Transpiration and dry matter allocation in the angiosperm root parasiteCynomorium coccineum L. and two of its halophytic hosts

The angiosperm root parasiteCynomorium coccineum and the halophytic hostsLimonium delicatulum andArthrocnemum glaucum were invesrigated under natural conditions in a Mediterranean salt marsh in March 1992. The diurnal transpiration rate of the parasite was low and parallel to the climatic factors. The non-infected plants showed higher transpiration rates than the parasite and its hosts. Compared to the non-infected plants, it is apparent that the perennial herbL. delicatulum is more sensitive to infection since its reduction in the fresh and dry mass was higher than that found inA. glaucum.     

Evaluation of the weed flora of Egypt from Predynastic to Graeco-Roman times

Macrofossils of weeds retrieved from archaeological sediments in Egypt are discussed in terms of their presence, preservation and representation significance. The study reveals 112 field weeds from 61 archaeological sites dating from Predynastic times (4500 B.C.) up to the Graeco-Roman period (A.D. 395). Most of the remains were preserved by desiccation. The 112 listed species include 24 taxa from Predynastic Hierakonpolis (3800–3500 B.C.) identified for the first time. This study is based on a selection of 97 species from the entire list. Interpretation of field weed finds from the archaeological contexts is discussed. The highest number of species, 63, is recorded from the Pharaonic period. The Predynastic era is represented by 46 species and the Graeco-Roman period by 34. The intensive archaeological excavation of Pharaonic settlements may explain the rich flora of that period compared with the two others. Floristic analysis shows that 57 species were introduced in association with crops from the Middle East and 40 may belong to the native vegetation of the Nile valley.     

Structural investigation of bacteriorhodopsin and some of its photoproducts by polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic methods-difference spectroscopy and photoselection

The direction of selected IR-transition moments of the retinal chromophore of bacteriorhodopsin (BR) and functional active amino acid residues are determined for light- and dark-adapted BR and for the intermediates K and L of the photocycle. Torsions around single bonds of the chromophore are found to be present in all the investigated BR states. The number of twisted single bonds and the magnitude of these torsions decreases in the order K, L, light-adapted BR, dark-adapted BR. In the last, only the C₁₄—C₁₅ single bond is twisted. The orientation of molecular planes and chemical bonds of such protein side chains, which are perturbed during the transition of light-adapted BR to the respective intermediates, are deduced and the results compared with the current three dimensional model of BR. Trp 86 and Trp 185 are found to form a rigid part of the protein, whereas Asp 96 and Asp 115 perform molecular rearrangements upon formation of the L-intermediate.     

Mutagenic selectivity of carcinogenic nitroso compounds: II. N,N-Dimethylnitrosamine

The genetic properties of the hepatocarcinogen N,N-dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) were examined in Drosophila for the assessment of the role of dose, cellular metabolism and genic target in its mutagenicity. Genetic activity was assayed with respect to the induction of the non-specific X-chromosome recessives (lethals and visibles) relative to the effects on specific genic sites, especially rDNA, which yields bobbed (bb) mutations.Dose dependence followed a quadratic course for all mutational classes and germ cell types, which indicated that DMN induced at least some multiple-hit mutagenic events. The genetic activity of DMN was favoured by cellular metabolism for all mutational classes, as was indicated by the progressive increase in mutation yield during spermatogenesis — from the metabolically inert mature sperm to the actively metabolizing spermatocytes and spermatogonia.The role of DNA methylation in the mutagenicity of DMN was deduced from quantitative assays of its genetic activity relative to the methylating nitrosamide — N-methyl-N-nitrosourethane (MNUr) — over the same dose range (1–10 mM) and on identical cell types and genic targets. In the metabolically inert cells (mature sperm), the two compounds were equally active with respect to the non-specific effects (X-recessives), but MNUr was considerably more effective on rDNA (bb's). Conversely, in the metabolically active cells (spermatocytes and spermatogonia), DMN exerted a much higher non-specific mutagenicity than MNUr, but the two compounds were equally effective on rDNA. These results could not be entirely interpreted by the methylation hypothesis and indicated that a DMN aldehydic metabolite, structurally analogous to MNUr, might be responsible for the induction of the rDNA mutations.The rDNA selectivity index of DMN was significantly lower than for MNUr, which paralleled their relative carcinogenic versatilities. However, DMN was comparatively more effective on the tRNA genes, a feature which might be associated with its oncogenic specificity.     

The potential roles of retinoids in combating drug resistance in cancer: implications of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters

Multidrug resistance (MDR) means that tumour cells become unresponsive during or after the course of treatment to one or more of chemotherapeutic drugs. Chemotherapeutic resistance critically limits the treatment outcomes and remains a key challenge for clinicians. The alternation in intracellular drug concentration through the modulation of its transport across the plasma membrane is the major cause for MDR and is adopted by various mediators, including ATP-requiring enzymes (ATPases). Among these ATPases, ABC transporters have been extensively studied, and found to be highly implicated in tumorigenesis and MDR. The present review sheds light on the documented effects of retinoids on ABC enzymes to understand their mechanism in combating cancer cell resistance. This would open the gate to test the mechanism and applicability of different new synthetic retinoids in literature and market as modulators of ATP-dependent efflux pumping activity, and promote their applicability in diminishing anti-cancer drug resistance.     

Impacts of cell surface characteristics on population dynamics in a sequencing batch yeast reactor treating vegetable oil-containing wastewater

Ten yeast strains acquired from different sources and capable of utilizing vegetable oil or related compounds (fatty acid or oleic acid) as sole carbon sources were inoculated into a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for the treatment of high-strength vegetable oil-containing wastewater. The SBR system stably removed >89% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and >99% of oil when fed with wastewater containing 15 g/L COD and 10 g/L oil in average. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of polymerase chain reaction-amplified 26S rRNA genes showed that among the ten yeast strains, only Candida lipolytica, Candida tropicalis, and Candida halophila were dominant in the system. To elucidate the major factors affecting the selection of yeast strains in the SBR system, the three dominant strains were compared with two non-dominant strains in terms of COD removal performance, biomass yield, cell settleability, cell flocculation ability, cell emulsification ability, and surface hydrophobicity. Results showed that hydrophobicity and emulsification ability of yeast cells were the two most important factors determining the selection of yeast strains in the treatment of high-strength oil-containing wastewater.     

StructureActivity Relationships of Antimicrobial Gallic Acid Derivatives from Pomegranate and Acacia Fruit Extracts against Potato Bacterial Wilt Pathogen

Bacterial wilts of potato, tomato, pepper, and or eggplant caused by Ralstonia solanacearum are among the most serious plant diseases worldwide. In this study, the issue of developing bactericidal agents from natural sources against R. solanacearum derived from plant extracts was addressed. Extracts prepared from 25 plant species with antiseptic relevance in Egyptian folk medicine were screened for their antimicrobial properties against the potato pathogen R. solancearum by using the disc‐zone inhibition assay and microtitre plate dilution method. Plants exhibiting notable antimicrobial activities against the tested pathogen include extracts from Acacia arabica and Punica granatum. Bioactivity‐guided fractionation of A. arabica and P. granatum resulted in the isolation of bioactive compounds 3,5‐dihydroxy‐4‐methoxybenzoic acid and gallic acid, in addition to epicatechin. All isolates displayed significant antimicrobial activities against R. solanacearum (MIC values 0.5–9 mg/ml), with 3,5‐dihydroxy‐4‐methoxybenzoic acid being the most effective one with a MIC value of 0.47 mg/ml. We further performed a structure–activity relationship (SAR) study for the inhibition of R. solanacearum growth by ten natural, structurally related benzoic acids.     

Genetic assessment of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1.2) in Mangifera indica L. landraces

Mango (Mangifera indica) is one of the most important tropical fruits in the world. Twenty-two genotypes of native mangoes from different regions of southern Iran (Hormozgan and Kerman) were collected and analyzed for the ribosomal genes. GC content was found to be 55.5%. Fu and Li’s D* test statistic (0.437), Fu and Li’s F* test statistic (0.500) and Tajima’s D (1.801) were positive and nonsignificant. A total of 769 positions were identified (319 with insertion or deletion including 250 polymorphic and 69 monomorphic loci; 450 loci without any insertion or deletion including 35 Singletons and 22 haplotypes). Nucleotide diversity of 0.309 and a high genetic differentiation including Chi square of 79.8; P value of 0.3605 and df value of 76 was observed among mango genotypes studied. The numerical value of the ratio dN/dS (0.45) indicated a pure selection in the examined gene and the absence of any key changes. Cluster analysis differentiated the mango used in this research (M. indica L.) into two genotypes but could not differentiate their geographical locations. The results of this study indicated that a high genetic distance exists between HajiGholam (Manojan) and Arbabi (Rodan) genotypes and showed higher genetic diversity in mango of Rodan region. Results of present study suggested that for successful breeding, the genotypes of Rodan region mango especially Arbabi mango can be used as a gene donor and ITS can be a suitable tool for genetic evaluations of inter and intra species.