'Friendship' for fitness in chimpanzees?

It has been repeatedly suggested that primates trade social services for fitness benefits in their relationships with the opposite sex. We tested this proposal in a colony of captive chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, by examining behavioural data on grooming, agonistic support and food sharing in relation to genetically established paternity. We found no support for the notion of trade. First, males did not sire more offspring with females that they actively groomed more frequently, that they supported more often or with which they shared food more frequently. Correspondingly, females did not give birth to more offspring sired by males from which they received more services. Second, males that showed more affiliative behaviour towards females in general did not sire more progeny. Furthermore, females did not bear more offspring sired by males to which they themselves directed more sociopositive behaviour. Results from this captive colony are compatible with those reported for chimpanzees under natural conditions. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.     

Farmers’ preferences for result-based schemes for grassland conservation in Slovenia

Government-funded payments for ecosystem services (PES) have increasingly been used to facilitate transactions between users of environmental services and their providers. In order to improve the link between payments and the service provided, some countries in the EU have promoted result-based schemes (RBS), which remunerate farmers for ecological results, as part of their agricultural policy. Since PES programs are voluntary, it is important to understand farmers’ responses before more large-scale implementations of RBS are initiated. Using a choice experiment and a mixed logit model, we elicited the preferences of farmers in two Natura 2000 sites in Slovenia for different design elements of a hypothetical scheme for dry grassland conservation. We found that the majority of farmers preferred the result-based approach over the management-based scheme both in terms of payment conditions and monitoring; one group of farmers preferred the RBS very strongly (average WTA of more than 500 EUR/ha/yr) and another group less strongly (average WTA about 200 EUR/ha/yr). Farmers also showed a higher preference for on-farm advise and training in small groups than for lectures, which would be offered to a larger audience. A collective bonus, which would incentivise coordination and could potentially increase participation rates in the scheme, significantly influenced the farmers’ willingness to adopt the scheme. However, the estimated average WTA was comparable or lower than the 40 EUR/ha annual bonus payment. Older farmers and those who managed small and semi-subsistent farms were significantly more likely to be highly resistant to scheme adoption no matter its design.     

What place for polyacrylamide in proteomics?

Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) continues to deliver high quality protein resolution and dynamic range for the proteomics researcher. To remain as the preferred method for protein separation and characterization, several key steps need to be implemented to ensure quality sample preparation and speed of analysis. Here, we describe the progress made towards establishing 2D-PAGE as the optimal separation tool for proteomics research.     

A role for cyclic hydroxamates in aluminium resistance in maize?

Hydroxamate siderophores have been found to alleviate Al toxicity in bacteria. In Poaceae plants cyclic hydroxamates, like DIMBOA (2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one) and its derivatives have mostly been studied in relation to either defence against insects or allelopathy. In this study the influence of Al on concentrations of these benzoxazinoids (Bx) in root tips, whole roots and root xylem exudates of Zea mays L. varieties differing in Al resistance was analyzed by HPLC-MS. Aluminium resistant maize variety Sikuani maintained considerably higher Bx levels in root tips than the Al sensitive variety Bakero. In vitro binding of Al to DIMBOA was shown by fluorescence quenching. Addition of DIMBOA to Al-containing nutrient solution protected the sensitive maize against Al toxicity as shown by bioassays using callose and haematoxylin staining of root tips as stress indicators. This is the first study showing that Bx can detoxify Al in solution. Tissue analysis data provide first, circumstantial, support for a role of Bx in defence against Al toxicity also in planta.     

Is the PRC for Dark Pulses in LL a Mirror Image of the PRC for Light Pulses in DD in Mice?

The phase-response curves (PRC) for light pulses in continuous darkness (DD) have been described in many mammals, especially in nocturnal rodents. The PRC for dark pulses in continuous light (LL), however, has been described in a few mammals only, in nocturnal for bat and for hamster and in diurnal for Octodon degus, suggesting that this PRC is mirror imaging the PRC for light pulses. Therefore, the effect of 1-h and 3-h lasting dark pulses on the circadian wheel-running activity rhythm of mice in continuous light was investigated and then the PRC for dark pulses in LL was drawn up. For comparison, the effect of 1-h lasting light pulses on the circadian wheel-running activity rhythm of mice in DD was examined and the PRC for light pulses in DD was constructed. It appeared that the PRC for dark pulses, to a certain degree, represents a mirror image of the PRC for light pulses in mice. However, the advance region of this PRC is longer than that of delay. The mechanism of dark pulses action is discussed.     

Is the PRC for Dark Pulses in LL a Mirror Image of the PRC for Light Pulses in DD in Mice?

The phase-response curves (PRC) for light pulses in continuous darkness (DD) have been described in many mammals, especially in nocturnal rodents. The PRC for dark pulses in continuous light (LL), however, has been described in a few mammals only, in nocturnal for bat and for hamster and in diurnal for Octodon degus, suggesting that this PRC is mirror imaging the PRC for light pulses. Therefore, the effect of 1-h and 3-h lasting dark pulses on the circadian wheel-running activity rhythm of mice in continuous light was investigated and then the PRC for dark pulses in LL was drawn up. For comparison, the effect of 1-h lasting light pulses on the circadian wheel-running activity rhythm of mice in DD was examined and the PRC for light pulses in DD was constructed. It appeared that the PRC for dark pulses, to a certain degree, represents a mirror image of the PRC for light pulses in mice. However, the advance region of this PRC is longer than that of delay. The mechanism of dark pulses action is discussed.     

Alternate Positions for the Sulphydryl Group in β-Lactoglobulin: the Significance for Sulphydryl Location in Other Proteins

EARLIER studies of the location of the single cysteine residue and the two disulphide bridges in bovine β-lactoglobulins A and B¹, for each of which the monomer is a single chain of 162 residues and 18,000 molecular weight^2,3, led to the conclusion that the sulphydryl group is at position 69 and that the disulphides bridge positions 123 to 160 and 57 to 70. These results were based on diagonal peptide studies⁴ and on the composition of peptides in which the sulphydryl group had been labelled with ¹⁴C-iodoacetamide, the disulphide bridges being left intact. Use was made of the partial amino-acid sequence given by Frank and Braunitzer⁵ and the reasonable assumption was made that the sulphydryl occurred in only one position. Subsequently, Shaw⁶ has shown that the sequence of Frank and Braunitzer⁵ showing Cys residues adjacent at positions 69 and 70 is incorrect and that they are separated by a glutamine, the sequence for positions 67 to 71 for the Bvariant being Ala.Cys.Gln.Cys.Leu. Autoradiography of the dansyl amino-acid derivatives formed during the sequence determination of this pentapeptide indicated that both residues 68 and 70 seemed to have been labelled and so we have given further consideration to the sulphydryl location. It has been found that although it does occur at 68, with 57 and 70 disulphide bridged, there is also an equal amount of protein present with the sulphydryl at 70, with 57 and 68 disulphide bridged. We discuss this additional finding here and the significance for the determination of the location of sulphydryl groups in other proteins.     

A role for polyamines in stimulus-secretion coupling in the pancreatic β-cell

Measurement of the content of polyamines in pancreatic islets indicated that no significant change in their concentration took place during glucose-stimulated insulin release. The finding, together with the absence of any effect of -difluoromethylornithine on glucosestimulated insulin release suggested that rapid synthesis of polyamines is not involved in stimulus-secretion coupling in the -cell. The concentration of polyamines found in islets were high enough for them to act as substrates for the Ca²⁺-dependent islet transglutaminase during insulin release. This was further demonstrated by the ability of islet transglutaminase to incorporate [¹⁴C]putrescine into proteins from islet homogenates and by the demonstration of an increase in the covalent incorporation of [¹⁴C]putrescine into the proteins of intact islets following their challenge with glucose. Unlike monoamine substrates of transglutaminase, putrescine failed to effectively inhibit insulin release when its intracellular concentration was increased. A role for polyamines in the secretory process through their incorporation into islet proteins is suggested.     

Surveillance for Yellow Fever Virus in Non-Human Primates in Southern Brazil, 2001–2011: A Tool for Prioritizing Human Populations for Vaccination

In Brazil, epizootics among New World monkey species may indicate circulation of yellow fever (YF) virus and provide early warning of risk to humans. Between 1999 and 2001, the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul initiated surveillance for epizootics of YF in non-human primates to inform vaccination of human populations. Following a YF outbreak, we analyzed epizootic surveillance data and assessed YF vaccine coverage, timeliness of implementation of vaccination in unvaccinated human populations. From October 2008 through June 2009, circulation of YF virus was confirmed in 67 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul State; vaccination was recommended in 23 (34%) prior to the outbreak and in 16 (24%) within two weeks of first epizootic report. In 28 (42%) municipalities, vaccination began more than two weeks after first epizootic report. Eleven (52%) of 21 laboratory-confirmed human YF cases occurred in two municipalities with delayed vaccination. By 2010, municipalities with confirmed YF epizootics reported higher vaccine coverage than other municipalities that began vaccination. In unvaccinated human populations timely response to epizootic events is critical to prevent human yellow fever cases.     

Tissue Residue Guideline for ∑DDT for Protection of Aquatic Birds in China

DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane) is a chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide that has been used worldwide. While the use of DDT has been phased out in many countries, it is still produced in some parts of the world for use to control vectors of malaria. DDE (1,1,-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene) and DDD (1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane) are primary metabolites of DDT and have similar chemical and physical properties. DDT and its metabolites (DDE and DDD) are collectively referred to as ∑DDT. The lipophilic nature and persistence of the ∑DDT result in biomagnification in wildlife that feed at higher trophic levels in the food chain. Wildlife in aquatic ecosystems depend on aquatic biota as their primary source of food, which provide the main route of exposure to ∑DDT. Studies about effects of ∑DDT on birds were reviewed. The tissue residue guidelines for DDT (TRGs) for protection of birds in China were derived using species sensitivity distribution (SSD) and toxicity percentile rank method (TPRM) based on the available toxicity data. Risks of ∑DDT to birds were assessed by comparing the TRGs and ∑DDT concentrations in fishes from China. The tissue residue guideline for protection of birds in China is recommended to be 12.0 ng ∑DDT/g food.     

RhoGTPases — NODes for effector-triggered immunity in animals

A recent study published in Nature by Keestra and colleagues addresses how the immune system detects the pathogenic potential of microbes and provides evidence that one strategy involves NOD1, which monitors the activation state of the RhoGTPases that are targeted by virulence effectors produced by pathogenic microbes. Interestingly, their findings reveal striking similarities with previous observations made in flies and plants, establishing the evolutionary conservation of this detection system in the innate immune arsenal in many taxa.The discovery that Drosophila Toll, and the homologous Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in animals, are pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that act as cellular sensors of microbes has attracted considerable attention during the last two decades¹. The PRR system is based on the detection of conserved molecular motifs, microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPS), that are shared by most microbes, virulent or not. Given the conserved nature of MAMPS, this model does not explain how the host discriminates between harmful pathogens and beneficial commensal microbes. An elegant hypothesis is that, in addition to the PRR system, the host is able to monitor the pathogen-induced disruption of cellular homeostasis. This type of immune surveillance system has been demonstrated in plants and termed “effector-triggered immunity” (ETI)². Recently, the concept of ETI has been extended to metazoans and proof of its importance as an innate immune mechanism has now been provided in Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorabditis elegans and mammals³.The ETI model is of particular relevance when considering that most major pathogenic bacteria have evolved many protein effectors commonly referred to as virulence factors. These effectors are either directly injected into host cells by cell-bound bacteria, or are secreted toxins endowed with the ability to bind to and translocate into the host cell cytosol. Once within the host cell, these bacterial effectors perturb cellular homeostasis by modifying the activity of critical regulators. Common amongst the arsenal of numerous pathogenic bacteria are virulence factors that target the small RhoGTPases of the host⁴. This predilection for targeting RhoGTPases is probably because it allows bacteria to hijack the many cellular functions that contribute to immunity including phagocytosis, apoptosis, as well as production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory mediators⁵. In this regard, the RhoGTPases represent a common target and vulnerability in the host cell, which explains why their aberrant activity can often indicate pathogen invasion.Providing the foundation for the work of Keestra et al.⁶, previous studies have shown that effectors that activate RhoGTPase can induce unusual immune responses in the host. Both Salmonella typhimurium and Shigella spp. are enteric pathogens that invade host cells using a type III secretion system that is able to inject effectors in the cytosol of host cells. Earlier work by the group of Jorge Galan showed that Salmonella effectors could activate epithelial cells through a PRR-independent mechanism that was dependent on the GEF activity of certain effectors and involving target GTPases in the host⁷. Similarly, the Shigella effector, GEF-H1 was shown to augment NF-κB-dependent immune responses in a NOD1-dependent manner also after modifying RhoGTPases⁸. Finally, the activation of RacGTPase by the CNF1 toxin of uropathogenic Escherichia coli also triggers an immune response⁹. In this case the response is via an innate immune signaling pathway conserved in Drosophila and mammals involving IMD in flies and the related Rip proteins, RIP1 and RIP2, in mammalian cells⁹. Moreover, this response can be beneficial for the host and help clear the bacteria as shown in an in vivo fly model. Now, using a mouse model of Salmonella typhimurium infection, Keestra et al.⁶ further define the mechanism of detection of effectors that target RhoGTPase in vertebrates. They show that mammals detect the activity of the injected effector SopE once it is active in the host cytosol. Using cell-based assays, they demonstrate that this detection mechanism is through NOD1, a NOD-Like Receptor (NLR) protein, in a molecular complex containing HSP90. Together this complex detects the activation of the RhoGTPases Rac1 and Cdc42 and transduces a danger signal though RIP2 kinase. Furthermore, using NOD1-deficient mice, they show that SopE-triggered inflammation is markedly reduced.Together this emerging body of data support the idea that the activity of GTPases is monitored by NLR and related pathways, and used as a cue to augment ongoing immune responses during pathogen invasion. Interestingly, Kawano and colleagues have shown that resistance to the rice blast fungus also involves activation of Rac (OsRac1) downstream of Pit, a plant nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) receptor¹⁰. OsRac1 contributes to NBS-LRR-mediated production of ROS and induction of a hypersensitive response for the purpose of destroying infected tissue and preventing dissemination. Although the link between RhoGTPases and NLRs in mammals and NBS-LRR in plants is likely a consequence of convergent evolution, these data highlight some striking similarities between the two systems (Figure 1). Together these papers suggest that we should now consider the NOD proteins not only as intracellular PRR but also akin to plant NBS-LRRs that are able to sense the direct and indirect perturbations of host cell homeostasis. Moreover, these data place RhoGTPases as central players in the molecular cascades of ETI in many species, explaining why monitoring the activation state of RhoGTPases as a surrogate for the presence of virulent pathogens is an evolutionarily conserved strategy. Our current challenge will now be to determine how PRR- and effector-triggered immunity collaborate to confer optimal protection during infections with virulent pathogens.Open in a separate windowFigure 1RhoGTPases are components of effector-triggered immune responses in different species. The role of the RhoGTPases OsRac1 in plants (left), Rac2 in flies and mammals (middle), and Rac1 and CDC42 in mammals (right) in ETI responses. Activation of Rac2 by CNF1 (middle), and Rac1 and CDC42 by SopE engages RIP kinase-dependent signaling pathways. In plants OsRac1 is activated downstream of the NBS-LRR, Pit, and the response to SopE (right panel) requires the NLR, NOD1. In contrast, flies lack NLRs and the ETI response occurs independently of NLRs but does require the RhoGTPase, Rac2. Middle and right panels — inactive GTPase bound to GDP is shown in grey (black square) and the active GTPase bound to GTP in blue (blue circle).