Seasonal Evolution of the Quality of Fresh Glasshouse Tomatoes under Mediterranean Conditions, as Affected by Air Vapour Pressure Deficit and Plant Fruit Load

Changes in yield and quality of fresh tomatoes in response toair vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and plant fruit load werestudied under Mediterranean summer conditions. Plants thinnedto three or six fruits per truss were grown in two compartments,one at a VPD below 1.5 kPa, the other without VPD control. Theseasonal trend in fruit yield and quality was assessed fromApril to September by weekly measurement of number, fresh weightand dry matter content of harvested fruits, together with theoccurrence of blossom-end-rot (BER) and cracking. On two occasions,in July and September, sugar and acid content was measured atthree ripening stages. The seasonal decrease in fresh yieldwas attenuated at low VPD, because of higher individual fruitfresh weight, especially at low fruit load. Low VPD decreasedoccurrence of BER but like low fruit load, it increased fruitcracking. Fruit dry matter content was lower at low VPD, butwas unaffected by fruit load. Sugar content and the ratio ofsugars:acids was increased at high VPD and low fruit load, withinteractive effects depending on season and ripening stage.The influence of VPD on acid content differed with fruit loadand also changed during ripening and between seasons. Resultsshowed that water was the main limiting factor for growth offruits picked in July; at this time, reducing fruit load topromote mean fruit size had negative effects on BER and cracking.Reducing VPD reduced BER but had a negative effect on crackingand diluted both the dry matter and sugar content. For fruitsharvested later in summer, these negative effects were attenuatedbecause fruit growth was also carbon limited. Copyright 2000Annals of Botany Company Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., tomato, water and carbon stress, yield, quality, dry matter, sugar, acid, BER, volatile composition     

Enhancing the fungicidal activity of amphotericin B via vacuole disruption by benzyl isothiocyanate,a cruciferous plant constituent

Amphotericin B (AmB), a typical polyene macrolide antifungal agent, is widely used to treat systemic mycoses. In the present study, we show that the fungicidal activity of AmB was enhanced by benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), a cruciferous plant-derived compound, in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition to forming a molecular complex with ergosterol present in fungal cell membranes to form K⁺-permeable ion channels, AmB has been recognized to mediate vacuolar membrane disruption resulting in lethal effects. BITC showed no effect on AmB-induced plasma membrane permeability; however, it amplified AmB-induced vacuolar membrane disruption in S. cerevisiae. Furthermore, the BITC-enhanced fungicidal effects of AmB significantly decreased cell viability due to the disruption of vacuoles in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. The application of the combinatorial antifungal effect of AmB and BITC may aid in dose reduction of AmB in clinical antifungal therapy and consequently decrease side effects in patients. These results also have significant implications for the development of vacuole-targeting chemotherapy against fungal infections.     

A world of cytochrome P450s

The world we live in is a biosphere influenced by all organisms who inhabit it. It is also an ecology of genes, with some having rather startling effects. The premise put forth in this issue is cytochrome P450 is a significant player in the world around us. Life and the Earth itself would be visibly different and diminished without cytochrome P450s. The contributions to this issue range from evolution on the billion year scale to the colour of roses, from Darwin to Rachel Carson; all as seen through the lens of cytochrome P450.     

The Expanded mtDNA Phylogeny of the Franco-Cantabrian Region Upholds the Pre-Neolithic Genetic Substrate of Basques

The European genetic landscape has been shaped by several human migrations occurred since Paleolithic times. The accumulation of archaeological records and the concordance of different lines of genetic evidence during the last two decades have triggered an interesting debate concerning the role of ancient settlers from the Franco-Cantabrian region in the postglacial resettlement of Europe. Among the Franco-Cantabrian populations, Basques are regarded as one of the oldest and more intriguing human groups of Europe. Recent data on complete mitochondrial DNA genomes focused on macrohaplogroup R0 revealed that Basques harbor some autochthonous lineages, suggesting a genetic continuity since pre-Neolithic times. However, excluding haplogroup H, the most representative lineage of macrohaplogroup R0, the majority of maternal lineages of this area remains virtually unexplored, so that further refinement of the mtDNA phylogeny based on analyses at the highest level of resolution is crucial for a better understanding of the European prehistory. We thus explored the maternal ancestry of 548 autochthonous individuals from various Franco-Cantabrian populations and sequenced 76 mitogenomes of the most representative lineages. Interestingly, we identified three mtDNA haplogroups, U5b1f, J1c5c1 and V22, that proved to be representative of Franco-Cantabria, notably of the Basque population. The seclusion and diversity of these female genetic lineages support a local origin in the Franco-Cantabrian area during the Mesolithic of southwestern Europe, ∼10,000 years before present (YBP), with signals of expansions at ∼3,500 YBP. These findings provide robust evidence of a partial genetic continuity between contemporary autochthonous populations from the Franco-Cantabrian region, specifically the Basques, and Paleolithic/Mesolithic hunter-gatherer groups. Furthermore, our results raise the current proportion (≈15%) of the Franco-Cantabrian maternal gene pool with a putative pre-Neolithic origin to ≈35%, further supporting the notion of a predominant Paleolithic genetic substrate in extant European populations.     

Hypophysiotropic neurons in the goldfish hypothalamus demonstrated by retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase

Summary The horseradish-peroxidase (HRP) technique was used to visualize the cell bodies of axons projecting to the goldfish pituitary. Following intravenous injections of HRP, HRP reaction products were observed in axons of the rostral pars distalis, proximal pars distalis, neurointermediate lobe, pituitary stalk and in axons coursing from the pituitary into the hypothalamus. HRP-labelled cells in the brain were localized in two regions only — the nucleus preopticus (NPO) pars magnocellularis and pars parvocellularis, and the nucleus lateralis tuberis (NLT) of the hypothalamus. These observations suggest that the NPO and NLT are the source of the neurosecretory innervation of the goldfish pituitary.     

Mechanism of the change in erythrocyte osmotic resistance in rats exposed to valinomycin: the features seen in spontaneous hypertension

Introduction of valinomycin into erythrocyte incubation medium increased the cell stability to water-induced hemolysis. In these conditions the erythrocytes of spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive (control) rats release 63.2 +/- 1.5% and 80.9 +/- 1.6%, respectively, of the total hemoglobin content. Valinomycin effect is completely abolished with K+ substitution for Na+ and is independent of extracellular Ca2+ concentration. Valinomycin had no effect on human erythrocyte osmotic stability. It has been shown that valinomycin-induced kinetics of Na+ and K+ redistribution was different in human and rat erythrocytes. The distinctions are thought to be related to specific anion transport mediated by the third band protein--the main component of membrane cytoskeleton.     

Attachment of blastocysts to lens capsule: A model system for trophoblast-epithelial cell interaction on a natural basement membrane

Summary The bovine lens capsule has previously been shown to provide an optimal surface for the examination of epithelial cell interaction with a basement membrane. This native substrate has been used to investigate some initial aspects of attachment of mouse blastocysts and trophoblastic cellular outgrowth. Mouse blastocysts were presented to the cell-free humoral side of the anterior lens capsule, incubated for 72 h, and examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Blastocysts hatch and attach from their zonae pellucidae by 30 h. Trophoblastic cells proliferate rapidly in a coronal direction, display extensive surface microvilli, and advance by the extension of numerous filipodia, many of which terminate with bulbous projections. These projections were shown by transmission electron microscopy to contain numerous vacuoles and polysomes. To simulate further the initial blastocyst-uterine interaction, a suspension of lens epithelial cells was introduced to the capsule and permitted to form a monolayer prior to the addition of the blastocysts. At 72 h the monolayer of lens cells remained intact. We observed that: a) lens cells appear to recede from the advancing trophoblastic cells, and b) trophoblastic cells extend beneath the monolayer of lens cells and thereby dislodge the cells from the lens capsule substrate. No infiltration of the capsule by the advancing trophoblastic cells was observed. The lens capsule appears to offer a promising system for the study of trophoblast-epithelial cell interaction on a natural basement membrane.     

Morphological changes in the cochlear nuclear complex in primate phylogeny and development

The primate cochlear nuclear complex exhibits several characteristic morphological differences in the various primate families from Lorisidae through Hominidae. The most striking differences occur in the organization of the dorsal cochlear nucleus in which the laminar pattern becomes progressively obscured. Granule cells form an external granular layer as well as being intermixed within the molecular and pyramidal layers in slow lorises and squirrel and rhesus monkeys. Whereas a prominent external granular layer remains in chimpanzees, granule cells are scant in other portions of the nucleus. Human adults lack an external granular layer. A small number of granule cells occur but with inconstant distribution. Primates lack the linear array of pyramidal cells oriented perpendicularly to the epithelial surface as seen in cats. The granule cell layer exhibits similar regression in development of the human cochlear complex. The external granular layer is prominent in the fetus but rapidly decreases in size after birth. It achieves its adult form prior to 18 months. The data suggest that neuronal attrition, or programmed cell death, may be the major mechanism accounting for the alterations that occur in the human granule cell layer. Other differences in cytoarchitecture, within the great apes and humans, include decreases in the small and giant cell populations of the cochlear complex. These changes, in consort with the organizational changes and reduction of granule cells as noted above, suggest a trend towards reduced intranuclear integration at the level of the cochlear nucleus coupled with encephalization of the auditory system.     

Protamine sulfate causes pulmonary hypertension and edema in isolated rat lungs

The polycation protamine sulfate increases microvascular permeability in the kidney by reducing glomerular charge. We have exposed the pulmonary vasculature to protamine sulfate to determine whether electrical charges play a role in protein permeability in lung vascular beds. In anephric rats, protamine sulfate increased hematocrit approximately 25%. With protamine sulfate doses of 0.08 and 0.04 mg/g body wt, lung blood-free wet-to-dry weight ratios were increased (5.24 +/- 0.8 and 4.89 +/- 0.7) compared with control (3.85 +/- 0.3) (P less than 0.05). In isolated, ventilated, and perfused lungs 0.04 mg/g body wt protamine sulfate increased pulmonary arterial pressure from 5.2 +/- 1.4 to 16.3 +/- 3.9 mmHg (P less than 0.01). These lungs gained weight and lung wet-to-dry weight ratios were significantly increased (15.33 +/- 4.26 compared with 6.04 +/- 0.24 for control lungs). Poly-L-lysine, another polycation, also caused significant increases in pulmonary arterial pressure, lung weight, and lung wet-to-dry weight ratios. The addition of diphenhydramine to the perfusate 10 min before the addition of protamine sulfate did not prevent these changes. Heparin (90 U/mg protamine sulfate) reversed the abnormalities. Pulmonary arterial pressure (7.0 +/- 1.1 mmHg) was not significantly different from the control value, lung weight did not increase, and the lung wet-to-dry weight ratio was 6.24 +/- 0.23 (P greater than 0.05). We conclude that polycations have a significant effect on pulmonary vascular resistance and perhaps on permeability.