A. castelnaui.

The Role of Wing Pigmentation, UV and Fluorescence as Signals in a Neotropical Damselfly

Pigmentation patterns, ultraviolet reflection and fluorescent emission are often involved in mate recognition and mate quality functions in many animal taxa. We investigated the role of wing ultra-violet reflection, fluorescence emission, and pigmentation on age and sexual signals in the damselfly Mnesarete pudica. In this species, wings are sexually dimorphic in colour and exhibit age dependency: males and females show a smoky black colouration when young, turning red in mature males while it turns brown in females. First, we investigated wing UV patterns through reflectance and emission spectra. Second, behavioural experiments were undertaken to show male and female responses to manipulated wing pigmentation and experimentally reduced UV (UV-). Reflectance spectra of the wings of juvenile and mature males and females were used to show the differences between controls and individuals with manipulated colouration used in the behavioural experiment. UV-reduced, females with wings painted red, and control males and females were tethered and presented to conspecific males and females, and their behavioral responses were recorded. The male red wing pigmentation and females with red wings elicited an aggressive response in territorial males and a sexual response in females. Both males and females showed neutral responses towards individuals with reduced UV. Wing signals of juvenile individuals also provoked neutral responses. These results suggest that UV, together with pigmentation, plays a role during mate recognition in males and females. Other than butterflies and spiders, it seems that fluorescence signals and UV reflectance can also be part of communication in odonates. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Estudo morfológico e citogenético em duas espécies de jabutis do gênero Chelonnoidis (FITZIGER, 1835)(Testudnines)

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

Dimorfismo sexual em Dasypops schirchi (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1924): aspectos morfológicos

Amphibians exhibit great morphological plasticity of habitat and life history. This heterogeneity contributes to the frequency of occurrence and diversity of sexual dimorphism (shape or size) is large. Dasypops schirchi is a species belonging to the subfamily and family Gastrophryninae Microhylidae and this endemic and endangered. Generally, very little is known about D. schirchi, much in part to its habit of living and cryptic small geographical distribution. In order to detect and characterize elements sexually dimorphic in this species was a survey of specimens of D. schirchi in major national zoological collections. We analyzed 16 morphometric variables were also searched and secondary sexual characters non-morphometric. Statistical analysis of the morphometric data, the results showed a clear distinction between males and females of D. schirchi, secondary sexual characters nonmorphometric were also found

Efeitos da timectomia neonatal sobre o dimorfismo sexual esquelético e concentração plasmática de leptina em ratos

Pós-graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas - FOA

Genomic DNA microarray comparison of gene expression patterns in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis mycelia and yeasts in vitro

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is a thermally dimorphic fungus, and causes the most prevalent systemic mycosis in Latin America. Infection is initiated by inhalation of conidia or mycelial fragments by the host, followed by further differentiation into the yeast form. Information regarding gene expression by either form has rarely been addressed with respect to multiple time points of growth in culture. Here, we report on the construction of a genomic DNA microarray, covering approximately 25% of the genome of the organism, and its utilization in identifying genes and gene expression patterns during growth in vitro. Cloned, amplified inserts from randomly sheared genomic DNA (gDNA) and known control genes were printed onto glass slides to generate a microarray of over 12 000 elements. To examine gene expression, mRNA was extracted and amplified from mycelial or yeast cultures grown in semi-defined medium for 5, 8 and 14 days. Principal components analysis and hierarchical clustering indicated that yeast gene expression profiles differed greatly from those of mycelia, especially at earlier time points, and that mycelial gene expression changed less than gene expression in yeasts over time. Genes upregulated in yeasts were found to encode proteins shown to be involved in methionine/cysteine metabolism, respiratory and metabolic processes (of sugars, amino acids, proteins and lipids), transporters (small peptides, sugars, ions and toxins), regulatory proteins and transcription factors. Mycelial genes involved in processes such as cell division, protein catabolism, nucleotide biosynthesis and toxin and sugar transport showed differential expression. Sequenced clones were compared with Histoplasma capsulatum and Coccidioides posadasii genome sequences to assess potentially common pathways across species, such as sulfur and lipid metabolism, amino acid transporters, transcription factors and genes possibly related to virulence. We also analysed gene expression with time in culture and found that while transposable elements and components of respiratory pathways tended to increase in expression with time, genes encoding ribosomal structural proteins and protein catabolism tended to sharply decrease in expression over time, particularly in yeast. These findings expand our knowledge of the different morphological forms of P. brasiliensis during growth in culture.

Androgen deprivation from pre-puberty to peripuberty interferes in proteins expression in pubertal and adult rat epididymis

Few studies have focused on experimental testosterone deprivation in immature animals. Therefore, this study used sexually immature rats aiming to evaluate the testes and epididymis histology and proteins expression in these organs on PND50 and 75, after premature antiandrogen exposure, from PND21 to 44. Although the androgen deprivation from pre-puberty up to peripuberty did not alter the histological organization of the testes and epididymis either at puberty or at adulthood, the treatment impaired the expression of specific proteins in epididymal tissue at puberty and adulthood (androgen receptor, calmodulin, Rab11A). These changes may be related to impaired epididymal function, sperm quality and fertility capacity as observed in a previous study. Further studies are necessary to better investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in the impairment on reproductive competence of male rats after precocious hormonal injury. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.