The Detection of Hamster Connexins: A Comparison of Expression Profiles with Wild-Type Mouse and the Cancer-Prone Min Mouse

The open reading frames of 17 connexins from Syrian hamster (using tissues) and 16 connexins from the Chinese hamster cell line V79, were fully (Cx30, Cx31, Cx37, Cx43 and Cx45) or partially sequenced. We have also detected, and partially sequenced, seven rat connexins that previously were unavailable. The expression of connexin genes was examined in some hamster organs and cultured hamster cells, and compared with wild-type mouse and the cancer-prone Min mouse. Although the expression patterns were similar for most organs and connexins in hamster and mouse, there were also some prominent differences (Cx29 and 30.3 in testis; Cx31.1 and 32 in eye; Cx46 in brain, kidney and testis; Cx47 in kidney). This suggests that some connexins have species-specific expression profiles. In contrast, there were minimal differences in expression profiles between wild type and Min mice. Species-specific expression profiles should be considered in attempts to make animal models of human connexin-associated diseases.     

The synergistic effect of carbon concentration and high temperature on lipid peroxidation in Peridinium gatunense

Lipid peroxidation in Peridinium samples taken from two differentdepths in Lake Kinneret fluctuated throughout the spring withan overall increasing trend. Samples from 0.5 and 5 m showeda similar peroxidation pattern, which was maximal after thefall off in algal biomass. The rapid decline in Peridinium biomasscoincided with ambient lake temperatures of 21–23C. Fattyacid composition profiles were similar at both depths, althoughafter the peak of the bloom, a significant increase in polyunsaturatedfatty acids and oleic acid was only found at 0.5 m, togetherwith a decrease in the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids.These effects were related to ambient light stress rather thana result of lipid peroxidation. Lake samples taken at differentperiods of the bloom and incubated at various temperatures showeddifferential peroxidation. Higher temperatures caused increasedlipid peroxidation, but this appeared to be dependent on thesampling period. Samples withdrawn from the lake at the beginningof the bloom showed little peroxidation after a 5 day incubationat 14C, room temperature (25C) or ambient lake temperature(16C) compared to mid-bloom samples in which there was a significantincrease in peroxidation when they were incubated at room temperature(25C) or ambient lake temperature (22C). Incubation at 14Cinhibited peroxidation; however, samples from mid-bloom againshowed enhanced peroxidation compared with those from the beginningof the bloom. These in situ results suggested a relationshipbetween temperature, another environmental variable during thebloom and lipid peroxidation in Peridinium. As total dissolvedinorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations fall significantly duringthe progress of the bloom and represent an important sourceof environmental stress, laboratory experiments were establishedto investigate the synergistic effect of temperature and carbonnutrition on lipid peroxidation in Peridinium cultures. Increasedtemperature alone caused a slight increase in lipid peroxidation,but this was greatly augmented by carbon limitation. Althoughcarbon limitation induced increased catalase activity, at highertemperatures activity declined after 48 h, allowing for thesubstantial increase in lipid peroxidation.     

Widespread cutaneous candidiasis and tinea infection masking mycosis fungoides

A 71-year-old female with a widespread double mycotic infection caused byC. Albicans andT. rubrum was discovered to be suffering from mycosis fungoides. Clinically she was found to have large, polycyclic erythematous plaques with scaly, slightly infiltrated borders, covering almost all areas of the glabrous skin, and also involving the scalp (with no hair penetration), the soles and palms, toe-webs, finger and toe nails; there was also perleche and oral thrush. Cultures yieldedC. albicans from most of the skin lesions, from the scalp, mouth, finger nails and urine and stool specimens, andT. rubrum from intermingled skin specimens, from the palms and soles and toe-nails. Blood culture was negative as were intracutaneous tests with fungal antigens and tuberculin. Histological examination confirmed the fungal invasion of the horny layer and at the same time revealed an underlying pathologic picture of mycosis fungoides, the lesions having been masked by the mycotic eruption. Intensive cytostatic and antifungal therapy led to a transient improvement but shortly thereafter there was a relapse of the fungal and lymphoproliferative manifestations and the patient died in septic shock.

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Résumé Une femme, agée 71 ans, ayant une double infection mycosique due àC. albicans et auT. rubrum, a été décélée qu'elle souffrait aussi d'un mycosis fungoïde. Au point de vue clinique elle avait de larges plaques érythémato-squameuses, polycicliques, aux bords légèrement infiltrés, répandues sur une grande partie de la peau glabre, paumes et plantes inclus, et affectant aussi le cuir chevelu (sans pénétration des poils), les ongles des doigts et des orteils. Les cultures ont permis d'isoler leC. albicans à partir de la majorité des lésions de la peau et du cuir chevelu, des ongles des doigts, ainsi que de la bouche, de l'urine et des selles. On a trouvé aussiT. rubrum dans des lésions cutanées entremêlées aux precedentes, dans la région palmaire et plantaire et dans les ongles des orteils. Les testes intradermiques aux antigens fongiques et à tuberculine ont été négatifs, ainsi que les hémocultures. L'examen histologique a montré l'invasion de la couche cornée par les champignons et en même temps a découvert un tableau pathologique sous-jacent d'un mycosis fungoïde, ayant été masqué par l'éruption fongique. Un traitement intensif par des produits cytostatiques et antifongiques a mené à une amélioration temporaire, mais brièvement après on a assisté à une réchute rapide des manifestations lymphoprolifératives et fongiques et la malade a décédé à la suite d'un état septique.

     

Coevolution of costly mate choice and condition-dependent display of good genes.

Females often choose their mates, instead of mating at random, even when a father contributes nothing but genes to his offspring. Costly female preferences for males with exaggerated traits that reduce viability, such as the peacock's tail, are particularly puzzling. Such preferences can evolve if directly favoured by natural selection or when the exaggerated trait, although maladaptive per se, indicates high overall quality of the male's genotype. Two recent analyses suggested that the advantage to mate choice based on genetic quality is too weak to explain extreme cases of exaggeration of display traits and the corresponding preferences. We studied coevolution of a female mate-preference function and a genotype-dependent male display function where mutation supplies variation in genotype quality and mate preference is costly. Preference readily evolves, often causing extreme exaggeration of the display. Mate choice and trait expression can approach an equilibrium, or a limit cycle, or exaggeration can proceed forever, eventually causing extinction.