Grass cover on forest clear-cut areas ameliorates some soil chemical properties

Clear-cut areas formed after forest decline due to acid deposition, pest attacks, or wind-breaks in temperate mountainous regions are often populated by grass (mainly Calamagrostis villosa). This study focused on the changes of soil chemical characteristics under the grass cover replacing the forest, focusing mainly on aluminium (Al) speciation. Clear-cut area due to strong acid deposition in the Jizera Mountains (Northern Bohemia) was studied. The soils under grass cover exhibit higher pH values and lower exchangeable Al content compared to adjacent surviving forest. Mobile Al species under the grass have larger proportion of non-toxic organic complexes. The content of exchangeable base cations is slightly higher under the grass. The positive effect of grass on soil chemistry was enhanced by liming. The temporary grass cover can therefore improve soil chemical quality for following reforestation. However, the differences are generally limited to surface organic horizons. Similar results were found also on a bark-beetle clear-cut area in the Bohemian Forest (Southern Bohemia) with smaller acid deposition; nevertheless, most differences were not significant there.     

Capillary isoelectric focusing--useful tool for detection of the biofilm formation in Staphylococcus epidermidis

The biofilm formation is an important factor of S. epidermidis virulence. Biofilm-positive strains might be clinically more important than biofilm-negative ones. Unlike biofilm-negative staphylococci, biofilm-positive staphylococci are surrounded with an extracellular polysaccharide substance. The presence of this substance on the surface can affect physico-chemical properties of the bacterial cell, including surface charge. 73 S. epidermidis strains were examined for the presence of ica operon, for the ability to form biofilm by Christensen test tube method and for the production of slime by Congo red agar method. Isoelectric points (pI) of these strains were determined by means of Capillary Isoelectric Focusing. The biofilm negative strains focused near pI value 2.3, while the pI values of the biofilm positive strains were near 2.6. Isoelectric point is a useful criterion for the differentiation between biofilm-positive and biofilm-negative S. epidermidis strains.     

Classical anticytokinins do not interact with cytokinin receptors but inhibit cyclin-dependent kinases

Cytokinins are a class of plant hormones that regulate the cell cycle and diverse developmental and physiological processes. Several compounds have been identified that antagonize the effects of cytokinins. Based on structural similarities and competitive inhibition, it has been assumed that these anticytokinins act through a common cellular target, namely the cytokinin receptor. Here, we examined directly the possibility that various representative classical anticytokinins inhibit the Arabidopsis cytokinin receptors CRE1/AHK4 (cytokinin response 1/Arabidopsis histidine kinase 4) and AHK3 (Arabidopsis histidine kinase 3). We show that pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine and pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidine anticytokinins do not act as competitors of cytokinins at the receptor level. Flow cytometry and microscopic analyses revealed that anticytokinins inhibit the cell cycle and cause disorganization of the microtubular cytoskeleton and apoptosis. This is consistent with the hypothesis that they inhibit regulatory cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) enzymes. Biochemical studies demonstrated inhibition by selected anti-cytokinins of both Arabidopsis and human CDKs. X-ray determination of the crystal structure of a human CDK2-anticytokinin complex demonstrated that the antagonist occupies the ATP-binding site of CDK2. Finally, treatment of human cancer cell lines with anticytokinins demonstrated their ability to kill human cells with similar effectiveness as known CDK inhibitors.     

Design of a partial PPARdelta agonist

Structure based ligand design was used in order to design a partial agonist for the PPARdelta receptor. The maximum activation in the transactivation assay was reduced from 87% to 39%. The crystal structure of the ligand binding domain of the PPARdelta receptor in complex with compound 2 was determined in order to understand the structural changes which gave rise to the decrease in maximum activation.     

Relapsed follicular lymphoma sequentially treated with rituximab and 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan. Case report

BACKGROUND: Monoclonal antibodies have dramatically changed the treatment possibilities for follicular lymphoma. (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) is the first radioimmunotherapy agent approved for the treatment of relapsed and resistant follicular lymphoma patients. Long-term benefit was observed especially for patients achieving CR after radioimmunotherapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: A 65-year-old female patient with the second relapse of CD20 positive follicular lymphoma and multiple concomitant diseases was treated with four weekly doses of rituximab (375 mg/m(2)). (18)F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET-CT) demonstrated only partial response to therapy with persistent PET scan positivity in enlarged abdominal lymph nodes. Therefore, it was decided to treat her with a 1200-MBq (32-mCi) dose of (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan radioimmunotherapy. No acute complications were noted afterwards. Hematological nadirs were reached 4 weeks later, with a platelet count of 24 x 10(9)/l that normalized within the next 2 weeks. The patient had neither infection nor bleeding complications. Eight weeks after radioimmunotherapy, the PET-CT scans documented only 3 lymph nodes around the abdominal aorta, maximum size 2 x 1 cm. The PET scan analysis proved no accumulation of (18)F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose in any lymph nodes or other organs and tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Sequential treatment with rituximab and (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan may be an interesting alternative in cases of relapsed follicular or other indolent lymphomas in pretreated or older patients with other concomitant diseases.     

Microtubular and actin cytoskeletons and ultrastructural characteristics of the potentially pathogenic basidiomycetous yeast Malassezia pachydermatis

Microtubular and actin cytoskeletons were investigated in the lipophilic yeast Malassezia pachydermatis by fluorescence and electron microscopy. To detect microtubules by indirect immunofluorescence using monoclonal anti-tubulin antibody, a prolonged incubation with lysing enzymes was necessary due to its very thick cell wall. Cytoplasmic microtubules were detected in interphase and a spindle with astral microtubules was seen in M-phase. The disintegration of cytoplasmic microtubules and migration of the nucleus to the bud before mitosis were characteristic features of the basidiomycetous yeast Malassezia pachydermatis. The visualisation of F-actin structures (patches, cables and cytokinetic rings) by fluorescence microscopy using both monoclonal anti-actin antibody and rhodamine-phalloidin failed, but actin was detected by electron microscopy with immunogold labelling. Clusters of gold particles indicating actin structures were detected at the plasma membrane of cells with unique cortical ultrastructural features characteristic of the genus Malassezia. A possible association of these with the actin cytoskeleton is suggested.     

Mycorrhiza influences plant community structure in succession on spoil banks

The experiment simulated a plant succession stage when perennial grasses (e.g. Calamagrostis epigejos) invade communities of annuals with different mycotrophy (e.g. Atriplex sagittata and Tripleurospermum inodorum) on coalmine spoil banks. Communities of these three model species were planted in 30 l microcosms either in the presence of pre-established mycelium network of three arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species (individually and in a mixture) or without AMF. Different AMF species had significantly different effects on individual plant species’ growth, which resulted in changes in plant community structure. While in the no-AMF treatment the non-mycotrophic plant species A. sagittata contributed nearly 70% to the total plant biomass, in the presence of the 3 AMF mixture the contribution of this species was only about 10%. Different effects of AMF on tiller formation by C. epigejos suggest that some AMF could have greater potential to promote the replacement of annuals by perennial grasses than others. It can be concluded that not merely the presence but also the identity of AMF present on spoil banks can affect the coexistence of plant dominants, the community structure and the progress of plant succession.     

Multimerization of Drosophila sperm protein Mst77F causes a unique condensed chromatin structure

Despite insights on the cellular level, the molecular details of chromatin reorganization in sperm development, which involves replacement of histone proteins by specialized factors to allow ultra most condensation of the genome, are not well understood. Protamines are dispensable for DNA condensation during Drosophila post-meiotic spermatogenesis. Therefore, we analyzed the interaction of Mst77F, another very basic testis-specific protein with chromatin and DNA as well as studied the molecular consequences of such binding. We show that Mst77F on its own causes severe chromatin and DNA aggregation. An intrinsically unstructured domain in the C-terminus of Mst77F binds DNA via electrostatic interaction. This binding results in structural reorganization of the domain, which induces interaction with an N-terminal region of the protein. Via putative cooperative effects Mst77F is induced to multimerize in this state causing DNA aggregation. In agreement, overexpression of Mst77F results in chromatin aggregation in fly sperm. Based on these findings we postulate that Mst77F is crucial for sperm development by giving rise to a unique condensed chromatin structure.