Freshwater Habitats Promote Rapid Rates of Phenotypic Evolution in Sculpin Fishes (Perciformes: Cottoidea).

AbstractInvasions of freshwater habitats by marine fishes provide exceptional cases of habitat-driven biological diversification. Freshwater habitats make up less than 1% of aquatic habitats but contain ∼50% of fish species. However, while the dominant group of freshwater fishes (Otophysi) is older than that of most marine fishes (Percomorphaceae), it is less morphologically diverse.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Starhead Topminnow (Cyprinodontiformes: Fundulidae).

Topminnows of the Teleost genus serve as model organisms in ecotoxicology because of their broad physiological tolerance and propensity to breed in captivity. This research has been primarily limited to intraspecific comparisons, due to incomplete understanding of the evolutionary history of the genus, which is necessary for use of phylogenetic comparative methods. Interspecific relationships of topminnows remain unresolved, despite recent advances in mitochondrial and nuclear genome sequencing.

Mitochondrial haplotype modulates genome expression and mitochondrial structure/function in cardiomyocytes following volume overload.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype regulates mitochondrial structure/function and reactive oxygen species in aortocaval fistula (ACF) in mice. Here, we unravel the mitochondrial haplotype effects on cardiomyocyte mitochondrial ultrastructure and transcriptome response to ACF in vivo. Phenotypic responses and quantitative transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and RNA sequence at 3 days were determined after sham surgery or ACF in vivo in cardiomyocytes from wild-type (WT) C57BL/6J (C57:C57) and C3H/HeN (C3H:C3H) and mitochondrial nuclear exchange mice (C57:C3H or C3H:C57).

Complete mitochondrial genome of a livebearing freshwater fish (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae): .

Members of the fish family Poeciliidae (livebearing 'tooth-carps') have historically been used as models in medical research, behavior ecology, and biological control. This group of primarily freshwater fishes is highly tolerant to environmental factors such as salinity and warm temperatures and includes some invasive species. Here, we present the mitochondrial genome of .

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Tennessee Dace ().

The Tennessee Dace, (Starnes and Jenkins 1988), is a small minnow (Cypriniformes: Leuciscidae) found in the upper Tennessee River watershed and Graves Creek, in the Mobile River watershed. occurs sporadically throughout its range and has been listed as vulnerable by the IUCN (NatureServe). Until recently, had been known only to occur in the upper Tennessee River watershed, however, it has been discovered in headwaters of the Black Warrior River of the Mobile River watershed.

Origins and evolution of extreme life span in Pacific Ocean rockfishes.

Pacific Ocean rockfishes (genus ) exhibit extreme variation in life span, with some species being among the most long-lived extant vertebrates. We de novo assembled the genomes of 88 rockfish species and from these identified repeated signatures of positive selection in DNA repair pathways in long-lived taxa and 137 longevity-associated genes with direct effects on life span through insulin signaling and with pleiotropic effects through size and environmental adaptations. A genome-wide screen of structural variation reveals copy number expansions in the immune modulatory butyrophilin gene family in long-lived species.

Diversification along a benthic to pelagic gradient contributes to fish diversity in the world's largest lake (Lake Baikal, Russia).

Insights into the generation of diversity in both plants and animals have relied heavily on studying speciation in adaptive radiations. Russia's Lake Baikal has facilitated a putative adaptive radiation of cottid fishes (sculpins), some of which are highly specialized to inhabit novel niches created by the lake's unique geology and ecology. Here, we test evolutionary relationships and novel morphological adaptation in a piece of this radiation: the Baikal cottid genus, Cottocomephorus, a morphologically derived benthopelagic genus of three described species.

A need for null models in understanding disease transmission: the example of Mycobacterium ulcerans (Buruli ulcer disease).

Understanding the interactions of ecosystems, humans and pathogens is important for disease risk estimation. This is particularly true for neglected and newly emerging diseases where modes and efficiencies of transmission leading to epidemics are not well understood. Using a model for other emerging diseases, the neglected tropical skin disease Buruli ulcer (BU), we systematically review the literature on transmission of the etiologic agent, Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), within a One Health/EcoHealth framework and against Hill's nine criteria and Koch's postulates for making strong inference in disease systems.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Variable Platyfish .

We present the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the Variable Platyfish,  (Meek 1904) (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae). The genome consists of 16,624 bp which encodes 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs, and 1 control region. Genome-wide nucleotide composition is 27.

Complete Genome Sequences of Mycobacteriophages OKaNui and DroogsArmy.

Mycobacteriophages OKaNui and DroogsArmy were isolated from soil using the bacterial host mc155, which belongs to the phylum OKaNui was discovered in east Mississippi and DroogsArmy in west Alabama in the United States. The genomes of OKaNui and DroogsArmy were 51,424 bp and 53,254 bp long, respectively.

Complete Genome Sequences of Mycobacteriophages Candle, Schatzie, Sumter, and Waleliano.

Mycobacteriophages Candle, Schatzie, Sumter, and Waleliano were isolated from soil using the host bacterium mc155. Candle, Schatzie, and Sumter were discovered in Alabama and Waleliano in Maryland. The bacteriophages have been assigned clusters based on nucleotide similarity, as follows: Candle, R; Schatzie, J; Sumter, A1; and Waleliano, B4.

Complete Genome Sequences of Mycobacteriophages Kwksand96 and Cane17.

Bacteriophages Kwksand96 and Cane17 were isolated from Mycobacterium smegmatis mc155. M. smegmatis is host to the highest number of phages analyzed from one species.

Mitochondrial - nuclear genetic interaction modulates whole body metabolism, adiposity and gene expression in vivo.

We hypothesized that changes in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) would significantly influence whole body metabolism, adiposity and gene expression in response to diet. Because it is not feasible to directly test these predictions in humans we used Mitochondrial-Nuclear eXchange mice, which have reciprocally exchanged nuclear and mitochondrial genomes between different Mus musculus strains. Results demonstrate that nuclear-mitochondrial genetic background combination significantly alters metabolic efficiency and body composition.

Genome Sequence of a Newly Isolated F2 Subcluster Mycobacteriophage from the Black Belt Geological Region of Western Alabama.

The bacteriophage Demsculpinboyz was discovered in a soil sample from the Black Belt region of Alabama using mc155 as its host. The genome is 57,437 bp long and contains 116 protein-coding genes. It belongs to the F2 subcluster, which has only five other members.

Complete Mitochondrial Genome Sequences of Five Rockfishes (Perciformes: ).

Rockfishes of the genus rank among the longest-lived vertebrate animals. In order to facilitate comparative genomic research in animal longevity, the complete mitochondrial genome sequences are presented for , and .

Complete mitochondrial genomes for , , and (Perciformes, Cottidae).

Freshwater sculpins represent a diverse but poorly-understood constituent of the Holarctic ichthyofauna. Sculpins are considered sensitive to pollution and habitat change, serving as aquatic bioindicators in ecotoxicology. Many species are protected by conservation agencies, due to anthropogenic activity within restricted geographic distributions.

Migration of mitochondrial DNA in the nuclear genome of colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Background: Colorectal adenocarcinomas are characterized by abnormal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and genomic instability, but a molecular interaction between mitochondrial and nuclear genome remains unknown. Here we report the discovery of increased copies of nuclear mtDNA (NUMT) in colorectal adenocarcinomas, which supports link between mtDNA and genomic instability in the nucleus. We name this phenomenon of nuclear occurrence of mitochondrial component as numtogenesis.

Complete Mitochondrial Genomes of Baikal Oilfishes (Perciformes: Cottoidei), Earth's Deepest-Swimming Freshwater Fishes.

Sculpins are predominantly benthic sit-and-wait predators that inhabit marine and freshwaters of the Northern Hemisphere. In striking contrast to riverine relatives, sculpins endemic to Lake Baikal have diversified in both form and function, with multiple taxa having adaptations for pelagic and bathyal niches within the world's deepest lake. Baikal Oilfishes ( spp.

Aging and energetics' 'Top 40' future research opportunities 2010-2013.

Background: As part of a coordinated effort to expand our research activity at the interface of Aging and Energetics a team of investigators at The University of Alabama at Birmingham systematically assayed and catalogued the top research priorities identified in leading publications in that domain, believing the result would be useful to the scientific community at large.

Objective: To identify research priorities and opportunities in the domain of aging and energetics as advocated in the 40 most cited papers related to aging and energetics in the last 4 years.

Design: The investigators conducted a search for papers on aging and energetics in Scopus, ranked the resulting papers by number of times they were cited, and selected the ten most-cited papers in each of the four years that include 2010 to 2013, inclusive.

A method for assessing mitochondrial bioenergetics in whole white adipose tissues.

Obesity is a primary risk factor for numerous metabolic diseases including metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes (T2DM), cardiovascular disease and cancer. Although classically viewed as a storage organ, the field of white adipose tissue biology is expanding to include the consideration of the tissue as an endocrine organ and major contributor to overall metabolism. Given its role in energy production, the mitochondrion has long been a focus of study in metabolic dysfunction and a link between the organelle and white adipose tissue function is likely.