Are linear‐leaved Potamogeton hybrids really so rare? Molecular evidence for multiple hybridizations between P. acutifolius and P. compressus in central Europe

Due to insufficient morphological differentiation, hybridization among linear‐leaved species of Potamogeton is rarely observed and recognized. Here, we applied molecular tools (sequencing of nrITS and rpl32‐trnL cpDNA intergenic spacer) to study several natural, central European populations of morphologically intermediate forms between two closely related species, P. acutifolius and P. compressus, to examine their taxonomical status and test whether they represented the variation range of the species or are results of interspecific hybridization. Both DNA regions provided distinguishing characters between putative parental species. The ITS sequences from all the morphologically intermediate specimens displayed an additive pattern combining the variation of both parental species, providing evidence for the hybrid origin of all these plants. This case study suggests that hybrids of linear‐leaved Potamogeton species are more common than usually believed, but have been difficult to identify without molecular tools.     

Yeast glucoamylases: molecular-genetic and structural characterization

Glucoamylase is an extracellular enzyme produced mainly by microorganisms. It belongs to the commercially frequently exploited biocatalysts. The major application of glucoamylase is in the starch bioprocessing to produce glucose and in alcoholic fermentations of starchy materials. Filamentous fungi have been the source of glucoamylases for industrial purposes as well as an object of numerous research studies. Some yeasts also secrete a large amount of glucoamylase with biochemical characteristics slightly different from those of filamentous fungi. Modern biotechnological applications require glucoamylases of certain properties optimal for a given process. Novel biocatalysts can be prepared from already existing enzymes using techniques of protein engineering or directed evolution. Tailoring of a commercial glucoamylase requires knowledge, on a molecular level, of structure/function relationships of enzymes originating from various sources and having different catalytic properties. Sequences of the cloned genes, their recombinant expression and the tertiary structure determination of glucoamylase are prerequisite to obtain such information. The presented review focuses on molecular-genetic and structural aspects of yeast glucoamylases, supplemented with the basic biochemical characterization of the given enzymes.     

Refuge from predation, the benefit of living in an extreme acidic environment?

Organisms living in extreme habitats require costly adaptations to cope with these conditions. Among the suggested potential benefits that trade off these costs is refuge from predation. To study these interactions in extreme environments, samples were taken in the cave Cueva de Villa Luz, Tabasco, Mexico, where more than 32 subterranean springs, some H(2)S rich, rise from the floor. Hydrogen sulfide gas plus oxygen is absorbed by freshwater, and oxidation forms concentrated sulfuric acid. Snottites, whitish hollow mucous tubes, hang from the ceiling of the cave. Fluid drops from these snottites were recorded as having pH values of 0-3. We report the discovery of a new species of nematode that thrives in the highly acidic environment of the snottite. Micro CT scan of snottites reveals a complex interaction between the acidic snottite, nematodes, and abundant nematode-eating mites. The nematode adaptation to low pH probably protects them against mite predation, for which nematodes are most likely the most important source of carbon in this sulfur-driven ecosystem.     

Secondary metabolites of Bagassa guianensis Aubl. wood: A study of the chemotaxonomy of the Moraceae family

In order to explain the durability of the Moraceae plant family, phytochemistry of Bagassa guianensis was performed. Ethyl acetate extract was obtained from the heartwood and 18 secondary metabolites were isolated, including 6 moracins [6-O-methyl-moracin M, 6-O-methyl-moracin N and moracin Z; previously identified: moracin M, moracin N and moracin P], 8 stilbenoids [presently identified: (?)-epialboctalol and arachidin 4; previously identified: alboctalol, trans-resveratrol, arachidin 2, trans-oxyresveratrol and artogomezianol], 3 previously identified flavonoids, steppogenin, katuranin and dihydromorin, β-sitosterol and resorcinol. Previous studies suggest that stilbenoids are responsible for the natural durability of wood. Our study has determined that B. guianensis is closely related to Morus sp. in phylogeny and should be included in the Moreae sensu stricto tribe of the Moraceae family.     

First trimester screening for trisomy 21 in gestational week 8-10 by ADAM12-S as a maternal serum marker

Background  

A disintegrin and metalloprotease 12 (ADAM12-S) has previously been reported to be significantly reduced in maternal serum from women with fetal aneuploidy early in the first trimester and to significantly improve the quality of risk assessment for fetal trisomy 21 in prenatal screening. The aim of this study was to determine whether ADAM12-S is a useful serum marker for fetal trisomy 21 using the mixture model.     

Chips from chips: application to the study of antibody responses to methylated proteins

Peptide microarrays are useful tools for the characterization of humoral responses against peptide antigens. The study of post-translational modifications requires the printing of appropriately modified peptides, whose synthesis can be time-consuming and expensive. We describe here a method named "chips from chips", which allows probing the presence of antibodies directed toward modified peptide antigens starting from unmodified peptide microarrays. The chip from chip concept is based on the modification of peptide microspots by simple chemical reactions. The starting peptide chip (parent chip) is covered by the reagent solution, thereby allowing the modification of specific residues to occur, resulting in the production of a modified peptide chip (daughter chip). Both parent and daughter chips can then be used for interaction studies. The method is illustrated using reductive methylation for converting lysines into dimethyllysines. The rate of methylation was studied using specific antibodies and fluorescence detection, or surface-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. This later technique showed unambiguously the efficient methylation of the peptide probes. The method was then used to study the humoral response against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis heparin-binding hemagglutinin, a methylated surface-associated virulence factor and powerful diagnostic and protective antigen.     

Association of specific expansins with growth in maize leaves is maintained under environmental, genetic, and developmental sources of variation

We aimed to evaluate whether changes in maize (Zea mays) leaf expansion rate in response to environmental stimuli or developmental gradients are mediated by common or specific expansins, a class of proteins known to enhance cell wall extensibility. Among the 33 maize expansin or putative expansin genes analyzed, 19 were preferentially expressed at some point of the leaf elongation zone and these expansins could be organized into three clusters related to cell division, maximal leaf expansion, and cell wall differentiation. Further analysis of the spatial distribution of expression was carried out for three expansins in leaves displaying a large range of expansion rates due to water deficit, genotype, and leaf developmental stage. With most sources of variation, the three genes showed similar changes in expression and consistent association with changes in leaf expansion. Moreover, our analysis also suggested preferential association of each expansin with elongation, widening, or both of these processes. Finally, using in situ hybridization, expression of two of these genes was increased in load-bearing tissues such as the epidermis and differentiating xylem. Together, these results suggest that some expansins may be preferentially related to elongation and widening after integrating several spatial, environmental, genetic, and developmental cues.     

Temperature-mediated relationship between western flower thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and chrysanthemum

Modeling the effect of temperature on the sustainability of insect-plant interactions requires assessment of both insect and plant performance. We examined the effect of temperature on western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), a generalist herbivore with a high reproductive rate, and chrysanthemum inflorescences, a high quality but relatively fixed, ephemeral resource for thrips population growth. We hypothesized that different thrips versus plant responses to temperature result in significant statistical interaction of temperature with thrips abundance and flower damage attributes over time. Experiments were conducted at five temperatures between 20.7 and 35.3 degrees C, with thrips infestation and time after infestation as main effects. Only minor, uncontrolled variations in relative humidity and light intensity may otherwise have influenced the results. High temperatures lead to an initially rapid increase in density of thrips followed by abrupt declines in abundance. The rate of floral senescence increased with temperature and thrips infestation, as indicated by a reduced fresh biomass and greater leaching of yellow pigments. Multiple regression indicated that indices of plant damage responded more directly to thrips density at low than high temperature, supporting the conclusion that temperature affected the outcome beyond what was predictable simply from differential plant and insect optima. The relative intensity of damage caused by individual thrips decreased with increasing temperature, likely caused by thrips competition and reduced survival, growth, and fecundity on depleted inflorescences. Reduced per capita damage at high temperature may be common in insects exploiting fixed plant resources that exhibit an accelerated rate of deterioration at high temperatures.     

Modulation of amyloid-beta-induced and age-associated changes in rat hippocampus by eicosapentaenoic acid

The age-related deficit in long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus is positively correlated with hippocampal concentration of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta). Previous evidence also indicates that the inhibition of LTP induced by intracerebroventricular injection of amyloid-beta(1-40) (Abeta) is accompanied by increased hippocampal IL-1beta concentration and IL-1beta-stimulated signalling, specifically activation of the stress-activated protein kinase, c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). We considered that the underlying age-related neuroinflammation may render older rats more susceptible to Abeta administration and, to investigate this, young, middle-aged and aged rats were injected intracerebroventricularly with Abeta or vehicle. Hippocampal IL-1beta concentration, JNK phosphorylation, expression of the putative Abeta receptor, Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and the microglial cell surface marker, CD40 were assessed. We report that Abeta inhibited LTP in a concentration-dependent manner in young rats and that this was accompanied by concentration-dependent increases in hippocampal IL-1beta and expression of phosphorylated JNK, RAGE and CD40. While 20 micromol/L Abeta exerted no significant effect on LTP in young rats, it inhibited LTP in middle-aged and aged rats and the increased vulnerability of aged rats was associated with increased IL-1beta concentration. Treatment of rats with eicosapentaenoic acid attenuated the inhibitory effect of 60 micromol/L Abeta on LTP in young rats and the effect of 20 micromol/L Abeta in middle-aged and aged rats. We present evidence which indicates that the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid may be linked with its ability to stimulate activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma.