Ectoine accumulation in Brevibacterium epidermis

As a halotolerant bacterial species, Brevibacterium epidermis DSM 20659 can grow at relatively high salinity, tolerating up to 2 m NaCl. It synthesizes ectoine and the intracellular content increases with the medium salinity, with a maximum of 0.14 g ectoine/g CDW at 1 m NaCl. Sugar-stressed cells do not synthesize ectoine. Ectoine synthesis is also affected by the presence of external osmolytes. Added betaine is taken up and completely replaced ectoine, while l-proline is only temporarily accumulated after which ectoine is synthesized. The strain can metabolize ectoine; l-glutamate is a better carbon source for ectoine synthesis than l-aspartate.     

Influence of culture conditions on mycelial growth and bioluminescence of Gerronema viridilucens

Herein we describe a procedure for measuring the total light emission of the naturally bioluminescent tropical fungus Gerronema viridilucens and the optimization of culture conditions using multivariate factorial anova. Cultures growing on an agar surface in 35 mm Petri dishes at 90% humidity show optimal bioluminescence emission at 25 degrees C in the presence of 1.0% sugar cane molasses, 0.10% yeast extract and pH 6.0 (nonbuffered). Temperature and pH are the most important factors for both mycelial growth and bioluminescence.     

Relationship of winter concealment habitat quality on pool use by juvenile spring Chinook salmon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus tshawytscha</Emphasis>) in the Grande Ronde River Basin,Oregon USA

Winter concealment habitat quality was assessed and its use by juvenile spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) quantified in three hatching areas of the Grande Ronde River Basin, Oregon USA. Fish densities were significantly higher in pools with a higher winter concealment habitat index than pools with a lower index. The mean fork length and mean growth rate of fish did not differ between pools with a higher or lower winter concealment habitat index, even though residual fish were significantly larger than fish that emigrated. Biomass–density was significantly higher in pools with a higher winter concealment habitat index than pools with a lower index in all three hatching areas. Biomass–density was positively associated with the amount of cobble substrate (10–24.9 cm/m²) in all three hatching areas, and inversely associated with embeddedness in two of the hatching areas. Results of this study indicate that enhancing winter concealment habitat could improve habitat quality resulting in increased carrying capacity and winter usage by juvenile spring Chinook salmon. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Handling editor: J. A. Cambray     

Ectomycorrhizal fungi enhance nitrogen and phosphorus nutrition of Nothofagus dombeyi under drought conditions by regulating assimilative enzyme activities

Drought stress conditions (DC) reduce plant growth and nutrition, restraining the sustainable reestablishment of Nothofagus dombeyi in temperate south Chilean forest ecosystems. Ectomycorrhizal symbioses have been documented to enhance plant nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) uptake under drought, but the regulation of involved assimilative enzymes remains unclear. We studied 1-year-old N. dombeyi (Mirb.) Oerst. plants in association with the ectomycorrhizal fungi Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch. and Descolea antartica Sing. In greenhouse experiments, shoot and root dry weights, mycorrhizal colonization, foliar N and P concentrations, and root enzyme activities [glutamate synthase (glutamine oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GOGAT), EC 1.4.1.13-14), glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH, EC 1.4.1.2-4), nitrate reductase (NR, EC 1.6.6.1), and acid phosphomonoesterase (PME, EC 3.1.3.1-2)] were determined as a function of soil-water content. Inoculation of N. dombeyi with P. tinctorius and D. antartica significantly stimulated plant growth and increased plant foliar N and P concentrations, especially under DC. Ectomycorrhizal inoculation increased the activity of all studied enzymes relative to non-mycorrhizal plants under drought. We speculate that GDH is a key enzyme involved in the enhancement of ectomycorrhizal carbon (C) availability by fuelling the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle under conditions of drought-induced carbon deficit. All studied assimilative enzymes of the ectomycorrhizal associations, involved in C, N, and P transfers, are closely interlinked and interdependent. The up-regulation of assimilative enzyme activities by ectomycorrhizal fungal root colonizers acts as a functional mechanism to increase seedling endurance to drought. We insist upon incorporating ectomycorrhizal inoculation in existing Chilean afforestation programs.     

Neural activation in women in response to masculinized male faces: mediation by hormones and psychosexual factors

Women's preference for masculine faces varies with hormonal state, sociosexuality, and relationship status, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We hypothesized that hormones and psychosexual factors (sociosexuality, sexual inhibition/excitation) mediate the perception and evaluation of male faces thereby influencing women's preferences. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure brain activity in 12 women as they evaluated pictures of male faces (half 30% masculinized, half 30% feminized). Participants were heterosexual women, age 23–28 years, who were not in a committed relationship and not using hormonal contraception. Women were tested during both the follicular and luteal phase of their menstrual cycle. We found five brain regions related to face and risk processing that responded more to the masculinized than to the feminized faces, including the superior temporal gyrus, precentral gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex, inferior parietal lobule, and anterior cingulate cortex. Increased activation in the anterior cingulate cortex, specifically, may indicate that women perceive masculinized faces to be both more risky and more attractive. We did not see any areas that were more strongly activated by feminized faces. Levels of activation were influenced by hormonal and psychosexual factors. The patterns of hormonally and psychosexually mediated neural activation observed may offer insight into the cognitive processes underlying women's partner preferences.     

Small variable segments constitute a major type of diversity of bacterial genomes at the species level

Background  

Analysis of large scale diversity in bacterial genomes has mainly focused on elements such as pathogenicity islands, or more generally, genomic islands. These comprise numerous genes and confer important phenotypes, which are present or absent depending on strains. We report that despite this widely accepted notion, most diversity at the species level is composed of much smaller DNA segments, 20 to 500 bp in size, which we call microdiversity.     

Gene expression following induction of regeneration in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila</Emphasis> wing imaginal discs. Expression profile of regenerating wing discs

Background  

Regeneration is the ability of an organism to rebuild a body part that has been damaged or amputated, and can be studied at the molecular level using model organisms. Drosophila imaginal discs, which are the larval primordia of adult cuticular structures, are capable of undergoing regenerative growth after transplantation and in vivo culture into the adult abdomen.     

7-(aryl/heteroaryl-2-ylethynyl)-4-phenylamino-3-quinolinecarbonitriles as new Src kinase inhibitors: addition of water solubilizing groups

New 4-phenylamino-3-quinolinecarbonitriles with a 7-ethynyl group substituted by a pyridine, phenyl or thiophene ring containing basic water solubilizing groups were prepared and evaluated as Src kinase inhibitors. Of these new analogs, potent activity was observed with compounds having a (2,4-dichloro-5-methoxyphenyl)amino group at C-4, a methoxy or ethoxy group at C-6, and a pyridyl group bearing a dimethylamine or N-methylpiperazine on the ethynyl group at C-7.     

Influence of Exposure History on the Immunology and Development of Resistance to Human Schistosomiasis Mansoni

Background

Previous studies suggest that humans can acquire immunity to reinfection with schistosomes, most probably due to immunologic mechanisms acquired after exposure to dying schistosome worms.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We followed longitudinally two cohorts of adult males occupationally exposed to Schistosoma mansoni by washing cars (120 men) or harvesting sand (53 men) in Lake Victoria. Men were treated with praziquantel each time S. mansoni infection was detected. In car washers, a significant increase in resistance to reinfection, as measured by the number of cars washed between cure and reinfection, was observed after the car washers had experienced, on average, seven cures. In the car washers who developed resistance, the level of schistosome-specific IgE increased between baseline and the time at which development of resistance was first evidenced. In the sand harvesters, a significant increase in resistance, as measured by the number of days worked in the lake between cure and reinfection, was observed after only two cures. History of exposure to S. mansoni differed between the two cohorts, with the majority of sand harvesters being lifelong residents of a village endemic for S. mansoni and the majority of car washers having little exposure to the lake before they began washing cars. Immune responses at study entry were indicative of more recent infections in car washers and more chronic infections in sand harvesters.

Conclusions/Significance

Resistance to reinfection with S. mansoni can be acquired or augmented by adults after multiple rounds of reinfection and cure, but the rate at which resistance is acquired by this means depends on immunologic status and history of exposure to S. mansoni infection.