BACKGROUND: Understanding the genetic basis of novel traits is a central topic in evolutionary biology. Two novel pigmentation phenotypes, egg-spots and blotches, emerged during the rapid diversification of East African cichlid fishes. Egg-spots are circular pigmentation markings on the anal fins of hundreds of derived haplochromine cichlids species, whereas blotches are patches of conspicuous anal fin pigmentation with ill-defined boundaries that occur in few species that belong to basal cichlid lineages. Both traits play an important role in the breeding behavior of this group of fishes. Knowledge about the origin, homology and underlying genetics of these pigmentation traits is sparse. RESULTS: Here, we present a comparative transcriptomic and differential gene expression analysis of egg-spots and blotches. We first conducted an RNA sequencing experiment where we compared egg-spot tissue with the remaining portion of egg-spot-free fin tissue using six individuals of Astatotilapia burtoni. We identified 1229 differentially expressed genes between the two tissue types. We then showed that rates of evolution of these genes are higher than average estimated on whole transcriptome data. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we found that 29 out of a subset of 46 differentially expressed genes showed an analogous expression pattern in another haplochromine species' egg-spots, Cynotilapia pulpican, strongly suggesting that these genes are involved in the egg-spot phenotype. Among these are the previously identified egg-spot gene fhl2a, two known patterning genes (hoxC12a and bmp3) as well as other pigmentation related genes such as asip. Finally, we analyzed the expression patterns of the same gene subset in two species that feature blotches instead of egg-spots, one haplochromine species (Pseudocrenilabrus philander) and one ectodine species (Callochromis macrops), revealing that the expression patterns in blotches and egg-spots are rather distinct. CONCLUSIONS: We identified several candidate genes that will serve as an important and useful resource for future research on the emergence and diversification of cichlid fishes' egg-spots. Only a limited degree of conservation of gene expression patterns was detected between the egg-spots of the derived haplochromines and blotches from ancestral haplochromines, as well as between the two types of blotches, suggesting an independent origin of these traits.

• Keywords
• Blotches, Diversity, East African cichlids, Egg-spot, Gene expression, Pigmentation,
• MeSH
• Anal Canal physiology   MeSH
• Cichlids genetics   MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Evolution, Molecular MeSH
• Skin Pigmentation genetics   MeSH
• Animal Fins physiology   MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation MeSH
• Fish Proteins genetics   MeSH
• Sequence Analysis, RNA methods   MeSH
• Gene Expression Profiling methods   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Fish Proteins MeSH

Precision fish farming is an emerging concept in aquaculture research and industry, which combines new technologies and data processing methods to enable data-based decision making in fish farming. The concept is based on the automated monitoring of fish, infrastructure, and the environment ideally by contactless methods. The identification of individual fish of the same species within the cultivated group is critical for individualized treatment, biomass estimation and fish state determination. A few studies have shown that fish body patterns can be used for individual identification, but no system for the automation of this exists. We introduced a methodology for fully automatic Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) individual identification according to the dot patterns on the skin. The method was tested for 328 individuals, with identification accuracy of 100%. We also studied the long-term stability of the patterns (aging) for individual identification over a period of 6 months. The identification accuracy was 100% for 30 fish (out of water images). The methodology can be adapted to any fish species with dot skin patterns. We proved that the methodology can be used as a non-invasive substitute for invasive fish tagging. The non-invasive fish identification opens new posiblities to maintain the fish individually and not as a fish school which is impossible with current invasive fish tagging.

• MeSH
• Neural Networks, Computer MeSH
• Skin Pigmentation * MeSH
• Pattern Recognition, Automated * MeSH
• Salmo salar anatomy & histology   MeSH
• Artificial Intelligence * MeSH
• Imaging, Three-Dimensional MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH

The composition of metallic pigmentations in gingiva and dental roots was determined by means of transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis. The systemic immune response to the metals found in the oral cavity was evaluated in 10 patients by using a modified lymphocyte proliferation test. Immunological results were compared with a group of five controls without metallic materials and pigmentation. Dense particles of various shapes and sizes, as well as of diverse extracellular and intracellular localization patterns, were detected in the pigmented lamina propria gingivae. Metallic deposits consisted predominantly of silver accompanied by selenium or sulfur or both. Besides, Ag, Au, Cr, Ni, Fe, Hg, Cu, and Ti were identified in dentinal tubules of teeth reconstructed with dental alloys. Nine patients with metallic pigmentations had a positive lymphocyte proliferative response to one or more metals present in their own metal reconstructions. Results of this study thus indicated that dental alloys-by virtue of their corrosion process-might pose a significant risk to immunologically susceptible patients.

• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Corrosion MeSH
• Metals adverse effects   analysis   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Electron Probe Microanalysis MeSH
• Gingival Diseases chemically induced   immunology   MeSH
• Pigmentation Disorders chemically induced   immunology   MeSH
• Hypersensitivity, Delayed etiology   MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Case-Control Studies MeSH
• Microscopy, Electron, Transmission MeSH
• Tooth Discoloration chemically induced   immunology   MeSH
• Dental Alloys adverse effects   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Metals MeSH
• Dental Alloys MeSH

In this paper, we examine intraspecific variation in the quantity of alkaloid chemical defence in field collected individuals of the polymorphic ladybird beetle Adalia decempunctata (10-spot ladybird). Like its more widely studied relative Adalia bipunctata (2-spot ladybird), A. decempunctata possesses the alkaloids adaline and adalinine, which are, respectively, the major and minor alkaloids of A. bipunctata. We focused especially on alkaloid concentration in relation to colour pattern morph, sex, and the relationship between female and egg parameters. There was a marked sexual dimorphism in the balance of the two alkaloids, with adaline predominating in females and adalinine predominating in males: in males, on average, over 70% of total alkaloid was adalinine. Females had a lower proportion of adalinine (< 10%) than their eggs (> 15%) and relationships between egg alkaloid and female alkaloid or fecundity were weak or non-existent. Colour pattern morph had a borderline (although not) significant relationship with adaline concentration and total alkaloid concentration, which could be further explored with laboratory reared individuals. The sexual dimorphism in alkaloid content, which seems likely due to differences in synthesis, might be related to their relative costs to the two sexes and might provide insight into the evolution of alkaloid diversity in ladybirds.

• Keywords
• Aposematism, Chemical defence, Color morph, Polymorphism, Reproductive allocation, Sexual dimorphism,
• MeSH
• Alkaloids * analysis   chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Color MeSH
• Coleoptera * physiology   chemistry   MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Ovum chemistry   MeSH
• Pigmentation MeSH
• Sex Characteristics MeSH
• Reproduction * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Alkaloids * MeSH

Serratia marcescens forms different colony patterns under distinct conditions. One of them is the concentric fountain-shaped pattern with pigmented center followed by unpigmented ring and pigmented rim. In this work, we study this pattern formation by construction of the mathematical model able to display this pattern based on putative metabolical traits, supported by series of experiments and by references. A pattern formation of such colony type depends on the disposition of glucose and amino acids, and is accompanied by a pH change in the agar medium. In this paper, we confirm that a metabolic activity of growing colony alters its environment which subsequently changes the colony formation. Presented model corresponds well with the real colony behaviour.

• Keywords
• Amino-acid, Glucose, Reaction–diffusion model, pH change,
• MeSH
• Amino Acids metabolism   MeSH
• Phenotype * MeSH
• Glucose metabolism   MeSH
• Culture Media metabolism   MeSH
• Serratia marcescens growth & development   metabolism   MeSH
• Models, Theoretical MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Amino Acids MeSH
• Glucose MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH

We report on nine cases of cellular blue naevi with distinctive arrangement of cells into the microalveolar pattern. This microalveolar pattern was usually seen in the deeper parts of cellular blue naevi and was composed of a few epithelioid cells surrounded by bipolar dendritic pigmented cells. This unusual pattern often reminded of incipient malignant change within cellular blue naevi.

• MeSH
• Antigens, Nuclear MeSH
• Antigens, Neoplasm MeSH
• Diagnosis, Differential MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Immunohistochemistry MeSH
• Nuclear Proteins metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Melanoma pathology   MeSH
• Melanoma-Specific Antigens MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Nevus, Blue metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Neoplasm Proteins metabolism   MeSH
• Skin Neoplasms metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• S100 Proteins metabolism   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Antigens, Nuclear MeSH
• Antigens, Neoplasm MeSH
• Nuclear Proteins MeSH
• Melanoma-Specific Antigens MeSH
• Neoplasm Proteins MeSH
• S100 Proteins MeSH

Birds' eggshells are renowned for their striking colours and varied patterns. Although often considered exceptionally diverse, we report that avian eggshell coloration, sampled here across the full phylogenetic diversity of birds, occupies only 0.08-0.10% of the avian perceivable colour space. The concentrations of the two known tetrapyrrole eggshell pigments (protoporphyrin and biliverdin) are generally poor predictors of colour, both intra- and interspecifically. Here, we show that the constrained diversity of eggshell coloration can be accurately predicted by colour mixing models based on the relative contribution of both pigments and we demonstrate that the models' predictions can be improved by accounting for the reflectance of the eggshell's calcium carbonate matrix. The establishment of these proximate links between pigmentation and colour will enable future tests of hypotheses on the functions of perceived avian eggshell colours that depend on eggshell chemistry. More generally, colour mixing models are not limited to avian eggshell colours but apply to any natural colour. Our approach illustrates how modelling can aid the understanding of constraints on phenotypic diversity.

• Keywords
• biliverdin, eggshell colour, protoporphyrin, subtractive colour mixing,
• MeSH
• Pigmentation * MeSH
• Birds physiology   MeSH
• Egg Shell physiology   MeSH
• Visual Perception * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH

About 1-2% of European population are redheaded, meaning they synthesize more pheomelanin than eumelanin, the main melanin pigment in humans. Several mutations could be responsible for this phenotype. It has been suggested that corresponding mutations spread in Europe due to a founder effect shaped either by a relaxation of selection for dark, UV-protective phenotypes or by sexual selection in favour of rare phenotypes. In our study, we investigated the levels of vitamin D precursor 25(OH)D3 (calcidiol) and folic acid in the blood serum of 73 redheaded and 130 non-redheaded individuals. In redheaded individuals, we found higher 25(OH)D3 concentrations and approximately the same folic acid concentrations as in non-redheaded subjects. 25(OH)D3 concentrations correlated with the intensity of hair redness measured by two spectrophotometric methods and estimated by participants themselves and by independent observers. In non-redheaded individuals, 25(OH)D3 levels covaried with the amount of sun exposure and intensity of suntan while in redheaded individuals, this was not the case. It suggests that increased 25(OH)D3 levels in redheaded individuals are due to differences in physiology rather than in behaviour. We also found that folic acid levels increased with age and the intensity of baldness and decreased with the frequency of visiting tanning salons. Our results suggest that the redheaded phenotype could be an evolutionary adaptation for sufficient photosynthesis of provitamin D in conditions of low intensity of UVB radiation in central and northern parts of Europe.

• Keywords
• UVB, baldness, cancer, human evolution, pigmentation, vitamin D,
• MeSH
• Alopecia blood   MeSH
• Hair Color physiology   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Adaptation, Physiological * MeSH
• Calcifediol blood   MeSH
• Folic Acid blood   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Evolution, Molecular MeSH
• Suntan physiology   MeSH
• Skin Pigmentation physiology   MeSH
• Climate MeSH
• Sunlight MeSH
• Aging blood   MeSH
• Case-Control Studies MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Calcifediol MeSH
• Folic Acid MeSH

Albinism is a widespread departure from a typical body colouration due to altered melanin production. The Wels catfish (Silurus glanis) is among the largest freshwater fish species in the world, and albino individuals occur both in the wild and in aquaculture. Here, we performed transcriptome-wide analysis of albino and normally pigmented S. glanis using four tissues (skin, dorsal fin, whole eye and liver) to identify genes associated with albinism by exploring patterns of differential expression (DE) and differential alternative splicing (DAS). Multi-tissue analyses revealed a large number of genes in skin (n = 1355) and fin (n = 614) tissue associated with the albino phenotype in S. glanis, while the number of DE genes in eye and liver tissues was lower (n = 188, n = 189, respectively). Several DE genes across multiple tissues were detected as the most promising candidates (e.g., hsp4, hsp90b1, raph1, uqcrfs1, adcy-family and wnt-family) potentially causally linked to the albino phenotype in Wels catfish. Moreover, our findings supported earlier observations of physiological differences between albino and normally pigmented individuals, particularly in energy metabolism and immune response. In contrast, there were only a few pigmentation-related genes observed among DAS genes (4 in skin, 2 in fin), the overlap between DAS and DE genes was low (n = 25) and did not include known pigmentation-related genes. This suggests that DAS and DE in Wels catfish are, to a large extent, independent processes, and the observed alternative splicing cases are probably not causally linked with albinism in S. glanis. This work provides the first transcriptome-wide multi-tissue insights into the albinism of Wels catfish and serves as a valuable resource for further understanding the genetic mechanisms of pigmentation in fish.

• Keywords
• ADCY, Catfish, Fish, Genomics, HPS4, Omics, Pigmentation-related genes, Transcriptome, WNT,
• MeSH
• Albinism * genetics   MeSH
• Alternative Splicing MeSH
• Gene Expression Profiling MeSH
• Catfishes * genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Transcriptome MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Fur mutants (Mn(r)) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Fe10 (FF13 and FF28) and PAO1 (FPA12) were evaluated for the pattern of deregulation of pyoverdin synthesis in iron-replete medium with Casamino acids [CAM(Fe)] or succinate [SM(Fe)]. With respect to siderophore synthesis, we found in CAM(Fe) medium two Fur phenotypes: FurA (full deregulation, FF13) and FurB (partial deregulation, FF28 and FPA12). Fur mutants compared to parental strains grew with slower specific growth rates on SM(0) and CAM(0) media in a stirred bioreactor. Fur mutants grew in SM(0) with mu about half of that in CAM(0).

• MeSH
• Amino Acids pharmacology   MeSH
• Bacterial Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Pigments, Biological biosynthesis   MeSH
• Phenotype MeSH
• Succinic Acid pharmacology   MeSH
• Mutation MeSH
• Mutagenesis MeSH
• Oligopeptides * MeSH
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa drug effects   genetics   growth & development   metabolism   MeSH
• Repressor Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Siderophores biosynthesis   MeSH
• Iron pharmacology   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Evaluation Study MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Amino Acids MeSH
• Bacterial Proteins MeSH
• Pigments, Biological MeSH
• casamino acids MeSH Browser
• ferric uptake regulating proteins, bacterial MeSH Browser
• Succinic Acid MeSH
• Oligopeptides * MeSH
• pyoverdin MeSH Browser
• Repressor Proteins MeSH
• Siderophores MeSH
• Iron MeSH