Versatile use of oriC plasmids for functional genomics of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum

Replicative oriC plasmids were recently developed for several mollicutes, including three Mycoplasma species belonging to the mycoides cluster that are responsible for bovine and caprine diseases: Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides small-colony type, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides large-colony type, and Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum. In this study, oriC plasmids were evaluated in M. capricolum subsp. capricolum as genetic tools for (i) expression of heterologous proteins and (ii) gene inactivation by homologous recombination. The reporter gene lacZ, encoding beta-galactosidase, and the gene encoding spiralin, an abundant surface lipoprotein of the related mollicute Spiroplasma citri, were successfully expressed. Functional Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase was detected in transformed Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum cells despite noticeable codon usage differences. The expression of spiralin in M. capricolum subsp. capricolum was assessed by colony and Western blotting. Accessibility of this protein at the cell surface and its partition into the Triton X-114 detergent phase suggest a correct maturation of the spiralin precursor. The expression of a heterologous lipoprotein in a mycoplasma raises potentially interesting applications, e.g., the use of these bacteria as live vaccines. Targeted inactivation of gene lppA encoding lipoprotein A was achieved in M. capricolum subsp. capricolum with plasmids harboring a replication origin derived from S. citri. Our results suggest that the selection of the infrequent events of homologous recombination could be enhanced by the use of oriC plasmids derived from related mollicute species. Mycoplasma gene inactivation opens the way to functional genomics in a group of bacteria for which a large wealth of genome data are already available and steadily growing.     

Extinction in relation to demographic and environmental stochasticity in age-structured models

The demographic variance of an age-structured population is defined. This parameter is further split into components generated by demographic stochasticity in each vital rate. The applicability of these parameters are investigated by checking how an age-structured population process can be approximated by a diffusion with only three parameters. These are the deterministic growth rate computed from the expected projection matrix and the environmental and demographic variances. We also consider age-structured populations where the fecundity at any stage is either zero or one, and there is neither environmental stochasticity nor dependence between individual fecundity and survival. In this case the demographic variance is uniquely determined by the vital rates defining the projection matrix. The demographic variance for a long-lived bird species, the wandering albatross in the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean, is estimated. We also compute estimates of the age-specific contributions to the total demographic variance from survival, fecundity and the covariance between survival and fecundity.     

A Rab-E GTPase mutant acts downstream of the Rab-D subclass in biosynthetic membrane traffic to the plasma membrane in tobacco leaf epidermis

The function of the Rab-E subclass of plant Rab GTPases in membrane traffic was investigated using a dominant-inhibitory mutant (RAB-E1(d)[NI]) of Arabidopsis thaliana RAB-E1(d) and in vivo imaging approaches that have been used to characterize similar mutants in the plant Rab-D2 and Rab-F2 subclasses. RAB-E1(d)[NI] inhibited the transport of a secreted green fluorescent protein marker, secGFP, but in contrast with dominant-inhibitory RAB-D2 or RAB-F2 mutants, it did not affect the transport of Golgi or vacuolar markers. Quantitative imaging revealed that RAB-E1(d)[NI] caused less intracellular secGFP accumulation than RAB-D2(a)[NI], a dominant-inhibitory mutant of a member of the Arabidopsis Rab-D2 subclass. Furthermore, whereas RAB-D2(a)[NI] caused secGFP to accumulate exclusively in the endoplasmic reticulum, RAB-E1(d)[NI] caused secGFP to accumulate additionally in the Golgi apparatus and a prevacuolar compartment that could be labeled by FM4-64 and yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged Arabidopsis RAB-F2(b). Using the vacuolar protease inhibitor E64-d, it was shown that some secGFP was transported to the vacuole in control cells and in the presence of RAB-E1(d)[NI]. Consistent with the hypothesis that secGFP carries a weak vacuolar-sorting determinant, it was shown that a secreted form of DsRed reaches the apoplast without appearing in the prevacuolar compartment. When fused to RAB-E1(d), YFP was targeted specifically to the Golgi via a saturable nucleotide- and prenylation-dependent mechanism but was never observed on the prevacuolar compartment. We propose that RAB-E1(d)[NI] inhibits the secretory pathway at or after the Golgi, causing an accumulation of secGFP in the upstream compartments and an increase in the quantity of secGFP that enters the vacuolar pathway.     

Model structures of alpha-2 adrenoceptors in complex with automatically docked antagonist ligands raise the possibility of interactions dissimilar from agonist ligands

Antagonist binding to alpha-2 adrenoceptors (alpha2-ARs) is not well understood. Structural models were constructed for the three human alpha2-AR subtypes based on the bovine rhodopsin X-ray structure. Twelve antagonist ligands (including covalently binding phenoxybenzamine) were automatically docked to the models. A hallmark of agonist binding is the electrostatic interaction between a positive charge on the agonist and the negatively charged side chain of D3.32. For antagonist binding, ion-pair formation would require deviations of the models from the rhodopsin structural template, e.g., a rotation of TM3 to relocate D3.32 more centrally within the binding cavity, and/or creation of new space near TM2/TM7 such that antagonists would be shifted away from TM5. Thus, except for the quinazolines, antagonist ligands automatically docked to the model structures did not form ion-pairs with D3.32. This binding mode represents a valid alternative, whereby the positive charge on the antagonists is stabilized by cation-pi interactions with aromatic residues (e.g., F6.51) and antagonists interact with D3.32 via carboxylate-aromatic interactions. This binding mode is in good agreement with maps derived from a molecular interaction library that predicts favorable atomic contacts; similar interaction environments are seen for unrelated proteins in complex with ligands sharing similarities with the alpha2-AR antagonists.     

Ex vivo generation of fully mature human red blood cells from hematopoietic stem cells

We describe here the large-scale ex vivo production of mature human red blood cells (RBCs) from hematopoietic stem cells of diverse origins. By mimicking the marrow microenvironment through the application of cytokines and coculture on stromal cells, we coupled substantial amplification of CD34(+) stem cells (up to 1.95 x 10(6)-fold) with 100% terminal differentiation into fully mature, functional RBCs. These cells survived in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mice, as do native RBCs. Our system for producing 'cultured RBCs' lends itself to a fundamental analysis of erythropoiesis and provides a simple in vitro model for studying important human viral or parasitic infections that target erythroid cells. Further development of large-scale production of cultured RBCs will have implications for gene therapy, blood transfusion and tropical medicine.     

Optimization of selenium status by a single intraperitoneal injection of Se in Se-deficient rat: possible application to burned patient treatment

In order to investigate the efficiency of a single selenium (Se) administration in restoring selenium status, Se and antioxidant enzymes were studied in an animal model of Se depletion. In Se-depleted animals receiving or not a single parenteral administration of Se, plasma, red blood cell (RBC), and tissue Se levels were measured concurrently with glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. The oxidative stress was assessed by thiobarbituric acid-reactive species (TBARs), total thiol groups, glutathione, and tocopherol measurements. Our study showed that Se depletion with alterations in the antioxidant defense system (Se and GPx activity decreases) led to an increase of lipid peroxidation, a decrease of the plasma vitamin E level, and SOD activation. Sodium selenite injection resulted after 24 h in an optimal plasma Se level and a reactivation of GPx activity. In liver, brain, and kidney, Se levels in injected animals were higher than those in reference animals. However, this single administration of Se failed to decrease free radical damage induced by Se depletion. Therefore, in burned patients who exhibit an altered Se status despite a daily usually restricted Se supplementation, the early administration of a consistent Se amount to improve the GPx activity should be of great interest in preventing the impairment of the antioxidant status.     

The Mauthner cell half a century later: a neurobiological model for decision-making?

The Mauthner (M) cell is a critical element in a vital escape "reflex" triggered by abrupt or threatening events. Its properties at the molecular and synaptic levels, their various forms of plasticity, and the design of its networks, are all well adapted for this survival function. They guarantee that this behavior is appropriately unilateral, variable, and unpredictable. The M cell sets the behavioral threshold, and, acting in concert with other elements of the brainstem escape network, determines when, where, and how the escape is executed.     

Modulation of prolactin but not corticosterone responses to stress in relation to parental effort in a long-lived bird

We tested the hypothesis that parental effort modulates the magnitude of corticosterone and prolactin responses to stress in a long-lived bird, the Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla). To do so, we compared corticosterone and prolactin responses to capture/restraint stress between chick-rearing birds and failed breeders (no parental effort). We predicted that (1) the increase in plasma corticosterone levels in response to stress should be lower in chick-rearing birds, (2) the decrease in plasma prolactin levels in response to stress should be lower in chick-rearing birds, and (3) as both sexes care for the chick, there should be no sex difference in the hormonal response to stress. Baseline plasma corticosterone and prolactin levels were higher in chick-rearing birds and were not influenced by body condition. Failed breeders were in better condition than chick-rearing individuals. Corticosterone response to stress was unaffected by parental effort as both chick-rearing and failed birds exhibited a robust corticosterone increase. Prolactin response to stress was however clearly influenced by parental effort: chick-rearing birds showed a modest 9% prolactin decrease whereas in failed birds prolactin concentrations fell by 41%. Body condition did not influence hormonal responses to stress. When facing stressful condition, breeding kittiwakes attenuate their prolactin response to stress while enhancing their secretion of corticosterone. Increasing corticosterone secretion triggers foraging efforts and diminishes nest attendance whereas an attenuation of prolactin response to stress maintains parental behavior. We suggest that this hormonal mechanism facilitates a flexible time-budget that has been interpreted as a buffer against environmental variability.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eodiaptomus indawgyi</Emphasis> n. sp., a pelagic calanoid copepod presumed endemic to ancient Lake Indawgyi,Myanmar

The little-known prepleistocene Lake Indawgyi (Myanmar) is shown to harbour an endemic pelagicEodiaptomus species, described herein. The area around the lake is inhabited by another species in the same genus. Related species occur throughout South-East Asia, and a presumed close relative is endemic to a chain of pre-pleistocene lakes in Celebes.