Reproductive history and nest environment are correlated with circulating androgen and glucocorticoid concentrations in a parental care-providing teleost fish

Using a long-term study population of wild smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu in a connected river-lake system, we investigated whether circulating glucocorticoid (cortisol) and androgen (testosterone) concentrations are influenced by reproductive investment and nesting environment in fish providing nest-guarding paternal care. For all individuals, we collected measures of reproductive history and the value of current parental care. We assessed nest environment and monitored individuals to quantify seasonal reproductive success. Finally, we measured circulating cortisol concentrations following a standardized stressor and circulating testosterone concentrations. Using general linear models, we found that poststress circulating cortisol concentrations were positively related to water temperature and were higher in fish nesting in the river than in the lake. Circulating testosterone concentrations were negatively related to water temperature and were higher in reproductively experienced fish. When considering the factors that influence reproductive success, we found that only parental size was positively related to current nest success. In summary, the results demonstrate that nesting environment is correlated with parental stress responses during parental care, while reproductive history and nesting environment are correlated with circulating androgen concentrations. Collectively, these results offer insight into the roles of both glucocorticoid and androgen steroid hormones during parental care in teleost fish.     

Human anti-V3 HIV-1 monoclonal antibodies encoded by the VH5-51/VL lambda genes define a conserved antigenic structure

Preferential usage of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes that encode antibodies (Abs) against various pathogens is rarely observed and the nature of their dominance is unclear in the context of stochastic recombination of Ig genes. The hypothesis that restricted usage of Ig genes predetermines the antibody specificity was tested in this study of 18 human anti-V3 monoclonal Abs (mAbs) generated from unrelated individuals infected with various subtypes of HIV-1, all of which preferentially used pairing of the VH5-51 and VL lambda genes. Crystallographic analysis of five VH5-51/VL lambda-encoded Fabs complexed with various V3 peptides revealed a common three dimensional (3D) shape of the antigen-binding sites primarily determined by the four complementarity determining regions (CDR) for the heavy (H) and light (L) chains: specifically, the H1, H2, L1 and L2 domains. The CDR H3 domain did not contribute to the shape of the binding pocket, as it had different lengths, sequences and conformations for each mAb. The same shape of the binding site was further confirmed by the identical backbone conformation exhibited by V3 peptides in complex with Fabs which fully adapted to the binding pocket and the same key contact residues, mainly germline-encoded in the heavy and light chains of five Fabs. Finally, the VH5-51 anti-V3 mAbs recognized an epitope with an identical 3D structure which is mimicked by a single mimotope recognized by the majority of VH5-51-derived mAbs but not by other V3 mAbs. These data suggest that the identification of preferentially used Ig genes by neutralizing mAbs may define conserved epitopes in the diverse virus envelopes. This will be useful information for designing vaccine immunogen inducing cross-neutralizing Abs.     

Temporal requirement of the alternative-splicing factor Sfrs1 for the survival of retinal neurons

Alternative splicing is the primary mechanism by which a limited number of protein-coding genes can generate proteome diversity. We have investigated the role of the alternative-splicing factor Sfrs1, an arginine/serine-rich (SR) protein family member, during mouse retinal development. Loss of Sfrs1 function during embryonic retinal development had a profound effect, leading to a small retina at birth. In addition, the retina underwent further degeneration in the postnatal period. Loss of Sfrs1 function resulted in the death of retinal neurons that were born during early to mid-embryonic development. Ganglion cells, cone photoreceptors, horizontal cells and amacrine cells were produced and initiated differentiation. However, these neurons subsequently underwent cell death through apoptosis. By contrast, Sfrs1 was not required for the survival of the neurons generated later, including later-born amacrine cells, rod photoreceptors, bipolar cells and Müller glia. Our results highlight the requirement of Sfrs1-mediated alternative splicing for the survival of retinal neurons, with sensitivity defined by the window of time in which the neuron was generated.     

Methionine adenosyltransferase:adrenergic-cAMP mechanism regulates a daily rhythm in pineal expression

(S)-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is a critical element of melatonin synthesis as the methyl donor in the last step of the pathway, the O-methylation of N-acetyl 5-hydroxytryptamine by hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase. The activity of the enzyme that synthesizes SAM, methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT), increases 2.5-fold at night in the pineal gland. In this study, we found that pineal MAT2A mRNA and the protein it encodes, MAT II, also increase at night, suggesting that the increase in MAT activity is caused by an increase in MAT II gene products. The night levels of MAT2A mRNA in the pineal gland were severalfold higher than in other neural and non-neural tissues examined, consistent with the requirement for SAM in melatonin synthesis. Related studies indicate that the nocturnal increase in MAT2A mRNA is caused by activation of a well described neural pathway that mediates photoneural-circadian regulation of the pineal gland. MAT2A mRNA and MAT II protein were increased in organ culture by treatment with norepinephrine (NE), the sympathetic neurotransmitter that stimulates the pineal gland at night. NE is known to markedly elevate pineal cAMP, and here it was found that cAMP agonists elevate MAT2A mRNA levels by increasing MAT2A mRNA synthesis and that drugs that block cAMP activation of cAMP dependent protein kinase block effects of NE. Therefore, the NE-cAMP dependent increase in pineal MAT activity seems to reflect an increase in MAT II protein, which occurs in response to cAMP-->protein kinase-dependent increased MAT2A expression. The existence of this MAT regulatory system underscores the importance that MAT plays in melatonin biogenesis. These studies also point to the possibility that SAM production in other tissues might be regulated through cAMP.     

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Allows the Evaluation of Tissue Damage and Regeneration in a Mouse Model of Critical Limb Ischemia

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides non-invasive, repetitive measures in the same individual, allowing the study of a physio-pathological event over time. In this study, we tested the performance of 7 Tesla multi-parametric MRI to monitor the dynamic changes of mouse skeletal muscle injury and regeneration upon acute ischemia induced by femoral artery dissection. T2-mapping (T2 relaxation time), diffusion-tensor imaging (Fractional Anisotropy) and perfusion by Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI (K-trans) were measured and imaging results were correlated with histological morphometric analysis in both Gastrocnemius and Tibialis anterior muscles. We found that tissue damage positively correlated with T2-relaxation time, while myofiber regeneration and capillary density positively correlated with Fractional Anisotropy. Interestingly, K-trans positively correlated with capillary density. Accordingly, repeated MRI measurements between day 1 and day 28 after surgery in ischemic muscles showed that: 1) T2-relaxation time rapidly increased upon ischemia and then gradually declined, returning almost to basal level in the last phases of the regeneration process; 2) Fractional Anisotropy dropped upon ischemic damage induction and then recovered along with muscle regeneration and neoangiogenesis; 3) K-trans reached a minimum upon ischemia, then progressively recovered. Overall, Gastrocnemius and Tibialis anterior muscles displayed similar patterns of MRI parameters dynamic, with more marked responses and less variability in Tibialis anterior. We conclude that MRI provides quantitative information about both tissue damage after ischemia and the subsequent vascular and muscle regeneration, accounting for the differences between subjects and, within the same individual, between different muscles.     

Impact of metal accumulation on Quercus ilex L. leaf traits

Plant and Soil - The aims of this research were: i) to compare Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb concentrations in Quercus ilex L. leaves collected at urban/industrial and urban areas; ii) to investigate the main...     

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in barley roots: kinetic properties and localisation of the isoforms

Two different isoforms of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Glc6PDH; EC 1.1.1.49) have been partially purified from barley (Hordeum vulgare L., cv. Alfeo) roots. The procedure included an ammonium sulfate step, Q-Sepharose and Reactive Blue agarose chromatography, and led to 60-fold and 150-fold purification for the two enzymes, respectively. The Glc6PDH 1 isoform accounts for 17% of total activity of the enzyme in roots, and is very sensitive to the effects of NADP⁺/NADPH ratio and dithiothreitol; the Glc6PDH 2 isoform is less affected by reducing power and represents 83% of the total activity. The isoforms showed distinct pH optima, isoelectric points, K _m for glucose-6-phosphate and a different electrophoretic mobility. The kinetic properties for the two enzymes were affected by ATP and metabolites. Both enzymes are inhibited to different extents by ATP when magnesium is omitted from the assay mixture, whereas the addition of ATP-Mg²⁺ had no effect on Glc6PDH activities. The Glc6PDH isoforms are usually present in the plastids and cytosol of plant cells. To verify the intracellular locations of the enzymes purified from barley roots, Glc6PDH was purified from isolated barley root plastids; this isoform showed kinetic parameters coincident with those found for Glc6PDH 1, suggesting a plastid location; the enzyme purified from the soluble fraction had kinetic parameters resembling those of Glc6PDH 2, confirming that this isoform is present in the cytosol of barley roots. Received: 21 June 2000 / Accepted: 28 July 2000     

“Bacillus thermoantarcticus” sp. nov., from Mount Melbourne,Antarctica: a novel thermophilic species

 A novel thermophilic Gram-positive bacillus, “Bacillus thermoantarcticus”, isolated from geothermal soil near the crater of Mount Melbourne, is described. The organism grows at an optimal temperature of 63^°C at pH 6.0, is oxidase-positive, catalase-negative and produces an exopolysaccharide, an exocellular xylanase, an intracellular alcohol dehydrogenase and exo- and endocellular α-glucosidase(s). The sequence of 16S rDNA is very similar to that of “Bacillus thermoglucosidasius”; however, the guanine-plus-cytosine (G+C) content is 8 mol% higher. The type strain is “Bacillus thermoantarcticus” (DSM 9572). Received : 3 February 1995/Accepted : 12 May 1995     

Contested Citizenship and Social Exclusion: Adolescent Arab American Immigrants' Views of the Social Contract

Drawing from social contract theory, we explore how some adolescent Arab immigrants' (n = 99) sensitivity to the image of their ethnic group as enemies of America colors their interpretation of the social contract. Analyses of data collected in 1997 reveal that those youth who reported that the American media portray Arab people and nations as enemies of the United States are more attuned to personal experiences of prejudice based on their ethnic identity and are more dubious that the tenets of the social contract apply equally across groups. Negative images of Arab Americans were well in place prior to September 11, 2001, a pivotal moment that altered the lives of Arab Americans as well as the discourse on immigration and citizenship.