Variability in host plant resistance of Sorghum to Striga Hermonthica infestation in West Africa

Fourteen elite sorghum lines were evaluated for their resistance to Striga hermonthica at three locations in Nigeria and Mali. Results showed that many of the lines especially MALISOR 84-1, SAMSORG 41, 97-SB-F5DT-64 (Keninkédié) and the check SRN 39 remained resistant to Striga in all locations with low emerged Striga counts, while SAMSORG 14 had the highest Striga infestation in all locations. Considerable variation in reaction to Striga infestation was observed on Séguètana, 97-SB-F5DT-63 (Wasa), 97-SB-F5DT-65, CMDT 38, CMDT 39 and CMDT 45 which were susceptible to Striga at Samaru, Nigeria but were resistant to Striga at both locations in Mali. Based on low Striga resistance and high grain yield, lines MALISOR 84-1, SAMSORG 41, 97-SB-F5DT-64, 97-SB-F5DT-65, CMDT 39 and SAMSORT 14 have been nominated for wider evaluation across more West African countries.     

TMEM106B p.T185S regulates TMEM106B protein levels: implications for frontotemporal dementia

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is the second leading cause of dementia in individuals under age 65. In many patients, the predominant pathology includes neuronal cytoplasmic or intranuclear inclusions of ubiquitinated TAR DNA binding protein 43 (FTLD‐TDP). Recently, a genome‐wide association study identified the first FTLD‐TDP genetic risk factor, in which variants in and around the TMEM106B gene (top SNP rs1990622) were significantly associated with FTLD‐TDP risk. Intriguingly, the most significant association was in FTLD‐TDP patients carrying progranulin (GRN) mutations. Here, we investigated to what extent the coding variant, rs3173615 (p.T185S) in linkage disequilibrium with rs1990622, affects progranulin protein (PGRN) biology and transmembrane protein 106 B (TMEM106B) regulation. First, we confirmed the association of TMEM106B variants with FTLD‐TDP in a new cohort of GRN mutation carriers. We next generated and characterized a TMEM106B‐specific antibody for investigation of this protein. Enzyme‐linked immunoassay analysis of progranulin protein levels showed similar effects upon T185 and S185 TMEM106B over‐expression. However, over‐expression of T185 consistently led to higher TMEM106B protein levels than S185. Cycloheximide treatment experiments revealed that S185 degrades faster than T185 TMEM106B, potentially due to differences in N‐glycosylation at residue N183. Together, our results provide a potential mechanism by which TMEM106B variants lead to differences in FTLD‐TDP risk.

     

Biotechnology and the birth of a third culture

Biotechnology represents such an important challenge for present day culture that one can speak of a biotechnological revolution in many other scientific fields as well, such as biology, clinical medicine, pharmacology, and genetic engineering. It also significantly affects political and economic choices to such a degree that they call for a new kind of attention from jurisprudence which has to regulate an ever changing world. Many important queries arise particularly at a bioethical level, issues that will also affect future generations. Scientific progress has unexpectedly widened the biological knowledge of human kind. Thanks to the contribution of continuously more refined and advanced technology, it has nurtured the hope of solving all problems and of overcoming all limits. The scientist's intellectual curiosity, encompassing these new resources, is spurred on by the desire for knowledge and understanding. However sometimes he loses sight of the repercussions and of the possible uses his achievements may have. Only a profound personal education, integrated with the scientist's technical and scientific expertise, will allow science to knock down some barriers, advancing constantly but without losing respect for man's dignity. However the separation between scientific and ethical expertise can only raise new barriers and create limits to the freedom of science which will appear just restrictive, while a kind of medieval obscurantism will be opposed to ethical rigour.     

High prevalence of pathogenic mutations in patients with early-onset dementia detected by sequence analyses of four different genes

Clinical differential diagnosis of early-onset dementia (EOD) includes familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) and hereditary prion disease. In both disease entities, postmortem brain histopathological examination is essential for unambiguous diagnosis. Mutations in the genes encoding the presenilins (PS1 and PS2) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) are associated with FAD, whereas mutations in the prion protein (PrP) gene are associated with prion disease. To investigate the proportion of EOD attributable to known genes, we prospectively (i.e., antemortem) screened these four genes for mutations by sequencing genomic PCR products from patients with EOD before age 60 years. Family history for dementia was positive (PFH) in 16 patients, negative (NFH) in 17 patients, and unknown (UFH) in 3 patients. In 12 patients, we found five novel mutations (in PS1, F105L; in PS2, T122P and M239I; and in PrP, Q160X and T188K) and five previously reported mutations (in APP, in three patients who were most likely unrelated, V717I; in PS1, A79V and M139V; and in PrP, P102L and T183A) that are all considered to be disease causing. Of these 12 patients, 9 had PFH. This indicates a detection rate of 56% (9/16) in patients with PFH. We found two mutations (APP V717I) in two of the three UFH patients, and only one mutation (PrP T188K) in 1 of the 17 patients with NFH. We conclude that because of the lack of specific antemortem diagnostic markers for FAD and hereditary prion disease, all four genes should be included in a molecular diagnostic program in patients with EOD who had PFH.     

Two common nonsynonymous paraoxonase 1 (<Emphasis Type="Italic">PON1</Emphasis>) gene polymorphisms and brain astrocytoma and meningioma

Background  

Human serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1) plays a major role in the metabolism of several organophosphorus compounds. The enzyme is encoded by the polymorphic gene PON1, located on chromosome 7q21.3. Aiming to identify genetic variations related to the risk of developing brain tumors, we investigated the putative association between common nonsynonymous PON1 polymorphisms and the risk of developing astrocytoma and meningioma.     

Long-term effects of graduated compression stockings on cardiorespiratory performance

The use of graduated compression stockings (GCS) in sport has been increasing in the last years due to their potential positive effects for athletes. However, there is little evidence to support whether these types of garments actually improve cardiorespiratory performance. The aim of this study was to examine the cardiorespiratory responses of GCS during running after three weeks of regular use. Twenty recreational runners performed three tests on different days: test 1) – a 5-min maximal effort run in order to determine the participants’ maximal aerobic speed; and tests 2) and 3) – a fatigue running test of 30 minutes at 80% of their maximal aerobic speed with either GCS or PLACEBO stockings at random. Cardiorespiratory parameters (minute ventilation, heart rate, relative oxygen consumption, relative carbon dioxide production, ventilatory equivalents for oxygen and carbon dioxide, and oxygen pulse) were measured. Before each test in the laboratory, the participants trained with the randomly assigned stockings (GCS or PLACEBO) for three weeks. No significant differences between GCS and PLACEBO were found in any of the cardiorespiratory parameters. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence that running with GCS for three weeks does not influence cardiorespiratory parameters in recreational runners.     

Cell viability and immunostimulating and protective capacities of Bifidobacterium longum 51A are differentially affected by technological variables in fermented milks

Aim: To investigate the cell viability of Bifidobacterium longum 5^1A in fermented milks and to study its immunostimulating and protective capacity against Salmonella enterica ssp. enterica serovar Typhimurium infection in mice. Methods and Results: Bifidobacterium longum 5^1A was added to milk fermented with different yoghurt starter cultures, before or after fermentation, and viability was monitored during storage (5°C, 28 days). Resistance to simulated gastric acid digestion was assessed. Fermented milks were orally administered to mice for 10 days followed by oral infection with Salmonella Typhimurium. The number of IgA+ cells in the small and large intestine was determined before infection. Survival to infection was monitored for 20 days. Bifidobacterium longum 5^1A lost viability during storage, but the product containing it was effective for the induction of IgA+ cells proliferation in the gut and for the protection of mice against Salm. Typhimurium infection. Conclusions: Cell viability of Bif. longum 5^1A in fermented milks along storage did not condition the capacity of the strain to enhance the number of IgA+ cells in the gut and to protect mice against Salmonella infection. Significance and Impact of the Study: The uncoupling of cell viability and functionality demonstrated that, in certain cases, nonviable cells can also exert positive effects.     

Presenilin 1 protein directly interacts with Bcl-2.

Presenilin proteins are involved in familial Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by massive death of neurons. We describe a direct interaction between presenilin 1 (PS1) and Bcl-2, a key factor in the regulation of apoptosis, by yeast two-hybrid interaction system, by co-immunoprecipitation, and by cross-linking experiments. Our data show that PS1 and Bcl-2 assemble into a macromolecular complex, and that they are released from this complex in response to an apoptotic stimulus induced by staurosporine. The results support the idea of cross-talk between these two proteins during apoptosis.