Molecular detection of Murshidia linstowi in a free-ranging dead elephant calf

Gastrointestinal helminths are ubiquitous in both domestic and wild animals. Infections are often sub-clinical except in circumstances of destabilization of host-parasite equilibrium by innate or environmental factors. The present case deals with microscopic and molecular diagnosis of Murshidia linstowi recovered from an elephant. A post-mortem examination of a free-ranging juvenile male elephant calf that had died of electrocution in Athagarh Wildlife Division revealed the presence of slender, whitish nematodes in the stomach. No gross lesions were noticed either in the site of predilection or any other internal organs. The average length of the parasites was 3.8cm. These parasites were collected for further gross as well as microscopic examination following routine parasitological techniques. Temporary mounts prepared after cleaning the nematodes in lactophenol were observed under a microscope. Morphological features such as a well-developed mouth collar, large and globular buccal capsule with fine tubercles, cone shaped oesophageal funnel, short bursa having indistinctly divided lobes and closely apposed ventral rays and stout spicules with club shaped tips bent dorsally corroborated with that of M.linstowi (male). Amplification of the rDNA from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using universal nematode primers NC2 and NC5 revealed a product size of 870bp. The PCR product was subjected to sequencing followed by NCBI-BLAST which revealed 98% homology with M. linstowi. A phylogenetic study showed a maximum similarity with M.linstowi recovered from elephants in Kenya. This particular nematode species belonging to the family Strongylidae and sub-family Cyathostominae appears to be the first documented report in India.

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Prospects of Using High-Throughput Proteomics to Underpin the Discovery of Animal Host–Nematode Interactions

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10070825 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 825

Author(s):

Tao Wang ◽

Robin Gasser

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

High Throughput ◽

Anthelmintic Resistance ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Future Research ◽

Parasitic Nematodes ◽

Public Health Burden ◽

Host Parasite Interactions ◽

Host Parasite

Parasitic nematodes impose a significant public health burden, and cause major economic losses to agriculture worldwide. Due to the widespread of anthelmintic resistance and lack of effective vaccines for most nematode species, there is an urgent need to discover novel therapeutic and vaccine targets, informed through an understanding of host–parasite interactions. Proteomics, underpinned by genomics, enables the global characterisation proteins expressed in a particular cell type, tissue and organism, and provides a key to insights at the host–parasite interface using advanced high-throughput mass spectrometry-based proteomic technologies. Here, we (i) review current mass-spectrometry-based proteomic methods, with an emphasis on a high-throughput ‘bottom-up’ approach; (ii) summarise recent progress in the proteomics of parasitic nematodes of animals, with a focus on molecules inferred to be involved in host–parasite interactions; and (iii) discuss future research directions that could enhance our knowledge and understanding of the molecular interplay between nematodes and host animals, in order to work toward new, improved methods for the treatment, diagnosis and control of nematodiases.

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The spatial and temporal distribution of koala faecal pellets

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr97028 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 25 (6) ◽

pp. 663 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

W. A. H. Ellis ◽

B. J. Sullivan ◽

A. T. Lisle ◽

F. N. Carrick

Keyword(s):

Significant Relationship ◽

Average Length ◽

Temporal Distribution ◽

Faecal Pellet ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Spatial And Temporal Distribution ◽

Faecal Pellets ◽

Pellet Production ◽

South Eastern ◽

Free Ranging

Faecal pellets were collected under trees used by free-ranging koalas in south-western, central and south-eastern Queensland to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of pellets with respect to the activity of koalas. Deposition of faecal pellets by koalas was analysed according to the time of day at which the tree was occupied. For free-ranging koalas, 47% of daily faecal pellet output was recovered using a collection mat of 8 × 8 m placed under a day-roost tree. The best predictor of pellet production was the presence of a koala in a tree between 1800 hours and midnight. For other periods, there was no relationship between period of tree occupancy and faecal pellet recovery. There was a significant relationship between the average length of tree occupancy and the time of day that a koala entered a tree.

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Regulation of average length of complex PCR product

Nucleic Acids Research ◽

10.1093/nar/27.18.e23 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 27 (18) ◽

pp. 23e-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

D. Shagin

Keyword(s):

Average Length ◽

Pcr Product

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First Report of Powdery Mildew (Podosphaera pannosa) of Roses in Sinaloa, Mexico

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-06-14-0605-pdn ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 98 (10) ◽

pp. 1442-1442 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

R. Félix-Gastélum ◽

G. Herrera-Rodríguez ◽

C. Martínez-Valenzuela ◽

I. E. Maldonado-Mendoza ◽

F. R. Quiroz-Figueroa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Powdery Mildew ◽

Average Length ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Its Region ◽

Outer Wall ◽

Future Research ◽

Flower Bud ◽

Morphological Studies ◽

Sphaerotheca Pannosa

Rose (Rosa spp.) is the most important ornamental plant cultivated in greenhouse and open fields in Mexico but its quality has been limited by powdery mildew (PM). High incidence and disease damage is common during winter in Sinaloa, Mexico (temperature range 18 to 25°C and prolonged episodes of relative humidity ≥90%). The fungus attacks leaves and flowers and grows abundantly on the pedicels, sepals, and receptacles, especially when the flower bud is unopened (2). Field advisors in Mexico have referred to Sphaerotheca pannosa (Wallr. ex Fr.) Lév. as a causal agent of the disease. However, there has not been solid scientific evidence to support this statement. Morphometric and molecular analysis were conducted to elucidate the identity of the fungal isolates collected from 2012 through 2013 in northern Sinaloa. PM specimens included eight different rose varieties. Conidiophores and conidia were observed under a compound microscope. The mycelium had a mean diameter of 4.7 to 6.0 μm; conidiophores (Euoidium type) 2 to 5 celled, occasionally 6 celled emerged from the superficial mycelium; conidiophores were unbranched with conidia produced in chains from the apex. The average length of the conidiophores was 54.9 to 98.0 μm; the foot cell of the conidiophores was straight and was 24.9 to 53.6 μm long with a diameter from 8.2 to 9.8 μm across its medium part. Conidia originated from unswollen conidiogenous cells, with fibrosin bodies, formed in long chains, and were cylindrical to ovoid, 25.8 to 30.4 μm long and 13.9 to 17.3 μm wide. The outline of the conidial chains was crenate. Conidia exhibited a slight constriction at one end. The germ tubes emerged from a shoulder of the conidia. The outer wall of partially collapsed conidia showed longitudinal and transversal wrinkling and slight constrictions at the ends; the terminal end of the conidia was concentrically ridged. For molecular characterization, the ITS region of the specimens was amplified with primers ITS1F and ITS4. Phylogenetic analysis was performed with MEGA 6.0 (bootstrap = 1,000) using Kimura 2 parameter (K2P) substitution model. The resulting phylogeny grouped our specimens (GenBank KM001665 to 69) within a clade of Podosphaera pannosa (Wall.: Fr.) de Bary (formerly known as Sphaerotheca pannosa) sequences (e.g., AB525938; bootstrap (1,000) = 98). Phylogenetic and morphometric data are in agreement with descriptions of the anamorphic P. pannosa (1,3). Morphological studies indicate that P. macularis (previously known as S. humuli) and P. pannosa are not indistinctly different (2). Phylogenetic analysis showed relationship to P. pannosa, but not to P. macularis. Typical symptoms caused by P. pannosa were observed. Morphological studies (4) reported the anamorph of P. pannosa on Rosa spp. in central Mexico. To date, no report exists on the molecular identification of P. pannosa associated to roses in northern Sinaloa, Mexico. Future research directions should focus on finding the teleomorph of the fungus to support its identity, and to explore disease management tools such as effective fungicides and developing resistant rose cultivars. References: (1) U. Braun et al. Page 13 in: The Powdery Mildews: A Comprehensive Treatise. APS Press, St. Paul, MN, 2002. (2) R. K. Horst. Compendium of Rose Diseases. APS Press, St. Paul, MN, 1983. (3) L. Leus et al. J. Phytopathol. 154:23, 2006. (4) Yañez-Morales et al. Some new reports and new species of powdery mildew from Mexico. Schlechtendalia 19:46, 2009.

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Molecular phylogeny of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) isolated from soils in Iran

Botany ◽

10.1139/cjb-2014-0096 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 92 (11) ◽

pp. 815-820 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Khosrow Chehri

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Fusarium Solani ◽

Species Complex ◽

Agricultural Soils ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Its Region ◽

Phylogenetic Study ◽

Fusarium Solani Species Complex

Members of Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are frequently isolated from soils, food, feeds, trees, and to some extent from humans and other animals. The taxonomic status of these fungi is being revised but no attempt has been made to identify those isolated in Iran, a mountainous country with a high biodiversity. The objective of the present research was to study the phylogenetic diversity of FSSC strains recovered from soils in Iran by analyzing morphological characteristics and DNA sequences. A total of 65 strains belonging to the FSSC were recovered from agricultural soils in western Iran. Based on differences in their morphological characters, 25 strains were selected for phylogenetic analysis employing translation elongation factor-1α (tef1) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequences. Comparisons of DNA sequence data revealed that all isolates belonged to Fusarium falciforme, Fusarium keratoplasticum, Fusarium petroliphilum, the unnamed species FSSC 5, and unknown species of Fusarium, which represents a new lineage within members of Clade 3. Based on morphological features and phylogenetic study, F. keratoplasticum and F. petroliphilum were reported for the first time in Iran.

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Nematode parasites and leukocyte profiles of Northern Leopard Frogs, Rana pipiens: location, location, location

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/cjz-2014-0156 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 93 (1) ◽

pp. 41-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dave Shutler ◽

Andrée D. Gendron ◽

Myriam Rondeau ◽

David J. Marcogliese

Keyword(s):

Spatial Organization ◽

Rana Pipiens ◽

Pesticide Exposure ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Agricultural Pesticides ◽

Leopard Frogs ◽

Nematode Parasites ◽

Northern Leopard Frogs ◽

Host Parasite ◽

Leukocyte Profiles

Globally, amphibians face a variety of anthropogenic stresses that include exposure to contaminants such as agricultural pesticides. Pesticides may negatively affect amphibian immune systems, concomitantly increasing susceptibility to parasitism. We quantified nematodes and evaluated leukocyte profiles of Northern Leopard Frogs (Rana pipiens Schreber, 1782) collected from five wetlands in southwestern Quebec, Canada, that spanned a gradient of pesticide exposure. Three taxa of nematode parasites (Rhabdias ranae Walton, 1929, genus Oswaldocruzia Travassos, 1917, and genus Strongyloides Grassi, 1879) were sufficiently numerous for detailed evaluation. When all frogs were pooled, frog size was negatively correlated with nematode species richness, abundances of each of the three nematode species, and densities of three different leukocytes. When all frogs were pooled, there was strong evidence of both negative and positive associations between pairs of parasite species. However, none of the previous relationships was significant within wetlands. Our results reveal strong spatial organization of amphibian–parasite communities and illustrate the importance of controlling for sampling locale in evaluating host–parasite associations. Finally, although several response variables varied significantly among wetlands, causes of this variation did not appear to be related to variation in nematode parasitism or pesticide exposure.

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Ochratoxigenic fungi and Ochratoxin A determination in dried grapes marketed in Tunisia

Annals of Microbiology ◽

10.1186/s13213-020-01584-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 70 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Samir Chebil ◽

Wafa Rjiba-Bahri ◽

Souheib Oueslati ◽

Hanen Ben Ismail ◽

Anis Ben-Amar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aspergillus Niger ◽

Ochratoxin A ◽

High Performance ◽

Its Region ◽

Production Test ◽

Potential Health ◽

Dried Grapes ◽

Pcr Product ◽

Polymerase Chain

Abstract Purpose With the present work, we aimed to assess the occurrence of ochratoxigenic fungi and Ochratoxin A (OTA) in dried grapes from Tunisia. Methods Dried grapes samples (n = 90) were investigated for the presence of ochratoxigenic fungi, which were further characterized at the species level through amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product sequencing. Fungal isolates were tested for their ochratoxigenic potential by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD), as well as dried grapes samples after an immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up procedure. Results Black Aspergilli isolates were the dominant genre among the filamentous fungi found in dried grapes samples and were the only OTA-producing fungi encountered. Aspergillus niger aggregate were the most frequently found isolates reaching 70%, 80%, and 85% in dried grapes samples from regions of Kelibia, Sfax, and Rafraf, respectively, while covered 100% of the relevant mycobiota found in imported samples. Aspergillus carbonarius isolates were found only in Sfax’s and Kelibia’s samples, while uniseriate Aspergilli were found between 7 and 20% in dried grapes from Kelibia, Sfax, and the imported samples. The in vitro OTA production test showed that 88.9% of OTA-producing isolates belonged to A. carbonarius with OTA levels varying from 0.06 to 1.32 μg/g of Czapek Yeast Agar (CYA). The remaining OTA-producing fungi (11.1 %) belonged to A. niger aggregate group having a maximum OTA potential of 2.88 μg/g CYA, and no uniseriate Aspergilli isolate was able to produce OTA. All dried grapes samples were free of OTA presence. Conclusion According to the present study’s findings, no OTA contamination was recorded in the investigated samples from Tunisian market. Nevertheless, the presence of strong OTA producers A. carbonarius in samples originated from the two out of three studied Tunisian regions, as well the high incidences of Aspergillus niger aggregate group with an attested potential for OTA production in all samples, necessitates further research on Tunisian dried grapes. Additionally, a continuous analysis of staple food of the Mediterranean diet is imperative to insure the best quality for the consumers and prevent potential health problems.

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The buccal capsule of Aduncospiculum halicti (Nemata: Diplogasterina): an ultrastructural and molecular phylogenetic study

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z97-051 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 75 (3) ◽

pp. 407-423 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

J. G. Baldwin ◽

C. D. Eddleman ◽

R. M. Giblin-Davis ◽

D. S. Williams ◽

J. T. Vida ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Epithelial Cells ◽

Rna Polymerase Ii ◽

Buccal Capsule ◽

Phylogenetic Study ◽

C Elegans ◽

Rdna Sequences ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic Study ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

Cuticular Structures ◽

Radial Muscle

The buccal capsule of Aduncospiculum halicti (Diplogasterina) is compared with that of Zeldia punctata (Cephalobina) and Caenorhabditis elegans (Rhabditina). Characters are mapped on an independent DNA-based phylogenetic tree (inferred from RNA polymerase II and rDNA sequences) to test evolutionary hypotheses. Irrespective of dimorphism, the buccal capsule wall of A. halicti consists of an anterior to posterior series of six cuticular structures classically termed rhabdions. These are defined according to their internal differentiations, discontinuities in profiles, and underlying tissues. Homologies of rhabdions 1 and 2 in A. halicti are proposed on the basis of position and association with adjacent tissues, consistent with those of Cephalobina and Rhabditina. Rhabdion 3 is associated with radial epithelial cells as is the mesorhabdion in C. elegans; this contrasts with Z. punctata, where a rhabdion in a similar position is associated with radial muscle cells. Dorsal and subventral teeth in A. halicti comprise rhabdions 4 and 5; this may be homologous with a corresponding region in Z. punctata but contrasts with C. elegans, where the corresponding region consists of a single metarhabdion. These characters, when mapped on the sequence-based tree, suggest that A. halicti and Diplogasterina share with C. elegans and other Rhabditina derived characters, including a mesorhabdion associated with epithelial cells, but retain some apparently primitive features shared with Cephalobina.

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