Structure and distribution of floral trichomes in Lycaste and Sudamerlycaste (Orchidaceae: Maxillariinae s.l.)

Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Lycastinae should be incorporated into a more broadly defined Maxillariinae. This is supported by several anatomical features, including the presence of sunken, glandular trichomes in both Lycastinae and Maxillariinae s.s. Until recently, these were known only from vegetative organs, but have since been reported from flowers of Maxillaria dichroma. One character currently used to distinguish between Lycaste and Sudamerlycaste is the distribution of floral trichomes. In this article, we test the reliability of this character, describe the floral micromorphology of Lycaste and Sudamerlycaste and investigate whether their flowers bear sunken hairs. Their floral micromorphology is compared with that of other genera currently assigned to Maxillariinae s.l. Flowers of Lycaste and Sudamerlycaste bear conical or obpyriform papillae and unbranched and unequally branched multicellular trichomes. Contrary to previous reports that trichomes are confined to the column in Sudamerlycaste, they also occur in the tepal axils. Labellar trichomes, although often present in Lycaste, are lacking in Sudamerlycaste. In Lycaste sections Lycaste and Aromaticae, floral trichomes tend to be unbranched, whereas section Intermediae has both unbranched and branched hairs. Branched hairs are more common in Sudamerlycaste. Some hairs are tracheoidal, pitted and lignified. These mainly occur in section Lycaste and, to a degree, in section Intermediae, but are absent from section Aromaticae and most species of Sudamerlycaste. Branched column hairs, present in Sudamerlycaste, are absent from all sections of Lycaste, and tracheoidal column hairs occur only in Sudamerlycaste. Sunken floral hairs are absent from both genera. Trichome structure and distribution may prove useful in distinguishing between these taxa and in elucidating the intergeneric relationships of Maxillariinae s.l.© 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 164 , 409–421.     

Inhibitors of polyamine metabolism: Review article

Summary. The identification of increased polyamine concentrations in a variety of diseases from cancer and psoriasis to parasitic infections has led to the hypothesis that manipulation of polyamine metabolism is a realistic target for therapeutic or preventative intervention in the treatment of certain diseases.The early development of polyamine biosynthetic single enzyme inhibitors such as -difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) showed some interesting early promise as anticancer drugs, but ultimately failed in vivo. Despite this, DFMO is currently in use as an effective anti-parasitic agent and has recently also been shown to have further potential as a chemopreventative agent in colorectal cancer.The initial promise in vitro led to the development and testing of other potential inhibitors of the pathway namely the polyamine analogues. The analogues have met with greater success than the single enzyme inhibitors possibly due to their multiple targets. These include down regulation of polyamine biosynthesis through inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and decreased polyamine uptake. This coupled with increased activity of the catabolic enzymes, polyamine oxidase and spermidine/spermine N¹-acetyltransferase, and increased polyamine export has made the analogues more effective in depleting polyamine pools. Recently, the identification of a new oxidase (PAO-h1/SMO) in polyamine catabolism and evidence of induction of both PAO and PAO-h1/SMO in response to polyamine analogue treatment, suggests the analogues may become an important part of future chemotherapeutic and/or chemopreventative regimens.     

Old views and new insights: taxonomic revision of the Bukovina blind mole rat,Spalax graecus (Rodentia: Spalacinae)

As a result of their rather uniform external appearance and gross cranial morphology, the systematics of blind mole rats has been hotly debated over the last century; however, the separation of the large‐bodied and small‐bodied blind mole rats at the genus level (Spalax and Nannospalax, respectively), suggested earlier on morphological grounds, is strongly supported by recent molecular biological evidence. The species of Spalax have so far been distinguished from each other by cranial traits only, especially the outline of sutures of the cranium, and the shape and relative size of the nasal and parietal bones. Based on mitochondrial DNA sequences (with the widest taxonomic and geographic coverage so far) and detailed anatomical comparisons of museum specimens, we herewith provide a revision of the taxonomic and phylogenetic status of the westernmost representative of the genus, Spalax graecus s.l. We clarify that antiquus and istricus – presently regarded as synonyms of graecus – are well‐defined species, and they together form a separate clade within Spalax. The robustness of our conclusions is supported by the combined evidence of morphology, multilocus phylogeny, species distribution, and taxon history (species congruence with past tectonic and climate events). © 2013 The Linnean Society of London     

Effects of Odorants on Pigment Aggregation and cAMP in Fish Melanophores

Odor perception within olfactory neuroepithelium and pigment translocation within melanophores both seem to rely on a cAMP-based second messenger system. From studies on cultured frog melanophores, Lerner et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:261-264, 1988) suggested that some aspect of odor perception may be mediated by a nonspecific mechanism whose signal is transduced by a cAMP-based second messenger system. In the present study, odorants (β-ionone, benzylaldehyde, cineole, cinnamaldehyde, and octanol), which previously have been shown to stimulate formation of cAMP in the olfactory neuroepithelium, were investigated for possible pigment dispersing and cAMP-increasing effects. Pretreatment of fish melanophores with the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin (1 μM) resulted in an approximately 300% increase in cAMP and an almost complete blockage of noradrenaline-induced pigment aggregation. However, none of the tested odorants were able to increase the cAMP level and only cinnaldehyde and β-ionone were found to have any pigment dispersing activity.     

Production and characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies specific for baboon IgG heavy and light chain epitopes

We have generated a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that recognize baboon IgG epitopes. The reactivity of the MAbs with IgG from other primate species was also examined. Specificity for IgG heavy (H) or light (L) chain epitopes was determined by Western blot analysis. The H chain-specific MAbs were analyzed for IgG subclass specificity and the L chain-specific MAbs for reactivity with baboon IgM and polymeric sIgA. Finally, an ELISA was developed to demonstrate the utility of the MAbs in analysis of humoral immune responses in baboons.     

Phylogenetics and biogeography of the Balkan ‘sand gobies’ (Teleostei: Gobiidae): vulnerable species in need of taxonomic revision

Within the Atlantic–Mediterranean region, the ‘sand gobies’ are abundant and widespread, and play an important role in marine, brackish, and freshwater ecosystems. They include the smallest European freshwater fish, Economidichthys trichonis, which is threatened by habitat loss and pollution, as are several other sand gobies. Key to good conservation management is an accurate account of the number of evolutionary significant units. Nevertheless, many taxonomic and evolutionary questions remain unresolved within the clade, and molecular studies are lacking, especially in the Balkans. Using partial 12S and 16S mitochondrial ribosomal DNA sequences of 96 specimens of at least eight nominal species (both freshwater and marine populations), we assess species relationships and compare molecular and morphological data. The results obtained do not support the monophyly of Economidichthys, suggesting the perianal organ to be a shared adaptation to hole‐brooding rather than a synapomorphy, and urge for a taxonomic revision of Knipowitschia. The recently described Knipowitschia montenegrina seems to belong to a separate South‐East Adriatic lineage. Knipowitschia milleri, an alleged endemic of the Acheron River, and Knipowitschia cf. panizzae, are shown to be very closely related to other western Greek Knipowitschia populations, and appear conspecific. A distinct Macedonian–Thessalian lineage is formed by Knipowitschia thessala, whereas Knipowitschia caucasica appears as an eastern lineage, with populations in Thrace and the Aegean. The present study combines the phylogeny of a goby radiation with insights on the historical biogeography of the eastern Mediterranean, and identifies evolutionary units meriting conservation attention. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 105 , 73–91.     

Prevalence of IgE antibody to crude and purified allergens of Japanese cedar pollen among different troops of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata)

We measured specific IgE antibodies to the crude allergen as well as two purified allergens (Cry j I and Cry j II) of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica—CJ) pollen in the serum of 276 Japanese monkeys in nine troops. Of 45 monkeys with CJ specific IgE in eight of nine troops, 23 (51%) were found to have IgE to both Cry j I and Cry j II, 21 (47%) only to Cry j I, and one (2.2%) only to Cry j II. The positive rate of specific IgE antibody to each allergen varied among the troops.     

Morphinome – proteome of the nervous system after morphine treatment

Summary. Proteome is a natural consequence of the post-genome era when the HUGO project (Human Genome Organization) has almost been completed. Here, a specifically aimed proteome in drug dependence – morphinome, is described, including tasks, strategies and pitfalls of the methodology.     

Umbonal musculature and relationships of the Late Triassic filibranch unionoid bivalves

Exceptionally well‐preserved Late Triassic unionoids from Silesia, Poland, show prominently ornamented juvenile shells and umbonal muscle attachments that are similar to Margaritifera, which are anatomically the least derived among extant unionoids. Their phosphatized (originally chitinous and impregnated with calcium phosphate) gill supports lacked transverse connections, and occasionally some of them were separated from others, being thus at the filibranch grade, like their trigonioid ancestors. Several separate small foot elevator attachments in these unionoids indicate Trigonodidae adaptation to marine or brackish water, in which the original trigonioid strong single attachment was already split into two in the Early Triassic. The ribbing of juvenile shells suggests a change to deeper infaunal life for juvenile stages, and generally less efficient near‐surface locomotion, with a wedge‐like foot, in adults. Much later the unionoids became eulamellibranchial, which promoted the brooding of the fish that their larvae parasitize. To accomodate the classification of the order under this scenario of evolutionary changes, a new suborder Silesunionina is proposed for its filibranch members. It includes the Silesunionidae fam. nov. , with the location of umbonal muscles similar to that in the extant underived unionoids, and the Unionellidae fam. nov. , with umbonal muscles attached to the external wall of the umbonal cavity. The early Late Triassic (Carnian) Silesunio parvus gen. et sp. nov. and latest Triassic (Rhaetian) Tihkia(?) silesiaca sp. nov. are proposed. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 163 , 863–883.     

Hypochlorite-induced oxidation of amino acids, peptides and proteins

Summary. Activated phagocytes generate the potent oxidant hypochlorite (HOCl) via the release of the enzyme myeloperoxidase and hydrogen peroxide. HOCl is known to react with a number of biological targets including proteins, DNA, lipids and cholesterol. Proteins are likely to be major targets for reaction with HOCl within a cell due to their abundance and high reactivity with HOCl. This review summarizes information on the rate of reaction of HOCl with proteins, the nature of the intermediates formed, the mechanisms involved in protein oxidation and the products of these reactions. The predicted targets for reaction with HOCl from kinetic modeling studies and the consequences of HOCl-induced protein oxidation are also discussed.     

Redox options in two-dimensional electrophoresis

Summary. Two-dimensional electrophoresis is usually run on fully reduced samples. Under these conditions even covalently bound oligomers are dissociated and individual polypeptide chains may be fully unfolded by both, urea and SDS, which maximizes the number of resolved components and allows their pI and M_r to be most accurately evaluated. However, various electrophoretic protocols for protein structure investigation require a combination of steps under varying redox conditions. We review here some of the applications of these procedures. We also present some original data about a few related samples – serum from four species: Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, Bos taurus – which we run under fully unreduced and fully reduced conditions as well as with reduction between first and second dimension. We demonstrate that in many cases the unreduced proteins migrate with a better resolution than reduced proteins, mostly in the crowded -globulin area of pI 4.5–6 and M_r 50–70kDa.     

Fruit misshapen in strawberry cultivars (Fragaria×ananassa) is related to achenes functionality

Fruit deformation is a phenomenon commonly observed in commercial strawberry cultivars (Fragaria×ananassa) with a negative impact on the economic benefit of crop production. To better understand this physiopathy, we evaluated fruit size and the relative amount of ‘small’ (<0.4 mm) and ‘big’ achenes (>0.6 mm) in misshapen (MF) and well‐formed (WF) fruits from ‘Camarosa’, ‘Ventana’ and ‘Medina’ strawberry cultivars growing in the field. In ‘Camarosa’, size‐dependent achenes functionality was assessed by analysing achenes germinability and differences in time to ripening between MF and WF. We found that the occurrence of fruit deformation was not only strongly dependent on the cultivar (i.e. genetic factor) but also was promoted by low temperatures (i.e. environmental factor). Regardless of the cultivar, MF showed higher percentage of ‘small’ non‐functional achenes than WF, indicating a failure in achene development, which could be related to the functional integrity of reproductive structures. To test this hypothesis, we performed an experiment by pollinating strawberry flowers with pollen developed under low and mild temperatures. Low temperatures reduced pollen viability, and flowers pollinated with low quality pollen led to a higher amount of MF. However, fruit deformation was not completely explained by differences in pollen quality, neither by differences in pistil maturity and receptivity nor ovule viability, suggesting that non‐functional achenes might result from a disruption in postfertilisation processes such as embryo abortion as a consequence of low temperatures.     

Patterns of diversification in two species of short‐tailed bats (Carollia Gray, 1838): the effects of historical fragmentation of Brazilian rainforests

The small‐sized frugivorous bat Carollia perspicillata is an understory specialist and occurs in a wide range of lowland habitats, tending to be more common in tropical dry or moist forests of South and Central America. Its sister species, Carollia brevicauda, occurs almost exclusively in the Amazon rainforest. A recent phylogeographic study proposed a hypothesis of origin and subsequent diversification for C. perspicillata along the Atlantic coastal forest of Brazil. Additionally, it also found two allopatric clades for C. brevicauda separated by the Amazon Basin. We used cytochrome b gene sequences and a more extensive sampling to test hypotheses related to the origin and diversification of C. perspicillata plus C. brevicauda clade in South America. The results obtained indicate that there are two sympatric evolutionary lineages within each species. In C. perspicillata, one lineage is limited to the Southern Atlantic Forest, whereas the other is widely distributed. Coalescent analysis points to a simultaneous origin for C. perspicillata and C. brevicauda, although no place for the diversification of each species can be firmly suggested. The phylogeographic pattern shown by C. perspicillata is also congruent with the Pleistocene refugia hypothesis as a likely vicariant phenomenon shaping the present distribution of its intraspecific lineages. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 102 , 527–539.     

Training adaptations of baboons to light and moderate treadmill exercise

We evaluated training adaptations by 18 baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) to low and moderate quadrupedal walking exercise on a motorized treadmill. Moderate training produced 47% increases in lactate threshold, 63% increases in muscle citrate synthetase activity, increases in percentage of Type IIc muscle fibers, and reduced plasma insulin concentrations. Low training produced only reduced plasma insulin concentrations. Our results indicate that the baboon response to exercise training was similar to that of Homo sapiens, and dependent on exercise intensity.     

Taurine concentration in the brain and in the plasma following intraperitoneal injections

Summary. The effect of different taurine doses (0.050, 0.125, 0.250, 0.500 and 1.000g/kg) administered intraperitoneally to Wistar rats was studied in both the plasma and the hippocampal microdialysate content.The samples were analyzed by reverse phased HPLC for the microdialysate samples and by HPLC with ion-exchange post-column derivatization (ninhydrin) for the plasma samples.In both plasma and microdialysate, we observed a dose dependent increase of taurine concentration. The AUC curves obtained from both microdialysate and plasma samples showed that the increase of taurine concentrations were linear. The mean ratio between AUCs microdialysate and plasma was 1.63±0.21 showing thus an unbalance between plasma and brain taurine content; a mechanism which enhance taurine transfer from the plasma to the brain was assumed.     

Amino acid and protein oxidation in cardiovascular disease

Summary. Substantial evidence suggests that oxidative events contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic heart disease. For example, animal model data and numerous in vitro studies point to specific pathways as participants in disease initiation and progression. Moreover, recent clinical studies demonstrate clinical utility in monitoring systemic levels of protein-bound nitrotyrosine as a predictor of risk for coronary artery disease, atherosclerotic burden, and response to statin therapy. However, a definitive cause-and-effect relationship between oxidation and atherosclerosis has yet to be established, and multiple recent large prospective antioxidant intervention trials have failed to significantly impact upon disease risk and progression. In this review we highlight why such failures should not be taken as an indictment of the Oxidation Hypothesis. Emphasis will be placed on discussion of molecular markers whose structures convey information about oxidation pathways leading to their formation, and which appear to be mechanistically linked to the disease process. Only through rational design of targeted interventions aimed at suppressing distinct oxidation pathways, with concomitant monitoring of antioxidant efficacy in human clinical studies, will answers to the role of oxidation in the pathogenesis of human atherosclerosis be defined.     

Modularity in attachment organs of African Cichlidogyrus (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea: Ancyrocephalidae) reflects phylogeny rather than host specificity or geographic distribution

Cichlidogyrus spp. (Monogenea, Ancyrocephalidae) are common parasites of cichlid fishes from Africa and the Levant. They display important morphological variation in their attachment apparatus and infect a broad host spectrum throughout a wide geographic range. Thus, they offer an interesting model to investigate to what extent the phenotypic variability of the attachment organ among congeners is related to host specificity, geographic/environmental components, or phylogeny. A geometric morphometric approach was carried out to analyse the shape variation of sclerotized structures of the attachment organ within 66 African species of the genus Cichlidogyrus. The interspecific shape comparison supports the presence of three main morphological configurations, each consisting of a given combination of particular sclerite shapes. Moreover, data emphasize strong coordination and integration (shape co‐variation) among the different sclerites jointly forming the attachment organ. Although attachment apparatuses are usually considered to be the result of adaptive processes and must be adapted to the hosts and local environmental conditions, we found no relationship between these clusters and host specificity or geographical distribution. Nevertheless, groups are partially congruent with those obtained with the molecular phylogeny of a subset of species, suggesting a phylogenetic constraint rather than an adaptation to either hosts or environment. Because of the necessity to form a functional entity, modularity within attachment organ imposes important evolutionary constraint. This provides new insights into the evolvability of attachment organs, as well as into the morphological basis of host specificity and host–parasite co‐evolutionary interaction in helminth parasites. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 102 , 694–706.     

Endogenous Control of Photosynthetic Activity during Progressive Drought: Influence of Final Products of Photosynthesis

Photosynthetic activities and the redox states of photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) in intact leaves of cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.), as well as the sucrose and starch contents were examined under conditions of ongoing soil water deficit imposed by the cessation of watering. As the soil drought progressed, the maximum rate of photosynthetic CO₂ fixation was shown to decrease. These changes in the maximum photosynthetic rate occurred synchronously with changes in the maximum quantum yield of photosynthesis. Under soil water deficit, the reduced form of PSII primary acceptor Q _A was accumulated only at photon flux densities of about 100 mol/(m² s). At such photon flux densities, the changes in nonphotochemical quenching (qN) induced by soil water deficit were opposite to changes in photochemical quenching parameter (1 – qP). Irrespective of the duration of soil drought, the relationship between steady-state concentrations of photochemically inactive reaction centers of PSI and PSII (the fractions of P700 and Q _A in the oxidized and reduced state, respectively) was almost linear, which provides evidence for the concerted operation of both photosystems. The conditions of soil water deficit promoted sucrose accumulation in the source leaf, which was paralleled by a substantial decrease in the amount of starch in the same leaf. The highest content of sucrose in the leaf after a 7-day drought was correlated with the largest decrease in photosynthetic activity. It is concluded that the progressive drought triggers an endogenous mechanism that regulates photosynthesis through feedback relations, namely, the inhibition of photosynthesis by its end products.