First record of a spindle cowry Crenovolva (Ovulidae, Gastropoda) from Bulleji, Karachi, on the gorgonian coral Muricella sp. and with a note on their association

Attached to hard substrata on our shores occur the branching colonies of gorgonian corals of the genus Muricella (Fig. 1A, Pl. 1B, C, D). Since there is no report on this genus from Pakistan this report be taken as the first record from here. The family Ovulidae comprises several hundred species of marine gastropods, all of which appear to be obligate associates of cnidarians as stated by Robertson (1970) and Hadfield (1976); the present ovulid gastropod genus Crenovolva lives exclusively on the gorgonians (Morton, 1989). Tirmizi and Zehra (1984) recorded thirty-two families of gastropods from Pakistan, but not any representative of the Ovulidae, so the material at hand may be the first record from Pakistan. Since we are unable to reach to specific level the material is being reported as unspecified.

Epigenetic remodeling of meiotic crossover frequency in Arabidopsis thaliana DNA methyltransferase mutants.

Meiosis is a specialized eukaryotic cell division that generates haploid gametes required for sexual reproduction. During meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair and undergo reciprocal genetic exchange, termed crossover (CO). Meiotic CO frequency varies along the physical length of chromosomes and is determined by hierarchical mechanisms, including epigenetic organization, for example methylation of the DNA and histones. Here we investigate the role of DNA methylation in determining patterns of CO frequency along Arabidopsis thaliana chromosomes. In A. thaliana the pericentromeric regions are repetitive, densely DNA methylated, and suppressed for both RNA polymerase-II transcription and CO frequency. DNA hypomethylated methyltransferase1 (met1) mutants show transcriptional reactivation of repetitive sequences in the pericentromeres, which we demonstrate is coupled to extensive remodeling of CO frequency. We observe elevated centromere-proximal COs in met1, coincident with pericentromeric decreases and distal increases. Importantly, total numbers of CO events are similar between wild type and met1, suggesting a role for interference and homeostasis in CO remodeling. To understand recombination distributions at a finer scale we generated CO frequency maps close to the telomere of chromosome 3 in wild type and demonstrate an elevated recombination topology in met1. Using a pollen-typing strategy we have identified an intergenic nucleosome-free CO hotspot 3a, and we demonstrate that it undergoes increased recombination activity in met1. We hypothesize that modulation of 3a activity is caused by CO remodeling driven by elevated centromeric COs. These data demonstrate how regional epigenetic organization can pattern recombination frequency along eukaryotic chromosomes.

Control of meiotic recombination frequency in plant genomes.

Sexual eukaryotes reproduce via the meiotic cell division, where ploidy is halved and homologous chromosomes undergo reciprocal genetic exchange, termed crossover (CO). CO frequency has a profound effect on patterns of genetic variation and species evolution. Relative CO rates vary extensively both within and between plant genomes. Plant genome size varies by over 1000-fold, largely due to differential expansion of repetitive sequences, and increased genome size is associated with reduced CO frequency. Gene versus repeat sequences associate with distinct chromatin modifications, and evidence from plant genomes indicates that this epigenetic information influences CO patterns. This is consistent with data from diverse eukaryotes that demonstrate the importance of chromatin structure for control of meiotic recombination. In this review I will discuss CO frequency patterns in plant genomes and recent advances in understanding recombination distributions.

Cyclin A2 is differentially expressed during oocyte maturation between gynogenetic silver crucian carp and gonochoristic color crucian carp

Silver crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) is a unique gynogenetic fish. Because of its specific genetic background and reproduction mode, it is an intriguing model system for understanding regulatory mechanism of oocyte maturation division. It keeps its chromosomal integrity by inhibiting the first meiotic division (no extrusion of the first pole body). The spindle behavior during oocyte maturation is significantly different from that in gonochoristic fish. The chromosomes are first arranged in a tripolar spindle, and then they turn around and are reunited mutually to form a normal bipolar spindle. A new member of the fish A-type cyclin gene, cyclin A2, has been isolated by suppression of subtractive hybridization on the basis of its differential transcription in fully-grown oocytes between the gynogenetic silver crucian carp and gonochoristic color crucian carp. There are 18 differing amino acids in the total 428 residues of cyclin A2 between the two forms of crucian carps. In addition, cDNAs of cyclin A1 and cyclin B have also been cloned from them. Thus two members of A-type cyclins, cyclin A1 and cyclin A2, are demonstrated to exist in fish, just as in frog, humans, and mouse. Northern blotting reveals that cyclin A2 mRNA is more than 20-fold and cyclin A1 mRNA is about 2-fold in fully grown oocytes of gynogenetic silver crucian carp compared to gonochoristic color crucian carp. However, cyclin B does not show such a difference between them. Western blot analysis also shows that the cyclin A2 protein stockpiled in fully grown oocytes of gynogenetic crucian carp is much more abundant than in gonochoristic crucian carp. Moreover, two different cyclin A2 expression patterns during oocyte maturation have been revealed in the two closely related crucian carps. For color crucian carp, cyclin A2 protein is translated only after hormone stimulation. For silver crucian carp, cyclin A2 protein can be detected throughout the process of maturation division. The different expression of cyclin A2 may be a clue to understanding the special maturation division of gynogenetic silver crucian carp.

Comparative investigation on spindle behavior and MPF activity changes during oocyte maturation between gynogenetic and amphimictic crucian carp

The spindle behavior and MPF activity changes in the progression of oocyte maturation were investigated and compared with cytological observation and kinase assay between gynogenetic silver crucian carp and amphimictic colored crucian carp. MPF activity was measured by using histone I-Il as phosphorylation substrate. There were two similar oscillatory MPF kinase activity changes during oocyte maturation in two kinds of fishes with different reproductive modes, but there existed some subtle difference between them. The subtle difference was that the first peak of MPF kinase activity was kept to a longer-lasting time in the gynogenetic silver crucian carp than in the amphimictic colored crucian carp. It was suggested that the difference may be related to the spindle behavior changes, such as tripolar spindle formation and spindle rearrangement in the gynogenetic crucian carp.

MEIOTIC CHROMOSOME BEHAVIOR IN FEMALE INTERSEXES OF ARTIFICIAL TRIPLOID TRANSPARENT-COLORED CRUCIAN CARP

Chromosome behavior in meiosis was studied by air-drying, C-banding and surface-spreading methods in female intersexes of artificial triploid transparent-colored crucian carp (Carassius auratus). Chromosome pairing and contraction were obviously asynchronous. The preferential pairing of two homologous chromosomes was the major pattern of chromosome pairing, and a few triple pairing, repeated pairing, telomer or centromere associating and multiple pairing were also observed in the pachytene cells. The metaphase I cells were mainly composed of univalents, bivalents and trivalents, as well as few of other multivalents, such as tetravalents, pentavalents, hexavalents and heptavalents, were also found in some metaphase I cells. The chromosome elements including uni-, bi-, tri- and other multivalents varied considerably among the metaphase I cells, and the associating patterns of multivalents were also diverse. Some 6 n and 12 n cells, in which premeiotic endomitosis occurred once or twice, were found at the prophase and first metaphase of meiosis, and the pairing and associating patterns were basically similar to that of the triploid cells.

Spindle-like Lanthanide Orthovanadate Nanoparticles: Facile Synthesis by Ultrasonic Irradiation, Characterization, and Luminescent Properties

A general and facile ultrasonic irradiation method has been established for the synthesis of the lanthanide orthovanadate LnVO(4) (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) nanoparticles from an aqueous solution of Ln(NO3)(3) and NH4VO3 without any surfactant or template. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and photoluminescence (PL) spectra as well as kinetic decays were employed to characterize the as-prepared products. Ultrasonic irradiation has a strong effect on the morphology of the LnVO(4) nanoparticles. The SEM and TEEM images illustrate that the as-formed LnVO(4) particles have a spindle-like shape with an equatorial diameter of 30-70 nm and a length of 100-200 am, which are the aggregates of even.

Genome constitutions of Hystrix patula, H-duthiei ssp duthiei and H-duthiei ssp longearistata (Poaceae : Triticeae) revealed by meiotic pairing behavior and genomic in-situ hybridization

Genomic constitutions of three taxa of Hystrix Moench, H. patula, H. duthiei ssp. duthiei and H. duthiei ssp. longearistata, were examined by meiotic pairing behavior and genomic in-situ hybridization. Meiotic pairing in hybrids of H. patula x Pseudoroegneria spicata (St), H. patula x Elymus wawawaiensis (StH), H. patula x H. duthiei ssp. longearistata, H. patula x Psathyrostachys huashanica (Ns(h)), H. duthiei ssp. duthiei x Psa. huashanica, H. duthiei ssp. longearistata x Psa. huashanica, Leymus multicaulis (NsXm) x H. duthiei ssp. longearistata averaged 6.53, 12.83, 1.32, 0.29, 5.18, 5.11 and 10.47 bivalents per cell, respectively. The results indicate that H. patula has the StH genome and H. duthiei ssp. duthiei and H. duthiei ssp. longearistata have the NsXm genome. Results of genomic in-situ hybridization analysis strongly supported the chromosome pairing data; therefore it is concluded that the type species of Hystrix, H. patula, should be included in Elymus, and that H. duthiei ssp. duthiei and H. duthiei ssp. longearistata should be transferred to Leymus.

Compromised Spindle Assembly Checkpoint due to Altered Expression of Ubch10 and Cdc20 in Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E6 and E7-Expressing Keratinocytes

Cells expressing human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E6 and E7 proteins exhibit deregulation of G(2)/M genes, allowing bypass of DNA damage arrest signals. Normally, cells with DNA damage that override the G(2) damage checkpoint would precociously enter mitosis and ultimately face mitotic catastrophe and apoptotic cell death. However, E6/E7-expressing cells (E6/E7 cells) have the ability to enter and exit mitosis in the presence of DNA damage and continue with the next round of the cell cycle. Little is known about the mechanism that allows these cells to gain entry into and exit from mitosis. Here, we show that in the presence of DNA damage, E6/E7 cells have elevated levels of cyclin B, which would allow entry into mitosis. Also, as required for exit from mitosis, cyclin B is degraded in these cells, permitting initiation of the next round of DNA synthesis and cell cycle progression. Proteasomal degradation of cyclin B by anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is, in part, due to elevated levels of the E2-conjugating enzyme, Ubch10, and the substrate recognition protein, Cdc20, of APC/C. Also, in E6/E7 cells with DNA damage, while Cdc20 is complexed with BubR1, indicating an active checkpoint, it is also present in complexes free of BubR1, presumably allowing APC/C activity and slippage through the checkpoint.