Sequence capture of ultraconserved elements (UCEs) associated with massively parallel sequencing has become a common source of nuclear data for studies of animal systematics and phylogeography. However, mitochondrial and microsatellite variation are still commonly used in various kinds of molecular studies, and probably will complement genomic data in years to come. Here we show that besides providing abundant genomic data, UCE sequencing is an excellent source of both sequences for microsatellite loci design and complete mitochondrial genomes with high sequencing depth. Identification of dozens of microsatellite loci and assembly of complete mitogenomes is exemplified here using three species of Poospiza warbling finches from southern and southeastern Brazil. This strategy opens exciting opportunities to simultaneously analyze genome-wide nuclear datasets and traditionally used mtDNA and microsatellite markers in non-model amniotes at no additional cost.

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Aims:The occurrence of Helicobacter pylori in the coastal zone of the Straits of Messina (Italy) as free-living and associated with plankton was studied. Methods and Results: Monthly sampling of seawater and plankton was carried out from April 2002 to March, 2003. All environmental samples analysed by cultural method, did not show the presence of H. pylori. The DNA extracted from all environmental samples was tested by PCR by using primers for H. pylori 16S rRNA, ureA and cagA. 16S rRNA PCR yielded amplified products of 522-bp in 15 of 36 (41AE7%) of the environmental samples. By using the ureA primers to amplify the urea signal sequences, the predicted PCR products of 491-bp were obtained from eight (22AE2%) of 36 environmental samples. PCR with cagA primers yielded amplified products of 349-bp in DNA extracted of seven of 36 (19AE4%) of the environmental samples. When 16S rRNA, ureA and cagA amplified gene sequences were aligned with H. pylori 26695 and J99 genome sequences, we obtained a percentage of alignment over 90%. Conclusions: The detection of H. pylori genes in marine samples allows us to consider the marine environment a possible reservoir for this pathogenic bacterium. Significance and Impact of the Study: The direct detection of H. pylori genes may be relevant in order to consider the marine environment as significant reservoir for this bacterium.

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