Yield and seed quality of two N<Subscript>2</Subscript>-fixing common bean cultivars grown on calcareous soil

Legume seeds such as common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are of major importance for human nutrition in the Mediterranean region, owing to their high protein and iron contents. Iron deficiency is a major agricultural issue limiting crop yields, especially on calcareous soils which represent more than 30% of the world’s land surface. In the present study, we compared the effect of iron deficiency on the yield and the seed quality of two common bean cultivars, contrasting in their tolerance ability to iron deficiency. Seedlings were inoculated with an efficient strain of Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899 and were grown on either non-calcareous or calcareous soil. Seed and pod numbers, seed weight and quality were evaluated. On the calcareous soil, iron deficiency decreased the plant yield, reduced the weight and the number of seeds and impaired the seed quality as expressed by seed mineral composition, protein and soluble sugar contents. The tolerant cultivar, Flamingo, grew better and produced seeds with higher protein and mineral contents than the sensitive cultivar, Coco blanc.     

Effect of copper excess on H2O2 accumulation and peroxidase activities in bean roots

We studied oxidative stress and peroxidase activity resulting from application of excess copper in the nutrient medium on the roots of young bean seedlings. The change in H2O2 content, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes activities were quantified and located. Excess of copper caused a loss of membrane integrity and the formation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as visualized in the transmission electron microscopy and measured using spectrophotometry. H2O2 accumulated in the intercellular spaces and in the cell wall. The production of H2O2 was accompanied by an increase in the activity of soluble and ionic GPX (guaiacol peroxidase, EC 1.11.17), CAPX (coniferyl alcohol peroxidase) and NADH oxidase.     

First isolation of a novel thermostable antifungal peptide secreted by Aspergillus clavatus

A novel antifungal peptide produced by an indigenous fungal strain (VR) of Aspergillus clavatus was purified. The antifungal peptide was enriched in the supernatant after heat treatment at 70 degrees C. The thermostable character was exploited in the first purification step, as purified peptide was obtained after ultrafiltration and reverse phase-HPLC on C18 column application. The purified peptide named "AcAFP" for A. clavatus antifungal peptide, has molecular mass of 5773Da determined by MALDI-ToF spectrometry. The N-terminal sequence showed a notable identity to the limited family of antifungal peptides produced by ascomycetes fungi. The AcAFP activity remains intact even after heat treatment at 100 degrees C for 1h confirming its thermostability. It exhibits a strong inhibitory activity against mycelial growth of several serious human and plant pathogenic fungi: Fusariuym oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Aspergillus niger, Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria solani, whereas AcAFP did not affect yeast and bacterial growth.     

Proteomic analysis of Tunisian grapevine cultivar Razegui under salt stress

Salt stress is one of the major abiotic stresses in agriculture worldwide, especially in the Mediterranean area. We report here a proteomic approach to investigate the salt stress-responsive proteins in grapevine (Vitis vinifera). Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) was used to analyze the proteome of the salt-tolerant Tunisian grapevine cultivar Razegui, subjected to a supply of 100mm NaCl over 15d. Analysis of 2-DE gels derived from stressed plants revealed more than 800 reproducibly detected protein spots, with 48 proteins displaying a differential expression pattern, including 32 up-regulated, 9 down-regulated and 7 new protein spots induced after salt treatment. The presence of stress-responsive proteins in the different plant organs suggests that salt spreads systemically. Edman degradation analysis and database searching aided us in identifying a major protein GP. Database analysis revealed that this peptide has a 98% sequence similarity with a pathogenesis-related (PR) protein 10 (V. vinifera). A full-length cDNA encoding the GP protein was isolated from grapevine salt-stressed leaves and sequenced. The predicted protein contained 158 amino acids and showed 98% identity with PR10 protein of of V. vinifera (accession no. Cac16165).     

Effects of gamma radiation on hard dental tissues of albino rats: investigation by light microscopy

The present work aims at studying the effect of gamma radiation on the hard dental tissues. Eighty adult male albino rats with weights of about 250 g were used. The rats were irradiated at 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 Gy whole-body gamma doses. The effects on hard dental tissue samples were investigated after 48 h in histological and ground sections using light microscopy. Areas of acid phosphatase activity were detected using tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) stains. Observation of histological sections revealed disturbance in predentin thickness and odontoblastic layer as the irradiation dose increased. In cementum, widened cementocytes lacunae were occasionally detected even with low irradiated doses. On the other hand, relatively homogenous enamel was detected with darkened areas in enamel surface at doses over than 0.5 Gy. TRAP-positive cells were detected on the surface of the dentin of irradiated groups as well as cementum surface. Minimal detectable changes were observed in ground sections.     

Why the aphid Aphis spiraecola is more abundant on clementine tree than Aphis gossypii?

Aphis spiraecola and Aphis gossypii cause harmful damages on clementine tree orchards. Weekly surveys measured the abundance of aphids (larvae, winged and wingless adults) as well as of auxiliary insects and parameters of energy metabolism. Correlatively, soluble carbohydrates, total free amino acids, free proline and condensed tannins were quantified in control and infested leaves. Both aphid species showed parallel temporal variations, but A. spiraecola was consistently more abundant regardless of the stage. Amino acids had a positive effect on both aphid species abundance, but neither condensed tannins nor auxiliary insects seemed to modulate aphid populations. Interestingly, the leaf carbohydrate content was positively correlated with the abundance of A. spiraecola, but not with that of A. gossypii. Moreover, A. gossypii's abundance was significantly down-regulated by high proline concentrations. Thus, the higher abundance of A. spiraecola could be explained by a better tolerance to high proline contents and a better conversion of foliar energy metabolites.     

Role of receptor-mediated endocytosis in the antiangiogenic effects of human T lymphoblastic cell-derived microparticles

Microparticles possess therapeutic potential regarding angiogenesis. We have demonstrated the contribution of apoptotic human CEM T lymphocyte-derived microparticles (LMPs) as inhibitors of angiogenic responses in animal models of inflammation and tumor growth. In the present study, we characterized the antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) effects of LMPs on pathological angiogenesis in an animal model of oxygen-induced retinopathy and explored the role of receptor-mediated endocytosis in the effects of LMPs on human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs). LMPs dramatically inhibited cell growth of HRECs, suppressed VEGF-induced cell migration in vitro experiments, and attenuated VEGF-induced retinal vascular leakage in vivo. Intravitreal injections of fluorescently labeled LMPs revealed accumulation of LMPs in retinal tissue, with more than 60% reductions of the vascular density in retinas of rats with oxygen-induced neovascularization. LMP uptake experiments demonstrated that the interaction between LMPs and HRECs is dependent on temperature. In addition, endocytosis is partially dependent on extracellular calcium. RNAi-mediated knockdown of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) reduced the uptake of LMPs and attenuated the inhibitory effects of LMPs on VEGF-A protein expression and HRECs cell growth. Intravitreal injection of lentivirus-mediated RNA interference reduced LDLR protein expression in retina by 53% and significantly blocked the antiangiogenic effects of LMPs on pathological vascularization. In summary, the potent antiangiogenic LMPs lead to a significant reduction of pathological retinal angiogenesis through modulation of VEGF signaling, whereas LDLR-mediated endocytosis plays a partial, but pivotal, role in the uptake of LMPs in HRECs.     

Association of the MTHFR A1298C variant with unexplained severe male infertility

The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene is one of the main regulatory enzymes involved in folate metabolism, DNA synthesis and remethylation reactions. The influence of MTHFR variants on male infertility is not completely understood. The objective of this study was to analyze the distribution of the MTHFR C677T and A1298C variants using PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) in a case group consisting of 344 men with unexplained reduced sperm counts compared to 617 ancestry-matched fertile or normozoospermic controls. The Chi square test was used to analyze the genotype distributions of MTHFR polymorphisms. Our data indicated a lack of association of the C677T variant with infertility. However, the homozygous (C/C) A1298C polymorphism of the MTHFR gene was present at a statistically high significance in severe oligozoospermia group compared with controls (OR = 3.372, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.27–8.238; p = 0.01431). The genotype distribution of the A1298C variants showed significant deviation from the expected Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, suggesting that purifying selection may be acting on the 1298CC genotype. Further studies are necessary to determine the influence of the environment, especially the consumption of diet folate on sperm counts of men with different MTHFR variants.