Navegando por Assunto "DNA mitocondrial"

Agora exibindo 1 - 20 de 23

Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Alterações mitocondriais e tumorigênese de câncer gástrico em Sapajus apella
(Universidade Federal do Pará, 2018-06-15) ANTUNES, Symara Rodrigues; BORGES, Bárbara do Nascimento; http://lattes.cnpq.br/0676220027193876
Cancer is the name given to a variety of diseases that can occur in different regions of the body, which is characterized primarily by the deregulated proliferation of cells. A very important organelle in both normal and mutated cells is mitochondria, responsible for most of the ATP production in the cell. Mutations in mitochondrial DNA can lead to apoptosis or influence the efficiency of ATP formation. Considering several different estimates, gastric cancer still in the five most incidental in world population, as well as in Brazilian and local population. In this way, understanding tumor behavior becomes important for fight against this pathology. With this, the objective of the present work was to analyze presence of mitochondrial DNA alterations of gastric carcinoma lines implanted in an animal model. Four mitochondrial genes (COI, ATPase 8, ND1 and ND3) from four gastric cancer strains (AGP01, ACP02, ACP03 and PG100) and one control (Carcinossarcoma 256 from Walker) were analyzed to evaluate possible mitochondrial DNA mutations. These strains were inoculated in non-human primates of the Sapajus apella species, and some animals received the carcinogenic substance N-methyl-N-nitrosurea (MNU) concomitantly with the strains. The gastric tumors that developed in the animals were surgically removed, after which DNA extraction, amplification and sequencing of the sequences of interest were done. Changes were observed in the ND1 and ND3 genes. The two transitions found in ND1, one at position 3594 (CT) and 3693 (GA) of mitochondrial DNA, had no associated pathological record and were related to population markers. The AG transition at position 10398 of the ND3 gene resulted in the change from one threonine to alanine in the resulting amino acid, only in lines with more aggressive behavior or after MNU administration. Two heteroplasms were also identified in the ND1 gene at positions 3594 (C / T) and 3693 (A / G) only in the PG100 line after MNU, suggesting a difference in the DNA repair system of this line compared to the others. The results suggest that changes in the genes encoding proteins that participate in Complex I of the respiratory chain are more frequent than in other portions of the mtDNA in the analyzed gastric carcinoma strains.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Análises moleculares da região controle do DNA mitocondrial de astrocitomas na população paraense
(Universidade Federal do Pará, 2012-06-06) COSTA JÚNIOR, Carlos Antonio da; ANSELMO, Nilson Praia; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6518287721873199
The central nervous system cancer represents 2% of all malignancies in the world population and 23% of cases of childhood cancer. In Brazil, an estimated 4,820 cases of cancer in men and women in 4450 to the year 2012. Gliomas are tumors of the central nervous system formed from glial cells, making up over 70% of brain tumors. The most important property of gliomas is the ability of immune evasion. Age, ethnicity, gender and occupation may be considered risk factors for the development of gliomas, and are twice as common in African-Americans. The astrocytoma is the most common glial tumor, constituting about 75% of cases of gliomas. These tumors are classified into four levels according to the World Health Organization. Mitochondrial DNA is related to the development and progression of various types of tumors. Mitochondrion is responsible for cellular energy balance and is involved in triggering apoptosis responding to oxidative stress. Mutations in DLOOP can change DNA replication rates and increase the developing cancer risk. We analyzed 29 samples astrocytoma classified according to the WHO. Our data suggest that low-grade astrocytomas may be related to genetic inheritance, making some patients with specific mutations or polymorphisms more susceptible to the risk of developing the disease, and high grade may be related to prolonged exposure to carcinogenics. Polymorphisms and mutations have been identified which correlate with some risk of developing astrocytomas and disease progression. The insertion of two or more nucleotides at microsatellite regions may cause instability and contribute to the cancer onset. Deletion at the site 16132 may be a high-grade astrocytoma marker, as well as insertion of two or more cytosines to the site 16190 can be an astrocytoma specific marker. Heteroplasmy may be decisive for the emergence and / or progression of high-grade astrocytomas.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Aplicação de redes neurais artificiais na classificação de padrões filogeográficos com base na variabilidade genômica do DNA mitocondrial
(Universidade Federal do Pará, 2007-12-20) GOMES, Larissa Luz; SANTOS, Ândrea Kely Campos Ribeiro dos; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3899534338451625; OLIVEIRA, Roberto Célio Limão de; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4497607460894318
Historically, the process of formation of the populations of the Amazon, as well as from all Brazilian territory, involved three main ethnic groups: the Amerindian, European and African. As a result, these populations have in general admixed constitution the point of view of social and biological. Since the end of the last century, studies of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been developed for the purpose of estimating the mixture inter present in these populations. For this, it is of fundamental importance classification of a particular strain of mtDNA in one of more than 250 haplogroups/sub-clades proposed in the literature. With the goal of developing an automated system, precise and accurate classification of the sequences (strains) of mtDNA, this has worked hand of the art of Artificial Neural Networks (RNAs) on the basis of the studies of Philogeography. For this classification, four networks have been developed artificial neural direct, with multiple layers and the learning algorithm to backpropagation. The entries of each network equivalent positions at nucleotide polymorphic region's hipervariable of mitochondrial DNA, which returned as output classification specific to each lineage. Subsequent to the training, all the networks had indices of adjustment of 100%, demonstrating that the technique of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) can be used, with success, in the classification of standards Philogeography based on mitochondrial DNA.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Avaliação da integridade genômica mitocondrial em gliomas de alto e baixo grau na população paraense
(Universidade Federal do Pará, 2016-12-14) COSTA JÚNIOR, Carlos Antonio da; BORGES, Bárbara do Nascimento; http://lattes.cnpq.br/0676220027193876
Cancer is characterized by fast abnormal cells proliferation which grow beyond their normal limits and may invade adjacent or distant tissue. Cancer CNS represents 2% of all cancers in the world, being slightly higher in men than in women. Mitochondria are responsible for producing most of the cellular ATP by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), may also act through glycolysis for same purpose, not requiring only oxygen. This option is a particular cancer cell property, also known as the Warburg effect. One hypothesis to explain this metabolic change may be related to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) defects caused by OXPHOS where these mutations can lead cancer cells to glycolysis. Eight mtDNA regions (D-LOOP, ND1, ND3, CO I, CO II CO III, ATPase 6 and ATPase 8) were analyzed in patients’ neoplastic tissues with glial cell cancer in Pará population, relating the data with the pathological and clinical characteristics of the patients. Among the changes found, the complex I seem to be decisive for the progression of high-grade tumors, as well as changes indel seem compromising important structures for OXPHOS. Deletions 4977 bp, when combined with other changes in ND1 / ND3 or heteroplasmias suggest poor prognosis, however, seem to have a reduced risk when changes in ND1 and ND3 are simultaneous.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Can Lutjanus purpureus (South red snapper) be "legally" considered a red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus)?
(2008) GOMES, Grazielle Fernanda Evangelista; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; SOUZA, Marcelo Nazareno Vallinoto de; SILVA, Simoni Santos da; ORTI, Guillermo; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha
Red snappers (Lutjanus purpureus in Brazil and Lutjanus campechanus in USA and Gulf of Mexico) are both under clear effect of overfishing. Because of their high morphological similarity it has already been suggested that they could possibly be considered as a single species. To investigate the degree of similarity and the genetic structure of red snapper populations we constructed a common dataset of partial D-loop mtDNA sequences of L. purpureus from Brazil (Amapá, Pará and Maranhão) and L. campechanus from the Atlantic coast of the USA (Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi). Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses surprisingly depicted high similarity between L. campechanus and L. purpureus, compatible with the hypothesis of a single species of red snapper for the Western Atlantic Ocean. These preliminary but very curious findings open an important discussion regarding the legislation involved on the capture of this overexploited fish resources as well as regarding their taxonomy.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Genetic characterization of native and introduced populations of the neotropical cichlid genus Cichla in Brazil
(2009) CARVALHO, Daniel Cardoso de; OLIVEIRA, Denise Aparecida Andrade de; SANTOS, José Enemir dos; TESKE, Peter; BEHEREGARAY, Luciano Bellagamba; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha
A molecular phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial 16S ribosomal DNA and Control Region sequences from native and introduced populations was undertaken, in order to characterize the introduction of Cichla (peacock bass or tucunaré) species in Brazil. Mitochondrial DNA haplotypes found in introduced fish from Minas Gerais state (southeastern Brazil) clustered only with those from native species of the Tocantins River (Cichla piquiti and C. kelberi), thereby suggesting a single or, at most, few translocation acts in this area, even though with fish from the same source-population. Our study contributes to an understanding of the introduction of Cichla in regions of Brazil outside the Amazon basin, and adds phylogenetic data to the recently describe Cichla species, endemic from the Tocantins-Araguaia basin.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Genetic differentiation in populations of Aedes aegypti (Diptera, Culicidae) dengue vector from the Brazilian state of Maranhão
(Universidade Federal do Pará, 2017-03) SOUSA, Andrelina Alves de; FRAGA, Elmary da Costa; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; BARROS, Maria Claudene
Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti is the vector responsible for the transmission of the viruses that cause zika, yellow and chikungunya fevers, the four dengue fever serotypes (DENV - 1, 2, 3, 4), and hemorrhagic dengue fever in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The present study investigated the genetic differentiation of the 15 populations of this vector in the Brazilian state of Maranhão, based on the mitochondrial ND4 marker. A total of 177 sequences were obtained for Aedes aegypti, with a fragment of 337 bps, 15 haplotypes, 15 polymorphics sites, haplotype diversity of h = 0.6938, and nucleotide diversity of π = 0.01486. The neutrality tests (D and Fs) were not significant. The AMOVA revealed that most of the variation (58.47%) was found within populations, with FST = 0.41533 (p < 0.05). Possible isolation by distance was tested and a significant correlation coefficient (r = 0.3486; p = 0.0040) was found using the Mantel test. The phylogenetic relationships among the 15 haplotypes indicated the existence of two distinct clades. This finding, together with the population parameters, was consistent with a pattern of genetic structuring that underpinned the genetic differentiation of the study populations in Maranhão, and was characterized by the presence of distinct lineages of Aedes aegypti.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Genetic differentiation of Macrodon ancylodon (Sciaenidae, Perciformes) populations in Atlantic coastal waters of South America as revealed by mtDNA analysis
(2003) SILVA, Simoni Santos da; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha
The king weakfish (pescada-gó in Portuguese - Macrodon ancylodon (Sciaenidae), a demersal (bottom-feeding) species found in South America Atlantic coastal waters from the Gulf of Paria in Venezuela to Baia Blanca in Argentina, is an economically important species because of its abundance and wide acceptance by consumers. Because of its wide distribution this fish may be subject to geographic isolation and this may have resulted in distinct populations along its coastal range. Considering that this species represents an important economic resource, confirmation of whether M. ancylodon is a single species or there are different genetic stocks spread over its wide distribution would be an important contribution to conservation policies and population management of the king weakfish. To investigate differences between king weakfish populations we used the cytochrome b and 16S rRNA genes to characterize M. ancylodon specimens caught throughout its South American range from Venezuela to Argentina. Our results clearly distinguished two genetically different groups which show nucleotide divergence and genetic structuring patterns that strongly suggest they may be different species, disagreeing with the widely accepted traditional taxonomy that accepts only one species of Macrodon in the western Atlantic.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Genetic variation in native and farmed populations of Tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) in the Brazilian Amazon: regional discrepancies in farming systems
(2013) AGUIAR, Jonas da Paz; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; GOMES, Maria de Fátima; CARNEIRO, Jeferson Costa; SILVA, Simoni Santos da; RODRIGUES, Luis Reginaldo Ribeiro; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha
The tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, is the most popular fish species used for aquaculture in Brazil but there is no study comparing genetic variation among native and farmed populations of this species. In the present study, we analyzed DNA sequences of the mitochondrial DNA to evaluate the genetic diversity among two wild populations, a fry-producing breeding stock, and a sample of fish farm stocks, all from the region of Santarém, in the west of the Brazilian state of Pará. Similar levels of genetic diversity were found in all the samples and surprisingly the breeding stock showed expressive representation of the genetic diversity registered on wild populations. These results contrast considerably with those of the previous study of farmed stocks in the states of Amapá, Pará, Piauí, and Rondônia, which recorded only two haplotypes, indicating a long history of endogamy in the breeding stocks used to produce fry. The results of the two studies show two distinct scenarios of tambaqui farming in the Amazon basin, which must be better evaluated in order to guarantee the successful expansion of this activity in the region, and the rest of Brazil, given that the tambaqui and its hybrids are now farmed throughout the country.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Identification and phylogenetic inferences on stocks of sharks affected by the fishing industry off the Northern coast of Brazil
(2009) RODRIGUES-FILHO, Luis Fernando da Silva; ROCHA, Tainá Carreira da; RÊGO, Péricles Sena do; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha; SOUZA, Marcelo Nazareno Vallinoto de
The ongoing decline in abundance and diversity of shark stocks, primarily due to uncontrolled fishery exploitation, is a worldwide problem. An additional problem for the development of conservation and management programmes is the identification of species diversity within a given area, given the morphological similarities among shark species, and the typical disembarkation of processed carcasses which are almost impossible to differentiate. The main aim of the present study was to identify those shark species being exploited off northern Brazil, by using the 12S-16S molecular marker. For this, DNA sequences were obtained from 122 specimens collected on the docks and the fish market in Bragança, in the Brazilian state of Pará. We identified at least 11 species. Three-quarters of the specimens collected were either Carcharhinus porosus or Rhizoprionodon sp, while a notable absence was the daggernose shark, Isogomphodon oxyrhyncus, previously one of the most common species in local catches. The study emphasises the value of molecular techniques for the identification of cryptic shark species, and the potential of the 12S-16S marker as a tool for phylogenetic inferences in a study of elasmobranchs.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Inclusion of South American samples reveals new population structuring of the blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) in the western Atlantic
(2012-10-09) SODRE, Davidson; RODRIGUES-FILHO, Luis Fernando da Silva; SOUZA, Rosália Furtado Cutrim; RÊGO, Péricles Sena do; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha; SOUZA, Marcelo Nazareno Vallinoto de
Carcharhinus limbatus has a cosmopolitan distribution and marked genetic structuring, mainly because of its philopatric behavior. However, analysis of this structuring has not previously included South American populations. In the present study, we analyzed a sample of adult individuals collected on the northern coast of Brazil and compared the sequences of the mitochondrial control region with those of populations already genotyped. Relatively high haplotype diversity (12 haplotypes, genetic diversity of 0.796) was observed, similar to that in other populations but with a much larger number of private alleles. In contrast to populations studied previously, which were represented by neonates, the pronounced allelic variability found in the South American individuals may have resulted from migrations from other populations in the region that have yet to be genotyped. This population was also genetically distinct from the other Atlantic populations (Fst > 0.8), probably because of female philopatry, and apparently separated from the northwestern Atlantic group 1.39 million years ago. These findings indicate that the C. limbatus population from northern Brazil is genetically distinct from all other populations and should be considered as a different management unit for the protection of stocks.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Innovative molecular approach to the identification of Colossoma macropomum and its hybrids
(2012-06) CUNHA, Maria de Fátima Gomes; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; BARROS, Maria Claudene; SAMPAIO, Dioniso de Souza; HASHIMOTO, Diogo Teruo; PORTO-FORESTI, Fábio; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha
Tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) is the fish species most commonly raised in the Brazilian fish farms. The species is highly adaptable to captive conditions, and is both fast-growing and relatively fecund. In recent years, artificial breeding has produced hybrids with Characiform species, known as "Tambacu" and "Tambatinga". Identifying hybrids is a difficult process, given their morphological similarities with the parent species. This study presents an innovative molecular approach to the identification of hybrids based primarily on Multiplex PCR of a nuclear gene (α-Tropomyosin), which was tested on 93 specimens obtained from fish farms in northern Brazil. The sequencing of a 505-bp fragment of the Control Region (CR) permitted the identification of the maternal lineage of the specimen, all of which corresponded to C. macropomum. Unexpectedly, only two CR haplotype were found in 93 samples, a very low genetic diversity for the pisciculture of Tambaqui. Multiplex PCR identified 42 hybrids, in contrast with 23 identified by the supplier on the basis of external morphology. This innovative tool has considerable potential for the development of the Brazilian aquaculture, given the possibility of the systematic identification of the genetic traits of both fry-producing stocks, and the fry and juveniles raised in farms.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Low levels of genetic diversity depicted from mitochondrial DNA sequences in a heavily exploited marine fish (Cynoscion acoupa, Sciaenidae) from the Northern coast of Brazil
(2008) RODRIGUES, Rosa Maria da Silva; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; SILVA, Simoni Santos da; SOUZA, Marcelo Nazareno Vallinoto de; SAINT-PAUL, Ulrich; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha
The acoupa weakfish (Cynoscion acoupa - Sciaenidae) is a marine species of croaker with estuarine-dependent behavior, found in the western Atlantic from Panama to Argentina. It is one of the most exploited food fish on the northern coast of Brazil. In this study, DNA sequences were determined from the entire control region (D-loop) of the mitochondrial genome of 297 individuals collected during seven different months between December 2003 and August 2005 on the northern coast of Brazil (Amapá and Pará). Genetic variability expressed by haplotype (h = 0,892) and nucleotide (p = 0,003) diversities were low compared to other heavily exploited marine fish species from the western Atlantic and eastern Asia. AMOVA depicted a lack of genetic structuring among the samples from different years, indicating the presence of a single stock of C. acoupa within the sample area. The possible reasons for the low levels of genetic diversity are discussed. These results demonstrate a need for the monitoring of C. acoupa harvesting and the preservation of the estuaries within its geographic range, considering that this large fish depends on estuarine ecosystems during part of its life cycle.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Mitochondrial DNA mapping of social-biological interactions in Brazilian Amazonian African-descendant populations
(2008) CARVALHO, Bruno Maia; BORTOLINI, Maria Cátira; SANTOS, Sidney Emanuel Batista dos; SANTOS, Ândrea Kely Campos Ribeiro dos
The formation of the Brazilian Amazonian population has historically involved three main ethnic groups, Amerindian, African and European. This has resulted in genetic investigations having been carried out using classical polymorphisms and molecular markers. To better understand the genetic variability and the micro-evolutionary processes acting in human groups in the Brazilian Amazon region we used mitochondrial DNA to investigate 159 maternally unrelated individuals from five Amazonian African-descendant communities. The mitochondrial lineage distribution indicated a contribution of 50.2% from Africans (L0, L1, L2, and L3), 46.6% from Amerindians (haplogroups A, B, C and D) and a small European contribution of 1.3%. These results indicated high genetic diversity in the Amerindian and African lineage groups, suggesting that the Brazilian Amazonian African-descendant populations reflect a possible population amalgamation of Amerindian women from different Amazonian indigenous tribes and African women from different geographic regions of Africa who had been brought to Brazil as slaves. The present study partially mapped the historical biological and social interactions that had occurred during the formation and expansion of Amazonian African-descendant communities.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Mitochondrial DNA-like sequence in the nuclear genome of Saguinus (Callitrichinae, Primates): transfer estimation
(2000-03) SOUZA, Marcelo Nazareno Vallinoto de; SENA, Leonardo dos Santos; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; SCHNEIDER, Maria Paula Cruz
Mitochondrial DNA-like sequences have been found in the nuclei of a variety of organisms. These nuclear pseudogenes can be used to estimate relative evolutionary rates of mitochondrial genes, and can be used as outgroups in phylogenetic analyses. In this study, mitochondrial sequences with pseudogene-like characteristics, including deletions and/or insertions and stop codons, were found in tamarins (Saguinus spp., Callitrichinae, Primates). Phylogenetic analysis allowed estimation of the timing of the migration of these sequences to the nuclear genome, and also permitted inferences on the phylogeny of the genus. The choice of an inadequate outgroup (Aotus infulatus) prevented a good phylogenetic resolution of the subfamily Callitrichinae. The relatively ancient divergence of the Cebidae (Callitrichinae, Aotinae and Cebinae) may have favored confounding homoplasies.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Molecular discrimination of pouched four-eyed opossums from the Mamirauá Reserve in the Brazilian Amazon
(2006) NUNES, Cláudia; AYRES, José Márcio Corrêa; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha; SCHNEIDER, Horacio
Previous cytochrome B (CytB) mtDNA studies have suggested four species for the opossum genus Philander (four-eyed opossums), three (P. mcilhennyi, P. andersoni and P. opossum) from the Amazon and one (P. frenata) from the Brazilian Atlantic forest. During a faunal survey nine specimens of Philander sp. and four of Didelphis marsupialis were collected in the Mamirauá Sustainable Reserve, Amazonas State, Brazil. Preliminary analyses based on morphology and geographical distributions were not conclusive, suggesting that Philander specimens could belong to either P. andersoni or P. opossum. In order to elucidate the relationship of this taxon to the remaining Amazonian taxa, seven Philander and two Didelphis specimens animals were sequenced for the cytB mtDNA gene and compared to other previously studied taxa. The maximum likelihood (ML), neighbor-Joining (NJ) and maximum parsimony (MP) consensus bootstrap trees depicted six groups: Didelphis., P. frenata, P andersoni, P. mcilhennyi, P.o. opossum and Philander sp. and Philander canus in a common assemblage supported by significant bootstrap values, suggesting that the Philander sp. from Mamiraua in fact belongs to the species Philander canus.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Novel 12S mtDNA findings in sloths (Pilosa, Folivora) and anteaters (Pilosa, Vermilingua) suggest a true case of long branch attraction
(2008) BARROS, Maria Claudene; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha; SCHNEIDER, Horacio
We sequenced 12S RNA mtDNA for the majority of the extant species of sloths and anteaters and compared our results with previous data obtained by our group using 16S RNA mtDNA in the same specimens and to GenBank sequences of the extinct giant sloth Mylodon. Our results suggest that pigmy-anteaters may be a case of the long-branch attraction phenomenon and also show the large genetic difference between the Amazonian and Atlantic forest three-toed sloths, contrasting with the small differences observed between the two non-Atlantic forest forms of sloths. These results have important implications for the taxonomy of sloths and anteaters and strongly suggest the placement of pigmy anteaters in their own family (Cyclopidae) and raising the taxonomic status of Bradypus torquatus to a genus.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Phylogenetic analysis of 16S mitochondrial DNA data in sloths and anteaters
(2003) BARROS, Maria Claudene; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha; SCHNEIDER, Horacio
We sequenced part of the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene in 17 extant taxa of Pilosa (sloths and anteaters) and used these sequences along with GenBank sequences of both extant and extinct sloths to perform phylogenetic analysis based on parsimony, maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods. By increasing the taxa density for anteaters and sloths we were able to clarify some points of the Pilosa phylogenetic tree. Our mitochondrial 16S results show Bradypodidae as a monophyletic and robustly supported clade in all the analysis. However, the Pleistocene fossil Mylodon darwinii does not group significantly to either Bradypodidae or Megalonychidae which indicates that trichotomy best represents the relationship between the families Mylodontidae, Bradypodidae and Megalonychidae. Divergence times also allowed us to discuss the taxonomic status of Cyclopes and the three species of three-toed sloths, Bradypus tridactylus, Bradypus variegatus and Bradypus torquatus. In the Bradypodidae the split between Bradypus torquatus and the proto-Bradypus tridactylus / B. variegatus was estimated as about 7.7 million years ago (MYA), while in the Myrmecophagidae the first offshoot was Cyclopes at about 31.8 MYA followed by the split between Myrmecophaga and Tamandua at 12.9 MYA. We estimate the split between sloths and anteaters to have occurred at about 37 MYA.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Population analysis of Scomberomorus cavalla (Cuvier, 1829) (Perciformes, Scombridae) from the Northern and Northeastern coast of Brazil
(2007) SANTA BRÍGIDA, Erikson Luiz; CUNHA, Divino Bruno da; RÊGO, Péricles Sena do; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; SOUZA, Marcelo Nazareno Vallinoto de
Scomberomorus cavalla is a pelagic fish species widely distributed on the Atlantic west coast, and a noticeable decrease in its capture level in the USA and Gulf of Mexico is occurring, compared to the levels reached by the species in the past. Likewise, in some areas of Brazil, there has been indication of over-harvesting. However, there are no molecular studies focusing on the management of such an important item. Thus, in the present study, 380 nucleotide base pairs of the mitochondrial DNA D-Loop region of samples from Macapá, Bragança, and Fortaleza were sequenced. Phylogenetic and population analyses revealed that there is only one panmitic population, and low levels of genetic variability were verified. These results, as well as the noticed over-harvesting of S. cavalla, represent very important data to determine the management of such stock in order to prevent a collapse or the risk of future extinction.
Acesso aberto (Open Access)
Sciaenidae fish of the Caeté River estuary, Northern Brazil: mitochondrial DNA suggests explosive radiation for the Western Atlantic assemblage
(2004) VINSON, Christina Cleo; GOMES, Grazielle Fernanda Evangelista; SCHNEIDER, Horacio; SAMPAIO, Maria Iracilda da Cunha
Sciaenids are fish which are normally abundant in tropical estuaries of the western Atlantic. Studies on the Caeté river estuary in the northern Brazilian state of Pará have revealed that in this area Sciaenidae is the dominant family, comprising almost 50% of all teleosts sampled. In this paper we present the results of the first phylogenetic study on South American estuarine sciaenids, during which we obtained mitochondrial gene 16S sequences from 15 species belonging to eight genera occurring in the Caeté estuary. Intergeneric nucleotide divergences varied from 5 to 15%, Lonchurus and Menticirrhus being the most divergent lineages. Nucleotide divergences were quite variable amongst species of the same genus, ranging from 1.2% (Stellifer microps x Stellifer naso) to 8.4% (Menticirrhus americanus x Menticirrhus littoralis). Cladograms based on maximum parsimony, minimum evolution and maximum likelihood depicted an explosive diversification pattern for the western Atlantic sciaenid assemblage. Our analysis further reveals a very close relationship between Bairdiella and Stellifer, a monophyletic clade which emerged during the more recent diversification events of the Sciaenidae family. The phylogenetic reconstruction suggests the need for a revision of the taxonomy and nomenclature of the Bairdiella/Stellifer group.