18S rRNA phylogeny of sea spiders with emphasis on the position of Rhynchothoracidae

The phylogenetic relationships among all living families of sea spiders (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida) are investigated using nearly complete 18S rRNA sequences from 57 ingroup species and five chelicerates under the Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods. Monophyly of Colossendeidae, Pycnogonidae, Phoxichilidiidae, Endeidae and Pallenopsidae is consistently supported. However, the genera formerly classified in the family Ammotheidae are split up into two distantly related groups. The genera Ascorhynchus and Eurycyde (here recognized as Ascorhynchidae) are possibly an early offshoot of sea spiders, whereas other ammotheids constitute a robust terminal clade with Pallenopsidae, Phoxichilidiidae and Endeidae. This topology also opposes the prevalent assumption of successive losses and simplification of three kinds of cephalic appendages like in a previous cladistic analysis. At least three independent losses are suggested for palps by the inferred topology, and both chelifores and female ovigers may have been lost twice. Our knowledge of early ontogeny and internal anatomy is more congruent with the present 18S rRNA data. The families Callipallenidae and Nymphonidae with unique “attaching larvae” are grouped together in present molecular trees, suggesting that extended paternal care of offspring evolved only once in Pycnogonida. Confident clustering of Pycnogonidae and Rhynchothoracidae indicates that the number of female genital pores is an evolutionary conservative character.     

Screening of endophytic bacteria against fungal plant pathogens

Bacterial endophytes were found from 6 plant leaves among 35 plant leaves screened. Two of the isolated bacteria showed antagonistic activity against fungal plant pathogens. An isolate named KL1 showed the clear inihibition against plant pathogens, Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani, on PDA as well as TSA plate. Supernatant of the bacterial culture also showed the clear inhibition against the fungal growth on the plate and the antibiotic substance was identified as iturin A by HPLC analysis. KL1 was identified as Bacillus sp. from the 16S rRNA gene analysis. Very thin hyphae of R. solani was miccroscopically observed when the fungus was co-cultivated with KL1.     

Controlled release of molasses melanoidin-like product from hybrid organic–inorganic silica xerogels and its application to the phytoextraction of lead through the Indian mustard

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, we investigate the release of melanoidin-like product (MLP) from hybrid silica xerogels to control the quantity of MLP in the medium...     

Feasible conditions for Japanese woody biomass utilization

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - There is an abundance of woody biomass in Japan. However, its economic feasibility is limited. There have been several discussions on whether...     

Rate of hexabromocyclododecane decomposition and production of brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during combustion in a pilot-scale incinerator

Here, we examined the incineration of extruded polystyrene containing hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD) in a pilot-scale incinerator under various combustion temperatures(800–950℃) and flue gas residence times(2–8 sec). Rates of HBCD decomposition ranged from 99.996%(800℃, 2 sec) to 99.9999%(950℃, 8 sec); the decomposition of HBCD, except during the initial stage of combustion(flue gas residence time 2 sec), followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics model. An Arrhenius plot revealed that the activation energy and frequency factor of the decomposition of HBCD by combustion were 14.2 kJ/mol and 1.69 sec~(-1),respectively. During combustion, 11 brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(BrPAHs)were detected as unintentional by-products. Of the 11 BrPAHs detected, 2-bromoanthracene and 1-bromopyrene were detected at the highest concentrations. The mutagenic and carcinogenic BrPAHs 1,5-dibromoanthracene and 1-bromopyrene were most frequently detected in the flue gases analyzed. The total concentration of BrPAHs exponentially increased(range,87.8–2,040,000 ng/m~3) with increasing flue gas residence time. Results from a qualitative analysis using gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry suggest that bromofluorene and bromopyrene(or fluoranthene) congeners were also produced during the combustion.     

Effect of temperature on growth and maturation pattern of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caprella mutica</Emphasis> (Crustacea,Amphipoda): does the temperature–size rule function in caprellids?

Many ectothermal marine animals mature at larger sizes in lower temperature environments and at smaller sizes in higher temperature environments. This phenomenon is called the temperature–size rule. To examine whether this rule controls the appearance of large adults in a winter population of caprellids, individuals of Caprella mutica were reared at different temperatures. Caprellids at 5°C died at instar III before they reached maturity. In contrast, the animals reared at 10, 15 and 20°C lived to higher instars and reached maturity within their lifetime. Somatic growth pattern did not change between 10 and 20°C. Maturation instar of males was not affected by temperature. This indicates that the appearance of large adults in winter is not a result of a change in somatic growth pattern with temperature change. However, female maturation size becomes larger due to a delay in maturation at lower temperature. This, in turn, indicates that the temperature–size rule plays a role in the mechanism controlling the appearance of large female adults in winter populations.     

Differences of two polychaete species reflected in enzyme activities

Polychaetes constitute most of the benthic macroinvertebrates in estuarine and coastal environments. We investigated the utilization of organic matter in two polychaete species, Capitella sp. I and Perinereis nuntia brevicirris, living in different coastal habitats. The protease activity of Capitella sp. I (89.7 μg mg⁻¹) was about 10 times that of P. nuntia brevicirris (8.0 μg mg⁻¹). High cellulase (endo-β-1,4-glucanase) activity was detected in P. nuntia brevicirris (3.2 μg mg⁻¹), whereas scarcely any was detected in Capitella sp. I. We isolated cDNA clones of protease mRNA from Capitella sp. I and of cellulase mRNA from P. nuntia brevicirris. The high protease activity of Capitella sp. I enabled it to survive in the sediment under a fish farm, where it degrades organic matter. In contrast, the high cellulase activity of the estuary-dwelling P. nuntia brevicirris allowed it to degrade organic matter originating from terrestrial areas.     

Production characteristics of lipopeptide antibiotics in biofilm fermentation of Bacillus subtilis

In biofilm fermentation, from the very early moments, surfactin was produced along with the biofilm development in the lipopeptide antibiotic production medium by using Bacillus subtilis. However, almost no iturin A was produced in its first 24 hours of cultivation and the production of iturin A began much later. Volumes of the nutrient medium and available surface area of the biofilm reactors were found to be important with the relative production of these two antibiotics. Production of iturin A was increased from 12 mg to about 50 mg per reactor when the culture size was increased from 5 mL to 20 mL, as the depth of the medium was increased. The production level was saturated thereafter with larger volumes. On the other hand, surfactin production was remained similar, which was about 10 mg per reactor, from all the 5 mL to 80 mL of biofilm culture. Optimized temperature for iturin A and surfactin production was observed at 25 and 37°C, respectively. In the biofilm fermentation, production of surfactin was increased when the incubation temperature was increased within the temperature range of 25 to 37°C, on the other hand, iturin A production was gradually decreased with the increase of the incubation temperature.