Water deficit modulates growth,morphology, and the essential oil profile in Lippia alba L. (Verbenaceae) grown in vitro

Lippia alba (Miller) N.E. Brown is an aromatic plant species of great economic importance due to the medicinal properties of its essential oils, which provide stress relief, respiratory and gastrointestinal disease control, and anti-inflammatory and natural sedative effects. The plant is also effective in biological control against various pathogens and in food preservation. Water deficit is the most critical abiotic factor limiting plant growth and morpho-physiological development, as well as production of secondary metabolism compounds. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of water deficit on growth, photosynthesis, essential oil profile, and the expression of genes related to the biosynthesis of these compounds in L. alba grown in vitro. Nodal segments were cultured on medium supplemented with 0, 1, 2, and 3% (w/v) polyethylene glycol for 45 days. Water stress had a negative effect on primary metabolism indicators, such as growth, leaf area, and photosynthetic rate; but a positive effect on amino acid and total protein content. Similarly, secondary metabolism exhibited an increase in linalool but a reduction in germacrene levels under water deficit. These findings provide a deeper understanding of how water deficit affects primary and secondary metabolism in L. alba, showing the potential of this medicinal species to adapt to soils with low water availability, while still being able to grow and synthesize essential oils.

     

Cascade screening and genetic diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia in clusters of the Southeastern region from Brazil

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant genetic disease characterized by high levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDLc), associated to premature cardiovascular disease. The detection of the variants related to FH is important to improve the early diagnosis in probands / index-cases (ICs) and their relatives. We included ICs with FH and their relatives, living in a small region of Minas Gerais state-Brazil, which were classified according to Dutch Lipid Clinic Network Criteria (DLCNC) and submitted to sequencing of genes related to FH (LDLR, APOB, PCSK9, LDLRAP1, LIPA, STAP1, APOE, ABCG5 e ABCG8). In a total of 143 subjects (32 ICs and 111 relatives), eight variants were identified in 91 individuals. From these variants, five were in LDLR [p.(Asp224Asn), p.(Ser854Gly), p.(Cys34Arg), p.(Asp601His), deletion of exon15 in LDLR)], one in APOB [p.(Met499Val)], one in PCSK9 [p.(Arg237Trp)] and one in APOE [p.(Pro28Leu)] genes. The variants were detected in 100% of those subjects classified as definitive, 87% as probable and 69% as possible FH cases based on DLCNC. The LDLc level was higher in individuals with corneal arch and xanthomas or xanthelasmas, as well as in pathogenic or probably pathogenic variants carriers. This study showed higher frequency of LDLR gene variants compared to other genes related to LDL metabolism in individuals with FH in Minas Gerais – Brazil and the presence of FH in relatives without previous diagnosis. Our data reinforce the importance of molecular and clinical evaluation of FH relatives in order to early diagnosis the FH, as well as cardiovascular diseases prevention.

     

Identification of a Huperzine A-producing endophytic fungus from Phlegmariurus taxifolius

Molecular Biology Reports - Highly prized huperzine A (Hup A), a natural alkaloid formerly isolated from the Chinese medicinal plant Huperzia serrata, has been widely used for the treatment of...     

Highways are a threat for giant armadillos that underpasses can mitigate

We report 24 records of giant armadillo roadkill on Brazilian highways in the Cerrado, Pantanal and Amazon biomes illustrating that highways are a threat to this species. However, we also documented the species using underpasses, demonstrating that these structures could help to reduce the risk of roadkill for giant armadillos.     

Mitochondrial targeting of recombinant RNAs modulates the level of a heteroplasmic mutation in human mitochondrial DNA associated with Kearns Sayre Syndrome

Mitochondrial mutations, an important cause of incurable human neuromuscular diseases, are mostly heteroplasmic: mutated mitochondrial DNA is present in cells simultaneously with wild-type genomes, the pathogenic threshold being generally >70% of mutant mtDNA. We studied whether heteroplasmy level could be decreased by specifically designed oligoribonucleotides, targeted into mitochondria by the pathway delivering RNA molecules in vivo. Using mitochondrially imported RNAs as vectors, we demonstrated that oligoribonucleotides complementary to mutant mtDNA region can specifically reduce the proportion of mtDNA bearing a large deletion associated with the Kearns Sayre Syndrome in cultured transmitochondrial cybrid cells. These findings may be relevant to developing of a new tool for therapy of mtDNA associated diseases.     

Wearing Blue-Blockers in the Morning Could Improve Sleep of Workers on a Permanent Night Schedule: A Pilot Study

Night shiftworkers often complain of disturbed sleep during the day. This could be partly caused by morning sunlight exposure during the commute home, which tends to maintain the circadian clock on a daytime rhythm. The circadian clock is most sensitive to the blue portion of the visible spectrum, so our aim was to determine if blocking short wavelengths of light below 540 nm could improve daytime sleep quality and nighttime vigilance of night shiftworkers. Eight permanent night shiftworkers (32–56 yrs of age) of Quebec City's Canada Post distribution center were evaluated during summertime, and twenty others (24–55 yrs of age) during fall and winter. Timing, efficacy, and fragmentation of daytime sleep were analyzed over four weeks by a wrist activity monitor, and subjective vigilance was additionally assessed at the end of the night shift in the fall–winter group. The first two weeks served as baseline and the remaining two as experimental weeks when workers had to wear blue-blockers glasses, either just before leaving the workplace at the end of their shift (summer group) or 2 h before the end of the night shift (fall–winter group). They all had to wear the glasses when outside during the day until 16:00 h. When wearing the glasses, workers slept, on average ±SD, 32±29 and 34±60 more min/day, increased their sleep efficacy by 1.95±2.17% and 4.56±6.1%, and lowered their sleep fragmentation by 1.74±1.36% and 4.22±9.16% in the summer and fall–winter group, respectively. Subjective vigilance also generally improved on Fridays in the fall–winter group. Blue-blockers seem to improve daytime sleep of permanent night-shift workers.