Identification of quantitative trait loci influencing aerial morphogenesis in the model legume <Emphasis Type="Italic">Medicago truncatula</Emphasis>

In many legume crops, especially in forage legumes, aerial morphogenesis defined as growth and development of plant organs, is an essential trait as it determines plant and seed biomass as well as forage quality (protein concentration, dry matter digestibility). Medicago truncatula is a model species for legume crops. A set of 29 accessions of M. truncatula was evaluated for aerial morphogenetic traits. A recombinant inbred lines (RILs) mapping population was used for analysing quantitative variation in aerial morphogenetic traits and QTL detection. Genes described to be involved in aerial morphogenetic traits in other species were mapped to analyse co-location between QTLs and genes. A large variation was found for flowering date, morphology and dynamics of branch elongation among the 29 accessions and within the RILs population. Flowering date was negatively correlated to main stem and branch length. QTLs were detected for all traits, and each QTL explained from 5.2 to 59.2% of the phenotypic variation. A QTL explaining a large part of genetic variation for flowering date and branch growth was found on chromosome 7. The other chromosomes were also involved in the variation detected in several traits. Mapping of candidate genes indicates a co-location between a homologue of Constans gene or a flowering locus T (FT) gene and the QTL of flowering date on chromosome 7. Other candidate genes for several QTLs are described. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Superparasitism as a differential game

Superparasitism refers to a female parasitoid laying an egg in a host already parasitized by a conspecific. In solitary species, only one offspring per host is expected to complete development, hence the game. Hosts are often clumped in patches and several females exploiting such an aggregate of resource make its state change over time, hence the dynamical character of the game. Two coupled questions arise: (i) Is it worth accepting a parasitized host? (ii) When to leave the host patch? Through these decisions (i) the competition for healthy hosts and (ii) the trade-off between leaving in quest of a better patch and staying to make the patch less profitable for other parasitoids (this is a way to lower superparasitism likely to occur after having left the patch) are addressed. The aim of this work is to characterize a strategy that would be evolutionarily relevant in such a situation, as it directly concerns females' reproductive success. Investigating a (synchronous) nonzero-sum two-player differential game allows us to characterize candidate dynamic evolutionarily stable policies in terms of both oviposition and patch-leaving decisions. For that matter, the game is (in the most part of the parameter space) completely solved if the probability that superparasitism succeeds is assumed to be close to one-half, a fair value under direct competition. The strategic equilibrium consists, for each females, in (i) superparasitizing consistently upon arrival on the patch, and (ii) leaving when the loss of fitness due to superparasitism likely to occur after its departure is reduced to zero. The competing females are thus expected to leave the patch as they arrived: synchronously. Superparasitism does not necessarily lead to a war of attrition.     

TGF-beta superfamily signaling is essential for tooth and hair morphogenesis and differentiation

Members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily of signaling molecules are involved in the regulation of many developmental processes that involve the interaction between mesenchymal and epithelial tissues. Smad7 is a potent inhibitor of many members of the TGF-beta family, notably TGF-beta and activin. In this study, we show that embryonic overexpression of Smad7 in stratified epithelia using a keratin 5 promoter, results in severe morphogenetic defects in skin and teeth and leads to embryonic and perinatal lethality. To further analyze the functions of Smad7 in epithelial tissues of adult mice, we used an expression system that allowed a controlled overexpression of Smad7 in terms of both space and time. Skin defects in adult mice overexpressing Smad7 were characterized by hyper-proliferation and missing expression of early markers of keratinocyte differentiation. Upon Smad7-mediated blockade of TGF-beta superfamily signaling, ameloblasts failed to produce an enamel layer in incisor teeth. In addition, TGF-beta blockade in adult mice altered the pattern of thymic T cell differentiation and the number of thymic T cells was significantly reduced. This study shows that TGF-beta superfamily signaling is essential for development of hair, tooth and T-cells as well as differentiation and proliferation control in adult tissues.     

Microbiological study of the body wall lesions of the echinoid Tripneustes gratilla

The microbiota of the body wall lesions of the echinoid Tripneustes gratilla, initiated by the grazing action of the parasitic gastropod Vexilla vexillum, was investigated with a pluridisciplinary approach. Parasitised sea urchins showed body wall lesions strongly infected by bacteria that progressed through the test and reached the coelomic cavity after ca. 1 mo. We report here on the bacterial community observed in lesions of echinoids collected in situ and on the bacteria that successively appeared during laboratory experiments. Two Alphaproteobacteria, a CFB (Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides) bacterium, 3 Vibrio species and Exiguobacterium aestuarii were identified in the field-collected lesions by 16S rDNA sequencing. The last 4 bacteria were cultured and each induced the disease when inoculated on scalpel-made wounds, with 100% of the individuals infected within 2 d. Scalpel-induced scarifications tended to heal within 3 wk, while gastropod-induced lesions evolved into disease, suggesting a role of Vexilla vexillum in the development of the infection. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing suggest that (1) bacteria associated with healthy integument were not present in the lesions and were thus not responsible for their infection, (2) Alphaproteobacteria with close phylogenetic affiliation with other bacteria involved in several diseases affecting marine invertebrates were present, and (3) these Alphaproteobacteria were present from the beginning of the infection and appeared earlier in the infection than other bacteria such as CFB bacteria.     

In vivo depletion of CD11c+ cells impairs scrapie agent neuroinvasion from the intestine

Following oral exposure, some transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agents accumulate first upon follicular dendritic cells (DCs) in the GALT. Studies in mice have shown that TSE agent accumulation in the GALT, in particular the Peyer's patches, is obligatory for the efficient transmission of disease to the brain. However, the mechanism through which TSE agents are initially conveyed from the gut lumen to the GALT is not known. Studies have implicated migratory hemopoietic DCs in this process, but direct demonstration of their involvement in vivo is lacking. In this study, we have investigated the contribution of CD11c(+) DCs in scrapie agent neuroinvasion through use of CD11c-diptheria toxin receptor-transgenic mice in which CD11c(+) DCs can be specifically and transiently depleted. Using two distinct scrapie agent strains (ME7 and 139A scrapie agents), we show that when CD11c(+) DCs were transiently depleted in the GALT and spleen before oral exposure, early agent accumulation in these tissues was blocked. In addition, CD11c(+) cell depletion reduced susceptibility to oral scrapie challenge indicating that TSE agent neuroinvasion from the GALT was impaired. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that migratory CD11c(+) DCs play a key role in the translocation of the scrapie agent from the gut lumen to the GALT from which neuroinvasion subsequently occurs.     

Regulation of translation is required for dendritic cell function and survival during activation

In response to inflammatory stimulation, dendritic cells (DCs) have a remarkable pattern of differentiation (maturation) that exhibits specific mechanisms to control antigen processing and presentation. Here, we show that in response to lipopolysaccharides, protein synthesis is rapidly enhanced in DCs. This enhancement occurs via a PI3K-dependent signaling pathway and is key for DC activation. In addition, we show that later on, in a manner similar to viral or apoptotic stress, DC activation leads to the phosphorylation and proteolysis of important translation initiation factors, thus inhibiting cap-dependent translation. This inhibition correlates with major changes in the origin of the peptides presented by MHC class I and the ability of mature DCs to prevent cell death. Our observations have important implications in linking translation regulation with DC function and survival during the immune response.     

Newly identified biologically active and proteolysis-resistant VEGF-A isoform VEGF111 is induced by genotoxic agents

Ultraviolet B and genotoxic drugs induce the expression of a vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) splice variant (VEGF111) encoded by exons 1–4 and 8 in many cultured cells. Although not detected in a series of normal human and mouse tissue, VEGF111 expression is induced in MCF-7 xenografts in nude mice upon treatment by camptothecin. The skipping of exons that contain proteolytic cleavage sites and extracellular matrix–binding domains makes VEGF111 diffusible and resistant to proteolysis. Recombinant VEGF111 activates VEGF receptor 2 (VEGF-R2) and extracellularly regulated kinase 1/2 in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells and porcine aortic endothelial cells expressing VEGF-R2. The mitogenic and chemotactic activity and VEGF111's ability to promote vascular network formation during embyonic stem cell differentiation are similar to those of VEGF121 and 165. Tumors in nude mice formed by HEK293 cells expressing VEGF111 develop a more widespread network of numerous small vessels in the peritumoral tissue than those expressing other isoforms. Its potent angiogenic activity and remarkable resistance to proteolysis makes VEGF111 a potential adverse factor during chemotherapy but a beneficial therapeutic tool for ischemic diseases.     

Comparison of haplotype frequencies differentiate fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) corn-strain populations from Florida and Brazil

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major economic pest throughout the Western Hemisphere. Populations can be subdivided into two morphologically identical but genetically distinct strains (corn-strain and rice-strain) that differ in their host plant preferences. These strains can be distinguished by using polymorphisms in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene. Additional sequence analysis of this locus identified two sites that were highly polymorphic in the corn-strain population and that produced four different haplotype subgroups. Comparisons of the frequency distribution of these haplotypes found no seasonal or plant host specificities, but they did demonstrate that the Brazil corn-strain population is different from corn-strain fall armyworm found in Florida. The development of a rapid means of distinguishing fall armyworm populations originating from Brazil versus Florida provides an opportunity for investigating and comparing the genetic complexity and long-range movements of this important agricultural pest.     

Interspecific hybridization in oysters: Restriction Enzyme Digestion Chromosome Banding confirms Crassostrea angulata × Crassostrea gigas F1 hybrids

The taxonomic status of the two commercially important cupped oysters, Crassostrea angulata, the Portuguese oyster (Lamarck, 1819) and Crassostrea gigas, the Japanese oyster (Thunberg, 1793) has long been in question. The recent observation of the hybridization between C. gigas and C. angulata and the production of fertile F1s led us to search for cytogenetic evidence of both parental genomes in the interspecific hybrids. The cytogenetic characterization of the hybrids was performed by the use of restriction endonuclease treatments. This technique has recently shown the potential for individual chromosome identification by banding in oysters. Chromosomes of C. gigas, C. angulata and their hybrids were treated with two different restriction enzymes (ApaI and HaeIII), stained with Giemsa, and examined for banding patterns. These chromosome markers allowed the parental haploid sets to be identified in the hybrids. The analysis of the banded karyotypes of the interspecific hybrids showed that for each chromosome pair, one of the homologues presented a banding pattern consistent with that of C. gigas and the other homologue presented a banding pattern consistent with that of C. angulata. These cytogenetic results substantiate the reported interspecific hybridization between C. gigas and C. angulata. In view of these results and taking into account the present expansion of C. gigas aquaculture in southern Europe, the question of the need for preservation of pure C. angulata stocks should be raised as only a few populations remain in the south of Spain and Portugal. Recently, changes in the genetic composition of populations in southern Portugal have indeed been observed, showing that human activities have created contact zones between the two taxa while no natural sympatric zones exist in Europe.