Comparative Inactivation of Adenovirus Serotypes by UV Light Disinfection

The results of this study confirm that adenoviruses are the most resistant enteric viruses to inactivation by UV light and that adenovirus 40 appears to be the most resistant. The effect of freeze-thawing and storage in water may affect the sensitivity of some adenoviruses to inactivation by UV light.     

Integrated pathway-based and network-based analysis of GC-MS rice metabolomics data under diazinon stress to infer affected biological pathways

Diazinon insecticide is widely applied in rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields in Iran. However, concerns are now being raised about its potential adverse impacts on rice. In this study, a time-course metabolic change in rice plants was investigated after diazinon treatment using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and subsequently three different methods, MetaboAnalyst, MetaboNetwork, and analysis of reporter reactions, as a potential multivariate method were used to find the underlying changes in metabolism with stronger evidence in order to link differentially expressed metabolites to biological pathways. Results clearly showed the similarity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of rice plants to that of animals in terms of its inhibitability by diazinon and emphasized that subsequent accumulation of AChE mainly affects the metabolism of osmolites and tricarboxylic acid intermediates subsequent accumulation of ACh mainly affects the metabolism of osmolites and TCA intermediates.     

Differential Effects of Ornithine Enantiomers on the Activity of Anti‐oxidant Enzymes,Polyamines Content,and Growth of Tobacco Cells under Osmotic Stresses

Ornithine (Orn) plays an essential role in the metabolism of plant cells through incorporation in polyamines biosynthesis, the urea cycle and nitrogen metabolism. Herein, we show that Orn enantiomers have different effects on anti‐oxidant enzymes activities, polyamines and proline biosynthesis and also an alleviation effect of osmotic stresses on tobacco cells. The type of stress has a significant impact on the function of L‐ and D‐Orn for improvement of the stress effect on the cells. Under saline conditions, both enantiomers restored cell growth, though D‐Orn was more beneficial to some extent. This was accompanied with a higher biosynthesis of putrescine, proline, and up‐regulated activity of certain anti‐oxidant enzymes by D‐Orn. Under drought stress conditions, a distinct differential behavior emerged and only L‐Orn showed an alleviative effect on the cell growth. Regulation of hydrogen peroxide content via the activity of catalase/peroxidase and production of osmolytes, e.g., proline and fructans, was dependent on the type of enantiomers. Activity of anti‐oxidant enzymes and production of malondialdehyde from cell membranes were differently regulated following treatment with either Orn enantiomer. The results suggest that management of H₂O₂ content is a determining feature of the function of Orn enantiomers in tobacco cells under salinity and drought stress conditions. Chirality 25:583–588, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Agrobacterium rhizogenes transformed soybean roots differ in their nodulation and nitrogen fixation response to genistein and salt stress

We evaluated response differences of normal and transformed (so-called ‘hairy’) roots of soybean (Glycine max L. (Merr.), cv L17) to the Nod-factor inducing isoflavone genistein and salinity by quantifying growth, nodulation, nitrogen fixation and biochemical changes. Composite soybean plants were generated using Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation of non-nodulating mutant nod139 (GmNFR5α minus) with complementing A. rhizogenes K599 carrying the wild-type GmNFR5α gene under control of the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter. We used genetic complementation for nodulation ability as only nodulated roots were scored. After hairy root emergence, primary roots were removed and composite plants were inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum (strain CB1809) pre-induced with 10 μM genistein and watered with NaCl (0, 25, 50 and 100 mM). There were significant differences between hairy roots and natural roots in their responses to salt stress and genistein application. In addition, there were noticeable nodulation and nitrogen fixation differences. Composite plants had better growth, more root volume and chlorophyll as well as more nodules and higher nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction) compared with natural roots. Decreased lipid peroxidation, proline accumulation and catalase/peroxidase activities were found in ‘hairy’ roots under salinity stress. Genistein significantly increased nodulation and nitrogen fixation and improved roots and shoot growth. Although genistein alleviated lipid peroxidation under salinity stress, it had no significant effect on the activity of antioxidant enzymes. In general, composite plants were more competitive in growth, nodulation and nitrogen fixation than normal non-transgenic even under salinity stress conditions.     

Therapeutic effect of antihypertensive drug on diabetic nephropathy: Functional and structural kidney investigation

Due to the growth of diabetic mellitus (DM) and diabetic nephropathy as a significant complication for diabetic patients, study on effective treatment with fewer side effects has been fascinated. In this study for the first time carvedilol effects on both function and structure of kidney in diabetic nephropathy treatment were evaluated. Diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin (STZ) intravenously in rats and three groups including control, diabetic, and treatment with carvedilol were considered. Biochemical parameters such as, blood glucose level, BUN, creatinine, uric acid, Na⁺, K⁺ was determined. Results showed that glucose (516 to 291 mg/dl), BUN (42 to 21.67 mg/dl), creatinine (0.75 to 0.6 mg/dl), uric acid (4.45 to 1.36 mg/dl), and K⁺ (7.433 to 5.433 mEq/l) level reduced. Decrease in glucose, BUN, creatinine, uric acid, and K⁺ and increase in Na⁺ level (138 to 146.33 mEq/l) confirmed therapeutic effect of carvedilol. Furthermore, the histopathological study was done for each group. Histopathological results confirmed the data obtained by biochemical parameters. For further investigation, SPECT imaging with ^99mTc-DMSA, which is a gold standard in diabetic nephropathy detection, was done. SPECT imaging showed that accumulation of ^99mTc-DMSA was increased in treated group (5 to 25 kcpm) which means the improvement in renal structure in the treated group compare to the diabetic group (5 kcpm). Finally, obtained results confirmed our hypothesis that carvedilol had a therapeutic effect on diabetic nephropathy.     

Site-specific recombination of T2 phage using IP008 long tail fiber genes provides a targeted method for expanding host range while retaining lytic activity

The application of bacteriophages (phages) in therapy urgently requires the production of wide-host-range recombinant phages that possess strong lytic activity. The wide-host-range IP008 phage was classified by transmission electron microscopy analysis as an A2 morphotype member of the Myoviridae family of the order Caudovirales . IP008 showed a high homology (99.4% similarity in the amino acid alignment of the major capsid protein Gp 23) with KEP10, another wide-host-range phage. The long tail fiber genes (genes 37 and 38 ) from the genome of T2 were replaced with those of the IP008 phage by homologous recombination. The host range of the recombinant phages was identical to that of IP008. Furthermore, the recombinant phage bacterial lytic activity was restored. Future analyses of host-range mutants of the closely related phages T2 and IP008 could lead to a more precise localization of the genetic factors responsible for receptor specificity.     

Effects of Aluminum on the Growth of Tea Plant and Activation of Antioxidant System

The origin and distribution of carbonic anhydrase (CA), which could accelerate karst processes, are explored in this paper. The soil samples used in the study were collected from four different kinds of karst ecosystems of Southwest China. The results indicate that CA activity could be detected in surface layer soils, and that CA activity varied obviously among the soils in different karst ecosystems. Of the four kinds of karst site, the mean CA activity of the surface soil in Misuga, Liupanshui, which had the lowest vegetation cover, was the lowest with 0.02 U g ^–1 dry soil. Nongla and Jinfu mountain, where there is abundant vegetable species diversity and dense vegetation, had higher mean CA activity in the surface soil with 3.83 U g ^–1 dry soil and 3.13 U g ^–1 dry soil, respectively. Moreover, there was certain difference in CA activities of soils among different kinds of karst landscape in the same kind of karst ecosystem. On the other hand, the higher CA activity could be detected in the soils in the vicinity of the plant roots, and CA activity in soil exhibited both obvious seasonal and vertical changes. These facts implied that plant roots and soil microorganisms might serve as important sources of CA. Besides, the results indicate that CA activity is found in bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi. Actinomycetes had higher intracellular CA activity, while fungi had higher extracellular CA activity. This study shows that higher microbial CA activities are found in Jinfu Mountain, while lower microbial CA activities are found in Misuga, Liupanshui.     

<Emphasis Type="Bold">Role of microRNAs and their target genes in salinity response in plant</Emphasis>s

We examined the effects of 2,4-epibrassinolide (EBR) application on photosynthesis, antioxidant enzyme activity, and Rubisco activase (RCA) gene expression in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings under a combination of drought and heat stress. The net photosynthetic rates (P_n) of wheat seedlings decreased significantly, the photosynthetic capability was inhibited, and the activities of superoxide (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and RCA as well as the initial and total activity of Rubisco declined under the combined stress. These decreases and inhibitory effects were significantly ameliorated by exogenous EBR application. Three subunits (45–46, 41–42, and 38–39 kDa) of RCA were observed in wheat seedlings. The abundances of the 38–39 kDa and 41–42 kDa subunits were significantly lower in plants subjected to stressful conditions than in unstressed plants. Interestingly, a marked increase in 45–46 kDa RCA was observed under heat or heat combined with drought stress. The abundance of 38–39 kDa RCA in seedlings exposed to heat, drought, or their combination was significantly enhanced by EBR pretreatment, which paralleled the changes in initial Rubisco activity and P_n, but was not consistent with observed mRNA abundance. These results indicated that the larger subunit of RCA (45–46 kDa), which is more thermostable and increased in response to moderate heat stress, and the smaller isoform (38–39 kDa) of RCA may play important roles in maintaining the photosynthetic capability by EBR under stress conditions.     

Establishment and characterization of Caspian horse fibroblast cell bank in Iran

Caspian horse, a rare horse breed found in 1965 by Louise Firouz in northern Iran, is a small horse which is reported to be in danger of extinction in its original homeland. There seems to be a great need to prevent extinction of this valuable horse. In this study, 51 fibroblast cell lines from Caspian horse ear marginal tissue were successfully established by sampling 60 horses using primary explant technique. Cells were authenticated and growth curve was plotted. According to results obtained, population doubling time (PDT) was calculated 23 ± 0.5 h for all cell lines. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (multiplex PCR) revealed that cell lines had no cross-contamination with other species. Bacteria, fungi, and mycoplasma contamination were checked using standard methods such as PCR, direct culture, and Hoechst staining. In addition to providing a valuable source for genomic, postgenomic, and somatic cloning researches, the established cell lines would preserve Caspian horse genetic resources. It will also create an accessible database for researchers.