Explore the vast range of titles available.

Ascaridiosis is a very important parasitic disease of birds, it is caused by Ascaridia. This study was conducted to identify the Ascaridia species by microscopic and molecular assay in Baghdad city. One hundred and sixty fecal samples were collected from domestic pigeons during the period from 1/1/ 2019 to 31/3/ 2019. Results showed that the rate of infection for Ascaridia spp. 15.62% by microscopic examination. Significant difference was observed in infection rates between males and females pigeons. Fifty samples randomly selected and subjected to molecular diagnosis of Ascaridia spp. . Molecular examination results, the total infection rate showed 16% (8/50). The eight positive PCR products were sequenced and deposited in Gene bank data base, phylogenic analysis demonstrated that 4 sequences belongs to Ascaridia galli ( MK918635.1, MK918636.1, MK918847.1, MK919081.1), while 2 (MK919199.1, MK919200.1) belong to Ascaridia nymphii and 2 (MK919207.1, MK919264.1) belong to Ascaridia numidae. It is the first study in Iraq to diagnosis of Ascaridia nymphii and Ascaridia numidae in domesticed pigeons by using conventional PCR. مرض الأسكارس من الأمراض الطفيلية المهمة في الطيور، يتسبب عن الإصابة بطفيلي Ascaridia. أجريت هذه الدراسة لتحديد أنواع الطفيلي ال Ascaridia بواسطة الفحص المجهري و الجزيئي في مدينة بغداد. جمعت 160 عينة براز من الحمام الداجن خلال المدة من 1/1/2019 و لغاية 31/3/2019. أظهرت النتائج نسبة الإصابة بطفيلي Ascaridia spp. 15.62% باستخدام الفحص المجهري. و لوحظ فرق معنوي في نسبة الإصابة بين ذكور و إناث الحمام. انتخب 50 عينة براز عشوائيا لإجراء الفحص الجزيئي لتشخيص أنواع طفيلي ال . Ascaridia أظهرت نتائج الفحص بتقنية تفاعل سلسلة البلمرة نسبة إصابة الكلية بلغت 16% (8/50). أرسل ثمان عزلات موجبة باستخدام الفحص الجزيئي و لإيداعها في قاعدة بيانات بنك الجينات العالمي، حيث اظهرت نتائج شجرة التطور الوراثي أن 4 عزلات تنتمي إل Ascaridia galli سجلت بالأرقام MK918635.1، MK918636.1، MK918847.1،MK919081.1) ) و 2 عزلات تنتمي إلى Ascaridia nymphiiسجلت بالأرقام (MK919199.1،MK919200.1) و سجلت 2 عزلات تنتمي إلى Ascaridia numidae سجلت بالأرقام (MK919207.1،MK919264.1). تعد الدراسة الأول في بغداد، العراق لتشخيص النوعين Ascaridia numidae و Ascaridia nymphii في الحمام الداجن باستخدام الطرق الجزيئية.

A group of phylogenetically conserved nuclear factor Y transcription factors are preferentially expressed in the endosperm and probably play essential roles in endosperm development for rice and other monocots. Abstract Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a heterotrimeric transcription factor that consists of three subunits, NF-YA, NF-YB, and NF-YC. Gene functions of NF-Ys during endosperm development are not well understood. In this study, we identified eight rice NF-Y-encoding genes, namely OsNF-YA8, OsNF-YB1,9, and OsNF-YC8,9,10,11,12, that are predominantly expressed in the endosperm. Interestingly, the close homologs of these OsNF-Ys are present only in monocot species and are also preferentially expressed in the endosperm, suggesting that they have roles in the regulation of endosperm development. A systemic analysis of interactions between rice endosperm-preferential NF-Ys in yeast revealed that OsNF-YBs and OsNF-YCs could interact with each other. We also found that the endosperm-preferential OsNF-YBs and OsNF-YCs could interact with some ethylene response factors (ERFs) of rice. Unlike OsNF-YC8,9,10, the members of OsNF-YB1,9 or OsNF-YC 11,12 showed no transcriptional activation when present alone. However, they displayed functional activity while in dimer form. In addition, OsNF-YB1-knockout lines showed significant changes in seed morphology, further confirming its role in endosperm development. Our findings provide evidence that a group of phylogenetically conserved NF-Ys is probably differentiated in monocots to regulate endosperm development.

Dianthus spp. is a genus with high economic and ornamental value in the Caryophyllaceae, which include the famous fresh-cut carnation and the traditional Chinese herbal medicine, D. superbus. Despite the Dianthus species being seen everywhere in our daily lives, its genome information and phylogenetic relationships remain elusive. Thus, we performed the assembly and annotation of chloroplast genomes for 12 individuals from seven Dianthus species. On this basis, we carried out the first comprehensive and systematic analysis of the chloroplast genome sequence characteristics and the phylogenetic evolution of Dianthus. The chloroplast genome of 12 Dianthus individuals ranged from 149,192 bp to 149,800 bp, containing 124 to 126 functional genes. Sequence repetition analysis showed the number of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) ranged from 75 to 80, tandem repeats ranged from 23 to 41, and pair-dispersed repeats ranged from 28 to 43. Next, we calculated the synonymous nucleotide substitution rates (Ks) of all 76 protein coding genes to obtain the evolution rate of these coding genes in Dianthus species; rpl22 showed the highest Ks (0.0471), which suggested that it evolved the swiftest. By reconstructing the phylogenetic relationships within Dianthus and other species of Caryophyllales, 16 Dianthus individuals (12 individuals reported in this study and four individuals downloaded from NCBI) were divided into two strongly supported sister clades (Clade A and Clade B). The Clade A contained five species, namely D. caryophyllus, D. barbatus, D. gratianopolitanus, and two cultivars (‘HY’ and ‘WC’). The Clade B included four species, in which D. superbus was a sister branch with D. chinensis, D. longicalyx, and F1 ‘87M’ (the hybrid offspring F1 from D. chinensis and ‘HY’). Further, based on sequence divergence analysis and hypervariable region analysis, we selected several regions that had more divergent sequences, to develop DNA markers. Additionally, we found that one DNA marker can be used to differentiate Clade A and Clade B in Dianthus. Taken together, our results provide useful information for our understanding of Dianthus classification and chloroplast genome evolution.

Cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) are photoswitchable linear tetrapyrrole (bilin)-based light sensors in the phytochrome superfamily with a broad spectral range from the near UV through the far red (330 to 760 nm). The recent discovery of far-red absorbing CBCRs (frCBCRs) has garnered considerable interest from the optogenetic and imaging communities because of the deep penetrance of farred light into mammalian tissue and the small size of the CBCR protein scaffold. The present studies were undertaken to determine the structural basis for far-red absorption by JSC1_58120g3, a frCBCR from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. JSC-1 that is a representative member of a phylogenetically distinct class. Unlike most CBCRs that bind phycocyanobilin (PCB), a phycobilin naturally occurring in cyanobacteria and only a few eukaryotic phototrophs, JSC1_58120g3’s far-red absorption arises from incorporation of the PCB biosynthetic intermediate 18¹,18²-dihydrobiliverdin (18¹,18²-DHBV) rather than the more reduced and more abundant PCB. JSC1_58120g3 can also yield a farred–absorbing adduct with the more widespread linear tetrapyrrole biliverdin IXα (BV), thus circumventing the need to coproduce or supplement optogenetic cell lines with PCB. Using high-resolution X-ray crystal structures of 18¹,18²-DHBV and BV adducts of JSC1_58120g3 along with structure-guided mutagenesis, we have defined residues critical for its verdin-binding preference and far-red absorption. Far-red sensing and verdin incorporation make this frCBCR lineage an attractive template for developing robust optogenetic and imaging reagents for deep tissue applications.

Tobamovirus is a large group of positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses that cause diseases in a broad range of plant species, including many agronomically important crops. The number of known Tobamovirus species has been on the rise in recent years, and currently, this genus includes 47 viruses. Tobamoviruses are transmitted mainly by mechanical contact, such as physical touching by hands or agricultural tools; and some are also transmitted on seeds, or through pollinator insects. The tobamoviral genome encodes proteins that have evolved to fulfill the main conceptual task of the viral infection cycle - the spread of the invading virus throughout the host plant cells, tissues, and organs. Here, we discuss this aspect of the infection cycle of tobamoviruses, focusing on the advances in our understanding of the local, i.e., cell-to-cell, and systemic, i.e., organ-to-organ, virus movement, and the viral and host plant determinants of these processes. Specifically, we spotlight two viral proteins—the movement protein (MP) and the coat protein (CP), which are directly involved in the local and systemic spread of tobamoviruses—with respect to their phylogeny, activities during viral movement, and interactions with the host determinants of the movement process.

Hormones act as master ripening regulators. In non-climacteric fruit, ABA plays a key role in ripening. Recently, we confirmed in Fragaria chiloensis fruit that in response to ABA treatment the fruit induces ripening-associated changes such as softening and color development. In consequence of these phenotypic changes, transcriptional variations associated with cell wall disassembly and anthocyanins biosynthesis were reported. As ABA stimulates the ripening of F. chiloensis fruit, the molecular network involved in ABA metabolism was analyzed. Therefore, the expression level of genes involved in ABA biosynthesis and ABA perception was quantified during the development of the fruit. Four NCED/CCDs and six PYR/PYLs family members were identified in F. chiloensis. Bioinformatics analyses confirmed the existence of key domains related to functional properties. Through RT-qPCR analyses, the level of transcripts was quantified. FcNCED1 codifies a protein that displays crucial functional domains, and the level of transcripts increases as the fruit develops and ripens, in parallel with the increment in ABA. In addition, FcPYL4 codifies for a functional ABA receptor, and its expression follows an incremental pattern during ripening. The study concludes that FcNCED1 is involved in ABA biosynthesis; meanwhile, FcPYL4 participates in ABA perception during the ripening of F. chiloensis fruit.

Three-finger toxins (3FTxs) are the largest group of nonenzymatic toxins found in snake venoms. Among them, neurotoxins that target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are the most well-studied ligands. In addition to the classical neurotoxins, several other new classes have been characterized for their structure, receptor subtype, and species selectivity. Here, we systematically analyzed over 700 amino acid sequences of three-finger neurotoxins that interact with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Based on the amino acid residue substitutions in the functional sites and structural features of various classes of neurotoxins, we have classified them into over 150 distinct subgroups. Currently, only a small number of typical examples representing these subgroups have been studied for their structure, function, and subtype selectivity. The functional site residues responsible for their interaction with specific receptor subtypes of several toxins are yet to be identified. The molecular details of each subgroup representative toxin with its target receptor will contribute towards the understanding of subtype- and/or interface-selectivity. Thus, this review will provide new impetus in the toxin research and pave the way for the design of potent, selective ligands for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

A high correlation is observed between specific clonal lineages and host types in toxoplasmosis. The main objectives of this study were comparing polymorphism and evolutionary analysis of the and genes, as well as the evaluation of phylogenic and isolates obtained from different hosts and regions. Overall 96 brain/diaphragm tissue samples of livestock and poultry from three provinces of Iran (cows: 9 from Yazd, 9 from Qom; sheep: 19 from Yazd, 7 from Qom; goats: 7 from Yazd, 4 from Qom; one camel from Yazd and 37 chickens, 2 roosters and one duck from Golestan) were tested during 2018-19. A nested PCR and PCR-PCR methods were developed with the and genes. Evaluation of genetic proximity, genetic diversity and evolutionary analysis were done using MEGA-X and DnaSP5 software. Thirty samples of both genes were sequenced (18 and 12 genes), and submitted to the GenBank (MN275903-MN275932). Tajima's D index analyses showed that both genes were in the negative direction of evolution. The gene was more sensitive than the gene. The gene showed better and more acceptable results in terms of the relationship between the host and the genotyping of the samples. The gene was only an attractive target for rapid detection of parasites, whereas the gene due to a high level of polymorphism was able to isolate the three clonal lineages (type I, II and III), intertypes and even atypical strains from different isolates of .

Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) are distributed worldwide in poultry and incriminated as the etiological agents for several health problems in fowls, and are capable of crossing species barriers between domestic and wild fowls. An FAdV strain was, for the first time, isolated from black-necked crane in this study, and was designated as serotype 4 Fowl aviadenovirus C (abbreviated as BNC2021) according to the phylogenetic analysis of its DNA polymerase and hexon gene. The viral genomic sequence analysis demonstrated that the isolate possessed the ORF deletions that are present in FAdV4 strains circulating in poultry fowls in China and the amino acid mutations associated with viral pathogenicity in the hexon and fiber 2 proteins. A viral challenge experiment with mallard ducks demonstrated systemic viral infection and horizontal transmission. BNC2021 induced the typical clinical signs of hepatitis–hydropericardium syndrome (HHS) with swelling and inflammation in multiple organs and showed significant viral replication in all eight organs tested in the virus-inoculated ducks and their contactees at 6 dpi. The findings highlight the importance of surveillance of FAdVs in wild birds.

Background NAC (NAM, ATAF1–2, and CUC2) family is one of the largest plant-specific transcription factor families known to play significant roles in plant development processes and stress responses. Results In the study, a total of 112 NACs were identified to be differentially expressed in the comparisons of leaves and stems, leaves and roots, roots and stems of Populus simonii×P. nigra among 289 members by RNA-Seq. And 148, 144 and 134 NACs were detected to be salt-responsive in the roots, stems and leaves under 150 mM NaCl stress, respectively. Among them, a total of 53 salt-responsive NACs were shared across the three tissues. Under salt stress, 41/37 NACs were identified to be up/down-regulated in the leaves of Populus simonii × P.nigra among 170 non-redundant NACs by RT-qPCR, which was similar with RNA-Seq results. The expression pattern analysis of 6 NACs including four randomly up-regulated genes ( NAC86 , NAC105 , NAC139 and NAC163 ) and two down-regulated genes ( NAC15 and NAC149 ) indicated a few NACs showed specific temporal and spatial expression patterns in the three tissues of Populus simonii×P.nigra . Based on transcriptome screening and phylogenic analysis of differentially expressed NACs in different tissues under salt stress, 18 potential NACs associated with wood formation and 20 involved in stress responses were identified in Populus simonii×P.nigra . Conclusions The study further gains an understanding of the connection of tissue specificity and gene function in poplar, and lays the foundation of functional analysis of poplar NACs in stress responses.