The region 3' to Xist mediates X chromosome counting and H3 Lys-4 dimethylation within the Xist gene

A counting process senses the X chromosome/autosome ratio and ensures that X chromosome inactivation (XCI) initiates in the female (XX) but not in the male (XY) mouse embryo. Counting is regulated by the X-inactivation centre, which contains the Xist gene. Deleting 65 kb 3' to Xist in XO embryonic stem (ES) cells affects counting and results in inappropriate XCI upon differentiation. We show here that normal counting can be rescued in these deleted ES cells using cre/loxP re-insertion, and refine the location of elements controlling counting within a 20 kb bipartite domain. Furthermore, we show that the 65 kb deletion also leads to inappropriate XCI in XY differentiated ES cells, which excludes the involvement of sex-specific mechanisms in the initiation of XCI. At the chromatin level, we have found that the Xist gene corresponds to a peak of H3 Lys-4 dimethylation, which is dramatically and specifically affected by the deletion 3' to Xist. Our results raise the possibility that H3 Lys-4 dimethylation within Xist may be functionally implicated in the counting process.     

In-field production of parasitoids of Dysaphis plantaginea by using the rowan aphid Dysaphis sorbi as substitute host

A system was developed to provide the parasitic wasp Ephedrus persicae Froggatt (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), which attacks the rosy apple aphid Dysaphis plantaginea (Passerini) (Homoptera: Aphididae), with the alternative host Dysaphis sorbi Kaltenbach (Homoptera: Aphididae) in apple orchards. Rowan trees (Sorbus aucuparia L.) arranged along the side of an unsprayed orchard were artificially infested in late February 2002 with eggs of D. sorbi. Colonies of D. sorbi successfully developed from the introduced eggs and persisted on several trees until the end of June. The only primary parasitoid species emerging from a sample of mummified aphids collected in spring from the infested rowan trees was the braconid wasp species E. persicae. In a host-switching experiment, nymphs of D. plantaginea proved suitable for female parasitoids originating from mummified D. sorbi. A series of mummies collected from the rowan trees in early summer contained diapausing parasitoids and hyperparasitoids that only hatched in April of the following spring. These observations suggest the possibility of establishing a local population of E. persicae in apple orchards, so that D. plantaginea can be readily attacked by diapause-emerging parasitoids in early spring.     

New insights into deleterious impacts of in vivo glycation on albumin antioxidant activities

Background

Albumin constitutes the most abundant circulating antioxidant and prevents oxidative damages. However, in diabetes, this plasmatic protein is exposed to several oxidative modifications, which impact on albumin antioxidant properties.

Methods

Most studies dealing on albumin antioxidant activities were conducted on in vitro modified protein. Here we tried to decipher whether reduced antioxidant properties of albumin could be evidenced in vivo. For this, we compared the antioxidant properties of albumin purified from diabetic patients to in vitro models of glycated albumin.

Results

Both in vivo and in vitro glycated albumins displayed impaired antioxidant activities in the free radical-induced hemolysis test. Surprisingly, the ORAC method (Oxygen Radical Antioxidant Capacity) showed an enhanced antioxidant activity for glycated albumin. Faced with this paradox, we investigated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of our albumin preparations on cultured cells (macrophages and adipocytes). Reduced cellular metabolism and enhanced intracellular oxidative stress were measured in cells treated with albumin from diabetics. NF-kB –mediated gene induction was higher in macrophages treated with both type of glycated albumin compared with cells treated with native albumin. Anti inflammatory activity of native albumin is significantly impaired after in vitro glycation and albumin purified from diabetics significantly enhanced IL6 secretion by adipocytes. Expression of receptor for advanced glycation products is significantly enhanced in glycated albumin-treated cells.

Conclusions and general significance

Our results bring new evidences on the deleterious impairments of albumin important functions after glycation and emphasize the importance of in vivo model of glycation in studies relied to diabetes pathology.     

Jumping and gliding rodents: Mitogenomic affinities of Pedetidae and Anomaluridae deduced from an RNA-Seq approach

An RNA-Seq strategy was used to obtain the complete set of protein-coding mitochondrial genes from two rodent taxa. Thanks to the next generation sequencing (NGS) 454 approach, we determined the complete mitochondrial DNA genome from Graphiurus kelleni (Mammalia: Rodentia: Gliridae) and partial mitogenome from Pedetes capensis (Pedetidae), and compared them with published rodent and outgroup mitogenomes. We finished the mitogenome sequencing by a series of amplicons using conserved PCR primers to fill the gaps corresponding to tRNA, rRNA and control regions. Phylogenetic analyses of the mitogenomes suggest a well-supported rodent phylogeny in agreement with nuclear gene trees. Pedetes groups with Anomalurus into the clade Anomaluromorpha, while Graphiurus branches within the squirrel-related clade. Moreover, Pedetes + Anomalurus branch with Castor into the mouse-related clade. Our study demonstrates the utility of NGS for obtaining new mitochondrial genomes as well as the importance of choosing adequate models of sequence evolution to infer the phylogeny of rodents.     

Mycobacterium tuberculosis MtrB Sensor Kinase Interactions with FtsI and Wag31 Proteins Reveal a Role for MtrB Distinct from That Regulating MtrA Activities

The septal association of Mycobacterium tuberculosis MtrB, the kinase partner of the MtrAB two-component signal transduction system, is necessary for the optimal expression of the MtrA regulon targets, including ripA, fbpB, and ftsI, which are involved in cell division and cell wall synthesis. Here, we show that MtrB, irrespective of its phosphorylation status, interacts with Wag31, whereas only phosphorylation-competent MtrB interacts with FtsI. We provide evidence that FtsI depletion compromises the MtrB septal assembly and MtrA regulon expression; likewise, the absence of MtrB compromises FtsI localization and, possibly, FtsI activity. We conclude from these results that FtsI and MtrB are codependent for their activities and that FtsI functions as a positive modulator of MtrB activation and MtrA regulon expression. In contrast to FtsI, Wag31 depletion does not affect MtrB septal assembly and MtrA regulon expression, whereas the loss of MtrB increased Wag31 localization and the levels of PknA/PknB (PknA/B) serine-threonine protein kinase-mediated Wag31 phosphorylation. Interestingly, we found that FtsI decreased levels of phosphorylated Wag31 (Wag31∼P) and that MtrB interacted with PknA/B. Overall, our results indicate that MtrB interactions with FtsI, Wag31, and PknA/B are required for its optimal localization, MtrA regulon expression, and phosphorylation of Wag31. Our results emphasize a new role for MtrB in cell division and cell wall synthesis distinct from that regulating the MtrA phosphorylation activities.     

The Increased Risk of Road Crashes in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Adult Drivers: Driven by Distraction? Results from a Responsibility Case-Control Study

Background and Objective

Both distractions (external and internal) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are serious risk factors for traffic crashes and injuries. However, it is still unknown if ADHD (a chronic condition) modifies the effect of distractions (irregular hazards) on traffic crashes. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of distractions and ADHD on traffic crash responsibility.

Methods

A responsibility case-control study was conducted in the adult emergency department of Bordeaux University Hospital, France. Subjects were recruited among drivers injured in a motor vehicle crash between April 2010 and August 2011. Responsibility levels were estimated using a standardized method. Frequencies of exposures were compared between drivers responsible and drivers not responsible for the crash. Independent risk factors were identified using a multivariate logistic regression including test interactions between distractions and ADHD.

Results

A total of 777 subjects were included in the analysis. Factors associated with responsibility were distraction induced by an external event (adjusted OR (aOR)  = 1.47; 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.06–2.05]), distraction induced by an internal thought (aOR = 2.38; CI: [1.50–3.77]) and ADHD (aOR = 2.18 CI: [1.22–3.88]). The combined effect of ADHD and external distractions was strongly associated with responsibility for the crash (aOR = 5.79 CI: [2.06–16.32]). Interaction assessment showed that the attributable proportion due to the interaction among participants with both exposures was 68%.

Discussion

Adults with ADHD are a population at higher risk of being responsible for a road traffic crash when exposed to external distractions. This result reinforces the need to diagnose adult ADHD and to include road safety awareness messages delivered by the physician. Developing advanced driver assistance systems devoted to the management of attention lapses is also increasingly relevant for these drivers.     

The innate immunity of a marine red alga involves oxylipins from both the eicosanoid and octadecanoid pathways

The oxygenated derivatives of fatty acids, known as oxylipins, are pivotal signaling molecules in animals and terrestrial plants. In animal systems, eicosanoids regulate cell differentiation, immune responses, and homeostasis. In contrast, terrestrial plants use derivatives of C18 and C16 fatty acids as developmental or defense hormones. Marine algae have emerged early in the evolution of eukaryotes as several distinct phyla, independent from the animal and green-plant lineages. The occurrence of oxylipins of the eicosanoid family is well documented in marine red algae, but their biological roles remain an enigma. Here we address the hypothesis that they are involved with the defense mechanisms of the red alga Chondrus crispus. By investigating its association with a green algal endophyte Acrochaete operculata, which becomes invasive in the diploid generation of this red alga, we showed that (1) when challenged by pathogen extracts, the resistant haploid phase of C. crispus produced both C20 and C18 oxylipins, (2) elicitation with pathogen extracts or methyl jasmonate activated the metabolism of C20 and C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids to generate hydroperoxides and cyclopentenones such as prostaglandins and jasmonates, and (3) C20 and C18 hydroperoxides as well as methyl jasmonate did induce shikimate dehydrogenase and Phe ammonialyase activities in C. crispus and conferred an induced resistance to the diploid phase, while inhibitors of fatty acid oxidation reduced the natural resistance of the haploid generation. The dual nature of oxylipin metabolism in this alga suggests that early eukaryotes featured both animal- (eicosanoids) and plant-like (octadecanoids) oxylipins as essential components of innate immunity mechanisms.     

Predicting the cumulative effect of multiple disturbances on seagrass connectivity

The rate of exchange, or connectivity, among populations effects their ability to recover after disturbance events. However, there is limited information on the extent to which populations are connected or how multiple disturbances affect connectivity, especially in coastal and marine ecosystems. We used network analysis and the outputs of a biophysical model to measure potential functional connectivity and predict the impact of multiple disturbances on seagrasses in the central Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA), Australia. The seagrass networks were densely connected, indicating that seagrasses are resilient to the random loss of meadows. Our analysis identified discrete meadows that are important sources of seagrass propagules and that serve as stepping stones connecting various different parts of the network. Several of these meadows were close to urban areas or ports and likely to be at risk from coastal development. Deep water meadows were highly connected to coastal meadows and may function as a refuge, but only for non‐foundation species. We evaluated changes to the structure and functioning of the seagrass networks when one or more discrete meadows were removed due to multiple disturbance events. The scale of disturbance required to disconnect the seagrass networks into two or more components was on average >245 km, about half the length of the metapopulation. The densely connected seagrass meadows of the central GBRWHA are not limited by the supply of propagules; therefore, management should focus on improving environmental conditions that support natural seagrass recruitment and recovery processes. Our study provides a new framework for assessing the impact of global change on the connectivity and persistence of coastal and marine ecosystems. Without this knowledge, management actions, including coastal restoration, may prove unnecessary and be unsuccessful.     

Different iron sources to study the physiology and biochemistry of iron metabolism in marine micro-algae

We compared ferric EDTA, ferric citrate and ferrous ascorbate as iron sources to study iron metabolism in Ostreococcus tauri, Phaeodactlylum tricornutum and Emiliania huxleyi. Ferric EDTA was a better iron source than ferric citrate for growth and chlorophyll levels. Direct and indirect experiments showed that iron was much more available to the cells when provided as ferric citrate as compared to ferric EDTA. As a consequence, growth media with iron concentration in the range 1–100 nM were rapidly iron-depleted when ferric citrate—but not ferric EDTA was the iron source. When cultured together, P. tricornutum cells overgrew the two other species in iron-sufficient conditions, but E. huxleyi was able to compete other species in iron-deficient conditions, and when iron was provided as ferric citrate instead of ferric EDTA, which points out the critical influence of the chemical form of iron on the blooms of some phytoplankton species. The use of ferric citrate and ferrous ascorbate allowed us to unravel a kind of regulation of iron uptake that was dependent on the day/night cycles and to evidence independent uptake systems for ferrous and ferric iron, which can be regulated independently and be copper-dependent or independent. The same iron sources also allowed one to identify molecular components involved in iron uptake and storage in marine micro-algae. Characterizing the mechanisms of iron metabolism in the phytoplankton constitutes a big challenge; we show here that the use of iron sources more readily available to the cells than ferric EDTA is critical for this task.     

Woody vegetation composition and diversity in woodlands inside and outside a Forest Reserve in Jos,Nigeria

Protected areas such as forest reserves are often assumed to be best ways to conserve biodiversity and maintain intact ecosystems. We examined woody plant composition and diversity in the gallery forest and savannah woodland habitats of Amurum Forest Reserve and areas immediately surrounding it in Jos, Nigeria. A total of 100 10 × 10 m sample plots were established inside and outside the reserve. All woody plants ≥1 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) were identified and measured. A total of 7,564 individual plants categorized as 134 species from 44 families were recorded. Overall species diversity was significantly higher in the Forest Reserve than outside the reserve, although more species were encountered outside the reserve. Our findings suggest that, protected areas and the areas surrounding them are important for the conservation of biodiversity as the areas outside protected areas also contain species of conservation value. The continuous degrading areas outside protected areas isolates them and poses a serious threat to the long‐term viability of wildlife populations, so it is important that biodiversity in protected areas and their surrounding areas be conserved.