Distribution of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Hordoindoline</Emphasis> genes in the genus <Emphasis Type=Italic>Hordeum</Emphasis>

Hordoindoline (Hin) genes, which are known to comprise Hina, Hinb-1, and Hinb-2, are associated with grain hardness in barley. However, the interspecific variation in the Hin genes in the genus Hordeum has not been studied in detail. We examined the variation in Hin genes and used it to infer the phylogenetic relationships between the genes found in two H. vulgare subspecies (cultivated barley and H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum) and 10 wild relatives (H. bogdanii, H. brachyantherum, H. bulbosum, H. chilense, H. comosum, H. marinum, H. murinum, H. patagonicum, H. pusillum, and H. roshevitzii). The Hina and Hinb genes of these species were amplified by PCR. We found two Hinb genes in three wild species (H. bogdanii, H. brachyantherum, and H. roshevitzii) and preliminarily named them Hinb-A and Hinb-B. Cluster analysis showed that the 17 Hinb genes present in Hordeum formed two distinct clusters (named A and B). Seven Hinb genes were included in Cluster-A, and 10 Hinb genes were included in Cluster-B. All Hinb-A genes were included in Cluster-A, while all of the Hinb-B genes were included in Cluster-B. In contrast, the Hinb-1 and Hinb-2 genes in H. vulgare were included in Cluster-B. These results suggest that the Hinb genes duplicated during the early stages of diversification in the genus Hordeum. On the other hand, the Hinb-1 and Hinb-2 genes in H. vulgare seem to have been generated by a duplication of the Hinb gene after the split of the lineages leading to H. vulgare and H. bulbosum.     

New cretaceous radiolarian species of the genus <Emphasis Type=Italic>Afens</Emphasis> Riedel et Sanfilippo

Diverse radiolarians from the Upper Cretaceous Perapedhi and Moni formations (southern Cyprus) are studied. Many representatives of the genus Afens Riedel et Sanfilippo, 1974 are recognized. The diagnosis of the genus Afens is emended and three new species of this genus, Afens perapediensis sp. nov., Afens moniensis sp. nov., and Afens concinnus sp. nov., are described. In addition, the species Afens liriodes Riedel et Sanfilippo, 1974 is redescribed.     

Efficient separation and purification of allophycocyanin from <Emphasis Type=Italic>Spirulina</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Arthrospira</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type=Italic>platensis</Emphasis>

Allophycocyanin (APC) is a minor component of phycobiliproteins in cyanobacteria and red algae. This paper describes a simple and inexpensive extracting method for isolating APC from Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis with high efficiency. The crude phycobiliprotein extract was pretreated by ammonium sulfate fractionation. Then, by adding hydroxylapatite into crude phycobiliprotein extract dissolved in 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), APC was selectively adsorbed by hydroxylapatite but C-phycocyanin (C-PC) was not. The hydroxylapatite was collected and APC was extracted from the crude phycobiliprotein extract. Then, the enriched APC was washed off from the hydroxylapatite using 100 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). In this simple extracting method it was easy to remove C-PC and isolate APC in large amounts. The absorbance ratio A ₆₅₀/A ₂₈₀ of extracted APC reached 2.0. The recovery yield was 70%, representing 4.61 mg · g⁻¹ wet weight. The extracted APC could be further purified by a simple anion-exchange chromatography with a pH gradient from 5.6 to 4.0. The absorbance ratio A ₆₅₀/A ₂₈₀ of the purified APC reached 5.0, and the overall recovery yield was 43%, representing 2.83 mg · g⁻¹ wet weight. Its purity was confirmed by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Boletus kermesinus</Emphasis>, a new species of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Boletus</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type=Italic>Luridi</Emphasis> from central Honshu,Japan

Boletus kermesinus, a new species of Boletus section Luridi, is fully described and illustrated based on the materials collected in subalpine coniferous forests of central Honshu, Japan. It has distinctive features of dark-red basidiomata having distinct viscidity in the pileus surface, usually unchanging flesh, discolorous red pores, and an entirely reticulate stipe becoming coarsely lacerate-rimose with age.     

Two new species and a new combination in <Emphasis Type=Italic>Conchocarpus</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Rutaceae,Galipeeae</Emphasis>) from eastern Brazil

Two new species of Rutaceae, Conchocarpus hamadryadicus Pirani & Kallunki and C. minutiflorus Groppo & Pirani are described and illustrated. Both are known so far only from small remnants of forests, the former in the caatinga dominium in Bahia, the latter in moist forests near Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Their main diagnostic features are delineated, and their relationships to other species of Conchocarpus are discussed. Because Rauia racemosa Nees & Mart. can no longer be recognised as a synonym of Conchocarpus fontanesianus (A. St.-Hil.) Kallunki & Pirani, a new combination, C. racemosus (Nees & Mart.) Kallunki & Pirani, is provided, with comments.     

Manifestation of salt tolerance of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Spirulina platensis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>Spirulina maxima</Emphasis> cyanobacteria of the genus <Emphasis Type=Italic>Arthrospira (Spirulina)</Emphasis>

The salt tolerance of two representatives of genus Spirulina (Arthrospira) Spirulina platensis and Spirulina maxima has been investigated. They both are the wide-spread objects of photobiotechnology and it has been shown that the content of 5–15 % sea-water in medium has not caused the decreasing of biomass yield more than 15–20% as compared with control. The further decreasing of biomass was proportionate to sea-water content in medium. The investigation of reactivity of native (intravital) exometabolites secreted into cultural medium has showed that the sea-water content influence the oxidative activity (OA) of exometabolites and hour’s rhythmics.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Barleria compacta</Emphasis>: a new species in <Emphasis Type=Italic>Barleria</Emphasis> sect. <Emphasis Type=Italic>Prionitis</Emphasis> (Acanthaceae) from Somalia

Following a re-examination of the material treated under Barleria brevispina (Fiori) Hedrén in the recent Flora of Somalia account of the Acanthaceae, it is concluded that two distinct species are involved and Barleria compacta Malombe & I. Darbysh. is described here from north-eastern Somalia. Its affinities and conservation status are discussed.     

Attenuation of fibrosis <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vivo</Emphasis> with <Emphasis Type=Italic>SPARC</Emphasis> siRNA

Introduction  

SPARC is a matricellular protein, which, along with other extracellular matrix components including collagens, is commonly over-expressed in fibrotic diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine whether inhibition of SPARC can regulate collagen expression in vitro and in vivo, and subsequently attenuate fibrotic stimulation by bleomycin in mouse skin and lungs.     

Interaction of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus</Emphasis> with bacteria <Emphasis Type=Italic>Campylobacter jejuni</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis>

Interaction of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus 100NCJB with bacteria Campylobacter jejuni (strains 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) and Helicobacter pylori, strain TX30a, was confirmed. The results indicate that lytic activity of bdellovibrios both in liquid media and cells attached to a surface was observed. The potential use of the antimicrobial activity of predatory bacteria for environmental bioprotection and public health is discussed.     

Regulation of the <Emphasis Type=Italic>ALBINO3</Emphasis>-mediated transition to flowering in <Emphasis Type=Italic>Arabidopsis</Emphasis> depends on the expression of <Emphasis Type=Italic>CO</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>GA1</Emphasis>

ALBINO3, a homologue of PPF1 in Arabidopsis, encodes a chloroplast protein, and is essential for chloroplast differentiation. In the present study, ALBINO3(−) transgenic plants exhibited a significant decrease in both the number of rosette leaves at bolting and the days before bolting, suggesting the important roles of ALBINO3 in regulating flowering during non-inductive short-day photoperiods. ALBINO3 mRNA was apparently accumulated in shoot apical meristem and floral meristems around the shoot apical meristem in wild-type plants. ALBINO3 might be predominantly involved in inducing the floral repression pathway by activating the expression of TFL1, and by suppressing the expression of LFY, respectively, in the shoot apical meristem. Moreover, the function of ALBINO3 in regulating flowering transition depended on the expression of CO and GA1, because ALBINO3 might function in the downstream integration of the photoperiod-dependent and the photoperiod-independent pathways. These results suggest that ALBINO3 may have an important integrative function in the flowering process in Arabidopsis.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Cantharellus pseudoformosus</Emphasis>, a new species associated with <Emphasis Type=Italic>Cedrus deodara</Emphasis> from India

The genus Cantharellus is known to have a global distribution and to form ectomycorrhizal associations with a diverse set of host plants. Here we describe Cantharellus pseudoformosus as a species new to science with a possible association with Cedrus deodara. ITS and LSU data demonstrated that the material from India is distinct from Cantharellus formosus and other closely related species.     

Probiotic <Emphasis Type=Italic>Lactobacillus</Emphasis> strains: <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vivo</Emphasis> studies

Three Lactobacillus strains (LOCK 0900, LOCK 0908, LOCK 0919) out of twenty-four isolates were selected according to their antagonistic activity against pathogenic bacteria, resistance to low pH and milieu of bile salts. Intragastric administration of a mixture of these strains to Balb/c mice affected cytokine T_H1-T_H2 balance toward nonallergic T_H1 response. Spleen cells, isolated from lactobacilli-treated mice and re-stimulated in vitro with the mixture of heat-inactivated tested strains, produced significantly higher amounts of anti-allergic tumor necrosis factor- and interferon-γ than control animals whereas the level of pro-allergic interleukin-5 was significantly lower. Lactobacillus cells did not translocate through the intestinal barrier into blood, liver and spleen; a few Lactobacillus cells found in mesenteric lymph nodes could create antigenic reservoir activating the immune system. The mixture of Lactobacillus LOCK 0900, LOCK 0908 and LOCK 0919 strains represents a probiotic bacterial preparation with possible use in prophylaxis and/or therapy of allergic diseases.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>In vitro</Emphasis> organogenesis of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Passiflora alata</Emphasis>

Passiflora alata in vitro organogenesis was studied based on explant type, culture medium composition, and incubation conditions. The results indicated that the morphogenic process occurred more efficiently when hypocotyl segment-derived explants were cultured in media supplemented with cytokinin and AgNO₃ incubated under a 16-h photoperiod. The shoot bud elongation and plant development were obtained by transferring the material to MSM culture medium supplemented with GA₃ and incubated in flasks with vented lids. Histological analyses of the process revealed that the difficulties in obtaining plants could be related to the development of protuberances and leaf primordia structures, which did not contain shoot apical meristem. Roots developed easily by transferring elongated shoots to 1/2 MSM culture medium. Plant acclimatization occurred successfully, and somaclonal variation was not visually detected. The efficiency of this organogenesis protocol will be evaluated for genetic transformation of this species to obtain transgenic plants expressing genes that can influence the resistance to Cowpea aphid borne mosaic virus.