A new reliable reference gene UBA52 for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction studies in pyloric cecal tissues of the starfish Asterias rubens.

The starfish Asterias rubens is one of the most abundant echinoderm species in the White, Barents, North, and Baltic Seas. This species is an important component of marine ecosystems and a model object for certain biological studies, in particular those requiring quantitative estimation of gene expression. As a rule, expression at the transcriptional level is estimated by real-time qPCR using the ΔΔCt method, which allows the comparison of the copy number of target gene transcripts in samples with unknown mRNA/cDNA concentration. Application of this method requires normalization of the results relative to genes with stable expression levels (reference genes). The identification of reference genes is still a challenging task since data of this kind are missing for certain taxa, whereas the use of "standard" endogenous control genes without additional tests might lead to erroneous conclusions. We performed a preliminary analysis of the expression of many housekeeping genes in the pyloric ceca of A. rubens by high-throughput sequencing under normal and heat shock conditions. For one of them, the ubiquitin gene UBA52, low variation of expression (not greater than 2-fold) was shown using real-time qPCR. Tissues of pyloric ceca of normal adults and underyearlings and of adults after heat shock were used. The data obtained suggest that the UBA52 gene may be used as reference for normalization of gene expression at the mRNA level in the starfish A. rubens and probably in closely related species.

[Molecular phylogeny of gastrotricha based on 18S rRNA genes comparison: rejection of hypothesis of relatedness with nematodes].

Gastrotrichs are meiobenthic free-living aquatic worms whose phylogenetic and intra-group relationships remain unclear despite some attempts to resolve them on the base of morphology or molecules. In this study we analysed complete sequences of the 18S rRNA gene of 15 taxa (8 new and 7 published) to test numerous hypotheses on gastrotrich phylogeny and to verify whether controversial interrelationships from previous molecular data could be due to the short region available for analysis and the poor taxa sampling. Data were analysed using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Results obtained suggest that gastrotrichs, together with Gnathostomulida, Plathelminthes, Syndermata (Rotifera + Acanthocephala), Nemertea and Lophotrochozoa, comprise a clade Spiralia. Statistical tests reject phylogenetic hypotheses regarding Gastrotricha as close relatives of Nematoda and other Ecdysozoa or placing them at the base of bilaterian tree close to acoels and nemertodermatides. Within Gastrotricha, Chaetonotida and Macrodasyida comprise two well supported clades. Our analysis confirmed the monophyly of the Chaetonotidae and Xenotrichulidae within Chaetonida as well as Turbanellidae and Thaumastodermatidae within Macrodasyida. Mesodasys is a sister group of the Turbanellidae, and Lepidodasyidae appears to be a polyphyletic group as Cephalodasys forms a separate lineage at the base of macrodasyids, whereas Lepidodasys groups with Neodasys between Thaumastodermatidae and Turbanellidae. To infer a more reliable Gastrotricha phylogeny many species and additional genes should be involved in future analyses.

[Nuclei in the plasmodium of Intoshia variabili (Orthonectida) as revealed by DAPI staining]. / Vyiavlenie iader plazmodiia Intoshia variabili (Orthonectida) metodom DAPI okrashivaniia.

DAPI staining of wholeamounts was used to reveal the parasitic plasmodium of the orthonectid Intoshia variabili in its host, the turbellarian Macrorhynchus crocea. The nuclei of the parasite differ drastically from those of the host in size, morphology, and the estimated DNA content. Our findings indirectly support the idea that the orthonectid plasmodium is a distinct parasitic organism, rather than modified host cells.