Euclein: A new binaphthaquinone from Euclea pseudebenus

7-MethyljugIone, 8,8′-dihydroxy-4,4′-dimethoxy-6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-binaphthyl-1,1′-quinone, 2-methylnaphthazarin, mamegakinone and euclein have been isolated from Euclea pseudebenus. Euclein is the 3,6′-dimer of 7-methyljuglone.     

Twilight activity patterns and angling vulnerability of yellowmouth barracuda (Sphyraena viridensis Cuvier, 1829), a range-expanding thermophilic fish

Among the thermophilic fishes that have become established in the north-western Mediterranean as a consequence of sea warming, the yellowmouth barracuda (Sphyraena viridensis Cuvier, 1829) appears to be one of the most successful and abundant in the coastal rocky environment, having increasingly become the object of recreational and commercial exploitation in the study area. Lure-fishing sessions were carried out from May 2016 to November 2018 in the Catalan Sea (NE Spain) at dawn and dusk, with the aim of providing new insight into the behavioural, spatial and feeding ecology and vulnerability to angling of this poorly known species. Generalized mixed-effects linear models showed that S. viridensis is a crepuscular inshore dweller, whose vulnerability to angling is significantly influenced by solar and lunar light intensities, being highest in the pre-spawn and spawning periods. Asymmetries between dawn and dusk activity patterns were detected, evidently related to a drop in aggressiveness at dusk following the spawning period. The simple study design adopted may be applied to other contexts, aiming to the recognition of several levels of fish vulnerability to angling.     

Annual cycle of stored spermatozoa within the ovaries of Helicolenus dactylopterus dactylopterus (Teleostei, Scorpaenidae)

The aim of this work was to analyse the ultrastructure of storage crypts and stored spermatozoa, and to describe changes during the annual reproductive cycle of the bluemouth Helicolenus dactylopterus dactylopterus , which has internal fertilization and a zygoparous mode of reproduction. Spermatozoa had elongated heads and long midpieces, two characteristics which are thought to be fairly advanced and correlated with internal fertilization, as is the case of the bluemouth. A remarkable spermatozoon feature was the retention of a significant quantity of cytoplasm around the head, a condition that appeared to be related to nourishment during the long storage period, up to 10 months in the intraovarian crystal structures of the female. Male sex cells' protection against the female immune system was ensured by junctional complexes between the crypt cells composed of tight junctions and desmosomes.     

Amino acid metabolism in several tissues of the obese Zucker rat as indicated by the tissue accumulation of α-amino[1-14C]isobutyrate

Measurements of the tissue accumulation of α-amino[1-¹⁴C]isobutyrate [1-¹⁴C]AIB) in lean (+/?) and obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats showed an augmented tissue/plasma ratio in the liver of the obese animals. In contrast, brown adipose tissue AIB accumulation was lower in the fa/fa animals. In response to a 24h starvation period AIB accumulation was significantly elevated in the liver and plasma of the lean animals and was unchanged in the liver of the fa/fa animals. The circulating concentration of alanine and branched-chain amino acids was elevated in the fa/fa animals as compared to their lean counterparts. These observations suggest that amino acid uptake is not involved in the impaired muscle development observed in the obese Zucker rat and that the ability of brown adipose tissue for amino acid utilization is decreased in the obese animals suggesting that this may partially explain the impaired thermoregulatory capacity observed in brown adipose tissue of obese Zucker rats.     

Somatic embryogenesis in leaves and leaf-derived protoplasts of Actinidia deliciosa var. deliciosa cv. Hayward (kiwifruit)

Summary The obtention of embryogenic competence in Actinidia deliciosa var. deliciosa cv. Hayward is reported. Axillary buds from shoots submitted to cold (4°C) and starvation for 1.5 months, developed leaves with embryogenic competence. These leaves, cultured in darkness for 1.5 months on a medium containing zeatin as a sole growth regulator, originated compact structures from which embryos developed. The plating orientation and sectioning of leaves strongly affected the expression of the embryogenic potential. A selected fraction of the protoplasts isolated from these leaves was able to develop in an embryogenic way. The germination of the embryos is still only occasional.Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - 2-iP 6-dimethylallyl aminopurine - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - NOA naphthoxyacetic acid - SEM Scanning Electron Microscopy     

Triterpene saponins from Cylicodiscus gabunensis.

Four new saponins were isolated from the alcoholic extract of the bark of Cylicodiscus gabunensis by means of flash chromatography. They were characterized on the basis of spectral and chemical data as 3-O-beta-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl (1----2),alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1----3),beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1- ---)] maslinic acid-28-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1----6),beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1----2),alp ha-L- rhamnopyranosyl(1----)] ester; 3-O-beta-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1----2),alpha-L-arabinopyran osyl (1----3),beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1----)]maslinic acid-28-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1----2),alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1----)] ester, 3-O-beta-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1----2),alpha-L-arabinopyran osyl (1----3),beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1----)]maslinic acid and 3-O-beta(alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1----3),beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1----)] cylicodiscic acid.     

Direct gene transfer into Actinidia deliciosa protoplasts: analysis of transient expression of the CAT gene using TLC autoradiography and a GC-MS-based method

Chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) gene was used as a reporter gene to assess the conditions for polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated transfection of kiwifruit protoplasts. The effect of plasmid concentration and the presence of carrier DNA were each assessed by analysing CAT activity in transfected protoplasts using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) autoradiographic detection of acetylated chloramphenicol. A gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) non-radioactive method was developed for monitoring CAT gene activity. This method provides a high speed of analysis (30 min) and precise means of detecting acetylated products at the nanomolar level, enabling quantification at very low transfection rates. Using this method we optimized plasmid and PEG concentration and also assessed the effect of heat shock on transfection. The best CAT activity was obtained using 30% polyethylene glycol 4000 and by submitting protoplasts to heat shock (45 °C, 5 min) prior to transfection.     

Silver and mercury probing of deoxyribonucleic acid structures in the filamentous viruses fd, If1, IKe, Xf, Pf1, and Pf3

Ag+ binding and Hg2+ binding to both double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) have been examined in some detail, and the results have been applied to study the structures of circular ssDNA in several filamentous viruses. It has been known for some time that Ag+ and Hg2+ bind to the bases of DNA producing characteristic large changes in absorbance and circular dichroism (CD) spectra, as well as changes in sedimentation rates. In the case of Ag+, it is known that there are three modes of binding to isolated dsDNA, referred to as types I, II, and III. Type III binding, by definition, occurs when Ag+ binds to Ag-dsDNA complexes having sites for binding types I and II extensively occupied, if not saturated. It produces CD spectra, assigned in this study, and absorbance spectra that are isosbestic with those of the Ag-dsDNA complexes present prior to its onset. In phosphate buffers binding is restricted to types I and II, whereas in borate buffers weaker type III binding can occur. Characteristics of types I, II, and III were observed for the DNAs in fd, If1, IKe, and Xf, but not for those in Pf1 and Pf3. Similarly, many of the spectral changes seen when Hg2+ binds to isolated double-stranded DNA are mimicked by Hg2+ binding to the DNAs within fd, IKe, If1, and Xf, but not for those in Pf1 and Pf3. The Ag+ and Hg2+ results indicate the presence of right-handed DNA helices in fd, If1, IKe, and Xf, with the two antiparallel strands of the covalently closed single-stranded DNAs having the bases directed toward the virion axes. For Pf1 and Pf3, Ag+ and Hg2+ binding cause large absorbance changes but only small CD changes. The very different results for Pf1 and Pf3 are consistent with the presence of inverted DNA structures (I-DNA) with the bases directed away from the structure axes, but the two structures differ from one another. Sedimentation velocity changes with Ag+ and Hg2+ binding strongly suggest structural linkages between the DNA and the surrounding protein sheath in each of the viruses.     

Decreased susceptibility of melanized Cryptococcus neoformans to UV light.

Melanized Cryptococcus neoformans cells were less susceptible than nonmelanized cells to the fungicidal effects of UV light. Phenoloxidase-catalyzed production of melanin-like pigments may serve to protect the fungus against ionizing radiation.