Dimorphism in Itersonilia perplexans: Yeast and hyphal phases differ in their sensitivity to mycocins produced by tremellaceous yeasts

The monokaryotic yeast phase of the heterobasidiomycete Itersonilia perplexans, unlike the hyphal phase, was found to be sensitive to mycocins produced by killer strains of Cryptococcus humicola, Cr. laurentii, Cystofilobasidium bisporidii and Rhodotorula fujisanense. Both the yeast and hyphal phases wer resistant to mycocins of Cr. podzolicus, Filobasidium capsuligenum, Rhodotorula glutinis, Rh. mucilaginosa, Rh. pallida, Sporidiobolus johnsonii, Sb. pararoseus and Sporobolomyces alborubescens. The different sensitivity patterns of yeast and hyphal phases are probably caused by biochemical differences in the cell walls.     

Elicitor-induced hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:tyramine hydroxycinnamoyltransferase in plant cell suspension cultures

Treatment of Nicotiana glutinosa L. cell suspension cultures with chitosan results in the co-induction of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, 4-eoumarate:CoA ligase, tyrosine decarboxylase and tyramine hydroxycinnamoyltransferase, all involved in the biosynthesis of hydroxycinnamoyltyramines. The highest enzyme activities were observed around 12 h after addition of 0.8 to 1 mg chitosan per g fresh weight of cells. No hydroxycinnamoyltyramines could be detected by TLC or HPLC of extracts made from non-treated or elicited cells. [¹⁴C]-Tyramine was incorporated into insoluble polymeric material at a higher rate in elicitor-treated than in non-treated cells of N. glutinosa. Tyramine hydroxycinnamoyltransferase could be induced in suspension cultured cells of Eschscholtzia califortnca Cham, but not in cells of Phaseolus vulgaris L. or Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don by addition of a yeast elicitor to the growth medium.     

Phallus impudicus loaded with γ-Fe2O3 as solid phase bioextractor for the preconcentrations of Zn(II) and Cr(III) from water and food samples

We investigated the application of fungus Phallus impudicus loaded γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles as a biosorbent for magnetic solid phase extractions of trace levels of Zn(II) and Cr(III) ions from natural samples before their measurements by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The characterization of magnetized P. impudicus was performed using the scanning electron microscope, the energy dispersive X-ray and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Important experimental factors were investigated. The experimental results fitted well to the Langmuir adsorption model and pseudo-second order kinetic model. Limit of detections of targeted ions by magnetic solid phase extraction method based on use of P. impudicus were found as 10.5 ngL⁻¹ and 12.6 ngL⁻¹ respectively for Cr(III) and Zn(II). The sorption capacities of the biosorbent were 22.8 mgg⁻¹ for Cr(III) and 25.6 mgg⁻¹ for Zn(II). The preconcentration factors were achieved as 100 for both of ions. RSDs for inter- and intraday precisions were found as lower than 2.0% and 2.1% respectively for both of targeted ions. The accuracy of the recommended process was tested by recovery measurements on the certificated reference materials and successfully applied for quantification recoveries of Cr(III) and Zn(II) ions from water and food samples.     

Critical Roles of a RhoGEF-Anillin Module in Septin Architectural Remodeling during Cytokinesis

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Development of baking yeast from Nigerian palm-wine yeasts

Two local strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Nk, and Nk₂, showed leavening activities of 103% and 102% of that of a commercial yeast strain on wheat flour and of 114% and 113% on composite dough with 40% (w/v) maize substitution. Yeast fusion products Nk/Ng, Nk/Nk₁ and Nk/Nk₂ showed activities of 104% to 113% on wheat flour and 111% to 131% on the composite dough. These advantages were maintained in the yeasts' baking properties and organoleptic qualities. The fusion products also showed enhanced osmotic tolerance, as indicated by good growth in 3%, 6% and 10% (w/v) NaCl and 50% (w/v) glucose. Viability of the fusion products, preserved by drying at 30 to 35°C, dropped to between 62% and 72% after 3 months.A.O. Ejiofor was and N. Okafor and E.N. Ugwueze are with the Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P.M.B. 5025, Awka, Nigeria. A.J. Ejiofor is now with the Abteilung Biovertahrenstechnik, Gesellschaft für Biotechnologische Forschung, Mascheroder Weg 1, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany     

Amino acid sources in the adult diet do not affect life span and fecundity in the fruit-feeding butterfly Bicyclus anynana

Abstract.  1. In tropical forests, the adults of many butterfly species feed on fruits rather than nectar from flowers and have long life spans. Rotting fruit and nectar differ from each other in many respects, including sources of amino acids and microbial life. If amino acids in the adult diet can be used for reproduction, this may have facilitated the evolution of extended life spans in this guild.
2. This issue was addressed by investigating effects of banana, yeast, and amino acids in the adult diet of the fruit-feeding butterfly Bicyclus anynana (Lepidoptera) on longevity and female reproductive output in two experiments.
3. Results showed that in the fruit-feeding butterfly B. anynana : (i) banana juice, but not sliced banana or added amino acids extend life span compared with a sugar solution of similar composition; (ii) compared with this sugar solution, other cohorts (banana juice-amino acid enriched) did not have significantly higher reproductive outputs; (iii) yeast does not represent a valuable source of nutrients; (iv) caloric restriction may cause decreased life span and rate of reproduction; and (v) increased rates of reproduction have a life span cost.     

Membrane Binding and Homodimerization of Atg16 Via Two Distinct Protein Regions is Essential for Autophagy in Yeast

Macroautophagy is a bulk degradation mechanism in eukaryotic cells. Efficiency of an essential step of this process in yeast, Atg8 lipidation, relies on the presence of Atg16, a subunit of the Atg12–Atg5-Atg16 complex acting as the E3-like enzyme in the ubiquitination-like reaction. A current view on the functional structure of Atg16 in the yeast S. cerevisiae comes from the two crystal structures that reveal the Atg5-interacting α-helix linked via a flexible linker to another α-helix of Atg16, which then assembles into a homodimer. This view does not explain the results of previous in vitro studies revealing Atg16-dependent deformations of membranes and liposome-binding of the Atg12–Atg5 conjugate upon addition of Atg16. Here we show that Atg16 acts as both a homodimerizing and peripheral membrane-binding polypeptide. These two characteristics are imposed by the two distinct regions that are disordered in the nascent protein. Atg16 binds to membranes in vivo via the amphipathic α-helix (amino acid residues 113–131) that has a coiled-coil-like propensity and a strong hydrophobic face for insertion into the membrane. The other protein region (residues 64–99) possesses a coiled-coil propensity, but not amphipathicity, and is dispensable for membrane anchoring of Atg16. This region acts as a Leu-zipper essential for formation of the Atg16 homodimer. Mutagenic disruption in either of these two distinct domains renders Atg16 proteins that, in contrast to wild type, completely fail to rescue the autophagy-defective phenotype of atg16Δ cells. Together, the results of this study yield a model for the molecular mechanism of Atg16 function in macroautophagy.     

Structure Basis for Shaping the Nse4 Protein by the Nse1 and Nse3 Dimer within the Smc5/6 Complex

The Smc5/6 complex facilitates chromosome replication and DNA break repair. Within this complex, a subcomplex composed of Nse1, Nse3 and Nse4 is thought to play multiple roles through DNA binding and regulating ATP-dependent activities of the complex. However, how the Nse1-Nse3-Nse4 subcomplex carries out these multiple functions remain unclear. To address this question, we determine the crystal structure of the Xenopus laevis Nse1-Nse3-Nse4 subcomplex at 1.7 Å resolution and examine how it interacts with DNA. Our structural analyses show that the Nse1-Nse3 dimer adopts a closed conformation and forms three interfaces with a segment of Nse4, forcing it into a Z-shaped conformation. The Nse1-Nse3-Nse4 structure provides an explanation for how the lung disease immunodeficiency and chromosome breakage syndrome-causing mutations could dislodge Nse4 from Nse1-Nse3. Our DNA binding and mutational analyses reveal that the N-terminal and the middle region of Nse4 contribute to DNA interaction and cell viability. Integrating our data with previous crosslink mass spectrometry data, we propose potential roles of the Nse1-Nse3-Nse4 complex in binding DNA within the Smc5/6 complex.     

Genetic analysis of replicating instabilities in yeast

Strains showing ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced replicating instability were genetically analysed to test whether within a given line, mosaics from different plating generations carry a mutation at the same site within the locus. A forward mutation system involving five loci controlling adenine biosynthesis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe was used. Genetic analysis was carried out by interallelic complementation and intragenic recombination tests. The data showed that EMS-induced instabilities are site-specific in being confined to the same recombination unit. This finding is discussed in relation to the possible mechanism(s) of replicating instabilities after different mutagenic treatments in a variety of biological systems.     

Ultrastructure of the developing pigment strand of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in relation to its role in solute transport

Summary The developing pigment strand of rice (Oryza sativa L.) was studied by conventional electron microscopy and also by use of thick sections post-fixed with zinc iodide and osmium (ZIO).When the rice caryopsis achieves maximum length, a suberised adcrusting wall layer is laid down over the original primary walls of the pigment strand. Concomitant with suberin deposition a proliferation of tubular endoplasmic reticulum occurs in the cytoplasm giving rise to numerous interconnected vesicles which bear ribosomes. The vesicles in the general cytoplasm retain their ribosomes while those close to the wall become smooth and contain an electron-opaque granular material which is eventually deposited to the outside of the plasmalemma. This granular material may be the precursor(s) from which suberin is polymerised. The suberised wall attains about six times the width of the original primary wall and plasmodesmata, which traverse both primary wall and suberised wall layers, become greatly elongated.Lipid bodies increase in both size and frequency during development, eventually coalescing to form a complete plug across the pigment strand and occluding the symplast of this tissue. The significance of these ultrastructural observations is discussed in relation to the previously demonstrated role of the pigment strand as a translocation pathway for water and assimilates during grain filling.Abbreviations ER endoplasmic reticulum - ZIO zinc iodide-osmium fixation