Ultraviolet radiation induces dose-dependent pigment dispersion in crustacean chromatophores

Pigment dispersion in chromatophores as a response to UV radiation was investigated in two species of crustaceans, the crab Chasmagnathus granulata and the shrimp Palaemonetes argentinus. Eyestalkless crabs and shrimps maintained on either a black or a white background were irradiated with different UV bands. In eyestalkless crabs the significant minimal effective dose inducing pigment dispersion was 0.42 J/cm(2) for UVA and 2.15 J/cm(2) for UVB. Maximal response was achieved with 10.0 J/cm(2) UVA and 8.6 J/cm(2) UVB. UVA was more effective than UVB in inducing pigment dispersion. Soon after UV exposure, melanophores once again reached the initial stage of pigment aggregation after 45 min. Aggregated erythrophores of shrimps adapted to a white background showed significant pigment dispersion with 2.5 J/cm(2) UVA and 0.29 J/cm(2) UVC. Dispersed erythrophores of shrimps adapted to a black background did not show any significant response to UVA, UVB or UVC radiation. UVB did not induce any significant pigment dispersion in shrimps adapted to either a white or a black background. As opposed to the tanning response, which only protects against future UV exposure, the pigment dispersion response could be an important agent protecting against the harmful effects of UV radiation exposure.     

A genomic-scale search for regulatory binding sites in the integration host factor regulon of Escherichia coli K12

We examined general aspects of the DNA-protein interaction between the integration host factor (IHF) global regulator and its regulatory binding sites in the Escherichia coli K12 genome. Two models were developed with distinct weight matrices for the regulatory binding sites recognized by IHF. Using these matrices we performed a genome scale scan and built a set of computationally predicted binding sites for each of the models. The sites found by the model associated with repetitive sequences had a higher score in the sequence to matrix alignment. They were also more rare than the other sites. The sites not associated with repeats rapidly tended to become undistinguishable from the background as statistical stringency was relaxed. We compared our results to the known sites documented in RegulonDB and found new members of the IHF Regulon. The two models exhibit clearly distinct affinity patterns (scores in the sequence to matrix alignments and in the number of regulatory sites), as we vary the stringency of the statistical confidence parameters. We suggest that these differences may play an important role in the dynamics of the network. We concluded that IHF may regulate two genes encoding ATP-dependent RNA helicases. This interaction is not described in RegulonDB, even as a computational prediction. IHF may also regulate RNA modification processes.     

Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum 51A Attenuates Signs of Inflammation in a Murine Model of Food Allergy

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - Food allergy is a pathological condition that can lead to hives, swelling, gastrointestinal distress, cardiovascular and respiratory compromise, and even...     

Variations of ganglioside biosynthetic pathways in the phenotype conversion from myofibroblasts to lipocytes in murine hepatic stellate cell line

GRX cell line represents hepatic stellate cell and can be transformed from an actively proliferation myofibroblast phenotype into a quiescent fat-storing lipocyte phenotype. Both express the same gangliosides (GM3, GM2, GM1 and GD1a), which are resolved as doublets on HPTLC. Upper/lower band ratio is increased in lipocyte-like cells and the upper band is composed by ceramides with long-chain fatty acids. This study evaluated the contribution of de novo synthesis, sphingosine and Golgi recycling pathways on ganglioside biosynthesis, in both phenotypes. Cells were preincubated with 5 mM β-chloroalanine (SPT: serine palmitoyltransferase inhibitor) or with 25 μM fumonisin B1 (ceramide synthase inhibitor) and then radiolabeled with [U-¹⁴C]galactose in the continued presence of inhibitors. Gangliosides were extracted, purified and analyzed by HPTLC. In myofibroblast-like cells, simple gangliosides use the de novo pathway while complex gangliosides are mainly synthesized by recycling pathways. In lipocyte-like cells, de novo pathway has a lesser contribution and this is in agreement with the lower activity of the committed enzyme of sphingolipid synthesis (SPT) detected in this phenotype. SPT mRNA has an identical expression in both phenotypes. It was also observed that gangliosides doublets from myofibroblast-like cells have the same distribution between triton soluble and insoluble fractions (upper band > lower band) while the gangliosides doublets from lipocyte-like cells show an inversion in the insoluble fraction (lower band > upper band) in comparison to soluble fraction. These results indicate that myofibroblast- and lipocyte-like cells have important differences between the glycosphingolipid biosynthetic pathways, which could contribute with the respective glycosphingolipid-enriched membrane microdomain’s composition.     

Morphophysiology, morphoanatomy, and grain yield under field conditions for two maize hybrids with contrasting response to drought stress

In the northern region of the state of Minas Gerais, lack of rainfall limits crop production in the field, which is possible only with irrigation. Agricultural and physiological practices have been intensively searched to overcome drought effects and consequently increase production. In this context, the objective of this study was to characterize morphophysiological and morphoanatomical changes and evaluate the attributes of grain yield under field conditions in two hybrids contrasting for drought tolerance. The experiment was carried out for 2 years (2010 and 2011) and the water deficit was imposed by stopping irrigation for 22 days at the pre-flowering stage. At the end of the stress treatment, leaf and root anatomy and morphophysiological characteristics (leaf water potential, chlorophyll content, percentage of dry leaves, leaf area, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll fluorescence, and anthesis-silking interval) were evaluated. For a better interpretation of tolerance of the hybrids in the evaluated characteristics, an index was used stress index. Hybrid DKB 390 (tolerant) surpassed hybrid BRS 1030 (sensitive) in grain yield. Furthermore, it presented lower percentage of dry leaves, higher flowering synchronization, higher stomatal conductance, and higher Fv/Fm relationship. In the root, DKB 390 showed higher amount of aerenchyma in the cortex, an increase of exodermis width, and numerous metaxylem with smaller diameter. In the leaf, it presented higher number of stomata and smaller distance between the vascular bundles in the leaf blade. The study concluded that significant morphophysiological and morphoanatomical changes, which are related to drought tolerance, occurred in DKB 390, leading to a higher yield in the field.     

Comparative cytotoxic and anti-tuberculosis activity of Aplysina caissara marine sponge crude extracts

Three crude extracts of Aplysina caissara, a marine sponge endemic to Brazil, were tested against a hepatoma cell line and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The results demonstrate that all extracts are toxic and capable of inhibiting cellular growth. Additionally, the extracts produced morphological aberrations and inhibited cell attachment to culture substrates. These effects were dose/time dependent. Our results also suggest that reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is not involved in the cytotoxic processes levied by the extracts employed in this study and that active metabolites are likely to be present in the polar fractions of the crude extracts. Finally, our results indicate that all three extracts exhibit a moderate anti-tuberculosis capacity, and that the removal of an extract's lipid fraction appears to diminish this activity.     

Participation of nitric oxide in the color change induced by UV radiation in the crab Chasmagnathus granulatus

The ability of UV radiation to stimulate color change in vertebrates is well known; however, the signaling pathway involved is not fully explained. Since nitric oxide (NO) is among the candidates for this role, in this study the participation of NO signaling in the pigment migration induced by UV radiation in melanophores of the crab Chasmagnathus granulatus was investigated. When the NO donor, SIN-1, was incubated with pieces of epidermis, there was an induction of a dose-dependent pigment dispersion (in vitro assays). When male adults were exposed to different doses of UVA and UVB, N(G)-nitro-l-arginine-methyl-ester, an NO synthase (NOS) blocker produced a decrease of the pigment dispersion induced by UV (in vivo assays). However, in similar assays, 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide, an NO scavenger, decreased only the pigment dispersion induced by UVA. Interestingly, buthionine sulfoximine did not produce any change in pigment dispersion induced by UVA (in vivo assays) and SIN-1 (in vitro assays). Our results using NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry and immunocytochemistry against nNOS indicated the production of NO by epidermal cells. In conclusion, we suggest that NO is a key molecule for the induction of pigment dispersion in the melanophores of Chasmagnthus granulatus, and also that NOS activation is a fundamental step for this process.     

Seroprevalence of Chikungunya virus and living conditions in Feira de Santana,Bahia-Brazil

BackgroundChikungunya is an arbovirus, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which emerged in the Americas in 2013 and spread rapidly to almost every country on this continent. In Brazil, where the first cases were detected in 2014, it currently has reached all regions of this country and more than 900,000 cases were reported. The clinical spectrum of chikungunya ranges from an acute self-limiting form to disabling chronic forms. The purpose of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of chikungunya infection in a large Brazilian city and investigate the association between viral circulation and living condition.Methodology/principal findingsWe conducted a population-based ecological study in selected Sentinel Areas (SA) through household interviews and a serologic survey in 2016/2017. The sample was of 1,981 individuals randomly selected. The CHIKV seroprevalence was 22.1% (17.1 IgG, 2.3 IgM, and 1.4 IgG and IgM) and varied between SA from 2.0% to 70.5%. The seroprevalence was significantly lower in SA with high living conditions compared to SA with low living condition. There was a positive association between CHIKV seroprevalence and population density (r = 0.2389; p = 0.02033).Conclusions/significanceThe seroprevalence in this city was 2.6 times lower than the 57% observed in a study conducted in the epicentre of the CHIKV epidemic of this same urban centre. So, the herd immunity in this general population, after four years of circulation of this agent is relatively low. It indicates that CHIKV transmission may persist in that city, either in endemic form or in the form of a new epidemic, because the vector infestation is persistent. Besides, the significantly lower seroprevalences in SA of higher Living Condition suggest that beyond the surveillance of the disease, vector control and specific actions of basic sanitation, the reduction of the incidence of this infection also depends on the improvement of the general living conditions of the population.