Correlative Imaging of Motoneuronal Cell Elasticity by Pump and Probe Spectroscopy

Because of their role of information transmitter between the spinal cord and the muscle fibers, motor neurons are subject to physical stimulation and mechanical property modifications. We report on motoneuron elasticity investigated by time-resolved pump and probe spectroscopy. A dual picosecond geometry simultaneously probing the acoustic impedance mismatch at the cell-titanium transducer interface and acoustic wave propagation inside the motoneuron is presented. Such noncontact and nondestructive microscopy, correlated to standard atomic force microscopy or a fluorescent labels approach, has been carried out on a single cell to address some physical properties such as bulk modulus of elasticity, dynamical longitudinal viscosity, and adhesion.     

Degradation of 2,4,6-tribromophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol by aerobic heterotrophic bacteria present in psychrophilic lakes

Halogenated compounds have been incorporated into the environment, principally through industrial activities. Nonetheless, microorganisms able to degrade halophenols have been isolated from neither industrial nor urban environments. In this work, the ability of bacterial communities from oligotrophic psychrophilic lakes to degrade 2,4,6-tribromophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and the presence of the genes tcpA and tcpC described for 2,4,6-trichlorophenol degradation were investigated. After 10 days at 4°C, the microcosms showed the ability to degrade both halophenols. Nonetheless, bacterial strains isolated from the microcosms did not degrade any of the halophenols, suggesting that the degradation was done by a bacterial consortium. Genes tcpA and tcpC were not detected. Results demonstrated that the bacterial communities present in oligotrophic psycrophilic lakes have the ability to degrade halophenolic compounds at 4°C and the enzymes involved in their degradation could be codified in genes different to those described for bacteria isolated from environments contaminated by industrial activities.     

An expanded genetic linkage map of Prunus based on an interspecific cross between almond and peach.

The genetic linkage map of Prunus constructed earlier and based on an interspecific F2 population resulting from a cross between almond (Prunus dulcis D.A. Webb) and peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) was extended to include 8 isozyme loci, 102 peach mesocarp cDNAs, 11 plum genomic clones, 19 almond genomic clones, 7 resistance gene analogs (RGAs), 1 RGA-related sequence marker, 4 morphological trait loci, 3 genes with known function, 4 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci, 1 RAPD, and 1 cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAP) marker. This map contains 161 markers placed in eight linkage groups that correspond to the basic chromosome number of the genus (x = n = 8) with a map distance of 1144 centimorgans (cM) and an average marker density of 6.8 cM. Four more trait loci (Y, Pcp, D, and SK) and one isozyme locus (Mdh1) were assigned to linkage groups based on known associations with linked markers. The linkage group identification numbers correspond to those for maps published by the Arús group in Spain and the Dirlewanger group in France. Forty-five percent of the loci showed segregation distortion most likely owing to the interspecific nature of the cross and mating system differences between almond (obligate outcrosser) and peach (selfer). The Cat1 locus, known to be linked to the D locus controlling fruit acidity, was mapped to linkage group 5. A gene or genes controlling polycarpel fruit development was placed on linkage group 3, and control of senesced leaf color (in late fall season) (LFCLR) was mapped to linkage group 1 at a putative location similar to where the Y locus has also been placed.     

The origin of a novel gene through overprinting in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Background  

Overlapped genes originate by a) loss of a stop codon among contiguous genes coded in different frames; b) shift to an upstream initiation codon of one of the contiguous genes; or c) by overprinting, whereby a novel open reading frame originates through point mutation inside an existing gene. Although overlapped genes are common in viruses, it is not clear whether overprinting has led to new genes in prokaryotes.     

Diverging patterns of host use by phytophagous insects in relation to leaf pubescence in Arbutus xalapensis (Ericaceae)

Summary Foliar pubescence in the mexican madrone (Arbutus xalapensis H.B.K.) is an extremely variable character. Leaf specimens of pilose and glabrous madrones showed a similar composition of major secondary compounds. On the other hand, sympatric pilose and glabrous individuals were found to support significantly different insect guilds. Insect preference was strongly associated to mouthpart anatomy. Chewing and gall-forming insects were significantly more abundant on glabrous trees while sucking insects were more common on pilose trees. Additionally, parasitation of sucking insects was lower on pilose trees, possibly because the plant trichomes provide protection against parasitoids.