1
|
Castiglia R, Flores-Villela OA, Bezerra AMR, Gornung E, Annesi F, Muñoz-Alonso LA, Solano E. Detection of cryptic diversity in lizards (Squamata) from two Biosphere Reserves in Mesoamerica. Comp Cytogenet 2020; 14:613-638. [PMID: 33384855 PMCID: PMC7772285 DOI: 10.3897/compcytogen.v14i4.57765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A combined approach based on karyology and DNA taxonomy allowed us to characterize the taxonomic peculiarities in 10 Mesoamerican lizard species, belonging to six genera and five families, inhabiting two Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas, Mexico: La Sepultura Biosphere Reserve, and Montes Azules Biosphere. The karyotypes of four species, Phyllodactylus sp. 3 (P. tuberculosus species group) (2n = 38), Holcosus festivus (Lichtenstein et von Martens, 1856) (2n = 50), Anolis lemurinus Cope, 1861 (2n = 40), and A. uniformis Cope, 1885 (2n = 29-30) are described for the first time, the last one showing a particular X1X1X2X2/X1X2Y condition. In Aspidoscelis deppii (Wiegmann, 1834) (2n = 50) and Anolis capito Peters, 1863 (2n = 42), we found a different karyotype from the ones previously reported for these species. Moreover, in A. capito, the cytogenetic observation is concurrent with a considerable genetic divergence (9%) at the studied mtDNA marker (MT-ND2), which is indicative of a putative new cryptic species. The skink Scincella cherriei (Cope, 1893), showed high values of genetic divergence (5.2% at 16S gene) between the specimens from Montes Azules and those from Costa Rica and Nicaragua, comparable to the values typical of sister species in skinks. A lower level of genetic divergence, compatible with an intraspecific phylogeographic structure, has been identified in Lepidophyma flavimaculatum Duméril, 1851. These new data identify taxa that urgently require more in-depth taxonomic studies especially in these areas where habitat alteration is proceeding at an alarming rate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Castiglia
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie ‘Charles Darwin’, Università di Roma ‘La Sapienza’, via A. Borelli 50, CAP 00151, Rome, ItalyUniversità di Roma ‘La Sapienza’RomeItaly
| | - Oscar Alberto Flores-Villela
- Museo de Zoologia Fac. de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 70-399, Mexico D.F. 04510, MexicoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMexicoMexico
| | - Alexandra M. R. Bezerra
- Mastozoologia/COZOO, Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Campus de Pesquisa, Av. Perimetral 1901, CEP 66077-830, Belém, PA, BrazilMuseu Paraense Emilio GoeldiBelémBrazil
| | - Ekaterina Gornung
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie ‘Charles Darwin’, Università di Roma ‘La Sapienza’, via A. Borelli 50, CAP 00151, Rome, ItalyUniversità di Roma ‘La Sapienza’RomeItaly
| | - Flavia Annesi
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie ‘Charles Darwin’, Università di Roma ‘La Sapienza’, via A. Borelli 50, CAP 00151, Rome, ItalyUniversità di Roma ‘La Sapienza’RomeItaly
| | - Luis Antonio Muñoz-Alonso
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur. Conservación de las Biodiversidad. Carretera Panamericana y Periférico Sur s/n. C.P. 29290, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, MéxicoEl Colegio de la Frontera Sur. Conservación de las BiodiversidadSan Cristóbal de las CasasMexico
| | - Emanuela Solano
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie ‘Charles Darwin’, Università di Roma ‘La Sapienza’, via A. Borelli 50, CAP 00151, Rome, ItalyUniversità di Roma ‘La Sapienza’RomeItaly
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Angelici FM, Ciucani MM, Angelini S, Annesi F, Caniglia R, Castiglia R, Fabbri E, Galaverni M, Palumbo D, Ravegnini G, Rossi L, Siracusa AM, Cilli E. The Sicilian Wolf: Genetic Identity of a Recently Extinct Insular Population. Zoolog Sci 2019; 36:189-197. [PMID: 31251487 DOI: 10.2108/zs180180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Historically, many local grey wolf (Canis lupus) populations have undergone substantial reductions in size or become extinct. Among these, the wolf population once living in Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, was completely eradicated by human activity in the early decades of the 20th century. To gain a better understanding of the genetic identity of the Sicilian wolf, we used techniques for the study of ancient DNA to analyze the mitochondrial (mt) variability of six specimens stored in Italian museums. We were able to amplify a diagnostic mtDNA fragment of the control region (CR) in four of the samples. Two of the samples shared the same haplotype, differing by two substitutions from the currently most diffused Italian wolf haplotype (W14) and one substitution from the only other Italian haplotype (W16). The third sample showed a previously unreported wolf-like haplotype, and the fourth a haplotype commonly found in dogs. All of the wolf haplotypes analyzed in this study belonged to the mitochondrial haplogroup that includes haplotypes detected in all the known European Pleistocene wolves and in several modern southern European populations. Unfortunately, this endemic island population, which exhibited unique mtDNA variability, was definitively lost before it was possible to understand its taxonomic uniqueness and conservational value.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta M Ciucani
- Laboratories of Physical Anthropology and Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy.,Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sabrina Angelini
- Dip.to Farmacia e Biotecnologia, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Flavia Annesi
- Dip.to Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione BIO-CGE, ISPRA, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy,
| | - Riccardo Castiglia
- Dip.to Biologia e Biotecnologie 'C. Darwin', Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione BIO-CGE, ISPRA, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Davide Palumbo
- Museo di Ecologia di Cesena, Piazza Pietro Zangheri, 6, 47521 Cesena (FC), Italy
| | - Gloria Ravegnini
- Dip.to Farmacia e Biotecnologia, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Rossi
- Museo di Ecologia di Cesena, Piazza Pietro Zangheri, 6, 47521 Cesena (FC), Italy
| | - Agatino M Siracusa
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali - Sez. Biologia Animale "Marcello La Greca", Catania, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Cilli
- Laboratories of Physical Anthropology and Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bezerra AMR, Annesi F, Aloise G, Amori G, Giustini L, Castiglia R. Integrative taxonomy of the Italian pine voles,Microtus saviigroup (Cricetidae, Arvicolinae). ZOOL SCR 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/zsc.12155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M. R. Bezerra
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; Fiocruz, Av. Brasil, 4365 CEP 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro RJ Brazil
| | - Flavia Annesi
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie ‘Charles Darwin’; Università di Roma ‘La Sapienza’; CAP 00151 Rome Italy
| | - Gaetano Aloise
- Museo di Storia Naturale della Calabria e Orto Botanico; Università della Calabria; CAP 87036 Rende Cosenza Italy
| | - Giovanni Amori
- CNR; Institute of Ecosystem Studies; Viale dell'Università 32 00185 Rome Italy
| | - Leonardo Giustini
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie ‘Charles Darwin’; Università di Roma ‘La Sapienza’; CAP 00151 Rome Italy
| | - Riccardo Castiglia
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie ‘Charles Darwin’; Università di Roma ‘La Sapienza’; CAP 00151 Rome Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Feuda R, Bannikova AA, Zemlemerova ED, Di Febbraro M, Loy A, Hutterer R, Aloise G, Zykov AE, Annesi F, Colangelo P. Tracing the evolutionary history of the mole,Talpa europaea, through mitochondrial DNA phylogeography and species distribution modelling. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Feuda
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘Charles Darwin’; University ‘La Sapienza’; Via Borelli 50 00161 Roma Italy
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering; California Institute of Technology; Pasadena CA 91125
| | - Anna A. Bannikova
- Lomonosov Moscow State University; Department of Vertebrate Zoology; Leninskiye Gory 1/12 119234 Moscow Russia
| | - Elena D. Zemlemerova
- Lomonosov Moscow State University; Department of Vertebrate Zoology; Leninskiye Gory 1/12 119234 Moscow Russia
| | - Mirko Di Febbraro
- Environmetrics Lab; Department Bioscience and Territory; University of Molise; Contrada Fonte Lappone s.n.c I-86090 Pesche Italy
| | - Anna Loy
- Environmetrics Lab; Department Bioscience and Territory; University of Molise; Contrada Fonte Lappone s.n.c I-86090 Pesche Italy
| | - Rainer Hutterer
- Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig; Adenauerallee 160 53113 Bonn Germany
| | - Gaetano Aloise
- Museo di Storia Naturale della Calabria e Orto Botanico; University of Calabria; Via Savinio - Edificio Polifunzionale I-87036 Rende Italy
| | - Alexander E. Zykov
- Educational and Scientific Centre ‘Institute of Biology’ Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv; Build. 12, Academician Glushkov Ave. 03022 Kyiv Ukraine
| | - Flavia Annesi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘Charles Darwin’; University ‘La Sapienza’; Via Borelli 50 00161 Roma Italy
| | - Paolo Colangelo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘Charles Darwin’; University ‘La Sapienza’; Via Borelli 50 00161 Roma Italy
- National Research Council; Institute of Ecosystem Study; Largo Tonolli 50 28922 Verbania Pallanza Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gornung E, Mosconi F, Annesi F, Castiglia R. The first cytogenetic description of Euleptes europaea (Gené, 1839) from Northern Sardinia reveals the highest diploid chromosome number among sphaerodactylid geckos (Sphaerodactylidae, Squamata). Comp Cytogenet 2013; 7:153-161. [PMID: 24260697 PMCID: PMC3833756 DOI: 10.3897/compcytogen.v7i2.4881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2013] [Accepted: 05/27/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The karyotype of a sphaerodactylid gecko Euleptes europaea (Gené, 1839) was assembled for the first time in this species. It is made of 2n = 42 gradually decreasing in size chromosomes, the highest chromosome number so far acknowledged in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The second chromosome pair of the karyotype appears slightly heteromorphic in the male individual. Accordingly, FISH with a telomeric probe revealed an uneven distribution of telomeric repeats on the two homologues of this pair, which may be indicative of an XY sex-determination system in the species, to be further investigated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Gornung
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Via Alfonso Borelli 50 – 00161 – Roma – Italia
| | - Fabio Mosconi
- Cooperativa Myosotis c/o Museo Civico di Zoologia di Roma, Via Aldrovandi 18 – 00197 – Roma – Italia
| | - Flavia Annesi
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Via Alfonso Borelli 50 – 00161 – Roma – Italia
| | - Riccardo Castiglia
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Via Alfonso Borelli 50 – 00161 – Roma – Italia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Castiglia R, Annesi F, Cattaneo C, Grano M, Milana G, Amori G. A new mitochondrial lineage in the edible dormouse, Glis glis (Rodentia: Gliridae), from Alonissos island (Sporades Archipelago, Greece). Folia Zoologica 2012. [DOI: 10.25225/fozo.v61.i2.a1.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Castiglia
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via Borelli 50, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Annesi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via Borelli 50, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Giuliano Milana
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via Borelli 50, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Amori
- Institute for Ecosystem Studies, National Research Council (CNR), Viale dell'Università 32, 00185 Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Colangelo P, Aloise G, Franchini P, Annesi F, Amori G. Mitochondrial DNA reveals hidden diversity and an ancestral lineage of the bank vole in the Italian peninsula. J Zool (1987) 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00884.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - G. Aloise
- Museo di Storia Naturale della Calabria e Orto Botanico; University of Calabria; Rende; Italy
| | | | - F. Annesi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies ‘Charles Darwin’; Sapienza University of Rome; Roma; Italy
| | - G. Amori
- Institute of Ecosystem Study; National Research Council; Roma; Italy
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Annesi F, De Marco EV, Rocca FE, Nicoletti A, Pugliese P, Nicoletti G, Arabia G, Tarantino P, De Mari M, Lamberti P, Gallerini S, Marconi R, Epifanio A, Morgante L, Cozzolino A, Barone P, Torchia G, Zappia M, Annesi G, Quattrone A. Association study between the LINGO1 gene and Parkinson's disease in the Italian population. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2011; 17:638-41. [PMID: 21752692 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2011.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2011] [Revised: 06/07/2011] [Accepted: 06/20/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Some studies have suggested an overlap of clinical and genetic findings between essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The first genome-wide association study in ET showed a significant association with the rs9652490 SNP of the leucine-rich repeat and Ig domain containing 1 (LINGO1) gene. Since patients with PD have higher LINGO1 expression levels compared to healthy controls, and animal models of PD show elevated LINGO1 protein levels after experimentally induced damage in the striatum, it can be inferred that LINGO1 is probably involved in PD pathophysiology. In this study, we performed a genetic association analysis of the rs9652490 and rs11856808 SNPs in Italian PD patients and controls to assess the role of these variants in our population. A total of 567 patients with PD and 468 control subjects were enrolled in five Movement Disorder centers located in Central-Southern Italy. Both variants were significantly associated with PD under a recessive model of inheritance before applying the Bonferroni correction. The GG genotype of rs9652490 and the TT genotype of rs11856808 were less frequent in patients than in controls, suggesting a protective effect against the disease. However, after stringent correction, only the P-values obtained from allele and genotype comparisons of the rs11856808 SNP remained significant. Our findings suggest that LINGO1 plays a certain role in the development of PD in the Italian population and represents an interesting candidate gene responsible for PD, due to its involvement in neurological processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F Annesi
- Istituto di Scienze Neurologiche, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Contrada Burga, 87050 Mangone, Cosenza, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Colangelo P, Bannikova A, Kryštufek B, Lebedev V, Annesi F, Capanna E, Loy A. Molecular systematics and evolutionary biogeography of the genus Talpa (Soricomorpha: Talpidae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2010; 55:372-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2010.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2009] [Revised: 01/18/2010] [Accepted: 01/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
10
|
Tarantino P, Annesi F, Scornaienchi V, Rocca FE, De Marco EV, Civitelli D, Provenzano G, Sproviero W, Greco V, Annesi G. Novel human pathological mutations. Gene symbol: PARK7. Disease: Parkinson disease. Hum Genet 2010; 127:463. [PMID: 21506293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
|
11
|
Scornaienchi V, Nicoletti G, Annesi F, Civitelli D, De Marco EV, Provenzano G, Greco V, Tarantino P, Rocca FE, Annesi G. Novel human pathological mutations. Gene symbol: PINK1. Disease: Parkinson disease. Hum Genet 2010; 127:464. [PMID: 21488273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
|
12
|
De Marco EV, Annesi G, Tarantino P, Nicoletti G, Civitelli D, Messina D, Annesi F, Arabia G, Salsone M, Condino F, Novellino F, Provenzano G, Rocca FE, Colica C, Morelli M, Scornaienchi V, Greco V, Giofrè L, Quattrone A. DJ-1 is a Parkinson's disease susceptibility gene in southern Italy. Clin Genet 2009; 77:183-8. [PMID: 19968671 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.2009.01310.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the gene DJ-1 have been shown to be a rare cause of early-onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD). Since DJ-1 mutations have been found in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) from southern Italy, we aimed to investigate whether polymorphisms within the DJ-1 gene could represent a risk factor for sporadic PD. First, we genotyped 294 patients with PD and 298 controls coming from southern Italy to assess the distribution of the insertion/deletion (Ins/Del) polymorphism. In a second phase, we identified five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) useful to delimit a region potentially involved and genotyped all patients and controls for these markers. All the markers analyzed were significantly associated with PD at both allelic and genotypic level. The most significant association with the disease was found at the Ins/Del polymorphism (p = 0.0001; adjusted odds ratio (OR ) = 2.05; confidence interval (CI ) = 1.36-3.08). When we considered a three-marker sliding window, we found a highly significant association between the disease and the haplotypes including markers rs17523802, Ins/Del, and rs3766606 (p = 0.0007) and markers Ins/Del, rs3766606 and rs7517357 (p = 0.0054). Our results indicate that polymorphisms located in a region spanning 3535 bp from the promoter to the intron 2 of the DJ-1 gene confer risk to sporadic PD in southern Italy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E V De Marco
- Institute of Neurological Sciences, National Research Council, Mangone (Cosenza), Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Castiglia R, Annesi F, Kryštufek B, Filippucci MG, Amori G. The evolutionary history of a mammal species with a highly fragmented range: the phylogeography of the European snow vole. J Zool (1987) 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00612.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
14
|
Mortelliti A, Amori G, Annesi F, Boitani L. Testing for the relative contribution of patch neighborhood, patch internal structure, and presence of predators and competitor species in determining distribution patterns of rodents in a fragmented landscape. CAN J ZOOL 2009. [DOI: 10.1139/z09-054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Factors affecting the distribution of species in fragmented landscapes, and their relative importance, are often unclear. Few studies have deliberately compared various hypotheses in relatively controlled conditions. Moreover, most studies to date have not incorporated false absences in their modeling. Following a multiple hypotheses testing framework, we tested the relative role of landscape structure, patch and neighborhood configuration, patch internal structure, presence or absence of predators, and presence or absence and abundance of potential competitor species on the occupancy patterns of three rodent species ( Myodes glareolus (Schreber, 1780), Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior, 1834), Apodemus sylvaticus (L., 1758)) in a highly fragmented landscape in Tuscany, central Italy. Distribution patterns and occupancy dynamics of the three rodent species were affected by patch and patch neighborhood characteristics, as well as the vicinity of other patches occupied by the species. However, we found no relevant effect of the surrounding landscape structure, patch internal structure, predator patch use, and abundance or distribution of potential competitor species. The observed spatial correlation between populations and the evidence of colonization or extinction events suggest that a metapopulation approach could provide a good framework for understanding the long-term dynamics of these populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A. Mortelliti
- Department of Animal and Human Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy
- CNR Institute for Ecosystem Studies – c/o Department of Animal and Human Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - G. Amori
- Department of Animal and Human Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy
- CNR Institute for Ecosystem Studies – c/o Department of Animal and Human Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - F. Annesi
- Department of Animal and Human Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy
- CNR Institute for Ecosystem Studies – c/o Department of Animal and Human Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - L. Boitani
- Department of Animal and Human Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy
- CNR Institute for Ecosystem Studies – c/o Department of Animal and Human Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Provenzano G, Mannarino E, Annesi F, De Marco EV, Rocca FE, Greco V, Scornaienchi V, Tarantino P, Civitelli D, Quattrone A, Tortorella G, Annesi G. Novel human pathological mutations. Gene symbol: SCN1A. Disease: severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy. Hum Genet 2009; 126:337. [PMID: 19694011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Provenzano
- Institute of Neurological Sciences, National Research Council, Mangone (Cosenza), Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Castiglia R, Annesi F, Sichilima AM, Hutterer R. A molecular and chromosomal study of the moonshine shrew, Crocidura luna Dollman, 1910 from Zambia with a description of a new remarkable karyotype. MAMMALIA 2009. [DOI: 10.1515/mamm.2009.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
17
|
De Marco EV, Tarantino P, Rocca FE, Provenzano G, Civitelli D, De Luca V, Annesi F, Carrideo S, Cirò Candiano IC, Romeo N, Nicoletti G, Marconi R, Novellino F, Morelli M, Quattrone A, Annesi G. Alpha-synuclein promoter haplotypes and dementia in Parkinson's disease. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2008; 147:403-7. [PMID: 17918232 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Dementia is a common complication of Parkinson's disease (PD). It correlates significantly with the presence of cortical, limbic or nigral Lewy bodies, mainly constituted of alpha-synuclein. Mutations of the alpha-synuclein gene (SNCA) have been linked to rare familial forms of PD, while association studies on the promoter polymorphisms have given conflicting results in sporadic patients. We have performed a case control study to investigate whether genetic variability in the promoter of the alpha-synuclein gene could predispose to dementia in PD. A total of 114 demented patients and 114 non-demented patients with sporadic PD were included in the study. Six polymorphic loci (including the Rep1 microsatellite) in the promoter of the SNCA gene were examined. Each marker, taken individually, did not show association to dementia and no significant differences were observed in the inferred haplotype frequencies of demented and non-demented patients. Our data suggest the lack of involvement of the SNCA promoter in the pathogenesis of dementia in PD. Further studies in other populations are needed to confirm these results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E V De Marco
- Institute of Neurological Sciences, National Research Council, Mangone (Cosenza), Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Gornung E, Colangelo P, Annesi F. 5S ribosomal RNA genes in six species of Mediterranean grey mullets: genomic organization and phylogenetic inference. Genome 2008; 50:787-95. [PMID: 17893718 DOI: 10.1139/g07-058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This paper describes a study of the 5S ribosomal RNA genes (5S rDNA) in a group of 6 species belonging to 4 genera of Mugilidae. In these 6 species, the relatively short 5S rDNA repeat units, generated by PCR and ranging in size from 219 to 257 bp, show a high level of intragenomic homogeneity of both coding and spacer regions (NTS-I). Phylogenetic reconstructions based on this data set highlight the greater phylogenetic and genetic diversity of Mugil cephalus and Oedalechilus labeo compared with the genera Liza and Chelon. Comparative sequence analysis revealed significant conservation of the short 5S rDNA repeat units across Chelon and Liza. Moreover, a second size class of 5S rDNA repeat units, ranging from roughly 800 to 1100 bp, was produced in the Liza and Chelon samples. Only short 5S rDNA repeat units were found in M. cephalus and O. labeo. The sequences of the long 5S rDNA repeat units, obtained in Chelon labrosus and Liza ramada, differ owing to the presence of 2 large insertion/deletions (indels) in the spacers (NTS-II) and show considerable sequence identity with NTS-I spacers. Interspecific sequence variation of NTS-II spacers, excluding the indels, is low. Southern-blot hybridization patterns suggest an intermixed arrangement of short and long repeat units within a single chromosome locus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Gornung
- Department of Animal and Human Biology, University of Rome Sapienza, via A. Borelli 50, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Castiglia R, Annesi F, Aloise G, Amori G. Systematics of the Microtus savii complex (Rodentia, Cricetidae) via mitochondrial DNA analyses: paraphyly and pattern of sex chromosome evolution. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2007; 46:1157-64. [PMID: 18243020 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2007.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2007] [Revised: 09/25/2007] [Accepted: 12/07/2007] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Castiglia
- Department of Human and Animal Biology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Via A. Borelli 50, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Spadafora P, Annesi G, Liguori M, Tarantino P, Cutuli N, Carrideo S, Cirò Candiano IC, De Marco EV, Civitelli D, Annesi F, Giuffrida S, Quattrone A. Gene dosage influences the age at onset of SCA2 in a family from southern Italy. Clin Genet 2007; 72:381-3. [PMID: 17850638 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.2007.00868.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
21
|
Tarantino P, Cirò Candiano IC, Annesi F, Rocca FE, Carrideo S, Provenzano G, Civitelli D, De Marco EV, Quattrone A, Annesi G. Novel human pathological mutations. Gene symbol: PARK2. Disease: Parkinson's disease. Hum Genet 2007; 122:415. [PMID: 18350649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Tarantino
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche- ISN, C.da Burga, 44, 87050 Piano Lago di Mangone (CS), Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Rocca FE, Annesi F, Cirò Candiano IC, Carrideo S, Tarantino P, Provenzano G, Civitelli D, De Marco EV, Quattrone A, Annesi G. Novel human pathological mutations. Gene symbol: PARK2. Disease: Parkinson's disease. Hum Genet 2007; 122:415. [PMID: 18350651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Emanuela Rocca
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - ISN, C. da Burga, 44, 87050 Piano Lago di Mangone (CS), Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Cirò Candiano IC, Annesi F, Rocca EF, Carrideo S, Tarantino P, Provenzano G, Civitelli D, De Marco EV, Quattrone A, Annesi G. Novel human pathological mutations. Gene symbol: PARK2. Disease: Parkinson's disease. Hum Genet 2007; 122:416. [PMID: 18350653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
|
24
|
Castiglia R, Annesi F, Aloise G, Amori G. Mitochondrial DNA reveals different phylogeographic structures in the water shrews Neomys anomalus and N. fodiens (Insectivora: Soricidae) in Europe. J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0469.2006.00391.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
25
|
Civitelli D, Tarantino P, Nicoletti G, Cirò Candiano IC, Annesi F, De Marco EV, Carrideo S, Rocca FE, Condino F, Spadafora P, Pugliese P, D'Asero S, Morelli M, Paglionico S, Annesi G, Quattrone A. LRRK2 G6055A mutation in Italian patients with familial or sporadic Parkinson’s disease. Clin Genet 2007; 71:367-70. [PMID: 17470139 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.2007.00771.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
26
|
Annesi G, Aguglia U, Tarantino P, Annesi F, De Marco EV, Civitelli D, Torroni A, Quattrone A. SIL1 and SARA2 mutations in Marinesco-Sjögren and chylomicron retention diseases. Clin Genet 2007; 71:288-9. [PMID: 17309654 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.2007.00759.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
|
27
|
Loy A, Colangelo P, Annesi F, Capanna E. Origin and evolution of Western European moles (genus Talpa, Insectivora): a multidisciplinary approach. Mammal Study 2005. [DOI: 10.3106/1348-6160(2005)30[s13:oaeowe]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
28
|
Pugliese P, Annesi G, Cutuli N, Arabia G, Nicoletti G, Annesi F, Tarantino P, Gambardella A, Valentino P, Zappia M, Quattrone A. The fragile X premutation presenting as postprandial hypotension. Neurology 2005; 63:2188-9. [PMID: 15596781 DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000145709.61117.08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- P Pugliese
- Institute of Neurology, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Colangelo P, Corti M, Verheyen E, Annesi F, Oguge N, Makundi RH, Verheyen W. Mitochondrial phylogeny reveals differential modes of chromosomal evolution in the genus Tatera (Rodentia: Gerbillinae) in Africa. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2005; 35:556-68. [PMID: 15878125 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2005.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2004] [Revised: 02/16/2005] [Accepted: 02/18/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The African gerbils of the genus Tatera are widespread and abundant throughout sub-Saharan Africa. There is still today a certain controversy concerning the taxonomy of these rodents and very few attempts have been made to assess their systematic relationships. The present paper introduces findings based on the partial sequences of cytochrome b (495 bp) and the 16S rRNA (469 bp) mitochondrial genes of six (T. robusta, T. nigricauda, T. vicina, T. leucogaster, T. valida, and T. kempi) species together with two additional taxa. We also report the karyotypes of T. vicina and T. leucogaster. We propose that T. vicina should be considered as a valid species and show the monophyly of the robusta species group, with the exclusion of T. leucogaster. Our results show there is a different chromosomal evolutionary pattern within the two major lineages, which is recognizable through molecular phylogenetics. One is characterized by karyotype stability and the other by a considerable number of chromosomal rearrangements. The lineage divergence coincides with the formation of the East African Rift. The processes that led to the origin of the East African species seem to be related to the subsequent climatic changes, which caused cyclic contraction and expansion of the savannah biomes. Furthermore, geological activities that characterized East Africa during Plio-Pleistocene may also have contributed to lineage divergence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Colangelo
- Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Via Borelli 50, 00161 Roma, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Castiglia R, Corti M, Colangelo P, Annesi F, Capanna E, Verheyen W, Sichilima AM, Makundi R. Chromosomal and molecular characterization of Aethomys kaiseri from Zambia and Aethomys chrysophilus from Tanzania (Rodentia, Muridae). Hereditas 2004; 139:81-9. [PMID: 15061808 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5223.2003.01763.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Aethomys is a common and widespread rodent genus in the African savannas and grasslands. However, its systematics and taxonomy are still unclear as no study has covered the entire range. In fact it might not be a monophyletic genus and perhaps should be split into two subgenera, Micaelamys and Aethomys. In this paper, we present findings based on the cytogenetics and the entire cytochrome b sequence of two species from Zambia (A. kaiseri) and Tanzania (A. chrysophilus), and we compare them with the sequences of a South African species (A. namaquensis) and other allied muroid genera. Comparison of the banded chromosomes revealed complete G-band homology between the autosomes of the two species. However, the X and Y chromosomes clearly differ in size and in C- and G-banding, being much larger in A. kaiseri. Comparison of the cytochrome b sequences places the separation between A. kaiseri and A. chrysophilus at 4.49 Mya, a period of intense speciation in other African muroids. The resulting phylogeny strongly supports the idea of a paraphyletic group, suggesting the need to elevate the previously described subgenera to the genus rank.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Castiglia
- Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Sola L, Rossi AR, Annesi F, Gornung E. Cytogenetic studies in Sparus auratus (Pisces, Perciformes): molecular organization of 5S rDNA and chromosomal mapping of 5S and 45S ribosomal genes and of telomeric repeats. Hereditas 2004; 139:232-6. [PMID: 15061807 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5223.2003.01814.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- L Sola
- Department of Animal and Human Biology, University of Rome I "La Sapienza", Via A. Borelli 50, IT-00161 Rome, Italy. E-mail:
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Zappia M, Annesi G, Nicoletti G, Serra P, Arabia G, Pugliese P, Messina D, Caracciolo M, Romeo N, Annesi F, Pasqua AA, Spadafora P, Civitelli D, Romeo N, Epifanio A, Morgante L, Quattrone A. Association of tau gene polymorphism with Parkinson's disease. Neurol Sci 2004; 24:223-4. [PMID: 14600827 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-003-0141-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the segregation of the dinucleotide GT repeat polymorphism in the intron between exons 9 and 10 of the tau gene in 300 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and in 197 normal controls. The A3 allele was more frequent in cases than in controls (30% versus 16%, p<0.001), and individuals carrying at least one A3 allele in their genotype had an increased risk of developing PD (odds ratio 2.78, 95% confidence interval 1.81-4.29). No significant differences were found between patients by considering the age at onset and the presence of family history or dementia. Our findings suggest a possible involvement of the tau gene in the pathogenesis of PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Zappia
- Clinica Neurologica, Università di Catanzaro, Via Campanella, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Spadafora P, Annesi G, Pasqua AA, Serra P, Cirò Candiano IC, Carrideo S, Tarantino P, Civitelli D, De Marco EV, Nicoletti G, Annesi F, Quattrone A. NACP-REP1 polymorphism is not involved in Parkinson's disease: a case-control study in a population sample from southern Italy. Neurosci Lett 2003; 351:75-8. [PMID: 14583385 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3940(03)00859-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Contradictory evidence has been reported on the role of the polymorphic mixed dinucleotide repeat (NACP-REP1) of the alpha-synuclein gene as a risk factor for sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). In the present study we genotyped the NACP-REP1 polymorphism in 189 PD patients from southern Italy and 182 healthy control subjects. We failed to demonstrate an association of any NACP-REP1 allele with PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Spadafora
- Institute of Neurological Sciences, National Research Council, Piano Lago di Mangone, Cosenza, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Castiglia R, Annesi F, Capanna E. Contact zones between chromosomal races of Mus musculus domesticus. 3. Molecular and chromosomal evidence of restricted gene flow between the CD race (2n = 22) and the ACR race (2n = 24). Heredity (Edinb) 2002; 89:219-24. [PMID: 12209393 DOI: 10.1038/sj.hdy.6800129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2002] [Accepted: 06/18/2002] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The contact zone between the Ancarano (ACR; 2n = 24) and Cittaducale (CD; 2n = 22) races of Mus musculus domesticus was studied. We used chromosomes and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of the control region as genetic markers to detect introgression between races. In total, 76 mice were trapped at 17 localities. Cytogenetic analysis was performed on 73 mice. A segment of the control region (468 bp) was sequenced in 41 specimens. The two races are distributed parapatrically and the contact zone was identified inside a village (Pizzoli). No mixed population was found in the study area. The contact zone does not correspond to any geographical or ecological barrier but is located in a zone of potentially high density of mice. The sequence analysis clearly demonstrates genetic differentiation between races (1.4% of sequence divergence). Hybridization is rare. Evidence of introgression was found in two individuals in the contact zone: one individual of the ACR race carries a metacentric belonging to the CD race, while another ACR individual carries a CD-like haplotype. In these ecological conditions, the observed distribution pattern and the very low level of hybridization suggest the presence of a premating mechanism of reproductive isolation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Castiglia
- Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell' Uomo, Università di Roma La Sapienza- Via A. Borelli 50, 00161 Roma, Italy.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Messina D, Annesi G, Serra P, Nicoletti G, Pasqua A, Annesi F, Tomaino C, Cirò-Candiano IC, Carrideo S, Caracciolo M, Spadafora P, Zappia M, Savettieri G, Quattrone A. Association of the 5-HT6 receptor gene polymorphism C267T with Parkinson's disease. Neurology 2002; 58:828-9. [PMID: 11889255 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.58.5.828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- D Messina
- Institute of Neurological Sciences , National Research Council, Piano Lago di Mangone, Cosenza, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Cervelli M, Cecconi F, Giorgi M, Annesi F, Oliverio M, Mariottini P. Comparative structure analysis of vertebrate U17 small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA). J Mol Evol 2002; 54:166-79. [PMID: 11821910 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-001-0065-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2001] [Accepted: 07/03/2001] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Intron-encoded U17 RNA is a member of the H/ACA box class of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) involved in ribosomal RNA (rRNA) maturation. U17 snoRNA shows typical characteristics of guide RNAs, which specify sites of pseudouridylation on the precursor rRNA (pre-rRNA). However, in spite of the presence of H and ACA boxes and short regions complementary to the pre-rRNA, its secondary structure does not show any evident pseudouridylation pocket. Moreover, its length is larger than the typical one of snoRNAs and it shows a more complex secondary structure compared to the canonical hairpin-hinge-hairpin-tail architecture. Greater knowledge of eukaryotic U17 snoRNA structure is needed to understand its precise function. Comparative molecular studies of this snoRNA with different vertebrates is still limited to a few cases. With the aim of increasing our understanding of the U17 snoRNA secondary structure, we cloned the U17 snoRNA coding sequence from 10 additional vertebrate taxa. On the basis of structure homology derived from sequence comparison and thermodynamic prediction, we propose a vertebrate consensus secondary structure and novel conserved sequence boxes for U17 snoRNA. Host gene localization of U17 coding sequence and its ability to serve as a guide sequence for RNA/RNA interaction has been evolutionarily traced from fish to mammals. It is interesting to note that turtle U17 snoRNAs show a noncanonical ACA box, mainly consisting in the GCA box. Microinjections in X. laevis oocytes of in vitro synthesized turtle transcripts containing the U17 RNA sequence which have canonical ACA, wild-type GCA, and mutated CCA and UCA boxes resulted in efficient production of mature U17 snoRNA.
Collapse
|
37
|
Oliveri RL, Zappia M, Annesi G, Bosco D, Annesi F, Spadafora P, Pasqua AA, Tomaino C, Nicoletti G, Pirritano D, Labate A, Gambardella A, Logroscino G, Manobianca G, Epifanio A, Morgante L, Savettieri G, Quattrone A. The parkin gene is not involved in late-onset Parkinson's disease. Neurology 2001; 57:359-62. [PMID: 11468333 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.57.2.359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the parkin gene have been reported in patients with early onset PD. The authors investigated the parkin gene in 118 patients who had an onset of PD after age 45 years: 95 subjects were sporadic patients and 23 subjects were from 18 families with a probable autosomal recessive inheritance. No pathogenetic mutations in the parkin gene were detected either in familial or in sporadic patients. Moreover, no differences were found between patients and 100 age-matched normal controls in the allele and genotype frequencies of four exonic parkin polymorphisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R L Oliveri
- Institute of Neurology, University of Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Affiliation(s)
- E Gornung
- Department of Animal and Human Biology, University of Rome 1, Italy
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Oliveri RL, Zappia M, Annesi G, Annesi F, Spadafora P, Pasqua AA, Tomaino C, Nicoletti G, Bosco D, Messina D, Logroscino G, Manobianca G, Epifanio A, Morgante L, Savettieri G, Quattrone A. The parkin gene is not a major susceptibility locus for typical late-onset Parkinson's disease. Neurol Sci 2001; 22:73-4. [PMID: 11487208 DOI: 10.1007/s100720170053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the parkin gene in 118 patients with typical Parkinson's disease (PD), i.e. in patients who had an onset of PD after the age of 45 years. The study group included 95 subjects with sporadic PD and 23 subjects from 18 families with autosomal recessive PD. No pathogenetic mutations in the parkin gene were detected either in familial or in sporadic patients. Our findings indicate that the parkin gene is not involved in the pathogenesis of classic late-onset PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R L Oliveri
- Neurology Clinic, University of Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Gambardella A, Annesi G, De Fusco M, Patrignani A, Aguglia U, Annesi F, Pasqua AA, Spadafora P, Oliveri RL, Valentino P, Zappia M, Ballabio A, Casari G, Quattrone A. A new locus for autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy maps to chromosome 1. Neurology 2000; 55:1467-71. [PMID: 11094099 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.55.10.1467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) is caused by mutations in the alpha4 subunit of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (CHRNA4) gene, mapping on chromosome 20q13.2. A second ADNFLE locus was mapped on chromosome 15q24. OBJECTIVE To report a new third ADNFLE locus on chromosome 1 in a large Italian family. METHODS The authors performed a clinical and genetic study in a large, three-generation ADNFLE family from southern Italy, including eight affected individuals and three obligate carriers. RESULTS The age at onset of seizures was around 9 years of age and all affected individuals manifested nocturnal partial seizures of frontal lobe origin. Interictal awake and sleep EEG recordings showed no definite epileptiform abnormalities in most patients. Ictal video-EEG showed that the attacks were partial seizures with a frontal lobe semiology. Intellectual and neurologic examinations, and brain CT or MRI results were always normal. Carbamazepine was effective in all treated patients. Exclusion mapping of the known loci linked to ADNFLE-ENFL1, and ENFL2, on chromosomes 20q13.2 and 15q24-was performed on the pedigree before starting the genome-wide linkage analysis. The whole genome scan mapping allowed the identification of a new ADNFLE locus spanning the pericentromeric region of chromosome 1. CONCLUSIONS The authors provided evidence for a third locus associated to autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy on chromosome 1. Among the known genes mapping within this critical region, the ss2 subunit of the nicotinic receptor (CHRNB2) represents the most obvious candidate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Gambardella
- Institute of Neurology, School of Medicine, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Aguglia U, Annesi G, Pasquinelli G, Spadafora P, Gambardella A, Annesi F, Pasqua AA, Cavalcanti F, Crescibene L, Bagalà A, Bono F, Oliveri RL, Valentino P, Zappia M, Quattrone A. Vitamin E deficiency due to chylomicron retention disease in Marinesco-Sjögren syndrome. Ann Neurol 2000. [PMID: 10665502 DOI: 10.1002/1531-8249(200002)47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We report on 2 brothers (aged 19 and 12 years) with Marinesco-Sjögren syndrome who also had very low serum vitamin E concentrations with an absence of postprandial chylomicrons. The molecular study ruled out ataxia with isolated vitamin E deficiency, abetalipoproteinemia, and hypobetalipoproteinemia. The electron microscopy of the intestinal mucosa was consistent with a chylomicron retention disease. We speculate that both chylomicron retention disease and Marinesco-Sjögren syndrome are related to defects in a gene crucial for the assembly or secretion of the chylomicron particles, leading to very low serum levels of vitamin E.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- U Aguglia
- Institute of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Oliveri RL, Annesi G, Zappia M, Civitelli D, De Marco EV, Pasqua AA, Annesi F, Spadafora P, Gambardella A, Nicoletti G, Branca D, Caracciolo M, Aguglia U, Quattrone A. The dopamine D2 receptor gene is a susceptibility locus for Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord 2000; 15:127-31. [PMID: 10634251 DOI: 10.1002/1531-8257(200001)15:1<120::aid-mds1019>3.0.co;2-s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene has been proposed as a candidate gene underlying several psychiatric and neurologic disorders. The aim of the present study was to examine if selected polymorphisms in the DRD2 gene are associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). We determined the allelic frequencies for four polymorphisms located in the DRD2 gene in a sample of 135 patients with PD and 202 normal control subjects. No significant difference was observed in the allelic frequencies between patients with PD and control subjects with regard to the -141C Ins/Del and the Ser311/Cys311 variants. On the contrary, the A1 allele of the TaqIA polymorphism and the B1 allele of the TaqIB polymorphism were more frequent in patients with PD than in control subjects (control subjects: TaqIA A1 = 14.6%, TaqIB B1 = 10.6%; patients with PD: TaqIA A1 = 20.7%, TaqIB B1 = 17.4%). Patients carrying the A1 allele or the B allele had an increased risk of developing PD (TaqIA, odds ratio: 1.71, 95% confidence intervals: 1.08-2.73; TaqIB, odds ratio: 1.83, 95% confidence intervals: 1.12-3.02). The TaqIA and TaqIB polymorphisms were in strong linkage disequilibrium, suggesting that these two polymorphisms convey the same information about the risk of presenting with PD. Genetic variation in the DRD2 gene may influence the risk of developing PD, thus confirming that the DRD2 gene is a susceptibility locus for PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R L Oliveri
- Institute of Neurology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Gambardella A, Mazzei R, Toscano A, Annesi G, Pasqua A, Annesi F, Quattrone F, Oliveri RL, Valentino P, Bono F, Aguglia U, Zappia M, Vita G, Quattrone A. Spinal muscular atrophy due to an isolated deletion of exon 8 of the telomeric survival motor neuron gene. Ann Neurol 1998; 44:836-9. [PMID: 9818944 DOI: 10.1002/ana.410440522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Patients with autosomal recessive spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) usually carry a homozygous deletion of exons 7 and 8 of the telomeric survival motor neuron (SMN(T)) gene, although an isolated deletion of SMN(T) exon 8 has never been found. We now report on 2 patients with the typical features of SMA types II and III, who carried a homozygous deletion of SMN(T) exon 8 but retained SMN(T) exon 7. Importantly, to exclude a sequence conversion event of telomeric exon 8, we amplified a fragment that spanned exons 7 and 8 of the SMN gene. The resulting 1,010-base pair (bp) fragments were subjected to nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of exon 7. The subsequent restriction analysis failed to show any products of telomeric exon 7, as the site for primer 541C1120 was lost in both alleles. These findings indicate a homozygous deletion of SMN(T) exon 8. Direct sequencing of the cloned 1,010-bp fragment further confirmed that these 2 SMA patients did not possess telomeric exon 8. The more severely affected child also showed a deletion of the neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) gene. The present findings provide evidence that an isolated deletion of SMN(T) exon 8 is associated with the milder subtypes of SMA. Our data also demonstrate that the additional deletion of the NAIP gene exacerbates the severity of the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Gambardella
- Institute of Neurology, School of Medicine, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Bellizzi D, Cartolano AS, Annesi F, Tomaino C, Sgaramella V, Losso MA. A procedure for cloning genomic DNA fragments with increasing thermoresistance. Gene 1998; 219:63-71. [PMID: 9756997 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1119(98)00377-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Genomic DNAs have been cleaved by restriction or sonication, and the resulting double-stranded fragments have been exposed to increasing temperatures. This treatment may induce the helix-coil transition either in a single or in several steps, depending on the size and composition of the duplexes. Eventually, a critical temperature is reached at which each duplex melts completely and the two constitutive single strands separate. A transition interval can thus be defined for each duplex by the temperature at which the earliest strand separation takes place and that at which the most resistant double-stranded core collapses. If solutions containing a mixture of DNA duplexes are exposed to temperatures within their transition intervals, three kinds of molecules should originate: (1) duplexes that have not yet initiated the melting phase; (2) duplexes that have undergone only partial melting; and (3) single strands that derive from fully melted duplexes. If the heated solutions are quickly cooled to 0 degreesC, only the molecules from the first two classes can be ligated to a compatibly ended vector and cloned: class (1) are intact duplexes, and class (2) are molecules that snap immediately back to fully duplex structures: both are double-stranded. Conversely, the single strands of class (3) may not reanneal and thus be neither ligated nor cloned. We have tested the procedure on restricted coliphage lambda DNA, in view of its compartmentalized organization and known sequence. Then, we have applied it to human genomic DNA fragmented by sonication. After cloning of the available duplexes in a bacterial plasmid, libraries of molecules endowed with a progressively higher thermoresistance can be prepared for thermodynamic and genomic studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Bellizzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia Cellulare, Università della Calabria, 87030, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Oliverio M, Bologna MA, Monciotti A, Annesi F, Mariottini P. Molecular phylogenetics of the ItalianPodarcislizards (Reptilia, Lacertidae). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1998. [DOI: 10.1080/11250008809386765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
46
|
Annesi F, Vespignani I, Amaldi F, Mariottini P. Xenopus laevis ribosomal protein S11: cloning and sequencing of the cDNA and primary structure of the protein. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1994; 203:768-72. [PMID: 8093055 DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.1994.2249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
We have cloned a Xenopus laevis cDNA coding for the 40S subunit cytoplasmic ribosomal protein S11. The nucleotide sequence was determined and the derived amino acid sequence reveals that the protein has 158 amino acid residues and a calculated molecular mass of 18,424 Da. Amino acid sequence comparison with the homologous counterparts from very diverse groups of organisms representing animals (human and rat), fungi (yeast) and plants (maize and Arabidopsis thaliana), shows that this protein is very conserved during evolution. Furthermore, ribosomal protein S11 also shares a significant sequence homology to a set of related proteins: plastid ribosomal protein CS17 from different plants, Escherichia coli ribosomal protein S17 and Halobacterium marismortui ribosomal protein S14.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F Annesi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Bagni C, Mariottini P, Annesi F, Amaldi F. Human ribosomal protein L4: cloning and sequencing of the cDNA and primary structure of the protein. Biochim Biophys Acta 1993; 1216:475-8. [PMID: 8268230 DOI: 10.1016/0167-4781(93)90017-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The cloning and sequencing of a cDNA for human ribosomal protein L4 is reported. The corresponding mRNA has a very short 5' untranslated region initiating with a sequence of 12 pyrimidines, characteristic of all vertebrate ribosomal protein mRNAs. The deduced amino acid sequence shows that human ribosomal protein L4 has 425 amino acid residues and a calculated molecular mass of 47,821 Da. Comparison with the homologous counterparts of Xenopus, Drosophila and yeast shows that this protein has a very conserved amino-terminus region and an extremely divergent carboxyl-terminus portion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Bagni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Mariottini P, Bagni C, Francesconi A, Cecconi F, Serra MJ, Chen QM, Loreni F, Annesi F, Amaldi F. Sequence of the gene coding for ribosomal protein S8 of Xenopus laevis. Gene 1993; 132:255-60. [PMID: 8224872 DOI: 10.1016/0378-1119(93)90204-g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
We present here the cloning and the entire sequence of one of the two gene copies coding for ribosomal protein (r-protein) S8 in Xenopus laevis (corresponding to r-protein S7 in rat) and its flanking regions. The S8a gene contains seven exons and six introns for a total length of about 12,700 bp coding for a mRNA of 663 nucleotides (nt) plus a poly(A) tail. Mapping of the 5' end of the gene has shown that the transcription start point is located in a pyrimidine-rich tract, as has been observed for all r-protein-encoding genes of X. laevis and other vertebrates so far characterized. A computer analysis of the S8a sequence has revealed the presence of a 220-nt sequence repeated, with some variations, once in each of the six introns. RNA analysis by hybridization with oligo probes specific for the two gene copies coding for r-protein S8 has demonstrated that the two of them are expressed at similar levels both in oocytes and in embryos.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Mariottini
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Abstract
cDNA clones for Xenopus laevis ribosomal protein L32 have been isolated and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence indicates that L32 is a basic protein of 110 amino acids, has a molecular weight of 12,603 and is homologous to the rat ribosomal protein L35. Using the cDNA clone as a probe to follow the expression of this gene during Xenopus development, it has been shown that the pattern of accumulation of this mRNA follows the one previously described for other ribosomal protein mRNAs during oogenesis and embryogenesis. The analysis of the utilization of L32 mRNA during embryogenesis shows that this is controlled by the translational regulation typical of other ribosomal protein mRNAs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Bagni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, II Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Mariottini P, Bagni C, Annesi F, Amaldi F. Isolation and nucleotide sequences of cDNAs for Xenopus laevis ribosomal protein S8: similarities in the 5' and 3' untranslated regions of mRNAs for various r-proteins. Gene 1988; 67:69-74. [PMID: 2843441 DOI: 10.1016/0378-1119(88)90009-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant clones specific for ribosomal protein (r-protein) S8 have been isolated from a Xenopus laevis cDNA bank. Sequence analysis shows that they are of two types, derived from two different gene copies originating from gene duplication. The two cDNAs differ in several silent sites and code for the same S8 protein whose complete amino acid sequence has been derived. Sequence comparison of S8 mRNAs with those for other X. laevis r-proteins, has revealed interesting similarities in the 5' and 3' untranslated regions. These could be involved in r-protein synthesis regulation which we have previously shown to occur mainly at post-transcriptional and translational levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Mariottini
- Dipartimento di Biologia, II Università di Roma, Tor Vergata, Italy
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|