Presence of abnormal otoliths in hallucinogenic fish and their comparison with normal otoliths using light and scanning electron digital imaging.

The otolith organs located in the inner ear of the fish are responsible for vital activities such as balance and hearing. Abnormalities in these organs can adversely affect the vital activities of the fish species. The main purpose of the study is to analyze the abnormalities in the otoliths of Sarpa salpa, known as the hallucinogenic fish. For that, 372 individuals of S. salpa are collected from the North Aegean Sea. As a result of the abnormality analyses in S. salpa otoliths, anomalies were detected such as various prominence structures on the surface of the otolith caused by accumulation and a more transparent appearance due to the different crystal structures in some parts of the otolith. These abnormalities were found in the left and/or right otoliths of male and female individuals in different total lengths. The percentage of individuals with abnormal otoliths of S. salpa is calculated as 52.42%. It was determined that there are statistical differences between the left and right otolith measurements of male and female individuals with abnormal and normal otoliths(p < 0.05). There is no relationship between the percentage of individuals showing abnormality and total length and sex. The current study presents for the first time abnormal otolith information on left and right otoliths in male and female S. salpa. It is thought that abnormalities in hallucinogenic fish otoliths could be related to genetic predisposition as well as stress due to nutritional preference, pollutants, and environmental factors. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The presence of abnormalities in the otoliths of Sarpa salpa, a hallucinogenic fish, was revealed for the first time. Abnormalities in the otoliths of S. salpa were identified, such as the presence of various prominence structures on the otolith's surface, loss of parts as well as a more transparent appearance in the outlines or surface of the otolith. Normal and abnormal otoliths of female and male hallucinogenic fish from different size groups were examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. Abnormality detected in the otoliths of hallucinogenic fish is not related to the gender and size of the fish.

Prevalence of PKD1 gene mutation in cats in Turkey and pathogenesis of feline polycystic kidney disease.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one of the most common hereditary diseases in cats, with high prevalence in Persian and Persian-related cats. PKD is caused mainly by an inherited autosomal dominant (AD) mutation, and animals may be asymptomatic for years. We screened 16 cats from various breeds exhibiting a renal abnormality by ultrasound examination and genotyped them for the c.10063C>A transversion on exon 29 of the polycystin-1 (PKD1) gene, by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Among these cats, a Siamese nuclear family of 4 cats with ancestral hereditary renal failure were screened by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to determine novel variations in genes associated with both AD and autosomal recessive PKD in humans. During the study period, one cat died as a result of renal failure and was forwarded for autopsy. Additionally, we screened 294 cats asymptomatic for renal disease (Angora, Van, Persian, Siamese, Scottish Fold, Exotic Shorthair, British Shorthair, and mixed breeds) to determine the prevalence of the mutation in cats in Turkey. Ten of the symptomatic and 2 of the asymptomatic cats carried the heterozygous C → A transversion, indicating a prevalence of 62.5% and 0.68%, respectively. In the WGS analysis of 4 cats in the Siamese nuclear family, novel variations were determined in the fibrocystin gene (PKHD1), which was not compatible with dominant inheritance of PKD.

Genetic Characterization of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis Population in Turkey.

The pathogenic gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Smith) Davis et al. is the most harmful bacterium to tomatoes in many countries with a cooler climate. Multilocus sequence analysis was performed on five housekeeping genes (bipA, gyrB, kdpA, ligA, and sdhA) and three virulence-related genes (ppaA, chpC, and tomA) to determine evolutionary relationships and population structure of 108 C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains collected from Turkey between 1996 and 2012. Based on these analyses, we concluded that C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in Turkey is highly uniform. However, at least four novel C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains were recently introduced, possibly at the beginning of the 1990s. The singletons might point to additional sources or to strains that have evolved locally in Turkey.

Bacterial Canker of Tomato: Current Knowledge of Detection, Management, Resistance, and Interactions.

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis is the causal agent of bacterial canker of tomato. The disease was first described in 1910 in Michigan, USA. C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (from now on called clavibacter) was initially thought to be a phloem parasite, but was later found to be a xylem-invading bacterium. The host range comprises mainly solanaceous crops such as tomato, pepper, and eggplant. Strains show great variability in virulence and are usually described as being hypervirulent, hypovirulent, or nonvirulent. Clavibacter lacks a type III secretion system, and only a few virulence factors have been experimentally determined from the many putative virulence factors. As the molecular mode of infection by clavibacter is unknown, researchers have avoided intensive work on this organism. Genetic plant mechanisms conferring resistance to clavibacter are apparently complex, and breeders have yet to develop disease-resistant cultivars.