Open-nucleus breeding strategies compared with population-wide positive assortative mating

Positive assortative mating (PAM) can enhance the additive genetic variance in a breeding population(BP). This increases the potential for gains in the production population (PP, selected subset of the BP) for recurrent selection programs in forest trees. The assortment of mates can be either: (1) by individual tree rank across the whole BP (PAM), or (2) trees of similar rank can be merged into larger hierarchical groups and then mated randomly within group ("open"-nucleus breeding,NB). The objective of this study was to compare PAM and NB in quantitative terms. The NB simulation model assumed two tiers (nucleus, main) with unrestricted migration between the tiers. Clonal tests were used to predict breeding values and test resources per mate were kept constant for all mates. Both gain and diversity were combined into a single selection criterion, "group-merit selection." Alternatives were compared over five breeding cycles by considering genetic gain and diversity in a selected PP established in a seed orchard. The assortment of mates in both alternatives enhanced additive variance and increased the additive effect in the BP, leading to additional gain in the PP. Gains generated under PAM always exceeded gains under NB. Thus, the main message from this study is that PAM in both the short- and long-term results in more gain at any target level of diversity in the PP (the breeder's target) than is achieved by the NB alternative. The optimum size of the nucleus varies with the desired level of seed orchard diversity. At lower target diversity, smaller nucleus sizes are favorable, while larger sizes result in more gain when seed orchard diversity is considered more important.     

Variations among clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus to induce expression of E-selectin and ICAM-1 in human endothelial cells

Eighteen clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, nine methicillin-sensitive and nine methicillin-resistant, were investigated for their ability to induce expression of E-selectin and ICAM-1 in human endothelial cells. Upregulation of adhesion molecules varied between isolates; 17 isolates induced expression of E-selectin and 13 of ICAM-1. Some isolates induced a significant expression of E-selectin without stimulation of ICAM-1, whereas the opposite was not found. Bacterial viability was required for induction of the adhesion molecules. The kinetics of ICAM-1 expression in S. aureus-infected cells differed from those stimulated with interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta). On the other hand, expression of E-selectin was very similar in S. aureus-infected and IL-1beta-stimulated cells. There was no correlation between ability of S. aureus to induce expression of cell adhesion molecules, methicillin susceptibility, pulse field gel electrophoresis patterns, biochemical characteristics, phage typing and toxin production.     

Normal progression of testicular size in boys with idiopathic short stature and isolated growth hormone deficiency treated with growth hormone: experience from the KIGS

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the effects of growth hormone (GH) treatment on testicular development in boys with idiopathic short stature (ISS) and isolated GH deficiency (IGHD) followed in the KIGS (Pharmacia International Growth Database). METHODS: For inclusion in the study, the patients had to have received more than 1 year of prepubertal GH treatment, at least 4 consecutive years of GH treatment in total, and to have attained their final height, defined as a height velocity of less than 2 cm/year. Data on 107 boys in the KIGS database have been analyzed. RESULTS: No significant differences in duration of GH treatment and testicular volume at the start of treatment or at final height were found between the boys with ISS and those with IGHD. The progression of testicular volume in boys with ISS or IGHD during GH treatment did not differ from the reference population. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis shows that GH treatment does not alter testicular growth in boys with ISS or IGHD. However, prospective controlled studies are needed to rule out moderate attenuating or stimulating effects.     

Seed-specific overexpression of an endogenous Arabidopsis phytoene synthase gene results in delayed germination and increased levels of carotenoids,chlorophyll, and abscisic acid

Phytoene synthase catalyzes the dimerization of two molecules of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to phytoene and has been shown to be rate limiting for the synthesis of carotenoids. To elucidate if the capacity to produce phytoene is limiting also in the seed of Arabidopsis (Wassilewskija), a gene coding for an endogenous phytoene synthase was cloned and coupled to a seed-specific promoter, and the effects of the overexpression were examined. The resulting transgenic plants produced darker seeds, and extracts from the seed of five overexpressing plants had a 43-fold average increase of beta-carotene and a total average amount of beta-carotene of approximately 260 microg g-1 fresh weight. Lutein, violaxanthin, and chlorophyll were significantly increased, whereas the levels of zeaxanthin only increased by a factor 1.1. In addition, substantial levels of lycopene and alpha-carotene were produced in the seeds, whereas only trace amounts were found in the control plants. Seeds from the transgenic plants exhibited delayed germination, and the degree of delay was positively correlated with the increased levels of carotenoids. The abscisic acid levels followed the increase of the carotenoids, and plants having the highest carotenoid levels also had the highest abscisic acid content. Addition of gibberellic acid to the growth medium only partly restored germination of the transgenic seeds.     

A novel disorder caused by defective biosynthesis of N-linked oligosaccharides due to glucosidase I deficiency

Glucosidase I is an important enzyme in N-linked glycoprotein processing, removing specifically distal alpha-1,2-linked glucose from the Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 precursor after its en bloc transfer from dolichyl diphosphate to a nascent polypeptide chain in the endoplasmic reticulum. We have identified a glucosidase I defect in a neonate with severe generalized hypotonia and dysmorphic features. The clinical course was progressive and was characterized by the occurrence of hepatomegaly, hypoventilation, feeding problems, seizures, and fatal outcome at age 74 d. The accumulation of the tetrasaccharide Glc(alpha1-2)Glc(alpha1-3)Glc(alpha1-3)Man in the patient's urine indicated a glycosylation disorder. Enzymological studies on liver tissue and cultured skin fibroblasts revealed a severe glucosidase I deficiency. The residual activity was <3% of that of controls. Glucosidase I activities in cultured skin fibroblasts from both parents were found to be 50% of those of controls. Tissues from the patient subjected to SDS-PAGE followed by immunoblotting revealed strongly decreased amounts of glucosidase I protein in the homogenate of the liver, and a less-severe decrease in cultured skin fibroblasts. Molecular studies showed that the patient was a compound heterozygote for two missense mutations in the glucosidase I gene: (1) one allele harbored a G-->C transition at nucleotide (nt) 1587, resulting in the substitution of Arg at position 486 by Thr (R486T), and (2) on the other allele a T-->C transition at nt 2085 resulted in the substitution of Phe at position 652 by Leu (F652L). The mother was heterozygous for the G-->C transition, whereas the father was heterozygous for the T-->C transition. These base changes were not seen in 100 control DNA samples. A causal relationship between the alpha-glucosidase I deficiency and the disease is postulated.     

Regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase activity and phosphorylation at Ser(19) and Ser(40) via activation of glutamate NMDA receptors in rat striatum

The activity of tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of dopamine, is stimulated by phosphorylation. In this study, we examined the effects of activation of NMDA receptors on the state of phosphorylation and activity of tyrosine hydroxylase in rat striatal slices. NMDA produced a time-and concentration-dependent increase in the levels of phospho-Ser(19)-tyrosine hydroxylase in nigrostriatal nerve terminals. This increase was not associated with any changes in the basal activity of tyrosine hydroxylase, measured as DOPA accumulation. Forskolin, an activator of adenylyl cyclase, stimulated tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation at Ser(40) and caused a significant increase in DOPA accumulation. NMDA reduced forskolin-mediated increases in both Ser(40) phosphorylation and DOPA accumulation. In addition, NMDA reduced the increase in phospho-Ser(40)-tyrosine hydroxylase produced by okadaic acid, an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 and 2A, but not by a cyclic AMP analogue, 8-bromo-cyclic AMP. These results indicate that, in the striatum, glutamate decreases tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation at Ser(40) via activation of NMDA receptors by reducing cyclic AMP production. They also provide a mechanism for the demonstrated ability of NMDA to decrease tyrosine hydroxylase activity and dopamine synthesis.     

Characterization of terminal NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc sequence in lipooligosaccharides of Neisseria meningitidis

Group B and C Neisseria meningitidis are the major cause of meningococcal disease in the United States and in Europe. N . meningitidis lipooligosaccharide (LOS), a major surface antigen, can be divided into 12 immunotypes of which L1 through L8 were found among Group B and C organisms. Groups B and C but not Group A may sialylate their LOSs with N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuNAc) at the nonreducing end because they synthesize CMP-NeuNAc. Using sialic acid-galactose binding lectins as probes in an ELISA format, six of the eight LOS immunotypes (L2, L3, L4, L5, L7, and L8) in Groups B and C bound specifically to Maackia amurensis leukoagglutinin (MAL), which recognizes NeuNAcalpha2- 3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc/Glc sequence, but not to Sambucus nigra agglutinin, which binds NeuNAcalpha2-6Gal sequence. The combination of SDS-PAGE and MAL-blot analyses revealed that these six LOSs contained only the NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc trisaccharide sequence in their 4.1 kDa LOS components, which have a common terminal lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT, Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-3Galbeta1-4Glc) structure when nonsialylated as shown by previous studies. The LOS-lectin binding was abolished when the LOSs were treated with Newcastle disease viral neuraminidase which cleaves alpha2-->3 linked sialic acid. Methylation analysis of a representative LOS (L2) confirmed that NeuNAc is 2-->3 linked to Gal. Thus, these LOSs structurally mimic certain glycolipids, i.e., paragloboside (LNnT-ceramide) and sialylparagloboside and some glycoproteins in having LNnT and N-acetyllactosamine sequences, respectively, with or without alpha2-->3 linked NeuNAc. The molecular mimicry of the LOSs may play a role in the pathogenesis of N.meningitidis by assisting the organism to evade host immune defenses in man.      

A web server to locate periodicities in a sequence

Summary : FT is a tool written in C++, which implements the Fourier analysis method to locate periodicities in aminoacid or DNA sequences. It is provided for free public use on a WWW server with a Java interface. Availability : The server address is http://o2.db. uoa.gr/FT Contact : shamodr@atlas.uoa.gr      

The impact of length-variable data and alignment criterion on the phylogeny of Decapodiformes (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)

In molecular phylogenetics, mode of analysis is typically the primary reason cited for obtaining different topologies. However, sequence alignment is as important in determining topology as analytical method or optimality criterion, particularly for length-variable sequences. We investigate the effect of alignment strategy and parameters in an analysis of length-variable 18S rDNA sequences from 41 oceanic squids (Decapodiformes), focusing particularly on the impact of including variable regions on the resulting topology. Decapodiformes are an enigmatic group of molluscs whose evolutionary relationships remain unclear because standard molecular analyses have continued to produce poorly supported or poorly resolved trees, possibly due to elevated levels of molecular evolution. We find that alignment strategy (Clustal X versus POY) has a greater affect on topology than does parameter choice. Some groups were robust to shifts in methodology, including cuttlefishes (Sepiidae), bobtail squids (Sepiolidae) and pygmy squids (Idiosepiidae). No alignment strategy supported the monophyly of Oegopsida, although Myopsida did consistently form a monophyletic group. The variable regions consistently provided more well-supported and well-resolved trees than the conserved regions alone, indicating the phylogenetic importance of including length-variable data. © The Willi Hennig Society 2007.