Aspects of the phylogeny of Platyhelminthes based on 18S ribosomal DNA and protonephridial ultrastructure

DNA studies of 23 taxa (20 platyhelminths, 1 nemertean, Homo and Artemia) and electron-microscopic studies of the protonephridia of many platyhelminths (supported by some additional ultrastructural data) have led to the following conclusions: the Neodermata are monophyletic; Temnocephalida and Dalyelliida form one clade and are not the primitive sister group of the Neodermata; Gyrocotylidea, Amphilinidea and Eucestoda form one monophylum; Pterastericolidae and Umagillidae are dalyelliids and not the sister group of the Neodermata; and Proseriata are unlikely to be closely related with the Tricladida. A large taxon consisting of the Proseriata and some other turbellarians may represent the sister group of the Neodermata.     

Twin-screw extrusion of ‘Pesta’-encapsulated biocontrol agents

World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology -     

The effects of calystegines isolated from edible fruits and vegetables on mammalian liver glycosidases

The polyhydroxylated nortropane alkaloids called calyste-ginesoccur in many plants of the Convolvulaceae, Solanaceae, andMoraceae families. Certain of these alkaloids exhibit potentinhibitory activities against glycosidases and the recentlydemonstrated occurrence of calystegines in the leaves, skins,and sprouts of potatoes (Solatium tuberosum), and in the leavesof the eggplant (S.melongena), has raised concerns regardingthe safety of these vegetables in the human diet. We have surveyedthe occurrence of calystegines in edible fruits and vegetablesof the families Convolvulaceae, Solanaceae, and Moraceae byGC-MS. Calystegines A3, B1, B2, and C1 were detected in allthe edible fruits and vegetables tested; sweet and chili peppers,potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, Physalis fruits, sweet potatoes,and mulberries. Calystegines B1 and C1 were potent competitiveinhibitors of the bovine, human, and rat β-glucosidaseactivities, with K₁ values of 150, 10, and 1.9 µM, respectivelyfor B1 and 15,1.5, and 1 µM, respectively, for C1. CalystegineB2 was a strong competitive inhibitor of the -galactosidaseactivity in all the livers. Human β-xylosidase was inhibitedby all four nortropanes, with calystegine C1 having a K₁ of0.13 µM. Calystegines A3 and B2 selectively inhibitedthe rat liver β-glucosidase activity. The potent inhibitionof mammalian β-glucosidase and -galactosidase activitiesin vitro raises the possibility of toxicity in humans consuminglarge amounts of plants that contain these compounds. edible plants calystegines glycosidase inhibitors bovine, human, and rat liver     

Identification of two minor subunits in the pilus of Haemophilus influenzae.

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) organisms produce pili, which mediate attachment to human cells and are multimeric structures composed of a 24-kDa subunit called pilin or HifA. Although pili from other organisms contain additional proteins accessory to pilin, no structural components other than pilin have been identified in Hib pili. Previous analysis of a Hib pilus gene cluster, however, suggested that two genes, hifD and hifE, may encode additional pilus subunits. To determine if hifD and hifE encode pilus components, the genes were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the resulting proteins were purified and used to raise polyclonal antisera. Antisera raised against C-terminal HifD and HifE fragments reacted with H. influenzae HifD and HifE proteins, respectively, on Western immunoblots. Western immunoblot analysis of immunoprecipitated Hib pili demonstrated that HifD and HifE copurified with pili. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, antisera raised against a recombinant HifE protein that contained most of the mature protein reacted more to piliated Hib than to nonpiliated Hib or to a mutant containing a hifE gene insertion. Immunoelectron microscopy confirmed that the HifE antiserum bound to pili and demonstrated that the antiserum bound predominantly to the pilus tips. These data indicate that HifD and HifE are pilus subunits. Adherence inhibition studies demonstrated that the HifE antiserum completely blocked pilus-mediated hemagglutination, suggesting that HifE mediates pilus adherence.     

Identification,cloning, and sequencing of DNA essential for encapsulation of Streptococcus pneumoniae

This paper reports the cloning and sequencing of a region of DNA from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 surrounding transposon Tn916, insertion of which was previously shown to result in lack of expression of the extracellular capsule. Sequence analysis revealed that the transposon inserted into a consensus insertion site 71 bp from the 5 end of the cloned fragment. Within the clone, 3 downstream regions from two different pneumococcal lytA genes were identified, as well as a putative 194 AA open reading frame (ORF1). Moreover, two copies of the repeat element BOX, oriented in opposite directions, were located immediately 3 of orf1. Within the region bounded by the first pair of internal sequencing primers, analysis revealed that the fragment amplified by PCR was always of the same size. Moreover, Southern blotting showed that for all serotypes examined to date, homology exists with the cloned fragment. These results indicate that this region of the chromosome is highly conserved and, taken together with other independently derived data, suggest that interruptions or deletions within this DNA lead to unencapsulation.     

Carnitine,carnitine acetyltransferase,and glutathione in Alzheimer brain

Glutathione and total carnitine (i.e., free carnitine plus acid-soluble carnitine esters) were measured in an affected (superior frontal gyrus; SFG) and unaffected (cerebellum: CBL) region of Alzheimer disease (AD) and control brains. Average glutathione content in AD SFG (n=13) and AD CBL (n=7) (7.9±2.1 and 11.9±4.0 nmol/mg protein, respectively (mean ±S.D.)) was similar to that in control SFG (n=13) and CBL (n=6) (7.7±2.0 and 11.6±2.6 nmol/mg protein, respectively). However, glutathione increased significantly with age in AD brain (p=0.003) but not in control brain. Average total carnitine in AD SFG (84±47 pmol/mg protein; n=10) and AD CBL (108±86 pmol/mg protein; n=7) was not significantly different from that in the corresponding regions of control brain (148±97 (n=10) and 144±107 (n=6) pmol/mg protein, respectively). However, a significant decline of total carnitine with age in both regions was noted for AD brain, but not for control brain. Carnitine acetyltransferase activity in the AD SFG (n=13) was not significantly different from that of control SFG (n=13) (1.83±1.05 and 2.04±0.82 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively). However, carnitine acetyltransferase activity of AD CBL (n=7) was significantly lower than that of control CBL (n=6) (1.33±0.88 versus 2.26±0.66 nmol/min/mg protein; p=0.05).