The carbohydrate-binding sequences in lectins of the clovers Trifolium repens, T. pratense, and T. trichocephalum

The carbohydrate-binding sequences (CBS) in the lectin genes of Trifolium repens, T. pratense, and T. trichocephalum were sequenced. The gene regions encoding lectin CBS of T. pratense and T. repens displayed a considerable similarity; however, the CBS of these species differed essentially. Moreover, T. repens formed a compact cluster with Melilotus albus and M. officinalis in the phylogenetic trees constructed according to the nucleotide sequences and the corresponding CBS of legume lectins. T. trichocephalum does not fall into the group of the tribe Trifolieae members according to both the amino acid sequence of lectin carbohydrate-binding region and the nucleotide sequence of lectin gene.     

Activation of Chlororespiration Increases Chlorophyll Fluorescence Yield in Chlorella Adapted to Darkness at High Temperature

A tenfold increase in chlororespiration during dark incubation of Chlorella perynoidosa Chick CALU-175 at high temperature doubled the initial chlorophyll fluorescence yield (F ₀). The presence of iodacetamide or unmetabolizable glucose analog 2-deoxy-D-glucose prevented increase in both chlororespiration and F ₀ yield. The rates of chlororespiration and F ₀ yield growth demonstrated a similar pattern of temperature dependence. Inhibition of electron transport between Q _A and plastoquinone with diuron prevented increase in F ₀ during dark incubation of the cells at high temperature. Apparently, a pool of plastoquinone was restored in the chlororespiratory chain during the dark incubation at 37.5–41°C, and plastoquinone exchanged electrons with Q _A. This is the cause of Q _A reduction and subsequent increase in F ₀ yield.     

Role of carbohydrate-protein recognition in the process of Bdellovibrio attaching to bacterial host cells

The authors discuss the role of carbohydrates in the surface layer of the cell wall in the process of Bdellovibrio attachment to host-bacteria cells. The paper presents the results of inhibitory analysis using sugars conducted with two model systems as well as the data about the effectiveness of the interaction between parasite cells and host cells after the modification of their surface polysaccharide layer with concanavalin A and sodium periodate.     

Trypsin-induced masking of tetrodotoxin receptor of the sodium channels in mollusc neurons

At the early stage of trypsin treatment of mollusc neurons tetrodotoxin cannot block the Na+ current. In the course of further exposure of neurones to trypsin, tetrodotoxin-sensitivity is restored completely, so its temporal loss results from shielding rather than destruction of the tetrodotoxin-binding site. Pronase and papain do not affect the tetrodotoxin action on the Na+ current.     

Design of Guide RNA for CRISPR/Cas Plant Genome Editing

Molecular Biology - CRISPR/Cas technology of genome editing is a powerful tool for making targeted changes in the DNA of various organisms, including plants. The choice of the precise nucleotide...     

The role of fatty acids in anti-inflammatory effects of low-intensity extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation

The effects of low‐intensity extremely high‐frequency electromagnetic radiation (EHF EMR; 42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm², exposure duration 20 min) on the fatty acid (FA) composition of thymic cells and blood plasma in normal mice and in mice with peritoneal inflammation were studied. It was found that the exposure of normal mice to EHF EMR increased the content of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) (eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic) in thymic cells. Using a model of zymosan‐induced peritoneal inflammation, it was shown that the exposure of mice to EHF EMR significantly increased the content of PUFAs (dihomo‐γ‐linolenic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic) and reduced the content of monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) (palmitoleic and oleic) in thymic cells. Changes in the FA composition in the blood plasma were less pronounced and manifested themselves as an increase in the level of saturated FAs during the inflammation. The data obtained support the notion that MUFAs are replaced by PUFAs that can enter into the thymic cells from the external media. Taking into account the fact that the metabolites of PUFAs are lipid messengers actively involved in inflammatory and immune reactions, we assume that the increase in the content of n‐3 and n‐6 PUFAs in phospholipids of cellular membranes facilitates the realization of anti‐inflammatory effects of EHF EMR. Bioelectromagnetics 32:388–395, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Morphological and physiological characteristics of transgenic tobacco plants expressing expansin genes: <Emphasis Type="Italic">AtEXP10</Emphasis> from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">PnEXPA1</Emphasis> from poplar

Expansins are non-enzymatic plant proteins breaking hydrogen bonds between cellulose microfibrils and hemicellulose polymer matrix. Each plant has many expansin genes, whose protein products participate in the regulation of plant growth and development mainly by regulating cell expansion. To analyze the effects of elevated expansin expression on the plant organ sizes, we cloned the AtEXPA10 gene from Arabidopsis thaliana and PnEXPA1 gene from Populus nigra. Transgenic tobacco plants expressing the target genes were obtained. The obtained transgenic tobacco plants were shown to have significantly larger leaves and longer stems compared to control plants. The flowers were quite insignificantly larger, but at the same time transgenic plants had more flowers. The microscopic studies showed that the organs of AtEXPA10-carrying plants were larger mainly due to stimulated cell proliferation, whereas the overexpression of the PnEXPA1 gene activated cell expansion.     

Tilescope: online analysis pipeline for high-density tiling microarray data

We developed Tilescope, a fully integrated data processing pipeline for analyzing high-density tiling-array data . In a completely automated fashion, Tilescope will normalize signals between channels and across arrays, combine replicate experiments, score each array element, and identify genomic features. The program is designed with a modular, three-tiered architecture, facilitating parallelism, and a graphic user-friendly interface, presenting results in an organized web page, downloadable for further analysis.     

Bacteria closely related to Phyllobacterium trifolii according to their 16S rRNA gene are discovered in the nodules of Hungarian sainfoin

The population genetic diversity and phylogeny of the bacteria entering the symbiosis with sainfoin that grows on the Chesnokovskaya Mountain, Ufa region, Republic of Bashkortostan, have been studied. RAPD analysis of DNA polymorphism of the microbial strains grown from the nodules of 20 plants using several random primers detected a high degree of genetic homogeneity in their population as compared with the populations of rhizobia of other leguminous plants growing at the same site. Sequencing of 16S rRNA genes of the three most different samples have demonstrated that these genes were identical and display 99.9% homology with the sequence of Phyllobacterium trifolii 16S rRNA gene.     

Genetic Diversity and Phylogeny of Root Nodule Bacteria Isolated from Nodules of Plants of the Lupinaster Genus Inhabiting the Southern Urals

Russian Journal of Genetics - The genetic diversity and phylogeny of root nodule bacteria, microsymbionts of plants of the genus Lupinaster Adans. (L. albus Link and L. pentaphyllus Moench), were...