Isolation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">madA</Emphasis> homologs in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pilobolus crystallinus</Emphasis>

Pilobolus crystallinus shows unique photoresponses at various growing stages. cDNAs for putative photoreceptors were cloned from this fungus. Three genes named pcmada1, pcmada2, and pcmada3 were identified from the PCR fragments, and amplified with degenerated primers for the LOV domain, which is conserved in many blue-light receptors. Deduced amino acid sequences for PCMADA1, PCMADA2, and PCMADA3 had one light-oxygen-voltage (LOV)-sensing and two PER-ARNT-SIM (PAS) domains. A zinc finger DNA-binding motif was conserved in the C-terminals of PCMADA1 and PCMADA3. However, PCMADA2 lacked the zinc finger motif. Expression of pcmada1 was suppressed by blue light whereas that of pcmada3 was promoted by blue-light irradiation.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus anthracis</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Francisella tularensis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Yersinia pestis</Emphasis>. The most important bacterial warfare agents — <Emphasis Type="Italic">review</Emphasis>

There are three most important bacterial causative agents of serious infections that could be misused for warfare purposes: Bacillus anthracis (the causative agent of anthrax) is the most frequently mentioned one; however, Fracisella tularensis (causing tularemia) and Yersinia pestis (the causative agent of plague) are further bacterial agents enlisted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention into the category A of potential biological weapons. This review intends to summarize basic information about these bacterial agents. Military aspects of their pathogenesis and the detection techniques suitable for field use are discussed.     

Frequencies of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">DRB1</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">DQA1</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">DQB1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">TNFA</Emphasis> alleles in immigrant population of west Siberia

Based on population analysis of the DRB1, DQA1, DQB1 and TNFA allele frequency distribution patterns, regional features of immunogenetic structure of the population of West Siberia were investigated. Statistically significant linkage disequilibrium within the HLA class II region, as well as between the TNFA and DRB1, DQA1, and DQB1 was demonstrated. Population frequency distribution patterns of two- and multilocus haplotypes were examined.     

Overexpression of the Chitosanase Gene in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium solani</Emphasis> via <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">tumefaciens</Emphasis>-Mediated Transformation

To overexpress the chitosanase gene (csn) in F. solani, a vector based on pCAMBIA 1300 was constructed. The csn gene, which is under control of the Aspergillus nidulans gpdA promoter and A. nidulans trpC terminator, was introduced back into the F. solani genome by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation, and the herbicide-resistance gene bar from Streptomyces hygroscopicus was used as the selection marker. Transformants which showed a significant increase in chitosanase production (~2.1-fold than control) were obtained. Southern blot analysis indicated that most transformants had a single-copy T-DNA integration.     

Structural characteristics of the chloroplast <Emphasis Type="Italic">rpS16</Emphasis> intron in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allium sativum</Emphasis> and related <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allium</Emphasis> species

The intron sequence of chloroplast rpS16 and the secondary structure of its pre-mRNA were characterized for the first time in 26 Allium sativum accessions of different ecologo-geographical origins and seven related Allium species. The boundaries and main stem-loop consensus sequences were identified for all six domains of the intron. Polymorphism was estimated for the total intron and its regions. The structural regions of the rpS16 intron proved to be heterogeneous for mutation rate and spectrum. Mutations were most abundant in domains II and IV, and transition predominated in domains I, III, V, and VI. In addition to structural elements and motifs typical for group IIB introns, several Allium-specific micro- and macrostructural mutations were revealed. A 290-bp deletion involving domains III and IV and part of domain V was observed in A. altaicum, A. fistulosum, and A. schoenoprasum. Several indels and nucleotide substitutions were found to cause a deviation of the pre-mRNA secondary structure from the consensus model of group II introns.     

Binding of IgA by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycoplasma penetrans</Emphasis>

The current study shows that Mycoplasma penetrans strain GTU binds human serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) and secretory IgA but not IgG. Binding of IgA was associated almost exclusively with the lipoprotein fraction obtained by Triton X-114 fractionation of isolated M. penetrans membranes. Western immunoblot analysis of isolated membranes of M. penetrans strain GTU and of the Triton X-114 fraction showed that the major IgA-binding component was a lipoprotein with a molecular mass of 38 kDa, one of the major lipoproteins of this organism. The authors suggest that the high IgA-binding capacity of M. penetrans strain GTU may serve as a defense mechanism, conferring on this microorganism the ability to evade clearance mediated by specific IgA antibodies.     

Decolourisation and dephenolisation potential of selected <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nigri</Emphasis> strains – <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus tubingensis</Emphasis> in olive mill wastewater

Aspergillus section Nigri strains Aspergillus aculeatus Ege-K 258, A. foeditus var. pallidus Ege-K156, A. niger Ege-K 4 and A. tubingensis Ege-K 265 were used to treat olive mill wastewater (OMW) in an investigation aimed at exploring their dephenolisation and decolourisation ability and, consequently, the economic feasibility of using any or all of these strains in a pre-treatment step in the processing of OMW. Of these strains A. tubingensis Ege-K 265 resulted in an 80% decolourisation of twofold-diluted OMW and a 30% decolourisation of undiluted OMW; in addition, it was able to remove approximately 30% of all phenolic compounds in both twofold-diluted and undiluted OMW. We conclude that A. tubingensis Ege-K 265 could be effectively used in the pre-treatment step of a combined aerobic-anaerobic process to solve the environmental problems caused by OMW in Mediterranean countries.     

Mapping species differences for adventitious rooting in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Corymbia torelliana</Emphasis> × <Emphasis Type="Italic">Corymbia citriodora</Emphasis> subspecies <Emphasis Type="Italic">variegata</Emphasis> hybrid

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) detection was carried out for adventitious rooting and associated propagation traits in a second-generation outbred Corymbia torelliana × Corymbia citriodora subspecies variegata hybrid family (n = 186). The parental species of this cross are divergent in their capacity to develop roots adventitiously on stem cuttings and their propensity to form lignotubers. For the ten traits studied, there was one or two QTL detected, with some QTL explaining large amounts of phenotypic variation (e.g. 66% for one QTL for percentage rooting), suggesting that major effects influence rooting in this cross. Collocation of QTL for many strongly genetically correlated rooting traits to a single region on linkage group 12 suggested pleiotropy. A three locus model was most parsimonious for linkage group 12, however, as differences in QTL position and lower genetic correlations suggested separate loci for each of the traits of shoot production and root initiation. Species differences were thought to be the major source of phenotypic variation for some rooting rate and root quality traits because of the major QTL effects and up to 59-fold larger homospecific deviations (attributed to species differences) relative to heterospecific deviations (attributed to standing variation within species) evident at some QTL for these traits. A large homospecific/heterospecific ratio at major QTL suggested that the gene action evident in one cross may be indicative of gene action more broadly in hybrids between these species for some traits.     

Life cycle of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aylax hypecoi</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Insecta: Hymenoptera: Cynipidae</Emphasis>), a gall inducer on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hypecoum</Emphasis> ssp. (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Papaveraceae</Emphasis>)

The life cycle and developmental stages of Aylax hypecoi (Trotter, 1913, Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Aylacini) were studied in detail. Aylax hypecoi is known to induce galls in fruits of two Hypecoum species — H. imberbe and H. geslini (Papaveraceae) and the larva develops in host plant fruits. The morphology and development of egg, larva and pupa were investigated, which has previously not been done. The shape and size of terminal-instar larvae and associated galls are sex-specific. Overwintering stage, adult emergence and flying periods, and egg productivity were studied also.     

Synthesis of orthogonally protected (<Emphasis Type="Italic">3R</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">4S</Emphasis>)- and (<Emphasis Type="Italic">3S</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">4S</Emphasis>)-4,5-diamino-3-hydroxypentanoic acids

Summary.  The paper describes two methods of the synthesis of ethyl (3R,4S)- and (3S,4S)-4-[(benzyloxycarbonyl)amino]-5-[(tert-butyloxycarbonyl)amino]-3-hydroxypentanoates, useful for the syntheses of edeine analogs. Differently N-protected (S)-2,3-diaminopropanoic acid was used as a substrate in both procedures. The absolute configuration of newly generated asymmetric carbon atoms C-3 in β-hydroxy-γ,δ-diamino products was assigned by means of ¹H NMR spectroscopy after their transformation into corresponding piperidin-2-ones. Received May 24, 2002 Accepted October 10, 2002 Published online December 18, 2002 Acknowledgment The authors are indebted to the Faculty of Chemistry, Technical University of Gdańsk for financial support. Authors' address: Zbigniew Czajgucki, M. Sc., Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Technical University of Gdańsk, 11/12 Narutowicza St., 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland, Fax +48 58 347 11 44, E-mail: zmczaj@wp.pl     

Isolation of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ve</Emphasis> homolog, <Emphasis Type="Italic">mVe1</Emphasis>, and its relationship to verticillium wilt resistance in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mentha longifolia</Emphasis> (L.) Huds

As a step toward greater understanding of the genetics of verticillium wilt resistance in plants, we report the sequencing of a candidate wilt resistance gene, mVe1, from the mint diploid model species, Mentha longifolia (Lamiaceae). mVe1 is a putative homolog of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) verticillium wilt (Ve) resistance genes. The mVe1 gene has a coding region of 3,051 bp. The predicted mVe1 protein contains a leucine-rich repeat domain, a common feature of plant disease resistance proteins. We compared 13 mVe1 alleles from three mint species. These alleles shared 96.2–99.6% nucleotide identity. We analyzed four M. longifolia populations segregating with respect to mVe1 alleles and wilt resistance versus susceptibility and found one association between mVe1 genotype and wilt phenotype. We conclude that mVe1 may play a role in mint verticillium wilt resistance, but variation for resistance in our segregating progenies is likely polygenic. Therefore, further investigations of mVe1 and identification of additional candidate genes are both warranted.     

Effects of <Emphasis Type="Italic">crp</Emphasis> deletion in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella enterica</Emphasis> serotype Gallinarum

Background  

Salmonella enterica serotype Gallinarum (S. Gallinarum) remains an important pathogen of poultry, especially in developing countries. There is a need to develop effective and safe vaccines. In the current study, the effect of crp deletion was investigated with respect to virulence and biochemical properties and the possible use of a deletion mutant as vaccine candidate was preliminarily tested.     

Alternative mating tactics of the gobiid fish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bathygobius</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">fuscus</Emphasis>

The reproductive ecology of the gobiid fish Bathygobius fuscus was studied at Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan. Males of this species maintain small rock holes as a nest and females spawn an egg mass on the wall of the nest. The males employed two forms of mating tactic: nest holding and sneaking. A nest holder stayed in the nest and waited for a female to visit, whereas a sneaker intruded into a nest while a pair was engaged in reproduction. Males larger than 55 mm standard length were always nest holders; those of smaller size employed both tactics. As the larger males excluded the smaller males, the latter did not occupy a nest hole. With a decrease in the number of larger males, smaller males changed their mating tactic from sneaking to nest holding. The results suggest that male Bathygobius fuscus adopt a conditional strategy whereby they change their tactic depending on their social status. Electronic Publication     

Chromosomes are eliminated in the symmetric fusion between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis </Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">thaliana</Emphasis> L. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bupleurum scorzonerifolium</Emphasis> Willd.

In order to investigate chromosome elimination in symmetric somatic hybridization between Bupleurum scorzonerifolium and Arabidopsis thaliana, protoplasts were isolated from suspension cultures of both A. thaliana and B. scorzonerifolium parents. Biparental protoplasts were mixed at a rate of 1.5:1 and fused with PEG-method. After protoplast fusion, the products were cultured in the P5 liquid medium for microcallus formation. Single cell lines formed from microcalli after subculturing on the MB1 (Xia and Chen, Plant Sci 120:197–203, 1996) solid medium. The putative somatic hybrid cell lines were identified by cytological and molecular analysis. Of the 132 somatic cell lines generated, 16 were identified as somatic hybrids, with the phenotypes resembled B. scorzonerifolium parent. These hybrids showed a complete set of B. scorzonerifolium chromosome and 0–2 small chromosome(s) of A. thaliana. A few of them showed nuclear and cytoplasmic SSR fragments of A. thaliana. These hybrid cell lines could differentiate to green spots, buds/leaves through complementation of regeneration ability. The chromosomes elimination of A. thaliana was discussed. Wang Minqin and Zhao Junsheng contributed equally to the work.