Mitochondrial DNA sequence variation among triatomine vectors of Chagas' disease.
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Kissing bugs or triatomines (Reduviidae: Triatominae) are vectors of the Chagas' disease agent Trypanosoma cruzi. There is a current need for more sensitive tools for use in discrimination of different bug populations and species, thus allowing a better understanding of these insects as it relates to disease transmission and control. In a preliminary analysis of the mitochondrial large subunit ribosomal RNA (mtlsurRNA) and cytochrome B (mtCytB) genes, we used DNA sequencing to study species identification and phylogeny. In both examined gene regions, about 46% of nucleotide positions exhibited polymorphism. The examined region of mtCytB appears to have evolved more rapidly than the examined region of mtlsurRNA. Phylogenetic analysis of both gene fragments in the examined species produced similar results that were generally consistent with the accepted taxonomy of the subfamily. The two major tribes, Rhodniini and Triatomini, were supported, along with additional clades that corresponded to accepted species complexes within the Rhodnius and Triatoma genera. The one chief exception was that Psammolestes coreodes sorted into the Rhodnius prolixus-robustus-neglectus clade, with bootsrap values of 99% and 81%, respectively, for the mtlsurRNA and mtCytB fragments. All of the individual species examined could be distinguished at both genetic loci. (+info)
Pathways for proton release during ubihydroquinone oxidation by the bc(1) complex.
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Quinol oxidation by the bc(1) complex of Rhodobacter sphaeroides occurs from an enzyme-substrate complex formed between quinol bound at the Q(o) site and the iron-sulfur protein (ISP) docked at an interface on cytochrome b. From the structure of the stigmatellin-containing mitochondrial complex, we suggest that hydrogen bonds to the two quinol hydroxyl groups, from Glu-272 of cytochrome b and His-161 of the ISP, help to stabilize the enzyme-substrate complex and aid proton release. Reduction of the oxidized ISP involves H transfer from quinol. Release of the proton occurs when the acceptor chain reoxidizes the reduced ISP, after domain movement to an interface on cytochrome c(1). Effects of mutations to the ISP that change the redox potential and/or the pK on the oxidized form support this mechanism. Structures for the complex in the presence of inhibitors show two different orientations of Glu-272. In stigmatellin-containing crystals, the side chain points into the site, to hydrogen bond with a ring hydroxyl, while His-161 hydrogen bonds to the carbonyl group. In the native structure, or crystals containing myxothiazol or beta-methoxyacrylate-type inhibitors, the Glu-272 side chain is rotated to point out of the site, to the surface of an external aqueous channel. Effects of mutation at this residue suggest that this group is involved in ligation of stigmatellin and quinol, but not quinone, and that the carboxylate function is essential for rapid turnover. H(+) transfer from semiquinone to the carboxylate side chain and rotation to the position found in the myxothiazol structure provide a pathway for release of the second proton. (+info)
Replicated evolution of trophic specializations in an endemic cichlid fish lineage from Lake Tanganyika.
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The current phylogenetic hypothesis for the endemic Lake Tanganyika cichlid fishes of the tribe Eretmodini is based solely on morphology and suggests that more complex trophic morphologies derived only once from a less specialized ancestral condition. A molecular phylogeny of eretmodine cichlids based on partial mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b and control-region sequences was used to reconstruct the evolutionary sequence of trophic adaptations and to test alternative models of morphological divergence. The six mitochondrial lineages found disagree with the current taxonomy and the morphology-based phylogeny. Mitochondrial lineages with similar trophic morphologies are not grouped monophyletically but are typically more closely related to lineages with different trophic phenotypes currently assigned to other genera. Our results indicate multiple independent origins of similar trophic specializations in these cichlids. A pattern of repeated divergent morphological evolution becomes apparent when the phylogeography of the mitochondrial haplotypes is analyzed in the context of the geological and paleoclimatological history of Lake Tanganyika. In more than one instance within Lake Tanganyika, similar morphological divergence of dentitional traits occurred in sympatric species pairs. Possibly, resource-based divergent selective regimes led to resource partitioning and brought about similar trophic morphologies independently and repeatedly. (+info)
Role of a bound ubiquinone on reactions of the Escherichia coli cytochrome bo with ubiquinol and dioxygen.
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To probe the functional role of a bound ubiquinone-8 in cytochrome bo-type ubiquinol oxidase from Escherichia coli, we examined reactions with ubiquinol-1 and dioxygen. Stopped-flow studies showed that anaerobic reduction of the wild-type and the bound ubiquinone-free (DeltaUbiA) enzymes with ubiquinol-1 immediately takes place with four kinetic phases. Replacement of the bound ubiquinone with 2,6-dibromo-4-cyanophenol (PC32) suppressed the anaerobic reduction of the hemes with ubiquinol-1 by eliminating the fast phase. Flow-flash studies in the reaction of the fully reduced enzyme with dioxygen showed that the heme b-to-heme o electron transfer occurs with a rate constant of approximately 1x10(4) s(-1) in all three preparations. These results support our previous proposal that the bound ubiquinone is involved in facile oxidation of substrates in subunit II and subsequent intramolecular electron transfer to low-spin heme b in subunit I. (+info)
Molecular phylogeny and morphological homoplasy in fruitbats.
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The present study evaluates the evolutionary framework of the Old World fruitbats based on the cytochrome b and 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene sequences from a wide range of taxa. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that morphology-based subfamilies and most suprageneric groups are nonnatural assemblages. They also support the existence of an endemic African clade of fruitbats. The discrepancy between the evolutionary relationships yielded by molecular and morphological data sets may be, at least in part, explained by the recurrent retention of primitive morphology (Rousettus-like) across different lineages. The maintenance of primitive characters in different groups of flying foxes, as well as morphological convergence in nectar-feeding bats and possibly also in short-muzzle bats, may have led to high levels of homoplasy, resulting in misleading taxonomic arrangements. This may be particularly so with respect to high taxonomic levels based on morphological characters. (+info)
Light-induced degradation of cytochrome b559 during photoinhibition of the photosystem II reaction center.
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The behaviour of cytochrome (cyt) b559 during acceptor- and donor-side photoinhibition has been investigated in oxygen-evolving and non-evolving photosystem II (PSII) membranes. Strong illumination at 20 degrees C under aerobiosis induced a strong decrease in the absorbance of the cyt b559 alpha-band in the two preparations. This absorbance decline was observed only in non-oxygen-evolving PSII samples when illumination was performed under aerobiosis but at 4 degrees C, or under anaerobiosis at 20 degrees C. These results suggest that acceptor-side photoinhibition induces the degradation of cyt b559 by a mechanism related to an enzymatic reaction mediated by singlet oxygen. Donor-side photoinhibition may induce, however, a non-enzymatic photocleavage of the protein. (+info)
Characterization of the human SDHD gene encoding the small subunit of cytochrome b (cybS) in mitochondrial succinate-ubiquinone oxidoreductase.
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We have mapped large (cybL) and small (cybS) subunits of cytochrome b in the succinate-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex II) of human mitochondria to chromosome 1q21 and 11q23, respectively (H. Hirawake et al., Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 79 (1997) 132-138). In the present study, the human SDHD gene encoding cybS was cloned and characterized. The gene comprises four exons and three introns extending over 19 kb. Sequence analysis of the 5' promoter region showed several motifs for the binding of transcription factors including nuclear respiratory factors NRF-1 and NRF-2 at positions -137 and -104, respectively. In addition to this gene, six pseudogenes of cybS were isolated and mapped on the chromosome. (+info)
Role of a bound ubiquinone on reactions of the Escherichia coli cytochrome bo with ubiquinol and dioxygen.
(40/1463)
To probe the functional role of a bound ubiquinone-8 in cytochrome bo-type ubiquinol oxidase from Escherichia coli, we examined reactions with ubiquinol-1 and dioxygen. Stopped-flow studies showed that anaerobic reduction of the wild-type and the bound ubiquinone-free (delta UbiA) enzymes with ubiquinol-1 immediately takes place with four kinetic phases. Replacement of the bound ubiquinone with 2,6-dibromo-4-cyanophenol (PC32) suppressed the anaerobic reduction of the hemes with ubiquinol-1 by eliminating the fast phase. Flow-flash studies in the reaction of the fully reduced enzyme with dioxygen showed that the heme b to heme o electron transfer occurs with a rate constant of approximately 10(4) s-1 in all three preparations. These results support our previous proposal that the bound ubiquinone is involved in facile oxidation of substrates in subunit II and subsequent intramolecular electron transfer to low-spin heme b in subunit I. (+info)