Mapping airborne pollen of papaya (Carica papaya L.) and its distribution related to land use using GIS and remote sensing

Papaya is an economically important plant in Thailand for domestic consumption and export. However, papaya is extremely susceptible to disease caused by the papaya ring spot virus. Although transgenic papaya has been developed, commercial cultivation of transgenic plants in Thailand is still illegal. One concern is cross-pollination to conventional varieties. In this study, windborne-pollen dispersion of papaya (Carica papaya L.) was investigated using geographic information systems (GIS) and remotely sensed data. Pollen traps were placed around a papaya plot in eight geographic directions, with radiuses varying from 5 to 900 m from the plot. Pollen counts were made for 12 different dates, and data were input into a GIS database. The distribution of pollen and its relation to land use were analyzed using land use data obtained from Quickbird imagery acquired during 2007. Comparative analyses of pollen dispersal, wind direction, and speed were made using data collected from a micro-climatic station set up at a papaya plot. The furthest distance from the plot that pollen was found was at 0.9 km, a distance at which only 1 pollen grain was found. The number of pollen grains carried by wind decreased as distance increased. The direction of dispersal was not in accordance with wind direction data. Most pollen grains were found in agricultural areas and bare land. The total number of pollen grains found in exposed areas was considerably higher than the total found in areas sheltered by dense tree lines.     

Cisplatin Affects the Conformation of Apo Form,not Holo Form,of BRCA1 RING Finger Domain and Confers Thermal Stability

The breast cancer suppressor protein 1 (BRCA1) has been shown to participate in genomic integrity maintenance. Preclinical and clinical studies have recently revealed that the inactivation of BRCA1 in cancer cells leads to chemosensitivity. Approaching the BRCA1 RING protein as a potentially molecular target for a platinum‐based drug might be of interest in cancer therapy. In the present study, the in vitro platination of the BRCA1 RING protein by the anticancer drug cisplatin was observed. The protein contained a preformed structure in the apo form with structural changes and resistance to limited proteolysis after Zn²⁺ binding. SDS‐PAGE and mass‐spectrometric analyses revealed that cisplatin preferentially formed monofunctional and bifunctional BRCA1 adducts. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) of the 656.29²⁺ ion indicated that the ion arose from [Pt(NH₃)₂(OH)]⁺ bound to the BRCA1 peptide ¹¹¹ENNSPEHLK¹¹⁹. The product‐ion spectrum revealed the Pt‐binding site on His117. Circular dichroism showed that the apo form, not holo form, of BRCA1 underwent more folded structural rearrangement upon cisplatin binding. Cisplatin‐bound protein exhibited an enhanced thermostability by 13°, resulting from the favorably intermolecular cross‐links driven by the free energy. Our findings demonstrated the first conformational and thermal evidences for a direct binding of cisplatin to the BRCA1 RING domain and could raise a possibility of selectively targeted treatment of cancer with less toxicity or improved response to conventional regimens.     

Biotransformations of 20-hydroxyecdysone and analogues by Curvularia lunata NRRL 2178

20-Hydroxyecdysone, the arthropod moulting hormone, was biotransformed by the fungus Curvularia lunata NRRL 2178 to the rare ecdysteroid, 2-dehydro-3-epi-20-hydroxyecdysone, and the novel 3alpha,9alpha-cyclo ecdysteroid analogue, (20R,22R)-3beta,14alpha,20,22,25-pentahydroxy-3alpha,9alpha-cyclo-5beta-cholest-7-en-2,6-dione in 14 and 44% yields, respectively. Ponasterone A and pterosterone were similarly biotransformed to the corresponding 2-dehydro-3-epi- and 3alpha,9alpha-cyclo-analogues.     

Inhibitory effects of choleretic hydroxyacetophenones on ileal bile acid transport in rats

The effects of the choleretic and cholesterol lowering compound, 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone (THA) and its analog, 2,6-dihydroxyacetophenone (DHA), on ileal bile acid absorption were investigated in rats. THA inhibited taurocholate (TC) uptake into ileal brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV), showing a maximum inhibition of 50%, whereas DHA completely inhibited TC uptake into ileal BBMV. THA exhibited competitive inhibition with a Ki of 9.88 mM, while DHA showed non-competitive inhibition with a Ki of 7.65 mM. Both total and ouabain-sensitive basolateral membrane (BLM) Na+-K+-ATPase activities, which are essential for maintenance of the Na+-gradient for bile acid transport, were inhibited by THA and DHA in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of BLM ATPase was uncompetitive with a Ki of 10.1 and 5.0 mM for THA and DHA, respectively. Administration of THA or DHA (400 micromol/kg) twice a day, to hypercholesterolemic rats for 3 weeks caused similar and marked reductions in plasma cholesterol to 60% of the cholesterol-fed controls. The data suggest that the inhibitory actions of THA and DHA on two essential components of ileal bile acid recycling to liver could, in part, contribute to the cholesterol lowering effect of the hydroxyacetophenone compounds. These effects on decreasing bile acid recycling, in combination with their potent choleretic effect, accelerating biliary excretion of bile acids, are responsible for the effective cholesterol lowering capacities of these compounds.     

Hydroxyxanthone as an inhibitor of cAMP-activated apical chloride channel in human intestinal epithelial cell

AimsPrevious investigation showed that polyphenols abundantly found in many plants could inhibit Cl^? secretion. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of phenol containing xanthone derivatives on cAMP-activated intestinal Cl^? secretion and evaluate potential benefits of these compounds in the treatment of cholera.Main methodsFour hydroxy xanthones were synthesized via oxidative coupling reaction of the corresponding ortho-hydroxybenzoic acids and hydroxyphenols. Short-circuit current and apical Cl^? current measurements across monolayers of human intestinal epithelial (T84) cell and Fisher rat thyroid cells transfected with human CFTR (FRT-hCFTR cell) were performed to determine the effect of hydroxyxanthones on cAMP-activated Cl^? secretion. Intracellular cAMP was measured by immunoassay methods. Anti-diarrheal efficacy was evaluated using closed loop model of cholera.Key findingsAmong the tested xanthones, 1,3,6-trihydroxyxanthone (THX-001) was found to be the most potent derivative in the inhibition of cAMP-activated Cl^? secretion across T84 cell monolayers (IC₅₀ ~ 100 μM). Electrophysiological analysis of T84 cells and FRT-hCFTR cells revealed that THX-001 targeted two distinct cAMP-activated Cl^? channels in the apical membrane of T84 cells, namely, CFTR and inward rectifying Cl^? channel (IRC). In contrast, THX-001 had no effect on intracellular cAMP levels in these cells. Importantly, THX-001 completely abolished cholera toxin-induced Cl^? secretion across T84 cell monolayers and significantly inhibited cholera toxin-induced intestinal fluid secretion in mouse closed loop models.SignificanceThis study revealed that hydroxyxanthone represents another chemical class of polyphenolic compounds that may hold promise as anti-secretory therapy for cholera.     

Antibacterial activity of berberine-NorA pump inhibitor hybrids with a methylene ether linking group

Conjugation of the NorA substrate berberine and the NorA inhibitor 5-nitro-2-phenyl-1H-indole via a methylene ether linking group gave the 13-substituted berberine-NorA inhibitor hybrid, 3. A series of simpler arylmethyl ether hybrid structures were also synthesized. The hybrid 3 showed excellent antibacterial activity (MIC Staphylococcus aureus, 1.7 μM), which was over 382-fold more active than the parent antibacterial berberine, against this bacterium. This compound was also shown to block the NorA efflux pump in S. aureus.     

Mapping of Rice Rf Gene by Bulked Line Analysis

A method, bulked line analysis (BLA), was developed for identificationof the RFLP markers associated with a target gene. Instead ofsegregating progenies, conventional lines sharing the same traitwere bulked by the BLA method. This method is an alternativeapproach to the identification of DNA markers linked with atarget gene. A major advantage of this method is time-savingfor genetic stock development. The advantage is very significantfor organisms having a long generation period. This method hasbeen tested by using fertility restoration of rice cytoplasmicmale sterility of wild abortive type as a target trait. A fertility-restoringgene was successfully identified by linkage with RFLP markers.This gene was mapped in the middle of the long arm of chromosome10 of the rice genome.     

Quantitative trait loci associated with leaf and neck blast resistance in recombinant inbred line population of rice (Oryza sativa).

Blast is an economically important disease of rice. To map genes controlling blast resistance, recombinant inbred lines (RIL) were developed from Khao Dawk Mali 105, an aromatic, blast-susceptible cultivar and the blast resistance donor, CT 9993-5-10-M (CT). A linkage map encompassing 2112 cM was constructed from 141 RILs using 90 restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) and 31 simple sequence repeats (SSR). Virulent isolates of blast fungus were identified by screening differential host sets against 87 single-spore isolates collected from the north and northeast of Thailand. Fifteen virulent blast isolates were selected for leaf blast screening. Neck blast was evaluated both under natural conditions and controlled inoculations. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for broad resistance spectrum (BRS) to leaf blast were located on chromosomes 7 and 9. In particular, the QTL(ch9) was mapped near the Pi5(t) locus. The QTL(ch7) was located close to a previously mapped partial resistance QTL. Both loci showed significant allelic interaction. Genotypes having CT alleles at both QTL(ch7) and QTL(ch9) were the most resistant. Two neck-blast QTLs were mapped on chromosomes 5 and 6. The inconsistent map locations between the leaf and neck blast QTLs indicate the complexity of fixing both leaf and neck blast resistance. The coincidence of BRS and field resistance QTLs on chromosome 7 supports the idea that BRS may reflect the broad resistance spectrum to leaf blast in rice. These findings laid the foundation for the development of a marker-assisted scheme for improving Khoa Dawk Mali 105 and the majority of aromatic Thai rice varieties that are susceptible to blast.