Wild Oryza Grain Physico-Chemical Properties

Of the 22 species within the Oryza genus, only two, O. sativa and O. glaberrima, have been domesticated. Although food security is supported by accessing wild Oryza resources for new genes and alleles which enhance plant performance, wild Oryza grain properties have not been extensively studied. Evaluation of the grain physico-chemical properties of eight wild Oryza species found amylose content, amylopectin structure and cooking properties fell within a narrow range relative to cultivated rice. The amylopectin of the wild species had a lower proportion of short branch chains (DP 6–14) relative to cultivated rice and were all of high apparent amylose content and gelatinization temperature. The grain of the wild species did not elongate to the same extent as the cultivated rice and had lower viscosity parameters. These results highlight how significant physio-chemical changes have been made by human selection in the domestication of rice, especially japonica rice. The wild species may be useful for improving the nutritional value of rice and other cereal crops.     

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in cardioprotection: ischemic versus reperfusion injury

Cytochrome P-450 (CYP) epoxygenases and their arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites, the epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), have been shown to produce increases in postischemic function via ATP-sensitive potassium channels (K(ATP)); however, the direct effects of EETs on infarct size (IS) have not been investigated. We demonstrate that two major regioisomers of CYP epoxygenases, 11,12-EET and 14,15-EET, significantly reduced IS in dogs compared to control (22.1 +/- 1.8%), whether administered 15 min before 60 min of coronary occlusion (6.4 +/- 1.9%, 11,12-EET; and 8.4 +/- 2.4%, 14.15-EET) or 5 min before 3 h of reperfusion (8.8 +/- 2.1%, 11,12-EET; and 9.7 +/- 1.4%, 14,15-EET). Pretreatment with the epoxide hydrolase metabolite of 14,15-EET, 14,15-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid, had no effect. The protective effect of 11,12-EET was abolished (24.3 +/- 4.6%) by the K(ATP) channel antagonist glibenclamide. Furthermore, one 5-min period of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) reduced IS to a similar extent (8.7 +/- 2.8%) to that observed with the EETs. The selective CYP epoxygenase inhibitor, N-methylsulfonyl-6-(2-propargyloxyphenyl)hexanamide (MS-PPOH), did not block the effect of IPC. However, administration of MS-PPOH concomitantly with N-methylsulfonyl-12,12-dibromododec-11-enanide (DDMS), a selective inhibitor of endogenous CYP omega-hydroxylases, abolished the reduction in myocardial IS expressed as a percentage of area at risk (IS/AAR) produced by DDMS (4.6 +/- 1.2%, DDMS; and 22.2 +/- 3.4%, MS-PPOH + DDMS). These data suggest that 11,12-EET and 14,15-EET produce reductions in IS/AAR primarily at reperfusion. Conversely, inhibition of CYP epoxygenases and endogenous EET formation by MS-PPOH, in the presence of the CYP omega-hydroxylase inhibitor DDMS blocked cardioprotection, which suggests that endogenous EETs are important for the beneficial effects observed when CYP omega-hydroxylases are inhibited. Finally, the protective effects of EETs are mediated by cardiac K(ATP) channels.     

Molecular phylogenetics of porcini mushrooms (Boletus section Boletus)

Porcini (Boletus section Boletus: Boletaceae: Boletineae: Boletales) are a conspicuous group of wild, edible mushrooms characterized by fleshy fruiting bodies with a poroid hymenophore that is "stuffed" with white hyphae when young. Their reported distribution is with ectomycorrhizal plants throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Little progress has been made on the systematics of this group using modern molecular phylogenetic tools because sampling has been limited primarily to European species and the genes employed were insufficient to resolve the phylogeny. We examined the evolutionary history of porcini by using a global geographic sampling of most known species, new discoveries from little explored areas, and multiple genes. We used 78 sequences from the fast-evolving nuclear internal transcribed spacers and are able to recognize 18 reciprocally monophyletic species. To address whether or not porcini form a monophyletic group, we compiled a broadly sampled dataset of 41 taxa, including other members of the Boletineae, and used separate and combined phylogenetic analysis of sequences from the nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, and the mitochondrial ATPase subunit six gene. Contrary to previous studies, our separate and combined phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of porcini. We also report the discovery of two taxa that expand the known distribution of porcini to Australia and Thailand and have ancient phylogenetic connections to the rest of the group. A relaxed molecular clock analysis with these new taxa dates the origin of porcini to between 42 and 54 million years ago, coinciding with the initial diversification of angiosperms, during the Eocene epoch when the climate was warm and humid. These results reveal an unexpected diversity, distribution, and ancient origin of a group of commercially valuable mushrooms that may provide an economic incentive for conservation and support the hypothesis of a tropical origin of the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis.     

Liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of cyclooxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid in cultured cells

A liquid chromatographic-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometric (LC-ESI-MS) technique was developed to simultaneously determine the cyclooxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid (6-keto-PGF(1alpha), PGD(2), PGE(2), PGF(2alpha), and PGJ(2)) produced by cultured cells. Samples were separated on a C(18) column with water-acetonitrile mobile phase, ionized by electrospray, and detected in the positive mode. Selected ion monitoring (SIM) of m/z 353, 335, 335, 319, and 317 were used for quantifying 6-keto-PGF(1alpha), PGD(2), PGE(2), PGF(2alpha), and PGJ(2), respectively. Prostaglandins were detected at concentrations as low as 1 pg (S/N=3) on the column. The method was used to determine the production of PGs from bovine coronary artery endothelial cells (ECs) and human prostate cancer cells (PC-3) with different degree of invasiveness. Bradykinin (10(-6) M) stimulated a marked increase in the production of 6-keto-PGF(1alpha), PGE(2), and PGF(2alpha) and a small increase of PGD(2) by ECs. 6-Keto-PGF(1alpha) was the major metabolite in these cells. The production of PGE(2) was threefold higher and PGD(2) was twofold higher in PC-3-S (invasive) cells than in PC-3-U (non-invasive) cells.     

A non-parametric approach for identifying differentially expressed genes in factorial microarray experiments

We introduce a non-parametric approach using bootstrap-assisted correspondence analysis to identify and validate genes that are differentially expressed in factorial microarray experiments. Model comparison showed that although both parametric and non-parametric methods capture the different profiles in the data, our method is less inclined to false positive results due to dimension reduction in data analysis.     

Contribution of Hydrogenase 2 to Stationary Phase H2 Production by Escherichia coli During Fermentation of Glycerol

Escherichia coli has four hydrogenases (Hyd), three genes of which are encoded by the hya, hyb, and hyc operons. The proton-reducing and hydrogen-oxidizing activities of Hyd-2 (hyb) were analyzed in whole cells grown to stationary phase and cell extracts, respectively, during glycerol fermentation using novel double mutants. H₂ production rate at pH 7.5 was decreased by ~3.5- and ~7-fold in hya and hyc (HDK 103) or hyb and hyc (HDK 203) operon double mutants, respectively, compared with the wild type. At pH 6.5, H₂ production decreased by ~2- and ~5-fold in HDK103 and HDK203, respectively, compared with the wild type. At pH 5.5, H₂ production was reduced by ~4.5-fold in the mutants compared with the wild type. The total hydrogen-oxidizing activity was shown to depend on the pH of the growth medium in agreement with previous findings and was significantly reduced in the HDK103 or HDK203 mutants. At pH 7.5, Hyd-2 activity was 0.26 U (mg protein)^?1 and Hyd-1 activity was 0.1 U (mg protein)^?1. As the pH of the growth medium decreased to 6.5, Hyd-2 activity was 0.16 U (mg protein)^?1, and Hyd-1 was absent. Surprisingly, at pH 5.5, there was an increase in Hyd-2 activity (0.33 U mg protein)^?1 but not in that of Hyd-1. These findings show a major contribution of Hyd-2 to H₂ production during glycerol fermentation that resulted from altered metabolism which surprisingly influenced proton reduction.     

Anti-proliferative effect of a putative endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonylglyceryl ether in prostate carcinoma cells

Endocannabinoids (ECs), anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), inhibit proliferation of carcinoma cells. Several enzymes hydrolyze ECs to reduce endogenous EC concentrations and produce eicosanoids that promote cell growth. In this study, we determined the effects of EC hydrolysis inhibitors and a putative EC, 2-arachidonylglyceryl ether (noladin ether, NE) on proliferation of prostate carcinoma (PC-3, DU-145, and LNCaP) cells. PC-3 cells had the least specific hydrolysis activity for AEA and administration of AEA effectively inhibited cell proliferation. The proliferation inhibition was blocked by SR141716A (a selective CB1R antagonist) but not SR144528 (a selective CB2R antagonist), suggesting a CB1R-mediated inhibition mechanism. On the other hand, specific hydrolysis activity for 2-AG was high and 2-AG inhibited proliferation only in the presence of EC hydrolysis inhibitors. NE inhibited proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner; however, SR141716A, SR144528 and pertussis toxin did not block the NE-inhibited proliferation, suggesting a CBR-independent mechanism of NE. A peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) antagonist GW9662 did not block the NE-inhibited proliferation, suggesting that PPARγ was not involved. NE also induced cell cycle arrest in G(0)/G(1) phase in PC-3 cells. NE inhibited the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB p65) and down-regulated the expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E in PC-3 cells, suggesting the NF-κB/cyclin D and cyclin E pathways are involved in the arrest of G1 cell cycle and inhibition of cell growth. These results indicate therapeutic potentials of EC hydrolysis inhibitors and the enzymatically stable NE in prostate cancer.     

Biological studies of the predacious mite Amblyseius swirskii,a predator of the broad mite Polyphagotarsonemus latus on pepper plants (Acari: Phytoseiidae: Tarsonemidae)

The predatory phytoseiid mite Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) completed its lifespan when fed on females of the broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks). The development was the quickest and the number of prey consumed was highest when individuals were reared at 28?°C compared with 19?°C. The average number of eggs/female/day was 2.36 and 1.69, respectively. Life table parameters showed that the population of A. swirskii multiplied 16 and 20 times in a generation time of 22 and 18?days at 19 and 28?°C, respectively. Under these conditions, the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was 0.139 and 0.170 individuals/female/day, respectively.