Nuclear magnetic resonance studies and molecular dynamics simulations of the solution conformation of a 'designed', alpha-helical peptide.

The complete three-dimensional structure in methanol of an amphipathic alpha-helical peptide, that has been designed by taking into account the three-dimensional structures of small haemolytic peptides, secondary structure prediction algorithms and the well documented literature on alpha-helix stabilizing factors, has been elucidated by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. Initially various two-dimensional spectra (COSY, TOCSY, and NOESY) allowed the complete sequence specific assignment of all signals in the 1H spectrum. Consequently trial structures were generated which were then subjected to molecular dynamics simulations using 121 NOE-derived distances and 25 vicinal coupling constant values as structural restraints to give a final set of calculated structures. These structures are in complete agreement with the results of a circular dichroism study and reveal that the peptide adopted a highly ordered alpha-helical conformation. Details of the structure which throw light on future peptide/protein design are discussed.     

Strike Fast,Strike Hard: The Red-Throated Caracara Exploits Absconding Behavior of Social Wasps during Nest Predation

Red-throated Caracaras Ibycter americanus (Falconidae) are specialist predators of social wasps in the Neotropics. It had been proposed that these caracaras possess chemical repellents that allow them to take the brood of wasp nests without being attacked by worker wasps. To determine how caracaras exploit nests of social wasps and whether chemical repellents facilitate predation, we: (1) video recorded the birds attacking wasp nests; (2) analyzed surface extracts of the birds'' faces, feet, and feathers for potential chemical repellents; and (3) inflicted mechanical damage on wasp nests to determine the defensive behavior of wasps in response to varying levels of disturbance. During caracara predation events, two species of large-bodied wasps mounted stinging attacks on caracaras, whereas three smaller-bodied wasp species did not. The “hit-and-run” predation tactic of caracaras when they attacked nests of large and aggressive wasps reduced the risk of getting stung. Our data reveal that the predation strategy of caracaras is based on mechanical disturbance of, and damage to, target wasp nests. Caracara attacks and severe experimental disturbance of nests invariably caused wasps to abscond (abandon their nests). Two compounds in caracara foot extracts [sulcatone and iridodial] elicited electrophysiological responses from wasp antennae, and were also present in defensive secretions of sympatric arboreal-nesting Azteca ants. These compounds appear not to be wasp repellents but to be acquired coincidentally by caracaras when they perch on trees inhabited with Azteca ants. We conclude that caracara predation success does not depend on wasp repellents but relies on the absconding response that is typical of swarm-founding polistine wasps. Our study highlights the potential importance of vertebrate predators in the ecology and evolution of social wasps.     

Increased Levels of Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) in Plasma of Metabolic Syndrome Patients

Recent developments in lipid mass spectrometry enable extensive lipid class and species analysis in metabolic disorders such as diabesity and metabolic syndrome. The minor plasma lipid class sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) was identified as a ligand for lipid sensitive G-protein coupled receptors playing a key role in cell growth, differentiation, motility, calcium signaling, tissue remodeling, vascular diseases and cancer. However, information about its role in diabesity patients is sparse. In this study, we analyzed plasma lipid species in patients at risk for diabesity and the metabolic syndrome and compared them with healthy controls. Our data show that SPC is significantly increased in plasma samples from metabolic syndrome patients but not in plasma from patients at risk for diabesity. Detailed SPC species analysis showed that the observed increase is due to a significant increase in all detected SPC subspecies. Moreover, a strong positive correlation is observed between total SPC and individual SPC species with both body mass index and the acute phase low grade inflammation marker soluble CD163 (sCD163). Collectively, our study provides new information on SPC plasma levels in metabolic syndrome and suggests new avenues for investigation.     

Familial deletion in Becker type muscular dystrophy within the pXJ region

Summary A family of an isolated patient with Becker muscular dystrophy has been investigated by DNA analysis. Southern blotting and hybridization were performed with six probes (C7, pERT87.15, pERT87.1, pXJ1.1, pXJ2.3, 754) mapping in the Xp21 region. A deletion within the pXJ region was demonstrated in the proband, his mother and all three sisters. The segregation pattern for the restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) observed with the pXJ probes as well as with pERT87.15, pERT87.1 and 754 probes indicates that the deletion is of grandpaternal origin.     

Differential Interactions Between an Aphid Endohyperparasitoid and Three Honeydew-Collecting Ant Species: A Field Study of Alloxysta brevis (Thomson) (Hymenoptera: Alloxystidae)

The behavioral interactions between the chemically protected aphid hyperparasitoid Alloxysta brevis and three trophobiotic ant species were examined in the field on thistles. The patterns were not essentially influenced by hyperparasitoid sex. Ants differed in their guarding behavior of aphids and their response toward A. brevis. Lasius niger attacked the hyperparasitoid more readily than Myrmica laevinodis, while aggression by Formica rufa was intermediate. Apart from applying chemical defense, A. brevis responded to ants by flying away (mainly at L. niger) or with avoidance behavior (mainly at M. laevinodis). Additionally, females might switch their tactics from flight to defense with increasing age. Females left the plant more often after encounters with L. niger or F. rufa than with M. laevinodis. Disturbance by any ant species affected the foraging activities, reducing oviposition success to nearly zero.     

Chromosome assignment of the gene loci ETS1 and THY1 in the owl monkey

Our previous assignment of the gene loci HBB, HRAS1, INS, PTH, LDHA, and CAT to owl monkey chromosome 19 of karyotype VI (K-VI) indicated a putative homology of this owl monkey chromosome with the short arm of human chromosome 11 (HSA 11p). To investigate further the extent of shared homology, we localized in the owl monkey complement two genes known to be on HSA 11q. Segregation analysis of ETS1 and THY1 homologous DNA in three karyotypically different panels of rodent x owl monkey somatic cell hybrids provided evidence for the syntenic assignment of these loci to homologous chromosomes of three owl monkey karyotypes, namely, chromosomes 4 (K-VI), 3 (K-II), and 5 (K-V). The results indicate a disruption of syntenic gene loci on the distal portion of HSA 11q from 11p during primate evolution.