The American red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) was introduced in 1973 into the Iberian Peninsula for commercial purposes. As a result of both the expansion from the Iberian Peninsula and, probably, further introductions in other European countries, now it is widely distributed throughout much of Europe. The ecological impacts of this invading crayfish have received increasing attention, but nothing is known about its symbiotic entocytherid ostracods outside the American continent. The present survey has examined more than 200 crayfishes from 12 localities distributed over a wide area of Eastern Spain. Entocytherid ostracods were extracted from individual crayfishes and they were identified, counted, assigned to developmental instars and sexed. In all the study locations but one, we found at least one crayfish individual infected by entocytherid ostracods and the species determined was the same in all cases: Ankylocythere sinuosa (Rioja, 1942). The number of ostracods on individual P. clarkii varied notably in relation to crayfish size and also differed significantly among sampling sites. The crayfish size effects on ostracod densities might be related to the amount of resources and to the crayfish age and moulting frequency affecting ostracod distribution and population structure. In addition, the spatial variation in ostracod densities could also be related to site-specific habitat traits and the variability of crayfish population dynamics. Our study represents the first citation of an alien entocytherid species in Europe and demonstrates its wide distribution in the Iberian Peninsula. Further research is needed to know the potential effects of this ostracod species on the ecology of P. clarkii and of native species, with implications on the management of this aquatic invader.
A GH8 family enzyme involved in xylan depolymerization has been characterized. The enzyme, Rex8A, is a reducing-end xylosereleasing exo-oligoxylanase (Rex) that efficiently hydrolyzes xylooligosaccharides and shows minor activity on polymeric xylan. Rex8A hydrolyzes xylooligomers of 3 to 6 xylose units to xylose and xylobiose in long-term incubations. Kinetic constants of Rex8A were determined on xylotriose, showing a K m of 1.64 ؎ 0.03 mM and a k cat value of 118.8 s ؊1 . Besides linear xylooligosaccharides, the enzyme hydrolyzed decorated xylooligomers. The catalytic activity on branched xylooligosaccharides, i.e., the release of xylose from the reducing end, is a newly described trait of xylose-releasing exo-oligoxylanases, as the exo-activity on these substrates has not been reported for the few of these enzymes characterized to date. Modeling of the three-dimensional (3D) structure of Rex8A shows an (␣/␣) 6 barrel fold where the loops connecting the ␣-helices contour the active site. These loops, which show high sequence diversity among GH8 enzymes, shape a catalytic cleft with a ؊2 subsite that can accommodate methyl-glucuronic acid decorations. The hydrolytic ability of Rex8A on branched oligomers can be crucial for the complete depolymerization of highly substituted xylans, which is indispensable to accomplish biomass deconstruction and to generate efficient catalysts. IMPORTANCEA GH8 family enzyme involved in xylan depolymerization has been characterized. The Rex8A enzyme from Paenibacillus barcinonensis is involved in depolymerization of glucuronoxylan, a major component of the lignocellulosic substrates. The study shows that Rex8A is a reducing-end xylose-releasing exo-oligoxylanase that efficiently hydrolyzes xylose from neutral and acidic xylooligosaccharides generated by the action of other xylanases also secreted by the strain. The activity of a Rex enzyme on branched xylooligosaccharides has not been described to date. This report provides original and useful information on the properties of a new example of the rarely studied Rex enzymes. Depolymerization of highly substituted xylans is crucial for biomass valorization as a platform for generation of biofuels, chemicals, and solvents. P lant biomass is the most abundant source of organic carbon on the planet; therefore, it has become one of the most powerful and sustainable alternatives to petroleum as a platform for generation of biofuels, chemicals, and solvents (1). Nevertheless, plant cell walls are recalcitrant to biological depolymerization, as the extensive interactions between polysaccharides, and between polysaccharides and lignin, restrict access to the battery of degrading enzymes that break down these composite structures (2, 3). Celluloses and hemicelluloses are the most abundant polysaccharides in plants; thus, their separation and degradation are crucial for biomass valorization. Xylan is the major component of hemicelluloses, and it is composed of a backbone of -D-xylopyranosyl residues that can be variably acetylated an...
During a survey of the helminth community of several rodent species in the Morogoro region (Tanzania), Trichuris whipworms (Nematoda: Trichuridae) were found in the ceca of the Natal multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis and a gerbil, Gerbilliscus vicinus (both Rodentia: Muridae). The taxonomic literature regarding Trichuris from African native rodents describes 10 species, but includes few metric and morphologic characters that discriminate between some of the pairs. The whipworms we sampled in Tanzanian Natal multimammate mice and gerbils were morphologically identified, respectively, as Trichuris mastomysi Verster, 1960 and Trichuris carlieri Gedoelst, 1916 sensu lato, but with characters that overlap or partially overlap with the cosmopolitan Murinae whipworm, Trichuris muris , already reported from several rodents in Africa. To clarify our identification, we sequenced the ITS-1, 5.8S, and ITS-2 ribosomal DNA region of the worms' nuclear genome. The genetic analyses clearly distinguish the whipworms we found in M. natalensis from those found in the gerbil, and both of these from T. muris whipworm reference sequences. The overlap of morphological characters between rodent whipworms suggests that reports of T. muris from rodent species not closely related to Murinae in other parts of Africa should be treated with caution.
Rickettsia slovaca, the causative agent of TIBOLA, is transmitted by Dermacentor ticks. Dermacentor marginatus is the most widely species distributed in northeastern Spain, and the wild boar constitutes the main host. D. marginatus ticks were collected from hunter-killed wild boar and were tested by PCR/RFLP. Rickettsial DNA-positive ticks were sequenced using the ompA PCR primers. The prevalence of R. slovaca in D. marginatus ticks was 17.7%. Other spotted fever group rickettsiae were detected in ticks, but these were not definitely identified.
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