Direct retino-iridal projections and intrinsic iris contraction mediate the pupillary light reflex in early vertebrates.

The pupillary light reflex (PLR) adapts the amount of light reaching the retina, protecting it and improving image formation. Two PLR mechanisms have been described in vertebrates. First, the pretectum receives retinal inputs and projects to the Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EWN), which targets the ciliary ganglion through the oculomotor nerve (nIII).

Comparison of vertebrate skin structure at class level: A review.

The skin is a barrier between the internal and external environment of an organism. Depending on the species, it participates in multiple functions. The skin is the organ that holds the body together, covers and protects it, and provides communication with its environment.

Neuromeric Distribution of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate-Diaphorase Activity in the Adult Lamprey Brain.

This study reports for the first time the distribution and morphological characterization of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d; a reliable marker of nitric oxide synthase activity) positive elements in the central nervous system of the adult river lamprey () on the framework of the neuromeric model and compares their cytoarchitectonic organization with that of gnathostomes. Both NADPH-d exhibiting cells and fibers were observed in all major divisions of the lamprey brain as well as in the spinal cord. In the secondary prosencephalon, NADPH-d positive cells were observed in the mitral cell layer of the olfactory bulb, evaginated pallium, amygdala, dorsal striatum, septum, lateral preoptic nucleus, caudal paraventricular area, posterior entopeduncular nucleus, nucleus of the stria medullaris, hypothalamic periventricular organ and mamillary region .

Brief history of biofertilizers in Brazil: from conventional approaches to new biotechnological solutions.

Brazil has a long history of research with rhizobia and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Currently, the use of bio-based products in Brazil, containing microorganisms that are effective in promoting plant growth through various mechanisms, is already a consolidated reality for the cultivation of several crops of agricultural interest. This is due to the excellent results obtained over many years of research, which contributed to reinforce the use of rhizobia and PGPR by farmers.

Acceptance and knowledge of evolutionary theory among third-year university students in Spain.

The theory of evolution is one of the greatest scientific achievements in the intellectual history of humankind, yet it is still contentious within certain social groups. Despite being as robust and evidence-based as any other notable scientific theory, some people show a strong reluctance to accept it. In this study, we used the Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE) and Knowledge of Evolution Exam (KEE) questionnaires with university students from four academic degree programs (Chemistry, English, History, and Biology) of ten universities from Spain to measure, respectively, acceptance and knowledge of evolutionary theory among third-year undergraduate students (nMATE = 978; nKEE = 981).

Regulation of , and genes in CIAT 899 and their roles in the synthesis of Nod factors and in the symbiosis.

strain CIAT 899 possesses outstanding agronomic properties as it displays tolerance to environmental stresses, a broad host range and high effectiveness in fixing nitrogen with the common bean ( L.); in addition, it carries intriguing features such as five copies of the regulatory gene, and the capacity to synthesize a variety of nodulation factors (NFs), even in a flavonoid-independent manner, when submitted to abiotic stresses. However, the roles of several genes of the repertoire of CIAT 899 remain to be determined.

Osmotic stress activates nif and fix genes and induces the Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899 Nod factor production via NodD2 by up-regulation of the nodA2 operon and the nodA3 gene.

The symbiosis between rhizobia and legumes is characterized by a complex molecular dialogue in which the bacterial NodD protein plays a major role due to its capacity to activate the expression of the nodulation genes in the presence of appropiate flavonoids. These genes are involved in the synthesis of molecules, the nodulation factors (NF), responsible for launching the nodulation process. Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899, a rhizobial strain that nodulates Phaseolus vulgaris, is characterized by its tolerance to multiple environmental stresses such as high temperatures, acidity or elevated osmolarity.

Revealing the roles of y4wF and tidC genes in Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899: biosynthesis of indolic compounds and impact on symbiotic properties.

Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899 is a strain known by its ability to nodulate a broad range of legume species, to synthesize a variety of Nod factors, its tolerance of abiotic stresses, and its high capacity to fix atmospheric N, especially in symbiosis with common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Genes putatively related to the synthesis of indole acetic acid (IAA) have been found in the symbiotic plasmid of CIAT 899, in the vicinity of the regulatory nodulation gene nodD5, and, in this study, we obtained mutants for two of these genes, y4wF and tidC (R.

Quorum sensing communication: Bradyrhizobium-Azospirillum interaction via N-acyl-homoserine lactones in the promotion of soybean symbiosis.

Quorum-sensing (QS) mechanisms are important in intra- and inter-specific communication among bacteria. We investigated QS mechanisms in Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain CPAC 15 and Azospirillum brasilense strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6, used in commercial co-inoculants for the soybean crop in Brazil. A transconjugant of CPAC 15-QS with partial inactivation of N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) was obtained and several parameters were evaluated; in vitro, CPAC 15 and the transconjugant differed in growth, but not in biofilm formation, and no differences were observed in the symbiotic performance in vivo.

Antioxidant activity and induction of mechanisms of resistance to stresses related to the inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense.

We investigated the effects of Azospirillum brasilense strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 in the induction of mechanisms of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and induced system resistance (ISR) on maize (Zea mays L.) plants. Under normal growth conditions, the treatments consisted of the standard inoculation of cells at sowing, and leaf spray of cells or their metabolites at the V2.

Development and Functional Organization of the Cranial Nerves in Lampreys.

Lampreys, together with hagfishes, are the only extant representatives of the oldest branch of vertebrates, the agnathans, which are the sister group of gnathostomes; therefore, studies on these animals are of great evolutionary significance. Lampreys exhibit a particular life cycle with remarkable changes in their behavior, concomitant, in part, with important modifications in the head and its musculature, which might influence the development of the cranial nerves. In this context, some cranial nerves such as the optic nerve and the ocular motor nerves, which develop slowly during an extremely long larval period lasting more than five years, have been more thoroughly investigated; however, much less experimental information is available about others, such as the facial or the hypoglossal nerves.

Structure of surface polysaccharides from Aeromonas sp. AMG272, a plant-growth promoting rhizobacterium isolated from rice rhizosphere.

Aeromonas sp. AMG272 is a Gram-negative bacterium that has been isolated from agricultural soil and studied for its plant growth-promoting activities. Structures of the O-specific polysaccharide chain of the AMG272 lipopolysaccharide and its capsular polysaccharide were elucidated using GLC-MS and NMR spectroscopy.

Co-inoculation of maize with Azospirillum brasilense and Rhizobium tropici as a strategy to mitigate salinity stress.

Plants are highly affected by salinity, but some plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) may trigger induced systemic tolerance (IST), conferring protection against abiotic stresses. We investigated plant mechanisms under saline stress (170mM NaCl) when maize was singly or co-inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 and Rhizobium tropici strain CIAT 899. Under greenhouse conditions, plants responded positively to inoculation and co-inoculation, but with differences between strains.

Draft Genome Sequence of Strain 1.38, a Bacterium Isolated from the Rhizosphere of var. Puntal That Shows Biotechnological Potential as an Inoculant.

1.38 is a strain isolated from the rhizosphere of irrigated rice in southern Spain. Its genome was estimated at 4,869,281 bp, with 4,644 coding sequences (CDSs).

Promoter architecture and transcriptional regulation of musculoskeletal embryonic nuclear protein 1b (mustn1b) gene in zebrafish.

Background: Mustn1 is a specific musculoskeletal protein that plays a critical role in myogenesis and chondrogenesis in vertebrates. Whole-mount in situ hybridization revealed that mustn1b mRNAs are specifically expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscles in Zebrafish embryos. However, the precise function and the regulatory elements required for its muscle-specific expression are largely unknown.

Genome Sequence of Strain AMG 501, a Plant Growth-Promoting Bacterium Isolated from Rice Leaves Grown in Paddies of Southern Spain.

AMG 501 is a plant growth-promoting bacterium isolated from rice leaves. Its genome was estimated at 5,102,640 bp with 4,994 coding sequences, encompassing genes related to the metabolism of carbohydrates, to the synthesis of auxins, siderophores, and homoserine lactones, and to the type I, II, III, IV, and VI secretion systems.

Revealing strategies of quorum sensing in Azospirillum brasilense strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6.

Azospirillum brasilense is an important plant-growth promoting bacterium (PGPB) that requires several critical steps for root colonization, including biofilm and exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis and cell motility. In several bacteria these mechanisms are mediated by quorum sensing (QS) systems that regulate the expression of specific genes mediated by the autoinducers N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). We investigated QS mechanisms in strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 of A.

Genome Sequence of sp. Strain 1.19, Isolated from Rice Rhizosphere, with the Capacity To Promote Growth of Legumes and Nonlegumes.

sp. 1.19, a plant growth-promoting bacterium (PGPB), was isolated from the rhizosphere of rice plants in Spain.

Phytohormones and induction of plant-stress tolerance and defense genes by seed and foliar inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense cells and metabolites promote maize growth.

Azospirillum spp. are plant-growth-promoting bacteria used worldwide as inoculants for a variety of crops. Among the beneficial mechanisms associated with Azospirillum inoculation, emphasis has been given to the biological nitrogen fixation process and to the synthesis of phytohormones.

BAC Recombineering of the Agouti Loci from Spotted Gar and Zebrafish Reveals the Evolutionary Ancestry of Dorsal-Ventral Pigment Asymmetry in Fish.

Dorsoventral pigment patterning, characterized by a light ventrum and a dark dorsum, is one of the most widespread chromatic adaptations in vertebrate body coloration. In mammals, this countershading depends on differential expression of agouti-signaling protein (ASIP), which drives a switch of synthesis of one type of melanin to another within melanocytes. Teleost fish share countershading, but the pattern results from a differential distribution of multiple types of chromatophores, with black-brown melanophores most abundant in the dorsal body and reflective iridophores most abundant in the ventral body.

The Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899 NodD2 protein regulates the production of Nod factors under salt stress in a flavonoid-independent manner.

In the symbiotic associations between rhizobia and legumes, NodD promotes the expression of the nodulation genes in the presence of appropriate flavonoids. This set of genes is implied in the synthesis of Nodulation factors, which are responsible for launching the nodulation process. Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899 is the most successful symbiont of Phaseolus vulgaris and can nodulate a variety of legumes.

Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas fluorescens Strain ET76, Isolated from Rice Rhizosphere in Northwestern Morocco.

Pseudomonas fluorescens ET76 was isolated from rice rhizosphere in northwestern Morocco. Its draft genome was estimated to be 6,681,652 bp with 5,789 coding sequences (CDSs). Genes encoding for type I to VI secretion systems, PvdQ, proteases, siderophores, hydrogen cyanide synthase, ACC-deaminase, among others, highlight its potential use in biological control of plant pathogens.

NrcR, a New Transcriptional Regulator of Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899 Involved in the Legume Root-Nodule Symbiosis.

The establishment of nitrogen-fixing rhizobium-legume symbioses requires a highly complex cascade of events. In this molecular dialogue the bacterial NodD transcriptional regulators in conjunction with plant inducers, mostly flavonoids, are responsible for the biosynthesis and secretion of Nod factors which are key molecules for successful nodulation. Other transcriptional regulators related to the symbiotic process have been identified in rhizobial genomes, including negative regulators such as NolR.