Using de novo transcriptomes to decipher the relationships in cutthroat trout subspecies ().

For almost 200 years, the taxonomy of cutthroat trout (), a salmonid native to Western North America, has been in flux as ichthyologists and fisheries biologists have tried to describe the diversity within these fishes. Starting in the 1950s, Robert Behnke reexamined the cutthroat trout and identified 14 subspecies based on morphological traits, Pleistocene events, and modern geographic ranges. His designations became instrumental in recognizing and preserving the remaining diversity of cutthroat trout.

Heterochronic shift in gene expression leads to ontogenetic morphological divergence between two closely related polyploid species.

Heterochrony-alteration to the rate or timing of development-is an important mechanism of trait differentiation associated with speciation. Heterochrony may explain the morphological divergence between two polyploid species, June sucker () and Utah sucker (). The larvae of both species have terminal mouths; however, as adults, June sucker and Utah sucker develop subterminal and ventral mouths, respectively.

Phylogenetic relationships of three rockfish: , and (Scorpaeniformes, Scorpaenidae) based on complete mitochondrial genome sequences.

We characterise the complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of Black rockfish ( Girard, 1856; n = 1), Dark rockfish ( Tilesius, 1813; n = 2) and Dusky rockfish ( Pallas, 1814; n = 2). The lengths of the mitogenomes are 16,405 bp for , 16,400 bp for both and 16,400 and 16,401 bp for . We examine these species' phylogenetic relationships using 35 previously published rockfish mitogenomes, representing 27 species.

Structure and Dynamics of Three NfsB Nitro-Reductase Mutants Selected for Enhanced Activity with the Cancer Prodrug CB1954.

NfsB has been studied extensively for its potential for cancer gene therapy by reducing the prodrug CB1954 to a cytotoxic derivative. We have previously made several mutants with enhanced activity for the prodrug and characterised their activity in vitro and in vivo. Here, we determine the X-ray structure of our most active triple and double mutants to date, T41Q/N71S/F124T and T41L/N71S.

Oxygen-insensitive nitroreductase E. coli NfsA, but not NfsB, is inhibited by fumarate.

Escherichia coli NfsA and NfsB are founding members of two flavoprotein families that catalyze the oxygen-insensitive reduction of nitroaromatics and quinones by NAD(P)H. This reduction is required for the activity of nitrofuran antibiotics and the enzymes have also been proposed for use with nitroaromatic prodrugs in cancer gene therapy and biocatalysis, but the roles of the proteins in vivo in bacteria are not known. NfsA is NADPH-specific whereas NfsB can also use NADH.