Signal transduction pathways mediated by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their intracellular coupling partners, the heterotrimeric G proteins, are crucial for several physiological functions in eukaryotes, including humans. This thesis describes a broad genomic survey and extensive comparative phylogenetic analysis of GPCR and G protein families from a wide selection of eukaryotes. A robust mining of GPCR families in fungal genomes (Paper I) provides the first evidence that homologs of the mammalian families of GPCRs, including Rhodopsin, Adhesion, Glutamate and Frizzled are present in Fungi. These findings further support the hypothesis that all main GPCR families share a common origin. Moreover, we clarified the evolutionary hierarchy by showing for the first time that Rhodopsin family members are found outside metazoan lineages. We also characterized the GPCR superfamily in two important model organisms (Amphimedon queenslandica and Saccoglossus kowalevskii) that belong to different metazoan phyla and which differ greatly in morphological characteristics. Curation of the GPCR superfamily (Paper II) in Amphimedon queenslandica (an important model to understand evolution of animal multicellularity) reveals the presence of four of the five GRAFS families and several other GPCR gene families. However, we find that the sponge GPCR subset is divergent from GPCRs in other studied bilaterian and eumetazoan lineages. Mapping of the GPCR superfamily (Paper III) in a hemichordate Saccoglossus kowalevskii (an essential model to understand the evolution of the chordate body plan) revealed the presence of all major GPCR GRAFS families. We find that S. kowalevskii encodes local expansions of peptide and somatostatin- like GPCRs. Furthermore, we delineate the overall evolutionary hierarchy of vertebrate-like G protein families (Paper IV) and provide a comparative perspective with GPCR repertoires. The study also maps the individual gene gain/loss events of G proteins across holozoans with more expanded invertebrate taxon sampling than earlier reports. In addition, Paper V describes a broad survey of nematode chemosensory GPCR families and provides insights into the evolutionary events that shaped the GPCR mediated chemosensory system in protostomes. Overall, our findings further illustrate the evolutionary hierarchy and the diversity of the major components of the G protein-coupled receptor signaling system in eukaryotes.

The genera Spongia and Hippospongia include all of the commercially important bath sponges of the Caribbean fishery. This study examined the uniform presence of immense symbiotic bacterial populations of four of these species: Hippospongia lachne, Spongia barbara, S. cheiris and S. graminea. The nutritional characteristics and antibiotic sensitivities of bacteria isolated from the four species were also examined. A combined light and transmission electron microscopic investigation outlined the reproductive processes and larval development, behaviour, settlement and metamorphosis in these four species. / Symbiotic bacteria in these four sponge species are specific to the sponges and different from ambient seawater bacteria. Populations of intercellular bacteria within the tissues of these sponges are greater than those of ambient seawater. A variety of morphologically different types of sponge specific bacteria were observed. The symbionts are not fastidious organism but utilize a variety of amino acids, carbohydrates and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates as sole carbon and energy sources for growth. The bacteria showed sensitivities to a variety of antibiotics but were not susceptible to fluid from the sponges. / These sponges are viviparous and probably dioecious. Egg production and larval development are localized in patches or "nurseries" of endosomal tissue. Statistical analyses of specific morphological characteristics of female reproductive elements have identified four specific stages in the process of oogenesis. Umbilici connect young and maturing embryos to the maternal mesohyl and are the pathway for extracellular transfer of intercellular symbiotic bacteria and other mesohyl substances. These bacteria were observed in the embryos and larvae of all four species. Oocytes and embryos develop asynchronously within a given individual. Spermatogenesis occurs synchronously within cysts by transformation of entire choanocyte chambers. Cysts develop asynchronously within an individual. Male gametes exhibit a bright yellow-white autofluorescence when excited with blue light (460-485 nm). Spermatozoa do not possess intermediate segments or acrosomes. / The incubated parenchymella larvae of these four species are ovoid with dark grey pigmentation and enlarged posterior regions encircled by a black pigmented ring of cells bearing long cilia. Laboratory behavioural studies indicate that free-swimming larvae display directional swimming with constant rotation and negative phototaxis. Larval behaviour probably reflects the ecological situation of adult populations. Larval settlement occurs 26-56 hours after release and involves the rapid formation of a basal lamella between the larvae and substrate. There is no evidence of substrate selection or orientation by larvae. Precocious development of choanocytes does not occur in the larvae or post-larvae of these four species.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis describes the isolation and structure elucidation of ten novel secondary metabolites from one fungus (Pycnoporus cinnabarinus), four lichens (Chrysothrix xanthina, Candelaria concolor, Ramalina glaucescens and Xanthoria parietina), three algae (Plocamium mertensii, Laurencia filiformis and Laurencia elata), two plants (Haemodorum simplex and Dianella callicarpa) and one sponge (Dactylospongia sp). The structures of these isolated compounds were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic and chemical methods. This thesis also reports two new crystal structures, the identification of two new methylsilylated derivatives as well as the isolation of thirty seven previously reported compounds in which the complete structural assignment by one and two dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) has been carried out on known compounds with incomplete or no NMR spectroscopic data. Furthermore, detailed spectroscopic analyses resulted in the re assignment of 1H and 13C chemical shifts for several previously isolated natural products. The biological screening (antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumor assays) of crude extracts and isolated natural products has also been presented. The application of chemical profiling techniques including GCxGC and high pressure liquid chromatography-nuclear magnetic resonance (HPLC-NMR) were utilised to assist with the natural product dereplication process (chemical profiling), monitor chemical degradations in situ and to identify the presence of new natural products and artefacts. In total, fifteen separate terrestrial and marine organisms were investigated.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 146-171.

O Paleolago Cemitério, formado sobre um domo magmático carbonatítico do Cretáceo Superior, em Catalão, GO, compreende um depósito lacustre espesso, datado entre 51.780 ± 400 14C anos AP e 27.500 ± 4.000 anos AP, e rico em fósseis, particularmente de esponjas de água doce. A presença inédita de camadas de espongilitos e diatomitos no mesmo depósito, bem como de estruturas inteiramente preservadas, gêmulas e porções do esqueleto das esponjas, permitiu a proposição da presente tese, que teve como objetivo identificar as condições ambientais que poderiam ter favorecido essa singular produção e preservação de esponjas. Por conseguinte, investigou-se também a atual Lagoa Serra Negra, em Patrocínio, MG, formada sobre um domo carbonatítico similar àquele do paleolago e sujeita ao regime climático do Bioma Cerrado. As gêmulas e fibras do retículo esqueletal das esponjas integralmente preservadas nos sedimentos do Paleolago Cemitério, bem como fragmentos de espongilito e diatomito, foram fixadas em suportes e analisadas ao MEV. A análise taxonômica das espículas nos sedimentos amostrados em todas as fácies do paleolago, bem como nas 10 amostras de sedimentos da Lagoa Serra Negra, foi feita sobre lâminas permanentes obtidas após preparações laboratoriais destinadas à avaliação ao microscópio óptico. Análises sedimentológicas (granulometria e matéria orgânica) também foram realizadas em amostras de todos os sedimentos recuperados do paleolago e em duas amostras de sedimentos da Lagoa Serra Negra. A água da lagoa foi analisada para as principais características físicas e químicas. A análise taxonômica das espículas nos sedimentos da Lagoa Serra Negra indicou a contribuição das mesmas cinco espécies de esponjas que formaram largos depósitos em áreas vizinhas incluindo os do Paleolago Cemitério, Dosilia pydanieli Volkmer-Ribeiro (1992), Metania spinata (Carter, 1881), Trochospongilla variabilis Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago (1973), Radiospongilla amazonensis Volkmer-Ribeiro & Maciel (1983) e Heterorotula fistula Volkmer-Ribeiro & Motta (1995). As análises dos sedimentos da lagoa também revelaram um depósito biosilicoso conspícuo, com destaque para as espículas de esponjas, o que permitiu uma comparação com o depósito do Paleolago Cemitério. A integração de todos os resultados permitiu propor uma interpretação para a evolução do Paleolago Cemitério. Assim, cinco fases de mudanças ambientais foram identificadas no depósito do paleolago, que correspondem à instalação (fase lótica e erosiva), ao estabelecimento e desenvolvimento do lago, e à colmatação do lago, essa última correlacionada ao Último Máximo Glacial (UMG). Com base nos requisitos ecológicos das espécies de esponjas identificadas no depósito foi, além disso, possível inferir os padrões climáticos relacionados com as respectivas fases do paleolago. A presença inédita da espécie de esponjas Corvoheteromeyenia australis no Paleolago Cemitério, atualmente registrada apenas no sul da América do Sul, indicou que incursões polares originárias da Antártida foram frequentes durante o último período glacial, e podem ter desempenhado um papel notável no Brasil central. No entanto, por um curto período de tempo, condições climáticas mais secas e quentes podem ter predominado, como sugerido pela presença de Corvomeyenia thumi. Não resta dúvida que o paleoclima favoreceu o processo cárstico no domo de Catalão I que levou à formação da bacia do paleolago, onde as condições ambientais favoreceram à existência de uma particular comunidade de esponjas, hoje típicas de lagoas do Bioma Cerrado. Profundidade, fluxo e residência de água na bacia, bem como disponibilidade de substrato e concentração de sílica, essa última favorecida pelas rochas-fonte circundantes, foram condições ambientais chave para a formação dos depósitos biosilicosos no Paleolago Cemitério. / The Cemitério Palaeolake, formed in a Late Cretaceous magmatic carbonatitic dome in Catalão, GO, comprises a thick lacustrine deposit, dated between 51,780 ± 400 14C years BP and 27,500 ± 4,000 years BP, and rich in fossils, particulary freshwater sponges. The unprecedented presence of spongillite and diatomite layers in the same deposit, as well as the entire structures of gemmules and skeleton strutures of the sponges, allowed the proposition of the present thesis, which aimed to identify the environmental conditions that could have favored this singular production and preservation of sponges. Accordingly, the actual Serra Negra Lake, in Patrocínio, MG, was also investigated once it was formed on a carbonatite dome, similar and close to that of the Paleolake and subjected to the climate regime of the Cerrado biome. The fully preserved gemmules and fibres of the skeletal reticulum of sponges from the Cemitério Paleolake sediments, as well as the fragments of its spongillites and diatomites, were fixed on stubbs and analysed using SEM. The taxonomic analysis of spicules in the sediments sampled from all the facies of the paleolake as well as in 10 sediment samples from the Serra Negra Lake was conducted on permanent slides obtained after laboratorial preparations designed for evaluation under optical microscope. Sedimentological analyses (granulometry and organic matter) were also performed using all the sediment samples recovered from the paleolake and two sediment samples obtained from the Serra Negra Lake. The lake water was analysed for the main physical and chemical characteristics. The taxonomic analysis of spicules in the sediments of the Serra Negra Lake indicated the contribution of the same five sponge species, which formed large deposits in the neighbouring areas including those of the Cemitério Paleolake, Dosilia pydanieli Volkmer-Ribeiro (1992), Metania spinata (Carter, 1881), Trochospongilla variabilis Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago (1973), Radiospongilla amazonensis Volkmer-Ribeiro & Maciel (1983) and Heterorotula fistula Volkmer-Ribeiro & Motta (1995). The analyses of current sediments of the lake also revealed a conspicuous biosilicious deposit, highlighting the sponge spicules, which allowed a comparison with the Cemitério Paleolake deposit. All these results led us to propose an interpretation of the evolution of the Cemitério Paleolake. Therefore, five phases of environmental changes were identified in the paleolake deposit, corresponding to the installation (lotic and erosion phase), establishment and development of the lake, and colmatation of the lake, with the latter correlating to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Moreover, on the basis of the ecological requirements of the sponge species identified in the deposit, it was possible to infer the probable weather patterns related to the respective phases of the lake. The unprecedented presence of the sponge species Corvoheteromeyenia australis in the Cemitério Paleolake, which is presently recorded only in southern South America, indicated that polar incursions originating from the Antarctic were frequent during the last glacial period and may have played a notable role in what is now the central Brazil. However, for a short time, drier and hotter weather conditions may have predominated, as suggested by the presence of Corvomeyenia thumi. There is no doubt that the paleoclim favored the karstic process in the dome of Catalão I, which led to the formation of the paleolake basin, where environmental condictions favored the existence of a particular sponges community, currently typical of the lakes of the Cerrado Biome. Depth, flow and water residence in the basin as well as the availability of substrate and silica concentrations, with the latter favored by the surrounding source rocks, were the key environmental conditions for the formation of biosiliceous deposit in the Cemitério Paleolake.

O Afloramento Paleolago Cemitério, localizado na mina de fosfato a céu aberto da "Ultrafértil", município de Catalão, Goiás, possui depósito originado pelo preenchimento de uma depressão na parte central do Complexo Carbonatítico de Catalão I, onde sedimentos lacustres, ricos em espículas de esponjas, assentam discordantemente sobre um domo de rochas magmáticas carbonatíticas do Cretáceo Superior. Foi analisado o conteúdo de espículas de esponjas continentais e da quantidade de frústulas de diatomáceas em rochas de três Seções, 1, 2 e 3, que contemplaram desde a base ao topo desse depósito. É abordada aqui a caracterização de todos os horizontes deposicionais, quanto ao conteúdo biosilicoso, e sua utilização como dado proxi de reconstrução paleoambiental. Para esse fim, frações dessas rochas foram tratadas com métodos usuais utilizados na obtenção de material silicoso. O estudo taxonômico das espículas nessas rochas confirmou a existência de uma comunidade autóctone e lêntica composta de seis espécies de esponjas continentais responsáveis pela gênese dos depósitos de espongilitos: Metania spinata (Carter, 1881), Dosilia pydanieli Volkmer-Ribeiro, 1992, Radiospongilla amazonensis Volkmer-Ribeiro & Maciel, 1983, Trochospongilla variabilis Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago (1973), Corvomeyenia thumi (Traxler, 1895), Heterorotula fistula Volkmer-Ribeiro & Motta, 1995, no presente caso acrescidas de Corvoheteromeyenia australis (Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1966), que tem aqui confirmado o seu primeiro registro em comunidade formadora de espongilitos No entanto, registrou-se também uma comunidade de esponjas de ambiente lótico na porção mais basal do depósito, integrada pelas espécies Corvospongilla seckti Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1966, Oncosclera navicella (Carter, 1881) e Eunapius fragilis (Leidy, 1851), sugerindo uma contribuição de águas com fluxo no início da formação do Paleolago. A comunidade lêntica detectada é considerada indicadora de lagoas típicas de Cerrado, sugerindo a existência desse Bioma, na região central do Brasil, já no final do Pleistoceno. Registra-se nesse Paleolago a ocorrência inédita de diatomitos e espongilitos num mesmo depósito. São propostos dois paleoambientes diferenciados, quando da ocorrência de espongilitos e diatomitos. Os resultados ainda parecem corroborar a hipótese de formação do Paleolago Cemitério a partir do acúmulo de substâncias húmicas, contribuindo para acidificação das águas e instalação de processo cárstico de solapamento do fundo de lagoas. / The Paleolake Cemetery Outcrop situated at the phosphate mine of the Ultrafértil Mining Company, in the municipality of Catalão, Goiás State, presents a significant deposit of sedimentary rocks originated by the fulfilling of a depression at the central part of the Carbonatitic Complex of Catalão I, where lacustrine sediments, which are rich in spicules of sponges, overlie discordantly a dome of carbonatitic magmatic rocks of the Late Cretaceous age. Freshwater sponges spicules contents were analysed as well as the diatom frustules in sedimentary rocks of three sections, namely 1, 2 and 3, that range from bottom to top of the above-mentioned lake deposit. The characterization of all depositional horizons is addressed here regarding the bio siliceous content and its utilization as a proxy datum for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. In order to accomplish this purpose, fractions of these rocks were treated with usual methods applied for the obtaining of siliceous material. The taxonomic study of spicules in these rocks confirmed the existence of an indigenous and lenthic community composed of six species of continental sponges responsible for the genesis of spongilite beds: Metania spinata (Carter, 1881), Dosilia pydanieli Volkmer-Ribeiro, 1992, Radiospongilla amazonensis Volkmer-Ribeiro & Maciel, 1983, Trochospongilla variabilis Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago (1973), Corvomeyenia thumi (Traxler, 1895), Heterorotula fistula Volkmer-Ribeiro & Motta, 1995, in the present case added to Corvoheteromeyenia australis (Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1966), species confirmed herein, for the first time, as an element of a forming-spongilite community However, other community of sponges related to lothic environment has also been registered at the bottom of lake deposit, which is formed by the following species: Corvospongilla seckti Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1966, Oncosclera navicella (Carter, 1881) and Eunapius fragilis (Leidy, 1851). The last community suggests a contribution of water flow in the beginning of the Paleolake genesis. The lenthic community found is considered to be an indicator of Cerrado-type lagoons suggesting the existence of this biome, in central region of Brazil, in the end of the Pleistocene. In this Paleolake there is also the unprecedented occurrence of diatomites interbedded with spongilites along the same section. Then it is proposed herein the presence of two different paleoenvironments to explain the occurrence of spongilites and diatomites together in this deposit. The results obtained seem to corroborate the hypothesis of formation of the Cemetery Paleolake, from the accumulation of humic substances, contributing to the acidification of the water and the installation of the karstic process for the washout of the lake bottom.