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Vliv fragmentace a ztráty habitatu na primáty
Sniegon, Arthur F. ; Sedláček, Ondřej (advisor) ; Pluháček, Jan (referee)
Anthropogenic activities and human encroachment may cause profound and often irrevocable changes in an environment. This may result in challenges for most of the wildlife, including our closest extant relatives, non-human primates. Worldwide, primates may be particularly susceptible to human-induced habitat alterations owing to their large body size, social way of life, slow reproduction, large home-ranges, naturally low population densities and often strong dependence on forest cover. Three main phenomena have been described as major threats for primates: loss of the natural habitat and its conversion to human-dominated landscape, fragmentation of the remaining patches of suitable habitat, and commercial bushmeat hunting. Here I review the first two processes. If primates survive the initial disturbance, they are forced to adjust their demographic, behavioural and dietary traits. However, this may not be enough for their persistence in a long term as their genetic diversity might be compromised. Moreover, also parasitic infections may impact severely the disrupted populations. In this thesis, I reviewed the current knowledge in primates demography, population genetics, dietary changes and parasite interactions in altered habitats. Most of the studies examined the African continent and Latin America, a...
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The role of Toxoplasma gondii on the expression of Major Urinary Proteins in the house mouse
Hladovcová, Denisa ; Stopka, Pavel (advisor) ; Hrdý, Ivan (referee)
Major Urinary Proteins (MUP) are pheromonal transmitters involved in chemical communication in rodents. Complexes of MUPs and ligands mediate information about genetical background of an individual and co-create individual scent profile. They play a significant role in kinship determination, the crucial factor in the choice of a mating partner. It is assumed that the MUP production is energetically demanding due to the pressure of sexual selection, and the transmitted signal is thus supposed to be honest. This theory hasn't yet been experimentally tested, neither was proven the effect of another intense selection pressure- a parasitic infection. In my thesis, I describe the effect of an infection of a parasite Toxoplasma gondii on MUP production. The results suggest that the production is altered in both sexes, the production decreasing in males to the level of male castrates (or the female level). Considering the results of more detailed analysis of the infection we assume that the energetical demands of the MUP production doesn't allow the production of ordinary amounts if MUPs during the first phase of the infection as the energy is primarily devoted to the infection control. The increased production in latter phase can be attributed to the importance of scent communication. Decreased levels of...
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Prolyl endopeptidase of the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni
Fajtová, Pavla ; Konvalinka, Jan (advisor) ; Ryšlavá, Helena (referee)
Prolyl endopeptidase SmPEP from the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni is investigated here for the first time. This enzyme is potentially interesting as a drug target for the treatment of schistosomiasis. SmPEP was detected in the extract of adult worms by enzyme activity and immunoreactivity. Enzymatically active SmPEP was produced in the E. coli expression system and was chromatographically purified. The pH optimum of recombinant SmPEP was about 8. Substrate specificity analysis revealed that SmPEP cleaved peptide substrates by endopeptidase activity, however, macromolecular substrates were not fragmented. The residue preferences in the positions P3 to P1' were determined using synthetic fluorogenic peptide substrates. SmPEP was found to be highly sensitive to the inhibition by Z-Ala-Pro-CMK and Z-Arg-Pro-CHO. Primary screening of crystallization conditions for recombinant SmPEP was performed. " (In Czech)"
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Using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) as a non-invasive method to studying fixed parasites
Mašová, Šárka ; Neděla, Vilém ; Tihlaříková, Eva
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is popular and for taxonomy of parasites very important and not substituted method in many times. However sometimes taxonomists have only one specimen and cannot use classical SEM, because their sample (poor conductor) have to be fixed, dehydrated and coated before it can be observed. This method condemns samples for destroying and do not allow other using of it, e.g. for molecular study or depositing as type material in museum. Moreover, the specimen preparation is often long and slow. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) brings two main advantages: elimination of speed of sample preparation and non-invasivity.
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Parasitofauna of Reptiles of Europe
ŽÍDEK, Jakub
This thesis presents the most comprehensive historical overwiev of reptile parasites living in Europe, including basic taxonomic information, the known geographic range, host range and important references. Data needed to create a host-parasite list was obtained from scientific articles. In the present work are recorded parasites of the Eropean reptiles throughout their entire range. Moreover was created a comprehensive list of the European herpetofauna that were still incomplete, including threat status and endemic species.
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Intestinal nematodes of horses
JAROLÍMKOVÁ, Alžběta
The intestinal nematodes of horses were investigated in this study. Especially the gastrointestinal parasites of groups Strongylinae and Cyathostominae were studied: Strongyloides westeri, Parascaris eqourum a Oxyuris equi. Study concerns with preventive proceeding of inception of parasitic diseases, selection of right anthelmintics and antiparasitic programmes, resistance of gastrointestinal parasites on anthelmintics and their effective matters. Finally, the possible solutions are suggested based on the study.
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Evolution of the tetrapyrrole synthesis in eukaryotes
KOŘENÝ, Luděk
This thesis focuses on the nature of heme metabolism in various eukaryotes. One of the aims was the elucidation of the origin of the unique heme biosynthesis pathway in apicomplexan parasites through a comparative study of their photosynthetic relative Chromera velia combining molecular biology, biochemistry and bioinformatics approach. Using similar strategy, I have also investigated the origin and spatial organization of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis in Euglena gracilis. Based on the phylogenetic data I described the complex evolution of heme metabolism in kinetoplastid flagellates including pathogenic trypanosomes. I revealed that one of them (Phytomonas) does not require heme for viability by the combination of various biochemical and molecular biology experiments and bioinformatic analyses.
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Endoparasites of horses
WAGNEROVÁ, Pavla
A total of 587 faecal samples were collected from 98 horses of different age from three farms with various breeding system (pasture, stable and combination) in the South Bohemia, Czech Republic during three consecutive years (from 2009 to 2011), and screened for the presence of endoparasites, especially these inhabiting gastrointestinal tract and lung, using standard parasitological methods including flotation, sedimentation and staining methods. Moreover presence of Encephalitozoon spp. was detected using genus specific nested PCR. Small strongyles were the most common nematodes among studied horses. The age of animals was evaluated as a risk factor in relation to Eimeria leuckarti, Strongyloides westeri and Parascaris equorum infection in foals. The resistance of small strongyles (Cyathostominae) to benzimidazol anthelmintics has been revealed only on one of the visited farm. Most of examined animals were mono-infected. The breeding of horses in the stable represent management system with lowest risk in relation to parasitic infection of animals. Molecular analysis revealed the presence of human pathogenic Encephalitozoon cuniculi genotype I in horses.
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Gut parasites of goats on a chosen farm
VANĚČKOVÁ, Michala
The master thesis is aimed to evaluate intestinal parasites occurrence in a goat breeding. A herd of goats chosen for this survey was kept by a private enterprise focused on milk production. The practical research was conducted during two years, 2009 and 2010. Samples of feaces were collected during that period and analyzed for parasites occurrence. The analyses proved presence of the following parasites: Trichuris ovis, parasites from the order Strongylida, Fasciola hepatica, Dicrocellium lanceatum and coccidia. Total prevalence was significant; 85% of the samples were found to be positive. Species from the order Strongylida were identified as the most often 41,46 %, which meant 199 cases from the total of 509. During the examined period, the highest prevalence of parasites was detected in summer 2009, the second highest then in spring 2010.
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THE OCCURRENCE AND THE SEASOAL DYNAMIC OF THE INTESTINA PARAZITE BY HORSES AT THE FAMILY FARM.
MAREŠOVÁ, Romana
In total there have been 281 samples of horse´s excrement taken up at a family farm in South Bohemia in Tábor region. The samples were taken up in the periods of: winter 2005, spring 2005, fall 2005, winter 2006, spring 2006 and fall 2006. To examine the presence of the parasites in the excrements the flotation-concentration method (Sheather sugar solution) was used with consequential microscopic examination with magnification of 200-400 ´. The infections caused by Strongylides, Strongyloides westeri and Parascaris equorum were found in the samples. The most common infection represented in the samples of the breed was the infection caused by Strongylides (40,2 %). A lower rate of presence was determined at infections caused by Strongyloides westeri (9,3 %) and by Parascaris equorum (7,5 %). The greatest occurrence of parasites was diagnosed in spring 2005, on the other hand the lowest occurrence was noted in winter 2005. The most of the positive samples had a solid consistence of excrement and in the most cases there was a low infection determined at all kinds of parasites found.
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