Association analyses of single nucleotide polymorphisms in bovine stearoyl-CoA desaturase and fatty acid synthase genes with fatty acid composition in commercial cross-bred beef steers

Two previously reported non‐synonymous coding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of bovine stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (delta‐9‐desaturase) (SCD) (c.878C>T) and fatty acid synthase (FASN) (g:17924A>G) were assessed for their associations with 72 individual and 12 groups of fatty acids in brisket adipose tissue of 223 Canadian commercial cross‐bred beef steers. It was found that the ‘CC’ genotype of the SCD SNP was significantly associated with lower concentrations of saturated fatty acids (SFA) including 10:0, 14:0 and 20:0, higher concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids including 9c‐14:1, 12c‐16:1 and 13c‐18:1, higher concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) including 9c,15c‐18:2, 10c,12c‐18:2, 11c,13t‐18:2 and 12c,14t‐18:2, but lower concentrations of other PUFA of 9c,13t/8t,12c and 20:2n‐6 (P < 0.05). The ‘AA’ genotype of the FASN SNP was significantly associated with higher concentrations of SFAs of 10:0, 12:0, 13:0, 14:0 and 15:0, lower concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids of 9c‐18:1 and 20:3n‐6, and higher concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids of 9c‐14:1 and 12c‐16:1 (P < 0.05). Significant epistatic effects between the SCD and FASN SNP genotypes were also found for several fatty acids including 10:0, 23:0, 6t/7t/8t‐18:1, 12t‐18:1, 13t/14t‐18:1, 16t‐18:1, total trans18:1 and 9c,13t/8t,12c‐18:2 (P < 0.05). These results further suggest that SCD and FASN are strong candidate genes influencing fatty acid composition in beef cattle.     

Twelve newSalmonella types

Twelve hitherto unrecognizedSalmonella types are described. S. heerlen (11 : i : 1,6) andS. sloterdijk (1, 4, 12, 27 : z 35 : z 6) were isolated from patients in the Netherlands,S. maartensdijk (40 : g, p) was isolated from a healthy calf,S. maastricht (11 : z 41 : 1, 2(7)) from imported fishmeal,S. parera (11 : z 4, z 23 : -.) from water on the island Bonaire,S. putten (13, 23, 36 : d : 1, w),S. hoograven (50 : z 10 : z 6 : z 42),S. schalkwijk ((6), 14, (24) : i : e, n, ...),S. hilversum (30 : k : 1, 2) andS. harmelen (51 : z 4, z 23 : -.) from reptiles,S. breukelen (6, 8 : 1, z 13 : e, n, z 15) from a cuscus andS. maarssen (9, 46 : z 4, z 24 : z 39 : z 42) from a lizard.     

Undergraduate teaching in gerodontology in Austria, Switzerland and Germany

Objective: To survey the present state of undergraduate teaching in the domain of gerodontology in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Study participants: All universities of Austria (A), Germany (D) and Switzerland (CH). Protocol: A questionnaire on undergraduate teaching in gerodontology was mailed to all Deans (A: n = 3; CH: n = 4; D: n = 31) and all independent departments except paediatric dentistry and orthodontics (A: n = 11; CH: n = 15; D: n = 111). Results: The questionnaires were completed and returned by 29 Deans (A: n = 2; CH: n = 4; D: n = 23) and 102 departments (A: n = 7; CH: n = 8; D: n = 87). In Austria, gerodontology is a very small component of the dental curriculum and the Deans did not want this to be increased. Most German universities claimed to teach some aspects of gerodontology to undergraduate students and 87.4% of the Deans voted for separate lectures in gerodontology. In Switzerland, gerodontology seems well established. The results of questionnaires from the independent departments revealed that in all three countries lectures were more prevalent (A: n = 0; CH: n = 4; D: n = 6) than practical training in nursing homes (A: n = 0; CH: n = 3; D: n = 6). Conclusion: Considering the demographical shift which is leading to an increasing proportion of elderly in the population, the weighting of gerodontology in the undergraduate dental curriculum should be considered for revision in Austria and Germany.     

New species of Epitoniidae (Gastropoda: Epitonioidea) from the Red Sea

Based on material stored in the Zoological Museum of the University of Bologna (MZB), four new species of epitoniids from the shallow waters of the Red Sea are described: Epitonium (Laeviscala) yemenita n. sp., Epitonium (Laeviscala) morassii n. sp., Epitonium (Labeoscala) zabargadense n. sp. and Epitonium (Labeoscala) aranea n. sp. Scanning electron microscope illustrations of type specimens of Scalaria gracilis Sowerby, 1844, Scalaria fucata Pease, 1861, Graciliscala histricosa Jousseaume, 1912, Graciliscala rostrata Jousseaume, 1912, Scala rissoinaeformis Melvill, 1903 and Scala thelcteria Melvill & Standen, 1903 are given. Systematic remarks on some species belonging to the subgenus Laeviscala are treated in additional notes. A lectotype of Graciliscala histricosa is designated.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8304A24D-5985-43D5-AEBF-1A7ED39A1F1C     

Art in the Making

Abstract

There's Pigs and Pigs: Erik Blegvad, The Three Little Pigs, Atheneum: New York, 1980, 32 pages, $8.95.

There's Pigs and Pigs: Joseph Jacobs, The Story of the Three Little Pigs (illust. by Lorinda B. Cauley), Putnam: New York, 1980, unpaged, $8.95.

There's Pigs and Pigs: Margaret Wise Brown (illust. by Ann Strugnell), Once Upon a Time in a Pigpen, Addison-Wesley: Reading, Mass., 1980, 64 pages, $10.95.

There's Pigs and Pigs: Miska Miles (illust. by Leslie Morrill), This Little Pig, Dutton: New York, 1980, unpaged, $6.95.

Picture Books: William Steig, Gorky Rising, Farrar, Strauss &; Giroux: New York, 1980, unpaged, $10.95.

Picture Books: Charles Keeping, Willie's Fire-Engine, Oxford University: New York, 1980, unpaged, $10.95 (boards).

Picture Books: Lydia Pender (illust. by Judith Cowell), The Useless Donkeys, Warne: New York, 1979, unpaged, $9.95.

Picture Books: Lillie D. Chaffin (illust. by Lloyd Bloom), We Be Warm Till Springtime Comes, Macmillan: New York, 1980, unpaged, $9.95.

Picture Books: Kate Canning, A Painted Tale, Barrons: Woodbury, N.Y.: 1979, unpaged, $6.95 (boards).

Historical Explorations: Maurice Boutet de Monvel, Joan of Arc, Viking: New York, 1980, 55 pages, $12.95.

Historical Explorations: Mitsumasa, Anno, Anno's Medieval World, Philomel Books: New York, 1980, 48 pages, $9.99.

Historical Explorations: Peter Spier, People, Doubleday: New York, 1980, unpaged, $10.00.

Historical Explorations: John S. Goodall, An Edwardian Season, Atheneum: New York, 1980, unpaged, $7.95.

Historical Explorations: Miriam Schlein (illust. by Erik Hilgert), I, Tut, Four Winds Press: New York, 1979, unpaged, $7.95.     

Mapping of mglB, the structural gene of the galactose-binding protein of Escherichia coli

Summary The tetracycline resistance transposon Tn10 was inserted into the E. coli chromosome near mglB550, a structural gene for the galactose-binding protein. P1 transductions established the position of these Tn10 insertions (zee-700, 701, 702::Tn10) close to the genes ptsF, fpk, cdd, mglB550, his, and gatA with 85%–95%, 85%, 36%, 20%–40%, 12%–15%, and 0.5% contransduction frequency. Three factor crosses revealed the relative sequence of the genes as: mglB550, zee-700::Tn10, ptsF, fpk, cdd, his. gatA was found to be 1.3% cotransducible with mglB550. Two Tn10 insertions near gatA were isolated and characterized. One, zef-704::Tn10, was 3% cotransducible with fpk, 8% with mglB550, and 42% with gatA. The other, zef-703::Tn10, was 98% cotransducible with gatA but not with mglB550 or fpk. Neither of these two Tn10 insertions was cotransducible with cdd. Four factor crosses revealed the sequence gatA, zef-704::Tn10, mglB550, fpk.Neither zee-700::Tn10 nor zef-703::Tn10 showed any (0/300) contransduction with either glpT or gyrA. The clockwise order of genes is then: his, cdd, fpk, ptsF, zee-700::Tn10, mglB550, zef-704::Tn10, gatA. With a fix-point for his at 44 min, fpk would be placed at 45 min and mglB550 at 45.5 min. During the course of this work we noticed that the cotransduction frequency between Tn10 insertions and nearby markers tended to increase when new P1 lysates were prepared from freshly reisolated strains. This may indicate loss of nonessential genes adjacent to Tn10 insertions. Using insertion zee-702::Tn10, we isolated deletions extending into an mgl gene other than mglB. Crosses between such a deletion mutant and an mglB550 mutant were done. The analysis of the periplasmic proteins of these as well as other transductants or recombinants involving the mglB550 or the mglB551 gene revealed the existence of strains synthesizing both the wild-type as well as the corresponding mutant protein. Strains containing both proteins exhibit either wild-type or mutant phenotype. These strains appeared unstable. Upon reisolation from purified stock cultures kept in glycerol at-20°C, colonies could be isolated that carried only mutant or wild-type protein.     

Taxonomy and phylogeny of Lineus torquatus and allies (Nemertea,Lineidae) with descriptions of a new genus and a new cryptic species

The heteronemertean genus Lineus Sowerby, 1806 has been badly in need of revision because of its apparent non-monophyly. In this paper, we focus on Lineus torquatus Coe, 1901, one of the heteronemertean species that occur commonly in waters around the North Pacific, as well as a few other allied species distributed in the western North Pacific, including Lineus alborostratus Takakura, 1898 and Cerebratulus montgomeryi Coe, 1901. Based on phylogenetic analyses using 16S, COI, 28S, 18S, and H3 gene and ITS sequences, we detected a well-supported clade comprised of heteronemerteans with a frontal white band on the head, to which we add Kulikovia gen. nov. This genus is nested within a more comprehensive, highly supported clade, here named the Siphonenteron-clade, which contains Tenuilineus bicolour (Verrill, 1892), Lineus flavescens Coe, 1905, Siphonenteron bilineatum (Renier, 1804), S. cf. bilineatum, Lineus cf. caputornatus, and Lineus sp. from Guam. Our analyses confirmed the presence of a cryptic species of what was formerly known as the cherry-red and reddish forms of Lineus torquatus, herein described as Kulikovia manchenkoi sp. nov. based on some external characters, internal morphology, and the four genetic markers (COI, 16S, H3, and ITS). In contrast to the species pair K. torquata–K. manchenkoi, the reddish form of K. alborostrata does not differ genetically from the typical form of this species. The significance of the external and internal characters for distinguishing cryptic species is discussed.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9BECBC60-9C82-48EC-AD36-FC564D82A5BChttp://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D02B2339-4F65-4517-9B13-DD4AAB0C55C5http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8D239B62-E655-4721-90F0-A4944DD8A3C7     

Substrate specificities of lipases in view of kinetic resolution of unsaturated fatty acids

Several commercially available lipases have been evaluated with regard to their substrate specificity in the esterification of fatty acids having specific positions of cis double bonds, e.g. petroselinic acid (n-12 18:1), alpha-linolenic acid (n-3 18:3), gamma-linolenic acid (n-6 18:3), stearidonic acid (n-3 18:4), dihomogamma-linolenic acid (n-6 20:3), eicosapentaenoic acid (n-3 20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (n-3 22:6), with n-butanol. A common feature of most lipases, e.g. those from Penicillium cyclopium, Candida cylindracea, Mucor miehei, Rhizopus arrhizus and Penicillium sp. is that fatty acids having the first double bond from the carboxyl end as a cis-4 (n-3 22:6), cis-6 (n-12 18:1, n-6 18:3, n-3 18:4) or a cis-8 (n-6 20:3) double bond are strongly discriminated against compared to the other fatty acids, such as myristic acid (14:0), the reference standard, and n-3 18:3. In the case of the lipase from porcine pancreas, however, the discrimination against the above fatty acids is not as strong as with the other lipases. In contrast, the lipase from Chromobacterium viscosum shows a preference for n-12 18:1, n-6 18:3 and n-3 18:4. The observed substrate specificities can be utilized for enrichment of particular fatty acids by lipase-catalysed kinetic resolution from fatty acid mixtures, derived from naturally occurring fats and other lipids.Dedicated to Prof. David A. Walker, Robert Hill Institute, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK, on the occasion of his sixty-fifth birthday on 18 August 1993 Correspondence to: K. D. Mukherjee     

Transgenic zebrafish line with over-expression of Hedgehog on the skin: a useful tool to screen Hedgehog-inhibiting compounds

We generated a transgenic line Tg(k18:shh:RFP) with overexpression of Sonic hedgehog in the skin epidermis. By 5 day-post-fertilization (dpf), many epidermal lesions were clearly observed, including a swollen yolk sac, epidermis growth malformation around the eyes and at the basement of the pectoral fins. Skin histology revealed embryos derived from Tg(k18:shh:RFP) displayed an elevated Nuclear/Cytoplasmic ratio and pleomorphic nuclei compared to their wild type littermates, suggesting the abnormal growth pattern on the epidermis of Tg(k18:shh:RFP) embryos were dysplasia. Later (by 7 dpf), Tg(k18:shh:RFP) embryos displayed broader pectoral fins which are similar to the polydactyly phenotypes of Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS)/Gorlin patients and polydactylous mice. In addition, treatment with cyclopamine is able to enhance and prolong the survival rates and survival durations of Tg(k18:shh:RFP) embryos. In conclusion, this unique Tg(k18:shh:RFP) fish line, should be an excellent experimental animal for screening for a lower toxicity level of the new Hh-inhibitor and can even be used as a new anti-cancer drug-screening platform.     

Acetyltransferase p300 regulates NBS1-mediated DNA damage response

The role of p300 in DNA damage response is unclear. To understand how ATM-dependent phosphorylation of p300 affects its function in response to DNA damage, we present evidence that S106 of p300, which is phosphorylated by ATM, regulates stability of NBS1 and recruitment into damaged DNA, possibly leading to regulation of DNA repair. Non-phosphorylatable p300 (S106A) destabilized NBS1 and decreased NBS1–p300 interaction. The recruitment of NBS1 into damaged DNA was impaired in the presence of S106A. Also, a dominant negative p300 lacking enzymatic activity induced destabilization of NBS1, suggesting that its acetyltransferase is required for NBS1 stability. These results indicate that phosphorylation of p300 can regulate NBS1-mediated DNA damage response, and that these events occur in an acetylation-dependent manner.

Structured summary

MINT-8058074, MINT-8058083: p300 (uniprotkb:Q09472) physically interacts (MI:0915) with NBS1 (uniprotkb:O60934) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)MINT-8058111: p300 (uniprotkb:Q09472) and NBS1 (uniprotkb:O60934) colocalize (MI:0403) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416)MINT-8058657: p300 (uniprotkb:Q09472) physically interacts (MI:0915) with NBS1 (uniprotkb:O60934) by two hybrid (MI:0018)MINT-8058093: p300 (uniprotkb:Q09472) physically interacts (MI:0915) with NBS1 (uniprotkb:O60934) by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0007)     

Sex pheromone production and response in Korean populations of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae), is a worldwide pest of cruciferous crops. We examined the female pheromone production and male response to various pheromone blends in two Korean populations. Gas chromatography (GC) and GC‐mass spectrometry (MS) analyses of pheromone gland extracts revealed that females produce (Z)‐11‐hexadecenal (Z11‐16:Ald), (Z)‐11‐hexadecenyl acetate (Z11‐16:OAc), and (Z)‐11‐hexadecen‐1‐ol (Z11‐16:OH) in a ratio of 8:100:18. However, (Z)‐9‐tetradecenyl acetate (Z9‐14:OAc), a previously reported component of the sex attractant of a Canadian P. xylostella population was not detected in gland extracts of the Korean one. Field tests showed that Z11‐16:Ald and Z11‐16:OAc are essential for attraction of male moths, and the highest attraction is obtained with a 10:90 blend mimicking the blend found in gland extracts. Addition of 1 or 10% of Z11‐16:OH to the 10:90 blend of Z11‐16:Ald and Z11‐16:OAc significantly increased attraction. However, attraction was strongly antagonized by the addition of as little as 0.1% of Z9‐14:OAc to the most attractive ternary blend. The ternary blend of Z11‐16:Ald, Z11‐16:OAc, and Z11‐16:OH at a ratio of 10:90:1 was more effective at catching P. xylostella males than the Japanese three‐component blend or the Canadian four‐component blend in Korea. These results suggest that there is geographical variation in the pheromone systems of this species.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Bain Attwood. Rights for Aborigines. Sarah Colley. Uncovering Australia: Archaeology, Indigenous People and the Public. Kirk Dombrowski. Against Culture: Development, Politics, and Religion in Indian Alaska. Anita Jowitt and Tess Newton Cain (eds). Passage of Change: Law, Society and Governance in the Pacific. Sinclair Dinnen with Anita Jowitt and Tess Newton Cain (eds). A Kind of Mending: Restorative Justice in the Pacific Islands. Bruce M. Knauft (ed.). Critically Modern: Alternatives, Alterities, Anthropologies. Helen Gremillion. Feeding Anorexia: Gender and Power at a Treatment Center. Jean Guiart. Et le masque sortit de la mer: Les pays anciens de Hienghène à Témala, Gomèn et Koumac. Robin Hide. Pig Husbandry in New Guinea: A Literature Review and Bibliography. William Mazzarella. Shoveling Smoke: Advertising and Globalization in Contemporary India. Louise Meintjes. Sound of Africa: Making Music Zulu in a South African Studio. Sally Merry and Donald Brenneis (eds). Law and Empire in the Pacific: Fiji and Hawaii. Peter J. M. Nas, Gerard A. Persoon and Rivke Jaffe (eds). Framing Indonesian Realities: Essays in Symbolic Anthropology in Honour of Reimer Schefold. Annemarie Mol. The Body Multiple: Ontology In Medical Practice. Sherry B. Ortner. New Jersey Dreaming: Capital, Culture and the Class of 58. Thomas C. Patterson. Marx's Ghost: Conversations with Archaeologists. Melissa Perry and Stephen Lloyd. Australian Native Title Law. Christopher Pinney and Nicolas Peterson (eds). Photography's Other Histories. Nigel Rapport. I am Dynamite: An Alternative Anthropology of Power. Renato Rosaldo (ed.). Cultural Citizenship in Island Southeast Asia: Nation and Belonging in the Hinterlands. Regina Scheyvens and Donovan Storey. Development Fieldwork: A Practical Guide. David Trigger and Gareth Griffiths (eds). Disputed Territories: Land, Culture and Identity in Settler Societies. Cecilia Van Hollen. Birth on the Threshold: Childbirth and Modernity in South India.     

Six newSalmonella types,isolated in ghana (S. volta,S. agona,S. wa,S. techimani,S. mampong andS. tafo)

Summary Six newSalmonella types isolated in Ghana are described.S. volta, 11: 4: 1,z₁₃, z₂₈ was isolated from a swine;S.agona 4,12: fgs:—,S.wa, 16: b: 1,5S.technimani, 28: c: z₆ andS.tafo, 1, 4 12, 27: z₃₅: 1,7 were isolated from cattle;S.mampong, 13,22: z₃₅: 1,6, was isolated from a lizzard.     

The exceptionally diversified Neotropical genus Veturius Kaup: more new data on its phylogeny,taxonomy and distribution (Coleoptera: Passalidae)

New data are provided on 24 known and five new species in three subgenera of Veturius Kaup (Proculini), from Central and South America. Veturius s. str.: V. hincksi Boucher, 2006 (wing polymorphism, Colombia: Nariño), V. perecasi Boucher, 2006 (Colombia: Boyacá, Santander, perhaps Risaralda), V. montivagus Boucher, 2006 (first precise location, Colombia: Tolima), V. schusteri Boucher, 2006 (Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Cartago, Alajuela), V. platyrhinus (Hope & Westwood, 1845) (Colombia: Tolima), V. aspina Kuwert, 1898 (polymorphism, Colombia: Sucre, Cesar, Córdoba, Antioquia), V. yahua Boucher, 2006 (Colombia: Amazonas, Meta), V. ecuadoris Kuwert, 1898 (Colombia: Caquetá), V. muisca n. sp. (Colombia: Cundinamarca), V. nonuya Boucher & Salazar, n. sp. (Colombia: Amazonas), V. standfussi Kuwert, 1891 (polymorphism, Colombia: Caquetá; Peru: Piura), V. arawak Boucher, 2006 (Peru: Cuzco, Puno), V. fabieni Boucher & Salazar, n. sp. (Peru: Junín), V. dreuxi Boucher, 2006 (Bolivia). Publius Kaup: V. crassus (Smith, 1852) (Colombia: Cundinamarca, Boyacá, Meta, perhaps Tolima), V. rugifrons Boucher, 2006 (Colombia: Cundinamarca, Boyacá), V. concretus (Kaup, 1868) (Colombia: Cundinamarca, Boyacá, Meta), V. tectus Boucher, 2006 (second record, Colombia: Santander), V. dupuisi Boucher, 2006 (second record, Colombia: Cundinamarca), V. centralis Boucher, 2006 (second record, Colombia: Antioquia), V. taurus Boucher, 2006 (second record, Colombia: Norte de Santander), V. spinipes Zang, 1905 (topotype, Bolivia). Ouayana Boucher: V. paraensis Luederwaldt, 1927 (Brazil, Pará), V. negroensis Boucher, 2006 (Colombia: Vaupés; Brazil: Amazonas), V. amazonicus Boucher, 2006 (Colombia: Guainía), V. quaesitor Boucher & Salazar, n. sp. (Peru: Piura), V. uncinatus n. sp. (Colombia: no other indication), V. casalei Boucher, 2006 (Colombia: first precise location, Caldas, Antioquia), V. fanestus Boucher, 2006 (Colombia: Nariño). Veturius contains now 86 species, and is by far the most diversified recognized monophyletic genus in the Passalidae.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Jeremy Beckett (ed.). Wherever I Go: Myles Lalor's ‘Oral History’. Victor Buchli . An Archaeology of Socialism. Stephanie Hemelryk Donald . Public Secrets, Public Spaces: Cinema and Civility in China. James F. Eder , A Generation Later: Household Strategies and Economic Change in the Rural Philippines. Colin Filer (ed.) . Dilemmas of Development: The Social and Economic Impact of the Porgera Gold Mine 1989–1994. Jill Forshee with Christina Fink and Sandra Cate (eds). Converging Interests: Traders, Travelers, and Tourists in Southeast Asia. Elizabeth Furniss . The Burden of History: Colonialism and the Frontier Myth in a Rural Community. Alfred Gell . The Art of Anthropology: Essays and Diagrams. Edited by E. Hirsch Ernest Gellner . Language and Solitude: Wittgenstein, Malinowski and the Hapsburg Dilemma. Kenneth Henshall . Dimensions of Japanese Society: Gender, Margins and Mainstream. Lane Ryo Hirabayashi . The Politics of Fieldwork: Research in an American Concentration Camp. Mark J. Hudson . Ruins of Identity: Ethnogenesis in the Japanese Islands. Laura Lee Junker . Raiding, Trading, and Feasting: The Political Economy of Philippine Chiefdoms. Robert C. Kiste and M. Marshall (eds) . American Anthropology in Micronesia: An Assessment. Bruce M. Knauft . From Primitive to Postcolonial in Melanesia and Anthropology. David MacDougall . Transcultural Cinema. Zoila S. Mendoza . Shaping Society Through Dance: Mestizo Ritual Performance in the Peruvian Andes. Kirstin Pauka . Theater and Martial Arts in West Sumatra: Randai and Silek of the Minangkabau. Phillip B. Zarilli . When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses, and Practices of Power in Kalaripayattu, a South Indian Martial Art. Michael Pinches (ed.) . Culture and Privilege in Capitalist Asia. Alan Rumsey and James F. Weiner (eds) . Emplaced Myth: Space, Narrative and Knowledge in Aboriginal Australia and Papua New Guinea. Jane Schneider (ed) . Italy's ‘Southern Question’: Orientalism in One Country. Christopher C. Taylor . Sacrifice as Terror: The Rwandan Genocide of 1994. Sandy Toussaint . Phyllis Kaberry and Me: Anthropology, History and Aboriginal Australia.     

The fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora requires the rpoN gene for pathogenicity in apple

RpoN is a σ⁵⁴ factor regulating essential virulence gene expression in several plant pathogenic bacteria, including Pseudomonas syringae and Pectobacterium carotovorum. In this study, we found that mutation of rpoN in the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora caused a nonpathogenic phenotype. The E. amylovora rpoN Tn5 transposon mutant rpoN1250::Tn5 did not cause fire blight disease symptoms on shoots of mature apple trees. In detached immature apple fruits, the rpoN1250::Tn5 mutant failed to cause fire blight disease symptoms and grew to population levels 12 orders of magnitude lower than the wild‐type. In addition, the rpoN1250::Tn5 mutant failed to elicit a hypersensitive response when infiltrated into nonhost tobacco plant leaves, and rpoN1250::Tn5 cells failed to express HrpN protein when grown in hrp (hypersensitive response and pathogenicity)‐inducing liquid medium. A plasmid‐borne copy of the wild‐type rpoN gene complemented all the rpoN1250::Tn5 mutant phenotypes tested. The rpoN1250::Tn5 mutant was prototrophic on minimal solid and liquid media, indicating that the rpoN1250::Tn5 nonpathogenic phenotype was not caused by a defect in basic metabolism or growth. This study provides clear genetic evidence that rpoN is an essential virulence gene of E. amylovora, suggesting that rpoN has the same function in E. amylovora as in P. syringae and Pe. carotovorum.     

Silencing of cyt-c4 led to decrease of biofilm formation in Aeromonas hydrophila

Aquaculture suffers from a number of diseases caused by Aeromonas hydrophila. Biofilm can protect bacteria from antibiotic therapy. To identify the genes those play crucial roles in A. hydrophila biofilm formation, a library of mini-Tn10 transposon insertion mutants of A. hydrophila B11 has been constructed, and 10 mutants were subjected to biofilm formation assay. The biofilm formation ability of mutant (B188) was significantly decreased compared with B11. The DNA sequence flanking the mini-Tn10 transposon inserted showed that an ORF of approximately 576 bp of the mutant strain B188 was inserted. This ORF putatively displays the highest identity (92%) with the cytochrome c4 gene (cyt-c4) of A. hydrophila subsp. hydrophila ATCC 7966. Silencing cyt-c4 led to deficiencies in biofilm formation, adhesion, drug resistance and pathogenicity of A. hydrophila, which suggests that cyt-c4 plays crucial role in the biofilm formation and virulence mechanisms of A. hydrophila.

ABBREVIATIONS: GEN: gentamycin; SDZ: sulfadiazine; AK: amikacin; P: penicillin; CFP: cefoperazone; LEV: levofloxacin; MH: minocycline; FFC: florfenicol; TE: tetracycline; AMP: ampicillin; KAN: kanamycin; STR: streptomycin; SXT: sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim; DO: doxycycline; OT: Oxytetracycline.     

Mutational Analysis of the Multicopy hao Gene Coding for Hydroxylamine Oxidoreductase in Nitrosomonas sp. Strain ENI-11

The ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosomonas sp. strain ENI-11 contains three copies of the hao gene (hao ₁, hao ₂, and hao ₃) coding for hydroxylamine oxidoreductase (HAO). Three single mutants (hao ₁::kan, hao ₂::kan, or hao ₃::kan) had 68 to 75% of the wild-type growth rate and 58 to 89% of the wild-type HAO activity when grown under the same conditions. A double mutant (hao ₁::kan and hao ₃::amp) also had 68% of the wild-type growth and 37% of the wild-type HAO activity.     

Eight newSalmonella types

Summary Eight newSalmonella types are described.S. houten, 43; Z₄, Z₂₃ :−, was isolated from a frog,S.tuindorp, 43: Z₄, Z₃₂: −,S. vleuten, 44: fg: −,S.zeist, 18: Z₁₀: Z₆, andS.soesterberg. 21: Z₄, Z₂₃: −, were isolated from lizards. S. kralingen (8), 20: y: Z₆, was isolated from peanuts andS. assen, 21: a: −, was isolated from a swine. All these strains were isolated in the Netherlands. S.mim, 13, 22: a: 1,6, was isolated from a rat in Ghana.     

Anti-apoptotic protein TCTP controls the stability of the tumor suppressor p53

In this study, we identified p53 as a novel TCTP-interacting protein using TCTP as bait. Also, we determined the critical binding sites between TCTP and p53. To elucidate the functional consequence of the interaction, we developed the overexpression and inhibition system of TCTP and p53 expression. Overexpression of TCTP in lung carcinoma cells reversed p53 mediated apoptosis and inhibition of TCTP expression by small interfering RNA increased apoptosis of lung carcinoma cells. Moreover, it was observed that TCTP overexpression promotes degradation of p53. These results clearly indicate that the interaction between TCTP and p53 prevents apoptosis by destabilizing p53. Thus, TCTP acts as a negative regulator of apoptosis in lung cancer.

Structured summary

MINT-8057107, MINT-8057116: p53 (uniprotkb:P04637) physically interacts (MI:0915) with TCTP (uniprotkb:P13693) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)MINT-8057141: TCTP (uniprotkb:P13693) physically interacts (MI:0915) with p53 (uniprotkb:P04637) by two hybrid pooling approach (MI:0398)MINT-8057126: p53 (uniprotkb:P04637) physically interacts (MI:0915) with TCTP (uniprotkb:P13693) by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0007) MINT-8057160: TCTP (uniprotkb:P13693) physically interacts (MI:0915) with p53 (uniprotkb:P04637) by two hybrid (MI:0018)