Biocides formulation of essential oils having antimicrobial activity

Essential oils of fennel, peppermint, caraway, eucalyptus, geranium and lemon were tested for their antimicrobial activities against some plant pathogenic micro-organisms (Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternate, Penicilium italicum Penicilium digitatum and Botyritus cinerea). Essential oils of fennel, peppermint, caraway were selected as an active ingredient for the formulation of biocides due to their efficiency in controlling the tested micro-organisms. Successful emulsifiable concentrates (biocides) were prepared from these oils using different emulsifiers (Emulgator B.L.M. Tween20 and Tween80) and different fixed oils (sesame, olive, cotton and soybean oils). Physico-chemical properties of the formulated biocide (spontaneous emulsification, emulsion stability test, cold stability and heat stability tests as well as viscosity, surface tension and pH) were measured. The prepared biocides were ready to be tested for application in a future work as a safe pesticide against different pathogens.     

Repression of lignin biosynthesis promotes cellulose accumulation and growth in transgenic trees.

Because lignin limits the use of wood for fiber, chemical, and energy production, strategies for its downregulation are of considerable interest. We have produced transgenic aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) trees in which expression of a lignin biosynthetic pathway gene Pt4CL1 encoding 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase (4CL) has been downregulated by antisense inhibition. Trees with suppressed Pt4CL1 expression exhibited up to a 45% reduction of lignin, but this was compensated for by a 15% increase in cellulose. As a result, the total lignin-cellulose mass remained essentially unchanged. Leaf, root, and stem growth were substantially enhanced, and structural integrity was maintained both at the cellular and whole-plant levels in the transgenic lines. Our results indicate that lignin and cellulose deposition could be regulated in a compensatory fashion, which may contribute to metabolic flexibility and a growth advantage to sustain the long-term structural integrity of woody perennials.     

Myelin abnormalities in mice deficient in galactocerebroside and sulfatide

Myelin sheath formation depends on appropriate axo-glial interactions that are mediated by myelin-specific surface molecules. In this study, we have used quantitative morphological analysis to determine the roles of the prominent myelin lipids galactocerebroside (GalC) and sulfatide in both central and peripheral myelin formation, exploiting mutant mice incapable of synthesizing these lipids. Our results demonstrate a significant increase in uncompacted myelin sheaths, the frequency of multiple cytoplasmic loops, redundant myelin profiles, and Schmidt-Lanterman incisures in the CNS of these mutant mice. In contrast, PNS myelin appeared structurally normal in these animals; however, at post-natal day 10, greater than 10% of the axons withered and pulled away from their myelin sheaths. These results indicate that GalC and sulfatide are critical to the formation of CNS myelin. In contrast, PNS myelin formation is not dependent on these lipids; however, GalC and sulfatide appear to be instrumental in maintaining Schwann cell-axon contact during a specific developmental window.     

Germination of <i>Eryngium regnellii</i>: a major species for ecological restoration of plant-pollinator interactions in the Southern Pampas (Buenos Aires,Argentina)

Eryngium regnellii Malme belongs to the largest genera in the Apiaceae family, with 250 species worldwide and 65 represented in South America. It is a herbaceous species typical of hill plant communities, which, along with remnant grassland patches, are the most relevant natural habitats for the maintenance of diversity in the Southern Pampas. Eryngium regnellii is key to the maintenance of pollination mutualisms, being a generalist (displaying a diverse assemblage of pollinators) and ubiquitous species (present in all studied sierras). However, fragmentation of the Pampean landscape due to agricultural intensification has led to the loss of natural environments. Therefore, the reintroduction of E. regnellii in strategic places would facilitate the occurrence of wild pollinators, while favoring pollination services in the agroecosystem. The germination requirements of E. regnellii were studied because a better knowledge of the reproductive biology of this species would provide information relevant to its reproduction and reintroduction into degraded areas. Germination percentages and mean time to germination were evaluated, using one control and two pre-germination treatments: chemical scarification with sulfuric acid, and mechanical scarification with sand paper. Chemical scarified seeds did not germinate. Mechanically scarified and control seed groups showed no significant differences either in germination percentages (49% and 59% respectively) or in mean germination time (13 and 14 days, respectively). Results indicate that E. regnellii shows no physical dormancy, and does not require specific pre-germination treatments for germination under the studied laboratory conditions. The high germination capacity of E. regnellii, along with its ecological attributes, make it a potential species for restoring plant-pollinator interactions in the fragmented landscapes of the Southern Pampas.     

Morphometric Analysis of Normal, Mutant, and Transgenic CNS: Correlation of Myelin Basic Protein Expression to Myelinogenesis

The neurological mutant mice shiverer (shi) and myelin deficient (shimld) lack a functional gene for the myelin basic proteins (MBP), have virtually no myelin in their CNS, shiver, seize, and die early. Mutant mice homozygous for an MBP transgene have MBP mRNA and MBP in net amounts approximately 25% of normal, have compact myelin, do not shiver or seize, and live normal life spans. We bred mice with various combinations of the normal, transgenic, shi, and shimld genes to produce mice that expressed MBP mRNA at levels of 0, 5, 12.5, 17.5, 50, 62.5, and 100% of normal. The CNS of these mice were analyzed for MBP content, tissue localization of MBP, degree of myelination, axon size, and myelin thickness. MBP protein content correlated with predicted MBP gene expression. Immunocytochemical staining localized MBP to white matter in normal and transgenic shi mice with an intensity of staining comparable to the degree of MBP gene expression. An increase in the percentage of myelinated axons and the thickness of myelin correlated with increased gene expression up to 50% of normal. The percentage of myelinated axons and myelin thickness remained constant at expression levels greater than 50%. The presence of axons loosely wrapped with oligodendrocytic membrane in mice expressing lower amounts of MBP mRNA and protein suggested that the oligodendroglia produced sufficient MBP to elicit axon wrapping but not enough to form compact myelin. Mean axon circumference of myelinated axons was greater than axon circumference of unmyelinated axons at each level of gene expression, further evidence that oligodendroglial cells preferentially myelinate axons of larger caliber.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Functional linkages for the pace of life, life-history, and environment in birds

For vertebrates, body mass underlies much of the variation in metabolism, but among animals of the same body mass, metabolism varies six-fold. Understanding how natural selection can influence variation in metabolism remains a central focus of Physiological Ecologists. Life-history theory postulates that many physiological traits, such as metabolism, may be understood in terms of key maturational and reproductive characteristics over an organism's life-span. Although it is widely acknowledged that physiological processes serve as a foundation for life-history trade-offs, the physiological mechanisms that underlie the diversification of life-histories remain elusive. Data show that tropical birds have a reduced basal metabolism (BMR), field metabolic rate, and peak metabolic rate compared with temperate counterparts, results consistent with the idea that a low mortality, and therefore increased longevity, and low productivity is associated with low mass-specific metabolic rate. Mass-adjusted BMR of tropical and temperate birds was associated with survival rate, in accordance with the view that animals with a slow pace of life tend to have increased life spans. To understand the mechanisms responsible for a reduced rate of metabolism in tropical birds compared with temperate species, we summarized an unpublished study, based on data from the literature, on organ masses for both groups. Tropical birds had smaller hearts, kidneys, livers, and pectoral muscles than did temperate species of the same body size, but they had a relatively larger skeletal mass. Direct measurements of organ masses for tropical and temperate birds showed that the heart, kidneys, and lungs were significantly smaller in tropical birds, although sample sizes were small. Also from an ongoing study, we summarized results to date on connections between whole-organism metabolism in tropical and temperate birds and attributes of their dermal fibroblasts grown in cell culture. Cells derived from tropical birds had a slower rate of growth, consistent with the hypothesis that these cells have a slower metabolism. We found that dermal fibroblasts from tropical birds resisted chemical agents that induce oxidative and non-oxidative stress better than do cells from temperate species, consistent with the hypothesis that birds that live longer invest more in self-maintenance such as antioxidant properties of cells.     

Metagenomic insights into strategies of carbon conservation and unusual sulfur biogeochemistry in a hypersaline Antarctic lake

Organic Lake is a shallow, marine-derived hypersaline lake in the Vestfold Hills, Antarctica that has the highest reported concentration of dimethylsulfide (DMS) in a natural body of water. To determine the composition and functional potential of the microbial community and learn about the unusual sulfur chemistry in Organic Lake, shotgun metagenomics was performed on size-fractionated samples collected along a depth profile. Eucaryal phytoflagellates were the main photosynthetic organisms. Bacteria were dominated by the globally distributed heterotrophic taxa Marinobacter, Roseovarius and Psychroflexus. The dominance of heterotrophic degradation, coupled with low fixation potential, indicates possible net carbon loss. However, abundant marker genes for aerobic anoxygenic phototrophy, sulfur oxidation, rhodopsins and CO oxidation were also linked to the dominant heterotrophic bacteria, and indicate the use of photo- and lithoheterotrophy as mechanisms for conserving organic carbon. Similarly, a high genetic potential for the recycling of nitrogen compounds likely functions to retain fixed nitrogen in the lake. Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) lyase genes were abundant, indicating that DMSP is a significant carbon and energy source. Unlike marine environments, DMSP demethylases were less abundant, indicating that DMSP cleavage is the likely source of high DMS concentration. DMSP cleavage, carbon mixotrophy (photoheterotrophy and lithoheterotrophy) and nitrogen remineralization by dominant Organic Lake bacteria are potentially important adaptations to nutrient constraints. In particular, carbon mixotrophy relieves the extent of carbon oxidation for energy production, allowing more carbon to be used for biosynthetic processes. The study sheds light on how the microbial community has adapted to this unique Antarctic lake environment.     

Oligodendroglial Response to the Immune Cytokine Interferon Gamma

In the human demyelinating disorder multiple sclerosis, and its animal model experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, there is a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier and an infiltration of immune cells into the CNS. Infiltrating T lymphocytes and macrophages are believed to be key mediators of the disease process. Considerable circumstantial and experimental evidence has suggested that the pleiotropic cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-), which is exclusively expressed by T cells and natural killer cells, is a deleterious component of the immune response in these disorders. When experimentally introduced into the CNS IFN- promotes many of the pathological changes that occur in immune-mediated demyelinating disorders. In vitro, this cytokine elicits a number of effects on oligodendrocytes, including cell death. The harmful actions of IFN- on CNS myelin are likely mediated through direct effects on the myelinating cells, as well as through the activation of macrophages and microglia. In this review we summarize relevant studies concerning the action of IFN- in demyelinating disorders and discuss possible mechanisms for the observed effects.     

Nitrate reductase activity,biomass, yield,and quality in cotton in response to nitrogen fertilization

In the production of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), nitrogen fertilization is one of the most costly crop practices, but important to reach high yields. However, high nitrogen (N) content in plants does not always translate into a high fibre production. One way of assessing the efficiency of the N fertilizer is through the enzymatic activity of the nitrate reductase (NR). This is a key enzyme in N assimilation, whose activity is regulated by a number of endogenous and exogenous factors that determine yield. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of N fertilization on yield, fibre quality, biomass, and NR enzymatic activity in vivo in the cotton variety Fiber Max 989. The evaluated application rates were 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg/ha of N, using urea as a source (46% N) in a randomizedblock design with three replicates. At harvest, the maximum yield of seed cotton and the greatest accumulation of total foliar biomass through time was reached after applying 150 kg N/ha. The different N-application rates did not affect the components of cotton-fibre quality. The activity of endogenous NR was greater on plants where 150 kg N/ha were applied. The highest cotton yield and N contents were obtained on these plants. Therefore, the NR activity in vivo could be used as a bioindicator of the N nutritional level in cotton.