Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Life Cycle”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 685 records · Page 38Linked to original sources

Life cycles and host-parasite relationships of Microsporidia in culicine mosquitoes.

Heterosporous (polymorphic) microsporidia in mosquitoes are characterized by intricate life cycles involving multiple spore types responsible for horizontal (per os) and vertical (transovarial) transmission. They affect two generations of the mosquito and some involve an obligate intermediate host. Heterosporous microsporidia are generally very host and tissue specific with complex developmental sequences comprised of unique stages and events. Full details on the intricate relationships between heterosporous microsporidia and their mosquito hosts have only recently been elucidated. Edhazardia aedis (Kudo, 1930) and Culicospora magna (Kudo, 1920) have developmental sequences in larvae that involve gametogony followed by plasmogamy and nuclear association to form diplokarya. These diplokaryotic stages then undergo karyogamy and form binucleate spores responsible for transovarial transmission. In the filial generation, haplosis occurs as a result of nuclear dissociation to produce uninucleate spores infectious to larval mosquitoes. Amblyospora californica (Kellen et Lipa, 1960) has similar sequences except that haplosis is by meiosis to produce spores infectious for a copepod intermediate host. A third spore type is formed in the intermediate host responsible for infection in a new generation of the mosquito host.

Animals↗

Life-cycle, longevity and fecundity of Blomia tropicalis (Acari: Glycyphagidae) in a tropical laboratory.

In the present study on the life-cycle of Blomia tropicalis, freshly laid eggs were observed until they developed into adults; the development periods between stages were recorded. The eggs took an average of 22.9 +/- 6.4 days to develop to adults. For longevity experiments, newly emerged adults were kept at 25 degrees C and observed until they died. There was no significant difference in longevities of the different sexes (p = 0.053). Production of eggs by mated females were monitored until egg production stopped and the female died. Mated females and males survived an average of 32.2 +/- 15.4 and 30.9 +/- 17.7 days respectively. The difference in longevity of the mated females, and males was not significant (p = 0.747). Longevity of the mated females was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) shorter than unmated females.

Animals↗

Description and life-cycle of Thrinascotrema brisbanica n. g., n. sp. (Digenea: Plagiorchiida), a parasite of the freshwater turtle Elseya latisternum from Australia, and the erection of the family Thrinascotrematidae.

A new genus and species, Thrinascotrema brisbanica, is proposed to accommodate a plagiorchiidan trematode parasitic in the stomach of the freshwater turtle Elseya latisternum. The distinctive taxonomic features of the parasite are the shape and extent of the excretory bladder, and the stenostomate arrangement of the excretory collecting ducts in the adult, cercaria and metacercaria together with a cercarial protonephridial formula of 2¿(12 + 12 + 12) + (12 + 12 + 12)¿. The life-cycle is three- host and aquatic. The pulmonate snail Glyptophysa gibbosa served as both a first and second intermediate host and tadpoles of Limnodynastes peronii, Adelotus brevis and Bufo marinus, and the snail Austropeplea lessoni also served as second intermediate hosts. Eggs were fully embryonated and infective when laid, but did not hatch until eaten by the snail. Cercariae first emerged 55 days after infection at 24-28 degrees C. They were sluggish swimmers and survived for about 48 hr. They attached firmly to the skin of snails and tadpoles on contact and began to penetrate the skin after a short exploratory migration. Metacercariae survived in snails and tadpoles for at least 3 months. It is concluded that Thrinascotrema is best placed within a new family, the Thrinascotrematidae (Digenea: Plagiorchiida), based on the unusual morphology of the excretory system.

Animals↗

Removal or maintenance of inositol-linked acyl chain in glycosylphosphatidylinositol is critical in trypanosome life cycle.

The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei is coated by glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins. During GPI biosynthesis, inositol in phosphatidylinositol becomes acylated. Inositol is deacylated prior to attachment to variant surface glycoproteins in the bloodstream form, whereas it remains acylated in procyclins in the procyclic form. We have cloned a T. brucei GPI inositol deacylase (GPIdeAc2). In accordance with the acylation/deacylation profile, the level of GPIdeAc2 mRNA was 6-fold higher in the bloodstream form than in the procyclic form. Knockdown of GPIdeAc2 in the bloodstream form caused accumulation of an inositol-acylated GPI, a decreased VSG expression on the cell surface and slower growth, indicating that inositol-deacylation is essential for the growth of the bloodstream form. Overexpression of GPIdeAc2 in the procyclic form caused an accumulation of GPI biosynthetic intermediates lacking inositol-linked acyl chain and decreased cell surface procyclins because of release into the culture medium, indicating that overexpression of GPIdeAc2 is deleterious to the surface coat of the procyclic form. Therefore, the GPI inositol deacylase activity must be tightly regulated in trypanosome life cycle.

Acylation↗

Use of zoospore concentrations and life cycle parameters in determining the population of anaerobic fungi in the rumen ecosystem.

An indirect approach to quantification of the fibrolytic anaerobic fungi in the rumen is described. A mathematical model of the life cycle of anaerobic fungi, based upon observations of the life histories and growth kinetics of these organisms in vitro and in vivo, is constructed and solved in the steady-state to determine the population of particle-attached (substrate-associated) fungal thalli from the concentration of free-swimming zoospores in rumen liquid. The values obtained are broadly consistent with ruminal observations and with observations on faecal populations, which assume that a significant proportion of fungi leaving the rumen (as cysts or spores) can ultimately be accounted for in the faeces.

Animals↗

Life in the puddle: behavioural and life-cycle adaptations in the Diptera of tropical rain pools.

Puddles of rain water on the surfaces of rock exposures are a little known but very common habitat for freshwater-dwelling animals. In Africa, these are inhabited by the larvae of two taxa of fly unique to these pools. One of these includes species able to survive dry periods in situ; the other includes species that must reach adulthood and migrate to survive periods when the pool is dry. Hence, the opportunity exists for a comparative study of adaptation among these species. Since puddles are small, our principal method in the study of adaptation has been the experimental manipulation of puddles and their faunas in the wild. Using this method we were able to identify the spatial consistency of pools and their unpredictable duration during the rainy season as the main selective pressure shaping adaptation. Adaptations include diapause and adaptive adjustment of the life cycle. It is the second of these that provides the focus of our interest here.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Identification of thirty-four transcripts expressed specifically in hemocytes of Ciona intestinalis and their expression profiles throughout the life cycle.

The innate immunity of ascidian hemocytes is considered to be a prototype of that in vertebrates. In this study, we identified as many transcripts as possible that were expressed specifically in hemocytes of Ciona intestinalis, a ubiquitous species of ascidian. Using a large-scale whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) technique and young adult specimens of C. intestinalis, 34 such transcripts were identified. Three of these appeared to encode immunity-related polypeptides, whereas 23 encoded hypothetical and/or new genes. Interestingly, different sets of transcripts appeared to be expressed in different subsets of hemocytes, as revealed by double-colored WISH. The 34 genes were categorized into two major subgroups based on their expression patterns during the C. intestinalis life cycle. Based on the gene expression profiles, we speculate that C. intestinalis hemocytes may exert more pleiotropic effects in immunity than previously believed.

Animals↗

Primary hemostasis during women's life cycle measured by Thrombostat 4000.

The Thrombostat 4000 was used to investigate primary hemostasis in women during different stages of their life cycle. Nonpregnant females were studied during their proliferative and luteal phases; pregnant women were investigated during their 28-35th weeks of gestation and some women between the ages of 70-84. Data were compared to those obtained from male volunteers injected with 40 mg estrogen. No significant differences between proliferative and luteal phases were found, but BT2 was prolonged in the elderly women. In the pregnant women extremely short BT2 values were measured. Shortening of BT2 was also seen in the males injected with estrogen.

Adult↗

A differential role for actin during the life cycle of Trypanosoma brucei.

Actin is expressed at similar levels but in different locations in bloodstream and procyclic forms of Trypanosoma brucei. In bloodstream forms actin colocalizes with the highly polarized endocytic pathway, whereas in procyclic forms it is distributed throughout the cell. RNA interference demonstrated that in bloodstream forms, actin is an essential protein. Depletion of actin resulted in a rapid arrest of cell division, termination of vesicular traffic from the flagellar pocket membrane leading to gross enlargement of the pocket, loss of endocytic activity and eventually cell death. These results indicate that actin is required for the formation of coated vesicles from the flagellar pocket membrane, which is the first step in the endocytic pathway. Although loss of actin in procyclic cells did not affect growth, the trans region of the Golgi became distorted and enlarged and appeared to give rise to a heterogeneous population of vesicles. However, the flagellar pocket was not affected. These findings suggest that trypanosomes have different functional requirements for actin during the bloodstream and procyclic phases of the life cycle.

Actins↗

Experimental induction of the two-host life cycle of Sarcocystis cruzi between dogs and Korean native calves.

Eight dogs were experimentally infected with Sarcocystis by oral inoculation of cardiac muscle from naturally infected cattle. The infected dogs commenced discharging of sporocysts in the feces after 10 to 12 days of inoculation, and continued until 20 and 35 days after inoculation. Three dogs were reinfected with cardiac muscle from the naturally infected cattle. Sporocysts reappeared in the feces on 12 to 13 days after reinfection. Sarcocystis sporocysts collected from the experimentally infected dogs were fed to each of the two 30-day-old Korean native calves. The infected calves remained clinically normal, except for the high fever (> or = 40 degrees C) and decreased hematocrit values on day 30 to 40 post inoculation. Muscular cysts of Sarcocystis were found from infected calves on day 40 post inoculation. Proliferative forms of Sarcocystis were also observed in the muscle of infected calves. These results suggest that the Sarcocystis cruzi found in Korean native cattle has a 2-host life cycle with dogs as the definitive host and Korean native calves as the intermediate host.

Animals↗

The rabbit coccidium Eimeria piriformis: Selection of a precocious line and life-cycle study.

Specific pathogen-free (SPF) rabbits were inoculated with oocysts of an original strain (OS) of Eimeria piriformis and the first newly developed oocysts recovered from the intestine were used for infection of other rabbits. The prepatent period (PP) was shortened after 12 passages from 194 to 170 hours and remained stable after 5 passages without any selection pressure. Oocysts of the precocious line (PL) exhibited peculiar morphology. Besides refractile bodies (RB) within sporozoites, one huge RB joined with a residual body was present inside each sporocyst. The parasite developed in the proximal colon and, to a lesser extent, in other parts of the large intestine. All stages were seen in the epithelium of crypts. In OS, four asexual generations preceded gamogony and, like in other rabbit coccidia, two types of meronts were observed: meronts of type A that develop into polynucleate merozoite, in which endomerogony takes place, and meronts of the type B that form uninucleate merozoites. The endogenous development of PL was identical with that of OS except for the last merogony which was absent. This resulted in earlier appearance of gamogony and shortening of PP. These observations of the life cycle of E. piriformis substantially improve on its description made 50-60 years ago.

Animals↗

Involvement of Manayunkia speciosa (Annelida: Polychaeta: Sabellidae) in the life cycle of Parvicapsula minibicornis, a myxozoan parasite of Pacific salmon.

A coelomic myxozoan infection was detected in freshwater polychaetes, Manayunkia speciosa from the Klamath River, Oregon/California, a site enzootic for the myxozoan parasites Ceratomyxa shasta and Parvicapsula minibicornis. The tetractinomyxon type actinospores had a near-spherical spore body 7.9 x 7.1 microm, with 3 spherical, protruding polar capsules, no valve cell processes, and a binucleate sporoplasm. Parvicapsula minibicornis-specific primers Parvi1f and Parvi2r amplified DNA from infected polychaetes in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The small subunit 18S rRNA gene of the spores was sequenced (GenBank DQ231038) and was a 99.7% match with the sequence for P. minibicornis myxospore stage in GenBank (AF201375). Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) exposed to a dose of 1,000 actinospores per fish tested PCR positive for P. minibicornis at 14 wk postinfection and presporogonic stages were detected in the kidney tubules by histology at 20 wk. This life cycle is 1 of only about 30 known from more than 1,350 myxozoan species, and only the second known from a freshwater polychaete.

Animals↗

Risk analysis, life cycle assessment--the common challenge of dealing with the precautionary frame (based on the toxicity controversy in Sweden and The Netherlands).

Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) and comparative risk assessment (RA) use the same building blocks for analyzing fate and potential effects of toxic substances. It is tacitly assumed that emission-effect calculations can give uniform and decisive answers in debates on toxicity problems. For several decades, mainstream policy sciences have taken a different starting point when analyzing decision making on complex, controversial societal issues. Such controversies in essence are thought to be caused by the fact that different actor coalitions adhere to a different, but in scientific terms equally reasonable, conceptualization or "framing" of the problem. A historical, argumentative analysis of the Dutch chlorine debate and the Swedish PVC debate shows that this is also true in the discussions on toxic substances. Three frames have been identified, which were coined the "risk assessment frame," "the strict control frame," and the "precautionary frame." These frames tacitly disagree about the extent of knowledge/ignorance about the impacts of substances, the robustness/fallibility of emission-reduction schemes, and the robustness/vulnerability of nature. The latter frame, adhered to by environmentalists, seeks to judge substances mainly on their inherent safety. Under the current institutional arrangements and practices, RA and LCIA are executed mainly in line with the philosophy expressed by the risk assessment frame. This article gives various suggestions for dealing with framing in debates on toxic substances. One of the options is elaborated in somewhat more detail, i.e., the development of multiple indicators and calculation schemes for RA and LCIA that reflect the different frames. An outline is given for a possible indicator system reflecting the precautionary principle.

Environmental Pollutants↗

Aploparaksis kornyushini n. sp. (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae), a parasite of the woodcock Scolopax rusticola (L.), and its life-cycle.

Aploparaksis kornyushini n. sp. is described from a woodcock Scolopax rusticola L. from Lithuania, Russia (Tver' Region) and the Ukraine. Initially, one specimen of this tapeworm was described and figured by Kornyushin (1975) as A. scolopacis Yamaguti, 1935 together with another specimens belonging to the latter species. A. kornyushini n. sp. and A. scolopacis are morphologically very similar species. They can be distinguished by the slightly different length of the rostellar hooks and by the shape of the cirrus, which lacks basal bulbus in the new species. A. kornyushini can be readily distinguished from the remaining species of Aploparaksis Clerc, 1903 from woodcocks by the structure of its fully-developed embryophore, which has polar thickenings and two large or a few smaller lateral projection; this combination of characters is unknown for embryophores other Aploparaksis spp. (except for A. scolopacis). The life-cycle of A. kornyushini was studied under experimental conditions in Lithuania. The metacestodes were located under the chlorogogenous tissue of the intestine of Dendrobaena octaedra (Lumbricidae). The metacestode exhibits a pattern of postembryonal development typical for the cysticercoid modification termed an 'ovoid diplocyst'.

Animals↗

Distinct trafficking and localization of STEVOR proteins in three stages of the Plasmodium falciparum life cycle.

The genome of Plasmodium falciparum harbors three extensive multigene families, var, rif, and stevor (for subtelomeric variable open reading frame), located mainly in the subtelomeric regions of the parasite's 14 chromosomes. STEVOR variants are known to be expressed in asexual parasites, but no function has as yet been ascribed to this protein family. We have examined the expression of STEVOR proteins in intraerythrocytic sexual stages, gametocytes, and extracellular sporozoites isolated from infected Anopheles mosquitoes. In gametocytes, stevor transcripts appear transiently early in development but STEVOR proteins persist for several days and are transported out of the parasite, travel through the host cell cytoplasm, and localize to the erythrocyte plasma membrane. In contrast to asexual parasites, gametocytes move STEVOR to the periphery via a trafficking pathway independent of Maurer's clefts. In sporozoites, STEVOR appear dispersed throughout the cytoplasm in vesicle-like structures. The pattern of STEVOR localization we have observed in gametocytes and sporozoites differs significantly from that in asexual parasite stages. STEVOR variants are therefore likely to perform different functions in each stage of the parasites life cycle in which they occur.

Animals↗

Stage-specific differences in fecundity over the life-cycle of two characterized isolates of the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica.

The variability inherent in different isolates of Fasciola hepatica has been evident from reports in the literature but to date there has been no systematic examination of the relationship between these differences and the fecundity of the parasite. In this study we have attempted to remedy this situation by comparing the relative efficiencies with which 2 well-characterized isolates of the liver fluke (Oberon and Fairhurst) progress through both their definitive and intermediate hosts. We did not observe a reduction in fitness in the Oberon isolate which has been reported to be triclabendazole-resistant, compared to the triclabendazole-susceptible Fairhurst isolate, but considerable inter- and intra-isolate variability at different life-cycle stages was recorded. Thus the Oberon isolate gave 4-fold the number of cercariae when 100 snails were each challenged with a single miracidium and was more successful in establishing productive infections in rats. Fairhurst metacercariae excysted at a higher rate than those from the Oberon isolate and Fairhurst flukes produced 4-fold more eggs. The extent of the intra- and inter-isolate variability revealed in this work will provide a basis for the development of models of population dynamics aimed at predicting the response of the liver fluke to changing environmental conditions such as the use of anthelmintics or climatic change.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

The venomous hair structure, venom and life cycle of Lagoa crispata, a puss caterpillar of Oklahoma.

The presence of a unique population of Lagoa crispata, puss caterpillar, in western Oklahoma is reported. A detailed microscopic examination shows the structure of the L. crispata spines resemble the type 4 spines described by [Kawamoto, F., Kumada, N., 1984. Biology and venoms of lepidoptera. In: Tu, A.T. (Ed.), Handbook of Natural Toxins, Insect Poisons, Allergens and other invertebrate venoms, vol. 2, pp. 291-332 (ch. 9)]. The major food source of L. crispata are the leaves of oak (shin oak). The high tannin content of this food source results in spine extracts high in oak tannins. These extracts have activity but enzyme and toxin activity is lost with time. The gel filtration protein fractions are colored from brown to yellow and are inactive as enzymes or toxins. No hyaluronidase, protease or phosphohydrolase activity is detected in these protein fractions. The life cycle shows these caterpillars have 6 instars. Characterizations and annual emerging times of each instar are included.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Methylation of chloroplast DNAs in the life cycle of Chlamydomonas.

Methylation patterns of Chlamydomonas chloroplast DNAs (chlDNAs) were examined in the vegetative, gametic, and zygotic stages of the life cycle. Restriction endo-nuclease fragment patterns produced by EcoRI, BamHI, Hpa II, and Msp I were compared; the last two cleave DNA at the sequence C-C-G-G, but Hpa II is blocked by prior methylation of the internal cytidine whereas Msp I is not. chlDNAs from vegetative cells of both mating types showed no evidence of methylation at C-C-G-G. Gametic mt+ chlDNA was heavily methylated at C-C-G-G, whereas the homologous chlDNA from mt- gametes showed very slight methylation at C-C-G-G. Methylation of additional sites in chlDNA from mt+ gametes but not from mt- gametes was shown by blockage of some EcoRI and BamHI sites that were cleaved in the chlDNA from vegetative cells. chlDNA from 6-hr zygotes was much more methylated than gametic mt+ DNA, as shown by its almost total resistance to cleavage by all four restriction enzymes. These findings support and extend previous evidence that chlDNA of mt+ cells is methylated during gametogenesis and that further methylation occurs after gametic fusion in the young zygotes.

Journal Article↗