Studies on the factors influencing larval settlement in Balanus amphitrite and Mytilus galloprovincialis

Understanding of factors influencing settlement(attachment and metamorphosis) of marine invertebratelarvae is of great importance in aquaculture andcontrol of biofouling. The influence of two factors onsettlement of larvae was assessed from two separateinvestigations: 1, the influence of age (endogenousfactor) on cyprids of the barnacle Balanusamphitrite; and 2, the influence of a microbial film(exogenous factor) on pediveligers of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis.The settlement response of cypris larvae of B.amphitrite was found to be age-dependent. Oldercyprids responded more readily to settlement factorsthan newly molted ones. In M.galloprovincialis, competent pediveligers settled inresponse to a microbial filmed surface but not toan unfilmed surface. Moreover, a factor with MW of lessthan 5000 dalton, derived from culture medium of abacterial strain C1.1 (Pseudomonas-Alteromonasgroup), induced the settlement of M. galloprovincialis larvae.Thus, marine invertebrate larvae may require a periodof competence acquisition, during which they arepoorly responsive to settlement inducers. Uponacquisition of competence, larvae readily respondto external cues (e.g. microbial film, bacterialextracellular products).     

Fruiting and flushing phenology in Asian tropical and temperate forests: implications for primate ecology

In order to understand the ecological adaptations of primates to survive in temperate forests, we need to know the general patterns of plant phenology in temperate and tropical forests. Comparative analyses have been employed to investigate general trends in the seasonality and abundance of fruit and young leaves in tropical and temperate forests. Previous studies have shown that (1) fruit fall biomass in temperate forest is lower than in tropical forest, (2) non-fleshy species, in particular acorns, comprise the majority of the fruit biomass in temperate forest, (3) the duration of the fruiting season is shorter in temperate forest, and (4) the fruiting peak occurs in autumn in most temperate forests. Through our comparative analyses of the fruiting and flushing phenology between Asian temperate and tropical forests, we revealed that (1) fruiting is more annually periodic (the pattern in one year is similar to that seen in the next year) in temperate forest in terms of the number of fruiting species or trees, (2) there is no consistent difference in interannual variations in fruiting between temperate and tropical forests, although some oak-dominated temperate forests exhibit extremely large interannual variations in fruiting, (3) the timing of the flushing peak is predictable (in spring and early summer), and (4) the duration of the flushing season is shorter. The flushing season in temperate forests (17–28 % of that in tropical forests) was quite limited, even compared to the fruiting season (68 %). These results imply that temperate primates need to survive a long period of scarcity of young leaves and fruits, but the timing is predictable. Therefore, a dependence on low-quality foods, such as mature leaves, buds, bark, and lichens, would be indispensable for temperate primates. Due to the high predictability of the timing of fruiting and flushing in temperate forests, fat accumulation during the fruit-abundant period and fat metabolization during the subsequent fruit-scarce period can be an effective strategy to survive the lean period (winter).     

Salicylic Acid Transport in Ricinus communis Involves a pH-Dependent Carrier System in Addition to Diffusion

Despite its important functions in plant physiology and defense, the membrane transport mechanism of salicylic acid (SA) is poorly documented due to the general assumption that SA is taken up by plant cells via the ion trap mechanism. Using Ricinus communis seedlings and modeling tools (ACD LogD and Vega ZZ softwares), we show that phloem accumulation of SA and hydroxylated analogs is completely uncorrelated with the physicochemical parameters suitable for diffusion (number of hydrogen bond donors, polar surface area, and, especially, LogD values at apoplastic pHs and Δ LogD between apoplast and phloem sap pH values). These and other data (such as accumulation in phloem sap of the poorly permeant dissociated form of monohalogen derivatives from apoplast and inhibition of SA transport by the thiol reagent p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid [pCMBS]) lead to the following conclusions. As in intestinal cells, SA transport in Ricinus involves a pH-dependent carrier system sensitive to pCMBS; this carrier can translocate monohalogen analogs in the anionic form; the efficiency of phloem transport of hydroxylated benzoic acid derivatives is tightly dependent on the position of the hydroxyl group on the aromatic ring (SA corresponds to the optimal position) but moderately affected by halogen addition in position 5, which is known to increase plant defense. Furthermore, combining time-course experiments and pCMBS used as a tool, we give information about the localization of the SA carrier. SA uptake by epidermal cells (i.e. the step preceding the symplastic transport to veins) insensitive to pCMBS occurs via the ion-trap mechanism, whereas apoplastic vein loading involves a carrier-mediated mechanism (which is targeted by pCMBS) in addition to diffusion.     

Element content and expression of genes of interest in guard cells are connected to spatiotemporal variations in stomatal conductance

Element content and expression of genes of interest on single cell types, such as stomata, provide valuable insights into their specific physiology, improving our understanding of leaf gas exchange regulation. We investigated how far differences in stomatal conductance (g_s) can be ascribed to changes in guard cells functioning in amphistomateous leaves. g_s was measured during the day on both leaf sides, on well-watered and drought-stressed trees (two Populus euramericana Moench and two Populus nigra L. genotypes). In parallel, guard cells were dissected for element content and gene expressions analyses. Both were strongly arranged according to genotype, and drought had the lowest impact overall. Normalizing the data by genotype highlighted a structure on the basis of leaf sides and time of day both for element content and gene expression. Guard cells magnesium, phosphorus, and chlorine were the most abundant on the abaxial side in the morning, where g_s was at the highest. In contrast, genes encoding H⁺-ATPase and aquaporins were usually more abundant in the afternoon, whereas genes encoding Ca²⁺-vacuolar antiporters, K⁺ channels, and ABA-related genes were in general more abundant on the adaxial side. Our work highlights the unique physiology of each leaf side and their analogous rhythmicity through the day.     

Characterization of a thermoactive endoglucanase isolated from a biogas plant metagenome

A metagenomic library from DNA isolated from a biogas plant was constructed and screened for thermoactive endoglucanases to gain insight into the enzymatic diversity involved in plant biomass breakdown at elevated temperatures. Two cellulase-encoding genes were identified and the corresponding proteins showed sequence similarities of 59% for Cel5A to a putative cellulase from Anaerolinea thermolimosa and 99% for Cel5B to a characterized endoglucanase isolated from a biogas plant reactor. The cellulase Cel5A consists of one catalytical domain showing sequence similarities to glycoside hydrolase family 5 and comprises 358 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 41.2 kDa. The gene coding for cel5A was successfully cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli C43(DE3). The recombinant protein was purified to homogeneity using affinity chromatography with a specific activity of 182 U/mg, and a yield of 74%. Enzymatic activity was detectable towards cellulose and mannan containing substrates and over a broad temperature range from 40 °C to 70 °C and a pH range from 4.0 to 7.0 with maximal activity at 55 °C and pH 5.0. Cel5A showed high thermostability at 60 °C without loss of activity after 24 h. Due to the enzymatic characteristics, Cel5A is an attractive candidate for the degradation of lignocellulosic material.

     

Intragroup Behavioral Changes Following Intergroup Conflict in Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei)

International Journal of Primatology - Group-living animals face a number of threats from extragroup conspecifics: from individuals seeking mating opportunities to rival groups attempting to access...     

CAF01 potentiates immune responses and efficacy of an inactivated influenza vaccine in ferrets

Trivalent inactivated vaccines (TIV) against influenza are given to 350 million people every year. Most of these are non-adjuvanted vaccines whose immunogenicity and protective efficacy are considered suboptimal. Commercially available non-adjuvanted TIV are known to elicit mainly a humoral immune response, whereas the induction of cell-mediated immune responses is negligible. Recently, a cationic liposomal adjuvant (dimethyldioctadecylammonium/trehalose 6,6'-dibehenate, CAF01) was developed. CAF01 has proven to enhance both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to a number of different experimental vaccine candidates. In this study, we compared the immune responses in ferrets to a commercially available TIV with the responses to the same vaccine mixed with the CAF01 adjuvant. Two recently circulating H1N1 viruses were used as challenge to test the vaccine efficacy. CAF01 improved the immunogenicity of the vaccine, with increased influenza-specific IgA and IgG levels. Additionally, CAF01 promoted cellular-mediated immunity as indicated by interferon-gamma expressing lymphocytes, measured by flow cytometry. CAF01 also enhanced the protection conferred by the vaccine by reducing the viral load measured in nasal washes by RT-PCR. Finally, CAF01 allowed for dose-reduction and led to higher levels of protection compared to TIV adjuvanted with a squalene emulsion. The data obtained in this human-relevant challenge model supports the potential of CAF01 in future influenza vaccines.     

Enhanced toxicity and cellular binding of a modified amyloid beta peptide with a methionine to valine substitution

The amyloid beta peptide (Abeta) is toxic to neuronal cells, and it is probable that this toxicity is responsible for the progressive cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease. However, the nature of the toxic Abeta species and its precise mechanism of action remain to be determined. It has been reported that the methionine residue at position 35 has a pivotal role to play in the toxicity of Abeta. We examined the effect of mutating the methionine to valine in Abeta42 (AbetaM35V). The neurotoxic activity of AbetaM35V on primary mouse neuronal cortical cells was enhanced, and this diminished cell viability occurred at an accelerated rate compared with Abeta42. AbetaM35V binds Cu2+ and produces similar amounts of H2O2 as Abeta42 in vitro, and the neurotoxic activity was attenuated by the H2O2 scavenger catalase. The increased toxicity of AbetaM35V was associated with increased binding of this mutated peptide to cortical cells. The M35V mutation altered the interaction between Abeta and copper in a lipid environment as shown by EPR analysis, which indicated that the valine substitution made the peptide less rigid in the bilayer region with a resulting higher affinity for the bilayer. Circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that both Abeta42 and AbetaM35V displayed a mixture of alpha-helical and beta-sheet conformations. These findings provide further evidence that the toxicity of Abeta is regulated by binding to neuronal cells.