Exogenous strigolactones impact metabolic profiles and phosphate starvation signalling in roots

Strigolactones (SLs) are important ex-planta signalling molecules in the rhizosphere, promoting the association with beneficial microorganisms, but also affecting plant interactions with harmful organisms. They are also plant hormones in-planta, acting as modulators of plant responses under nutrient-deficient conditions, mainly phosphate (Pi) starvation. In the present work, we investigate the potential role of SLs as regulators of early Pi starvation signalling in plants. A short-term pulse of the synthetic SL analogue 2′-epi-GR24 promoted SL accumulation and the expression of Pi starvation markers in tomato and wheat under Pi deprivation. 2′-epi-GR24 application also increased SL production and the expression of Pi starvation markers under normal Pi conditions, being its effect dependent on the endogenous SL levels. Remarkably, 2′-epi-GR24 also impacted the root metabolic profile under these conditions, promoting the levels of metabolites associated to plant responses to Pi limitation, thus partially mimicking the pattern observed under Pi deprivation. The results suggest an endogenous role for SLs as Pi starvation signals. In agreement with this idea, SL-deficient plants were less sensitive to this stress. Based on the results, we propose that SLs may act as early modulators of plant responses to P starvation.     

Coagulase-negative staphylococci strains resistant to oxacillin isolated from neonatal blood cultures

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are the microorganisms most frequently isolated from clinical samples and are commonly found in neonatal blood cultures. Oxacillin is an alternative treatment of choice for CoNS infections; however, resistance to oxacillin can have a substantial impact on healthcare by adversely affecting morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to detect and characterise oxacillin-resistant CoNS strains in blood cultures of newborns hospitalised at the neonatal ward of the University Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Botucatu. One hundred CoNS strains were isolated and the mecA gene was detected in 69 of the CoNS strains, including 73.2% of Staphylococcus epidermidis strains, 85.7% of Staphylococcus haemolyticus strains, 28.6% of Staphylococcus hominis strains and 50% of Staphylococcus lugdunensis strains. Among these oxacillin-resistant CoNS strains, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type I was identified in 24.6%, type II in 4.3%, type III in 56.5% and type IV in 14.5% of the strains. The data revealed an increase in the percentage of CoNS strains isolated from blood cultures from 1991-2009. Furthermore, a predominant SCCmec profile of the oxacillin-resistant CoNS strains isolated from neonatal intensive care units was identified with a prevalence of SCCmec types found in hospital-acquired strains.     

Entamoeba histolytica uses ferritin as an iron source and internalises this protein by means of clathrin-coated vesicles

Entamoeba histolytica is a parasitic protozoan that produces dysentery and often reaches the liver, leading to abscess formation. Ferritin is an iron-storage protein that is mainly found in liver and spleen in mammals. The liver contains a plentiful source of iron for amoebae multiplying in that organ, making it a prime target for infection since iron is essential for the growth of this parasite. The aim of this study was to determine whether trophozoites are able to take up ferritin and internalise this protein for their growth in axenic culture. Interaction between the amoebae and ferritin was studied by flow cytometry, confocal laser-scanning microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Amoebae were viable in iron supplied by ferritin. Trophozoites quickly internalised ferritin via clathrin-coated vesicles, a process that was initiated within the first 2 min of incubation. In 30 min, ferritin was found colocalizing with the LAMP-2 protein at vesicles in the cytosol. The uptake of ferritin was time- temperature- and concentration-dependent, specific and saturated at 46 nM of ferritin. Haemoglobin and holo-transferrin did not compete with ferritin for binding to amoebae. Amoebae cleaved ferritin leading to the production of several different sized fragments. Cysteine proteases of 100, 75 and 50 kDa from amoeba extracts were observed in gels copolymerised with ferritin. For a pathogen such as E. histolytica, the capacity to utilise ferritin as an iron source may well explain its high pathogenic potential in the liver.     

Cryopreservation of Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) spermatozoa obtained by electroejaculation

We tested extenders and freezing protocols for Iberian red deer semen. Samples were obtained by electroejaculation (10 stags), and analyzed for motility (CASA), viability (propidium ioide), acrosomal (PNA-FITC) and mitochondrial status (JC-1). Samples were diluted 1+1 in extender, cooled and adjusted for glycerol (extender with higher glycerol concentration), brought to 160×10⁶ mL⁻¹ and frozen. Four experiments were carried out, repeating sperm analysis after thawing to compare treatments. In a first experiment, seven samples were frozen using Triladyl^® (20% egg yolk) and UL extender (Tes-Tris-fructose, 15% egg yolk, 4% glycerol). Triladyl^® yielded higher motility after thawing. In a second trial, 17 samples were frozen using Triladyl^®, Andromed^®, Bioxcell^®, and UL with 8% LDL (low-density lipoproteins). Triladyl^® and Andromed^® performed better than Bioxcell^® on motility, and than UL-LDL on viability and acrosomal status. In a third experiment, the performance of freezing the sperm-rich ejaculate fraction versus the whole ejaculate was tested on nine samples. The sperm-rich ejaculate fraction not only rendered more motile and viable spermatozoa but also showed higher freezability (higher motile spermatozoa recovery). In a fourth experiment, we tried three modifications of the freezing protocol, for improving the freezability of low concentration samples: prior removal of seminal plasma; replacing extender (second fraction) for pure glycerol to reduce dilution; and performing only the 1+1 dilution, not the second dilution. No differences were found, although only three samples could be used. Both Triladyl^® and Andromed^® were deemed appropriate for freezing Iberian red deer semen, and the rich fraction should be selected for freezing.     

Effects of pasture implantation on the termite (Isoptera) fauna in the Central Brazilian Savanna (Cerrado)

The advance of agricultural frontier may cause the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna) to disappear before 2030. This work focuses on measuring the impact of pasture implantation on a cerrado’s termite fauna. Termites were sampled in a cerrado sensu stricto and a pasture, originally cerrado. All species were classified as their feeder group, accumulation curves were made and Shannon-Wiener indexes and β diversity were calculated for both areas. Cerrado was richer than pasture and species composition differed considerably, leading β diversity to a high value. The humivorous was the most representative species, followed by grass/litter feeders, xylophagous and, less representative, the intermediates. There were more xylophagous and intermediates species on cerrado than in pasture; the grass/litter feeders were more abundant in pasture, but didn’t differed in number or species; and humivorous didn’t differed neither in richness nor in abundance. This work shows that the simplification of the habitat is indeed causing the extinction of populations that depend on some specifics resource.     

Microcollinearity in an ethylene receptor coding gene region of the Coffea canephora genome is extensively conserved with Vitis vinifera and other distant dicotyledonous sequenced genomes

Background  

Coffea canephora, also called Robusta, belongs to the Rubiaceae, the fourth largest angiosperm family. This diploid species (2x = 2n = 22) has a fairly small genome size of ≈ 690 Mb and despite its extreme economic importance, particularly for developing countries, knowledge on the genome composition, structure and evolution remain very limited. Here, we report the 160 kb of the first C. canephora Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) clone ever sequenced and its fine analysis.     

Structure–function relationships of the peptide Paulistine: A novel toxin from the venom of the social wasp Polybia paulista

Background

The peptide Paulistine was isolated from the venom of wasp Polybia paulista. This peptide exists under a natural equilibrium between the forms: oxidised — with an intra-molecular disulphide bridge; and reduced — in which the thiol groups of the cysteine residues do not form the disulphide bridge. The biological activities of both forms of the peptide are unknown up to now.

Methods

Both forms of Paulistine were synthesised and the thiol groups of the reduced form were protected with the acetamidemethyl group [Acm-Paulistine] to prevent re-oxidation. The structure/activity relationships of the two forms were investigated, taking into account the importance of the disulphide bridge.

Results

Paulistine has a more compact structure, while Acm-Paulistine has a more expanded conformation. Bioassays reported that Paulistine caused hyperalgesia by interacting with the receptors of lipid mediators involved in the cyclooxygenase type II pathway, while Acm-Paullistine also caused hyperalgesia, but mediated by receptors involved in the participation of prostanoids in the cyclooxygenase type II pathway.

Conclusion

The acetamidemethylation of the thiol groups of cysteine residues caused small structural changes, which in turn may have affected some physicochemical properties of the Paulistine. Thus, the dissociation of the hyperalgesy from the edematogenic effect when the actions of Paulistine and Acm-Paulistine are compared to each other may be resulting from the influence of the introduction of Acm-group in the structure of Paulistine.

General significance

The peptides Paulistine and Acm-Paulistine may be used as interesting tools to investigate the mechanisms of pain and inflammation in future studies.     

Icy: an open bioimage informatics platform for extended reproducible research

Current research in biology uses evermore complex computational and imaging tools. Here we describe Icy, a collaborative bioimage informatics platform that combines a community website for contributing and sharing tools and material, and software with a high-end visual programming framework for seamless development of sophisticated imaging workflows. Icy extends the reproducible research principles, by encouraging and facilitating the reusability, modularity, standardization and management of algorithms and protocols. Icy is free, open-source and available at http://icy.bioimageanalysis.org/.