Phylogenetic test of speciation by host shift in leaf cone moths (Caloptilia) feeding on maples (Acer)

The traditional explanation for the exceptional diversity of herbivorous insects emphasizes host shift as the major driver of speciation. However, phylogenetic studies have often demonstrated widespread host plant conservatism by insect herbivores, calling into question the prevalence of speciation by host shift to distantly related plants. A limitation of previous phylogenetic studies is that host plants were defined at the family or genus level; thus, it was unclear whether host shifts predominate at a finer taxonomic scale. The lack of a statistical approach to test the hypothesis of host‐shift‐driven speciation also hindered studies at the species level. Here, we analyze the radiation of leaf cone moths (Caloptilia) associated with maples (Acer) using a newly developed, phylogeny‐based method that tests the role of host shift in speciation. This method has the advantage of not requiring complete taxon sampling from an entire radiation. Based on 254 host plant records for 14 Caloptilia species collected at 73 sites in Japan, we show that major dietary changes are more concentrated toward the root of the phylogeny, with host shift playing a minor role in recent speciation. We suggest that there may be other roles for host shift in promoting herbivorous insect diversification rather than facilitating speciation per se.     

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray studies of human recombinant interleukin-2

Two different forms of crystals (potentially) suitable for x-ray structure analysis were obtained for recombinant human interleukin-2 (IL-2) using ammonium sulfate as a precipitant in the pH range of 6.3-7.3 (in the case of hexagonal bipyramidal crystals) and 4.5-5.5 (in the case of plate crystals). The hexagonal bipyramidal crystal belongs to a hexagonal space group P6(2)22 or P6(4)22 with a = b = 105.8 A and c = 122.2 A. The crystal diffracts up to 3.4 A resolution and contains 2 or 3 IL-2 molecules in an asymmetric unit. The plate crystal belongs to an orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2 with a = 47.9 A, b = 79.6 A, and c = 31.9 A. The crystal diffracts up to 2.5 A resolution and contains only 1 IL-2 molecule in an asymmetric unit. These facts reconfirmed crystallographically the high homogeneity of the present preparation of human recombinant IL-2.     

Affinity labeling of the ATP-binding site of Ca2+-transporting ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum by adenosine triphosphopyridoxal: identification of the reactive lysyl residue

Adenosine triphosphopyridoxal (AP3PL) was used as an affinity label directed toward the ATP binding site of the Ca2+-transporting ATPase of the rabbit skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The reagent inhibited the ATPase activity competitively with ATP, Ki = 20 microM. Incubation of SR membranes with 100 microM AP3PL followed by treatment with NaBH4 resulted in 90% inactivation of the E-P forming activity as well as of the Ca2+-transporting activity. Adenosine di- and tetraphosphopyridoxals had similar but less pronounced effects on the Ca2+-transport system. AP3PL was bound to ATPase in a one-to-one stoichiometry in parallel with the loss of the enzymatic activities. ATP and ADP prevented the binding of AP3PL and thereby protected the enzyme from inactivation. The SR membranes were labeled with [3H]AP3PL and then digested with thermolysin in order to identify the attachment site of the affinity label. A 3H-labeled peptide (Val-Glu-Pro-Ser-His-Lys* 684-Ser-Lys) was purified to homogeneity by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography and C18-reversed phase HPLC (Lys* denotes the binding site of [3H]AP3PL). These results indicate that the SR-ATPase peptide is folded in such a manner that Lys684 and Asp351, the phosphorylation site, are located very close to each other, since the distance between the 4-formyl group reacting with Lys684 and the gamma-phosphoryl group of the ATP moiety of AP3PL is rather small.     

Limited tryptic digestion of Ca2+,Mg2+-adenosine triphosphatase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum: enzymatic properties of A1b + B complex

Sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes were treated with trypsin under conditions leading to accumulation of B and three other fragments a little smaller than A1, namely A1a, A1b, and C (Mr 27,000-28,000) (Saito, K. et al. (1984) J. Biochem. 95, 1297-1304), and enzymatic properties of trypsin-digested ATPase were investigated. The tryptic cleavage pattern of SR membranes in the presence of 1 M glycerol and 5 mM CaCl2 at 35 degrees C was qualitatively similar to that obtained in the presence of Ca2+ alone. However, considerably more A1-derived fragments, A1a and A1b, which are stabilized by the binding of Ca2+ to the enzyme, were accumulated. The sample digested under this condition for 60 min was mainly composed of A1b and B, and was designated as A1b + B complex. ATPase activity was lost in parallel with the formation of A1a and A1b. On the other hand, E-P forming activity was still retained by A1b + B complex. E-P formation with this complex was strictly dependent on the presence of Ca2+ ions at micromolar concentration. This indicates that Ca2+ binding site is well conserved in this complex. E-P formed with A1b + B complex was ADP-sensitive (E1-P), and was not further decomposed, since the transition from E1-P to E2-P was blocked.     

Inhibition of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase by antiallergic agents

Glucagon addition to isolated rat hepatocytes increases the level of Cyclic AMP inside the cells and the activity of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. These effects of glucagon are time and dose dependent and are detectable at hormone concentration as low as 0.02nM. The glucagon concentrations causing half-maximal increases in Cyclic AMP production and phenylalanine hydroxylase activity are 0.2nM and 0.1 nM respectively. When hepatocytes are incubated with norepinephrine or the ionophore A23187, at concentrations between 1 nM and 10 μM, a slight increase in enzyme activity is seen only at the highest dose of either drug. The effect of norepinephrine can be completely antagonized by 20 μM propranolol but not by 20 μM ergocryptine. These results suggest that the activity of phenylalanine hydroxylase can be hormonally regulated, $\text{in vivo}$, through a phosphorylation mechanism catalyzed by a Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Diacetylated derivatives of spermine and spermidine as novel promising tumor markers

N1,N12-diacetylspermine (DiAcSpm) and N1,N8-diacetylspermidine (DiAcSpd) are minor components of human urinary polyamine to which little attention has been paid until recently. HPLC analysis of urinary polyamines has revealed that the excretion of these diacetylpolyamines, in particular, into urine was frequently and markedly increased in association with every type of cancer so far examined. Remission was usually accompanied by recovery of urinary diacetylpolyamines to the normal level. DiAcSpm was more sensitive than CEA for detecting colorectal cancer patients, while DiAcSpd was highly specific for malignant conditions in that the excretion of the latter was scarcely elevated in cases of benign urogenital diseases. An ELISA procedure for rapid determination of DiAcSpm was developed to promote the clinical application of these new tumor markers, and subsequent studies indicated that DiAcSpm was elevated in 60% of colorectal cancer patients at early stages (stage 0 + I), whereas only 10% of these patients were CEA-positive. DiAcSpm may also be useful as a follow-up marker that is efficient for detecting recurrence and sensitive to changes in the clinical condition of patients. The evidence accumulated so far indicates that DiAcSpm and DiAcSpd are promising novel tumor markers. They deserve more intensive studies, including studies of their biochemistry and metabolism.     

Peroxynitrite generation and tyrosine nitration in defense responses in tobacco BY-2 cells

Peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) is a compound formed by reaction of superoxide (O(2) (-)) with nitric oxide (NO) and is expected to possess characteristics of both O(2) (-) reactivity and NO mobility in order to function as a signal molecule. Although there are several reports that describe the role of ONOO(-) in defense responses in plants, it has been very difficult to detect ONOO(-) in bioimaging due to its short half-life or paucity of methods for ONOO(-)-specific detection among reactive oxygen species or free radicals. Aminophenyl fluorescein (APF), a recently developed novel fluorophore for direct detection of ONOO(-) in bioimaging, was used for intracellular ONOO(-) detection. ONOO(-) generation in tobacco BY-2 cells treated with INF1, the major elicitin secreted by the late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans, occurred within 1 h and reached a maximum level at 6-12 h after INF1 treatment. Urate, a ONOO(-) scavenger, abolished INF1-induced ONOO(-) generation. It is well known that ONOO(-) reacts with tyrosine residues in proteins to form nitrotyrosine in a nitration reaction as an ONOO(-)-specific reaction. Western blot analysis using anti-nitrotyrosine antibodies recognized nitrotyrosine-containing proteins in 20 and 50 kDa bands in BY-2 protein extract containing SIN-1 [3-(4-morpholinyl) sydnonimine hydrochloride; an ONOO(-) donor]. These bands were also recognized in INF1-treated BY-2 cells and were found to be slightly suppressed by urate. Our study is the first to report ONOO(-) detection and tyrosine nitration in defense responses in plants.     

Active pollination favours sexual dimorphism in floral scent

Zoophilous flowers often transmit olfactory signals to attract pollinators. In plants with unisexual flowers, such signals are usually similar between the sexes because attraction of the same animal to both male and female flowers is essential for conspecific pollen transfer. Here, we present a remarkable example of sexual dimorphism in floral signal observed in reproductively highly specialized clades of the tribe Phyllantheae (Phyllanthaceae). These plants are pollinated by species-specific, seed-parasitic Epicephala moths (Gracillariidae) that actively collect pollen from male flowers and pollinate the female flowers in which they oviposit; by doing so, they ensure seeds for their offspring. We found that Epicephala-pollinated Phyllanthaceae plants consistently exhibit major qualitative differences in scent between male and female flowers, often involving compounds derived from different biosynthetic pathways. In a choice test, mated female Epicephala moths preferred the scent of male flowers over that of female flowers, suggesting that male floral scent elicits pollen-collecting behaviour. Epicephala pollination evolved multiple times in Phyllantheae, at least thrice accompanied by transition from sexual monomorphism to dimorphism in floral scent. This is the first example in which sexually dimorphic floral scent has evolved to signal an alternative reward provided by each sex, provoking the pollinator''s legitimate altruistic behaviour.