Transinfection of buffalo flies (Haematobia exigua) with Wolbachia and effect on host biology

A widespread insect endosymbiont Wolbachia is currently of much interest for use in novel strategies for the control of insect pests and blocking transmission of insect-vectored diseases. Wolbachia-induced effects can vary from beneficial to detrimental depending on host biology and the genetic background of the infecting strains. As a first step towards investigating the potential of Wolbachia for use in the biocontrol of buffalo flies (BF), embryos, pupae, and adult female BF were injected with three different Wolbachia strains (wAlbB, wMel and wMelPop). BF eggs were not easily injected because of their tough outer chorion and embryos were frequently damaged resulting in less than 1% hatch rate of microinjected eggs. No Wolbachia infection was recorded in flies successfully reared from injected eggs. Adult and pupal injection gave a much higher survival rate and resulted in somatic infection and germinal tissue infection in surviving flies with transmission to the succeeding generations on a number of occasions. Investigations of infection dynamics in flies from injected pupae confirmed that Wolbachia were increasing in numbers in BF somatic tissues and ovarian infections were confirmed with wMel and wMelPop in some instances, though not with wAlbB. Measurement of fitness traits indicated reduced longevity, decreased and delayed adult emergence, and reduced fecundity in Wolbachia-infected flies in comparison to mock-injected flies. Furthermore, fitness effects varied according to the Wolbachia strain injected with most marked reductions seen in the wMelPop-injected flies and least severe effects seen with the wAlbB strain.

Dysgerminoma - A Case Presentation

Dysgerminomas are a type of ovarian tumour which are developed from the germinal tissue and have a frequency of approximately 2% of all ovarian cancers. We report a case of a 40 years old female, which was admitted with abdominal pain and pollakiuria installed approximately 2 months ago. The particularity of the case lies in the late onset of the disease, compared to epidemiologic data, as well as in the immunohistochemical reactions, especially the negative PLAP reaction and positive CD30 reaction.

Karyological study of cicindelidia trifasciata (coleoptera, cicindelidae) from cuba: evidence of B chromosomes

Metaphases from germinal tissue of eight males and seven females of Cicindelidia trifasciata from Cuba were analyzed. The species karyotype does not fit the pattern described for Nearctic cicindelids (2n = 18 + XXY): it has 11 autosome pairs and a sex chromosome system of the X1X2X3Y/ X1X1X2X2 X3X3 type, thus a diploid value of 2n = 26 in males and 2n = 28 in females. The first two autosome pairs were almost twice as large as the remaining chromosomes, and the sex elements were morphologically well differentiated. This population was found to be polymorphic for supernumerary chromosomes at both the intraindividual and interindividual levels. An extra small B chromosome was observed in all metaphases of one male (2n = 27), and every female showed metaphases with one to three small Bs, with a clearly higher frequency of cytotype 2n = 29.

Long-term in vitro culture and characterisation of avian embryonic stem cells with multiple morphogenetic potentialities

Petitte, J.N., Clarck, M.E., Verrinder Gibbins, A. M. and R. J. Etches (1990; Development 108, 185–189) demonstrated that chicken early blastoderm contains cells able to contribute to both somatic and germinal tissue when injected into a recipient embryo. However, these cells were neither identified nor maintained in vitro. Here, we show that chicken early blastoderm contains cells characterised as putative avian embryonic stem (ES) cells that can be maintained in vitro for long-term culture. These cells exhibit features similar to those of murine ES cells such as typical morphology, strong reactivity toward specific antibodies, cytokine-dependent extended proliferation and high telomerase activity. These cells also present high capacities to differentiate in vitro into various cell types including cells from ectodermic, mesodermic and endodermic lineages. Production of chimeras after injection of the cultivated cells reinforced the view that our culture system maintains in vitro some avian putative ES cells.

Unikaryon slaptonleyi sp.nov. (Microspora: Unikaryonidae) isolated from echinostome and strigeid larvae from Lymnaea peregra: observations on its morphology, transmission and pathogenicity

SUMMARYA microsporidium, isolated from echinostome and strigeid larval trematodes in Lymnaea peregra, is described as a new species Unikaryon slaptonleyi sp.nov. The nuclei isolated at all stages of development, the disporoblastic sporogony and development in contact with host cell cytoplasm are used to assign the species to the genus Unikaryon. The absence of a vacuolar membrane to isolate the meronts and stages of sporulation from the host cell cytoplasm differentiates this genus from Encephalitozoon. Spores are uninucleate, have 17–21 turns of the polar filament coil and measure 5·0 × 2·8/μm fresh. U. slaptonleyi was isolated from rediae and metacercariae of Echinoparyphium recurvatum and sporo-cysts and cercariae of an unidentified strigeid trematode in L. peregra. It was transmitted in the laboratory to unidentified echinostomes in L. peregra and to unidentified strigeids in Planorbis planorbis by feeding the spores to field-collected snails from which cercariae were already emerging. In these natural and experimental hyperinfections the snail tissues were lightly infected but, in the helminths, much of the parenchyma and germinal tissue was destroyed, so that few cercariae were released and most of those were distorted. Similar heavy infections were produced in Fasciola hepatica in Lymnaea truncatula, when spores were fed to the snails 14 days after miracidial penetration, but even high doses (106 spores/snail) produced only light infections in Schistosoma mansoni in Biomphalaria glabrata, in only 2 out of 9 snails. No infections were obtained in larvae producing xiphidiocercariae in P. planorbis although echinostomes became infected under the same conditions. Of a number of aquatic and terrestrial arthropods tested for susceptibility by feeding or by inoculation of spores into the haemocoele, only Pieris brassicae became infected. In a small proportion of pupae surviving from larvae which had been inoculated with spores at 3rd or 4th instar, there was clear evidence of spore replication.

Evidence for dissolved glucose uptake from seawater by Neocalanus plumchrus (Arthropoda, Copepoda)

Autoradiographic techniques indicate that Neocalanus plumchrus is capable of removing labelled glucose from seawater at concentrations as low as 2.3 × 10−9 M. Uptake is via dermal glands and midgut. Consequent glucose transfer occurs through haemocoel to muscles and germinal tissue.