Molecular Characterization and Phylogeny of Ditylenchus weischeri from Cirsium arvense in the Prairie Provinces of Canada

Filling the void: Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses of helminths assemblage from the Egyptian egret Bubulcus ibis

The cattle egret (B. ibis) as a common wader birds in Egypt, they act a sole reservoir for many parasites and play a vital role in their life cycle and their distribution in their environment. The study was conducted from September 2020 to August 2021. A total of 180 B. ibis were collected from Al Qantara Gharb, Ismailia province, Egypt. Parasite species identification infecting cattle egret included morphological and morphometric characteristics based on light and scanning microscopy. Additionally, utilizing the partial small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA, ITS2 and ITS1) gene sequence, maximum parsimony was used to infer the phylogeny of the recovered species. The morphological and molecular studies revealed three helminths. Only one nematode (Desportesius invaginatus, linstow,1901) and two trematodes (Patagifer bilobus, Dietz,1909 and Apharyngostrigea cornu, Zeder,1800) have been identified. The cattle egret (B. ibis) are protagonists in the life cycle of many parasites. The study is considered the first in Egypt to fill the gap of phylogenetic analysis of three helminths; two of them (A. cornu and P. bilobus) were the first to be molecular phylogenetically analyzed in Egypt. The molecular data provided set the conspecific relation of the three identified helminths species with other related helminths. The new identified sequences will help in founding the basis for forthcoming identifications of other helminths species from cattle egret in Egypt and prospective view to possible parasitic assemblage affecting egret population and other animal populations in their environment.

Adaptive Selection in the Evolution of Aquaglyceroporins in Mammals

Aquaporins (AQPs) are integral membrane proteins responsible for water transport across cellular membranes in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. A subfamily of AQPs, known as aquaglyceroporins (AQGPs), facilitate the transport of small solutes such as glycerol, water, and other solutes across cellular membranes. These proteins are involved in a variety of physiological processes, such as organogenesis, wound healing, and hydration. Although AQPs have been studied extensively in different species, their conservation patterns, phylogenetic relationships, and evolution in mammals remain unexplored. In the present study, 119 AQGP coding sequences from 31 mammalian species were analysed to identify conserved residues, gene organisation, and most importantly, the nature of AQGP gene selection. Repertoire analysis revealed the absence of AQP7, 9, and 10 genes in certain species of Primates, Rodentia, and Diprotodontia, although not all three genes were absent in a single species. Two Asparagine-Proline-Alanine (NPA) motifs located at the N- and C-terminal ends, aspartic acid (D) residues, and the ar/R region were conserved in AQP3, 9, and 10. Six exons encoding the functional MIP domain of AQGP genes were found to be conserved across mammalian species. Evolutionary analysis indicated signatures of positive selection in AQP7, 9, and 10 amongst different mammalian lineages. Furthermore, substitutions of certain amino acids located close to critical residues may alter AQGP functionality, which is crucial for substrate selectivity, pore formation, and transport efficiency required for the maintenance of homeostasis in different mammalian species.

Description and molecular characterisation of Ditylenchus pedrami n. sp. (Rhabditida: Anguinidae) from Iran

Ditylenchus pedrami n. sp., recovered from the rhizospheric soil of date palm in Khuzestan province, southwest Iran, is described and illustrated based upon morphological and molecular data. The new species is characterised by having six lines in the lateral field, lip region smooth and continuous with body contour, stylet 9-11 μm long, median pharyngeal bulb oval with small valve, pharyngeal bulb offset from the intestine, V = 83.9 (80.2-88.1), conoid tail with a pointed, dull or rounded tip and males with 20.1 (17-24) μm long spicules. Morphologically, the new species comes close to D. africanus, D. anchilisposomus, D. australiae, D. clarus, D. clavicaudatus and D. parcevivens, mainly by having shared features like six lines in the lateral fields, stylet length and somewhat similar tail tip. The new species was also compared with D. stenurus and D. sarvarae, two species with close phylogenetic affinities to it. The phylogenetic relationships of the new species with representatives of the family Anguinidae were reconstructed and discussed using partial sequences of the small subunit, D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit, and internal transcribed spacer regions of ribosomal DNA (SSU, LSU D2-D3 and ITS rDNA) based on Bayesian inference (BI).

Characterisation of Ditylenchus paraoncogenus n. sp. (Nematoda: Anguinidae), a new stem nematode parasitising tumble thistle

During a survey, three populations of a new stem nematode were isolated from galls on the shoots of tumble thistle (Gundelia tournefortii) plants in Fars province, Iran, and identified. Ditylenchus paraoncogenus n. sp. is described based on morphometric and morphological characters. It is characterised by having long-sized females, 1252 (943-1628) μm long, narrow lateral fields with six incisures, rather developed stylet 9.9 (9.0-11.3) μm long with round knobs, usually elongate and offset from intestine basal pharyngeal bulb, oocytes in two rows in distal part of ovary, V = 83.3 (80.3-86.2), post-vulval uterine sac 68.1 (46.9-86.1)% of vulva to anus distance long, bursa covering 63.2 (33.3-74.4)% of tail length, spicules 24.7 (21.0-27.9) μm long with minute processes at the base of its manubrium and anteriorly pointed cuticle parts within the lamina, and thick conical tail, usually with a pointed terminus. In addition, the ITS and 18S rDNA sequences of 17 populations of D. destructor, D. dipsaci, D. medicaginis, D. myceliophagus, D. paraoncogenus n. sp., Ditylenchus sp. and Nothotylenchus geraerti plus one population of Anguinidae sp. were analysed. The results showed a close relationship between D. paraoncogenus n. sp. and the stem nematodes D. oncogenus, D. gigas, D. weischeri and D. dipsaci. Ditylenchus species were divided into two clades, one clade comprising stem nematodes and gall-forming nematodes of the family Anguinidae, and the other clade containing fungivorous species. Observations showed that the second-stage juvenile is the dormant stage of D. paraoncogenus n. sp. and can survive in anhydrobiotic condition for at least 4 years.

Characterization of Pterotylenchus cecidogenus in Desmodium ovalifolium cover crop from oil palm plantations in central Colombia

Until recently, the stem gall nematode Pterotylenchus cecidogenus was only registered in eastern Colombia. However, the disease has recently been observed in central Colombian oil palm plantations that use Desmodium ovalifolium as a cover crop. Soil, root, stem, and leaf samples were collected from D. ovalifolium. Plants showed foliar yellowing, leaf drying, and galls within stem nodes. Nematodes were identified, and the distribution, population density, and relative importance of different genera were determined. We performed morphometric and molecular identification of nematodes associated with gall symptoms. The D2-D3 segment of the large subunit-28S of ribosomal ribonucleic acid (RNA) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) was sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis was performed. P. cecidogenus mainly occurred in the galls and to a lesser extent in the roots and soil. Nematodes were not found in leaf or inflorescence tissue. Morphological and morphometric data confirm the presence of P. cecidogenus in the stems of D. ovalifolium with gall symptoms. This study is the first to report deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences of P. cecidogenus. Based on D2-D3 and ITS partial sequences, P. cecidogenus is a sister species of the leaf-galling nematode Ditylenchus phyllobius (Sinm. Orrina phyllobia).

Molecular and morphological characterization of Paurodontella composticola n. sp. (Nematoda: Hexatylina, Sphaerulariidae) from Iran

A new species of the genus Paurodontella, P. composticola n. sp., collected from Nazar Abad City, Alborz Province, Iran, is described and illustrated. The new species has a body length of 803-1053 μ m (females n = 10) and 620 and 739 μ m (males n = 2). The cuticle is weakly annulated with four lateral lines. Cephalic region is annulated and continuous with body contour. The stylet is 8.0 to 9.0 μ m long with asymmetrical knobs. Esophageal basal bulb is present with a small posterior extension projecting into the intestine. Excretory pore is situated at the level of esophageal basal bulb region. Post-uterine sac is 5 to 8 μ m long and uterus is without diverticulum. Tails of both sexes are similar, short and sub-cylindrical. Males have 24 to 25 μ m long bursa leptoderan and spicules 24 or 25 µm long. A non-branching oviduct is present to form a uterine diverticulum; the new species is closely related to five known species of the genus, namely P. asymmetrica, P. balochistanica, P. densa, P. iranica and P. niger. It most closely resembles P. iranica, but differs from it morphologically by a shorter stem-like extension projecting into lumen of intestine and male with sub-cylindrical tail vs conoid. In addition to morphological comparisons, the molecular phylogenetic analyses based on 733 bp of the partial sequence of 28S D2/D3 expansion segments of the large subunit rDNA gene (LSU) revealed this as a new species.

A new species of the genus Paurodontella, P. composticola n. sp., collected from Nazar Abad City, Alborz Province, Iran, is described and illustrated. The new species has a body length of 803–1053 μ m (females n = 10) and 620 and 739 μ m (males n = 2). The cuticle is weakly annulated with four lateral lines. Cephalic region is annulated and continuous with body contour. The stylet is 8.0 to 9.0 μ m long with asymmetrical knobs. Esophageal basal bulb is present with a small posterior extension projecting into the intestine. Excretory pore is situated at the level of esophageal basal bulb region. Post-uterine sac is 5 to 8 μ m long and uterus is without diverticulum. Tails of both sexes are similar, short and sub-cylindrical. Males have 24 to 25 μ m long bursa leptoderan and spicules 24 or 25 µm long. A non-branching oviduct is present to form a uterine diverticulum; the new species is closely related to five known species of the genus, namely P. asymmetrica, P. balochistanica, P. densa, P. iranica and P. niger. It most closely resembles P. iranica, but differs from it morphologically by a shorter stem-like extension projecting into lumen of intestine and male with sub-cylindrical tail vs conoid. In addition to morphological comparisons, the molecular phylogenetic analyses based on 733 bp of the partial sequence of 28S D2/D3 expansion segments of the large subunit rDNA gene (LSU) revealed this as a new species.