Variations in type III effector repertoires,pathological phenotypes and host range of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri pathotypes

The mechanisms determining the host range of Xanthomonas are still undeciphered, despite much interest in their potential roles in the evolution and emergence of plant pathogenic bacteria. Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xci) is an interesting model of host specialization because of its pathogenic variants: pathotype A strains infect a wide range of Rutaceous species, whereas pathotype A*/A^W strains have a host range restricted to Mexican lime (Citrus aurantifolia) and alemow (Citrus macrophylla). Based on a collection of 55 strains representative of Xci worldwide diversity assessed by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), we investigated the distribution of type III effectors (T3Es) in relation to host range. We examined the presence of 66 T3Es from xanthomonads in Xci and identified a repertoire of 28 effectors, 26 of which were shared by all Xci strains, whereas two (xopAG and xopC1) were present only in some A*/A^W strains. We found that xopAG (=avrGf1) was present in all A^W strains, but also in three A* strains genetically distant from A^W, and that all xopAG‐containing strains induced the hypersensitive response (HR) on grapefruit and sweet orange. The analysis of xopAD and xopAG suggested horizontal transfer between X. citri pv. bilvae, another citrus pathogen, and some Xci strains. A strains were genetically less diverse, induced identical phenotypic responses and possessed indistinguishable T3E repertoires. Conversely, A*/A^W strains exhibited a wider genetic diversity in which clades correlated with geographical origin and T3E repertoire, but not with pathogenicity, according to T3E deletion experiments. Our data outline the importance of taking into account the heterogeneity of Xci A*/A^W strains when analysing the mechanisms of host specialization.     

Epigenetic regulation by DNA methyltransferases during torpor in the thirteen-lined ground squirrel Ictidomys tridecemlineatus

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - The thirteen-lined ground squirrel, Ictidomys tridecemlineatus, is a mammal capable of lowering its Tb to almost 0 °C while undergoing deep...     

Ecological interactions between invasive and native fouling species in the reservoir of a hydroelectric plant

In this study, we investigate the main ecological interactions between fouling aquatic organisms (both invasive and native) present in the reservoir of the Governador José Richa hydroelectric plant, located in southern Brazil, and to identify the most suitable period for the interruption of machinery operation for cleaning and maintenance of the hydraulic systems of this plant. A total of 32 experimental plates were fixed to a metallic structure positioned close to the plant's water intake. Three species of invasive fouling were identified in our samples (Limnoperna fortunei [Mollusca], Cordylophora sp., and Hydra sp. [Cnidaria]) and six native taxa belonging to the phyla Protozoa, Ciliophora, Amoebozoa, and Arthropoda. Spring and summer were the seasons with the highest fouling rates, as well as densities of fouling organisms. The highest levels of diversity were recorded during the colder seasons. Several interactions between the organisms were identified, such as mutualism, commensalism, competition, epibiosis, cannibalism, and predation. The data obtained suggest that, from the biological point of view, the most suitable period for machine shutdown destined for the removal of biological fouling in the hydraulic systems of the studied plant is between the end of spring and the beginning of summer.

     

Regenerative potential of human muscle stem cells in chronic inflammation

Introduction

Chronic inflammation is a profound systemic modification of the cellular microenvironment which could affect survival, repair and maintenance of muscle stem cells. The aim of this study was to define the role of chronic inflammation on the regenerative potential of satellite cells in human muscle.

Methods

As a model for chronic inflammation, 11 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were included together with 16 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) as controls. The mean age of both groups was 64 years, with more females in the RA group compared to the OA group. During elective knee replacement surgery, a muscle biopsy was taken from the distal musculus vastus medialis. Cell populations from four RA and eight OA patients were used for extensive phenotyping because these cell populations showed no spontaneous differentiation and myogenic purity greater than 75% after explantation.

Results

After mononuclear cell explantation, myogenic purity, viability, proliferation index, number of colonies, myogenic colonies, growth speed, maximum number of population doublings and fusion index were not different between RA and OA patients. Furthermore, the expression of proteins involved in replicative and stress-induced premature senescence and apoptosis, including p16, p21, p53, hTERT and cleaved caspase-3, was not different between RA and OA patients. Mean telomere length was shorter in the RA group compared to the OA group.

Conclusions

In the present study we found evidence that chronic inflammation in RA does not affect the in vitro regenerative potential of human satellite cells. Identification of mechanisms influencing muscle regeneration by modulation of its microenvironment may, therefore, be more appropriate.     

Mendelian randomization study of B-type natriuretic peptide and type 2 diabetes: evidence of causal association from population studies

Background

Genetic and epidemiological evidence suggests an inverse association between B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in blood and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but the prospective association of BNP with T2D is uncertain, and it is unclear whether the association is confounded.

Methods and Findings

We analysed the association between levels of the N-terminal fragment of pro-BNP (NT-pro-BNP) in blood and risk of incident T2D in a prospective case-cohort study and genotyped the variant rs198389 within the BNP locus in three T2D case-control studies. We combined our results with existing data in a meta-analysis of 11 case-control studies. Using a Mendelian randomization approach, we compared the observed association between rs198389 and T2D to that expected from the NT-pro-BNP level to T2D association and the NT-pro-BNP difference per C allele of rs198389. In participants of our case-cohort study who were free of T2D and cardiovascular disease at baseline, we observed a 21% (95% CI 3%–36%) decreased risk of incident T2D per one standard deviation (SD) higher log-transformed NT-pro-BNP levels in analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, smoking, family history of T2D, history of hypertension, and levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The association between rs198389 and T2D observed in case-control studies (odds ratio = 0.94 per C allele, 95% CI 0.91–0.97) was similar to that expected (0.96, 0.93–0.98) based on the pooled estimate for the log-NT-pro-BNP level to T2D association derived from a meta-analysis of our study and published data (hazard ratio = 0.82 per SD, 0.74–0.90) and the difference in NT-pro-BNP levels (0.22 SD, 0.15–0.29) per C allele of rs198389. No significant associations were observed between the rs198389 genotype and potential confounders.

Conclusions

Our results provide evidence for a potential causal role of the BNP system in the aetiology of T2D. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying this association and possibilities for preventive interventions. Please see later in the article for the Editors'' Summary