Development ofBradyrhizobium infections in supernodulating and non-nodulating mutants of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill)

Summary The early events in the development of nodules induced byBradyrhizobium japonicum were studied in serial sections of a wild type (cv. Bragg), a supernodulating mutant (nts 382) and four non-nodulating mutants (nod49, nod139, nod772, andrj ₁) of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill). Cultivar Bragg responded to inoculation in a similar manner to that described previously for cv. Williams; centres of sub-epidermal cell divisions were observed both with and without associated infection threads and most infection events were blocked before the formation of a nodule meristem. The non-nodulating mutants (nod49, nod772, andrj ₁) had, at most, a few centres of sub-epidermal cell divisions. In general, these were devoid of infection threads and did not develop beyond the very early stages of nodule ontogeny. Sub-epidermal cell divisions or infection threads were never observed on mutant nodl39. This mutant is not allelic to the other non-nodulating mutants and represents a defect in a separate complementation group or gene that is required for nodulation. The supernodulating mutant nts382, which is defective in autoregulation of nodulation, had a similar number of sub-epidermal cell divisions as the wild-type Bragg, but a much greater proportion of these developed to an advanced stage of nodule ontogeny. Mutant nts382, like Bragg, possessed other infection events that were arrested at an early stage of development. The results are discussed in the context of the progression of events in nodule formation and autoregulation of nodulation in soybean.Abbreviations nts nitrate tolerant symbiosis - RT root tip (i.e., position of the tap root tip at the time of inoculation) - SERH shortest emerging root hair (i.e., position of the shortest emerging root hair on the tap root at the time of inoculation) - SCD subepidermal cell divisions     

Synchronous plasma membrane electrochemical potential oscillations during yeast colony development and aging

Microorganisms that survive in natural environments form organized multicellular communities, biofilms and colonies with specific properties. During stress and nutrient limitation, slow growing and senescent cells in such communities retain vital processes by maintaining plasma membrane integrity and retaining the ability to generate transmembrane electrochemical gradients. We report the use of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae colonial model to show that population growth in a multicellular community depends on nutrient diffusion and that resting cells start to accumulate from the beginning of the second acidic phase of colony development. Despite differentiation of colony members, synchronous transmembrane potential oscillation was detected in the organized colony. The electrochemical membrane potential periodically oscillated at frequencies between those for circadian to infradian rhythms during colony aging and transiently decreased at time points previously linked with rebuilding of yeast metabolism. Despite extensive decreases in the intracellular ATP concentration and in the amount and activity of the plasma membrane proton pump during nutrient limited growth and colony aging, the transmembrane electrochemical potential appeared to be maintained above a level critical for population survival.     

Environmental Factors Associated with Disease Progression after the First Demyelinating Event: Results from the Multi-Center SET Study

Objectives

To investigate the associations of environmental MS risk factors with clinical and MRI measures of progression in high-risk clinically isolated syndromes (CIS) after the first demyelinating event.

Methods

We analyzed 211 CIS patients (age: 28.9±7.8 years) enrolled in the SET study, a multi-center study of high-risk CIS patients. Pre-treatment samples were analyzed for IgG antibodies against cytomegalovirus (anti-CMV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV) early nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1), viral capsid antigen (VCA), early antigen-diffuse (EA-D), 25 hydroxy-vitamin D3 and cotinine levels and HLA DRB1*1501 status. The inclusion criteria required evaluation within 4 months of the initial demyelinating event, 2 or more brain MRI lesions and the presence of two or more oligoclonal bands in cerebrospinal fluid. All patients were treated with interferon-beta. Clinical and MRI assessments were obtained at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months.

Results

The time to first relapse decreased and the number of relapses increased with anti-CMV IgG positivity. Smoking was associated with increased number and volume of contrast-enhancing lesions (CEL) during the 2-year period. The cumulative number of CEL and T2 lesions during the 2-year period was greater for individuals in the highest quartile of anti-EBV VCA IgG antibodies. The percent loss of brain volume was increased for those in the highest quartile of with anti-EBV VCA IgG antibodies.

Conclusions

Relapses in CIS patients were associated with CMV positivity whereas anti-EBV VCA positivity was associated with progression on MRI measures, including accumulation of CEL and T2 lesions and development of brain atrophy.     

Generalization of Mimics Imperfect in Colour Patterns: The Point of View of Wild Avian Predators

Current research of imperfect mimicry brings ambiguous results. Experiments simulating more natural conditions rather than laboratory experiments show lower willingness of avian predators to attack less perfect mimics. We decided to simulate a natural situation by testing responses of wild‐caught adult avian predators (Great tit – Parus major) to variously perfect mimics of the red firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus), which were in previous studies shown to elicit avoidance in Great tits. Presented mimics were perfect in all traits (firebug with its own colour pattern), imperfect in colour pattern (firebug with modified colour pattern), perfect in colour pattern, but imperfect in other visual traits (cockroach with firebug colour pattern), and imperfect in colour pattern as well as in other visual traits (cockroach with modified colour patterns). Modification of the pattern focused on the rounded spots on firebug's hemielytra, which is a conspicuous trait within the pattern. The pattern modification had no influence on the number of birds attacking the prey; nevertheless, birds spent more time observing the cockroaches that displayed the perfect firebug colour pattern than in the case of any other prey. Moreover, firebugs that displayed the perfect firebug colour pattern were observed for the shortest time (equal to that of the model – unmodified firebug). Cockroaches were attacked more often than firebugs, which suggest that birds were able to use additional visual cues (shape of legs and antennae) in prey recognition. Given these result, we conclude that differences in morphological traits characteristic for used prey taxa (true bugs, cockroaches) seem to be more important in the prey's protection than its colour pattern.     

Chasing Jenner's vaccine: revisiting cowpox virus classification

Cowpox virus (CPXV) is described as the source of the first vaccine used to prevent the onset and spread of an infectious disease. It is one of the earliest described members of the genus Orthopoxvirus, which includes the viruses that cause smallpox and monkeypox in humans. Both the historic and current literature describe "cowpox" as a disease with a single etiologic agent. Genotypic data presented herein indicate that CPXV is not a single species, but a composite of several (up to 5) species that can infect cows, humans, and other animals. The practice of naming agents after the host in which the resultant disease manifests obfuscates the true taxonomic relationships of "cowpox" isolates. These data support the elevation of as many as four new species within the traditional "cowpox" group and suggest that both wild and modern vaccine strains of Vaccinia virus are most closely related to CPXV of continental Europe rather than the United Kingdom, the homeland of the vaccine.     

The Effect of Colored Light on Pigment Synthesis in Cultured Fern Leaf Primordia

The effect of white, blue, yellow, red and far-red light on the quantitative synthesis of the primary and auxilliary photosynthetic pigments in cultured leaf primordia of Osmunda cinnamomea L. is reported. The P₆₆₀ form of the now classical photoreceptor pigment system, phytochrome, has been demonstrated to be active in chlorophyll synthesis in cultured cinnamon fern leaf primordia as shown by red/far-red reversibility of chlorophyll synthesis. Also, it is apparent from the data presented that a blue absorbing pigment (P₄₂₀) is responsible for the extensive accumulation of chlorophylls and carotenoids in these cultured leaves.     

Illegitimate recombination in Xenopus: characterization of end-joined junctions.

When linear DNAs are injected into Xenopus laevis eggs, they are converted into several different kinds of recombination products. Some molecules undergo homologous recombination by a resection-annealing mechanism; some ends are precisely ligated; and some ends are joined by illegitimate means. The homologous and illegitimate products are also generated in nuclear extracts from stage VI Xenopus oocytes. In order to gain insight into the mechanism(s) of illegitimate end joining, we amplified, cloned and sequenced a number of junctions from eggs and from oocyte extracts. The egg junctions fell into three categories: some with no homology at the join point that may have been produced by blunt-end ligation; some based on small, but significant homologies (5-10 bp); and some with matches of only 1 or 2 nucleotides at the joint. Junctions made in oocyte extracts were largely of the latter type. In the extracts, formation of illegitimate joints required the addition of all four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and was inhibited by aphidicolin. This indicates that this process involves DNA synthesis, and mechanisms incorporating this feature are considered. The spectrum of recombination products formed in Xenopus eggs is very reminiscent of those produced from DNA introduced into mammalian cells.     

Design,synthesis and evaluation of potent and selective inhibitors of mono-(ADP-ribosyl)transferases PARP10 and PARP14

A series of diaryl ethers were designed and synthesized to discern the structure activity relationships against the two closely related mono-(ADP-ribosyl)transferases PARP10 and PARP14. Structure activity studies identified 8b as a sub-micromolar inhibitor of PARP10 with?～15-fold selectivity over PARP14. In addition, 8k and 8m were discovered to have sub-micromolar potency against PARP14 and demonstrated moderate selectivity over PARP10. A crystal structure of the complex of PARP14 and 8b shows binding of the compound in a novel hydrophobic pocket and explains both potency and selectivity over other PARP family members. In addition, 8b, 8k and 8m also demonstrate selectivity over PARP1. Together, this study identified novel, potent and metabolically stable derivatives to use as chemical probes for these biologically interesting therapeutic targets.     

Strong effects of hydrologic environment and weak effects of elevated CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> on the invasive weed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternanthera philoxeroides</Emphasis> and the biocontrol beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agasicles hygrophila</Emphasis>

Global change, such as elevated CO₂, may alter interactions between invasive plants and biocontrol agents, impacting biocontrol efficacy. Here, we conducted four experiments in Texas, USA to test how elevated CO₂ influences an invasive plant (Alternanthera philoxeroides) and its interactions with an introduced biocontrol beetle (Agasicles hygrophila) in terrestrial (well-watered) and flooded environments. We grew plants for 9 months in ambient or elevated CO₂ (800 ppm) chambers in continuously flooded or well-watered conditions. In no-choice trials, flooding increased leaf toughness and decreased beetle consumption but beetles only oviposited on ambient CO₂ leaves. In choice trials, beetles preferred to feed and oviposit on terrestrial plants but were also less likely to damage elevated CO₂ leaves. Caged beetle populations were larger in terrestrial conditions than aquatic conditions for a second set of plants grown in the chambers. With a third set of plants grown in the ambient or elevated CO₂ chambers, damage for plants placed in the field (aquatic setting) was higher for plants grown in terrestrial conditions vs. flooded conditions at ambient CO₂. Our results suggest that elevated CO₂ will have minor effects on the efficacy of this biocontrol agent by decreasing oviposition and number of leaves damaged, and hydrologic environment may affect invasive plant performance by altering herbivore oviposition and feeding preferences. A broader understanding of the effects of global change on biocontrol will help prevent and manage future spread of invasive plants.     

Interactions between size and temperature influence fecundity and longevity of a tortricid moth,Zeiraphera canadensis

Females of Zeiraphera canadensis Mut. & Free., the spruce bud moth, were reared in the laboratory at constant and alternating temperatures, and in an outdoor insectary, to (1) determine the effects of temperature, age and size on several reproductive parameters and, (2) to test the hypothesis that body size-temperature interactions influence longevity and realized fecundity. Egg maturation was linearly related to age and large moths developed eggs at a higher rate than small ones. Mcan lifetime oviposition rate reached a maximum and remained stable at temperatures 20° C while the mean lifetime rate of egg maturation increased linearly with temperature, indicating that higher temperatures adversely affect oviposition. The production of nonviable eggs increased with age but also with temperature, suggesting high temperature (25° C) reduces egg quality and/or hinders fertilization. The realized fecundity and longevity of females reared under an alternating temperature regime (mean 20° C) was significantly less than that of females reared at constant 20° C. Similar realized fecundity, longevity and mean lifetime oviposition rates for females reared at temperatures alternating between 10 and 25° C (mean 20° C) and those at constant 25° C reflected the inability of females to recover from elevated diurnal temperatures. Longevity was positively related to female body size at constant 15 and 20° C but the relationships were negative for moths exposed to diurnal temperatures equal to or exceeding 25° C. Due to the reduced longevity of large moths at high temperatures, linear regressions between size and realized fecundity were only significant at constant temperatures 20° C. At higher temperatures, the size-fecundity relationship became curvilinear as a result of the diminished reproductive output of large individuals. Reduced fecundity and longevity of large females at high temperatures may have been due to elevated internal temperatures of large-bodied moths. Large females in a controlled-environment chamber maintained at 25° C developed an internal temperature excess (i.e. temperature above ambient) of nearly 2° C while small-bodied females exceeded ambient by only 0.3° C. However, when held at 20° C, the temperature excess of large-bodied moths was much less than 1° C and small-bodied females did not differ from ambient. Such interactions between temperature and body size suggest that there should be stabilizing selection toward moderate-sized individuals and may explain the absence of size-related effects on fecundity and longevity previously reported for several other lepidopterans.