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At least 1,369 records · Page 76

Mitovirus and Mitochondrial Coding Sequences from Basal Fungus Entomophthora muscae

Fungi constituting the Entomophthora muscae species complex (members of subphylum Entomophthoromycotina, phylum Zoopagamycota) commonly kill their insect hosts and manipulate host behaviors in the process. In this study, we made use of public transcriptome data to identify and characterize eight new species of mitoviruses associated with several different E. muscae isolates. Mitoviruses are simple RNA viruses that replicate in host mitochondria and are frequently found in more phylogenetically apical fungi (members of subphylum Glomeromyoctina, phylum Mucoromycota, phylum Basidiomycota and phylum Ascomycota) as well as in plants. E. muscae is the first fungus from phylum Zoopagomycota, and thereby the most phylogenetically basal fungus, found to harbor mitoviruses to date. Multiple UGA (Trp) codons are found not only in each of the new mitovirus sequences from E. muscae but also in mitochondrial core-gene coding sequences newly assembled from E. muscae transcriptome data, suggesting that UGA (Trp) is not a rarely used codon in the mitochondria of this fungus. The presence of mitoviruses in these basal fungi has possible implications for the evolution of these viruses.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

High-Density Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Linkage Maps of Lowland Switchgrass using Genotyping-by-Sequencing

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a warm-season perennial grass with promising potential as a bioenergy crop in the United States. However, the lack of genomic resources has slowed the development of plant lines with optimal characteristics for sustainable feedstock production. We generated high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) linkage maps using a reduced-representation sequencing approach by genotyping 231 F 1 progeny of a cross between two parents of lowland ecotype from the cultivars Kanlow and Alamo. Over 350 million reads were generated and aligned, which enabled identification and ordering of 4611 high-quality SNPs. The total lengths of the resulting framework maps were 1770 cM for the Kanlow parent and 2059 cM for the Alamo parent. These maps show collinearity with maps generated with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers, and new SNP markers were identified in previously unpopulated regions of the genome. Transmission segregation distortion affected all linkage groups (LGs) to differing degrees, and ordering of distorted markers highlighted several regions of unequal inheritance. Framework maps were adversely affected by the addition of distorted markers with varying severity, but distorted maps were of higher marker density and provided additional information for analysis. Alignment of these linkage maps with a draft version of the switchgrass genome assembly demonstrated high levels of collinearity and provides greater confidence in the validity of both resources. This methodology has proven to be a rapid and cost-effective way to generate high-quality linkage maps of an outcrossing species.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

The role of major gas-rich mergers on the evolution of galaxies from the blue cloud to the red sequence

With the aim of exploring the fast evolutionary path from the blue cloud of star-forming galaxies to the red sequence of quiescent galaxies in the local universe, we select a local advanced merging infrared luminous and ultraluminous galaxy (adv-merger (U)LIRGs) sample and perform careful dust extinction corrections to investigate their positions in the star formation rate–M {sub *}, u − r, and NUV − r color–mass diagrams. The sample consists of 89 (U)LIRGs at the late merger stage, obtained from cross-correlating the Infrared Astronomical Satellite Point Source Catalog Redshift Survey and 1 Jy ULIRGs samples with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR7 database. Our results show that 74%±5% of adv-merger (U)LIRGs are localized above the 1σ line of the local star-forming galaxy main sequence. We also find that all adv-merger (U)LIRGs are more massive than and as blue as the blue cloud galaxies after corrections for Galactic and internal dust extinctions, with 95%±2% and 81%±4% of them outside the blue cloud on the u − r and NUV − r color–mass diagrams, respectively. These results, combined with the short timescale for exhausting the molecular gas reservoir in adv-merger (U)LIRGs (3×10{sup 7} to 3×10{sup 8} years), imply that the adv-merger (U)LIRGs are likely at the starting point of the fast evolutionary track previously proposed by several groups. While the number density of adv-merger (U)LIRGs is only ∼0.1% of the blue cloud star-forming galaxies in the local universe, this evolutionary track may play a more important role at high redshift.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Stellar Variability at the Main-sequence Turnoff of the Intermediate-age LMC Cluster NGC 1846

Intermediate-age (IA) star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) present extended main-sequence turn-offs (MSTO) that have been attributed to either multiple stellar populations or an effect of stellar rotation. Recently it has been proposed that these extended main sequences can also be produced by ill-characterized stellar variability. Here we present Gemini-S/Gemini Multi-Object Spectrometer (GMOS) time series observations of the IA cluster NGC 1846. Using differential image analysis, we identified 73 new variable stars, with 55 of those being of the Delta Scuti type, that is, pulsating variables close the MSTO for the cluster age. Considering completeness and background contamination effects, we estimate the number of δ Sct belonging to the cluster between 40 and 60 members, although this number is based on the detection of a single δ Sct within the cluster half-light radius. This amount of variable stars at the MSTO level will not produce significant broadening of the MSTO, albeit higher-resolution imaging will be needed to rule out variable stars as a major contributor to the extended MSTO phenomenon. Though modest, this amount of δ Sct makes NGC 1846 the star cluster with the highest number of these variables ever discovered. Lastly, our results present a cautionary tale about the adequacy of shallow variability surveys in the LMC (like OGLE) to derive properties of its δ Sct population.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Time-sequence Spectroscopy of Epsilon CrA: The 518 nm Mg i Triplet Region Analyzed with Broadening Functions

High-resolution spectroscopic observations of the W UMa-type binary ϵ CrA obtained as a time-monitoring sequence on four full and four partial nights within two weeks have been used to derive orbital elements of the system and discuss the validity of the Lucy model for description of the radial-velocity data. The observations had more extensive temporal coverage and better quality than similar time-sequence observations of the contact binary AW UMa. The two binaries share several physical properties and show very similar deviations from the Lucy model: the primary component is a rapidly rotating star almost unaffected by the presence of the secondary component, while the latter is embedded in a complex gas flow and appears to have its own rotation-velocity field, in contradiction to the model. The spectroscopic mass ratio is found to be larger than the one derived from the light-curve analysis, as in many other W UMa-type binaries, but the discrepancy for ϵ CrA is relatively minor, much smaller than for AW UMa. The presence of the complex velocity flows contradicting the assumption of solid-body rotation suggests a necessity of modification to the Lucy model, possibly along the lines outlined by Stȩpień in his concept of energy transfer between the binary components.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Tidal Circularization of Binaries by Resonance Locking. I. The Importance of the Pre-main Sequence

Although tidal dissipation in binary stars has been studied for over a century, theoretical predictions have yet to match the observed properties of binary populations. This work quantitatively examines the recent proposal of tidal circularization by resonance locking, where tidal dissipation arises from resonances between the star’s natural oscillation frequencies and harmonics of the orbital frequency, and where resonances are “locked” for an extended period of time due to concurrent stellar evolution. We focus on tidal resonances with axi-symmetric gravity modes, and examine binaries with primary masses from one to two solar masses. We find that orbital evolution via resonance locking occurs primarily during the star’s pre-main-sequence phase, with the main-sequence phase contributing negligibly. Resonance locking, ignoring nonlinearity, can circularize binaries with peri-center distances out to ∼10 stellar radii, corresponding to circular periods of ∼4–6 days. However, we find resonantly excited gravity modes will become nonlinear in stellar cores, which prevents them from reaching their full, linear amplitudes. We estimate that such a “saturated resonance lock” reduces the circularization period by about a third, but resonance locking remains much more effective than the cumulative actions of equilibrium tides. In a companion paper, we examine recent binary data to compare against theory.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Discovery of Extended Main-sequence Turnoffs in Four Young Massive Clusters in the Magellanic Clouds

An increasing number of young massive clusters (YMCs) in the Magellanic Clouds have been found to exhibit bimodal or extended main sequences (MSs) in their color–magnitude diagrams (CMDs). These features are usually interpreted in terms of a coeval stellar population with different stellar rotational rates, where the blue and red MS stars are populated by non- (or slowly) and rapidly rotating stellar populations, respectively. However, some studies have shown that an age spread of several million years is required to reproduce the observed wide turnoff regions in some YMCs. Here we present the ultraviolet–visual CMDs of four Large and Small Magellanic Cloud YMCs, NGC 330, NGC 1805, NGC 1818, and NGC 2164, based on high-precision Hubble Space Telescope photometry. We show that they all exhibit extended main-sequence turnoffs (MSTOs). The importance of age spreads and stellar rotation in reproducing the observations is investigated. The observed extended MSTOs cannot be explained by stellar rotation alone. Adopting an age spread of 35–50 Myr can alleviate this difficulty. We conclude that stars in these clusters are characterized by ranges in both their ages and rotation properties, but the origin of the age spread in these clusters remains unknown.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Extended Main-sequence Turn-offs in Intermediate-age Star Clusters: Stellar Rotation Diminishes, but Does Not Eliminate, Age Spreads

Extended main-sequence turn-off (eMSTO) regions are a common feature in color–magnitude diagrams of young- and intermediate-age star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds. The nature of eMSTOs remains debated in the literature. The currently most popular scenarios are extended star formation activity and ranges of stellar rotation rates. Here we study details of differences in main-sequence turn-off (MSTO) morphology expected from spreads in age versus spreads in rotation rates, using Monte Carlo simulations with the Geneva syclist isochrone models that include the effects of stellar rotation. We confirm a recent finding of Niederhofer et al. that a distribution of stellar rotation velocities yields an MSTO extent that is proportional to the cluster age, as observed. However, we find that stellar rotation yields MSTO crosscut widths that are generally smaller than observed ones at a given age. We compare the simulations with high-quality Hubble Space Telescope data of NGC 1987 and NGC 2249, which are the two only relatively massive star clusters with an age of ∼1 Gyr for which such data is available. We find that the distribution of stars across the eMSTOs of these clusters cannot be explained solely by a distribution of stellar rotation velocities, unless the orientations of rapidly rotating stars are heavily biased toward an equator-on configuration. Under the assumption of random viewing angles, stellar rotation can account for ∼60% and ∼40% of the observed FWHM widths of the eMSTOs of NGC 1987 and NGC 2249, respectively. In contrast, a combination of distributions of stellar rotation velocities and stellar ages fits the observed eMSTO morphologies very well.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Spectral Sequences of Type Ia Supernovae. I. Connecting Normal and Subluminous SNe Ia and the Presence of Unburned Carbon

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are generally agreed to arise from thermonuclear explosions of carbon–oxygen white dwarfs. The actual path to explosion, however, remains elusive, with numerous plausible parent systems and explosion mechanisms suggested. Observationally, SNe Ia have multiple subclasses, distinguished by their light curves and spectra. This raises the question of whether these indicate that multiple mechanisms occur in nature or that explosions have a large but continuous range of physical properties. We revisit the idea that normal and 91bg-like SNe can be understood as part of a spectral sequence in which changes in temperature dominate. Specifically, we find that a single ejecta structure is sufficient to provide reasonable fits of both the normal SN Ia SN 2011fe and the 91bg-like SN 2005bl, provided that the luminosity and thus temperature of the ejecta are adjusted appropriately. This suggests that the outer layers of the ejecta are similar, thus providing some support for a common explosion mechanism. Our spectral sequence also helps to shed light on the conditions under which carbon can be detected in premaximum SN Ia spectra—we find that emission from iron can “fill in” the carbon trough in cool SNe Ia. This may indicate that the outer layers of the ejecta of events in which carbon is detected are relatively metal-poor compared to events in which carbon is not detected.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A Blueprint for the Milky Way’s Stellar Populations. IV. A String of Pearls—the Galactic Starburst Sequence

We continue our series of papers on phase-space distributions of stars in the Milky Way based on photometrically derived metallicities and Gaia astrometry, with a focus on the halo-disk interface in the local volume. To exploit various photometric databases, we develop a method of empirically calibrating synthetic stellar spectra based on a comparison with observations of stellar sequences and individual stars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the SkyMapper Sky Survey, and the Pan-STARRS1 surveys, overcoming band-specific corrections employed in our previous work. In addition, photometric zero-point corrections are derived to provide an internally consistent photometric system with a spatially uniform metallicity zero-point. Using our phase-space diagrams, we find a remarkably narrow sequence in the rotational velocity (v $\phi$ ) versus metallicity ([Fe/H]) space for a sample of high proper-motion stars (>25 mas yr -1 ), which runs along Gaia Sausage/Enceladus (GSE) and the Splash substructures and is linked to the disk, spanning nearly 2 dex in [Fe/H]. Notably, a rapid increase of v $\phi$ from a nearly zero net rotation to ~180 km s -1 in a narrow metallicity interval (-0.6 ≲ [Fe/H] ≲ -0.4) suggests that some of these stars emerged quickly on a short gas-depletion timescale. Through measurements of a scale height and length, we argue that these stars are distinct from those heated dynamically by mergers. This chain of high proper-motion stars provides additional support for recent discoveries suggesting that a starburst took place when the young Milky Way encountered the gas-rich GSE progenitor, which eventually led to the settling of metal-enriched gas onto the disk.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Complete genome sequence of the thermophilic sulfur-reducer Hippea maritima type strain (MH2 T )

Hippea maritima (Miroshnichenko et al. 1999) is the type species of the genus Hippea, which belongs to the family Desulfurellaceae within the class Deltaproteobacteria. The anaerobic, moderately thermophilic marine sulfur-reducer was first isolated from shallow-water hot vents in Matipur Harbor, Papua New Guinea. H. maritima was of interest for genome sequencing because of its isolated phylogenetic location, as a distant next neighbor of the genus Desulfurella. Strain MH2 T is the first type strain from the order Desulfurellales with a completely sequenced genome. The 1,694,430 bp long linear genome with its 1,723 protein-coding and 57 RNA genes consists of one circular chromosome and is a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Complete genome sequence of Nitratifractor salsuginis type strain (E9I37-1 T )

Nitratifractor salsuginis Nakagawa et al. 2005 is the type species of the genus Nitratifractor, a member of the family Nautiliaceae. The species is of interest because of its high capacity for nitrate reduction via conversion to N2 through respiration, which is a key compound in plant nutrition. The strain is also of interest because it represents the first mesophilic and facultatively anaerobic member of the Epsilonproteobacteria reported to grow on molecular hydrogen. This is the first completed genome sequence of a member of the genus Nitratifractor and the second sequence from the family Nautiliaceae. The 2,101,285 bp long genome with its 2,121 protein-coding and 54 RNA genes is a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Complete genome sequence of Mahella australiensis type strain (50-1 BON T )

Mahella australiensis Bonilla Salinas et al. 2004 is the type species of the genus Mahella, which belongs to the family Thermoanaerobacteraceae. The species is of interest because it differs from other known anaerobic spore-forming bacteria in its G+C content, and in certain phenotypic traits, such as carbon source utilization and relationship to temperature. Moreover, it has been discussed that this species might be an indigenous member of petroleum and oil reservoirs. This is the first completed genome sequence of a member of the genus Mahella and the ninth completed type strain genome sequence from the family Thermoanaerobacteraceae. The 3,135,972 bp long genome with its 2,974 protein-coding and 59 RNA genes is a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Complete genome sequence of Syntrophobotulus glycolicus type strain (FlGlyR T ).

Syntrophobotulus glycolicus Friedrich et al. 1996 is currently the only member of the genus Syntrophobotulus within the family Peptococcaceae. The species is of interest because of its isolated phylogenetic location in the genome-sequenced fraction of tree of life. When grown in pure culture with glyoxylate as carbon source the organism utilizes glyoxylate through fermentative oxidation, whereas, when grown in syntrophic co-culture with homoacetogenic or methanogenic bacteria, it is able to oxidize glycolate to carbon dioxide and hydrogen. No other organic or inorganic carbon source is utilized by S. glycolicus. The subdivision of the family Peptococcaceae into genera does not reflect the natural relationships, particularly regarding the genera most closely related to Syntrophobotulus. Both Desulfotomaculum and Pelotomaculum are paraphyletic assemblages, and the taxonomic classification is in significant conflict with the 16S rRNA data. S. glycolicus is already the ninth member of the family Peptococcaceae with a completely sequenced and publicly available genome. The 3,406,739 bp long genome with its 3,370 protein-coding and 69 RNA genes is a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Complete genome sequence of the gliding freshwater bacterium Fluviicola taffensis type strain (RW262 T )

Fluviicola taffensis O'Sullivan et al. 2005 belongs to the monotypic genus Fluviicola within the family Cryomorphaceae. The species is of interest because of its isolated phylogenetic location in the genome-sequenced fraction of the tree of life. Strain RW262(T) forms a monophyletic lineage with uncultivated bacteria represented in freshwater 16S rRNA gene libraries. A similar phylogenetic differentiation occurs between freshwater and marine bacteria in the family Flavobacteriaceae, a sister family to Cryomorphaceae. Most remarkable is the inability of this freshwater bacterium to grow in the presence of Na(+) ions. All other genera in the family Cryomorphaceae are from marine habitats and have an absolute requirement for Na(+) ions or natural sea water. F. taffensis is the first member of the family Cryomorphaceae with a completely sequenced and publicly available genome. The 4,633,577 bp long genome with its 4,082 protein-coding and 49 RNA genes is a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Complete genome sequence of Tolumonas auensis type strain (TA 4T)

Tolumonas auensis (Fischer-Romero et al. 1996) is currently the only validly named species of the genus Tolumonas in the family Aeromonadaceae. The strain is of interest because of its ability to produce toluene from phenylalanine and other phenyl precursors, as well as phenol from tyrosine. This is of interest because toluene is normally considered to be a tracer of anthropogenic pollution in lakes, but T. auensis represents a biogenic source of toluene. Other than Aeromonas hydrophila subsp. hydrophila, T. auensis strain TA 4T is the only other member in the family Aeromonadaceae with a completely sequenced type-strain genome. The 3,471,292-bp chromosome with a total of 3,288 protein-coding and 116 RNA genes was sequenced as part of the DOE Joint Genome Institute Program JBEI 2008.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Complete genome sequence of Serratia plymuthica strain AS12

A plant associated member of the family Enterobacteriaceae, Serratia plymuthica strain AS12 was isolated from rapeseed roots. It is of scientific interest due to its plant growth promoting and plant pathogen inhibiting ability. The genome of S. plymuthica AS12 comprises a 5,443,009 bp long circular chromosome, which consists of 4,952 protein-coding genes, 87 tRNA genes and 7 rRNA operons. This genome was sequenced within the 2010 DOE-JGI Community Sequencing Program (CSP2010) as part of the project entitled 'Genomics of four rapeseed plant growth promoting bacteria with antagonistic effect on plant pathogens'.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Complete genome sequence of Dehalogenimonas lykanthroporepellens type strain (BL-DC-9T) and comparison to Dehalococcoides strains

Dehalogenimonas lykanthroporepellens is the type species of the genus Dehalogenimonas, which belongs to a deeply branching lineage within the phylum Chloroflexi. This strictly anaerobic, mesophilic, non spore forming, Gram negative staining bacterium was first isolated from chlorinated solvent contaminated groundwater at a Superfund site located near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. D. lykanthroporepellens was of interest for genome sequencing for two reasons: (a) its unusual ability to couple growth with reductive dechlorination of environmentally important polychlorinated aliphatic alkanes and (b) its phylogenetic position distant from previously sequenced bacteria. The 1,686,510 bp circular chromosome of strain BL-DC-9{sup T} contains 1,720 predicted protein coding genes, 47 tRNA genes, a single large subunit rRNA (23S-5S) locus, and a single, orphan, small unit rRNA (16S) locus.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗