Navegando por Autor "Aguiar, Hilton Jeferson Alves Cardoso de"

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Banding patterns of three leafcutter ant species of the genus Atta (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) and chromosomal inferences
(Florida Entomologist, 2014-12) Barros, Luísa Antônia Campos; Teixeira, Gisele Amaro; Aguiar, Hilton Jeferson Alves Cardoso de; Mariano, Cléa Dos Santos Ferreira; Delabie, Jacques Hubert Charles; Pompolo, Silvia das Graças
Among Neotropical ants, the genera Acromyrmex and Atta are of great importance because they include the major agricultural pest species. Regarding the genus Atta, considered one of the most derived of the tribe Attini, cytogenetic data exists for 5 taxa that present 2n = 22 chromosomes; however, information regarding banding patterns is only available for Atta colombica. Cytogenetics has contributed to several aspects related to the family Formicidae, in particular to the understanding of its evolution. Therefore, the aim of this study was to increase the cytogenetic data on Atta sexdens rubropilosa, Atta laevigata and Atta bisphaerica belonging to populations in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The 3 species were characterized as having 2n = 22 chromosomes with a karyotypic formula of 2n = 18m 2sm 2st. Using the C-banding technique, small heterochromatic markings were observed in the centromeres of most of the chromosomes. The presence of GC-rich blocks in the interstitial region on the long arm of the fourth pair of metacentric chromosomes was indicated by CMA3 fluorochrome. The data from this study enabled a comparison with Acromyrmex striatus, a phylogenetically close species possessing the same chromosome number as the Atta species studied in this work, although clear differences were evident in the morphologies of 2 chromosome pairs and in the distribution and composition of heterochromatin. These results show the constancy of the chromosome number, morphology and banding pattern for the species studied, highlighting the importance of measuring the chromosomes to enable accurate comparison and using banding techniques to compare species of genera with a conserved chromosome number.
Comparative physical mapping of 18S rDNA in the karyotypes of six leafcutter ant species of the genera Atta and Acromyrmex (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)
(Genetica, 2017-06-03) Teixeira, Gisele Amaro; Barros, Luísa Antônia Campos; Aguiar, Hilton Jeferson Alves Cardoso de; Pompolo, Silvia das Graças
Leafcutter ants of the Atta and Acromyrmex genera are important plagues in different cultures. Cytogenetic data on chromosome number, morphology, and chromosomal banding pattern are only available for 17 species of leafcutter ants. Molecular cytogenetic data for the detection of ribosomal genes by the FISH technique are scarce, and only 15 Neotropical ant species have been studied. This study aimed to physically map the 18S ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) of six leafcutter ants belonging to the genera Atta and Acromyrmex using FISH. The results were compared with data on the fluorochrome CMA3 currently available for these species. All analyzed species presented the 18S rDNA on one pair of chromosomes. In Acromyrmex subterraneus molestans and Ac. aspersus, FISH signals were observed in the terminal region of the short arm of the largest subtelocentric pair, while in Atta bisphaerica, A. laevigata, and A. sexdens, FISH signals were observed in the interstitial region of the long arm of the fourth metacentric pair. In Acromyrmex striatus, 18S rDNA was located in the interstitial region of the second metacentric pair. The karyotypic formula for Ac. aspersus was 2n = 38 (8m + 10sm + 16st + 4a), representing the first report in this species. The observed 18S rDNA regions in A. laevigata, A. sexdens, A. bisphaerica, Ac. aspersus, and Ac. subterraneus molestans corresponded to the CMA3 + bands, while in Ac. striatus, several GC-rich bands and one pair of 18S rDNA bands were observed. No differential bands were visible using the DAPI fluorochrome. Karyotype uniformity with previously studied Atta spp. was also observed at the level of molecular cytogenetics using 18S rDNA FISH. A difference in the size of the chromosomal pair carrying the 18S rDNA gene was observed in Ac. striatus (2n = 22) and Atta spp. (2n = 22) highlighting the dissimilarity between these species. The results from the present study contribute to the description of 18S rDNA clusters in Neotropical ants.
Cytogenetic data on six leafcutter ants of the genus Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae): insights into chromosome evolution and taxonomic implications
(Comparative Cytogenetics, 2016-05-11) Barros, Luísa Antônia Campos; Aguiar, Hilton Jeferson Alves Cardoso de; Mariano, Cléa dos Santos Ferreira; Andrade-Souza, Vanderly; Costa, Marco Antonio; Delabie, Jacques Hubert Charles; Pompolo, Silvia das Graças
Cytogenetic data for the genus Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865 are available, to date, for a few species from Brazil and Uruguay, which have uniform chromosome numbers (2n = 38). The recent cytogenetic data of Acromyrmex striatus (Roger, 1863), including its banding patterns, showed a distinct karyotype (2n = 22), similar to earlier studied Atta Fabricius, 1804 species. Karyological data are still scarce for the leafcutter ants and many gaps are still present for a proper understanding of this group. Therefore, this study aimed at increasing cytogenetic knowledge of the genus through the characterization of other six species: Acromyrmex balzani (Emery, 1890), Acromyrmex coronatus Fabricius, 1804, Acromyrmex disciger (Mayr, 1887), Acromyrmex echinatior (Forel, 1899), Acromyrmex niger (Smith, 1858) and Acromyrmex rugosus (Smith, 1858), all of which were collected in Minas Gerais – Brazil, except for Acromyrmex echinatior which was collected in Barro Colorado – Panama. The number and morphology of the chromosomes were studied and the following banding techniques were applied: C-banding, fluorochromes CMA3 and DAPI, as well as the detection of 45S rDNA using FISH technique. All the six species had the same chromosome number observed for already studied species, i.e. 2n = 38. Acromyrmex balzani had a different karyotype compared with other species mainly due to the first metacentric pair. The heterochromatin distribution also showed interspecific variation. Nevertheless, all the studied species had a pair of bands in the short arm of the first subtelocentric pair. The fluorochrome CMA3 visualized bands in the short arm of the first subtelocentric pair for all the six species, while Acromyrmex rugosus and Acromyrmex niger also demonstrated in the other chromosomes. The AT-rich regions with differential staining using DAPI were not observed. 45S ribosomal genes were identified by FISH in the short arm of the first subtelocentric pair in Acromyrmex coronatus, Acromyrmex disciger and Acromyrmex niger. The uniform chromosome number in the genus Acromyrmex (2n = 38) suggests that Acromyrmex striatus (2n = 22) should be transferred to a new genus. Other aspects of the chromosome evolution in ants are also discussed.
Cytogenetic data on the threatened leafcutter ant Atta robusta Borgmeier, 1939 (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini)
(Comptes Rendus Biologies, 2015-08-24) Barros, Luı́sa Antônia Campos; Aguiar, Hilton Jeferson Alves Cardoso de; Teixeira, Gisele Amaro; Mariano, Cléa dos Santos Ferreira; Teixeira, Marcos da Cunha; Delabie, Jacques Hubert Charles; Pompolo, Silvia das Graças
The karyotype of the threatened ant species Atta robusta is described so as to establish the evolutionary relationships of this taxon with other leafcutter ants. Standard Giemsa staining, C-banding, NOR banding, fluorochromes CMA3/DAPI, Hsc-FA technique and Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) using 18S rDNA probe were conducted on a population from Aracruz, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, allowing for comparisons with data available on Atta and other fungus-growing ant species. The diploid chromosome number observed for A. robusta was 2n = 22, and the karyotypic formula was 18m + 2sm + 2st. Heterochromatic blocks were observed in the centromeric region of most chromosomes, where one pair of metacentric chromosomes is characterized by a GC-rich heterochromatic band in the interstitial region of its long arm. The detection of 18S rDNA using FISH confirmed the presence of single NOR for A. robusta. This is the first report of rDNA 18S detection using FISH for leafcutter ants. The cytogenetic results of this study confirm the information available for Atta and allow us to confirm the conserved chromosome number, morphology and banding pattern within the genus for the taxa studied to date, which included species from three out of the four groups of Atta indicated by molecular data. The accumulation of cytogenetic data on fungus-growing ants enhances the understanding of the genomic evolutionary patterns of Atta, since it belongs to a group of recent origin between the most well studied ants. Cytogenetic data does not indicate restrictions in relocation or reintroduction in areas where populations were extinct due to the conserved karyotype. This study allows for cytogenetic comparison of A. robusta with other ants of Atta, emphasizing the importance of chromosomal information for species conservation.
Cytogenetic studies on populations of Camponotus rufipes (Fabricius, 1775) and Camponotus renggeri Emery, 1894 (Formicidae: Formicinae)
(PLoS One, 2017-05-16) Aguiar, Hilton Jeferson Alves Cardoso de; Barros, Luísa Antônia Campos; Alves, Danúbia Rodrigues; Mariano, Cléa dos Santos Ferreira; Delabie, Jacques Hubert Charles; Pompolo, Silvia das Graças
Two valid ant species, Camponotus rufipes and Camponotus renggeri, have recently been the subject of a broad discussion with reference to taxa synonymization. Both species are quite common among the Neotropical myrmecofauna and share some unique traits, such as the shape of the scape and the pilosity patterns of the tibiae and scapes. A single morphological trait can help distinguish these species; however, only a combination of different approaches can enlighten our view of the complex phylogenetic relationships prevailing in the different populations of these two taxa. Therefore, focusing on the taxonomic issues concerning these two species, a cytogenetic survey including 10 populations of C. rufipes and two populations of C. renggeri was performed. In order to better understand the extent of the relationship between C. rufipes and C. renggeri, two common Neotropical Camponotus species, C. atriceps and C. cingulatus were taken as outgroups. All four species of Camponotus that were studied had 2n = 40 chromosomes (4sm+34st+2t); however, the abundance of chromosome rearrangements observed, combined with several chromosome markers, suggest that C. rufipes and C. renggeri are two good distinct species although closely related. The already reported chromosome translocation 2n = 39 (1m+4sm+32st +2t) for C. rufipes has been found in different populations as in the unprecedented chromosome inversions found both in C. rufipes and in C. renggeri populations. Within the C. renggeri chromosome inversions, both the heterozygous state 2n = 40 (1m+3sm+34st+2t) and the homozygous state, 2n = 40 (2m+2sm+34st+2t) were identified. However, only het- erozygous specimens for chromosome inversions were found among C. rufipes, with karyotype configurations distinct from those found in C. renggeri, with 2n = 40 (1m+4sm+34st +2t). None of the populations studied showed signs of mosaic individuals. With respect to rDNA clusters, the 18S rDNA seemed to be more restricted inside the genome, as C. renggeri showed four 18S rDNA clusters, whereas, C. rufipes, C. atriceps, and C. cingulatus showed only two clusters. The chromosome locations of the 5S rDNA clusters were pointed for the first time in Formicidae, and showed itself to be more widely spread over the genome. By combining different chromosome banding approaches it was possible to demonstrate the crucial importance that chromosome inversions played on the karyotype evolution within these ants. The results also showed that chromosome translocations might be a consequence of the chromatin dynamic condition observed among Camponotus species. The homozygosis condition found in a C. renggeri from a Brazilian savanna population for chromosome inversions and the contrasting heterozygous condition for a different kind of chromosome inversion in C. rufipes from the Brazilian coastal rainforest, opens the window for a chromosome race hypothesis within the group C. renggeri and C. rufipes. The wide distribution, rich ecological interactions, genetic diversity, and morphological variability among C. renggeri and C. rufipes justify questioning of the actual taxonomic status of these species. The answer of this puzzle is clear when observing the number of 18S rDNA clusters of these ants, as C. rufipes has only two clusters whereas C. renggeri has four.
First report on spontaneous hybridization between Astyanax giton Baird & Girard 1854 and Oligosarcus argenteus Günther 1864 (Pisces : Characidae): ecological and phylogenetic inferences
(Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2011-02-14) Aguiar, Hilton Jeferson Alves Cardoso de; Pazza, Rubens; http://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/visualizacv.do?id=K4763180T0; Pompolo, Silvia das Graças; http://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/visualizacv.do?id=K4780564A2; Santos, Jorge Abdala Dergam dos; http://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/visualizacv.do?id=K4780131D9; http://lattes.cnpq.br/9848403752122719; Kavalco, Karine Frehner; http://lattes.cnpq.br/1620231977174004
A complexa família Characidae é parte da fauna ictiológica neotropical e conta com várias espécies e gêneros em condição de Incertae Sedis. Os gêneros Astyanax e Oligosarcus, considerados muito aparentados, estão incluídos nesta família e abrangem espécies de pequeno tamanho e expressiva abundância em muitos rios e córregos da América do sul. Na bacia do rio Doce, no sudeste brasileiro, uma análise morfológica preliminar permitiu a identificação de cinco peixes “semelhantes à Astyanax” que continham no seu osso maxilar de 8 a 13 dentes. Esses cinco peixes, chamados no presente trabalho de dentuços, foram coletados em simpatria com as espécies Astyanax bimaculatus (Linneaus, 1758), Astyanax giton (Eigenmann, 1908) e Oligosarcus argenteus Günther, 1864. De modo a determinar a natureza biológica dos dentuços, foi realizado um estudo multidisciplinar envolvendo dados morfológicos citogenéticos e moleculares. Os dentuços apresentaram configurações intermediárias entre as espécies A. giton e O. argenteus no que diz respeito ao número de escamas na linha lateral e ao número de dentes no osso maxilar. As análises citogenéticas, feitas através das técnicas de Giemsa, bandeamento NOR, bandeamento-C, fluorocromos, e FISH, indicaram que todas as espécies de caracídeos contaram com número diploide 2n=50 cromossomos diferindo, porém, em vários caracteres de sua morfologia cromossômica. Os dentuços caracterizaram-se por apresentar altos índices de variação cromossômica tanto intra- como inter-individual. Além do mais, eles contaram com vários cromossomos não pareáveis assim como cromossomos de tamanho diminuto que não são observados em nenhuma daquelas espécies simpátricas de Characidae. Três espécimes dos dentuços apresentaram seu fragmento de DNA do gene mitocondrial citocromo b (475 pb) idêntico aquele de O. argenteus e, contudo, todos os dentuços compartilhavam mais alelos ISSR com os espécimes de A. giton do que com os espécimes de O. argenteus. Por outro lado, uma espécie de dentuço conta com o gene cyt. b idêntico aquele das espécies de A. giton estudadas. A análise de fragmentos ITS-1 (1123 pb) mostrou que os dentuços têm sequencias mais relacionadas à Oligosarcus argenteus. Os dados, desse modo, sugeriram que os dentuços são híbridos entre as espécies A. giton e O. argenteus representando assim o primeiro caso de hibridismo espontâneo entre dois gêneros de peixes neotropicais. A relevância de tal descoberta para a biologia da conservação e para as investigações filogenéticas foram discutidas.