Trade-off between C and N recycling and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O emissions of soils with summer cover crops in subtropical agrosystems

Aims

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are soil-surface communities in drylands, dominated by cyanobacteria, mosses, and lichens. They provide key ecosystem functions by increasing soil stability and influencing soil hydrologic, nutrient, and carbon cycles. Because of this, methods to reestablish biocrusts in damaged drylands are needed. Here we test the reintroduction of field-collected vs. greenhouse-cultured biocrusts for rehabilitation.

Methods

We collected biocrusts for 1) direct reapplication, and 2) artificial cultivation under varying hydration regimes. We added field-collected and cultivated biocrusts (with and without hardening treatments) to bare field plots and monitored establishment.

Results

Both field-collected and cultivated cyanobacteria increased cover dramatically during the experimental period. Cultivated biocrusts established more rapidly than field-collected biocrusts, attaining ~82% cover in only one year, but addition of field-collected biocrusts led to higher species richness, biomass (as assessed by chlorophyll a) and level of development. Mosses and lichens did not establish well in either case, but late successional cover was affected by hardening and culture conditions.

Conclusions

This study provides further evidence that it is possible to culture biocrust components from later successional materials and reestablish cultured organisms in the field. However, more research is needed into effective reclamation techniques.

     

Human immune response to epitopes on the meningococcal outer membrane class 5 protein following natural infection

Abstract Two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced against a serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis strain. These mAbs recognized two epitopes in the class 5 outer membrane proteins (OMP), designated P5.7 and P5.Bm, and were able to kill the homologous strain through complement activation. Both epitopes were surface exposed and 68% of group B meningococcal clinical isolates had one or both epitopes present in their class 5 OMP. Antibodies to one or both epitopes were demonstrated in 17 patients with meningococcal meningitis using an ELISA inhibition assay. Of the 17 paired sera, 41% and 29% of the acute-phase sera had antibodies to the P5.7 and P5.Bm epitopes, respectively. Immunoglobulin G to P5.Bm were found in all 17 convalescent-phase sera while specific antibodies against P5.7 were only found in 6 of these sera. These results demonstrate the potential importance of the P5.Bm and P5.7 epitopes on the class 5 OMP as candidates for vaccine composition.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> morphogenesis and micropropagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aechmea ramosa</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">ramosa</Emphasis> Mart. ex Schult. f. (Bromeliaceae) from leaf explants

Aechmea ramosa Mart. ex Schult. f. is an endemic bromeliad of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The current habitat degradation of this hotspot biome threatens this species, which besides having an important ecological role, is also of invaluable ornamental interest. Plant tissue culture has been used in mass propagation and conservation of various bromeliads. We have established a micropropagation protocol for A. ramosa var. ramosa using leaf explants grown in MS medium supplemented with 2 μM of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 2 μM of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) that showed higher values of shoot induction. NAA and BAP are associated with the production of proteins involved in stress response modulation, metabolic activity, and cell division, the latter being involved in inducing the differentiation of competent cells. After 120 d of culture, each explant presented 28.9 shoots with an average size of 27.8 mm, with no variation in either Stomatal Index or density of the regenerated shoots. Plantlets measuring above 15-mm height were successfully acclimatized, presenting 100% survival rate. Thus, this protocol can be used for mass propagation of A. ramosa, and to supply demand for the market of ornamental plants. Furthermore, it represents an important tool for the conservation of this species and maintenance of an in vitro germplasm.     

The antimicrobial activity of Aspergillus fumigatus is enhanced by a pool of bacteria

In a screening program for new antibiotic producers, a strain of Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated from Brazilian soil samples. A pool of autoclaved bacteria was added to part of the fungus culture on the second day of fermentation to increase antibiotic production. The chloroform extract from the culture broth to which the pool of autoclaved bacteria was added showed an increase of 55%, 63% and more than 100% in activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Micrococcus luteus, respectively. Also, the HPLC chromatographic profiles of the chloroform extracts from both culture conditions were different. Two active compounds were isolated from the broth of the culture grown in the presence of pooled bacteria and were identified as 3,4-dimethoxyphenol and 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene.     

Recombinant Nup153 incorporates in vivo into Xenopus oocyte nuclear pore complexes

Nup153 is a molecular constituent of the nuclear basket of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) that plays a critical role in nuclear export of RNAs and proteins. In an effort to map this nucleoporin more precisely within the nuclear basket we have developed an experimental approach for localizing Nup153 expressed and incorporated in vivo into Xenopus oocyte NPCs. This approach involves the microinjection into the cytoplasm of Xenopus oocytes of in vitro synthesized mRNA from a vector encoding an epitope-tagged cDNA. Here we present results obtained by Western blots, fluorescence microscopy, and immuno-electron microscopy, which clearly document that the heterologous protein is properly expressed, targeted, and incorporated into preexisting Xenopus NPCs. This new approach for localizing nucleoporins within the structure of the NPC overcomes limitations of previous techniques and allows for greater specificity and resolution than have been possible with previous methods.     

Molecular and cytological characterization of genomic variability in hexaploid wheat 'Lindstr?m'.

'Lindstr?m' wheat (AABBDD+rye B chromosomes) was used to study the effects of alien chromatin introgressed into a wheat genetic background, subjecting the wheat genome to a new and transient allopolyploidisation episode. Using this experimental material, we have previously demonstrated that no large-scale chromosomal translocations occurred as a result of the genomic constitution of the addition line. However, we have shown that the presence of a number of rye B chromosomes is associated with changes in the interphase organization and expression patterns of wheat rDNA loci. We have now extended our studies to focus on a further characterization of 'Lindstr?m' 5S rDNA loci and also on high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) patterns. In the process, we have uncovered an unusually large variant of the 5S rDNA locus on wheat chromosome 1B (not to be confused with rye B chromosomes) and 2 novel HMW glutenin y-type alleles. These changes are not directly related to variation in rye B chromosome number in the present material, but the fact that a new, and still segregating, 1Dy HMW-GS gene was identified indicates a recent timescale for its origin. Strikingly, the 'Lindstr?m' 5S rDNA 1B locus integrates a unit sharing 94% homology with a rye 5S rDNA sequence, suggesting the possibility that the wheat locus was colonized by highly homologous rye sequences during the breeding of 'Lindstr?m', when the rye and wheat genomes were together, albeit briefly, in the same nucleus.     

Vocalizations of Hypsiboas goianus (Lutz, 1968) (Anura: Hylidae) in Central Brazil

Environmental and morphological factors and social context influence the vocalizations of anuran species. Herein, we observed the acoustic behavior of Hypsiboas goianus males from Central Brazil and analyzed the following calls: advertisement, short aggressive and long aggressive. The acoustic parameters of advertisement calls were not correlated with air temperature, mass or snout–vent length; however, the acoustic parameters of short aggressive calls were influenced by these variables. The temporal parameters of advertisement and short aggressive calls were classified as dynamic properties, while the dominant frequency was considered a static property. Dominant frequency is the most important variable to discriminate calls among individuals.     

Biomarker Discovery in Human Prostate Cancer: an Update in Metabolomics Studies

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among men in Western countries. Current screening techniques are based on the measurement of serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and digital rectal examination. A decisive diagnosis of PCa is based on prostate biopsies; however, this approach can lead to false-positive and false-negative results. Therefore, it is important to discover new biomarkers for the diagnosis of PCa, preferably noninvasive ones. Metabolomics is an approach that allows the analysis of the entire metabolic profile of a biological system. As neoplastic cells have a unique metabolic phenotype related to cancer development and progression, the identification of dysfunctional metabolic pathways using metabolomics can be used to discover cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets. In this study, we review several metabolomics studies performed in prostatic fluid, blood plasma/serum, urine, tissues and immortalized cultured cell lines with the objective of discovering alterations in the metabolic phenotype of PCa and thus discovering new biomarkers for the diagnosis of PCa. Encouraging results using metabolomics have been reported for PCa, with sarcosine being one of the most promising biomarkers identified to date. However, the use of sarcosine as a PCa biomarker in the clinic remains a controversial issue within the scientific community. Beyond sarcosine, other metabolites are considered to be biomarkers for PCa, but they still need clinical validation. Despite the lack of metabolomics biomarkers reaching clinical practice, metabolomics proved to be a powerful tool in the discovery of new biomarkers for PCa detection.