No abstract

The Western Dry Rocks (WDR) area off Key West, Florida, is an open fishing area that contains a multispecies fish spawning aggregation site, but grouper spawning there has yet to be confirmed. The movements of 18 adult and subadult grouper at WDR were tracked using acoustic telemetry to determine how this area is used by grouper species and whether it contains a grouper spawning aggregation site. Tagged fish consisted of 10 Black Grouper Mycteroperca bonaci, 5 Nassau Grouper Epinephelus striatus, 2 Gag M. microlepis, and 1 Yellowfin Grouper M. venenosa. Overall, tagged grouper were more likely to be present in the WDR array during winter spawning months, with species-specific seasonal differences. Our results indicated that grouper presence increased during spawning months, although some adults and subadults were present year-round. Grouper made more movements per day during nonspawning months compared to spawning months, although the north side of WDR was the most heavily used area, regardless of the time of year. Additionally, spatial graphs of grouper movement suggested that different grouper species utilized different areas of WDR. Increased presence of grouper during spawning months suggests that the WDR area may contain a grouper spawning aggregation site, which would mean that fish species aggregate to spawn at this location year-round. The success of the Florida Keys fisheries critically depends on the protection of multispecies spawning aggregations like that potentially contained at WDR.

Mesophotic coral ecosystems are extensive light-dependent habitats that typically form between 30 and 150 m depth in the tropical oceans. The forces that structure the benthic communities in these ecosystems are poorly understood but this is rapidly changing with technological advances in technical diving and remote observation that allow large-scale scientific investigation. Recent observations of southeastern Puerto Rican Shelf of the US Virgin Islands have shown that this Caribbean mesophotic coral ecosystem has distinct habitats within the same depth ranges and across small horizontal distances (<<1 km), that range from sparse hardbottom to vibrant coral reefs with stony coral cover >25%. High-resolution bathymetric mapping of the shelf edge revealed a topographically distinct semi-continuous 71 km-long relict barrier reef bank system. The purpose of this study was to characterize the pattern of mesophotic habitat development of the shelf edge and use this data to narrow the potential long-term and large-scale structuring forces of this mesophotic coral ecosystem. We hypothesized from limited preliminary observations that the shelf edge coral cover was limited in shallower portions of the bank and on the seaward orientation. Through stratified random surveys we found that increasing depth and decreasing wave driven benthic orbital velocities were positively related to coral abundance on the shelf edge. In addition, low coral cover habitats of the shelf edge contrasted strongly with adjacent on shelf banks surveyed previously in the same depth range, which had relatively high coral cover (>30%). Predictions of benthic orbital velocities during major storms suggested that mechanical disturbance combined with low rates of coral recovery as a possible mechanism structuring the patterns of coral cover, and these factors could be targets of future research.

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BACKGROUND Mutation in the KLF1 gene is the cause of the In(Lu) (Inhibitor of Lutheran) Lu(a–b–) phenotype and more than 60 alleles have been associated with this phenotype. Here we describe findings from investigation of seven cases: six presenting with a Lu(a–b–) phenotype including the historical index case and one referred from a patient with chronic anemia. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Serologic testing was by standard methods. DNA testing included amplification and sequencing of KLF1 and LU coding regions. A StuI polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism was designed to target c.304T>C in KLF1. RESULTS Five different KLF1 alleles were identified. Three are new: KLF1*90A (p.Trp30Ter), KLF*911A (p.Thr304Lys), and KLF1*304C,318G (p. Ser102Pro, Tyr106Ter) present in two unrelated individuals. Two, including the index case, had c.954dupG (p.Arg319Glufs*34), that is, KLF1*BGM06. The child with unexplained anemia had c.973G>A (p.Glu325Lys), associated with congenital dyserythropoietic anemia. The common c.304T>C was found in two of the seven samples investigated and in 60 of 100 blood donors. CONCLUSION Mutations in KLF1 are pleiotropic and although most are benign, others are associated with hematologic abnormalities. We report three new KLF1 alleles associated with benign In(Lu) and document both the molecular basis of the original In(Lu) phenotype using a frozen sample stored for more than 50 years and the cause of unexplained anemia in a child. We also confirm previous observations that c.304C (p.102Pro) is not, by itself, associated with an In(Lu) phenotype in donors self‐identified as U.S. minorities.

RHCE*ceAG (c.254G, p.85Gly) encodes a partial phenotype and the absence of the high-prevalence antigen RH59 (CEAG). The allele was present in one in 11 African Americans and is most often in cis to a RHD deletion associated with discordant RHD zygosity. To further determine clinical significance, detection of this allele should be part of routine RHCE genotyping in this population.

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Extended blood group genotyping is an invaluable tool used for prevention of alloimmunization. Genotyping is particularly suitable when antigens are weak, specific antisera are unavailable, or accurate phenotyping is problematic because of a disease state or recent transfusions. In addition, genotyping facilitates establishment of mass-scale patient-matched donor databases. However, standardization of genotyping technologies has been hindered by the lack of reference panels. A wellcharacterized renewable reference panel for standardization of blood group genotyping was developed. The panel consists of genomic DNA lyophilized and stored in glass vials. Genomic DNA was extracted in bulk from immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines, generated by Epstein-Barr virus transformation of peripheral blood lymphocytes harvested from volunteer blood donors. The panel was validated by an international collaborative study involving 28 laboratories that tested each DNA panel member for 41 polymorphisms associated with 17 blood group systems. Overall, analysis of genotyping results showed >98% agreement with the expected outcomes, demonstrating suitability of the material for use as reference. Highest levels of discordance were observed for the genes CR1, CD55, BSG, and RHD. Although limited, observed inconsistencies and procedural limitations reinforce the importance of reference reagents to standardize and harmonize results. Results of stability and accelerated degradation studies support the suitability of this panel for use as reference reagent for blood group genotyping assay development and standardization.