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Sequence evolution in and around the mitochondrial control region in birds.

By cloning and sequencing 3.4 kilobases of snow goose mtDNA we found that the ND5 gene is followed by the genes for cytochrome b, tRNA(Thr), tRNA(Pro), ND6, tRNA(Glu), the control region, tRNA(Phe), and srRNA. This order is identical to that of chicken, quail, and duck mtDNA but differs from that of mammals and a frog (Xenopus). The mean extent of difference due to base substitution between goose and chicken is generally closer to the same comparison between rat and mouse but less than that between human and cow. For one of the nine regions compared (tRNA(Glu)), the bird differences appear to be anomalous, possibly implicating altered functional constraints. Within the control region, several short sequences common to mammals are also conserved in the birds. Comparison of the goose control region with that of quail and chicken suggests that a sequence element with similarity to CSB-1 duplicated once prior to the divergence of goose and chicken and again on the lineage leading to chicken. Between goose (or duck) and chicken there are four times more transversions at the third positions of fourfold-degenerate codons in mitochondrial than in nuclear genes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Topography, ultrastructure and phagocytic capacity of avian lymph nodes.

The structure of the avian lymph node (ALN) is characterized by a thin capsule, thin lymphoreticular cords, and an absence of trabeculae. It is not possible to subdivide the ALN into cortex, paracortex and medulla, or to subdivide the system of sinuses into marginal, trabecular and medullary divisions. The lymphoreticular cords contain avian germinal centers (AGC) with B-lymphocytes and the area of T-lymphocytes. Postcapillary venules are responsible for the recirculation of lymphocytes. Sinus reticular cells do not exist in the ALN, but free macrophages are present. The phagocytic capacity of the macrophages was determined by injection of vital dyes (India ink, Berlin blue) and inoculation with Candida cells. Macrophages filled with markers migrate from the lymph sinuses into the lymphoreticular cords and further into the AGC. The mobility of the macrophages is remarkably lower after phagocytosis of Candida cells.

Animals↗

Ultrastructural and cytological changes in the muscle fibers of the pectoralis of the giant Canada goose (Branta canadensis maxima) in disuse atrophy during molt.

Adult male Branta canadensis maxima were collected from a nonmigratory feral population during their premolt, molt and postmolt phases. Lean dry weight of the pectoralis muscle decreased significantly (p less than or equal to 0.0001) during molt, as a result of disuse atrophy. Histochemical analysis revealed that the region of the pectoralis muscle sampled consisted of Red (fast-twitch oxidative-glycolytic) and White (fast-twitch glycolytic) muscle fiber types, in an approximate ratio of 9 to 1. There was no significant (p = 0.1238) difference in the relative percentages of the two fiber types during the three periods of study. There was, however, a significant decrease in mean cross-sectional area of both Red (p less than or equal to 0.0194) and White (p less than or equal to 0.0001) fibers during molt. Red and White fiber areas were strongly correlated with each other during molt (r2 = 0.76, p = 0.0010) and postmolt (r2 = 0.70, p = 0.0052), but not during premolt (r2 = 0.02, p = 0.7626). The latter finding may be related to fiber-type specific hypertrophy in premolt breeding males. Analysis of ultrastructure revealed that there was a significant (p = 0.0003) decrease in the mean myofibrillar cross-sectional area, and a significant increase in both the density (p = 0.0227) and total number (p = 0.0058) of myofibrils within the muscle fibers of the molting birds. These results indicate that the myofibrils split longitudinally during molt-associated disuse atrophy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Avian locomotion activated by brainstem infusion of neurotransmitter agonists and antagonists. II. gamma-Aminobutyric acid.

The companion article (Sholomenko et al. 1991) described the brainstem locomoter regions in the bird where direct intracerebral injection of a number of putative excitatory neurochemicals, including cholinergic agonists, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and Substance P, evoke locomotion. Using the same experimental protocol, this study focuses on the locomotor effects following discrete brainstem injections of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and some of GABA agonists and antagonists. Brainstem regions that were electrically and chemically stimulated included the ventromedial medullary reticular formation, the pontobulbar locomotor strip of the dorsolateral pons and medulla, the pontine reticular formation, and the mesencephalic reticular formation. Locomotion was evoked after the injection of the GABA antagonists picrotoxin (a GABAA receptor antagonist) and bicuculline (GABAA antagonist) into several brainstem locomoter regions. Brainstem stimulated locomotion (both chemically and electrically induced) could be transiently blocked by intracerebral infusion of GABA and irreversibly blocked by muscimol (GABAA agonist). Our avian results are similar to those described for mammals and provide support for the suggestion that motor circuitry, at least at brainstem levels, is similar in all vertebrates.

Animals↗

The fine structure of the follicular cells in growing and atretic ovarian follicles of the domestic goose.

The structure of follicular layer of growing and atretic follicles in the ovary of the domestic goose, was studied by electron microscopy. In small follicles, the wall is lined with a narrow layer of tightly packed small, cuboidal cells separated from the thecal tissue by the basal lamina. During growth, they transform into tall, columnar cells arranged in a single row. The cells display several peculiar ultrastructural features. First, annulate lamellae are commonly observed. Second, cytoplasmic dense-cored granules accumulate in close association with fenestrated cisternae and networks of tubuli derived from the RER. They consist of spheres and strands of amorphous substance of unknown origin. Third, the cells contain many transosomes, a unique organelle of the avian follicle cell consisting of a dense plaque associated with ribosome-like particles. The mature forms of transosomes are located at the tips of lateral and apical cell projections, while bodies thought to be their precursors, are found in the apical cytoplasm. In follicles larger than 8 mm in diameter, most of the transosomes and their precursors have disappeared. Follicular atresia occurs in all of the size-classes of follicles investigated. A loss of transosomes (in follicles up to 8 mm in diameter) and an accumulation of lipid droplets, are the first atretic events detectable by electron microscopy. Morphologic features, including deep nuclear indentations, accumulation of lipid droplets frequently encircled by membrane whorls, dilation and disintegration of RER cisterns, swelling of mitochondria and accumulation of dense irregular masses of unknown origin in the cytoplasm, are taken as evidence for advanced degradation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Forebrain specialization and the olfactory system in anseriform birds. An architectonic and tracing study.

In anseriform birds the mediodorsal part of the rostral forebrain is covered by a corticoid (= layered) structure, establishing a unique feature of this avian group since in other birds the non-cortical accessory or dorsal hyperstriatum occupies the corresponding surface area of the hemisphere. The efferents of the olfactory bulb are shown to reach this region, which thus can be identified as a heavily enlarged retrobulbar area. The large expansion of this olfactory representation may indicate an important biological function. In comparison to the mammalian olfactory system the three stratified olfactory projection centers of birds should be regarded as retrobulbar, prepiriform and periamygdalar regions.

Animals↗

[Molecular aspects of high altitude respiration of birds. Hemoglobins of the striped goose (Anser indicus), the Andean goose, (Chloephaga melanoptera) and vulture (Gyps rueppellii)].

Respiration of birds at high altitude and the structural adaptation of avian hemoglobins are studied. Applying the method of the "minimal biological distance", hemoglobins of closely related species were sequenced and compared with each other. Physiological measurements and sequence data show that adaptation to hypoxic stress can be interpreted as exchange of one amino acid. The structural aspects of the genetical data are discussed on the basis of the atomic model of hemoglobin. High-altitude respiration is not a general characteristic of birds: the adaptation to high altitudes is the result of a specific mutation, thus distinguishing a species from its closest relatives in the lowland.

Altitude↗

Isoenzyme status and genetic variability of serum esterases in the lesser snow goose, Anser caerulescens caerulescens.

A maximum of 22 bands comprising four esterase subgroups--acetylesterase, carboxylesterase, cholinesterase, and acetylcholinesterase--were detected following electrophoresis of lesser snow goose sera on polyacrylamide gels. A minimum of seven structural genes was surmised to be involved in the biosynthesis of these enzymes following physiochemical characterizations. The genetic variability of these loci was calculated to be 1.25% average heterozygosity, while 14.3% of the loci were polymorphic. These estimates of genetic variability were substantially lower than those reported for other vertebrate species. The low degree of genetic variability found in snow goose serum esterases coupled with the extensive protein multiplicity observed may possibly reflect an adaptive strategy based on "biochemical plasticity" rather than genic heterozygosity for this species. The nature of evolutionary forces acting upon multiple enzyme systems such as esterases is discussed. The concept of "conditional neutrality" is introduced and defined within this context.

Animals↗

Total body thermosensitivity and its spinal and supraspinal fractions in the conscious goose.

1. Effects of general body cooling on heat production: an intravascular heat exchanger was used to alter total body temperature. Heat production increased with decreasing body temperature at an average rate of -12W/kg x degree C. The rate of rise was independent of air temperature. The threshold body temperature below which heat production rose was lower at higher air temperature. 2. Effects of spinal cord cooling: heat production increased with decreasing spinal temperature at an average rate of -0.3 W/kg x degree C. The rate of rise was not clearly affected by air temperature. The spinal threshold temperature was lower at warm ambient conditions. The results suggest that spinal thermosensitivity in the goose represents only a minor fraction of total body thermosensitivity. 3. Effects of head cooling: heat exchangers closing the carotid arteries were used to alter the temperature of the blood supplied to the head. Cooling increased heat production. When the thermosensitivity of the area, which was affected by heat exchanger, was calculated from the relationship between changes of heat production and brain temperature, values between -0.74 and -1.65 W/kg x degree C were obtained. Measurements of brain, spinal cord and head skin temperatures suggest that the thermosensitive structures which mediated the responses, were predominantly situated in the brain.

Animals↗

Experimental infections in chickens with Chilomastix gallinarum, Tetratrichomonas gallinarum, and Tritrichomonas eberthi.

Flagellates from the caeca of a diseased hen and a diseased goose were transmitted to 35 specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. The flagellates of chicken origin were identified as Chilomastix gallinarum, Tritrichomonas eberthi, and Tetratrichomonas gallinarum. T. eberthi was not detected in the material of goose origin. Morphologic studies did not reveal any differences between Chilomastix and Tetratrichomonas specimens from chicken or goose origin. The species from the goose were identified as C. gallinarum and T. gallinarum (Syn. T. anseris Hegner, 1929). Both trichomonad species produced pseudocysts that developed in the faeces of chickens within 3 h after excretion. Only 17% of the trichomonads excreted had reached the pseudocyst stage. All three flagellate species are infective to chickens when inoculated per rectum or per os or when consumed with chlorinated tap water. The prepatency period was always less than 24 h. SPF chickens between 2 and 30 days of age were equally susceptible. The infections persisted at a high level of intensity throughout the observation periods, i.e. up to 7 months. Of 35 inoculated SPF chickens, 2 developed disease (emaciation, ruffled feathers, diarrhoea, dilatation of the caeca). The three flagellate species were cultivated in Diamond's medium for 110 days. Cryopreserved and cultivated flagellates retained their infectivity to chickens.

Animals↗