First Molecular Detection of Polychromophilus Parasites in Brazilian Bat Species

Guilherme Augusto Minozzo; Bruno da Silva Mathias; Irina Nastassja Riediger; Lilian de Oliveira Guimarães; Carolina Clares dos Anjos; Eliana Ferreira Monteiro; Andrea Pires dos Santos; Alexander Welker Biondo; Karin Kirchgatter

doi:10.3390/microorganisms9061240

First Molecular Detection of Polychromophilus Parasites in Brazilian Bat Species

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9061240 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 1240

Author(s):

Guilherme Augusto Minozzo ◽

Bruno da Silva Mathias ◽

Irina Nastassja Riediger ◽

Lilian de Oliveira Guimarães ◽

Carolina Clares dos Anjos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary Biology ◽

Molecular Detection ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Blood Parasites ◽

American Continent ◽

Haemosporidian Parasites ◽

Mitochondrial Cytochrome B ◽

The Family ◽

Molecular Information ◽

Encoding Gene

Blood parasites of the Haemosporida order, such as the Plasmodium spp. responsible for malaria, have become the focus of many studies in evolutionary biology. However, there is a lack of molecular investigation of haemosporidian parasites of wildlife, such as the genus Polychromophilus. Species of this neglected genus exclusively have been described in bats, mainly in Europe, Asia, and Africa, but little is known about its presence and genetic diversity on the American continent. Here, we investigated 406 bats from sites inserted in remnant fragments of the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes and urbanized areas from southern Brazil for the presence of Polychromophilus species by PCR of the mitochondrial cytochrome b encoding gene. A total of 1.2% of bats was positive for Polychromophilus, providing the first molecular information of these parasites in Myotis riparius and Eptesicus diminutus, common vespertilionid bats widely distributed in different Brazilian biomes, and Myotis ruber, an endangered species. A Bayesian analysis was conducted to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships between Polychromophilus recovered from Brazilian bats and those identified elsewhere. Sequences of Brazilian Polychromophilus lineages were placed with P. murinus and in a clade distinct from P. melanipherus, mainly restricted to bats in the family Vespertilionidae. However, the sequences were split into two minor clades, according to the genus of hosts, indicating that P. murinus and a distinct species may be circulating in Brazil. Morphological observations combined with additional molecular studies are needed to conclude and describe these Polychromophilus species.

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Muscles or testes? Comparative evidence for sexual competition among dioecious blood parasites (Schistosomatidae) of vertebrates

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182099005235 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 120 (1) ◽

pp. 45-56 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

S. MORAND ◽

C. D. M. MÜLLER-GRAF

Keyword(s):

Sex Ratio ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Cladistic Analysis ◽

Blood Parasites ◽

Sexual Competition ◽

Trade Off ◽

The Family ◽

Biased Sex Ratio ◽

Molecular Information ◽

Plesiomorphic Character

Schistosomes, which live as parasitic adults in the blood vessels of mammals, birds and crocodiles, are unique among trematodes because they have separate sexes. Several studies have shown that the sex ratio is often biased towards males. Sexual dimorphism can be very important in several genera (Schistosoma, Heterobilharzia, Schistosomatium), as larger males grip smaller females in a gynecophoric canal. But not all schistomatid species have developed a gynecophoric canal. It is also striking that the number of testes varies widely, from a small number of testes reported (2–7) to a very high number (>500). We tested the hypothesis of trade-off investment by males: muscle (as estimated by the length of the gynecophoric canal) in order to sequester one or a few females, or testes in order to inseminate numerous females. We used recent comparative methods, which need phylogenetic information of the analysed species. We employed a morphological cladistic analysis of the Schistosomatidae and a construction of a phylogenetic supertree of Schistosoma based on available molecular information. Our phylogenetic analysis supports previous hypotheses on the origin and diversification of the schistosomes. The family seems to have originated as parasites of crocodiles (or possibly other related poikilotherms) and to have secondarily evolved within the Aves and then mammals. Our phylogenetic analyses show that (1) the possession of a gynecophoric canal is a plesiomorphic character, and several reductions of this character have occurred during the diversification of the Schistosomatidae; (2) a small number of testes is a plesiomorphic stage, and an increase of testes number has occurred several times. Finally, our comparative analysis suggests that there is a trade-off between investment in muscle or in number of testes (other variables being controlled for). Male competition for access to females seems to follow two ways: investment in testes in order to fertilize a high number of females or investment in muscle in order to hold and sequester one (Schistosoma) or a few females (Heterobilharzia). We show the existence of the trade-off between muscles and testes in connection with a male biased sex ratio. The development of dioecy cannot explain the trade-off between muscles and testes, which instead appears to be a result of sexual selection possibly driven by the male biased sex ratio.

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A Novel Hepacivirus in Wild Rodents from South America

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v11030297 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 297 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

William de Souza ◽

Marcílio Fumagalli ◽

Gilberto Sabino-Santos ◽

Felipe Motta Maia ◽

Sejal Modha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Molecular Detection ◽

South American ◽

American Continent ◽

Wild Rodents ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Paulo State ◽

The Family ◽

Positive Sense ◽

South American Continent

The Hepacivirus genus comprises single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses within the family Flaviviridae. Several hepaciviruses have been identified in different mammals, including multiple rodent species in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. To date, no rodent hepacivirus has been identified in the South American continent. Here, we describe an unknown hepacivirus discovered during a metagenomic screen in Akodon montensis, Calomys tener, Oligoryzomys nigripes, Necromys lasiurus, and Mus musculus from São Paulo State, Brazil. Molecular detection of this novel hepacivirus by RT-PCR showed a frequency of 11.11% (2/18) in Oligoryzomys nigripes. This is the first identification of hepavivirus in sigmondonine rodents and in rodents from South America. In sum, our results expand the host range, viral diversity, and geographical distribution of the Hepacivirus genus.

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First molecular detection of Haemoproteus spp. and Plasmodium spp. in eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) in Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612020042 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Alessandra Taroda ◽

Luiz Daniel de Barros ◽

Mércia de Seixas ◽

Sérgio Tosi Cardim ◽

João Pedro Sasse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Trees ◽

Molecular Detection ◽

Rflp Analysis ◽

Molecular Study ◽

Enzymatic Digestion ◽

Cyt B ◽

Closely Related Species ◽

Haemosporidian Parasites ◽

Mitochondrial Cytochrome B ◽

Pcr Targeting

Abstract The aim of this study was to verify the presence and identify the species of haemosporidian parasites in eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) in Brazil. Two hundred and eleven male and female eared doves were trap-captured in four different regions of Londrina city, in southern Brazil. Whole blood was collected in EDTA tubes through heart puncture after euthanasia in a CO2 chamber. A nested PCR targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt b) of Haemoproteus spp./Plasmodium spp. was performed, followed by an enzymatic digestion to identify the genus. Phylogenetic trees were constructed to determine the closely related species. Out of 211 eared doves, 209 (99.05%) were positive for Haemoproteus spp. and/or Plasmodium spp. RFLP analysis showed that 72.72% (152/209) of eared doves were positive only for Haemoproteus spp., 6.22% (13/209) were positive only for Plasmodium spp., and 21.05% (44/209) of eared doves had mixed infections. Genetic analysis found four samples that were homologous with Haemoproteus multipigmentatus and one that was homologous with Plasmodium sp. This is the first molecular study of hemoparasites from eared doves in Brazil, and it is also the first description of H. multipigmentatus and Plasmodium spp. infection in eared doves in Brazil.

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Status of Family Fissidentaceae in Gujarat

Cryptogam Biodiversity and Assessment ◽

10.21756/cba.v1i1.11022 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

Author(s):

D.G. Shah ◽

D.N. Mehta ◽

R.V. Gujar

Keyword(s):

Distinct Species ◽

The State ◽

The Other ◽

Land Plants ◽

Reproductive Structures ◽

The Family ◽

The Status ◽

Vegetative Characters ◽

First Time ◽

Different Parts

Bryophytes are the second largest group of land plants and are also known as the amphibians of the plant kingdom. 67 species of bryophytes have been reported from select locations across the state of Gujrat. The status of family fissidentaceae which is a large moss family is being presented in this paper. Globally the family consists of 10 genera but only one genus, Fissidens Hedw. has been collected from Gujarat. Fissidens is characterized by a unique leaf structure and shows the presence of three distinct lamina, the dorsal, the ventral and the vaginant lamina. A total of 8 species of Fissidens have been reported from the state based on vegetative characters as no sporophyte stages were collected earlier. Species reported from the neighboring states also showed the absence of sporophytes. The identification of different species was difficult due to substantial overlap in vegetative characters. Hence a detailed study on the diversity of members of Fissidentaceae in Gujarat was carried out between November 2013 and February 2015. In present study 8 distinct species of Fissidens have been collected from different parts of the state. Three species Fissidens splachnobryoides Broth., Fissidens zollingerii Mont. and Fissidens curvato-involutus Dixon. have been identified while the other five are still to be identified. Fissidens zollingerii Mont. and Fissidens xiphoides M. Fleisch., which have been reported as distinct species are actually synonyms according to TROPICOS database. The presence of sexual reproductive structures and sporophytes for several Fissidens species are also being reported for the first time from the state.

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The Evolutionary Biology of Species

10.1093/oso/9780198749745.001.0001 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Timothy G. Barraclough

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary Biology ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Species Boundaries ◽

Central Thesis ◽

Species Accumulation ◽

Multicellular Organisms ◽

Broad Approach ◽

Over Time

‘Species’ are central to understanding the origin and dynamics of biological diversity; explaining why lineages split into multiple distinct species is one of the main goals of evolutionary biology. However, the existence of species is often taken for granted, and precisely what is meant by species and whether they really exist as a pattern of nature has rarely been modelled or critically tested. This novel book presents a synthetic overview of the evolutionary biology of species, describing what species are, how they form, the consequences of species boundaries and diversity for evolution, and patterns of species accumulation over time. The central thesis is that species represent more than just a unit of taxonomy; they are a model of how diversity is structured as well as how groups of related organisms evolve. The author adopts an intentionally broad approach to consider what species constitute, both theoretically and empirically, and how we detect them, drawing on a wealth of examples from microbes to multicellular organisms.

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Prevalence and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites in wild bird species of the order Columbiformes

Parasitology Research ◽

10.1007/s00436-021-07053-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yvonne R. Schumm ◽

Dimitris Bakaloudis ◽

Christos Barboutis ◽

Jacopo G. Cecere ◽

Cyril Eraud ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Host Species ◽

Large Scale ◽

Phylogenetic Reconstruction ◽

Bird Species ◽

Avian Species ◽

Blood Parasites ◽

Migration Strategy ◽

Haemosporidian Parasites ◽

Multiplex Pcr Assay ◽

And Migration

AbstractDiseases can play a role in species decline. Among them, haemosporidian parasites, vector-transmitted protozoan parasites, are known to constitute a risk for different avian species. However, the magnitude of haemosporidian infection in wild columbiform birds, including strongly decreasing European turtle doves, is largely unknown. We examined the prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon and subgenera Haemoproteus and Parahaemoproteus in six species of the order Columbiformes during breeding season and migration by applying nested PCR, one-step multiplex PCR assay and microscopy. We detected infections in 109 of the 259 screened individuals (42%), including 15 distinct haemosporidian mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages, representing five H. (Haemoproteus), two H. (Parahaemoproteus), five Leucocytozoon and three Plasmodium lineages. Five of these lineages have never been described before. We discriminated between single and mixed infections and determined host species-specific prevalence for each parasite genus. Observed differences among sampled host species are discussed with reference to behavioural characteristics, including nesting and migration strategy. Our results support previous suggestions that migratory birds have a higher prevalence and diversity of blood parasites than resident or short-distance migratory species. A phylogenetic reconstruction provided evidence for H. (Haemoproteus) as well as H. (Parahaemoproteus) infections in columbiform birds. Based on microscopic examination, we quantified parasitemia, indicating the probability of negative effects on the host. This study provides a large-scale baseline description of haemosporidian infections of wild birds belonging to the order Columbiformes sampled in the northern hemisphere. The results enable the monitoring of future changes in parasite transmission areas, distribution and diversity associated with global change, posing a potential risk for declining avian species as the European turtle dove.

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An integrative redescription of Hypsibius dujardini (Doyère, 1840), the nominal taxon for Hypsibioidea (Tardigrada: Eutardigrada)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4415.1.2 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4415 (1) ◽

pp. 45 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

PIOTR GĄSIOREK ◽

DANIEL STEC ◽

WITOLD MOREK ◽

ŁUKASZ MICHALCZYK

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Evolutionary Biology ◽

Model Organism ◽

Laboratory Strain ◽

Sensu Stricto ◽

Nominal Species ◽

28S Rrna ◽

The Family ◽

The 19Th Century ◽

Hypsibius Dujardini

A laboratory strain identified as “Hypsibius dujardini” is one of the best studied tardigrade strains: it is widely used as a model organism in a variety of research projects, ranging from developmental and evolutionary biology through physiology and anatomy to astrobiology. Hypsibius dujardini, originally described from the Île-de-France by Doyère in the first half of the 19th century, is now the nominal species for the superfamily Hypsibioidea. The species was traditionally considered cosmopolitan despite the fact that insufficient, old and sometimes contradictory descriptions and records prevented adequate delineations of similar Hypsibius species. As a consequence, H. dujardini appeared to occur globally, from Norway to Samoa. In this paper, we provide the first integrated taxonomic redescription of H. dujardini. In addition to classic imaging by light microscopy and a comprehensive morphometric dataset, we present scanning electron photomicrographs, and DNA sequences for three nuclear markers (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-2) and one mitochondrial marker (COI) that are characterised by various mutation rates. The results of our study reveal that a commercially available strain that is maintained in many laboratories throughout the world, and assumed to represent H. dujardini sensu stricto, represents, in fact, a new species: H. exemplaris sp. nov. Redescribing the nominal taxon for Hypsibiidae, we also redefine the family and amend the definitions of the subfamily Hypsibiinae and the genus Hypsibius. Moreover, we transfer H. arcticus (Murray, 1907) and Hypsibius conifer Mihelčič, 1938 to the genus Ramazzottius since the species exhibit claws and eggs of the Ramazzottius type. Finally, we designate H. fuhrmanni as subjectively invalid because the extremely poor description precludes identifying neotype material.

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Multigene phylogeny and morphology reveal Phaeobotryon rhois sp. nov. (Botryosphaeriales, Ascomycota)

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.205.2.2 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 205 (2) ◽

pp. 90 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

XIN-LEI FAN ◽

KEVIN D. HYDE ◽

JIAN-KUI LIU ◽

YING-MEI LIANG ◽

CHENG-MING TIAN

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Similar Species ◽

Multigene Phylogeny ◽

Fruiting Bodies ◽

Canker Disease ◽

Multigene Analysis ◽

The Family ◽

Rhus Typhina ◽

A New Species

The family Botryosphaeriaceae encompasses important plant-associated pathogens, endophytes and saprobes with a wide geographical and host distribution. Two dark-spored botryosphaeriaceous taxa associated with Rhus typhina dieback and canker disease were collected from Ningxia Province, in northwestern China. Morphology and multigene analysis (ITS, LSU and EF-1α) clearly distinguished this clade as a distinct species in the genus. Phaeobotryon rhois is introduced and illustrated as a new species in this paper. The species is characterized by its globose, unilocular fruiting bodies and small, brown, 1-septate conidia. It can be distinguished from the similar species P. cercidis, P. cupressi, P. mamane and P. quercicola based on host association and conidial size and colour.

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The Complete Nucleotide Sequence and Biotype Variability of Papaya leaf distortion mosaic virus

Phytopathology ◽

10.1094/phyto-95-0128 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 95 (2) ◽

pp. 128-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Tetsuo Maoka ◽

Tatsuji Hataya

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Nucleotide Sequence ◽

Mosaic Virus ◽

Complete Nucleotide Sequence ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Cleavage Sites ◽

Reading Frame ◽

The Family ◽

Evolutionary Event ◽

Leaf Distortion

The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of Papaya leaf distortion mosaic virus (PLDMV) was determined. The viral RNA genome of strain LDM (leaf distortion mosaic) comprised 10,153 nucleotides, excluding the poly(A) tail, and contained one long open reading frame encoding a polyprotein of 3,269 amino acids (molecular weight 373,347). The polyprotein contained nine putative proteolytic cleavage sites and some motifs conserved in other potyviral polyproteins with 44 to 50% identities, indicating that PLDMV is a distinct species in the genus Potyvirus. Like the W biotype of Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV), the non-papaya-infecting biotype of PLDMV (PLDMV-C) was found in plants of the family Cucurbitaceae. The coat protein (CP) sequence of PLDMV-C in naturally infected-Trichosanthes bracteata was compared with those of three strains of the P biotype (PLDMV-P), LDM and two additional strains M (mosaic) and YM (yellow mosaic), which are biologically different from each other. The CP sequences of three strains of PLDMV-P share high identities of 95 to 97%, while they share lower identities of 88 to 89% with that of PLDMV-C. Significant changes in hydrophobicity and a deletion of two amino acids at the N-terminal region of the CP of PLDMV-C were observed. The finding of two biotypes of PLDMV implies the possibility that the papaya-infecting biotype evolved from the cucurbitaceae-infecting potyvirus, as has been previously suggested for PRSV. In addition, a similar evolutionary event acquiring infectivity to papaya may arise frequently in viruses in the family Cucurbitaceae.

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