The role of melanin- and carotenoid-based plumage coloration in nest defence in the Great Tit

Although plumage coloration is recognized to convey valuable information about the bearer's parental abilities, few studies have explored the relationship between coloration and nest defence. In this study in Great Tit Parus major, we analysed the relationship between nest defence and melanin‐ as well as carotenoid‐based plumage coloration, after controlling for ecological variables known to influence nest defence. A principal components analysis was applied to classify birds according to how vigorously they defended the nest, and the intensity of nest defence was tested against plumage coloration. Males with a large black tie defended their nests more vigorously, but no such effect was found for yellow breast coloration. This suggests that melanin‐based coloration in the Great Tit is associated with aggression, including both dominance‐aggression and nest defence, whereas carotenoid‐based coloration is not. The challenge in future studies will be to demonstrate whether females use this trait as an ornament to assess male quality and whether they trade off between the different ornaments a male may exhibit.     

葡萄Alfin like转录因子家族的鉴定和表达分析

Alfin like (AL) 转录因子家族对高盐、低温、干旱等非生物胁迫反应具有重要的调控作用。该研究采用同源比对的方法检索鉴定葡萄AL转录因子家族基因、分析其生物信息学特性,并采用qRT PCR方法分析非生物胁迫下AL基因的表达特征,以探究葡萄AL基因在非生物逆境胁迫中的功能。 结果表明：(1)在葡萄中共鉴定出6个AL基因家族成员,分别命名为VvAL1~VvAL6,且6个成员分别分布在6条染色体上。(2)葡萄中AL转录因子具有高度保守的DUF3594结构域和PHD结构域,各家族成员均含有5个外显子和4个内含子;上游启动子区域分析发现大量植物激素与非生物胁迫响应相关的顺式作用元件。(3)基因芯片表达模式分析显示,盐、干旱、ABA胁迫以及低温(5 ℃)处理均显著影响葡萄AL家族基因(VvAL1~VvAL6)的表达。(4)qRT PCR检测显示,不同胁迫处理下AL基因在葡萄叶片中的表达水平不同;ABA处理下葡萄AL转录因子家族基因表达量较对照均显著下调,但在PEG处理下差异不显著;在盐胁迫处理下,VvAL2、VvAL4、VvAL5基因的表达量均显著上调,分别是对照的23倍、8.5倍和10.5倍,而VvAL1和VvAL6基因的表达量均显著下调,分别是对照的33倍和25倍。研究发现,葡萄AL转录因子家族与植物激素和非生物胁迫密切相关,尤其是该家族基因强烈响应高盐胁迫。     

Drosophila katanin-60 depolymerizes and severs at microtubule defects

Microtubule (MT) length and location is tightly controlled in cells. One novel family of MT-associated proteins that regulates MT dynamics is the MT-severing enzymes. In this work, we investigate how katanin (p60), believed to be the first discovered severing enzyme, binds and severs MTs via single molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. We find that severing activity depends on katanin concentration. We also find that katanin can remove tubulin dimers from the ends of MTs, appearing to depolymerize MTs. Strikingly, katanin localizes and severs at the interface of GMPCPP-tubulin and GDP-tubulin suggesting that it targets to protofilament-shift defects. Finally, we observe that binding duration, mobility, and oligomerization are ATP dependent.     

Specific and Reversible Immobilization of Proteins Tagged to the Affinity Polypeptide C-LytA on Functionalized Graphite Electrodes

We have developed a general method for the specific and reversible immobilization of proteins fused to the choline-binding module C-LytA on functionalized graphite electrodes. Graphite electrode surfaces were modified by diazonium chemistry to introduce carboxylic groups that were subsequently used to anchor mixed self-assembled monolayers consisting of N,N-diethylethylenediamine groups, acting as choline analogs, and ethanolamine groups as spacers. The ability of the prepared electrodes to specifically bind C-LytA-tagged recombinant proteins was tested with a C-LytA-β-galactosidase fusion protein. The binding, activity and stability of the immobilized protein was evaluated by electrochemically monitoring the formation of an electroactive product in the enzymatic hydrolysis of the synthetic substrate 4-aminophenyl β-D-galactopyranoside. The hybrid protein was immobilized in an specific and reversible way, while retaining the catalytic activity. Moreover, these functionalized electrodes were shown to be highly stable and reusable. The method developed here can be envisaged as a general, immobilization procedure on the protein biosensor field.     

Specific Binding of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry2A Insecticidal Proteins to a Common Site in the Midgut of Helicoverpa Species

For a long time, it has been assumed that the mode of action of Cry2A toxins was unique and different from that of other three-domain Cry toxins due to their apparent nonspecific and unsaturable binding to an unlimited number of receptors. However, based on the homology of the tertiary structure among three-domain Cry toxins, similar modes of action for all of them are expected. To confirm this hypothesis, binding assays were carried out with ¹²⁵I-labeled Cry2Ab. Saturation assays showed that Cry2Ab binds in a specific and saturable manner to brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) of Helicoverpa armigera. Homologous-competition assays with ¹²⁵I-Cry2Ab demonstrated that this toxin binds with high affinity to binding sites in H. armigera and Helicoverpa zea midgut. Heterologous-competition assays showed a common binding site for three toxins belonging to the Cry2A family (Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab, and Cry2Ae), which is not shared by Cry1Ac. Estimation of K_d (dissociation constant) values revealed that Cry2Ab had around 35-fold less affinity than Cry1Ac for BBMV binding sites in both insect species. Only minor differences were found regarding R_t (concentration of binding sites) values. This study questions previous interpretations from other authors performing binding assays with Cry2A toxins and establishes the basis for the mode of action of Cry2A toxins.     

Treatment of Biogas Produced in Anaerobic Reactors for Domestic Wastewater: Odor Control and Energy/Resource Recovery

Anaerobic municipal wastewater treatment in developing countries has important potential applications considering their huge lack of sanitation infrastructure and their advantageous climatic conditions. At present, among the obstacles that this technology encounters, odor control and biogas utilization or disposal should be properly addressed. In fact, in most of small and medium size anaerobic municipal treatment plants, biogas is just vented, transferring pollution from water to the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse gas inventory. Anaerobic municipal sewage treatment should not be considered as an energy producer, unless a significant wastewater flow is treated. In these cases, more than half of the methane produced is dissolved and lost in the effluent so yield values will be between 0.08 and 0.18 N m³ CH₄/kg COD removed. Diverse technologies for odor control and biogas cleaning are currently available. High pollutant concentrations may be treated with physical-chemical methods, while biological processes are used mainly for odor control to prevent negative impacts on the treatment facilities or nearby areas. In general terms, biogas treatment is accomplished by physico-chemical methods, scrubbing being extensively used for H₂S and CO₂ removal. However, dilution (venting) has been an extensive disposal method in some small- and medium-size anaerobic plants treating municipal wastewaters. Simple technologies, such as biofilters, should be developed in order to avoid this practice, matching with the simplicity of anaerobic wastewater treatment processes. In any case, design and specification of biogas handling system should consider safety standards. Resource recovery can be added to anaerobic sewage treatment if methane is used as electron donor for denitrification and nitrogen control purposes. This would result in a reduction of operational cost and in an additional advantage for the application of anaerobic sewage treatment. In developing countries, biogas conversion to energy may apply for the clean development mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol. This would increase the economic feasibility of the project through the marketing of certified emission reductions (CERs).     

思茅松HDR基因全长cDNA克隆与序列分析

1-羟基-2-甲基-2-E-丁烯基-4-焦磷酸还原酶(HDR)是甲基-D-赤藓醇-4-磷酸(MEP)途径中的最后一个酶,在植物萜类生物合成中起主控作用。该研究根据思茅松(Pinus kesiya var.langbianensis)树皮转录组数据分析结果,首先获得了思茅松HDR基因片段,然后根据所获得的基因片段设计特异引物,提取受伤后的思茅松树皮的RNA,并运用RT-PCR和RACE技术从思茅松树皮中克隆得到完整的HDR基因(Pk HDR)。生物信息学分析表明:克隆获得的Pk HDR1基因c DNA全长序列为1 876 bp,含有1个1 464 bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码487个氨基酸。同源性分析结果表明:思茅松HDR蛋白与赤松(Pinus densiflora)HDR蛋白的相似性高达99%。亚细胞定位及结构域分析结果表明:思茅松Pk HDR氨基酸序列中包含转运肽序列(A1-A61)及植物HDR蛋白多个保守的功能位点(A143,A234,A288,A371)。系统进化分析结果表明:Pk HDR蛋白与赤松HDR蛋白的亲缘关系最为接近。半定量PCR检测结果表明:树皮的创伤促进思茅松HDR基因的表达。该研究成功克隆获得HDR基因,并确定其与松脂代谢密切相关,为阐明思茅松松脂生物合成机制和分子育种提供了参考。     

The effects of physical and psychological stress on the gastro-intestinal tract: lessons from animal models

Physical and psychological stresses are widely accepted as triggers and / or modifiers of the clinical course of diverse gastrointestinal disorders such as peptic ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease. Growing experimental evidence from a variety of models such as immobilization, thermal injury or early maternal deprivation in laboratory animals uniformly supports the ability of stress to induce the development of gastric ulcers, altered gastrointestinal motility and ion secretion, and increased intestinal permeability leading to the passage of antigens to the lamina propria and bacterial translocation. Stress can also synergize with other pathogenic factors such as Helicobacter pylori, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or colitis-inducing chemicals to produce gastrointestinal disease. The brain-gut axis provides the anatomical basis through emotions and environmental influences modulate the gastrointestinal function through the regulation of gastrointestinal immune system and mucosal inflammation; in this sense, mucosal mast cells - at cellular level - and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) - at molecular level - seem to play a crucial role. On the other hand, an array of adaptive responses have been evolved in order to maintain the homeostasis and to ensure the survival of the individual. In the gut mucosa anti-inflammatory pathways counteract the deleterious effect of the stressful stimuli on the gastrointestinal homeostasis. In the present review we discuss the several experimental approaches used to mimic human stressful events or chronic stress in laboratory animals, the evidence of stress-induced gastrointestinal inflammation and dysfunction derived from them, and the involved cellular and molecular mechanisms that are being discovered during the last years.     

Leishmania amazonensis: metabolic adaptations induced by resistance to an ABC transporter blocker

We compared growth rate, cell glucose turnover and expression of ATP-binding-cassette (ABC) transporters in Leishmania amazonensis (LTB0016; LTB) versus LTB(160) selected for resistance against the ABC transporter blocker glibenclamide. Additionally, we evaluated the influence of drug-resistance on Leishmania sensitivity against 2-mercaptoacetate and 2-deoxyglucose. Our data demonstrate that (1) LTB(160) and LTB constitutively express ABC transporters for neutral substrates, (2) glibenclamide resistance induces the expression of organic anion ABC transporters, members of the drug resistance associated transporters subfamily, (3) LTB(160) parasites use less glucose as energy substrate and exhibit a slower glucose uptake than LTB cells, and (4) LTB(160) parasites are less sensitive to 2-mercaptoacetate and 2-deoxyglucose than the glibenclamide-sensitive Leishmania LTB. Together these and previous results indicate that the metabolic adaptations expressed in drug-resistant LTB(160) differ from those described for mammalian drug resistant cells and constitute general mechanisms that underlie drug resistance in Leishmania and may be helpful for identifying alternative strategies to circumvent drug resistance in leishmaniasis.