Effect of SXWS/WSXWS peptides on chemotaxis and adhesion of the macrophage‐like cell line J774

WSXWS motif is a conserved amino acid sequence that is present in type I cytokine receptors. This motif that can be found both in the ligand binding chains and signal transducer molecule of the receptors with different amino acids at the position “X” plays a role in the receptor folding, ligand binding and signal transduction as well. Structural analysis proved that WSEWS motif of IL‐6R is located in a highly accessible location in the protein. Structural properties and chemotaxis of a tetrapeptide library with SXWS sequence, where X was the 19 proteinogenic amino acids except cystein were systematically studied earlier. It has been proved that C‐terminal amidation and the identity of amino acid X had a pronounced influence on the chemotactic properties but less of the structure of the peptides. Here, we present our findings on the effect of a tetrapeptide and a pentapeptide library with the sequence of SXWS and WSXWS on the chemotaxis and adhesion of J774 murine macrophage cell line. We studied the effect of the presence/absence of N‐terminal tryptophan and the different amino acids at the X position on these physiological responses. Results indicated that amino acid X had a marked influence on chemotaxis, adhesion as well as on proliferation induced by (W)SXWS peptides. Elongation of SXWS sequence with a tryptophan at the N terminus also altered pronouncedly all the physiological responses of the cells studied. A good correlation could be observed between the chemotaxis and the proliferation and physicochemical parameters of the amino acid X. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A grid-based, satellite-image supported, multi-attributed vegetation mapping method (MÉTA)

In this paper we present the main characteristics of a new, grid-based, landscape-ecology-oriented, satellite-image supported, field vegetation mapping method, called MÉTA (MÉTA stands for Magyarországi Él?helyek Térképi Adatbázisa: GIS Database of the Hungarian Habitats). The goals of the MÉTA method based vegetation mapping program (MÉTA mapping) include the following: (1) to map the actual (semi-)natural vegetation of Hungary; (2) to evaluate Hungarian (semi-)natural vegetation heritage for conservation purposes; (3) to evaluate the present state of Hungarian landscapes from a vegetation point of view; (4) to collect vegetation and landscape ecological data for the prognosis of future changes of vegetation and the landscape. Spatial resolution, mapped attributes and mapping methods were developed to meet these goals. The MÉTA method uses a hexagon grid with cells of 35 hectares. In the hexagons, habitat types are listed, then the area, naturalness-based habitat quality, spatial pattern in the hexagon, effect of the neighbourhood, connectedness, and threats are recorded for each habitat type. Other attributes are recorded in the hexagons: potential natural vegetation, area occupied by invasive plant species, area of old fields, land use of grasslands, and landscape health status (naturalness and regeneration potential of the landscape in general). One hundred hexagons form a quadrat — mainly for practical, organizational reasons, but also for collecting certain vegetation data at this spatial scale. For standardization of mapping, three different pre-printed data sheets and two different kinds of guides have been composed (Mapping Guide and Habitat Guide) and field trainings were organized. For standardization of estimation of naturalness-based habitat quality and regeneration potential field examples were prepared for each habitat type and each category of these attributes.     

An improved formula for evaluating electrical capacitance using the dissipation factor

Background and aims

The measurement of electrical capacitance in root–soil system (C_R) is a useful method for estimating the root system size (RSS) in situ; however, C_R–RSS regressions are often poor. It was hypothesized that this weak relationships could be partly due to the variable energy-loss rate, indicated by the dissipation factor (DF).

Methods

The values of C_R and the associated DF were measured in six plant species grown in quasi-hydroponic pumice medium, arenosol and chernozem soil. The dielectric properties of the plant growth media were also recorded. A modified root–soil capacitance, C_DF, was calculated from each C_R/DF pair according to the formula C_DF = C_R·(DF/DF_mean)^α by estimating α with a standard nonlinear minimization of the sum of squared residuals for C_DF–RSS regressions.

Results

The capacitive behavior of the medium improved (mean DF decreased) but fluctuated increasingly as the substrate became more complex. The mean DF values in plant–substrate systems were chiefly determined by the plant and were the most variable in chernozem soil. This strengthening substrate effect on C_R measurements appeared as a decreasing trend in the R² values obtained for the C_R–RSS regressions. The regression slope was influenced by plant species and medium, while the y-intercept differed only between substrate types. The proposed use of C_DF in place of C_R could significantly improve the R² of C_DF–RSS regressions, particularly in chernozem soil (R² increased by 0.07–0.31).

Conclusions

The application of C_DF will provide more reliable and accurate RSS estimations and more efficient statistical comparisons. The findings are worth considering in future investigations using the root capacitance method.

     

Developing a non-sticky trap design for monitoring jewel beetles

There is an urgent need in Europe to prepare resources for the arrival of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis (Buprestidae, Coleoptera) from European Russia, and possibly other invasive jewel beetles. A lightweight, easy to handle, non-sticky trap could facilitate monitoring and detection to derive information about emerald ash borer and other jewel beetle populations. In two experiments carried out over two consecutive years in an oak forest, a new non-sticky multi-funnel trap design with a light-green (sometimes described as fluorescent yellow) visual cue was developed. Altogether, there were 238 (2018) and 194 (2019) specimens captured often (2018) and eight (2019) Agrilus species, eight of which are oak-related and one (A. convexicollis) was linked to ash. The new light-green multi-funnel trap performed similarly to the sticky design with a similar coloured surface. Our results suggest that the new trap design may be suitable for catching a wide range of buprestid species. It may also have the potential to be further optimized with respect to visual and olfactory cues, which would provide an even more useful tool for monitoring both invasive and indigenous buprestids.     

Out-of-position telomeres in meiotic leptotene appear responsible for chiasmate pairing in an inversion heterozygote in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Chromosoma - Chromosome pairing in meiosis usually starts in the vicinity of the telomere attachment to the nuclear membrane and congregation of telomeres in the leptotene bouquet is believed...     

Stabilization of Cr,Pb, and Zn in Soil Using Lignite

A uniform multivariable model system was used to investigate whether lignite from Visonta (Hungary) has a stabilizing effect on the heavy metals Cr, Pb, and Zn in the case of complex soil contamination with these metals. The investigated soil was acidic sand. Soluble element concentrations extracted by distilled water, ammonium acetate buffer, and ammonium-acetate + EDTA extractant were determined. The effect of lignite on the humus quality of the soil and its influence on the cation exchange capacity was also measured. The results were evaluated using analysis of variance, regression analysis, and principal component analysis. The results indicated that lignite was capable of stabilizing Pb, Zn, and particularly Cr. According to the optical method, lignite did not increase the amount of higher condensation and polymerization humic fractions, but it did increase the cation exchange capacity of the soil. If the lignite-based remediation technology is to become applicable in practice, further tests will be required on the efficiency of lignite, accompanied by a change in the scale of the experiments.     

Synthesis and α-Glucosidase II inhibitory activity of valienamine pseudodisaccharides relevant to N-glycan biosynthesis

Valienol-derived allylic C-1 bromides have been used as carbaglycosyl donors for α-xylo configured valienamine pseudodisaccharide synthesis. We synthesised valienamine analogues of the Glc(α1→3)Glc and Glc(α1→3)Man disaccharides representing the linkages cleaved by α-Glucosidase II in N-glycan biosynthesis. These (N1→3)-linked pseudodisaccharides were found to have some α-Glucosidase II inhibitory activity, while two other (N1→6)-linked valienamine pseudodisaccharides failed to inhibit the enzyme.     

Selective Homo- and Heteromer Interactions between the Multiple Organellar RNA Editing Factor (MORF) Proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana

RNA editing in plastids and mitochondria of flowering plants requires pentatricopeptide repeat proteins (PPR proteins) for site recognition and proteins of the multiple organellar RNA editing factor (MORF) family as cofactors. Two MORF proteins, MORF5 and MORF8, are dual-targeted to plastids and mitochondria; two are targeted to plastids, and five are targeted to mitochondria. Pulldown assays from Arabidopsis thaliana tissue culture extracts with the mitochondrial MORF1 and the plastid MORF2 proteins, respectively, both identify the dual-targeted MORF8 protein, showing that these complexes can assemble in the organelles. We have now determined the scope of potential interactions between the various MORF proteins by yeast two-hybrid, in vitro pulldown, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. The resulting MORF-MORF interactome identifies specific heteromeric MORF protein interactions in plastids and in mitochondria. Heteromers are observed for MORF protein combinations affecting a common site, suggesting their functional relevance. Most MORF proteins also undergo homomeric interactions. Submolecular analysis of the MORF1 protein reveals that the MORF-MORF protein connections require the C-terminal region of the central conserved MORF box. This domain has no similarity to known protein modules and may form a novel surface for protein-protein interactions.