Role of the LFA3-CD2 interaction in human specific B cell differentiation

We examined the role of the lymphocyte function-associated (LFA)3 molecule in human B cell response. A mAb to this molecule did not influence B cell proliferation induced by anti-mu antibody and IL. In contrast, the same mAb inhibited the specific T-dependent B cell response induced by a particulate Ag. In the same line, two anti-CD2 mAb (directed toward the T11-1 and T11-2 epitopes) inhibited this response, whether used alone or in association. These inhibitions took place at an early stage of the response, and anti-LFA3 and anti-CD2 mAb acted on B cells and T cells, respectively. In contrast, when T cell help was provided by exogenous IL-2, the B cell response was resistant to the inhibitory effect of anti-LFA3 mAb. Taken together, these results indicate that the LFA3-CD2 pair play a major role in the direct T-B interaction required for T cell help.     

Phytosociological characteristics of theRondeletio correifoliae-Andropogonetum multinervosi ass. nova (Sierra de la Siguanea,Isla de la Juventud,Cuba)

The contribution deals with the phytocenological analysis of theRondeletio correifoliae-Andropogonetum multinervosi, an endemic savanna association occuring on the Siguanea Hills (Sierra de la Siguanea) near the Colony Hotel.     

Preparation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against native membrane-bound penicillin-binding protein 1B of Escherichia coli.

We prepared monoclonal antibodies against penicillin-binding protein 1B (PBP 1B) of Escherichia coli to study the membrane topology, spatial organization, and enzyme activities of this protein. The majority of the antibodies derived with PBP 1B as the immunogen reacted against the carboxy terminus. To obtain monoclonal antibodies recognizing other epitopes, we used PBP 1B lacking the immunodominant carboxy-terminal 65 amino acids as the immunogen. Eighteen monoclonal antibodies directed against membrane-bound PBP 1B were isolated and characterized. The epitopes recognized by those monoclonal antibodies were located with various truncated forms of PBP 1B. We could distinguish four different epitope areas located on different parts of the molecule. Interestingly, we could not isolate monoclonal antibodies against the amino terminus, although they were specifically selected for. This is attributed to its predicted extreme hydrophilicity and flexibility, which could make the amino terminus very sensitive to proteolytic degradation. All antibodies reacted against native PBP 1B in a dot-blot immunobinding assay. One monoclonal antibody also recognized PBP 1B in a completely sodium dodecyl sulfate-denatured form. This suggests that all the other monoclonal antibodies recognize conformational epitopes. These properties make the monoclonal antibodies suitable tools for further studies.     

How drought events during the last century have impacted biomass carbon in Amazonian rainforests

During the last two decades, inventory data show that droughts have reduced biomass carbon sink of the Amazon forest by causing mortality to exceed growth. However, process-based models have struggled to include drought-induced responses of growth and mortality and have not been evaluated against plot data. A process-based model, ORCHIDEE-CAN-NHA, including forest demography with tree cohorts, plant hydraulic architecture and drought-induced tree mortality, was applied over Amazonia rainforests forced by gridded climate fields and rising CO₂ from 1901 to 2019. The model reproduced the decelerating signal of net carbon sink and drought sensitivity of aboveground biomass (AGB) growth and mortality observed at forest plots across selected Amazon intact forests for 2005 and 2010. We predicted a larger mortality rate and a more negative sensitivity of the net carbon sink during the 2015/16 El Niño compared with the former droughts. 2015/16 was indeed the most severe drought since 1901 regarding both AGB loss and area experiencing a severe carbon loss. We found that even if climate change did increase mortality, elevated CO₂ contributed to balance the biomass mortality, since CO₂-induced stomatal closure reduces transpiration, thus, offsets increased transpiration from CO₂-induced higher foliage area.     

The distribution of coastal fish eDNA sequences in the Anthropocene

Aim

Coastal fishes have a fundamental role in marine ecosystem functioning and contributions to people, but face increasing threats due to climate change, habitat degradation and overexploitation. The extent to which human pressures are impacting coastal fish biodiversity in comparison with geographic and environmental factors at large spatial scale is still under scrutiny. Here, we took advantage of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to investigate the relationship between fish biodiversity, including taxonomic and genetic components, and environmental but also socio-economic factors.

Location

Tropical, temperate and polar coastal areas.

Time period

Present day.

Major taxa studied

Marine fishes.

Methods

We analysed fish eDNA in 263 stations (samples) in 68 sites distributed across polar, temperate and tropical regions. We modelled the effect of environmental, geographic and socio-economic factors on α- and β-diversity. We then computed the partial effect of each factor on several fish biodiversity components using taxonomic molecular units (MOTU) and genetic sequences. We also investigated the relationship between fish genetic α- and β-diversity measured from our barcodes, and phylogenetic but also functional diversity.

Results

We show that fish eDNA MOTU and sequence α- and β-diversity have the strongest correlation with environmental factors on coastal ecosystems worldwide. However, our models also reveal a negative correlation between biodiversity and human dependence on marine ecosystems. In areas with high dependence, diversity of all fish, cryptobenthic fish and large fish MOTUs declined steeply. Finally, we show that a sequence diversity index, accounting for genetic distance between pairs of MOTUs, within and between communities, is a reliable proxy of phylogenetic and functional diversity.

Main conclusions

Together, our results demonstrate that short eDNA sequences can be used to assess climate and direct human impacts on marine biodiversity at large scale in the Anthropocene and can further be extended to investigate biodiversity in its phylogenetic and functional dimensions.     

Early cytokine and chemokine gene expression in lymph nodes of macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus is predictive of disease outcome and vaccine efficacy.

Competitive PCR was used to evaluate the expression of cytokine, granzyme B, and chemokine genes in lymph nodes of macaques recently infected with the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) pathogenic molecular clone SIVmac239 (n = 16), the nonpathogenic vaccine strain SIVmac239 delta nef (n = 8), and the nonpathogenic molecular clone SIVmac1A11 (n = 8). For both SIVmac239 and its nef-deleted derivative, strong expression was observed as early as 7 days postinfection for interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, gamma interferon, and IL-13. The levels of gene induction were equally intense for both viruses despite a lower viral load for SIVmac239 deltanef compared with that for SIVmac239. However, the nature of the cytokine network activation varied with the viral inocula. Primary infection with SIVmac239 was characterized by a higher level of IL-4, IL-10, MIP-1alpha, MIP-1beta, MCP-1, and RANTES gene expression and a lower level of IL-12 and granzyme B gene expression compared with infection with SIVmac239 delta nef. Thus, infection with nef-deleted SIV was associated with a preferential Th1 versus Th2 pattern of cytokine production. Infection with SIVmac1A11 was characterized by a delayed immune response for all markers tested. The unique patterns of cytokine and chemokine gene expression in lymph nodes correlated nicely with the pathogenic potential of the SIV strains used as well as with differences in their ability to serve as protective vaccines.     

A newZornia species in the Flora of Cuba

A newZornia species from Cuba, the endemicZornia arenicola sp. nova, is described. It was found on moving sand dunes between the town of Guane and the village of Cortes (Pinar del Rio province).     

Amount of peptidoglycan in cell walls of gram-negative bacteria.

The amount of diaminopimelic acid (Dap) in the cell wall of Escherichia coli was measured in two ways. A radiochemical method first described by us in 1985 (F. B. Wientjes, E. Pas, P. E. M. Taschner, and C. L. Woldringh, J. Bacteriol. 164:331-337, 1985) is based on the steady-state incorporation of [3H]Dap during several generations. Knowing the cell concentration and the specific activity of the [3H]Dap, one can calculate the number of Dap molecules per sacculus. The second method measures the Dap content chemically in sacculi isolated from a known number of cells. With both methods, a value of 3.5 x 10(6) Dap molecules per sacculus was obtained. Combined with electron microscopic measurements of the surface area of the cells, the data indicate an average surface area per disaccharide unit of ca. 2.5 nm2. This finding suggests that the peptidoglycan is basically a monolayered structure.     

In vivo expression of IL-1 beta and IL-6 genes during viral infections in human.

Macrophage infiltration is a constant feature of human virus-infected tissues. However, the in situ functional status of these cells remains undetermined. In order to document an activation of macrophages in virus-infected tissues, the expression of IL-1 beta and IL-6 genes was analyzed using in situ hybridization. Several tissues were studied, as well as infections induced by different viruses: lymph nodes infected by HIV-1 (9 cases) or EBV (one case), lungs infected by CMV (5 cases) or adenovirus (1 case), livers infected by HBV, either chronically (2 cases) or acutely (7 cases presenting a fulminant hepatitis). With the exception of fulminant HBV hepatitis, IL-1 beta and IL-6 genes were expressed in all cases. IL-1 beta and IL-6 genes were usually coordinately regulated, as cells containing IL-1 beta or IL-6 mRNA were present in identical amounts and displayed a similar distribution. Analysis of the location and the morphology of monokine gene-expressing cells indicated that both small macrophages and endothelial cells expressed IL-1 beta and IL-6 genes. However, neither tingible body macrophages present in lymph node follicles nor Kupffer cells expressed these genes at a detectable level. Infected cells themselves were also negative for monokine gene expression. These findings indicate that expression of IL-1 beta and IL-6 genes by reactive cells may play a role in viral spreading limitation as well as virus-induced tissue damage.