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A major challenge in zooarchaeology is to morphologically distinguish closely related species’ remains, especially using small bone fragments. Shotgun sequencing aDNA from archeological remains and comparative alignment to the candidate species’ reference genomes will only apply when reference nuclear genomes of comparable quality are available, and may still fail when coverages are low. Here, we propose an alternative method, MTaxi, that uses highly accessible mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to distinguish between pairs of closely related species from ancient DNA sequences. MTaxi utilises mtDNA transversion-type substitutions between pairs of candidate species, assigns reads to either species, and performs a binomial test to determine the sample taxon. We tested MTaxi on sheep/goat and horse/donkey data, between which zooarchaeological classification can be challenging in ways that epitomise our case. The method performed efficiently on simulated ancient genomes down to 0.5x mitochondrial coverage for both sheep/goat and horse/donkey, with no false positives. Trials on n=18 ancient sheep/goat samples and n=10 horse/donkey samples of known species identity with mtDNA coverages 0.1x - 12x also yielded 100% accuracy. Overall, MTaxi provides a straightforward approach to classify closely related species that are compelling to distinguish through zooarchaeological methods using low coverage aDNA data, especially when similar quality reference genomes are unavailable. MTaxi is freely available at https://github.com/goztag/MTaxi.

Summary The social organization of the first fully sedentary societies that emerged during the Neolithic period in Southwest Asia remains enigmatic,1 mainly because material culture studies provide limited insight into this issue. However, because Neolithic Anatolian communities often buried their dead beneath domestic buildings,2 household composition and social structure can be studied through these human remains. Here, we describe genetic relatedness among co-burials associated with domestic buildings in Neolithic Anatolia using 59 ancient genomes, including 22 new genomes from Aşıklı Höyük and Çatalhöyük. We infer pedigree relationships by simultaneously analyzing multiple types of information, including autosomal and X chromosome kinship coefficients, maternal markers, and radiocarbon dating. In two early Neolithic villages dating to the 9th and 8th millennia BCE, Aşıklı Höyük and Boncuklu, we discover that siblings and parent-offspring pairings were frequent within domestic structures, which provides the first direct indication of close genetic relationships among co-burials. In contrast, in the 7th millennium BCE sites of Çatalhöyük and Barcın, where we study subadults interred within and around houses, we find close genetic relatives to be rare. Hence, genetic relatedness may not have played a major role in the choice of burial location at these latter two sites, at least for subadults. This supports the hypothesis that in Çatalhöyük,3, 4, 5 and possibly in some other Neolithic communities, domestic structures may have served as burial location for social units incorporating biologically unrelated individuals. Our results underscore the diversity of kin structures in Neolithic communities during this important phase of sociocultural development., Highlights • Genetic kinship estimated from co-buried individuals’ genomes in Neolithic Anatolia • Close relatives are common among co-burials in Aşıklı and Boncuklu • Many unrelated infants found buried in the same building in Çatalhöyük and Barcın • Neolithic societies in Southwest Asia may have held diverse concepts of kinship, Yaka et al. use ancient genomes from Neolithic Anatolia and present evidence for diverse concepts of social kinship in Neolithic societies. In some communities, like Çatalhöyük, many genetically unrelated infants were buried together inside the same buildings, whereas in other sites, people buried together were frequently close biological kin.

The genetic diversity of the Mediterranean swordfish (Xiphias gladius Linneus) has not been explored extensively at its easternmost range so far. In this study, modern X. gladius samples from the eastern part of the Mediterranean basin, north of the Aegean Sea (Aegean-2013, n = 26) and the Mediterranean coast of Turkey (N.Levantine-2013, n = 42) were studied genetically, along with ancient samples from Yenikapi excavation (n = 6). Partial mitochondrial DNA control region sequences (entire sequences, clade I and clade II) were evaluated spatially and temporally together with previously published sequences (Alvarado Bremer et al., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2005, 36, 169-187; Vinas et al., ICES Journal of Marine Science, 2010, 67, 1222-1229; Righi et al., Diversity, 2020, 12, 170) from the rest of the Mediterranean Sea. Pair-wise FST and pair-wise AMOVA tests showed that, in general, groups of eastern populations and western Mediterranean populations have not genetically differed from each other significantly nearly in the past 20 years. Therefore, the results direct reconsideration of previous descriptions of population sub-structure within the Mediterranean and support high gene flow throughout the region. On the contrary, the results of this study confirmed the existence of genetic diversity differences between western and eastern Mediterranean, with eastern being low. One-tailed permutation tests revealed that θ, which is directly proportional to long-term female effective population size (Ne), decreased significantly (P

Sheep was among the first domesticated animals, but its demographic history is little understood. Here we present combined analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear polymorphism data from ancient central and west Anatolian sheep dating to the Late Glacial and early Holocene. We observe loss of mitochondrial haplotype diversity around 7500 BCE during the early Neolithic, consistent with a domestication-related bottleneck. Post-7000 BCE, mitochondrial haplogroup diversity increases, compatible with admixture from other domestication centres and/or from wild populations. Analysing archaeogenomic data, we further find that Anatolian Neolithic sheep (ANS) are genetically closest to present-day European breeds, and especially those from central and north Europe. Our results indicate that Asian contribution to south European breeds in the post-Neolithic era, possibly during the Bronze Age, may explain this pattern.

Birand, Aysegul/0000-0001-9217-3627; Parvizi, Poorya/0000-0002-1282-765X WOS: 000430461100014 PubMed: 29399779 ObjectivesNorth Mesopotamia has witnessed dramatic social change during the Holocene, but the impact of these events on its demographic history is poorly understood. Here, we study this question by analysing genetic data from the recently excavated Late Iron Age settlement of Cemialo Srt in Batman, southeast Turkey. Archaeological and radiocarbon evidence indicate that the site was inhabited during the second and first millennia BCE. Cemialo Srt reveals nomadic items of the Early Iron Age, as well as items associated with the Late Achaemenid and subsequent Hellenistic Periods. We compare Cemialo Srt mitochondrial DNA profiles with earlier and later populations from west Eurasia to describe genetic continuity patterns in the region. Materials and methodsA total of 16 Cemialo Srt individuals' remains were studied. PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to obtain mitochondrial DNA HVRI-HVRII sequences. We studied haplotype diversity and pairwise genetic distances using F-ST, comparing the Cemialo Srt population with ancient and modern-day populations from west Eurasia. Coalescent simulations were carried out to test continuity for specific population comparisons. ResultsMitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes from 12 Cemialo Srt individuals reveal high haplotype diversity in this population, conspicuously higher than early Holocene west Eurasian populations, which supports the notion of increasing population admixture in west Eurasia through the Holocene. In its mtDNA composition, Cemialo Srt shows highest affinity to Neolithic north Syria and Neolithic Anatolia among ancient populations studied, and to modern-day southwest Asian populations. Based on population genetic simulations we cannot reject continuity between Neolithic and Iron Age, or between Iron Age and present-day populations of the region. DiscussionDespite the region's complex sociopolitical history and indication for increased genetic diversity over time, we find no evidence for sharp shifts in north Mesopotamian maternal genetic composition within the last 10,000 years. Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [114Z159]; METUMiddle East Technical University [BAP-07-02-2015-003] Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Grant/Award Number: 114Z159; METU, Grant/Award Number: BAP-07-02-2015-003

In this study, 182 male animals from 12 native sheep breeds, as well as Karacabey Merino and Karagül breeds of Anatolia, wild sheep Anatolian Mouflon (Ovis gmelinii anatolica) were used as the study material. Based on SRY and SRYM18 regions on the Y-chromosome, haplotypes of the populations were analyzed using DNA sequence analyses. The SRY region, A-oY1 allele was observed in all of the individuals studied. On the other hand, four different alleles corresponding to four Y-chromosome haplotypes were detected at the SRYM18 microsatellite region. Among native Anatolian breeds (n=143), H6 haplotype (80.41%), H4 haplotype (9.09%), H8 haplotype (8.40%) and H12 haplotype (2.1%) were identified. H6 haplotype was observed in all 16 individuals of Ovis gmelinii anatolica. Pairwise FST values based on haplotype frequencies were calculated for domestic sheep, and the highest FST value was observed between Karagül and Kıvırcık along with Karagül and Ovis gmelinii anatolica with pairwise FST value of 0.43202 (P

There are five (A–E) identified mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups (HPGs) in domestic sheep. In search of a quick and reliable HPG classification, three different molecular approaches were tested: the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method applied to mtDNA control region (CR), the single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) method applied to NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (MT-ND2) and to NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (MT-ND4) regions. The results were evaluated comparatively to elucidate their power in discriminating the sheep mtDNA HPGs. For this purpose, the HPGs of 622 domestic sheep all from Turkey, hence from the genetic diversity hot spot of domestic sheep distribution were examined using these three approaches. The HPGs for some of the individuals (n = 240) were also obtained based on CR sequences. The SSCP analysis of the MT-ND2 region (by identifying HPGs as A, B, C/E and D) exhibited higher discrimination power, sensitivity and specificity in HPG classification when compared with the SSCP analysis of MT-ND4 region and RFLP analysis of CR. In conclusion, to identify the mtDNA HPGs of sheep, and especially to identify the rare HPGs (D and E), first screening the individuals by MT-ND2 SSCP and then sequencing the CR of only those individuals revealing C/E HPGs (mixed strategy of genotyping) may be preferred when sequencing is not easily available.

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The wildcat Felis silvestris is a protected species in Turkey but the lack of information on its status is an obstacle to conservation initiatives. To assess the status of the species we interviewed local forestry and wildlife personnel and conducted field surveys in selected sites in northern, eastern and western Turkey during 2000–2007. In January–May 2006 we surveyed for the wildcat using 16 passive infrared-trigged camera traps in Yaylacı k Research Forest, a 50-km2 forest patch in Yenice Forest in northern Turkey. A total sampling effort of 1,200 camera trap days over 40 km2 yielded photo-captures of eight individual wildcats over five sampling occasions. Using the software MARK to estimate population size the closed capture–recapture model M0, which assumes a constant capture probability among all occasions and individuals, best fitted the capture history data. The wildcat population size in Yaylacı k Research Forest was estimated to be 11 (confidence interval 9–23). Yenice Forest is probably one of the most important areas for the long-term conservation of the wildcat as it is the largest intact forest habitat in Turkey with little human presence, and without human settlements, and with a high diversity of prey species. However, it has been a major logging area and is not protected. The future of Yenice Forest and its wildcat population could be secured by granting this region a protection status and enforcing environmental legislation.

In the present study, 12 microsatellite loci (ETH10, ETH225, ETH03, TGLA122, TGLA227, BM1824, BM2113, INRA23, SPS115, TGLA126, RM006 and BM1818) were evaluated for their possible use to confirm selected pedigree relationships between 7 bulls, their 21 male offspring, and their 64 second-generation female offspring within the progeny test started in Turkey. The nine loci (BM1824, INRA23, BM2113, SPS115, ETH10, TGLA122, ETH225, TGLA126 and TGLA227) recommended by ISAG displayed high values for the measures of informativeness (allele numbers, heterozygosity, polymorphic information content, frequency of the most common allele, and power of discrimination). When both parents are known calculated combined probability of exclusion was at least 0.999. Range of probability of paternity (POP) values were 0.814–0.9999. Except 3 cases (4.7%), the alleged paternity relationships were confirmed. To have a higher confidence in POP values new loci must be integrated into the set of 9 loci used.

In the evolutionary history of modern humans, Anatolia acted as a bridge between the Caucasus, the Near East, and Europe. Because of its geographical location, Anatolia was subject to migrations from multiple different regions throughout time. The last, well-known migration was the movement of Turkic speaking, nomadic groups from Central Asia. They invaded Anatolia and then the language of the region was gradually replaced by the Turkic language. In the present study, insertion frequencies of 10 Alu loci (A25 = 0.07, APO = 0.96, TPA25 = 0.44, ACE = 0.37, B65 = 0.57, PV92 = 0.18, FXIIIB = 0.52, D1 = 0.40, HS4.32 = 0.66, and HS4.69 = 0.30) have been determined in the Anatolian population. Together with the data compiled from other databases, the similarity of the Anatolian population to that of the Balkans and Central Asia has been visualized by multidimensional scaling method. Analysis suggested that, genetically, Anatolia is more closely related with the Balkan populations than to the Central Asian populations. Central Asian contribution to Anatolia with respect to the Balkans was quantified with an admixture analysis. Furthermore, the association between the Central Asian contribution and the language replacement episode was examined by comparative analysis of the Central Asian contribution to Anatolia, Azerbaijan (another Turkic speaking country) and their neighbors. In the present study, the Central Asian contribution to Anatolia was estimated as 13%. This was the lowest value among the populations analyzed. This observation may be explained by Anatolia having the lowest migrant/resident ratio at the time of migrations.

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is the largest carnivore in Turkey. Its present distribution is mainly confined to the intact natural habitats of the Black Sea and Eastern Anatolian regions. Forest fragmentation and direct persecution by humans have resulted in population declines in other regions during the last 50 years. Human–bear conflicts are more often observed in the eastern Black Sea than other areas within Turkey, but the species does not seriously threaten humans in Turkey. Turkish authorities have not kept records of bear damage, but depredation has mainly occurred on cattle and sheep. The brown bear has a more positive image among the local people than the wolf (Canis lupus). Brown bears are a protected species, but protected areas in Turkey are too small to provide a refuge for the species. Priority actions for the conservation of brown bears in Turkey are legislation development and implementation, research on population status and range, expansion of current protected areas, and iden...

The Turkic language was introduced in Anatolia at the start of this millennium, by nomadic Turkmen groups from Central Asia. Whether that cultural transition also had significant population-genetics consequences is not fully understood. Three nuclear microsatellite loci, the hypervariable region I of the mitochondrial genome, six microsatellite loci of the Y chromosome, and one Alu insertion (YAP) were amplified and typed in 118 individuals from four populations of Anatolia. For each locus, the number of chromosomes considered varied between 51-200. Genetic variation was large within samples, and much less so between them. The contribution of Central Asian genes to the current Anatolian gene pool was quantified using three different methods, considering for comparison populations of Mediterranean Europe, and Turkic-speaking populations of Central Asia. The most reliable estimates suggest roughly 30% Central Asian admixture for both mitochondrial and Y-chromosome loci. That (admittedly approximate) figure is compatible both with a substantial immigration accompanying the arrival of the Turkmen armies (which is not historically documented), and with continuous gene flow from Asia into Anatolia, at a rate of 1% for 40 generations. Because a military invasion is expected to more deeply affect the male gene pool, similar estimates of admixture for female- and male-transmitted traits are easier to reconcile with continuous migratory contacts between Anatolia and its Asian neighbors, perhaps facilitated by the disappearance of a linguistic barrier between them.

Two anchovy forms identified from their external morphology and designated as 'Silver' and 'Blue' anchovies were captured in Mersin Bay (Eastern Mediterranean Sea). Silver anchovy seemed to inhabit shallower waters (9-77 m) than Blue anchovy (majority at depths of 69-111 m). Significant differences in body shape, which was analyzed through geometric morphometrics, and in otolith shape, examined using Fourier analysis, separated the two forms. Length polymorphisms at two intron and 9 microsatellite loci showed strong genetic differences between the two forms. Mersin-Bay Blue anchovy were genetically related to Engraulis encrasicolus from the Western Mediterranean Sea. Mersin-Bay Silver anchovy possessed an original genetic composition that distinguished them from both E. encrasicolus and Engraulis albidus at the two intron loci, while presenting affinities to E. albidus based on microsatellite markers. Mersin-Bay Silver anchovy were assigned to the latter species, of which they are considered as a geographically isolated population. This is the first record of E. albidus in the Levantine basin and confirmation of its presence in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. These results have implications for the management of anchovy populations and their habitats. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [1080566, 1076066, 107T154, 106G005]; TUBITAK National Post-Doctoral Research Scholarship ProgramTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK); SeaDataNet-EU [026212]; UPGRADE BlackSeaScene-EU [226592] We are grateful to Dr. Yaisel J. Borrell for sharing microsatellite genotype data, to Dr. Dominique Ponton (IRD), Drs. Fusun Ozer and Dr. Devrim Tezcan (IMS-METU) for their help and advice, to Serdar Sakinan and other scientists who obtained and identified the anchovy samples, to Cihan Ayanoglu (METU) for running the Minitab programme, and to Allison Kideys (IMS-METU) for copy-editing the manuscript. This work was financed by the TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) projects: Small Pelagic Fishes (1080566), TARAL (1076066), TBAG (107T154) and KAMAG TURKHAYGEN-I (106G005). A.K. was supported by TUBITAK National Post-Doctoral Research Scholarship Program, SeaDataNet-EU FP6 (026212) and UPGRADE BlackSeaScene-EU FP7 (226592) projects.

The distribution of glyoxalase 1 (GLO1) phenotypes in eight geographical regions of Turkey was studied. The GLO1 * 1 allele frequency varies from 0.3630 to 0.4118, which is in good agreement with the previously estimated range of variability. Excess numbers of heterozygotes compared to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were observed in all regions. The reasons of this requires further investigations

The genetic structure of two brown trout Salmo trutta populations living in Lake Abant in Bolu and Uzum River in Antalya was determined by examining 15 enzyme coding loci (AAT, ADH, LDH, MDH, MEP, GPI, PGM and SOD) using starch gel electrophoresis. Population specific mobilities were observed for the fixed alleles of LDH-B2, mMEP-2 and SOD-1 loci. Polymorphisms in sAA T-4, GPI-B2 loci were observed within the populations. Average heterozygosity of Abant and Antalya populations was 0.0358 and 0.0224 respectively. For LDH-C which is the post glaciation marker locus, the ancestral allele *105 was found to be fixed in both of the populations. Nei's genetic distance between the two populations was 0.2507 which is the level of genetic distance often found between different species. This difference seems to be due to the presence of unique alleles in the LDH-B2, mMEP-2 and SOD-1 loci of the Abant population, indicating that the conservation of the Abant population and its heterozygosity is of prime importance.

To determine the genetic structure and variation of Van cats and some other cats, seven enzyme loci were examined using horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. ME bands were observed for the first time in cats. For the enzyme loci CA 1 , SOD, GPI, and GOT, neither the individual Van cats nor the specimens of other cat species exhibited any variation. These enzymes presented identical bands, all of which were homozygous. With respect to the PGD, ME, and ESD loci, however, genetic variation was observed in all of the cats. Hence, three of the seven gene–enzyme systems (43%) were polymorphic with two alleles, contributing to an estimate of average heterozygosity of 0.33–0.49 for the Van cats. PGD was the most discriminatory among the three polymorphic loci. The phylogenetic tree indicated that the Van, Persian, Turkish Angora, and Turkish Tekir cats are distinct from Siamese and Bombay cats.

This study aimed to investigate the compound effect of environmentally relevant 4-nonylphenol (NP) concentrations and natural stressors-namely fish predation and food availability-on Daphnia magna, which were exposed to four NP concentrations (0, 1, 5 and 10 mu g l(-1)) under optimum or low food concentrations (1.00 and 0.075 mg C l(-1), respectively) in water (un)conditioned by a fish predator (Alburnus alburnus). A(n) "environmentally relevant" and "no observable effect" concentration (NOEC) of NP (10 mu g l(-1)) resulted in a significant reduction (P < 0.01**) in daphnids' survival when it was encountered concurrently with conditions of low food availability and presence of fish predation. The significance of the results lies in the observation that not only environmentally relevant concentrations of NP but also NP concentrations reported to have no observable effect on daphnids may in reality have unexpected critical effects on D. magna survival under conditions more parallel to natural ecosystems. The deterioration of the life-history traits-namely, NP-induced delay in the age at first reproduction (P < 0.001***) and fish kairomone-induced reduction in the size at first reproduction (P < 0.001***)-of the D. magna individuals is also crucial, as such alterations could significantly influence future generations and result in ultimate adverse effects at the community level because large-bodied daphnids are key-stone species in freshwater ecosystems. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of taking into account environmentally realistic conditions while investigating the effects of NOEC levels of toxicants on non-target aquatic species.

Kangal and Akbash dogs are the two well-known shepherd dog breeds in Turkey. In order to contribute to the understanding of the genetic relationship between Kangal dogs, Akbash dogs and the dogs from different regions of Eurasia, 585 base pair (bp) segment of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region was sequenced from Kangals and Akbashes. Sequences of the Kangal and Akbash dogs examined in the present study were comparatively examined with those of previous studies on dogs. Consensus neighbour-joining tree with bootstrapping, which is constructed based on pairwise F-ST values between populations, indicated that Kangal dogs and Akbash dogs are on different branches of the tree. Furthermore, the nodes of these branches were supported with high bootstrap values. In conclusion, the present study indicated that Kangal and Akbash dogs might have descended maternally from different origins along the evolutionary history of domestic dogs. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We have determined the allele and genotype frequencies of six PCR-based genetic markers HLA-DQ alpha, LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8 and GC in the Turkish population (n = 361 for HLA-DQ alpha, and n = 260 for PM). All loci meet Hardy-Weinberg expectations. The frequency data can be used in forensic analyses in the Turkish population.

Steroidal hormones produced by humans and animals are constantly being excreted into the environment. It has been demonstrated that sewage effluent discharged to surface water contains natural estrogens and synthetic estrogenic chemicals. As estrogen levels continuously increase in the aquatic environment, it is very important to have a detailed understanding of estrogens’ effects on fish. In the present study, juvenile rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) were exposed to 17β-estradiol (E2) for 3 weeks and the effects of E2 on rainbow trout livers were investigated at the molecular level using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results revealed that E2 induced significant alterations in the liver tissues. A decrease in glycogen levels and protein concentration, and an increase in both the population of hepatic lipids, especially triglycerides, as well as the relative content of nucleic acids was observed in the E2 treated liver. In addition, a decrease in the membrane fluidity and an increase in lipid order were found in the cells of treated samples. In order to compare the effect of E2 with that of NP at molecular level, the fish were also treated with an estrogenic compound, nonylphenol (NP). The NP-treated fish liver spectra were found to be quite similar to those of E2-treated fish confirming that NP mimics the effect of E2 in immature rainbow trout.

Nonylphenol (NP) is a biodegradation product of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) belonging to the alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) group. APEs are widely used nonionic surfactants in detergents, herbicides, pesticides, paints, and cosmetics. The present work investigates the effects of NP on rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) livers at the molecular level using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The FT-IR spectra revealed dramatic differences between the NP-treated and control tissues, which mainly indicated that the level of triglycerides increased, the lipid order increased, and the protein concentration decreased in the treated samples. Moreover, it was also found that glycogen levels significantly decreased and the relative content of nucleic acids increased in NP-treated fish. The 17β-Estradiol-treated fish liver spectra were found to be quite similar to those of NP-treated fish. All these results implied that rainbow trout may offer considerable promise to be used as a bioindicator for NP in the future.

Alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEs) are widely used as nonionic surfactants. Nonylphenol (NP), one of the derivatives of APEs, has been found in the aquatic environment in ranges from nanograms per liter to milligrams per liter. In this study, juvenile rainbow trout were exposed to 0 (control), 66, 220, or 660 micro g NP/L for up to 28 days. Fish remained healthy under NP exposures of 0, 66, and 220 micro g/L for the length of the experiment. All fish died after 4 days of exposure to 660 micro g NP/L. Time-dependent NP bioaccumulation was detected in the tissues of fish exposed to 220 micro g NP/L (P0.05) and histopathological changes were observed in the livers of fish exposed to 220 micro g NP/L. Furthermore, an increase in the activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) was found in the liver of fish exposed to 220 micro g NP/L for 1 week (P0.05). There was an increase in GST activity in the liver of fish exposed to 66 micro g NP/L but it did not occur before 2 weeks of exposure to NP. The GST activity then decreased in a time-dependent manner in treatment groups, and this decrease was lower in the livers of fish treated with 66 and 220 micro g NP/L than in control fish after 3 weeks of exposure (P0.05). These results indicated that sublethal doses of NP were accumulating in the bodies of the fish and causing histopathological and biochemical changes in the livers of rainbow trout.

The involvement of the Y chromosome in sex determination was determined by the development and the application of techniques for karyotyping the mammalian chromosome in 1960s. There were many reports on the particular region of the Y chromosome, such as histocompatibility (H-Y) antigen, bandit krait minor satellite (Bkm) the zinc finger Y gene (ZFY) and the sex-determining region of the Y chromosome (SRY) which were believed to be the testis determining factors. However, converging experimental evidence have indicated that the sex determining region of the Y chromosome (sry) is the testis determining factor (TDF) in mammalian species since sex is determined genetically at the time of fertilization in these species. In non-mammalian vertebrates especially in fishes, amphibians and reptiles, genotypic sex can be overridden by the external application of steroid hormones and temperature. In this review paper, after reviewing the complex literature on the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of sex determination and differentiation in all vertebrates, the potential danger of environmentally induced sex determination will be focused on.

Alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEs) called environmental endocrine disruptors has been shown to accumulate in water around the world. In this study, the pollution level of alkylphenolic compounds was measured and quantified in water, sediment, and the tissues of fishes collected in two rivers, Sakarya and Degirmendere Rivers, Turkey. Butylphenol (BP) were detected in sediment samples at one sampling stations of both rivers with 1.68 and 3.15 μg/g sediment, while nonylphenol (NP) were detected with the amount of 4.46 μg/g sediment in one sampling station in Degirmendere river. Fish samples also showed the presence of alkylphenolic compounds in both rivers. The level of alkylphenol pollution in two rivers of Turkey was determined to be in the range of alkylphenol level reported in Europe but lower than that of in the USA.

The allele frequency of GATT and Mp6D-9 markers was investigated in 32 cystic fibrosis (CF) families. The GATT6 allele was found to be significantly associated with the delta F508 mutation. The Mp6D-9 allele 2/GATT6 haplotype was the major haplotype of the mutant alleles. Further analysis of CF alleles for population-specific mutations is underway so that a more direct approach can be taken, especially for families seeking prenatal diagnosis.

La grande teigne de la ruche, Galleria mellonella, est un parasite important des colonies d'abeilles domestiques et des reserves entreposees dans les rayons. Aussi, une methode de lutte non dangereuse pour les abeilles est-elle d'une grande importance economique pour les apiculteurs. Il existe divers procedes de lutte contre la teigne de la ruche, physiques, chimiques et biologiques, mais ils presentent tous des inconvenients. La pheromone sexuelle du mâle de la teigne est un melange de n-nonanal et de n-undecanal dans le rapport de concentration de 7:3.Finalement ce sont les 3 composes, octanoate de methyle, octanoate d'ethyle et decanoate de methyle, qui se sont montres efficaces en remplacement de la veritable pheromone sexuelle.Les meilleurs resultats ont ete obtenus avec l'octanoate de methyle

Information on large mammals in Turkey is limited, and widely applicable, reliable field methods need to be used to gather appropriate data for conservation and management. To evaluate local information on mammal species we conducted interview and ground surveys, followed by a camera trap survey, during January–May 2006 in Yenice Forest, a globally important and intact region for mammals in Turkey. Interviews with local people provided information on the occurrence of wolf Canis lupus, brown bear Ursus arctos, wild cat Felis silvestris, red fox Vulpes vulpes, Eurasian badger Meles meles, pine marten Martes martes, roe deer Capreolus capreolus, wild boar Sus scrofa and Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx. The ground and camera trap surveys confirmed the presence of all these species except lynx. In addition, the camera trap survey documented the presence of jackal Canis aureus and brown hare Lepus europaeus, signs of which were not found in the ground survey and whose presence was not known by local people. Local information on wildlife is important but management and conservation initiatives should not solely depend on such information and, as our study indicates, interview surveys cannot replace field research. The Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry needs to consider the establishment of a protected area large enough to secure the future of the large mammals of Yenice Forest.

The samples were collected from 168 unrelated Turkish individuals randomly selected from criminal cases. The DNA was extracted from fresh blood leucocytes and blood stains following the published methods (1,2). For each PCR mix 2-25 ng of DNA was added to the PCR mix. All the CTTV loci were amplified in one reaction tube. Amplification of multiplex loci was done with the help of GenePrint STR system CTTV kit in accordance of the manufacturer's (Promega Corp., Madison, WI) recommendations. Separations of the amplified alleles were performed by ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer. The exact test (3) for the presence of HardyWeinberg equilibrium was carried out by the TFPGA (4) program. Heterozygosity (5) values (expected and observed) for the populations were calculated by employing GENETIX (6) program.

Bu çalışmada on otozomal Alu ara-ilave polimorfizimleri (ACE, APO, A25, B65, Dİ, FXHIB, HS4.32, HS4.69, PV92 and TPA25) Anadolu'dan birbiri ile akraba olmayan yaklaşık 100 bireyde incelenmiştir. Alu ara-ilave polimorfizimlerinin insan evrimi çalışmalarında, diğer nükleer DNA polimorfizimlerine kıyasla birçok avantajı vardır. On Alu ilavelerinin Anadolu'daki frekansları hesaplanmış ve hepsi de Hardy- Weinberg (H-W) dengesinde bulunmuştur (p>0.05). Bu çalışmanın sonuçlarını daha önce dünya çapında yapılan çalışmaların sonuçlan ile birleştirerek, her populasyon çifti arasındaki genetik uzaklık (Nei'nin Da) hesaplanmış ve komşu birleştirme ağaçları çizilmiştir. Genel olarak, coğrafi olarak yakın populasyonlann genetik olarak da benzer olduğu görülmüştür. Temel öğeler analizi uygulandığında Anadolu'nun Avrupa grubunda olduğu bulunmuştur. Bu analiz sonucunda, FXIIIB, PV92 ve ACE değişkenlerinin populasyonlar arası varyasyonu açıklamada en çok katkısı olan değişkenler oldukları sonucu ortaya çıkmıştır. Ek olarak, ayrışım fonksiyonu analizi sonucunda ise, populasyon grupları için en ayırt edici genetik işaretlerin PV92, Dİ, ACE ve HS4.32 oldukları görülmüştür. Anadolu ve verisi mevcut olan bazı populasyonlar arasında ikili Fst değerleri hesaplanmıştır. Sonuç olarak, isviçre ve Fransız Akadyan populasyonları ve Anadolu arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamsız değerler elde edilmiştir. Son olarak, heterozigotluk ve merkezden uzaklık grafiği çizildiğinde, Anadolu ve Hindistan-Hindu populasyonlarının heterozigotluk değerlerinin Harpending ve Ward (1982) modeline göre beklenen değerler oldukları gözlenmiştir. Anahtar kelimeler: Alu ara-ilave polimorfizmleri, Anadolu, komşu birleştirme ağacı, temel öğeler analizi, ayrışım fonksiyonu analizi, Fst, heterozigotluk ve merkezden uzaklık. In the present study; ten autosomal human-specific Alu insertion polymorphisms; ACE, APO, A25, B65, Dl, FXHIB, HS4.32, HS4.69, PV92 and TPA25 were analyzed in approximately 100 unrelated individuals from Anatolia. Alu insertion polymorphisms offer several advantages over other nuclear DNA polymorphisms for human evolution studies. The frequencies of the ten biallelic Alu insertions in Anatolians were calculated and all systems were found to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p>0.05). By combining the results of this study with results of previous studies done on worldwide populations, the genetic distance (Nei's Da) between each pair of inpopulations was calculated and neighbor joining trees were constructed. In general, geographically closer populations were found to be also genetically similar. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed and Anatolia was found to be in the European cluster. As a result of PCA; it was concluded that FXIIIB, PV92 and ACE were the variables contributing the most to the explanation of the variation between the populations. Additionally; canonical variates analysis (CVA) concluded that the most discriminative markers for the groups of populations were PV92, Dl, ACE and HS4.32. Pair-wise Fst values were also calculated between Anatolians and some of the populations for which the data was available. It was concluded that, Anatolians have non-significant pair-wise Fst values with Swiss and French Acadian populations. Lastly, heterozygosity vs. distance from centroid graph was constructed and it was found that Anatolians and India-Hindu had exactly the expected heterozygosity value predicted by the model of Harpending and Ward (1982). Keywords: Alu insertion polymorphisms, Anatolia, neighbor joining tree, principal component analysis, discriminant function analysis, Fst, heterozygosity vs. distance from centroid. 116