Effects of ocean warming and acidification on fertilization in the Antarctic echinoid Sterechinus neumayeri across a range of sperm concentrations

The gametes of marine invertebrates are being spawned into an ocean that is simultaneously warming and decreasing in pH. Predicting the potential for interactive effects of these stressors on fertilization is difficult, especially for stenothermal polar invertebrates adapted to fertilization in cold, viscous water and, when decreased sperm availability may be an additional stressor. The impact of increased temperature (2-4 °C above ambient) and decreased pH (0.2-0.4 pH units below ambient) on fertilization in the Antarctic echinoid Sterechinus neumayeri across a range of sperm concentrations was investigated in cross-factorial experiments in context with near future ocean change projections. The high temperature treatment (+4 °C) was also used to assess thermal tolerance. Gametes from multiple males and females in replicate experiments were used to reflect the multiple spawner scenario in nature. For fertilization at low sperm density we tested three hypotheses, 1) increased temperature enhances fertilization success, 2) low pH reduces fertilization and, 3) due to the cold stenothermal physiology of S. neumayeri, temperature would be the more significant stressor. Temperature and sperm levels had a significant effect on fertilization, but decreased pH did not affect fertilization. Warming enhanced fertilization at the lowest sperm concentration tested likely through stimulation of sperm motility and reduced water viscosity. Our results indicate that fertilization in S. neumayeri, even at low sperm levels potentially found in nature, is resilient to near-future ocean warming and acidification.

Design and evaluation of a grapevine pruner for biofungicide application

Eutypa lata is a significant grapevine pathogen with limited means of prevention and control. The biological control agent Fusarium lateritium can prevent E. lata infection if applied directly onto a vine pruning wound. F. lateritium was suspended and stored in an invert emulsion formulation. A commercially available pruning shear was modified to dispense the formulated F. lateritium onto the cutting blade for direct application onto the pruning wound simultaneously with grapevine cutting. The modified pruner was tested for its ability to cover grapevine pruning wounds using the emulsion formulation. Efficacy of formulated F. lateritium on pruned grapevine canes was also studied using the pruner for application. Addition of grooves in the pruning blade significantly improved wound coverage. Biological efficacy testing determined that applying formulated F. lateritium with the modified pruner was as effective as pipetting formulation directly onto the pruning wound.

The co-localization of stanniocalcin protein, mRNA and kidney cell markers in the rat kidney

Stanniocalcin (STC) is a glycoprotein hormone that was first discovered in fish and recently identified in mammals. STC immunoreactive (STCir) cells have been identified in rat kidney and there is also evidence that the hormone functions as a regulator of renal phosphate homeostasis. In the present study we have identified STCir cells and tubules in the rat kidney by correlative immunocytochemistry using antibodies to STC and specific antigenic markers (Tamm-Horsfall protein and anion exchanger-1). The cellular sites of STC gene expression were also identified by in situ hybridization. Correlative immunocytochemistry revealed that STCir was present in all proximal straight tubule cells, all cortical thick ascending limb cells, all distal convoluted tubule cells, and both principal and alpha-intercalated cells of the collecting duct system. On the other hand, in situ hybridization revealed that the STC gene was expressed only in cortical and medullary collecting duct cells. This suggests either that STC is being sequestered by segments that do not express the gene (making them putative targets of the hormone), or that STC mRNA levels were simply too low in these other segments to be detected by in situ hybridization.