Vergleichende Untersuchungen der Flavonoide und Oxyzimtsäuren in den Blättern artreinerVitis-Sorten und ihrer Bastarde

Zusammenfassung Der taxonomische Wert von Flavonoiden und Oxyzimtsäuren in den Blättern von artreinenVitis-Sorten und Artbastarden sowie die Zusammenhänge von phenolischen Blattinhaltsstoffen und Resistenz gegen die gallicole Reblaus sollten geklärt werden. Hierzu wurden methanolische Blattextrakte eines sehr umfangreichen Materials zweidimensional chromatographiert und ein Diphenylborsäure-Aminoaethylester-Komplex als Sprühreagenz mit Erfolg angewandt.Auf den Chromatogrammen wurden Flavonoide und Oxyzimtsäuren gefunden, die z. T. taxonomischen Wert besitzen. DieVitis-Arten sind auf Grund ihrer charakteristischen Flavonoid- und Oxyzimtsäuren-Garnitur deutlich voneinander zu unterscheiden, nicht aber die Sorten der gleichen Art. Die Fähigkeit, taxonspezifische Blattinhaltsstoffe zu bilden, wird vererbt. Die qualitative Zusammensetzung der Flavonoide und Oxyzimtsäuren der jeweiligen Rebsorte wird von Umweltfaktoren wenig beeinflußt, so daß Material von verschiedenen Standorten miteinander verglichen werden kann. Die Untersuchungsergebnisse können für systematische und phylogenetische Betrachtungen herangezogen werden.Bestimmte Flavonoide und Oxyzimtsäuren erwiesen sich als taxonspezifisch fürVitis-Sorten, die gegenüber der gallicolen Reblaus resistent sind. Die Möglichkeit einer enzymatischen Oxydation dieser Substanzen zu Chinonen und damit ihrer aktiven Beteiligung an der Resistenzausbildung wird diskutiert. Diese taxonspezifischen Stoffe können für die Frühselektion resistenter Sämlinge von Bedeutung sein.

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Summary The flavonoids and cinnamic acids in the leaves ofVitis varieties descending from pure species and hybrids were studied by way of paperchromatography. This research had the following purpose: 1 To examine the taxonomic value of these substances. 2 To study the interrelationship of these phenolic compounds of the leaves, and the resistancy against gall forming phylloxera.The chromatograms were made from methanolic leaf extracts, two dimensionally, and were sprayed afterwards with diphenylboric acid amine-ethylester complex. The characteristic flavonoid and cinnamic acid pattern had a taxonomical value for the differentVitis species, but not for the varieties belonging to the same species. This property seemed to be genetically controlled, and could be traced further till the descendants. A comparison made of material originating from different places showed, that the qualitative composition of the flavonoids, and the cinnamic acids were not influenced by ecological factors. This fact would be favourable for systematical and phylogenetical studies.Certain flavonoids and cinnamic acids appeared to be taxonomically specific forVitis varieties, which were resistant against the gall forming phylloxera. The possibility of enzymatic oxidation of these phenolic substances into quinones, and herewith the participation in forming resistant factors was discussed. These taxonomically specific substances could be of importance for the selection of seedlings at an early stage of development.

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Résumé Le but de ces recherches était le suivant: 1. Vérification de la valeur taxonomique des flavonoides et des acides oxycinnamiques dans les feuilles des cépages deVitis venant des espèces pures ou des hybridisations interspécifiques. 2. Étude des relations entre les matières phénoloiques dans les feuilles et la résistance contre le phylloxéra formant des galles. Des extraits méthyliques des nombreuses échantillons étaient chromatographiés en deux dimensions. Pour faire visible les taches sur les chromatogrammes on se servait d'un diphényl acide borique amino-éthylester complexe.Des flavonoides et des acides oxycinnamiques étaient trouvés dont quelques-uns sont d'une valeur taxonomique. A cause de leur garniture caractéristique des flavonoides et des acides oxycinnamiques les espèces de vigne mais pas les variétés peuvent être distinguées. La capacité de produire des matières taxonomiques dans les feuilles est héréditable. La composition qualitative des flavonoides et des acides oxycinnamiques des variétés de vigne différentes n'est presque pas influencée par des facteurs oecologiques. On peut donc comparer des échantillons d'une provenance très differente. Les résultats de cette publication peuvent être utiles pour des études systematiques et phylogénétiques.Il était démontré que certaines flavonoides et acides oxycinnamiques caractérisent des variétés deVitis qui sont résistantes au phylloxéra. La possibilité d'une participation de ces matières à la formation de la résistance est discutée. Elle est expliquée par une oxydation enzymatique des matières phénoliques aux quinones. Les matières caractérisant la taxonomie d'un type de vigne peuvent servir pour la séléction des jeunes plantes résistantes venant d'une hybridisation dans un stade de développement très tôt.

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Plasmodium simium/Plasmodium vivax infections in southern brown howler monkeys from the Atlantic Forest

Blood infection by the simian parasite, Plasmodium simium, was identified in captive (n = 45, 4.4%) and in wild Alouatta clamitans monkeys (n = 20, 35%) from the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil. A single malaria infection was symptomatic and the monkey presented clinical and haematological alterations. A high frequency of Plasmodium vivax-specific antibodies was detected among these monkeys, with 87% of the monkeys testing positive against P. vivax antigens. These findings highlight the possibility of malaria as a zoonosis in the remaining Atlantic Forest and its impact on the epidemiology of the disease.     

A distinguished Brazilian botanist,João Barbosa Rodrigues (1842–1909)

Details of the life of João Barbosa Rodrigues, early explorer of the Amazon, renowned specialist on Brazilian orchids and palms, and director of the “Jardim Botânico” of Rio de Janeiro from 1890 to 1909, are presented. Several of his illustrations are reproduced here for the first time.     

The Duffy binding protein as a key target for a Plasmodium vivax vaccine: lessons from the Brazilian Amazon

Plasmodium vivax infects human erythrocytes through a major pathway that requires interaction between an apical parasite protein, the Duffy binding protein (PvDBP) and its receptor on reticulocytes, the Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines (DARC). The importance of the interaction between PvDBP (region II, DBPII) and DARC to P. vivax infection has motivated our malaria research group at Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (state of Minas Gerais, Brazil) to conduct a number of immunoepidemiological studies to characterise the naturally acquired immunity to PvDBP in populations living in the Amazon rainforest. In this review, we provide an update on the immunology and molecular epidemiology of PvDBP in the Brazilian Amazon - an area of markedly unstable malaria transmission - and compare it with data from other parts of Latin America, as well as Asia and Oceania.     

Genetic diversity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leishmania amazonensis</Emphasis>strains isolated in northeastern Brazil as revealed by DNA sequencing,PCR-based analyses and molecular karyotyping

Background  

Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis infection in man results in a clinical spectrum of disease manifestations ranging from cutaneous to mucosal or visceral involvement. In the present study, we have investigated the genetic variability of 18 L. amazonensis strains isolated in northeastern Brazil from patients with different clinical manifestations of leishmaniasis. Parasite DNA was analyzed by sequencing of the ITS flanking the 5.8 S subunit of the ribosomal RNA genes, by RAPD and SSR-PCR and by PFGE followed by hybridization with gene-specific probes.     

Identification and functional characterization of new missense SNPs in the coding region of the TP53 gene

Infrequent and rare genetic variants in the human population vastly outnumber common ones. Although they may contribute significantly to the genetic basis of a disease, these seldom-encountered variants may also be miss-identified as pathogenic if no correct references are available. Somatic and germline TP53 variants are associated with multiple neoplastic diseases, and thus have come to serve as a paradigm for genetic analyses in this setting. We searched 14 independent, globally distributed datasets and recovered TP53 SNPs from 202,767 cancer-free individuals. In our analyses, 19 new missense TP53 SNPs, including five novel variants specific to the Asian population, were recurrently identified in multiple datasets. Using a combination of in silico, functional, structural, and genetic approaches, we showed that none of these variants displayed loss of function compared to the normal TP53 gene. In addition, classification using ACMG criteria suggested that they are all benign. Considered together, our data reveal that the TP53 coding region shows far more polymorphism than previously thought and present high ethnic diversity. They furthermore underline the importance of correctly assessing novel variants in all variant-calling pipelines associated with genetic diagnoses for cancer.Subject terms: Tumour-suppressor proteins, Genetics research     

Ultrastructural features and formation of the micropylar apparatus in the cherry fly Rhagoletis cerasi

The micropylar apparatus (MA) in Rhagoletis cerasi (Diptera, Tephritidae) is located at the anterior pole of the egg and consists of two parts: an outer chorion and an inner vitelline membrane. Sperm entry takes place through the micropylar canal, 2.0–2.5 μm in diameter, which penetrates the micropylar endochorion and terminates in the thick vitelline membrane, thus forming the “pocket.” The pore of the micropylar canal, i.e., the micropyle, is covered by the exochorionic tuft. The formation of the MA is accomplished by 40 micropylar cells during oogenesis. These cells secrete the successive eggshell layers: the vitelline membrane, the wax layer, the innermost chorionic layer, the micropylar endochorion, and the exochorion. Two among 40 micropylar cells differentiate and form two tightly connected projections. The latter contain a bundle of parallel microtubules and participate in the formation of the micropylar canal and the pocket. At the tip of the projections there are two thin extensions full of microfilaments. In late developmental stages the two projections and the extensions degenerate and leave the canal and the pocket behind. We also discuss the structural features of the MA in relation to its physiology among Diptera.