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.     

<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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

High-level expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Camelid</Emphasis> nanobodies in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicotiana benthamiana</Emphasis>

Nanobodies (or VHHs) are single-domain antigen-binding fragments derived from Camelid heavy chain-only antibodies. Their small size, monomeric behaviour, high stability and solubility, and ability to bind epitopes not accessible to conventional antibodies make them especially suitable for many therapeutic and biotechnological applications. Here we describe high-level expression, in Nicotiana benthamiana, of three versions of an anti-hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) nanobody which include the original VHH from an immunized library (cAbLys3), a codon-optimized derivative, and a codon-optimized hybrid nanobody comprising the CDRs of cAbLys3 grafted onto an alternative ‘universal’ nanobody framework. His6- and StrepII-tagged derivatives of each nanobody were targeted for accumulation in the cytoplasm, chloroplast and apoplast using different pre-sequences. When targeted to the apoplast, intact functional nanobodies accumulated at an exceptionally high level (up to 30% total leaf protein), demonstrating the great potential of plants as a nanobody production system.     

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.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solenomeris:</Emphasis> from biomineralization patterns to diagenesis

Microstructural and diagenetic patterns in acervulinid foraminifers are investigated through detailed petrographical, SEM, and geochemical analyses of Recent and fossil Acervulina and Eocene Solenomeris. The acervulinid test is composed of an optically radial hyaline magnesian calcite. The chessboard-chamber arrangement represents an efficient way for minimizing the volume accretion rate of cytoplasm, this being probably an important requirement for foraminifera with no predesigned external shape, such as the encrusting forms. Several newly described skeletal features reflect directly adaptation and responses to environmental constraints, such as microborer pressure, water energy, adaptation to substrate shape, skeleton repair, and compartmentalization of cytoplasm. The Eocene Solenomeris from the Pyrenees have recorded in their skeletons several diagenetic processes comprising two different phases of cementation followed by recrystallization. These events are accompanied by a marked loss of magnesium content and preceded or followed by an alteration of the Primary Organic Membrane. These diagenetic processes, in particular the early cementation, alter the overall layered pattern typical of foraminifera and produce a pseudo-file arrangement, mimicking an algal structure.     

Hybridization between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alouatta caraya</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alouatta guariba clamitans</Emphasis> in captivity

Hybridization between Alouatta spp. has been suggested at contact zones of A. palliata and A. pigra in Mexico and of A. caraya and A. guariba clamitans in Brazil and Argentina. Whereas genetic data confirmed hybridization between the former pair of species, hybrid individuals of the latter pair have been putatively identified on the basis of a mosaic pelage color. In this paper, we describe the first confirmed cases of hybridization between a female A. guariba clamitans and a male A. caraya. One hybrid male was born in 2007 and one hybrid female was born in 2009 with distinct coat colors. The male resembled the newborn color pattern characteristic of A. guariba clamitans, whereas the female resembled the newborn pattern of A. caraya. The birth and survival of the male hybrid for a year and a half indicated the viability of the heterogametic sex.     

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     

<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.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">IiSDD1</Emphasis>, a gene responsive to autopolyploidy and environmental factors in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Isatis indigotica</Emphasis>

In plants, stomata play a pivotal role in the regulation of gas exchange and are distributed throughout the aerial epidermis. SDD1, a gene isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana has been demonstrated to specialize in stomatal density and distribution. In our present study, a comprehensive survey of global gene expression performed by using an A. thaliana whole genome Affymetrix gene chip revealed SDD1 tends to be significantly lower in tetraploid Isatis indigotica than in diploid ones. To intensively investigate different SDD1 expression in response to polyploidy, a full-length cDNA clone (IiSDD1) encoding SDD1 was isolated from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb I. indigotica cDNA library. IiSDD1 shared a high level of identity with that from A. thaliana, containing some basic features of subtilases: D, H and S regions, as well as a substrate-binding site. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated that IiSDD1 was constitutively expressed in all tested tissues, including roots, stems and leaves, both in tetraploid and diploid I. indigotica, and with the highest expression in leaves. In addition, IiSDD1 was also found to be down-regulated by signalling molecules for plant defence responses, such as abscisic acid (100 μM) and gibberellin (100 mg/L), as well as by environmental stresses including salt, darkness, coldness and drought. Our study, for the first time, indicates SDD1 participates not only in the defense/stress responsive pathways, but also probably involves in plants polyploidy evolution.     

Four new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crinipellis </Emphasis>and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Marasmius </Emphasis>in eastern Honshu,Japan

 Four new species of Crinipellis and Marasmius (Agaricales, Basidiomycetes) in eastern Honshu, Japan, are described and illustrated: (1) Crinipellis conchata sp. nov. (section Excentricinae), forming a conchate pileus and a strongly excentric, short stipe, was found on a dead twig of Trachelospermum asiaticum in Mt. Takao, Tokyo; (2) Marasmius funalis sp. nov. (section Androsacei), forming a densely white-hispid, dark brown stipe bearing numerous setiform caulocystidia, was found on a dead twig of Cryptomeria japonica or on leaf litter in Tokyo and Kanagawa; (3) Marasmius maculosus sp. nov. (section Sicci), having a relatively large, reddish-brown pileus distinctly mottled with pale colored spots and Siccus-type cheilocystidia and pileipellis cells with relatively long setulae, was found on leaf litter in the lowland forest of Kanagawa and Chiba; and (4) Marasmius sasicola sp. nov. (section Marasmius), having a small, plicate-sulcate pileus, a filiform, wiry, blackish stipe, collariate lamellae, and Siccus-type cheilocystidia and pileipellis elements, was found on fallen dead leaves of grass bamboo in Kanagawa. Received: January 30, 2002 / Accepted: May 24, 2002     

Effect of the<Emphasis Type="Italic"> recU</Emphasis> suppressors<Emphasis Type="Italic"> sms</Emphasis> and<Emphasis Type="Italic"> subA</Emphasis> on DNA repair and homologous recombination in<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis>

In Bacillus subtilis, mutant alleles of the genes sms and subA partially suppress the recombination phenotype of recU cells. When present in an otherwise Rec(+) strain, Delta sms and Delta subA alleles render cells slightly sensitive to DNA-damaging agents, and impair chromosomal transformation (3- to 10-fold reduction), but do not affect plasmid transformation (less than 1.5-fold reduction). The Delta sms and Delta subA alleles were introduced into rec-deficient strains representative of the epistatic groups alpha (recF strain), beta (addA addB), gamma (recH), epsilon (recB, Delta recU and recD strains) and zeta (Delta recS). Both the Delta sms and Delta subA mutations were found to increase sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents in recF, Delta recS and addAB cells. In contrast, the Delta sms mutations decreased the sensitivity of recB, Delta recU, recD and recH cells, and the Delta subA mutation decreased the sensitivity of recB and Delta recU cells to DNA-damaging agents. Functions classified within the epistatic groups alpha, epsilon and zeta are required for intramolecular recombination, measured as plasmid transformation. The Delta sms and Delta subA mutations, which partially suppressed the recombinational repair phenotype of mutants for functions within epistatic group epsilon, enhanced plasmid transformation of recU (recB, recD) and recS cells by 10- to 20-fold. In the absence of the proteins Sms and SubA, the recombination machinery is apparently redirected towards (an) alternative pathway(s). Furthermore, the shared ability of the Delta sms and Delta subA mutations to act as indirect suppressors of recB, recU and recD mutations supports the classification of the recBUD genes within epistatic group epsilon.