Endoplura jejuensis sp. nov. and Endoplura koreana sp. nov. (Ralfsiales, Phaeophyceae) from Korea based on molecular and morphological analyses

The crustose brown algal genus Endoplura has been known as a monotypic genus characterized by its intercalary plurangial reproductive structures composed of 2–4 separate parallel filaments terminated by 2–5 sterile cells and by containing several to many chloroplasts per cell. In this study, Endoplura jejuensis sp. nov. and E. koreana sp. nov. from Korea are newly described based on molecular and morphological analyses. Our phylogenetic analyses of the rbcL gene reveal that E. jejuensis sp. nov. and E. koreana sp. nov. are placed in the same clade with “E. aurea” from Japan with a strong bootstrap supporting value. E. jejuensis is characterized by small and light to dark brown crustose thalli of less than 1 cm diameter, tufts of hairs arising from the basal disc, plurangia composed mostly of two separate parallel reproductive filaments terminated by 2–4 sterile cells, and sessile unangia each with a single paraphysis. E. koreana is distinguished by olive or yellowish-brown crustose thalli of up to 3 cm diameter, tufts of hairs arising from the basal disc, and apical parts of erect filaments, plurangia with 2–5 separate reproductive filaments terminated by 2–8 sterile cells, and sessile unangia with 1–2 paraphyses. Our studies also show that “E. aurea” specimens from Japan may be recognized to be a different species from other Endoplura species.

Loss of PIKfyve Causes Transdifferentiation of Dictyostelium Spores Into Basal Disc Cells

The 1-phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate 5-kinase PIKfyve generates PtdIns3,5P2 on late phagolysosomes, which by recruiting the scission protein Atg18, results in their fragmentation in the normal course of endosome processing. Loss of PIKfyve function causes cellular hypervacuolization in eukaryotes and organ failure in humans. We identified pikfyve as the defective gene in a Dictyostelium mutant that failed to form spores. The amoebas normally differentiated into prespore cells and initiated spore coat protein synthesis in Golgi-derived prespore vesicles. However, instead of exocytosing, the prespore vesicles fused into the single vacuole that typifies the stalk and basal disc cells that support the spores. This process was accompanied by stalk wall biosynthesis, loss of spore gene expression and overexpression of ecmB, a basal disc and stalk-specific gene, but not of the stalk-specific genes DDB_G0278745 and DDB_G0277757. Transdifferentiation of prespore into stalk-like cells was previously observed in mutants that lack early autophagy genes, like atg5, atg7, and atg9. However, while autophagy mutants specifically lacked cAMP induction of prespore gene expression, pikfyve− showed normal early autophagy and prespore induction, but increased in vitro induction of ecmB. Combined, the data suggest that the Dictyostelium endosomal system influences cell fate by acting on cell type specific gene expression.

Reduction in Toxicity of Nano-Ag-Polyvinyl-pyrrolidone Using Hydra Proteins and Peptides during Zebrafish Embryogenesis

Hydra magnipapillata cells reduce the toxicity of silver nanomaterials to zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. In this study, we investigated whether Hydra protein (HP) and Hydra basal disc peptide (Hym176) materials reduce nano-Ag-polyvinylpyrrolidone (N-Ag-PVP) toxicity during embryogenesis of the nanosensitive organism zebrafish. Protein (HP) was extracted from Hydra, and peptide (Hym176) was extracted from the hydra basal disc, which is attractive to nanomaterials and related to the immune system. The experimental conditions were exposure to N-Ag-PVP, HP, N-Ag-PVP+HP, Hym176, or N-Ag-PVP+Hym176 during embryo development. N-Ag-PVP+HP group showed lower toxicity than N-Ag-PVP group. In addition, in the N-Ag-PVP+HP group formed aggregated nanomaterials (≥200 nm size) through electrostatic bonding. In the gene expression profile, HP group differed in gene expression profile compared the other experimental groups and it was no genetic toxicity. HP showed a tendency to reduce side effects and abnormal gene expression produced by N-Ag-PVP with no evidence of inherent toxicity. Considering the potential nanotoxicity effects of released nanomaterials on the ecosystem, the reduction of nanotoxicity observed with HP natural materials should be regarded with great interest in terms of the overall health of the ecosystem.

Recognition of Mycena sect. Amparoina sect. nov. (Mycenaceae, Agaricales), including four new species and revision of the limits of sect. Sacchariferae

Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed that Mycena stirps Amparoina, which is traditionally classified in sect. Sacchariferae, should be treated at section level. Section Amparoina is characterised by the presence or absence of cherocytes, the presence of acanthocysts and spinulose caulocystidia. Eight species referred to Mycenasect.Amparoinasect. nov. are recognised in China. Of these taxa, four new species classified in the new section are formally described: M.bicystidiatasp. nov., M.griseotinctasp. nov., M.hygrophoroidessp. nov. and M.miscanthisp. nov. The new species are characterised by the absence of both cherocytes and a basal disc, along with the presence of acanthocysts on the pileus, spinulose cheilocystidia and caulocystidia. Descriptions of the new species, accompanied by illustrations of morphological characters and comparisons with closely related taxa, are provided. A multi-locus analysis utilising the ITS + nLSU + SSU regions was carried out using maximum likelihood and Bayesian Inference. A key to the 12 species of sect. Amparoinasect. nov. and sect. Sacchariferae that are found in China is provided.

Differential expression of BMP antagonists, gremlin and noggin in hydra: antagonism between Wnt and BMP pathways

Mechanisms regulating BMP and Wnt signaling pathways have been widely studied in many organisms. One of the mechanisms by which these pathways are regulated is by binding of extracellular ligands. In the present study, we report studies with two BMP antagonists, gremlin and noggin from Hydra vulgaris Ind-Pune and demonstrate antagonistic relationship between BMP and Wnt pathways. Gremlin was ubiquitously expressed from the body column to head region except in the basal disc and hypostome. During budding, gremlin was expressed predominantly in the budding region suggesting a possible role in budding; this was confirmed in polyps with different stages of buds. Noggin, on the other hand, was predominantly expressed in the endoderm of hypostome, base of the tentacles, lower body column and at the basal disc in whole polyps. During budding, noggin was expressed at the sites of emergence of tentacles suggesting a role in tentacle formation. This was confirmed in alsterpaullone-treated polyps, which showed noggin expression as distinct spots where ectopic organizers and ectopic tentacles eventually formed. Using RT-PCR, we found that up-regulation of Wnt is accompanied with down-regulation of BMP5-8b demonstrating antagonism between the two pathways. Down-regulation of noggin and gremlin, however, occurred only after 24 h recovery. The data suggest that inhibition of BMP pathway by Wnt signaling in hydra does not directly involve noggin and gremlin. Our findings indicate that the BMP/Noggin antagonism evolved early for setting up and/or maintaining the head organizer while involvement of these BMP antagonists during vertebrate axial patterning are recent evolutionary acquisitions.Summary statementWe show that setting up of the Organizer by BMP/Noggin antagonism and role of BMP inhibitors in tissue patterning are evolutionarily ancient, probably arising for the first time in hydra

Implant retained nasal epithesis – case report

Summary Nasal defects can occur as a result of head and neck trauma, or due to partial or complete ablation or resection of the tumor in the nasal area and surroundings. Smaller defects can be reconstructed surgically while large defects are mainly reconstructed combined surgically and prosthetically. The aim of this paper was to present prosthetic reconstruction of the nasal defect by colored vinyl polysiloxane prosthesis retained with craniofacial basal disc implants. An adequate aesthetics and stability of the prosthesis was achieved during mandible and mimic muscles movements.

Towards a better understanding of Tetrapyrgos (Basidiomycota, Agaricales): new species, type studies, and phylogenetic inferences

Tetrapyrgos (Basidiomycota, Agaricales) is recognized as a genus characterized by basidiomes with a central or eccentric, well-developed stipe with a black to bluish black stipe base arising from a basal pad or disc; hyaline, inamyloid, distinctly tetrahedral basidiospores; non-gelatinous or weakly gelatinous pileipellis and pileus tramal tissues; and apically bulbous cheilocystidia with diverticulate central axis. It is distinguished from Campanella, which has basidiomes that are sessile or with a pseudostipe that lacks black or bluish black pigmentation, and does not arise from a pad or basal disc; basidiospores ellipsoid or bulging slightly on one side; strongly gelatinous pileipellis and pileus tramal tissues; and cheilocystidia typically with central portion of axis non-diverticulate. Analyses and taxonomic status of 16 species placed in Tetrapyrgos (and their reported synonyms) are provided, based on examinations of 80 recently collected specimens and 85 exsiccata. Nine species are recognized here in Tetrapyrgos, supported by morphological and molecular data, including two new species, T. longicystidiata and T. parvispora. The remaining 7 species are recognized as belonging in Campanella or are of uncertain taxonomic placement. Comprehensive descriptions for all accepted species, type studies, and phylogenetic inferences derived from ITS analyses are provided.

In vitro propagation of Narcissus tazetta L. bulbs

In vitro technique was used to propagate Narcissus tazetta L. Two approaches were used. The first explants of basal discs and scale leaves from bulbs were cultured in MS medium containing different concentrations of BA and NAA. Cultures were incubated in light and dark. Results showed that a significant increasing in shoot numbers and lengths in both types lf explants. Treatments including; light + 7.0 mg / L BA + 0.0 mg / L NAA (15.8 shoots) and light + 3.0 mg / L BA + 1.0 mg/L NAA (9.04 cm) were significant for the basal disc. while the treatments: light + 3.0 mg / L BA + 0.0 mg /L NAA (12.5 shoots ) and light + 1.0 mg / L BA + 0.0 mg / L NAA (5.02 cm) were the best for scale leaves. Callus was induced largely in explants cultured in dark and high concentrations of NAA. The second experiment: shoots from above were cultured in MS medium containing sucrose 3 or 6% with IBA 0.5, 1.0 , 1.5 mg / L for bulb lets formation. The highest numbers of bulb lets 3.2, 3.4 were observed in: 3% sucrose + 1.5 mg / L IBA and 6% sucrose + 1.0 mg / L IBA respective. On the other hand, the bulb let diameter 7.42 mm and weight 320.4 mg were observed in: 3% sucrose + 1.5 mg/ L IBA and 3% sucrose + 0.5 mg / L IBA respectively. The formed bulb lets were transferred to peat moss plus river soil media, which then successfully grown and gave vegetative shoots in the percent 98%. Abbreviations: BA(6-benzyl adenine) ; NAA(α-naphthalene acetic acid ); IBA ( Indole – butyric acid ); MS ( Murashige and Skoog medium).

Notes on Early Land Plants Today. 48. Drepanolejeunea longifolia, a new synonym of Drepanolejeunea angustifolia (Marchantiophyta, Lejeuneaceae)

Drepanolejeunea (Spruce 1884: 186) Stephani (1891: 209), with about 110 currently accepted species, is the fourth largest genus of Lejeuneaceae (following Cololejeunea (Spruce 1884: 291) Stephani (1891: 208), Lejeunea Libert (1820: 373), and Cheilolejeunea (Spruce 1884: 251) Stephani (1890: 284) (He et al. 2012). Although Drepanolejeunea is a diverse pantropical genus, it is characterized and easily distinguished from other related genera by the 1) erect to widely divergent lobes of underleaves without a basal disc, 2) transverse section of stem with 7 cortical cells and 3 medullary cells, 3) presence of ocelli at least at base of leaf lobe), 4) proximal hyaline papilla, 5) pycnolejeuneoid leaf sequence of gynoecial innovation (if present), 6) inflated perianths usually with various projections near apex, and 7) asexual reproduction by means of cladia or caducous leaves (Zhu & So 2001; He et al. 2012; Pócs et al., 2013). The genus has been classified in a separate subtribe, Drepanolejeuneinae Gradstein (2013: 14), together with Vitalianthus Schuster & Giancotti (1993: 447).