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In this work, we studied the distribution of molecular markers in the chromosomes of tetraploid wheat. This distribution was drawn through the 192 line came from based on a cross between two durum wheat genotypes. The first parental line was a Triticum turgidum ssp. durum (Desf.). The second parental line was a durum wheat genotype derived from a cross between the Triticum turgidum ssp. Durum, (Omrabi 5). One hundred ninety-two F8 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the above mentioned cross by single-seed descent. A total of 254 markers were analyzed, including 216 microsatellites and 38 SNPs markers. Linkage analysis defined 14 linkage groups. Most markers (57.2%) were found to be located to the A genome, with an average of 12 markers per chromosome. The remaining (42.7%) were located to the B genome. To construct a stabilized (skeleton) map, markers interfering with map stability were removed. Efficient user-friendly methods for mapping plant genomes were highly desirable for the studies marker-assisted selection. SSR (microsatellite) markers are user-friendly and efficient in detecting polymorphism, but they detect few loci. The skeleton map consisted of 100 markers with a total length of 3170.29 cM and an average distance of 31.7 cM between adjacent markers. Majority of the markers showed a statistical significantly Mendelian segregation with 1:1 ratio (α=0.01). The highest percentage of markers was similar with the first parental. This SSR and SNP markers revealed a high proportion of clustering, which may be indicative of gene-rich regions. Some of the SSR, SNP markers were distributed for the first time on the current work. This project provided a useful groundwork for further genetic map, genetic analysis of important quantitative traits, positional cloning, and marker-assisted selection, as well as for genome comparative genomics and genome organization studies in wheat and other cereals.

Objectives Guinea pigs have been indicated as a potential source of zoophilic dermatophytes that cause human dermatomycosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of dermatophytes as well as saprophytic fungi in asymptomatic pet guinea pigs in Southern Italy. Methods Two-hundred pet guinea pigs were enrolled from both private veterinary clinics and pet shops in the Campania region, Italy, from August 2012 to September 2013. Samples were collected using the MacKenzie’s toothbrush technique. The plates were incubated for four weeks at 25°C and identification of the fungal colonies was based on both macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Results Two pathogenic dermatophytes were isolated in 9 (4·5%) of 200 guinea pigs; Epidermophyton species in 2 (1%) and Scopulariopsis species in 7 (3·5%). Saprophytic dermatophytes were isolated from 151 (75·5%) animals enrolled. No fungal growth was observed in 40 (20%) guinea pigs. Clinical Significance The results of this study indicate a low prevalence of pathogenic dermatophytes in pet guinea pigs in Southern Italy but the presence of Epidermophyton and Scopulariopsis species in asymptomatic pet guinea pigs.

We report the construction of modified high M r glutenin subunit genes with variable lengths of the repetitive domain and their expression in Escherichia coli . The modified glutenin subunits showed anomalously slow migration by SDS–PAGE characteristic of these polypeptides. Changes in the size of the repetitive domain correlated with both the migration behaviour on SDS–PAGE and with the surface hydrophobicities of the polypeptides measured by RP–HPLC. These constructs made it possible to obtain direct evidence for the first time that the anomalous electrophoretic mobilities of high M r glutenin subunits in SDS–PAGE, compared with globular proteins, are mainly due to the repetitive domain. These constructs should be useful for establishing the role of the repetitive domain of high M r glutenin subunits in determining the viscoelastic properties of dough. They also offer the possibility of creating new genetic variability for wheat improvement.

Morphological changes in the oesophageal epithelium of Oreochromis mossambicus, O. niloticus, and O. mossambicus x O. niloticus hybrids were studied during adaptation to sea water. In fresh water, the epithelium is stratified and rich with mucous cells. In salt water, modifications occur in the oesophagus of O. mossambicus and of the hybrid: mucosa folds are more vascularized and covered with a monolayered epithelium, alternating with a multilayered one. The oesophagus of O. niloticus does not seem to be affected by salinity but this species survives only for brief periods in sea water. These observations underline the close relationship between the oesophagus morphology and salinity tolerance in tilapias.

Unfolding behaviour of different allelic variants of high Mrglutenin subunits has been studied by transverse urea gradient gel electrophoresis, a system in which a gradient of urea (from 0 to 8 M) is generated perpendicularly to the direction of migration. A different unfolding pattern is observed between x- and y-type subunits. The former type of subunits generally present a broad unfolding pattern without any clear transition, as urea concentration increases, suggesting the existence of several conformational intermediates. On the contrary most of the y-type subunits present an unfolding pattern showing an abrupt decrease in mobility, with a single inflection point at the midpoint of the transition indicative of a protein unfolding in a single, cooperative, two-state transition. Native and bacterial expressed subunits, differing for the size of the repetitive domain, were used to assess the role of variation in size of such region on unfolding behaviour. Free energy values associated to unfolding process were calculated for most of the y-type subunits presenting a two state transition. In particular, different values were found for subunit Dy10 and Dy12, with the former being larger than the latter, suggesting a different stability of the two subunits. Possible implications for qualitative differences associated to allelic subunits are also discussed.