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peromyscus maniculatus, a possible reservoir host of borrelia garinii, at the gannet islands, newfoundland and labrador.abstract thirty-five deer mice, peromyscus maniculatus, were trapped on gannet cluster 2 (gc-2), one of a group of islands numbered by convention, of the gannet island archipelago and examined for ectoparasites. one species each of acari (ixodes uriae) and siphonaptera (orchopeas leucopus) were recovered. samples of mice favored males to females (3.4:1). twenty-nine percent (10) of the mice were free of ectoparasites. males were more heavily parasitized than females when both parasites were cons ...201121506809
expression and purification of recombinant hemoglobin in escherichia coli.recombinant dna technologies have played a pivotal role in the elucidation of structure-function relationships in hemoglobin (hb) and other globin proteins. here we describe the development of a plasmid expression system to synthesize recombinant hbs in escherichia coli, and we describe a protocol for expressing hbs with low intrinsic solubilities. since the α- and β-chain hbs of different species span a broad range of solubilities, experimental protocols that have been optimized for expressing ...201121625463
genetic correlation between resting metabolic rate and exploratory behaviour in deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus).according to the 'pace-of-life' syndrome hypothesis, differences in resting metabolic rate (rmr) should be genetically associated with exploratory behaviour. a large number of studies reported significant heritability for both rmr and exploratory behaviour, but the genetic correlation between the two has yet to be documented. we used a quantitative genetic approach to decompose the phenotypic (co)variance of several metabolic and behavioural measures into components of additive genetic, common e ...201121696480
disruption of adult expression of sexually selected traits by developmental exposure to bisphenol a.exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds (edcs), such as bisphenol a (bpa), may cause adverse health effects in wildlife and humans, but controversy remains as to what traits are most sensitive to edcs and might serve as barometers of exposure. expression of sexually selected traits that have evolved through intrasexual competition for mates and intersexual choice of mating partner are more dependent on developmental and physical condition of an animal than naturally selected traits and thus m ...201121709224
temporal patterns of tick-borne granulocytic anaplasmosis in california.granulocytic anaplasmosis (ga) is a tick-borne emerging infectious disease caused by the bacterium anaplasma phagocytophilum. from fall 2005 to spring 2007, a. phagocytophilum infection prevalence in small mammals and tick abundance were monitored at 4 study sites in coastal california. the abundance of different life stages of questing ixodes pacificus ticks fluctuated seasonally with the number of adults peaking december to february, nymphs peaking may to july, and larvae peaking april to june ...201121771541
the biology and methodology of assisted reproduction in deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus).although laboratory-reared species of the genus peromyscus-including deer mice-are used as model animals in a wide range of research, routine manipulation of peromyscus embryogenesis and reproduction has been lagging. the objective of the present study was to optimize conditions for oocyte and/or embryo retrieval and for in vitro culturing. on average, 6.4 oocytes per mouse were recovered when two doses of 15 iu of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (pmsg) were given 24 h apart, followed by 15 iu ...201121924468
biotic resistance via granivory: establishment by invasive, naturalized, and native asters reflects generalist preference.escape from specialist natural enemies is frequently invoked to explain exotic plant invasions, but little attention has been paid to how generalist consumers in the recipient range may influence invasion. we examined how seed preferences of the widespread generalist granivore peromyscus maniculatus related to recruitment of the strongly invasive exotic centaurea stoebe and several weakly invasive exotics and natives by conducting laboratory feeding trials and seed addition experiments in the fi ...201121939071
promiscuity in mice is associated with increased vaginal bacterial diversity.differences in the number of sexual partners (i.e., mating system) have the potential to exert a strong influence on the bacterial communities present in reproductive structures like the vagina. because this structure serves as a conduit for gametes, bacteria present there may have a pronounced, direct effect on host reproductive success. as a first step towards the identification of the relationship between sexual behavior and potentially pathogenic bacterial communities inhabiting vital reprod ...201121964973
Using a comparative species approach to investigate the neurobiology of paternal responses.A goal of behavioral neuroscience is to identify underlying neurobiological factors that regulate specific behaviors. Using animal models to accomplish this goal, many methodological strategies require invasive techniques to manipulate the intensity of the behavior of interest (e.g., lesion methods, pharmacological manipulations, microdialysis techniques, genetically-engineered animal models). The utilization of a comparative species approach allows researchers to take advantage of naturally oc ...201121968462
microsatellite genetic structure and cytonuclear discordance in naturally fragmented populations of deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus).the great lakes impose high levels of natural fragmentation on local populations of terrestrial animals in a way rarely found within continental ecosystems. although separated by major water barriers, woodland deer mouse (peromyscus maniculatus gracilis) populations on the islands and on the upper peninsula (up) and lower peninsula (lp) of michigan have previously been shown to have a mitochondrial dna contact zone that is incongruent with the regional landscape. we analyzed 11 microsatellite lo ...201221976772
altitudinal variation at duplicated β-globin genes in deer mice: effects of selection, recombination, and gene conversion.spatially varying selection on a given polymorphism is expected to produce a localized peak in the between-population component of nucleotide diversity, and theory suggests that the chromosomal extent of elevated differentiation may be enhanced in cases where tandemly linked genes contribute to fitness variation. an intriguing example is provided by the tandemly duplicated β-globin genes of deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus), which contribute to adaptive differentiation in blood-oxygen affinity ...201122042573
estimating duration of infection with avidity assays: potential limitations and recommendations for improvement.recent infections often have higher pathogen loads. the number of recent infections can therefore be used to estimate transmission rates in a host population. antibody avidity assays are an emerging technique to infer infection age in both domestic and wild animals. these assays have the potential to supplant intensive mark-recapture efforts for identification of recent infections, but their results may be confounded by antibody titer. we examined the effectiveness of an avidity assay for identi ...201122311097
buffering and plasticity in vital rates of oldfield rodents.1. under the hypothesis of environmental buffering, populations are expected to minimize the variance of the most influential vital rates; however, this may not be a universal principle. species with a life span <1 year may be less likely to exhibit buffering because of temporal or seasonal variability in vital rate sensitivities. further, plasticity in vital rates may be adaptive for species in a variable environment with reliable cues. 2. we tested for environmental buffering and plasticity in ...201222375923
population delimitation across contrasting evolutionary clines in deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus).despite current interest in population genetics, a concrete definition of a "population" remains elusive. multiple ecologically and evolutionarily based definitions of population are in current use, which focus, respectively, on demographic and genetic interactions. accurate population delimitation is crucial for not only evolutionary and ecological population biology, but also for conservation of threatened populations. along the pacific coast of north america, two contrasting patterns of geogr ...201122393480
prediction of peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse) population dynamics in montana, usa, using satellite-driven vegetation productivity and weather data.deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) are the main reservoir host for sin nombre virus, the primary etiologic agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in north america. sequential changes in weather and plant productivity (trophic cascades) have been noted as likely catalysts of deer mouse population irruptions, and monitoring and modeling of these phenomena may allow for development of early-warning systems for disease risk. relationships among weather variables, satellite-derived vegetation product ...201222493110
hantavirus pulmonary syndrome: report of four alberta cases.four alberta cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome are reported. three cases required intensive care, with one experiencing a fulminant course resulting in death. a fourth case with milder illness was identified after epidemiological investigations. ribavirin was used in one patient who experienced a successful outcome. a recent open label trial has not supported the efficacy of this drug. the epidemiology of peromyscus maniculatus, the primary rodent host, and the clinical features of this syn ...199522514394
regulatory changes contribute to the adaptive enhancement of thermogenic capacity in high-altitude deer mice.in response to hypoxic stress, many animals compensate for a reduced cellular o(2) supply by suppressing total metabolism, thereby reducing o(2) demand. for small endotherms that are native to high-altitude environments, this is not always a viable strategy, as the capacity for sustained aerobic thermogenesis is critical for survival during periods of prolonged cold stress. for example, survivorship studies of deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) have demonstrated that thermogenic capacity is unde ...201222586089
impacts of an introduced forest pathogen on the risk of lyme disease in california.global changes such as deforestation, climate change, and invasive species have the potential to greatly alter zoonotic disease systems through impacts on biodiversity. this study examined the impact of the invasive pathogen that causes sudden oak death (sod) on the ecology of lyme disease in california. the lyme disease bacterium, borrelia burgdorferi, is maintained in the far western united states by a suite of animal reservoirs including the dusky-footed woodrat (neotoma fuscipes) and deer mo ...201222607076
postdispersal seed predation limits the abundance of a long-lived perennial forb (lithospermum ruderale).loss of seeds to consumers is common in plant communities, but the degree to which these losses influence plant abundance or population growth is often unclear. this is particularly the case for postdispersal seed predation by rodents, as most studies of rodent seed predation have focused on the sources of spatiotemporal variation in seed loss but not quantified the population consequences of this loss. in previous work we showed that seed predation by deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) substant ...201222624208
population density and seasonality effects on sin nombre virus transmission in north american deermice (peromyscus maniculatus) in outdoor enclosures.surveys of wildlife host-pathogen systems often document clear seasonal variation in transmission; conclusions concerning the relationship between host population density and transmission vary. in the field, effects of seasonality and population density on natural disease cycles are challenging to measure independently, but laboratory experiments may poorly reflect what happens in nature. outdoor manipulative experiments are an alternative that controls for some variables in a relatively natural ...201222768034
sex and dose-dependent effects of developmental exposure to bisphenol a on anxiety and spatial learning in deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) offspring.bisphenol a (bpa) is a widely produced, endocrine disrupting compound that is pervasive in the environment. data suggest that developmental exposure to bpa during sexual differentiation of the brain leads to later behavioral consequences in offspring. outbred deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) are an excellent animal model for such studies as they exhibit well-defined sex- and steroid-dependent behaviors. here, dams during gestation and lactation were fed with a phytoestrogen-free contro ...201323051835
transmission ecology of sin nombre hantavirus in naturally infected north american deermouse populations in outdoor enclosures.sin nombre hantavirus (snv), hosted by the north american deermouse (peromyscus maniculatus), causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (hps) in north america. most transmission studies in the host were conducted under artificial conditions, or extrapolated information from mark-recapture data. previous studies using experimentally infected deermice were unable to demonstrate snv transmission. we explored snv transmission in outdoor enclosures using naturally infected deermice. deermice acquiring snv ...201223110096
elk herbivory alters small mammal assemblages in high-elevation drainages.heavy herbivory by ungulates can substantially alter habitat, but the indirect consequences of habitat modification for animal assemblages that rely on that habitat are not well studied. this is a particularly important topic given that climate change can alter plant-herbivore interactions. we explored short-term responses of small mammal communities to recent exclusion of rocky mountain elk (cervus elaphus) in high-elevation riparian drainages in northern arizona, where elk impacts on vegetatio ...201323163813
contributions of phenotypic plasticity to differences in thermogenic performance between highland and lowland deer mice.small mammals face especially severe thermoregulatory challenges at high altitude because the reduced o2 availability constrains the capacity for aerobic thermogenesis. adaptive enhancement of thermogenic performance under hypoxic conditions may be achieved via physiological adjustments that occur within the lifetime of individuals (phenotypic plasticity) and/or genetically based changes that occur across generations, but their relative contributions to performance differences between highland a ...201323197099
phenotypic plasticity in blood-oxygen transport in highland and lowland deer mice.in vertebrates living at high altitude, arterial hypoxemia may be ameliorated by reversible changes in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood (regulated by erythropoiesis) and/or changes in blood-oxygen affinity (regulated by allosteric effectors of hemoglobin function). these hematological traits often differ between taxa that are native to different elevational zones, but it is often unknown whether the observed physiological differences reflect fixed, genetically based differences or envir ...201323239893
modeling paternal attentiveness: distressed pups evoke differential neurobiological and behavioral responses in paternal and nonpaternal mice.with the exception of parturition and lactation, male california deer mice (peromyscus californicus) exhibit the same parental responses toward offspring as conspecific females. a closely related species, peromyscus maniculatus, however, rarely exhibits paternal responses. in the current study, a comparative species approach was used to assess paternal responses in both peromyscus species with varying levels of paternal experience (biological fathers, pup-exposed virgins, and pup-naïve virgins). ...201223262236
association between movement and sin nombre virus (bunyaviridae: hantavirus) infection in north american deermice (peromyscus maniculatus) in colorado.capture data from long-term, mark-recapture studies were used to evaluate movements of north american deermice (peromyscus maniculatus) on mark-recapture webs in colorado with respect to sin nombre virus (snv) infection status, age, sex, and trapping site. latitude and longitude coordinates for each capture during the approximately 12-yr study were used to produce an individual minimum convex polygon (mcp) area representing the movements (not home range) of an individual mouse over time. these m ...201323307379
experimental andes virus infection in deer mice: characteristics of infection and clearance in a heterologous rodent host.new world hantaviruses can cause hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome with high mortality in humans. distinct virus species are hosted by specific rodent reservoirs, which also serve as the vectors. although regional spillover has been documented, it is unknown whether rodent reservoirs are competent for infection by hantaviruses that are geographically separated, and known to have related, but distinct rodent reservoir hosts. we show that andes virus (andv) of south america, carried by the long ...201323383148
effects of developmental bisphenol a exposure on reproductive-related behaviors in california mice (peromyscus californicus): a monogamous animal model.bisphenol a (bpa), a pervasive, endocrine disrupting compound (edc), acts as a mixed agonist-antagonist with respect to estrogens and other steroid hormones. we hypothesized that sexually selected traits would be particularly sensitive to edc. consistent with this concept, developmental exposure of males from the polygynous deer mouse, peromyscus maniculatus, to bpa resulted in compromised spatial navigational ability and exploratory behaviors, while there was little effect on females. here, we ...201323405200
indirect and mitigated effects of pulsed resources on the population dynamics of a northern rodent.pulsed resources have significant effects on population and community dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems. mast seeding is an important resource pulse in deciduous forests; these boom and bust cycles of seed production generate strong lagged population responses by post-dispersal seed predators such as rodents, which then cascade through multiple trophic levels and regulate population dynamics of their predators and prey. however, similar interactions in another major pulsed system, coniferous fo ...201323461538
deer mouse hemoglobin exhibits a lowered oxygen affinity owing to mobility of the e helix.the deer mouse, peromyscus maniculatus, exhibits altitude-associated variation in hemoglobin oxygen affinity. to examine the structural basis of this functional variation, the structure of the hemoglobin was solved. recombinant hemoglobin was expressed in escherichia coli and was purified by ion-exchange chromatography. recombinant hemoglobin was crystallized by the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method using polyethylene glycol as a precipitant. the obtained orthorhombic crystal contained two sub ...201323545644
expression profiling of lymph node cells from deer mice infected with andes virus.deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) are the principal reservoir hosts of sin nombre virus (snv), the cause of the great majority of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (hcps) cases in north america. snv, like all hantaviruses with their reservoirs, causes persistent infection without pathology in deer mice and appear to elicit a regulatory t cell response. deer mice are also susceptible to andes virus (andv), which causes the great majority of hcps cases in south america, but they clear infection ...201323570545
identification of rodent homologs of hepatitis c virus and pegiviruses.hepatitis c virus (hcv) and human pegivirus (hpgv or gb virus c) are globally distributed and infect 2 to 5% of the human population. the lack of tractable-animal models for these viruses, in particular for hcv, has hampered the study of infection, transmission, virulence, immunity, and pathogenesis. to address this challenge, we searched for homologous viruses in small mammals, including wild rodents. here we report the discovery of several new hepaciviruses (hcv-like viruses) and pegiviruses ( ...201323572554
improved technique for induction and monitoring of audiogenic seizure in deer mice.epilepsy is a debilitating disease characterized by recurring seizures. epilepsy can be studied using animal models, such as rodents prone to audiogenic seizure (ags), which experience generalized seizures (loss of consciousness accompanied by rhythmic muscle spasms and rigid muscle stiffness) after intense sound stimulation. in 1933, a spontaneous mutation resulting in sensitivity to ags was observed among laboratory stocks of deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus artemisiae) at the university of m ...201323604158
a new intermediate host for echinococcus multilocularis: the southern red-backed vole (myodes gapperi) in urban landscape in calgary, canada.human alveolar echinococcosis (hae) is a potentially fatal parasitic disease caused by echinococcus multilocularis, a cestode characterized by a sylvatic life-cycle involving several species of rodents and lagomorphs as intermediate hosts and canids as definitive hosts. despite the wide distribution of the parasite in north america, the number of competent intermediate host species identified to date is still relatively small, and mainly includes the northern vole (microtus oeconomus), brown lem ...201323608104
terrestrial ecosystem recovery following removal of a pcb point source at a former pole vault line radar station in northern labrador.saglek bay (lab-2), located on the northeast coast of labrador is a former polevault station that was operated by the u.s. air force from 1953 to 1971 when it was abandoned. an environmental assessment carried out in 1996 determined that the site was contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) with concentrations in soils far exceeding the canadian environmental protection agency (cepa) regulation of 50 μg/g in three areas of the site (beach, site summit, antenna hill). this led to remedi ...201323712118
establishment of a european-type strain of echinococcus multilocularis in canadian wildlife.in 2009, a haplotype closely related to european strains of echinococcus multilocularis was detected in a dog from the quesnel region of british columbia, canada. we now report the establishment of this same haplotype in 7 coyotes (canis latrans) trapped within 40 km of quesnel, bc. in addition, 3 coyotes and 1 red fox (vulpes vulpes) harboured adult cestodes morphologically compatible with that of e. multilocularis (overall prevalence 33% in 33 carnivores). none of 156 potential intermediate ho ...201323714582
permeability of roads to movement of scrubland lizards and small mammals.a primary objective of road ecology is to understand and predict how roads affect connectivity of wildlife populations. road avoidance behavior can fragment populations, whereas lack of road avoidance can result in high mortality due to wildlife-vehicle collisions. many small animal species focus their activities to particular microhabitats within their larger habitat. we sought to assess how different types of roads affect the movement of small vertebrates and to explore whether responses to ro ...201323772966
fecal shedding of zoonotic food-borne pathogens by wild rodents in a major agricultural region of the central california coast.recent outbreaks of food-borne illness associated with the consumption of produce have increased concern over wildlife reservoirs of food-borne pathogens. wild rodents are ubiquitous, and those living close to agricultural farms may pose a food safety risk should they shed zoonotic microorganisms in their feces near or on agricultural commodities. fecal samples from wild rodents trapped on 13 agricultural farms (9 produce, 3 cow-calf operations, and 1 beef cattle feedlot) in monterey and san ben ...201323934490
faecal avoidance and selective foraging: do wild mice have the luxury to avoid faeces?host-parasite interactions are a key determinant of the population dynamics of wild animals, and behaviours that reduce parasite transmission and infection may be important for improving host fitness. while antiparasite behaviours have been demonstrated in laboratory animals and domesticated ungulates, whether these behaviours operate in the wild is poorly understood. therefore, examining antiparasite behaviours in natural populations is crucial for understanding their ecological significance. i ...024027342
increased detection of sin nombre hantavirus rna in antibody-positive deer mice from montana, usa: evidence of male bias in rna viremia.hantaviruses are widespread emergent zoonotic agents that cause unapparent or limited disease in their rodent hosts, yet cause acute, often fatal pulmonary or renal infections in humans. previous laboratory experiments with rodent reservoir hosts indicate that hantaviruses can be cleared from host blood early in the infection cycle, while sequestered long term in various host organs. field studies of north american deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus), the natural reservoir of sin nombre hantaviru ...201324064796
functional genomics of adaptation to hypoxic cold-stress in high-altitude deer mice: transcriptomic plasticity and thermogenic performance.in species that are distributed across steep environmental gradients, adaptive variation in physiological performance may be attributable to transcriptional plasticity in underlying regulatory networks. here we report the results of common-garden experiments that were designed to elucidate the role of regulatory plasticity in evolutionary adaptation to hypoxic cold-stress in deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus). we integrated genomic transcriptional profiles with measures of metabolic enzyme activ ...201424102503
influence of mustelid semiochemicals on population dynamics of the deer mouse (peromyscus maniculatus).the influence of mustelid anal-gland compounds on population dynamics of the deer mouse (peromyscus maniculatus) was investigated. densities of deer mice were not found to be significantly different between treated and control areas. however, on average, numbers of deer mice were lower on treated areas following the july treatments of 1991 and 1992. survival rates appeared to be lower and more erratic on treated than control areas in 1991; however, there were no statistically significant differe ...199424242120
retinal cone photoreceptors of the deer mouse peromyscus maniculatus: development, topography, opsin expression and spectral tuning.a quantitative analysis of photoreceptor properties was performed in the retina of the nocturnal deer mouse, peromyscus maniculatus, using pigmented (wildtype) and albino animals. the aim was to establish whether the deer mouse is a more suitable model species than the house mouse for photoreceptor studies, and whether oculocutaneous albinism affects its photoreceptor properties. in retinal flatmounts, cone photoreceptors were identified by opsin immunostaining, and their numbers, spectral types ...201324260509
chemical and behavioral ecology of foraging in prairie rattlesnakes (crotalus viridis viridis).free-ranging prairie rattlesnakes (crotalus viridis viridis) exhibit lengthy vernal migrations upon emergence from winter hibernation. a series of laboratory experiments was designed to test hypotheses regarding the function and causation of vernal movements. rattlesnakes obtained from wyoming and colorado populations were used. first, we hypothesized that the function of vernal movements is to locate small mammal prey. second, we predicted that activec. v. viridis use prey chemicals, as well as ...199024264898
use of predator odors as repellents to reduce feeding damage by herbivores : iii. montane and meadow voles (microtus montanus andmicrotus pennsylvanicus).this study investigated the influence of the major anal-gland compounds from the stoat (mustela erminea) and fecal and urine compounds from the red fox (vulpes vulpes) in generating an avoidance response by montane voles (microtus montanus), as well as suppressing feeding by montane and meadow (m. pennsylvanicus) voles on apple trees in orchards. in trap bioassays, a 1∶1 mixture of 2-propylthietane and 3-propyl-1,2-dithiolane significantly reduced vole captures. other mixtures of stoat compounds ...198824277015
the role of behavioural heterogeneity on infection patterns: implications for pathogen transmission.animals infected with pathogens often differ in behaviour from their uninfected counterparts, and these differences may be key to understanding zoonotic pathogen transmission. to explore behavioural heterogeneity and its role in pathogen transmission, we studied deer mice, peromyscus maniculatus, under field conditions. deer mice are the natural host of sin nombre virus (snv), a zoonotic pathogen with high human mortality. we live-trapped mice in may, july and september of 2009 and 2010, marked ...201324319292
natural genetic variation underlying differences in peromyscus repetitive and social/aggressive behaviors.peromyscus maniculatus (bw) and p. polionotus (po) are interfertile north american species that differ in many characteristics. for example, po exhibit monogamy and bw animals are susceptible to repetitive behaviors and thus a model for neurobehavioral disorders such as autism. we analyzed these two stocks as well as their hybrids, a bw y(po) consomic line (previously shown to alter glucose homeostasis) and a natural p. maniculatus agouti variant (a(nb) = wide band agouti). we show that po anima ...201424407381
effectiveness of rodenticides for managing invasive roof rats and native deer mice in orchards.roof rats (rattus rattus) and deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) are occasional pests of nut and tree fruit orchards throughout california and in many other parts of the usa and beyond. in general, the most practical and cost-effective control method for rodents in many agricultural environments is the use of rodenticides (toxic baits), but little or no information exists on the efficacy of current rodenticides in controlling roof rats and deer mice in orchards. therefore, our goals were to deve ...201424443051
detection of coccidioidal antibodies in serum of a small rodent community in baja california, mexico.coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) represents a serious threat to inhabitants of endemic areas of north america. despite successful clinical isolations of the fungal etiological agent, coccidioides spp., the screening of environmental samples has had low effectiveness, mainly because of the poor characterization of coccidioides ecological niche. we explored valle de las palmas, baja california, mexico, a highly endemic area near the u.s.-mexico border, where we previously detected coccidioides vi ...201424607357
spatial heterogeneity and temporal variations in echinococcus multilocularis infections in wild hosts in a north american urban setting.echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of human alveolar echinococcosis, has the potential to circulate in urban areas where wild host populations and humans coexist. the spatial and temporal distribution of infection in wild hosts locally affects the risk of transmission to humans. we investigated the spatial and temporal patterns of e. multilocularis infection in coyotes and rodent intermediate hosts within the city of calgary, canada, and the association between spatial variations i ...201424747533
an island-wide predator manipulation reveals immediate and long-lasting matching of risk by prey.anti-predator behaviour affects prey population dynamics, mediates cascading effects in food webs and influences the likelihood of rapid extinctions. predator manipulations in natural settings provide a rare opportunity to understand how prey anti-predator behaviour is affected by large-scale changes in predators. here, we couple a long-term, island-wide manipulation of an important rodent predator, the island fox (urocyon littoralis), with nearly 6 years of measurements on foraging by deer mice ...201424759863
rapid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of hantavirus-specific antibodies in divergent small mammals.we assessed the utility of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) for the detection of hantavirus-specific antibodies from sera of oligoryzomys longicaudatus, the principal reservoir of andes virus (andv), using an antigen previously developed for detection of antibodies to sin nombre virus (snv) in sera from peromyscus maniculatus. the assay uses a protein a/g horseradish peroxidase conjugate and can be performed in as little as 1.5 hours. serum samples from oligoryzomys longicaudatus col ...201424806874
effect of rock cover on small mammal abundance in a montana grassland.we examined the influence of rock cover, as an indicator of presumable retreat site availability on the abundance of deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) and prevalence of sin nombre virus (snv) using long-term live trapping and habitat data from three live trapping grids and a short-term (three month), spatially replicated study across three slopes in cascade county, montana. in our long-term study, we found that deer mice were more abundant at a live-trapping grid with greater rock cover, than t ...201124817814
differential lymphocyte and antibody responses in deer mice infected with sin nombre hantavirus or andes hantavirus.hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (hcps) is a rodent-borne disease with a high case-fatality rate that is caused by several new world hantaviruses. each pathogenic hantavirus is naturally hosted by a principal rodent species without conspicuous disease and infection is persistent, perhaps for life. deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) are the natural reservoirs of sin nombre virus (snv), the etiologic agent of most hcps cases in north america. deer mice remain infected despite a helper t cell re ...201424829335
peromyscus (deer mice) as developmental models.deer mice (peromyscus) are the most common native north american mammals, and exhibit great natural genetic variation. wild-derived stocks from a number of populations are available from the peromyscus genetic stock center (pgsc). the pgsc also houses a number of natural variants and mutants (many of which appear to differ from mus). these include metabolic, coat-color/pattern, neurological, and other morphological variants/mutants. nearly all these mutants are on a common genetic background, th ...201624896658
grazing effects on deer mice with implications to human exposure to sin nombre virus.we examined the effects of grazing on deer mouse (peromyscus maniculatus) movements into buildings using passive integrated transponder (pit) technology and small simulated buildings located on 0.6-ha treatment (grazing) and control (no grazing) plots. twelve experimental 9-day trials were conducted over the course of the study. during these trials, mouse movements into buildings were monitored during three time periods (each 3 days in length). in the treatment plots these time periods correspon ...201124910509
the dynamics of sperm cooperation in a competitive environment.sperm cooperation has evolved in a variety of taxa and is often considered a response to sperm competition, yet the benefit of this form of collective movement remains unclear. here, we use fine-scale imaging and a minimal mathematical model to study sperm aggregation in the rodent genus peromyscus. we demonstrate that as the number of sperm cells in an aggregate increase, the group moves with more persistent linearity but without increasing speed. this benefit, however, is offset in larger aggr ...201425056618
pleiotropic effects of a methyl donor diet in a novel animal model.folate and other methyl-donor pathway components are widely supplemented due to their ability to prevent prenatal neural tube defects. several lines of evidence suggest that these supplements act through epigenetic mechanisms (e.g. altering dna methylation). primary among these are the experiments on the mouse viable yellow allele of the agouti locus (a(vy)). in the avy allele, an intracisternal a-particle retroelement has inserted into the genome adjacent to the agouti gene and is preferentiall ...201425121505
the relationship between cardiopulmonary size and aerobic performance in adult deer mice at high altitude.deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus sonoriensis) populations in the white mountains of eastern california are found across a substantial range of partial pressures of oxygen (po₂). reduction in po₂ at high altitude can have a negative impact on aerobic performance. we studied plastic changes in organ mass and volume involved in aerobic respiration in response to acclimation to high altitude, and how those changes are matched with aerobic performance measured by vo₂,max. adult deer mice born and ra ...201425147245
hematologic and serum biochemical values of 4 species of peromyscus mice and their hybrids.deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) and congeneric species are used in a wide variety of research applications, particularly studies of developmental, physiologic, and behavioral characteristics associated with habitat adaptation and speciation. because peromyscine mice readily adapt to colony conditions, animals with traits of interest in the field are moved easily into the laboratory where they can be studied under controlled conditions. the purpose of this study was to determine the serum chem ...201425199088
intraspecific polymorphism, interspecific divergence, and the origins of function-altering mutations in deer mouse hemoglobin.major challenges for illuminating the genetic basis of phenotypic evolution are to identify causative mutations, to quantify their functional effects, to trace their origins as new or preexisting variants, and to assess the manner in which segregating variation is transduced into species differences. here, we report an experimental analysis of genetic variation in hemoglobin (hb) function within and among species of peromyscus mice that are native to different elevations. a multilocus survey of ...201525556236
apparent field safety of a raccoon poxvirus-vectored plague vaccine in free-ranging prairie dogs (cynomys spp.), colorado, usa.prairie dogs (cynomys spp.) suffer high rates of mortality from plague. an oral sylvatic plague vaccine using the raccoon poxvirus vector (designated rcn-f1/v307) has been developed for prairie dogs. this vaccine is incorporated into palatable bait along with rhodamine b as a biomarker. we conducted trials in august and september 2012 to demonstrate uptake and apparent safety of the rcn-f1/v307 vaccine in two prairie dog species under field conditions. free-ranging prairie dogs and other associa ...201525588006
effect of an invasive plant and moonlight on rodent foraging behavior in a coastal dune ecosystem.understanding how invasive plants may alter predator avoidance behaviors is important for granivorous rodents because their foraging can trigger ripple effects in trophic webs. previous research has shown that european beach grass ammophila arenaria, an invasive species in coastal california, affects the predation of other seeds by the rodents microtus californicus, peromyscus maniculatus, and reithrodontomys megalotis. this may be due to lower perceived predation risk by rodents foraging in clo ...201525679785
high-altitude ancestry and hypoxia acclimation have distinct effects on exercise capacity and muscle phenotype in deer mice.the hypoxic and cold environment at high altitudes requires that small mammals sustain high rates of o2 transport for exercise and thermogenesis while facing a diminished o2 availability. we used laboratory-born and -raised deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) from highland and lowland populations to determine the interactive effects of ancestry and hypoxia acclimation on exercise performance. maximal o₂consumption (v̇o(2max)) during exercise in hypoxia increased after hypoxia acclimation (equival ...201525695288
rapid morphological change in black rats (rattus rattus) after an island introduction.rapid morphological change has been shown in rodent populations on islands, including endemic deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus subspp.) on the california channel islands. surprisingly, most of these changes were towards a smaller size. black rats were introduced to anacapa island in the mid-1800s (probably in 1853) and eradicated in 2001-2002. to assess possible changes in these rats since their introduction, eleven cranial and four standard external measurements were taken from 59 rattus rattu ...201525780765
adaptive modifications of muscle phenotype in high-altitude deer mice are associated with evolved changes in gene regulation.at high-altitude, small mammals are faced with the energetic challenge of sustaining thermogenesis and aerobic exercise in spite of the reduced o2 availability. under conditions of hypoxic cold stress, metabolic demands of shivering thermogenesis and locomotion may require enhancements in the oxidative capacity and o2 diffusion capacity of skeletal muscle to compensate for the diminished tissue o2 supply. we used common-garden experiments involving highland and lowland deer mice (peromyscus mani ...201525851956
transcriptome markers of viral persistence in naturally-infected andes virus (bunyaviridae) seropositive long-tailed pygmy rice rats.long-tailed pygmy rice rats (oligoryzomys longicaudatus) are principal reservoir hosts of andes virus (andv) (bunyaviridae), which causes most hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome cases in the americas. to develop tools for the study of the andv-host interactions, we used rna-seq to generate a de novo transcriptome assembly. splenic rna from five rice rats captured in chile, three of which were andv-infected, was used to generate an assembly of 66,173 annotated transcripts, including noncoding rn ...201525856432
evaluation of the importance of vlse antigenic variation for the enzootic cycle of borrelia burgdorferi.efficient acquisition and transmission of borrelia burgdorferi by the tick vector, and the ability to persistently infect both vector and host, are important elements for the life cycle of the lyme disease pathogen. previous work has provided strong evidence implicating the significance of the vls locus for b. burgdorferi persistence. however, studies involving vls mutant clones have thus far only utilized in vitro-grown or host-adapted spirochetes and laboratory strains of mice. additionally, t ...201525893989
potential role of masting by introduced bamboos in deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) population irruptions holds public health consequences.we hypothesized that the ongoing naturalization of frost/shade tolerant asian bamboos in north america could cause environmental consequences involving introduced bamboos, native rodents and ultimately humans. more specifically, we asked whether the eventual masting by an abundant leptomorphic ("running") bamboo within pacific northwest coniferous forests could produce a temporary surfeit of food capable of driving a population irruption of a common native seed predator, the deer mouse (peromysc ...201525898267
assessing prevention measures and sin nombre hantavirus seroprevalence among workers at yosemite national park.during 2012, a total of 10 overnight visitors to yosemite national park (yosemite) became infected with a hantavirus (sin nombre virus [snv]); three died. snv infections have been identified among persons with occupational exposure to deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus).201525943457
introduced and native haplotypes of echinococcus multilocularis in wildlife in saskatchewan, canada.recent detection of a european-type haplotype of the cestode echinococcus multilocularis in a newly enzootic region in british columbia prompted efforts to determine if this haplotype was present elsewhere in wildlife in western canada. in coyote (canis latrans) definitive hosts in an urban region in central saskatchewan (sk), we found a single haplotype of e. multilocularis that was most similar to a haplotype currently established in the core of this parasite's distribution in europe and to th ...201526020284
correction: potential role of masting by introduced bamboos in deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) population irruptions holds public health consequences. 201526039406
rapid morphological change in the masticatory structures of an important ecosystem service provider.humans have altered the biotic and abiotic environmental conditions of most organisms. in some cases, such as intensive agriculture, an organism's entire ecosystem is converted to novel conditions. thus, it is striking that some species continue to thrive under such conditions. the prairie deer mouse (peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) is an example of such an organism, and so we sought to understand what role evolutionary adaptation played in the success of this species, with particular interest i ...201526061880
a novel satellite dna sequence in the peromyscus genome (pmsat): evolution via copy number fluctuation.satellite dnas (satdna) are tandemly arrayed repeated sequences largely present in eukaryotic genomes, which play important roles in genome evolution and function, and therefore, their analysis is vital. here, we describe the isolation of a novel satellite dna family (pmsat) from the rodent peromyscus eremicus (cricetidae, rodentia), which is located in pericentromeric regions and exhibits a typical satellite dna genome organization. orthologous pmsat sequences were isolated and characterized fr ...201526103000
factors affecting larval tick feeding success: host, density and time.ectoparasites rely on blood-feeding to sustain activity, support development and produce offspring. blood-feeding is also a route for transmission of diverse vector-borne pathogens. the likelihood of successfully feeding is thus an important aspect of ectoparasite population dynamics and pathogen transmission. factors that affect blood-feeding include ectoparasite density, host defenses, and ages of the host and ectoparasite. how these factors interact to affect feeding success is not well under ...201526104393
use of neonatal fostering to remove helicobacter spp. from deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus).helicobacter species can be found in a wide variety of animals and remain common contaminants of laboratory rodents. fostering of neonatal pups has been used to eliminate helicobacter spp. from various laboratory rodents, including laboratory mice and gerbils. deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) from a captive colony enzootic for at least one helicobacter species were mated, and the pups produced were fostered on laboratory mice 24 h after birth. after 2 rounds of fostering, both foster dams and ...201526224445
emergence and evolution of zfp36l3.in most mammals, the zfp36 gene family consists of three conserved members, with a fourth member, zfp36l3, present only in rodents. the zfp36 proteins regulate post-transcriptional gene expression at the level of mrna stability in organisms from humans to yeasts, and appear to be expressed in all major groups of eukaryotes. in mus musculus, zfp36l3 expression is limited to the placenta and yolk sac, and is important for overall fecundity. we sequenced the zfp36l3 gene from more than 20 represent ...201626493225
surveillance for borrelia burgdorferi in ixodes ticks and small rodents in british columbia.to determine the prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi in british columbian ticks, fieldwork was conducted over a 2-year period. in all, 893 ticks (ixodes pacificus, i. angustus, i. soricis, ixodes spp., and dermacentor andersoni) of different life stages were retrieved from 483 small rodents (peromyscus maniculatus, perognathus parvus, and reithrodontomys megalotis). b. burgdorferi dna was detected in 5 out of 359 tick pools, and 41 out of 483 mice were serologically confirmed to have antibodies a ...201526502354
cranial morphological variation in peromyscus maniculatus over nearly a century of environmental change in three areas of california.determining how species respond to prolonged environmental change is critical to understanding both their evolutionary biology and their conservation needs. in general, organisms can respond to changing environmental conditions by moving, by adapting in situ, or by going locally or globally extinct. morphological changes, whether plastic or adaptive, are one way that species may respond in situ to local environmental change. because cranial morphology is influenced by selective pressures arising ...201626511596
small mammals as sentinels of oil sands related contaminants and health effects in northeastern alberta, canada.the extraction of bitumen in areas of northeastern alberta (canada) has been associated with the release of complex mixtures of metals, metalloids, and polycyclic aromatic compounds (pacs) to the environment. to mitigate effects on ecosystems, canadian legislation mandates that disturbed areas be reclaimed to an ecologically sustainable state after active operations. however, as part of reclamation activities, exposure to, and effects on wildlife living in these areas is not generally assessed. ...201626555251
modeling the ecologic niche of plague in sylvan and domestic animal hosts to delineate sources of human exposure in the western united states.plague has been established in the western united states (us) since 1900 following the west coast introduction of commensal rodents infected with yersinia pestis via early industrial shipping. over the last century, plague ecology has transitioned through cycles of widespread human transmission, urban domestic transmission among commensal rodents, and ultimately settled into the predominantly sylvan foci that remain today where it is maintained alternatively by enzootic and epizootic transmissio ...201526713244
behavioural differences: a link between biodiversity and pathogen transmission.biodiversity often serves to reduce zoonotic pathogens, such that prevalence is lower in communities of greater diversity. this phenomenon is termed the dilution effect, and although it has been reported for several pathogens (e.g. sin nombre virus, snv), the mechanism is largely unknown. we investigated a putative mechanism, by testing the hypothesis that higher biodiversity alters behaviours important in pathogen transmission. using deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) and snv as our host-pathog ...201626752791
bohr effect and temperature sensitivity of hemoglobins from highland and lowland deer mice.an important means of physiological adaptation to environmental hypoxia is an increased oxygen (o2) affinity of the hemoglobin (hb) that can help secure high o2 saturation of arterial blood. however, the trade-off associated with a high hb-o2 affinity is that it can compromise o2 unloading in the systemic capillaries. high-altitude deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) have evolved an increased hb-o2 affinity relative to lowland conspecifics, but it is not known whether they have also evolved compe ...201626808972
embryonic development of the deer mouse, peromyscus maniculatus.deer mice, or peromyscus maniculatus, are an emerging model system for use in biomedicine. p. maniculatus are similar in appearance to laboratory mice, mus musculus, but are more closely related to hamsters than to mus. the laboratory strains of peromyscus have captured a high degree of the genetic variability observed in wild populations, and are more similar to the genetic variability observed in humans than are laboratory strains of mus. the peromyscus genetic stock center at the university o ...201626930071
toward a mechanistic understanding of environmentally forced zoonotic disease emergence: sin nombre hantavirus.understanding the environmental drivers of zoonotic reservoir and human interactions is crucial to understanding disease risk, but these drivers are poorly predicted. we propose a mechanistic understanding of human-reservoir interactions, using hantavirus pulmonary syndrome as a case study. crucial processes underpinning the disease's incidence remain poorly studied, including the connectivity among natural and peridomestic deer mouse host activity, virus transmission, and human exposure. we fou ...201526955081
transcriptomic plasticity in brown adipose tissue contributes to an enhanced capacity for nonshivering thermogenesis in deer mice.for small mammals living at high altitude, aerobic heat generation (thermogenesis) is essential for survival during prolonged periods of cold, but is severely impaired under conditions of hypobaric hypoxia. recent studies in deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) reveal adaptive enhancement of thermogenesis in high- compared to low-altitude populations under hypoxic cold stress, an enhancement that is attributable to modifications in the aerobic metabolism of muscles used in shivering. however, beca ...201627126783
molecular epidemiology of bartonella species isolated from ground squirrels and other rodents in northern california.bartonella spp. are endemic in wild rodents in many parts of the world. a study conducted in two northern california counties (sonoma and yolo) sampling california ground squirrels (otospermophilus beecheyi) and four other rodent species (peromyscus maniculatus, p. boylii, p. truei and neotoma fuscipes) led to the isolation of small gram-negative bacilli which were identified as bartonella spp. based on colony morphology, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (pcr-rf ...201627245290
pathogenesis of vesicular stomatitis new jersey virus infection in deer mice ( peromyscus maniculatus) transmitted by black flies ( simulium vittatum).the natural transmission of vesicular stomatitis new jersey virus (vsnjv), an arthropod-borne virus, is not completely understood. rodents may have a role as reservoir or amplifying hosts. in this study, juvenile and nestling deer mice ( peromyscus maniculatus) were exposed to vsnjv-infected black fly ( simulium vittatum) bites followed by a second exposure to naive black flies on the nestling mice. severe neurological signs were observed in some juvenile mice by 6 to 8 days postinoculation (dpi ...201727312365
functional genomic insights into regulatory mechanisms of high-altitude adaptation.recent studies of indigenous human populations at high altitude have provided proof-of-principle that genome scans of dna polymorphism can be used to identify candidate loci for hypoxia adaptation. when integrated with experimental analyses of physiological phenotypes, genome-wide surveys of dna polymorphism and tissue-specific transcriptional profiles can provide insights into actual mechanisms of adaptation. it has been suggested that adaptive phenotypic evolution is largely mediated by cis-re ...201627343092
a method to distinguish morphologically similar peromyscus species using extracellular rna and high-resolution melt analysis.a method applying high-resolution melt (hrm) analysis to pcr products copied and amplified from extracellular rna (exrna) has been developed to distinguish two morphologically similar peromyscus species: peromyscus leucopus and peromyscus maniculatus. p. leucopus is considered the primary reservoir host of borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent for lyme disease in north america. in northern minnesota the habitat ranges of p. leucopus overlaps with that of p. maniculatus. serum samples from li ...201627349513
variable infection dynamics in four peromyscus species following experimental inoculation with baylisascaris procyonis.wild rodents such as peromyscus spp. are intermediate hosts for the zoonotic ascarid baylisascaris procyonis (raccoon roundworm), and previous studies indicate peromyscus leucopus (white-footed mouse) likely serves an important role in parasite ecology. natural infections have been sporadically identified in a few peromyscus spp., but no data are available on differences in susceptibility among the many other species. we compared survival and infection dynamics of b. procyonis in 4 species ( p. ...201627351237
peromyscus as a model system for understanding the regulation of maternal behavior.the genus peromyscus has been used as a model system for understanding maternal behavior because of the diversity of reproductive strategies within this genus. this review will describe the ecological factors that determine litter size and litter quality in polygynous species such as peromyscus leucopus and peromyscus maniculatus. we will also outline the physiological and social factors regulating maternal care in peromyscus californicus, a monogamous and biparental species. because biparental ...201727381343
how much effort is required to accurately describe the complex ecology of a rodent-borne viral disease?we use data collected on 18,1-ha live trapping grids monitored from 1994 through 2005 and on five of those grids through 2013 in the mesic northwestern us to illustrate the complexity of the deer mouse (peromyscus maniculatus)/sin nombre virus (snv) host-pathogen system. important factors necessary to understand zoonotic disease ecology include those associated with distribution and population dynamics of reservoir species as well as infection dynamics. results are based on more than 851,000 tra ...201627398256
cost and effectiveness of commercially available nesting substrates for deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus).provision of nesting material promotes species-typical behaviors in rodents including deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus). the purpose of this study was to determine which commercially available nesting material best promotes complex nest building in the subspecies p. m. bairdii yet remains cost-effective for use as enrichment in a laboratory research setting. an existing breeding colony consisting of cages containing all male mice, all female mice, and breeding pairs was evaluated. five commerci ...201627423147
peromyscus as a model system for human hepatitis c: an opportunity to advance our understanding of a complex host parasite system.worldwide, there are 185 million people infected with hepatitis c virus and approximately 350,000 people die each year from hepatitis c associated liver diseases. human hepatitis c research has been hampered by the lack of an appropriate in vivo model system. most of the in vivo research has been conducted on chimpanzees, which is complicated by ethical concerns, small sample sizes, high costs, and genetic heterogeneity. the house mouse system has led to greater understanding of a wide variety o ...201727498234
insights on the host associations and geographic distribution of hymenolepis folkertsi (cestoda: hymenolepididae) among rodents across temperate latitudes of north america.synoptic data and an understanding of helminth parasite diversity among diverse rodent assemblages across temperate latitudes of north america remain remarkably incomplete. renewed attention to comprehensive survey and inventory to establish the structure of biodiverse faunas is essential in providing indicators and proxies for identifying the outcomes of accelerating change linked to climate warming and anthropogenic forcing. subsequent to the description of hymenolepis folkertsi in the oldfiel ...201627630100
maporal hantavirus causes mild pathology in deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus).rodent-borne hantaviruses can cause two human diseases with many pathological similarities: hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (hcps) in the western hemisphere and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the eastern hemisphere. each virus is hosted by specific reservoir species without conspicuous disease. hcps-causing hantaviruses require animal biosafety level-4 (absl-4) containment, which substantially limits experimental research of interactions between the viruses and their reservoir host ...201627763552
expression kinetics of rantes and mcp-1 in the brain of deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus) infected with vesicular stomatitis new jersey virus.the vesicular stomatitis virus (vsv) causes encephalitis in mice when inoculated intranasally. the deer mouse (peromyscus maniculatus), a native new world rodent, is also susceptible to vsv infection and develops similar central nervous system (cns) lesions to those observed in other rodent species. chemokines, such as regulated on activation, normal t-cell expressed and secreted (rantes; ccl-5) and monocyte chemoattractant protein (mcp)-1 (ccl-2), which are important for chemotaxis and activati ...201627780575
changes in trap temperature as a method to determine timing of capture of small mammals.patterns of animal activity provide important insight into hypotheses in animal behavior, physiological ecology, behavioral ecology, as well as population and community ecology. understanding patterns of animal activity in field settings is often complicated by the need for expensive equipment and time-intensive methods that limit data collection. because animals must be active to be detected, the timing of detection (e.g., the timing of capture) may be a useful proxy for estimation of activity ...201627792770
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