The Insects has been the standard textbook in the field since the first edition published over forty years ago. Building on the strengths of Chapman's original text, this long-awaited 5th edition has been revised and expanded by a team of eminent insect physiologists, bringing it fully up-to-date for the molecular era. The chapters retain the successful structure of the earlier editions, focusing on particular functional systems rather than taxonomic groups and making it easy for students to delve into topics without extensive knowledge of taxonomy. The focus is on form and function, bringing together basic anatomy and physiology and examining how these relate to behaviour. This, combined with nearly 600 clear illustrations, provides a comprehensive understanding of how insects work. Now also featuring a richly illustrated prologue by George McGavin, this is an essential text for students, researchers and applied entomologists alike.

The insects: structure and function.

The Immuno Polymorphism Database (IPD) was developed to provide a centralized system for the study of polymorphism in genes of the immune system. Through the IPD project we have established a central platform for the curation and publication of locus-specific databases involved either directly or related to the function of the Major Histocompatibility Complex in a number of different species. We have collaborated with specialist groups or nomenclature committees that curate the individual sections before they are submitted to IPD for online publication. IPD consists of five core databases, with the IMGT/HLA Database as the primary database. Through the work of the various nomenclature committees, the HLA Informatics Group and in collaboration with the European Bioinformatics Institute we are able to provide public access to this data through the website http://www.ebi.ac.uk/ipd/. The IPD project continues to develop with new tools being added to address scientific developments, such as Next Generation Sequencing, and to address user feedback and requests. Regular updates to the website ensure that new and confirmatory sequences are dispersed to the immunogenetics community, and the wider research and clinical communities.

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The IPD and IMGT/HLA database: allele variant databases

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/171/3973/757.full.pdf

Allelochemics: Chemical Interactions between Species

Influenza A virus reservoirs in animals have provided novel genetic elements leading to the emergence of global pandemics in humans. Most influenza A viruses circulate in waterfowl, but those that infect mammalian hosts are thought to pose the greatest risk for zoonotic spread to humans and the generation of pandemic or panzootic viruses. We have identified an influenza A virus from little yellow-shouldered bats captured at two locations in Guatemala. It is significantly divergent from known influenza A viruses. The HA of the bat virus was estimated to have diverged at roughly the same time as the known subtypes of HA and was designated as H17. The neuraminidase (NA) gene is highly divergent from all known influenza NAs, and the internal genes from the bat virus diverged from those of known influenza A viruses before the estimated divergence of the known influenza A internal gene lineages. Attempts to propagate this virus in cell cultures and chicken embryos were unsuccessful, suggesting distinct requirements compared with known influenza viruses. Despite its divergence from known influenza A viruses, the bat virus is compatible for genetic exchange with human influenza viruses in human cells, suggesting the potential capability for reassortment and contributions to new pandemic or panzootic influenza A viruses.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/109/11/4269.full.pdf

A distinct lineage of influenza A virus from bats

The IMGT/HLA database (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/imgt/hla) has provided a centralized repository for the sequences of the alleles named by the WHO Nomenclature Committee for Factors of the HLA System for the past four years. Since its initial release the database has grown and is the primary source of information for the study of sequences of the human major histocompatibilty complex. The initial release of the database contained a limited number of tools. As a result of feedback from our users and developments in HLA we have been able to provide new tools and facilities. The HLA sequences have also been extended to include intron sequences and the 3' and 5' untranslated regions in the alignments and also the inclusion of new genes such as MICA. The IMGT/MHC database (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/imgt/mhc) was released in March 2002 to provide a similar resource for other species. The first release of IMGT/MHC contains the sequences of non-human primates (apes, new and old world monkeys), canines and feline sequences. Further species will be added shortly and the database aims to become the primary source of MHC data for non-human sequences.

IMGT/HLA and IMGT/MHC: sequence databases for the study of the major histocompatibility complex

Cell cycles in the male accessory glands of mealworm pupae

Partial characterization of the D group proteins of the tubular accessory glands of Tenebrio molitor

Isolation and sequencing of the gene encoding Sp23, a structural protein of spermatophore of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor.

Small isolated populations often show lower genetic variability. Demographic bottlenecks lead to loss of genetic variation too. Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) have been isolated since the Pleistocene on Mednyi and Bering Islands (Commander Islands). In 1970–1980, the Mednyi population passed through a severe bottleneck due to a mange outbreak. Previous studies showed lack of genetic diversity in the contemporary Mednyi population that could be due to the long history of isolation and/or the recent bottleneck. To test both factors, we analyzed the mtDNA D-loop fragment and five microsatellites in pre-bottleneck Mednyi museum samples. Also, contemporary Mednyi, Bering and mainland Alaskan Arctic foxes were analyzed. Registered genetic variability in historical Mednyi was higher than in contemporary Mednyi Arctic foxes, but lower than in contemporary the Bering population. Our data confirms that the bottleneck reduced an already depleted polymorphism in Mednyi Arctic foxes. Lack of genetic variability could be a reason why the Mednyi population did not recover following the outbreak of mange.

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Historical and modern neutral genetic variability in Mednyi Arctic foxes passed through a severe bottleneck

SJB 133 is an isolate of a variety of Ceratocystis minor that is found in a Sporothrix imperfect state as an ectosymbiont of Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm. Within the mycangium (fungal transport pocket of the beetle), SJB 133 grows in yeast-like fashion. Cells contain prominent vacuoles which appear to bridge between dividing cells. Hypha-like transition cells are also present. In continuous culture on potato carrot agar, SJB 133 produces sympodial conidiophores. The resulting conidia are quite similar to the yeast-like cells in the mycangium and the conidiophores resemble some of the transition cells.

George M. Happ

Papers

Cell cycles in the male accessory glands of mealworm pupae

Partial characterization of the D group proteins of the tubular accessory glands of Tenebrio molitor

Isolation and sequencing of the gene encoding Sp23, a structural protein of spermatophore of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor.

Historical and modern neutral genetic variability in Mednyi Arctic foxes passed through a severe bottleneck

Bark beetle – fungal symbiosis. III. Ultrastructure of conidiogenesis in a Sporothrix ectosymbiont of the southern pine beetle