Transfer of Dicamba Tolerance from Sinapis arvensis to Brassica napus via Embryo Rescue and Recurrent Backcross Breeding

Auxinic herbicides (e.g. dicamba) are extensively used in agriculture to selectively control broadleaf weeds. Although cultivated species of Brassicaceae (e.g. Canola) are susceptible to auxinic herbicides, some biotypes of Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard) were found dicamba resistant in Canada. In this research, dicamba tolerance from wild mustard was introgressed into canola through embryo rescue followed by conventional breeding. Intergeneric hybrids between S. arvensis (2n = 18) and B. napus (2n = 38) were produced through embryo rescue. Embryo formation and hybrid plant regeneration was achieved. Transfer of dicamba tolerance from S. arvensis into the hybrid plants was determined by molecular analysis and at the whole plant level. Dicamba tolerance was introgressed into B. napus by backcrossing for seven generations. Homozygous dicamba-tolerant B. napus lines were identified. The ploidy of the hybrid progeny was assessed by flow cytometry. Finally, introgression of the piece of DNA possibly containing the dicamba tolerance gene into B. napus was confirmed using florescence in situ hybridization (FISH). This research demonstrates for the first time stable introgression of dicamba tolerance from S. arvensis into B. napus via in vitro embryo rescue followed by repeated backcross breeding. Creation of dicamba-tolerant B. napus varieties by this approach may have potential to provide options to growers to choose a desirable herbicide-tolerant technology. Furthermore, adoption of such technology facilitates effective weed control, less tillage, and possibly minimize evolution of herbicide resistant weeds.     

Phage display antibodies for diagnostic applications

With major developments in molecular biology, numerous display technologies have been successfully introduced for recombinant antibody production. Even so, phage display still remains the gold standard for recombinant antibody production. Its success is mainly attributed to the robust nature of phage particles allowing for automation and adaptation to modifications. The generation of monospecific binders provides a vital tool for diagnostics at a lower cost and higher efficiency. The flexibility to modify recombinant antibodies allows great applicability to various platforms for use. This review presents phage display technology, application and modifications of recombinant antibodies for diagnostics.     

Investigating pollination strategies in disturbed habitats: the case of the narrow-endemic toadflax Linaria tonzigii (Plantaginaceae) on mountain screes

Plant Ecology - Plant mating systems may reflect an adaptation to a habitat type, with self-pollination being potentially common in unstable and disturbed conditions. We investigated the...     

Salinity and Water-Related Disease Risk in Coastal Bangladesh

EcoHealth - An increase in surface and ground-water salinity due to climate change is reported to have become a great threat to the health of coastal inhabitants in Bangladesh. However, little is...     

Interaction of the anticancer plant alkaloid sanguinarine with bovine serum albumin

Background

Interaction of the iminium and alkanolamine forms of sanguinarine with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was characterized by spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Formation of strong complexes of BSA with both iminium and alkanolamine forms was revealed from fluorescence quenching of sanguinarine. Binding parameters calculated from Stern-Volmer quenching method revealed that the neutral alkanolamine had higher affinity to BSA compared to the charged iminium form. Specific binding distances of 3.37 and 2.38 nm between Trp 212 (donor) and iminium and alkanolamine forms (acceptor), respectively, were obtained from Forster resonance energy transfer studies. Competitive binding using the site markers warfarin and ibuprofen, having definite binding sites, demonstrated that both forms of sanguinarine bind to site I (subdomain IIA) on BSA. Sanguinarine binding alters protein conformation by reducing the α-helical organization and increasing the coiled structure, indicating a small but definitive partial unfolding of the protein. Thermodynamic parameters evaluated from isothermal titration calorimetry suggested that the binding was enthalpy driven for the iminium form but favoured by negative enthalpy and strong favourable entropy contributions for the alkanolamine form, revealing the involvement of different molecular forces in the complexation.

Conclusions/Significance

The results suggest that the neutral alkanolamine form binds to the protein more favourably compared to the charged iminium, in stark contrast to the reported DNA binding preference of sanguinarine.     

Identification of MRI1, encoding translation initiation factor eIF-2B subunit alpha/beta/delta-like protein,as a candidate locus for infantile epilepsy with severe cystic degeneration of the brain

Several neurodegenerative disorders are known to predominantly affect the white matter of the brain including vanishing white matter disease (VWMD), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by leukodystrophy of varying severity in addition to variable systemic involvement. We report a consanguineous Arab family with three affected children, all of whom presented with severe neonatal epilepsy and profound neurodegenerative disease characterized by marked leukodystrophy with white matter cavitation mimicking VWMD. We combined autozygome and exome analysis to identify a novel variant in the gene encoding a member of the eIF2B-related family of proteins (MRI1). This is a poorly understood family of proteins of unclear function. Our results represent the first link between a variant in a member of this family and a human disease, and suggest that it converges with the highly homologous eIF2B, known to be mutated in VWMD, on the molecular pathogenesis of neurodegeneration.     

Convergent and construct validity and test–retest reliability of the Caen Chronotype Questionnaire in six languages

ABSTRACT

Chronotype questionnaires provide a simple and time-effective approach to assessing individual differences in circadian variations. Chronotype questionnaires traditionally focused on one dimension of chronotype, namely its orientation along a continuum of morningness and eveningness. The Caen Chronotype Questionnaire (CCQ) was developed to assess an additional dimension of chronotype that captures the extent to which individual functioning varies during the day (amplitude). The aim of this study was to provide a multilanguage validation of the CCQ in six world regions (Arabic, Dutch, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish). At Time 1, a total of 2788 participants agreed to take part in the study (Arabic, n = 731; Dutch, n = 538; German, n = 329; Italian, n = 473; Portuguese, n = 361; Spanish, n = 356). Participants completed an assessment of the CCQ together with the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ; Horne & Ostberg 1976) as well as questions related to factors theoretically related to chronotype (age, shift work, physical activity, sleep parameters and coffee consumption). One month later, participants again completed the CCQ. Results showed that the two-factor structure (morningness-eveningness and amplitude) of the CCQ could be replicated in all six languages. However, measurement invariance could not be assumed regarding the factor loadings across languages, meaning that items loaded more on their factors in some translations than in others. Test–retest reliability of the CCQ ranged from unacceptable (German version) to excellent (Dutch, Portuguese). Convergent validity was established through small–medium effect size correlations between the morningness-eveningness dimension of the CCQ and the MEQ. Taken together, our findings generally support the use of the translated versions of the CCQ. Further validation work on the CCQ is required including convergent validation against physiological markers of sleep, health and well-being.     

Redox Factor-1 Activates Endothelial SIRTUIN1 through Reduction of Conserved Cysteine Sulfhydryls in Its Deacetylase Domain

Apurinic/Apyrmidinic Endonuclease 1/Redox Factor-1 (APE1/Ref-1) is a reductant which is important for vascular homeostasis. SIRTUIN1 (SIRT1) is a lysine deacetylase that also promotes endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. We asked if APE1/Ref-1 governs the redox state and activity of SIRT1, and whether SIRT1 mediates the effect of APE1/Ref-1 on endothelium-dependent vascular function. APE1/Ref-1 maintains sulfhydryl (thiol) groups of cysteine residues in SIRT1 in the reduced form and promotes endothelial SIRT1 activity. APE1/Ref-1 stimulates SIRT1 activity by targeting highly conserved vicinal thiols 371 and 374 which form a zinc tetra-thiolate motif in the deacetylase domain of SIRT1. Cysteine residues in the N-terminal redox domain of APE1/Ref-1 are essential for reducing SIRT1 and stimulating its activity. APE1/Ref-1 protects endothelial SIRT1 from hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidation of sulfhydryls and from inactivation. APE1/Ref-1 also promotes lysine deacetylation of the SIRT1 target endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). SIRT1 mutated at cysteines 371 and 374, which renders it non-reducible by APE1/Ref-1, prevents lysine deacetylation of eNOS by APE1/Ref-1. SIRT1 free thiol (reduced sulfhydryl) content and deacetylase activity are diminished in all examined tissues of APE1/Ref-1^+/− mice, including the vasculature. Overexpression of SIRT1 in aortas of APE1/Ref-1^+/− mice restores endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and bioavailable nitric oxide (NO) to levels similar to those observed in wild-type mice. Thus, APE1/Ref-1, by maintaining functionally important cysteine sulfhydryls in SIRT1 in the reduced form, promotes endothelial SIRT1 activity. This reductive activation of endothelial SIRT1 by APE1/Ref-1 mediates the effect of APE1/Ref-1 on eNOS acetylation, promoting endothelium-derived NO and endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation.     

Concomitant Effects of Ramadan Fasting and Time-Of-Day on Apolipoprotein AI,B, Lp-a and Homocysteine Responses during Aerobic Exercise in Tunisian Soccer Players

Objective

To examine the time-of-day and Ramadan fasting (RF) effects on serum apolipoprotein-AI (Apo-AI) and B (Apo-B), lipoprotein particles-a (Lp-a), high-sensitive C-reactive-protein (hs-CRP), and homocysteine (Hcy) during the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (YYIRT).

Design

Performance and biochemical measures were completed at two times-of-day (07:00 and 17:00 h), 1-week before RF (BR), the second week of RF (SWR), and the fourth week of RF (ER).

Setting

For each session, subjects performed the YYIRT, and blood samples were taken before and 3-min after the test for biochemical measures.

Participants

Fifteen soccer players.

Main Outcome Measures

Total distance during the YYIRT, core temperature, body composition, dietary intakes, lipid (HDL-C, LDL-C, Apo-AI, B and Lp-a) and inflammatory (hs-CRP and Hcy) profiles.

Results

Performances during the YYIRT were higher in the evening than the morning BR (P < 0.05), but this fluctuation was not observed during RF. Moreover, LDL-C, ApoB, and Lp-a were stable throughout the daytime BR. However, during RF, they decreased at 17:00 h (P < 0.05). Likewise, HDL-C and Apo-AI increased after the exercise and were higher at 17:00 h BR (P < 0.001). Moreover, these parameters increased during RF (P < 0.01). Furthermore, Hcy and hs-CRP increased during the exercise (P < 0.01) with higher evening levels BR. During ER, the diurnal pattern of Hcy was inversed (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

This study concluded that caloric restriction induced by RF seems to ameliorate lipid and inflammatory markers of cardiovascular health during intermittent exercise performed in the evening.