‘On the rocks’: reproductive biology of the endemic toad Xanthophryne (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats,India

Xanthophryne is a toad genus endemic to the northern Western Ghats of India, with two extant sister species – Xanthophryne koynayensis and Xanthophryne tigerina. Both species are local endemics and endangered. We studied reproductive biology of these toads and found that they are specialized to the lateritic rocky outcrops at mid-elevations in high rainfall areas. Xanthophryne toads have sporadic, multiple spawning bouts lasting 2–4 days during early monsoon. In this explosive breeding behaviour, we observed male toads to engage in ‘pelvic thrusts’, a unique and novel behaviour among anurans. Females oviposit in shallow pools in depressions of lateritic boulders where their tadpoles metamorphose. These ephemeral rocky pools have limited resources and they desiccate rapidly with a break in the rains. To mitigate the stochastic risk of desiccation and subsequent large-scale egg/tadpole mortality, females may disperse their reproductive investment spatially and temporally in multiple clutches, and tadpoles metamorphose rapidly. Here, we describe the amplexus, spawning and male advertisement call, and provide a comparative account of the life history traits of the two Xanthophryne species. These toads face numerous threats and are in need of urgent conservation action. These toads, seemingly well adapted to the isolated rocky outcrops, offer an excellent opportunity to understand endemism, mating systems, anuran ecology and behaviour.     

Sur l'origine de l'hypoblaste chez les oiseaux

Summary In the hypoblast-deprived chick embryos, with the help of carbon particle marking and tritiated thymidine labelling, it was found that the regenerated hypoblast consists of the cells invaginated through the primitive streak and those derived from the germ wall.

---

---

Travail subventionné par le Fonds national suisse de la Recherche scientifique.

---

L'auteur a bénéficié d'une bourse fédérale suisse pour les étudiants étrangers.     

Properties of RNA containing bacteriophage f4

Résumé Les propriétés du coliphage f4 ont été étudiées. L'hydrolysat acide révèle une composition en acides aminées semblable à celle de f2. L'histidine est absente, et, en comparaison avec le phage f2, il y a un résidu additionnel de méthionine par molécule. L'analyse de la digestion trypsique a montré neuf peptides, comme celle de f2. Le RNA a des proportions équimolaires de bases. Par analyse sur colonne MAK ce RNA présente seulement un pic correspondant à la position de l'hybride RNA:DNA bactérien.     

Fatty acid composition of mycelium ofPenicillium chrysogenum grown in different carbohydrates as a sole source of carbon

Zusammenfassung Der bisher wenig bekannte Fettsäuregehalt in Mycelien wird untersucht.     

Peanut hydrolysate as a growth medium forVibrio cholerae (Ogawa)

Zusammenfassung Erdnuss-Hydrolysat eignet sich als wachstumsfördernder Zusatz zum Medium vonVibrio cholerae (Ogawa).     

Melanoma genome sequencing reveals frequent PREX2 mutations

Melanoma is notable for its metastatic propensity, lethality in the advanced setting and association with ultraviolet exposure early in life. To obtain a comprehensive genomic view of melanoma in humans, we sequenced the genomes of 25 metastatic melanomas and matched germline DNA. A wide range of point mutation rates was observed: lowest in melanomas whose primaries arose on non-ultraviolet-exposed hairless skin of the extremities (3 and 14 per megabase (Mb) of genome), intermediate in those originating from hair-bearing skin of the trunk (5-55 per Mb), and highest in a patient with a documented history of chronic sun exposure (111 per Mb). Analysis of whole-genome sequence data identified PREX2 (phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent Rac exchange factor 2)--a PTEN-interacting protein and negative regulator of PTEN in breast cancer--as a significantly mutated gene with a mutation frequency of approximately 14% in an independent extension cohort of 107 human melanomas. PREX2 mutations are biologically relevant, as ectopic expression of mutant PREX2 accelerated tumour formation of immortalized human melanocytes in vivo. Thus, whole-genome sequencing of human melanoma tumours revealed genomic evidence of ultraviolet pathogenesis and discovered a new recurrently mutated gene in melanoma.     

Life History of Western Ghats endemic and threatened Anuran – Matheran leaping frog, (Indirana leithii) with notes on its feeding preferences

The species Indirana leithii (Anura: Ranixalidae) is endemic to the northern Western Ghats of India and is distributed between latitudes 16°N and 21°N in this region. The tadpoles of this species have been previously studied for their morphology and feeding behaviour; however, their natural history is still not completely understood. In the current study, we provide information about the mating behaviour, egg laying and metamorphosis of the species. We observed that the species possesses reproductive mode number 19 as these frogs lay eggs inside the natural cavities of vertical rock surfaces near streams and waterfalls and their tadpoles are adapted for adhering to the wet rock surface, where they feed on algae (including diatoms) growing in seepage on the rocks. Interestingly, there is no audible calling or territory guarding involved during the courtship behaviour. This has been observed for the first time in any Indian anuran. We also provide data on food preferences of adults and tadpoles.