Abundance and diversity of peracarid taxa (Crustacea, Malacostraca) along a transect through the Beagle Channel, Patagonia

During the joint Chilean-German-Italian Magellan “Victor Hensen” Campaign in November 1994, samples were taken on a cruise of the RV Victor Hensen in order to obtain faunistic information from the Beagle Channel. Peracarida are an important fraction of the macrobenthos and were sampled in high numbers. Using an epibenthic sledge, 104,618 individuals were collected in total, comprising 62,860 Amphipoda, 14,685 Cumacea, 17,992 Isopoda, 7,168 Mysidacea and 1,893 Tanaidacea. To allow comparisons between stations, these numbers were standardized to a 1,000 m trawling distance, yielding about 368,000 individuals from all stations. Peracarida were most abundant at station 1213, southeast of Isla Picton, in the oceanic area close to the eastern entrance of the Beagle Channel (166,361 ind./1,000 m). Generally, stations off the eastern entrance were characterized by a high number of Peracarida. In the Beagle Channel itself, however, the abundance decreased from east to west with a single peak in peracarid number in the channel east of Punta Yámana. Numbers were much lower at the western entrance (792 ind./1,000 m) and even fewer Peracarida were collected in the Magdalena Channel off Punta Sánchez. Lowest numbers were recorded close to the glacier Romanche and west of Isla Picton at two locations. The composition of peracarid crustaceans was analysed in relation to the background of hydrographical and sedimentological differences, nutrient availability, and knowledge of the other associated fauna in the Beagle Channel. The available data lead us to conclude that abundance and composition of peracarid taxa in and south of the Beagle Channel (off the eastern entrance) seem to be influenced mainly by sediment composition and hydrographical characteristics as indicated above. Received: 18 October 1996 / Accepted: 19 December 1996     

Hypoglycosylation of a brain glycoprotein ({beta}-trace protein) in CDG syndromes due to phosphomannomutase deficiency and N-acetylglucosaminyl-transferase II deficiency

Human β-trace protein is a major intrathecally synthesizedpolypeptide constituent of human cerebrospinal fluid. We havepreviously shown that this protein is almost quantitativelymodified with biantennary complex-type N-linked oli-gosaccharideswhich show "brain-type" glycosylation characteristics (Hoffmann,A.et al, J. Neurochenu, 63, pp. 2185-2191,1994). In the presentstudy human β-trace protein from the cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) of patients with carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome(CDGS) due to phospho-mannomutase (PMM) deficiency and N-acetyl-glucosami-nyltransferaseII (GlcNAc-T II) deficiency as well as from control individualswas studied by Western blot analysis. The protein from pooledCSFs was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography. The proteinfrom the five patients with CDGS PMM deficiency showed threeprotein bands upon SDS-PAGE analysis corresponding to the di-,mono-, and unglycosylated polypeptide forms. Carbohydrate structuralanalysis of the enzymatically liberated N-glycans was performedapplying mapping by HPAEC-PAD, methylation analysis as wellas MALD/TOF-MS. Essentially identical oli-gosaccharide structureswere detected in β-TP from type I patients and controladult pooled CSF. The β-trace protein from two patientswith GlcNAc-T II deficiency showed a single di-N-glycosylatedprotein band with a significantly lower molecular weight thanthe di-glycosylated polypeptide from control patients and theβ-trace protein from pooled adult CSF. β-TP from GlcNAc-TII deficiency patients shared only three oligosaccharides outof the 13 observed in β-TP from controls or patients withPMM deficiency. The major oligosaccharide structures of theglycoprotein from patients with GlcNAc-T n deficiency were foundto be monoanten-nary asialo- or monosialylated lactosamine-typechains with proximal fucose and bisecting GlcNAc. "brain-type" N-glycosylation carbohydrate deficiency glycoprotein syndrome human β-trace protein phosphomannomutase deficiency GlcNAc-transferase II deficiency human cerebrospinal fluid     

Impact of Bacillus thuringiensis – insecticides on population dynamics and egg predation of the Colorado potato beetle in North Carolina potato plantings

Field studies to assess the impact of Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis (Btt)-insecticides on Colorado potato beetle populations, egg survivorship and levels of predation on egg masses were conducted in replicated field research plots during two years. Stage-specific abundance of the Colorado potato beetle and predation on egg masses were monitored in Btt-treated and untreated potato plots in both years. The Btt-treatments significantly reduced densities of large (third and fourth instar) Colorado potato beetle larvae. The densities of large larvae remained below 0.5 and 3 per plant in the Btt-treatment while peak densities of 4.5 and 21 large larvae per plant occurred in the untreated control in 1992 and 1993, respectively. Regular sampling of egg masses indicated that predation rates in Btt-treated and untreated plots did not differ significantly although, in 1993, predation rates of up to 100% were recorded, only in Btt-treated plots. In a predator exclusion study carried out in 1992, survivorship of protected eggs was consistently higher than of eggs exposed to predation. Seasonal survivorship of exposed eggs was significantly lower in the Btt-treated than in untreated plots. Btt insecticides for control of Colorado potato beetles provided direct protection of the crop and were compatible with naturally-occurring biological control of Colorado potato beetle eggs due to predation.     

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy: transthyretin (prealbumin) variants in kindreds of Italian origin

Summary As part of an epidemiological study that aims to characterize chemically the mutation(s) in transthyretin (TTR) related to familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) of different ethnic origins, studies were carried out on TTR from two FAP kindreds of Italian origin. Two different criteria were employed in the characterization of TTR from these kindreds: (1) immunoblotting of cyanogen bromide fragments for screening of TTR(Met³⁰) and (2) isoelectric focusing. TTR(Met³⁰) was not detected but other substitutions were demonstrated using isoelectric focusing techniques. One of the variants found is a basic TTR variant. The substitutions occurring in the variant TTRs of these two kindreds are not known and are presently under study.     

Pentobarbital Antagonizes the A1 Adenosine Receptor-Mediated Inhibition of Hippocampal Neurotransmitter Release

Barbiturates have been shown to be competitive antagonists at A1 adenosine receptors in radioligand binding studies. The present study investigates the effects of pentobarbital on the A1 receptor-mediated inhibition of neurotransmitter release from rabbit hippocampal slices. The inhibition of the electrically evoked release of [3H]noradrenaline by the A1 receptor agonist (R)-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA) was antagonized by pentobarbital with an apparent pA2 value of 3.5. Low concentrations of pentobarbital alone altered neither basal nor evoked release of [3H]noradrenaline, whereas 1,000 microM pentobarbital enhanced the basal and reduced the evoked release. In the presence of 8-phenyltheophylline, pentobarbital (200 microM and 1,000 microM) reduced the evoked noradrenaline release. Pentobarbital also antagonized the inhibition of [3H]acetylcholine release by R-PIA. In contrast to the noradrenaline release model, the evoked release of acetylcholine was enhanced by the presence of pentobarbital (50-500 microM), an effect that was lost in the presence of 8-phenyltheophylline. These results indicate that pentobarbital, in addition to a direct inhibitory action at higher concentrations, has a facilitatory effect on neurotransmitter release by blocking presynaptic A1 adenosine receptors. The possible relevance of these findings for the excitatory effects of barbiturates is discussed.     

Inhibition of Cellular Adhesion by Immunological Targeting of Osteopontin Neoepitopes Generated through Matrix Metalloproteinase and Thrombin Cleavage

Osteopontin (OPN), a secreted protein involved in inflammatory processes and cancer, induces cell adhesion, migration, and activation of inflammatory pathways in various cell types. Cells bind OPN via integrins at a canonical RGD region in the full length form as well as to a contiguous cryptic site that some have shown is unmasked upon thrombin or matrix metalloproteinase cleavage. Thus, the adhesive capacity of osteopontin is enhanced by proteolytic cleavage that may occur in inflammatory conditions such as obesity, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, tumor growth and metastasis. Our aim was to inhibit cellular adhesion to recombinant truncated proteins that correspond to the N-terminal cleavage products of thrombin- or matrix metalloproteinase-cleaved OPN in vitro. We specifically targeted the cryptic integrin binding site with monoclonal antibodies and antisera induced by peptide immunization of mice. HEK 293 cells adhered markedly stronger to truncated OPN proteins than to full length OPN. Without affecting cell binding to the full length form, the raised monoclonal antibodies specifically impeded cellular adhesion to the OPN fragments. Moreover, we show that the peptides used for immunization were able to induce antisera, which impeded adhesion either to all OPN forms, including the full-length form, or selectively to the corresponding truncated recombinant proteins. In conclusion, we developed immunological tools to selectively target functional properties of protease-cleaved OPN forms, which could find applications in treatment and prevention of various inflammatory diseases and cancers.