The impact of plant chemical diversity on plant–herbivore interactions at the community level

Oecologia - Understanding the role of diversity in ecosystem processes and species interactions is a central goal of ecology. For plant–herbivore interactions, it has been hypothesized that...     

Cadaverine: a common polyamine in zygotic embryos and somatic embryos of the species Capsicum chinense Jacq.

The behavior of endogenous polyamines was studied in somatic embryos and zygotic embryos of Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense). In the first part of the work, the polyamine content was evaluated in both types of embryos (somatic and zygotic). As a result, in addition to the common polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine), it was also possible to detect cadaverine, a polyamine rarely found in plants. In general, all the polyamines were found to be more abundant in somatic embryos than in zygotic embryos, with significantly higher contents of putrescine and cadaverine. Subsequently, the content of putrescine, spermidine, spermine and cadaverine, in their different forms (free, bound and conjugated) was determined in somatic embryos which were cultured in non-ventilated and ventilated containers. Detection of polyamines was carried out at 28 and 42 days of culture by the HPLC method. The ethylene content was monitored during the process in both culture conditions (ventilated and non-ventilated). As a result of the analysis, cadaverine was always found present, indicating that it is a common polyamine in the species. Ethylene was detected in containers without ventilation throughout the culture, except during replenishment of the culture medium (R1, R2 and R3). The behavior pattern of each polyamine, analyzed under different culture conditions (ventilated and non-ventilated) and at different moments of culture (28 and 42 days of culture), show that the polyamines are not only involved in morphogenic processes in plants; polyamines are also significantly affected by the surrounding environment. However, the most novel result, presented for the first time in this paper, is that cadaverine is found to be a common polyamine in C. chinense since it is present in both zygotic embryos and somatic embryos.

     

Cadmium effects on development and reproduction of Oncopeltus fasciatus (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae)

Newly hatched nymphs of the insect Oncopeltus fasciatus were exposed to various concentrations of CdCl2 administered in drinking water until the end of adult life. Significant nymphal mortalities were observed at concentrations above 30 mg Cd/l (corresponding to the LC50). The duration of the nymphal stages increased in proportion to the Cd concentration; at the lowest Cd concentration of 10 mg Cd/l, the median duration was significantly prolonged by one day, while at the highest concentration of 100 mg Cd/l it was increased by 10 days over the control group. The weight of newly emerged adults lineally decreased with Cd concentration, being reduced to half the weight of controls at 100 mg Cd/l. In addition, a proportionality between delay in development and weight reduction was found in Cd-treated adults. Survival of adult females was decreased at concentrations higher than 10 mg Cd/l, while males were only affected at 30 mg Cd/l or higher doses. Reproduction was the most affected parameter. Oviposition rate, fecundity and fertility of females exposed to 10 mg Cd/l were significantly lower than controls (73%, 58% and 55% relative to controls, respectively). Hatchability of the eggs laid by treated females was also reduced. These results show that development and reproduction of O. fasciatus are seriously impaired at sublethal Cd concentrations.     

Dynamin is functionally coupled to insulin granule exocytosis

The insulin granule integral membrane protein marker phogrin-green fluorescent protein was co-localized with insulin in Min6B1 beta-cell secretory granules but did not undergo plasma membrane translocation following glucose stimulation. Surprisingly, although expression of a dominant-interfering dynamin mutant (Dyn/K44A) inhibited transferrin receptor endocytosis, it had no effect on phogringreen fluorescent protein localization in the basal or secretagogue-stimulated state. By contrast, co-expression of Dyn/K44A with human growth hormone as an insulin secretory marker resulted in a marked inhibition of human growth hormone release by glucose, KCl, and a combination of multiple secretagogues. Moreover, serial pulse depolarization stimulated an increase in cell surface capacitance that was also blocked in cells expressing Dyn/K44A. Similarly, small interference RNA-mediated knockdown of dynamin resulted in marked inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Together, these data suggest the presence of a selective kiss and run mechanism of insulin release. Moreover, these data indicate a coupling between endocytosis and exocytosis in the regulation of beta-cell insulin secretion.     

First detection, isolation and molecular characterization of infectious salmon anaemia virus associated with clinical disease in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Chile

Background  

Several forms of progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) segregate in more than 100 breeds of dog with each PRA segregating in one or a few breeds. This breed specificity may be accounted for by founder effects and genetic drift, which have reduced the genetic heterogeneity of each breed, thereby facilitating the identification of causal mutations. We report here a new form of PRA segregating in the Border Collie breed. The clinical signs, including the loss of night vision and a progressive loss of day vision, resulting in complete blindness, occur at the age of three to four years and may be detected earlier through systematic ocular fundus examination and electroretinography (ERG).     

Changes in niche differentiation and environmental filtering over a hydric stress gradient

群落的多样性取决于物种相互共存的能力,以及克服环境胁迫的能力,从而可能扮演一个环境过滤器的角色。生态位分化导致了比种间竞争更强的种内竞争,促进了物种共存。由于胁迫影响相互作用,生态位分化的强度可能沿胁迫作用的梯度发生变化。在有胁迫的栖息地,如沙漠和高山地区,植物的生长形式更加多样化,这表明在环境胁迫下植物具有更强的生态位分化。我们验证了生态位差异和环境过滤作用随着环境胁迫的增加而增强的假设。在墨西哥南部的半干旱草原上,我们沿着水分胁迫梯度在田间种植了6种一年生植物。植物进行三种种植处理：单独种植(没有相互作用),与同种植物为邻(种内相互作用)或与异种植物为邻(种间相互作用)。我们分析了种内与种间竞争的比值是如何沿水分胁迫梯度变化的,以评估水分如何决定生态位分化的强度。我们还测定了水分胁迫是否代表了一种环境过滤作用。我们发现了种内竞争比种间竞争更强,尤其是在水分胁迫更大的情况下。因此,我们的结果表明,除了一个物种外,所有物种至少在部分水分胁迫梯度下存在生态位分化。一些物种受到胁迫的阻碍,而另一些物种可能因为胁迫消除了土壤病原体而受到它的青睐。虽然高强度的生态位分化在环境胁迫下出现的频率略高,但由于我们的物种样本很小,而且这种通用的模式也存在例外,因此需要进一步的研究来确定这是否是自然界普遍存在的现象。     

Systematic review of the “Chromodoris quadricolor group” of East Africa,with descriptions of two new species of the genus Chromodoris Alder & Hancock, 1855 (Heterobranchia,Nudibranchia)

The similarities and variations in nudibranch species of the “Chromodoris quadricolor group” (Heterobranchia, Nudibranchia) have historically created identification problems among both nudibranch enthusiasts and experts. In this study, we combine molecular genetic analyses using one nuclear gene (histone h3) and two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and ribosomal 16S RNA) with morphological data to ameliorate the identification of specimens from this complex in East Africa. We include a detailed examination of polymorphisms within the group. As a result, Chromodoris boucheti is synonymized with Chromodoris lochi, and two new species are described, Chromodoris celinae sp. nov. and Chromodoris helium sp. nov. Chromodoris celinae sp. nov. is a common shallow water species that was previously misidentified as C. hamiltoni. Chromodoris helium sp. nov. is a species that appears to be restricted to depths below 30 m. This study agrees with previous research indicating the recent divergence of the genus Chromodoris.     

VCAM-1 as a predictor biomarker in cardiovascular disease

The vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is a protein that canonically participates in the adhesion and transmigration of leukocytes to the interstitium during inflammation. VCAM-1 expression, together with soluble VCAM-1 (sVCAM-1) induced by the shedding of VCAM-1 by metalloproteinases, have been proposed as biomarkers in immunological diseases, cancer, autoimmune myocarditis, and as predictors of mortality and morbidity in patients with chronic heart failure (HF), endothelial injury in patients with coronary artery disease, and arrhythmias. This revision aims to discuss the role of sVCAM-1 as a biomarker to predict the occurrence, development, and preservation of cardiovascular disease.