Effect of host plant on susceptibility of whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales)

We determined host plant effect on susceptibility of whitefly Bemisia tabaci to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana under controlled conditions. Insects were reared on cucumber, eggplant, tomato or cabbage. Fungal suspensions of 1×10⁴, 10⁵, 10⁶, 10⁷ and 10⁸ conidia/mL were applied on second-instar nymphs. Nymphal survival significantly differed among different host plant species on which the nymphs were reared. Ten days after inoculation with 1×10⁸ conidia/mL, percent survival was 4.2±0.7, 9.6±0.4, 13.4±0.8, and 24.3±0.9% on cucumber, eggplant, tomato and cabbage, respectively. Average survival times of nymphs were also significantly influenced by host plant species. After inoculation with 1×10⁸ conidia/mL, survival times were 4.8±0.15, 6.0±0.11, 5.7±0.13, and 6.2±0.08 days for nymphs reared on cucumber, eggplant, tomato, and cabbage, respectively. Virulence also differed depending on host plant species; 10 days after inoculation, LC₅₀ values were 4.6×10⁴, 1.6×10⁵, 4.2×10⁵ and 2.1×10⁶ conidia/mL on cucumber, eggplant, tomato and cabbage, respectively. Nymphs on cucumber showed highest susceptibility.     

DARPin Ec1-LMWP protein scaffold in targeted delivery of siRNA molecules through EpCAM cancer stem cell marker

Molecular Biology Reports - This study is to investigate the binding ability of Designed Ankyrin Repeat Proteins type Ec1that was fused to Low Molecular Weight Protamine (DARPin Ec1-LMWP) protein...     

Prostanoids suppress the coronary vasoconstrictor influence of endothelin after myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with endothelial dysfunction resulting in an imbalance in endothelium-derived vasodilators and vasoconstrictors. We have previously shown that despite increased endothelin (ET) plasma levels, the coronary vasoconstrictor effect of endogenous ET is abolished after MI. In normal swine, nitric oxide (NO) and prostanoids modulate the vasoconstrictor effect of ET. In light of the interaction among NO, prostanoids, and ET combined with endothelial dysfunction present after MI, we investigated this interaction in control of coronary vasomotor tone in the remote noninfarcted myocardium after MI. Studies were performed in chronically instrumented swine (18 normal swine; 13 swine with MI) at rest and during treadmill exercise. Furthermore, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and cyclooxygenase protein levels were measured in the anterior (noninfarcted) wall of six normal and six swine with MI. eNOS inhibition with N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) and cyclooxygenase inhibition with indomethacin each resulted in coronary vasoconstriction at rest and during exercise, as evidenced by a decrease in coronary venous oxygen levels. The effect of l-NNA was slightly decreased in swine with MI, although eNOS expression was not altered. Conversely, in accordance with the unaltered expression of cyclooxygenase-1 after MI, the effect of indomethacin was similar in normal and MI swine. L-NNA enhanced the vasodilator effect of the ET(A/B) receptor blocker tezosentan but exclusively during exercise in both normal and MI swine. Interestingly, this effect of L-NNA was blunted in MI compared with normal swine. In contrast, whereas indomethacin increased the vasodilator effect of tezosentan only during exercise in normal swine, indomethacin unmasked a coronary vasodilator effect of tezosentan in MI swine both at rest and during exercise. In conclusion, the present study shows that endothelial control of the coronary vasculature is altered in post-MI remodeled myocardium. Thus the overall vasodilator influences of NO as well as its inhibition of the vasoconstrictor influence of ET on the coronary resistance vessels were reduced after MI. In contrast, while the overall prostanoid vasodilator influence was maintained, its inhibition of ET vasoconstrictor influences was enhanced in post-MI remote myocardium.     

Reversine ameliorates hallmarks of cellular senescence in human skeletal myoblasts via reactivation of autophagy

Cellular senescence leads to the depletion of myogenic progenitors and decreased regenerative capacity. We show that the small molecule 2,6-disubstituted purine, reversine, can improve some well-known hallmarks of cellular aging in senescent myoblast cells. Reversine reactivated autophagy and insulin signaling pathway via upregulation of Adenosine Monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Akt2, restoring insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in senescent cells. Reversine also restored the loss of connectivity of glycolysis to the TCA cycle, thus restoring dysfunctional mitochondria and the impaired myogenic differentiation potential of senescent myoblasts. Altogether, our data suggest that cellular senescence can be reversed by treatment with a single small molecule without employing genetic reprogramming technologies.     

Recent evaporite deposition associated with microbial mats,Al-Kharrar supratidal–intertidal sabkha,Rabigh area,Red Sea coastal plain of Saudi Arabia

The supratidal–intertidal sabkha of the Al-Kharrar area, Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia, contains the evaporite minerals gypsum, anhydrite, and halite. Microbial mats flourish adjacent to the sabkha evaporites in tidal flats and pools of the Al Kharrar lagoon. Desiccation and decay of some microbial mats in tidal flat areas have led to precipitation of gypsum and halite there. The evaporite minerals have been precipitated through displacive, inclusive, and replacive growth within mud, sand, gravelly sand, and bioclastic sediment of the sabkha. Gypsum occurs as lenticular and tabular crystals whereas anhydrite occurs as nodular (individual, mosaic, and enterolithic) and pseudomorphs of lenticular gypsum crystals that grew displacively and replacively near the surface of the sabkha. Halite exists as a diagenetic cement within the sabkha sediment, or as primary rafts and skeletal crystals in desiccated tidal pools with salinity over 220‰. Microbial mats are growing on the surface of the upper tidal flat areas and in pools at a salinity range of 80–110‰, and they lead to biostabilization of the sediment. They have induced a range of sedimentary surface structures (MISS) including gas domes, reticulate patterns, tufts, pinnacles, wrinkles, and microbial shrinkage cracks. The occurrence, abundance, and association of evaporite minerals and MISS are controlled by local environmental factors such topography of the sabkha, emergence or submergence of tidal areas, surface area of the evaporite basin, contribution of meteoric water from floods from the adjoining Red Sea Mountains, and water salinity. These factors promote the growth of the microbial mats in the winter months, and deposition of evaporite minerals during summer months. Field and petrographic data indicate that the main recharge to the sabkha area is from tidal flow and water seepage from the Al-Kharrar lagoon. The results of this study indicate that within a small sabkha area of Al-Kharrar (3?×?17 km), a large variation in evaporite mineral types and morphologies grade into and are associated with MISS due to local environmental parameters. The interpretation of this association of evaporite minerals and MISS provides useful data for understanding the mechanisms responsible for precipitation of evaporite minerals and formation of MISS.     

Antioxidant response and proteomic modulations in Indian mustard grown under salt stress

Productivity of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern. and Coss.) is markedly reduced by salt stress. To develop salt tolerance in this important oilseed crop is a need of the hour. This study, based on analysis of growth parameters and antioxidant profile of fourteen Indian mustard genotypes treated with 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM of sodium chloride, was performed to identify the salt-sensitive and salt-tolerant genotypes. Salinity stress inhibited biomass accumulation and reduced the protein and chlorophyll contents in a dose-dependent manner. The reduction was the highest in genotype Pusa Agrani and lowest in CS-54, depicting their contrasting sensitivity to salt stress. Salt treatments triggered a concentration-dependent overproduction of reactive-oxygen species and a concurrent upregulation of the expression of different antioxidants. Genotype CS-54 showed the least damage and maintained a high antioxidant level with almost each salt treatment, exhibiting its competence to withstand the damage provoked by salinity stress. Genotype Pusa Agrani, on the contrary, depicted a salt-sensitive nature by way of its very high lipid peroxidation and low intensity of antioxidants. These two genotypes were further investigated through gel-based proteomic approach, which resulted in the identification and quantification of 42 salinity-responsive proteins related to different metabolic modifications. Molecular processes, including photosynthesis, redox homeostasis, nitrogen metabolism, ATP synthesis, protein synthesis and degradation, signal transduction and respiratory pathways, have exhibited significant changes. The identified stress-responsive proteins could pave the way to develop salt tolerance in Indian mustard plant, thus sustaining its productivity under salinity.     

Drought-induced adaptive changes in the seedling anatomy of Acacia ehrenbergiana and Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana

This study, conducted on Acacia species (Acacia ehrenbergiana Hayne and Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana (Savi) Brenan) to determine their adaptive capacity to tolerate drought and suitability for reforestation, revealed that leaf water potential (ψ) decreased in both the species with increase in drought intensity. With increase in the intensity of drought, vessel diameter increased in A. ehrenbergiana, causing a significant decline in vessel frequency mm^?2 of the transverse wood surface, while it decreased in A. tortilis, leading to a crowded vessel population. Vessel-wall thickness, in conjunction with inter-vessel pit membrane thickness, showed a positive correlation with drought stress in both the species. Ray dimensions generally decreased in A. ehrenbergiana but increased in A. tortilis under increasing degree of drought. The transverse fiber-wall area decreased in A. ehrenbergiana, thus lowering the density (r = 0.996) and enhancing the vulnerability of wood (r = ?0.979) under the drought stress, but increased in A. tortilis, causing a high density (r = ?0.979) and low vulnerability of wood (r = 0.869), under the same set of conditions. Correlation of wood density with vulnerability index was stronger in A. ehrenbergiana (r = ?0.993) than in A. tortilis (r = ?0.753). Diameters and thickness of inter-vessel pit membrane were linearly correlated with increasing intensity of drought in both the species, but its area fraction per vessel segment increased due to water stress in A. ehrenbergiana and decreased in A. tortilis. This study indicated that, on the whole, A. tortilis has a greater capacity to tolerate the harshness of drought than A. ehrenbergiana.     

Peptide fragment 66–77 of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and its retro-enantio analogue inhibit the migration of cells in vitro and in vivo

The retro-enantio-analogue of peptide 66–77 of the chemokine MCP-1 and two hexapeptide fragments 66–71 and 72–77 of the C-terminal sequence of this protein were synthesized using the Fmoc strategy of solid phase peptide synthesis. The effect of the synthetic peptides upon the MCP-1-stimulated migration of THP-1 mononuclear cells was studied in vitro. The activity of the retro-enantio analogue was found to be comparable with that of the initial peptide 66–77: both peptides inhibit the migration of monocytes and granulocytes into inflammation zones of experimental animals.     

Pharmacological evaluation of anti-leishmanial activity by in vivo nitric oxide modulation in Balb/c mice infected with Leishmania major MRHO/IR/75/ER: an Iranian strain of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Cutaneous leishmaniasis with a variation in its clinical signs is still one of the health problems in the world, region and Iran. Immune responses against leishmania consist of cytokines, immune cells and mediators. Macrophages participate actively in the inflammatory response by releasing chemokines and mediators including nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates. This study investigates whether NO had anti-leishmanial effects and/or mediated pathology in mice infected with Leishmania major MRHO/IR/75/ER (IR/75). NO inducer lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and NO donor S-nitrosoglutathione (SNOG) were used for their ability to increase RNI and to modify leishmania infection in susceptible Balb/c mice, in order to evaluate the effects of NO production on size and lesion macroscopy, delay of lesion formation and proliferation of amastigotes inside macrophages. Liver, spleen and lymph nodes were also studied as target organs to detect amastigotes. In addition to plasma, liver and spleen suspensions were investigated for NO induction by using Griess microassay. Statistical analysis of data revealed an association between increases in NO level with the pathology of disease in Balb/c mice infected with L. major IR/75. The survival of leishmania parasite inside the macrophages and its proliferation was affected by LPS and SNOG-treatments. An inconsistent relationship was evident between the NO modulation and pathological changes in treated Balb/c mice infected with L. major IR/75.