New and interesting species ofEmericella from Chinese soil

Emericella miyajii, a new species isolated from Chinese soil, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by pale orange to brownish orange colonies on malt extract agar, subglobose to broadly elliptical ascospores with defective four equatorial crests and smooth convex walls, and with anAspergillus anamorph.Emericella undulata is also described as an uncommon species from Chinese soil.     

Infection of tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), a bipartite begomovirus with betasatellites, results in enhanced level of helper virus components and antagonistic interaction between DNA B and betasatellites

Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) (Geminiviridae) is an important pathogen that severely affects tomato production. An extensive survey was carried out during 2003–2010 to study the diversity of begomoviruses found in tomato, potato, and cucurbits that showed symptoms of leaf puckering, distortion, curling, vein clearing, and yellow mosaic in various fields in different regions of India. Ten begomovirus isolates were cloned from infected samples and identified as belonging to the species ToLCNDV. A total of 44 % of the samples showed association of betasatellites, with CLCuMuB and LuLDB being the most frequent. The ToLCNDV cloned component DNA A and DNA B were agroinoculated on Nicotiana benthamiana and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants with or without betasatellites, CLCuMuB or LuLDB. The viral genome levels were then monitored by real-time polymerase chain reaction at different time points of disease development. Plants co-inoculated with betasatellites showed enhanced symptom severity in both N. benthamiana and tomato, as well as increases in helper viral DNA A and DNA B levels. The DNA B and betasatellites acted antagonistically to each other, so that the level of DNA B was 16-fold greater in the presence of betasatellites, while accumulation of betasatellites, CLCuMuB and LuLDB, were reduced by 60 % in the presence of DNA B. DNA B-mediated symptoms predominated in CLCuMuB-inoculated plants, whereas betasatellite-mediated leaf abnormalities were prominent in LuLDB-co-inoculated plants. Inoculation with the cloned components will be a good biotechnological tool in resistance breeding program.     

Phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Part 6: Design,synthesis, and structure–activity relationships of PDE4-inhibitory pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridines with anti-inflammatory activity

We previously identified KCA-1490 [(?)-6-(7-methoxy-2-trifluoromethyl-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-4-yl)-5-methyl-4,5-dihydro-3-(2H)-pyridazinone], a dual PDE3/4 inhibitor. In the present study, we found highly potent selective PDE4 inhibitors derived from the structure of KCA-1490. Among them, N-(3,5-dichloropyridin-4-yl)-7-methoxy-2-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine-4-carboxamide (2a) had good anti-inflammatory effects in an animal model.     

Biochemical differences between two types of N-acetylglucosamine:-->6sulfotransferases in human colonic adenocarcinomas and the adjacent normal mucosa: specific expression of a GlcNAc:-->6sulfotransferase in mucinous adenocarcinoma

6-O-Sulfation of beta-GlcNAc is an initial step in the biosynthesis of N-linked and O-linked sulfated glycans, which are widely distributed in colonic tissues. However, the biochemical mechanism of this sulfation in human colonic carcinogenesis was still unclear. In this study, we found two types of GlcNAc:-->6sulfotransferases (SulT) in human colonic adenocarcinomas and the adjacent normal mucosa, and we determined their enzymatic characteristics. One SulT, named SulT-a, was present in the adjacent normal mucosa and in non-mucinous adenocarcinomas, whereas the other SulT, named SulT-b, was present only in mucinous adenocarcinomas and adenocarcinomas with a mucinous component. SulT-a preferentially acted on Galbeta1-->3(GlcNAcbeta1-->6)GalNAc(alpha1)-p-nitrophenyl (pNP) and GlcNAcbeta1-->2Man, whereas SulT-b could act not only on these two glycans, but also on GlcNAcbeta1-->3GalNAc(alpha1)-pNP and GlcNAcbeta1-->3Galbeta1-->4Glc. The levels of SulT-a activity were significantly lower in non-mucinous adenocarcinomas than in the adjacent mucosa. In contrast, SulT-b was expressed in mucinous adenocarcinomas and in adenocarcinomas with a mucinous component. These results indicate that there are at least two types of GlcNAc:-->6SulT, SulT-a and -b, in colonic mucosa and adenocarcinomas, and that the occurrence of these enzymes is closely correlated with colonic cancer and the presence of areas of mucin accumulation.     

Emericella appendiculata, a new species from Chinese soil

Emericella appendiculata, a new species isolated from soil of the Pamire Plateau, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by grayish green non-ostiolate ascomata surrounded by a thick layer of hülle cells, membranaceous peridium, prototunicate asci, violet-brown, lenticular ascospores which are ornamented by two stellate equatorial crests, capitate convex surfaces, and long filiform appendages, and anAspergillus anamorph with biseriate conidiogenous cells.     

Mannose-binding lectin A-deficient mice have abrogated antigen-specific IgM responses and increased susceptibility to a nematode infection

To investigate the role of mannose-binding lectin-A (MBL-A) in protection against infectious disease, MBL-A(-/-)-deficient mice were generated. Using a well-characterized mouse model of human filarial nematode infection, nematode survival and protective immune responses were tested in vivo. Blood-borne Brugia malayi microfilariae survived for significantly longer time periods in MBL-A(-/-) than in wild-type (WT) mice. However, no differences in either splenic cytokine responses or induction of leukocytes in the blood were observed. A profound abrogation of Ag-specific IgM levels was measured in B. malayi-infected MBL-A(-/-) mice, and some IgG isotypes were higher than those observed in WT animals. To establish whether there was a defect in Ab responses per se in MBL-A(-/-) mice or the effect was specific to filarial infection, we immunized these mice with OVA or a carbohydrate-free protein. Significantly, Ag-specific IgM responses were defective to both of these Ags, and Ag-specific IgG responses were largely unaffected. Furthermore, in naive mice, total IgM levels did not differ between MBL-A(-/-) and WT mice. This article describes the first demonstration that MBL-A may function independently of MBL-C and suggests that MBL-A, like other C-type lectins and members of the complement cascade, is intimately involved in the priming of the humoral Ab response.     

Pyridoxine 5'-phosphate oxidase is a candidate gene responsible for hypertension in Dahl-S rats

To identify candidate genes responsible for hypertension in Dahl salt-sensitive rats (Dahl-S), an oligonucleotide microarray analysis was performed to find differentially expressed genes in kidneys of Dahl-S and Lewis rats. We obtained 101 F2 male rats from Dahl-S and Lewis rats and performed precise measurements of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate by telemetric monitoring at 14 weeks of age after 9 weeks of salt-loading. The correlation analysis between genotypes of differentially expressed genes and BP in F2 rats indicated that pyridoxine 5'-phosphate oxidase (Pnpo) and catecholamine-O-methyltransferease (Comt) showed a highly significant association with BP. However, in the case of Comt, the Dahl-S genotype correlated with low BP. Short/branched chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and Sah also showed a significant association with systolic blood pressure. The present study provided evidence that Pnpo is a candidate gene responsible for hypertension in Dahl-S rats.     

Difference in in vitro response and esculin content in two populations of Taraxacum officinale Weber

In vitro micropropagation has been achieved in medicinally important plant, Taraxacum officinale collected from two different regions, Kashmir (J & K) and Garhwal (Uttarakhand). Leaf segments inoculated on MS supplemented with different combinations of Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and Benzyladenine (BA) produced indirect regeneration. For root induction MS fortified with Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) was used. Taraxacum officinale collected from Garhwal responded two weeks earlier and showed shoot regeneration whereas in Kashmir population only callus proliferation occurred. Esculin content was also higher in the samples from Garhwal. The content was affected by both, the hormone concentration as well as age of the cultures. RAPD of the in vitro raised regenerants confirmed genetic stability.     

Amperometric biosensor based on enzymes immobilized in hybrid mesoporous membranes for the determination of acetylcholine

Acetylcholine sensor is successfully prepared by using immobilized enzymes, i.e., acetylcholinesterase and choline oxidase within separate hybrid mesoporous silica membranes with 12 nm pore diameter (F127M). The measurement was based on the detection of hydrogen peroxide produced by two sequential enzyme reactions. The determination range and the response time are 6.0–800 μM and within approximately 3 min, respectively. The sensor is very stable compared to free enzymes and 80% of the initial response was maintained even after storage for 80 days. These results show that two enzymes are successfully immobilized and well stabilized, and at the same time, two sequential enzyme reactions efficiently proceed within the separate hybrid mesoporous membranes. Further, we studied the possible detection of organophosphorus pesticides in terms of the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity, i.e., the decrease of current response, and demonstrated that the nanomolar concentrations of pesticide (DZN-oxon) can be detected with our sensor.