Royal jelly: can it reduce physiological strain of growing rabbits under Egyptian summer conditions?

Exposure of growing rabbits to heat stress during summer adversely affects their performance leading to major production losses. A total number of 48 rabbits, unsexed V-line weaned rabbits, were randomly divided into four experimental groups, temperature ranged from high at 32°C to low at 23°C. Animals of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th group were individually orally given 200, 400 or 800 mg royal jelly (RJ)/kg BW once a week, respectively, to evaluate RJ ability to reduce physiological strain resulted from heat stress. Weekly BW gain increased by 10.4, 11.8 and 10.8%, and feed conversion ratio was significantly improved by 20, 24 and 18% with RJ treatments. Serum total protein, albumin and globulin increased, whereas serum total lipids, cholesterol and triglycerides decreased with RJ treatments. Creatinine was reduced by 21, 30 and 18% and uric acid by 14, 25 and 18% compared with the heat stressed control with the three doses of RJ. Glucose level increased significantly to reach 116, 125, and 120% of heat stressed control. Calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase increased significantly with RJ treatments indicating the occurrence of active bone deposition. Thyroid hormone levels increased significantly to reach 108, 111, and 112% of heat stressed control rabbits with the three doses of RJ, counteracting the hypothyroid state resulted from heat stress. It can be concluded that RJ administration to heat stressed growing rabbits can reduce physiological strain resulted from heat stress.     

Profiling the morphological distribution of O-linked oligosaccharides

The morphological distribution of oligosaccharides is determined in the egg jelly surrounding Xenopus laevis eggs. This biological system is used to illustrate a method for readily identifying and quantifying oligosaccharides in specific tissues. The extracellular matrix surrounding X. laevis eggs consists of a vitelline envelope and a jelly coat. The jelly coat contains three morphologically distinct layers designated J1, J2, and J3 from the innermost to the outermost and is composed of 9-11 distinct glycoproteins. Each jelly layer is known to have specific functions in the fertilization of the egg. We developed a rapid method to separate and identify the oligosaccharides from X. laevis egg jelly layers. Identification was based on the retention times in high-performance liquid chromatography (porous graphitized carbon column), exact masses, and tandem mass spectrometry. Over 40 neutral and 30 sulfated oligosaccharides were observed in the three jelly layers. Neutral oligosaccharide structures from different jelly layers were both unique and overlapping, while sulfated oligosaccharides were detected only in layers J1 and J2. Neutral oligosaccharides unique to jelly layer J3 and the combined layers J1+J2 had similar core structures and similar residues. However, differences between these two sets of unique oligosaccharides were also observed and were primarily due to the branching carbohydrate moieties rather than the core structures.     

A photoactivatable green-fluorescent protein from the phylum Ctenophora

Genes for the family of green-fluorescent proteins (GFPs) have been found in more than 100 species of animals, with some species containing six or more copies producing a variety of colours. Thus far, however, these species have all been within three phyla: Cnidaria, Arthropoda and Chordata. We have discovered GFP-type fluorescent proteins in the phylum Ctenophora, the comb jellies. The ctenophore proteins share the xYG chromophore motif of all other characterized GFP-type proteins. These proteins exhibit the uncommon property of reversible photoactivation, in which fluorescent emission becomes brighter upon exposure to light, then gradually decays to a non-fluorescent state. In addition to providing potentially useful optical probes with novel properties, finding a fluorescent protein in one of the earliest diverging metazoans adds further support to the possibility that these genes are likely to occur throughout animals.     

Identification and localization of S100A6 in human umbilical cord

S100A6, a calcium-binding protein also known as calcyclin, was detected in human umbilical cord by immunoblotting. Immunohistochemical studies showed an intensive reaction for S100A6 in the walls of vessels and Wharton's jelly. In the latter, S100A6 was found not only in the myofibroblasts but also in the ECM (extracellular matrix) surrounding these cells. Affinity chromatography of S100A6 resin indicated that Wharton's jelly contains some proteins that could bind to S100A6. Thus these novel results show the presence of S100A6 in umbilical cord and suggest the involvement of this protein in intra- and extra-cellular signalling pathways in this tissue.     

TGF-β binding in human Wharton’s jelly

Our previous study reported that TGF-β may be isolated from human Wharton’s jelly (WJ) in a form of soluble, high molecular complex(es). We decided to study the effect of extracellular matrix degradation and reduction of disulphide bridges reduction on the release of TGF-β from WJ. The WJ prepared from the umbilical cords of newborns delivered at term by healthy mothers was homogenised and treated with hyaluronidase, collagenase, heparinase, chondroitinase and β-mercaptoethanol, the resulting extracts were then submitted to TGF-β immunoassay and SDS/PAGE followed by Western immunoblotting. The effect of metalloproteinase activation on TGF-β was also studied. Pre-treatment of WJ homogenates with hyaluronidase or collagenase markedly increased the extractability of TGF-β, but did not dissociate the complexes. In contrast, the action of β-mercaptoethanol resulted in the release of free TGF-β; but activation of metalloproteinases resulted in the disappearance of this factor. We conclude that TGF-β1 is bound through disulphide bonds to an extracellular matrix component of WJ. The large amount of collagen fibrils and hyaluronate molecules which surround the cells scattered in WJ may prevent the access of extracting solution to TGF-β causing a low extractability of this factor. Although hyaluronate and collagen do not bind TGF-β directly, they may present a barrier that prevents the diffusion of TGF-β in WJ and results in its concentration around the cells thereby facilitating its interaction with membrane receptors and subsequent stimulation of cell division and synthesis of extracellular matrix components.     

Oviduct histochemistry and site of synthesis of a 29.7 kDa jelly coat glycoprotein in the anuran Lepidobatrachus laevis

The oviduct of the anuran Lepidobatrachus laevis contains three morphological regions, each of which contains a histochemically distinct luminal mucosa. In the pars recta, the most anterior portion of the oviduct, there are periodic acid-Schiff base (PAS)-positive simple glands and epithelia. In the pars convoluta, there are alcian blue-positive, combined alcian blue- and PAS-positive and PAS-positive gland types. The most posterior region, the pars uterina, contains alcian blue-positive and alcian blue-negative epithelial cells. Previous work has shown that solubilized egg jelly contains a major 29.7 kDa glycoprotein subunit that was detected in oviduct tissue extracts from the pars convoluta in the present study. Rabbit antisera to the 29.7 kDa egg jelly glycoprotein of L. laevis reacted with the major pars convoluta glycoprotein and there were no immunoreactive components in the pars uterina. The slight immunoreactivity detected at 29.0–37.0 kDa in pars recta extracts is not believed to be the jelly molecule, based on low immunoreactivity and subunit molecular weight measurements. We conclude that the synthesis of the 29.7 kDa egg jelly glycoprotein is restricted to the pars convoluta region of the oviduct.     

Heterobasidiomycetous fungi from Aegean Islands (Greece): New annotated records for a neglected group

As part of an inventory of macrofungi in selected islands of the Aegean Archipelago (Greece), 18 species of heterobasidiomycetes (phylum Basidiomycota) belonging to the orders Auriculariales, Cantharellales, Dacrymycetales and Tremellales were collected and identified from the islands of Agios Efstratios, Amorgos, Andros, Crete, Ikaria, Naxos and Nisyros. Among the heterobasidiomycetous fungi collected, Ceratobasidium cornigerum, Dacrymyces lacrymalis, Exidiopsis effusa, E. galzinii, Thanatephorus amygdalisporus, Tremella aurantia, Tulasnella pallida and T. pruinosa constitute first national records, while the genera Ceratobasidium, Thanatephorus and Tulasnella are reported for the first time in Greece. All species are listed with information on their hosts/substrates and occurrence in the investigated islands, while the most interesting records are described, illustrated, and critically discussed in the light of existing taxonomic and distribution data.     

Chroococcopsis epiphytica n. sp., eine neue Cyanophycee aus dem Gebiet des Neusiedler Sees

The morphology and life history ofChroococcopsis epiphytica nova spec. is described, a German and Latin diagnosis is added. Cultivated plants display some differences in comparison with plants in their natural habitat: calcification occurs only in the natural medium, endosporangia are developed only by cultivated plants. At the basis, where single cells and thalli are attached, a special sort of jelly is produced; it is discernible only by elective staining with methylene blue. The systematic position of the new species is discussed.