Understanding the acid tolerance response of bifidobacteria

Aims: To investigate the effect of pH on the viability and the acid tolerance response (ATR) of bifidobacteria. Methods and Results: The impact of low pH on the viability of five species of bifidobacteria was examined under conditions of strict anaerobiosis. Although differences in the ability to resist the lethal effects of low pH were apparent among the species, cell viability could be improved by the provision of fermentable substrate during an acidic pH stress or through the use of stationary phase cells. While a stationary phase ATR was found to occur in two species of bifidobacteria, there was no adaptive response in exponential phase cells. Proteomic analysis of exponential phase Bifidobacterium longum subjected to a mild acid pre‐exposure (pH 4·5, 2 h) prior to an acid challenge revealed a substantial loss in the total number of cellular proteins. In contrast, proteomic analysis of stationary phase cells revealed an increased abundance of proteins associated with the general stress response as well as the β‐subunit of the F₀F₁‐ATPase, known to be important in bifidobacteria acid tolerance. Conclusion: Neither Bif. longum or Bifidobacterium breve possesses an inducible exponential phase ATR. Significance and Impact of the Study: These findings provide further insights into the impact of pH on the viability of bifidobacteria and may partially explain the loss in viability associated with their storage in acid foods.     

Proteomic analysis of the compatible interaction between Vitis vinifera and Plasmopara viticola

We analyzed the proteome of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) leaves 24, 48 and 96 h post infection (hpi) with the downy mildew pathogen Plasmopara viticola. Total proteins were separated on 2-DE gels. By MS analysis, we identified 82 unique grapevine proteins differentially expressed after infection. Upregulated proteins were often included in the functional categories of general metabolism and stress response, while proteins related to photosynthesis and energy production were mostly downregulated. As expected, the activation of a defense reaction was observed more often at the late time point, consistent with the establishment of a compatible interaction. Most proteins involved in resistance were isoforms of different PR-10 pathogenesis-related proteins. Although > 50 differentially expressed protein isoforms were observed at 24 and 96 hpi, only 18 were detected at 48 hpi and no defense-related proteins were among this group. This profile suggests a transient breakdown in defense responses accompanying the onset of disease, further supported by gene expression analyses and by a western blot analysis of a PR-10 protein. Our data reveal the complex modulation of plant metabolism and defense responses during compatible interactions, and provide insight into the underlying molecular processes which may eventually yield novel strategies for pathogen control in the field.     

OsMPK4 promotes phosphorylation and degradation of IPA1 in response to salt stress to confer salt tolerance in rice

Salt stress adversely affects plant growth, development, and crop yield. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most salt-sensitive cereal crops, especially at the early seedling stage. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK/MPK) cascades have been shown to play critical roles in salt response in Arabidopsis. However, the roles of the MPK cascade signaling in rice salt response and substrates of OsMPK remain largely unknown. Here, we report that the salt-induced OsMPK4-Ideal Plant Architecture 1 (IPA1) signaling pathway regulates the salt tolerance in rice. Under salt stress, OsMPK4 could interact with IPA1 and phosphorylate IPA1 at Thr180, leading to degradation of IPA1. Genetic evidence shows that IPA1 is a negative regulator of salt tolerance in rice, whereas OsMPK4 promotes salt response in an IPA1-dependent manner. Taken together, our results uncover an OsMPK4-IPA1 signal cascade that modulates the salt stress response in rice and sheds new light on the breeding of salt-tolerant rice varieties.     

Ontogenetic contingency of tolerance mechanisms in response to apical damage

Background and Aims

Plants are able to tolerate tissue loss through vigorous branching which is often triggered by release from apical dominance and activation of lateral meristems. However, damage-induced branching might not be a mere physiological outcome of released apical dominance, but an adaptive response to environmental signals, such as damage timing and intensity. Here, branching responses to both factors were examined in the annual plant Medicago truncatula.

Methods

Branching patterns and allocation to reproductive traits were examined in response to variable clipping intensities and timings in M. truncatula plants from two populations that vary in the onset of reproduction. Phenotypic selection analysis was used to evaluate the strength and direction of selection on branching under the damage treatments.

Key Results

Plants of both populations exhibited an ontogenetic shift in tolerance mechanisms: while early damage induced greater meristem activation, late damage elicited investment in late-determined traits, including mean pod and seed biomass, and supported greater germination rates. Severe damage mostly elicited simultaneous development of multiple-order lateral branches, but this response was limited to early damage. Selection analyses revealed positive directional selection on branching in plants under early- compared with late- or no-damage treatments.

Conclusions

The results demonstrate that damage-induced meristem activation is an adaptive response that could be modified according to the plant''s developmental stage, severity of tissue loss and their interaction, stressing the importance of considering these effects when studying plastic responses to apical damage.     

湿地退化的经济成因分析

运用环境经济学中的外部性与产权等理论,结合天然湿地的一些经济属性,对湿地退化的经济学原因进行探讨与分析,以期为湿地保护提供理论基础。湿地的“椎公共资源性”决定了在湿地资源的使用过程中不能排除他人使用这种财产的权利,以至造成对湿地的抢先使用和过度开发：从外部性理论的角度分析,湿地保护的正外部性行为未得到应有补偿,湿地破坏的负外部性行为未付出应有代价,缺乏正反两种外部性的补偿与制约是造成湿地退化的主要原因之一：湿地资源的特点决定其产权不完整,湿地保护者无法完整拥有湿地带来的所有收益或无法控制湿地收益的稳定,故而对湿地保护不足;湿地资源具有稀缺性,但由于其许多效益缺乏市场或湿地资源价格偏低,使得市场无法真实反映湿地资源的价值,造成湿地资源退化或丧失。     

Proteomic analysis of the lungs of mice infected with different pathotypes of H5N1 avian influenza viruses

The virulence of influenza virus is determined by viral and host factors. Data on the genetic basis of the virulence of H5N1 influenza viruses have increased over the past decade; however, the contributions of host factors to the outcomes of H5N1 infection remain largely unknown. Here, we tested two chicken H5N1 viruses in mice and found that A/chicken/VN1214/2007 was nonlethal in mice and only replicated in the lung, whereas A/chicken/VN1180/2006 was highly lethal and replicated systemically in mice. To investigate the host response against these two different virus infections, we performed proteomic analysis by using 2D DIGE on the lung tissues of mice collected on days 1 and 3 postinoculation with different viruses or PBS as a control. Thirty-nine differentially expressed (DE) proteins related to "immune and stimulus response," "macromolecular biosynthesis and metabolism," and "cellular component and cytoskeleton" were identified in the virus-inoculated groups. Moreover, 13 DE proteins were identified between the two virus-inoculated groups, implying that these proteins may play important roles in the different outcomes of infection with these two viruses. Our data provide important information regarding the host response to mild and lethal H5N1 influenza virus infection.     

Isolation and characterization of novel Serratia marcescens (AY927692) for pentachlorophenol degradation from pulp and paper mill waste

Seven aerobic bacterial strains were isolated from pulp paper mill waste and screened for pentachlorophenol (PCP) tolerance on PCP containing mineral salt agar medium (MSM). The organism was characterized by 16S rDNA sequencing which showed 99.7% sequence similarity with Serratia marcescens. PCP degradation was routinely monitored with spectrophotometric analysis and further confirmed by HPLC analysis. Among seven strains, ITRC S₇ was found to degrade up to 90.33% of 1.127 mM (300 mg/l) of PCP and simultaneous release of chloride ion (2.435 mM) emphasized the bacterial dechlorination in the medium in presence of glucose as an additional carbon and energy source under optimized condition within 168 h incubation. In absence of glucose bacterium was unable to utilize PCP indicating the phenomenon of co-metabolism. Bacterium was identified as S. marcescens (AY927692), was a novel and potential aerobic bacterial strain capable of degrading PCP in axenic condition. Further, this strain may be used for bioremediation of PCP containing pulp paper mill waste in the environment.     

A proteomic analysis of murine bone marrow and its response to ionizing radiation

To characterize the mouse bone marrow tissue proteome and investigate the response to radiation damage we took bone marrow before and after 4-Gy gamma-irradiation from mouse strains (C57BL/6 and CBA/Ca) that differ in their short-term and long-term radiation responses and analyzed extracellular proteins by high-resolution 2-DE. Twenty proteins were identified from 71 protein spots in both C57BL/6 and CBA/Ca. We detected significant differences between control and irradiated bone marrow and between genotypes and identified many of the changed proteins by MS. In C57BL/6, 27 spots were significantly different between control and irradiated samples. In CBA/Ca, 18 spots showed significant changes following irradiation. Proteins such as serum albumin, apolipoprotein A-I, ferritin, haptoglobin (Hp) and alpha-1-antitrypsin were changed in irradiated bone marrow of both mouse strains, reflecting an ongoing acute-phase reaction. Several other proteins including serotransferrin, neutrophil collagenase, peroxiredoxin 2 and creatine kinase M chain were changed specifically in an individual mouse strain. The proteomic approach makes an important contribution to characterizing bone marrow proteome and investigating the tissue response of bone marrow to radiation, assists in identifying genotype-dependent responses and provides support for the importance of microenvironmental factors contributing to the overall response.     

The aluminium signal: New dimensions to mechanisms of aluminium tolerance

The physiological basis of plant reaction to and tolerance of aluminium (Al) is poorly understood. We review the results of investigations into Al toxicity and root physiology to develop a theoretical basis for explaining the reaction of the root to Al, including suggested roles for Ca²⁺, mucilaginous cap secretions and endogenous growth regulators in mediating a transmitted response between Al-damaged cap cells and the interacting cell populations of the cap and root. This information is used to identify possible mechanisms of Al tolerance, notably involving signal transduction, Al uptake pathways and root morphogenesis; and to briefly discuss how procedures selecting for Al tolerance may be improved by incorporating the concept of stimulus-response coupling. Similarities in the responses of roots to Al and other signals (e.g. gravity, light, mechanical impedance) are used to develop the hypothesis that roots respond to environmental signals by way of a common regulatory system. New research prospects for extending our perception of Al tolerance mechanisms are identified.     

Proteomic trajectory mapping of biological transformation: Application to developmental mouse retina

In this report we introduce a new concept "proteomic trajectory mapping" for the investigation of a complex phenomenon underlying biological transformation and transition. We define proteomic trajectory to be the kinetic trace of protein expression and present a successful proteomic trajectory mapping of complex molecular events underlying postnatal development of mouse retina. Cluster analysis of the trajectory data using a two-state model identified four proteomic trajectory types: two distinct trajectory types accounting for the decline or the rise of protein molecules actively expressed in the juvenile stage (J-type) or in the adult stage (A-type), a class of transient trajectories that mediate the transformation from the juvenile to the adult stage (T-type), and the steady trajectories throughout the entire process of transformation (C-type). The dominance of particular protein categories expressed in each trajectory characterizes the stage of retinal development. Proteomic trajectory mapping will be a powerful tool to study the systematic changes of protein expression caused by physiological, genetic, or pathological agents and the reverse of such changes to the norm by a treatment. The proteomic trajectory mapping is applicable to any biological transformation and, therefore, will be a powerful tool in biomedical sciences.     

Genetic basis for rapidly evolved tolerance in the wild: adaptation to toxic pollutants by an estuarine fish species

Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) residing in some urban and industrialized estuaries of the US eastern seaboard demonstrate recently evolved and extreme tolerance to toxic aryl hydrocarbon pollutants, characterized as dioxin‐like compounds (DLCs). Here, we provide an unusually comprehensive accounting (69%) through quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of the genetic basis for DLC tolerance in killifish inhabiting an urban estuary contaminated with PCB congeners, the most toxic of which are DLCs. Consistent with mechanistic knowledge of DLC toxicity in fish and other vertebrates, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (ahr2) region accounts for 17% of trait variation; however, QTL on independent linkage groups and their interactions have even greater explanatory power (44%). QTL interpreted within the context of recently available Fundulus genomic resources and shared synteny among fish species suggest adaptation via interacting components of a complex stress response network. Some QTL were also enriched in other killifish populations characterized as DLC‐tolerant and residing in distant urban estuaries contaminated with unique mixtures of pollutants. Together, our results suggest that DLC tolerance in killifish represents an emerging example of parallel contemporary evolution that has been driven by intense human‐mediated selection on natural populations.     

Integrated tolerance mechanisms: constitutive and adaptive plant responses to elevated metal concentrations in the environment

Isolation and study of metal tolerant and hypersensitive strains of higher plant (and yeast) species has greatly increased our knowledge of the individual pathways that are involved in tolerance. Plants have both constitutive (present in most phenotypes) and adaptive (present only in tolerant phenotypes) mechanisms for coping with elevated metal concentrations. Where studies on the mechanisms of tolerance fall down is in their failure to integrate tolerance mechanisms within cell or whole-plant function by not relating adaptive mechanisms to constitutive mechanisms. This failure often distorts the relative importance of a proposed tolerance mechanism, and indeed has confused the search for adaptive mechanisms. The fundamental goal of both constitutive and adaptive mechanisms is to limit the perturbation of cell homeostasis after exposure to metals so that normal or near-normal physiological function may take place. Consideration of the response to metals at a cellular rather than a biochemical level will lead to a greater understanding of mechanisms to withstand elevated levels of metals in both contaminated and uncontaminated environments. Recent advances in the study of Al, As, Cd, and Cu tolerance and hypersensitivity are reported with respect to the cellular response to toxic metals. The role of genetics in unravelling tolerance mechanisms is also considered.     

Proteomic analysis of salicylic acid-induced resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae in susceptible and resistant rice

To probe salicylic acid (SA)-induced sequential events at translational level and factors associated with SA response, we conducted virulence assays and proteomic profiling analysis on rice resistant and susceptible cultivars against Magnaporthe oryzae at various time points after SA treatment. The results showed that SA significantly enhanced rice resistance against M. oryzae. Proteomic analysis of SA-treated leaves unveiled 36 differentially expressed proteins implicated in various functions, including defense, antioxidative enzymes, and signal transduction. Majority of these proteins were induced except three antioxidative enzymes, which were negatively regulated by SA. Consistent with the above findings, SA increased the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with resistant cultivar C101LAC showing faster response to SA and producing higher level of ROS than susceptible cultivar CO39. Furthermore, we showed that nucleoside diphosphate kinase 1, which is implicated in regulation of ROS production, was strongly induced in C101LAC but not in CO39. Taken together, the findings suggest that resistant rice cultivar might possess a more sensitive SA signaling system or effective pathway than susceptible cultivar. In addition, our results indicate that SA also coordinates other cellular activities such as photosynthesis and metabolism to facilitate defense response and recovery, highlighting the complexity of SA-induced resistance mechanisms.     

超富集植物对重金属耐受和富集机制的研究进展

超富集植物对重金属耐受和富集机制的研究成为近年来植物逆境生理研究的热点,在简要总结细胞壁沉淀、重金属螯合效应、酶活性机制和细胞区室化作用的基础上,概述了超富集植物对重金属的耐受机制,讨论了重金属跨根细胞质膜运输,共质体内运输、木质部运输和跨叶细胞膜运输的富集过程。     

Physiological and biochemical response of Aedes aegypti tolerance to Bacillus thuringiensis

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) represents the only eco-friendly bio-degradable insecticide for mosquito-borne disease control. Our research aims to identify if mosquito detoxification enzymes play an important role in Bti tolerance mechanisms in the dengue vector, Aedes aegypti. Several enzymes, such as amylase, cytochromes P450, Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase, acetylcholinesterase, protease and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were analysed and level of activity determined in Ae. aegypti larvae after Bti treatment. Bti exposure significantly increased the level of amylase (183.2%) as well as the activity of cytochromes P450 (177.5%), and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (142.9%). On the other hand, there was a decrease of 8.6% and 11.4% in acetylcholinesterase and GST activity, and no significant effect in the total level of protease activity. We suggest that the variation in amylase, cytochromes P450, Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase, acetylcholinesterase, protease and GST activity may be associated with the Bti insecticidal mechanism. This study provides the basis of detoxifying enzymes in Bti tolerance.