Influence of cytoskeletal agents on the respiratory electron transport pathways in the cells of winter wheat leaves

The effects of actin and tubulin polymerization inhibitors on the respiratory electron transport pathway activities were investigated using abscisic acid (ABA)- and cold-treated winter wheat seedling leaves. In unstressed control plants, cytochalasin B (15 microm) decreased the capacity of the cytochrome pathway, but stimulated the cyanide-resistant pathway, whereas oryzalin (15 microm) produced the opposite effects. Cold hardening (3 degrees C for 7 days) and ABA treatment 30 microm changed the respiratory pattern in a similar manner to cytochalasin B but to lesser effects. This points to cold- and ABA-induced reduction in microfilament sensitivity to these drugs and hence stabilization of actin-dependent processes. In contrast, oryzalin had only weak effects on control samples and its effects were strengthened in the presence of the cytoskeleton-modifying factors. The data suggest that the potential targets for the agent either increase and/or the degree of involvement of microtubules in the respiratory chain regulation, and therefore that the cytoskeleton can modify the functioning of the respiratory electron transport pathways in winter wheat cells.     

Nestedness and β‐diversity in ectoparasite assemblages of small mammalian hosts: effects of parasite affinity,host biology and scale

We asked whether (a) variation in species composition of parasite assemblages on the same host species follows a non‐random pattern and (b) if so, manifestation of this non‐randomness across space and time differs among parasites, hosts and scales. We assessed nestedness and its contribution to β‐diversity of fleas and gamasid mite assemblages exploiting small mammals across three scales: (a) within the same region across different locations; (b) within the same location across different times and (c) across distinct geographic regions. We estimated (a) the degree of nestedness (N_COL) and (b) the proportional contribution of nestedness to the total amount of β‐diversity across locations, times and regions (β_NESP). In the majority of host species, parasite assemblages were nested significantly across all three scales. In mites, but not fleas, N_COL correlated with the contribution of nestedness to the total amount of β‐diversity. In fleas, N_COL did not differ among assemblages at the two local scales, but was significantly lower at regional scale. In mites, N_COL was the highest in assemblages at local spatial scale. β_NESP was significantly higher (a) in flea than in mite assemblages at both local scales and (b) in mite than in flea assemblages at regional scale. In fleas, β_NESP was higher at both local scales, whereas in mites it was higher at both local temporal and regional scales. Sheltering habits and geographic range of a host species did not affect either N_COL or β_NESP in flea assemblages, but both metrics significantly decreased with an increase of geographic range of a host species in mite assemblages. We conclude that flea and mite assemblages across host populations at smaller and larger spatial scales and at temporal scale were characterized by nestedness which, in turn, contributed to an important degree to the total amount of β‐diversity of these assemblages.     

Morphological and physiological changes in roots of various wheat genotypes as related to cytoskeleton disruption

A depolymerizing effect of anti-microtubule drug oryzalin on the roots of three winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars contrasting in their frost-resistance was studied. The influence of plant cold acclimation (3°C, 7 days) and ABA treatment (30 μM) on oryzalin action was evaluated. Plant growing in the presence of 10 μM oryzalin under optimum temperature of 23°C resulted in the root-length decrease by 19–24% and root-apex swelling. All cells, especially in the root cortex, changed their radial dimensions. The cells acquired a rounded or irregular shape and increased in size. This indicates the loss of correct cell growth polarity. Most pronounced changes in the root apex diameter and most severe linear growth suppression were observed in the cultivar of moderate frost-resistance. The roots of this cultivar contained the highest amounts of actin and tubulins, as was evident from the immunoblot analysis. The effect of oryzalin on root growth and apex swelling was correlated with the content of actin in the roots of different wheat cultivars. Cold acclimation and exogenous ABA reduced (or prevented) oryzalin action on roots in a cultivar-specific manner. The conclusion was made that the bulk of the cytoskeletal net determined the efficiency of the cytoskeletal control of plant growth and morphogenesis. During autumn and winter periods, this is important for a better adaptation to temperature fluctuations of moderately frost-resistant plants, which are characterized by a high ecological plasticity.     

Extractable Microbial DNA Pool and Microbial Activity in Paleosols of Southern Urals

An evaluation of microbial DNA pools was performed using direct quantitative isolation of DNA from contemporary soils of Southern Urals and paleosols sealed under burial mounds early in the Bronze Age more than 5000 years B.P. Significant regression dependence was found between the biomass and DNA contents in these soils (R ²= 0.97). Activity and dominant ecological strategies of microbial communities of paleosols and contemporary southern black soil were compared from growth parameters obtained by analysis of respiratory curves. The ratio of maximum specific growth rates of soil microorganisms on glucose and on yeast extract was shown to provide an auxotrophy index for soil microbial communities.     

Somatic maturation and sensorimotor development of C57BL/6 mice prenatally exposed to cytosine arabinoside

The topical problem of experimental neurobiology is the development of pharmacological models to search for correlation between induced brain pathology and changes in behavioral phenotype. Cytosine arabinoside (Ara-c) is an antiproliferative agent, exposure to which in the critical period of the embryonic formation of the cortex results in the abnormality of its development. This study was aimed at estimation of the somatic and sensorimotor aspects of the early postnatal maturatrion of behavioral acts in mice with developmental abnormalities of the cortex induced by Ara-c. Pregnant C57BL/6 mice were injected with the substance on the 12.5th 13.5th gestation days. Offspring behavior was studied using a modified Fox battery on the 1st-21st postnatal days. Severe disorders of the sensorimotor development with slight somatic changes were revealed in the offsprings of Ara-c-treated mice. Features of these pathological changes point to a correlation between the developmental changes in behavioral phenotype and irregularities of the cortex formation. This experimental model can be applied to neurobiological and pharmacological studies.     

Effect of export-specific cytoplasmic chaperone, protein SecB, on secretion of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase

The efficiency of secretion of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase depends on the presence in cells of a cytoplasmic chaperone—protein SecB. Secretion increases in the presence of this chaperone at 30°C, which is the most favorable for the interaction of SecB with the export-initiation domain found previously in the N-terminal region of the mature enzyme. This interaction most likely occurs in the region of the export domain, which is located close to the signal peptide and in complex with a translocational ATPase—protein SecA.     

Density-dependent host selection in ectoparasites: An application of isodar theory to fleas parasitizing rodents

Parasites should make the same decisions that every animal makes regarding fitness reward. They can maximize reproductive success by selection of those habitats that guarantee the greatest fitness output. We consider the host population as a habitat of a parasite population. Consequently, hosts (=habitats) that differ quantitatively or qualitatively will support different numbers of parasites. The nature of habitat selection can be detected by isodars, lines along which habitat selection yields equivalent fitness reward. We applied this approach to study host selection of five fleas, each infesting two desert rodents. Xenopsylla conformis, Xenopsylla ramesis, Nosopsyllus iranus theodori and Stenoponia tripectinata medialis parasitize Gerbillus dasyurus and Meriones crassus. Synosternus cleopatrae pyramidis parasitizes Gerbillus andersoni allenbyi and Gerbillus pyramidum. Three fleas ( X. conformis, X. ramesis and S. c. pyramidis) were able to perceive quantitative (amount of the resource; e.g. organic matter in the nest for flea larvae) and/or qualitative (pattern of resource acquisition; e.g. host defensiveness) differences between hosts. Two other fleas did not perceive between-host differences. X. conformis was a density-dependent host selector that showed sharp selectivity at low density. X. ramesis and S. c. pyramidis were density-independent host selectors with a direct correspondence of density with habitat quality. N. i. theodori and S. t. medialis were non-selectors with no relationship at all between density and host quality. The results of the application of the isodar theory suggest that ectoparasites, like other animals, behave as if they are able to make choices and decisions that favour environments in which their reproductive benefit is maximized.     

Cytoskeleton-Dependent Changes in the Structural Organization of Reticuloplasmins in Triticum aestivum Cells during Cold Acclimation and Treatment with Abscisic Acid

We studied the effects of the anti-microtubule drug, oryzalin, on the content and spatial organization of reticuloplasmins (Ca²⁺-binding marker proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum) in winter wheat seedlings after their cold acclimation (3°C, 7 days) and treatment with ABA (30 M). For identification and visualization of reticuloplasmins, we applied one-dimensional SDS-PAGE with subsequent Western blotting and indirect fluorescent microscopy. We used polyclonal HSP70 and CRH antibodies against BiP and calreticulin (Cal), respectively. On immunoblots, the brightest bands corresponded to polypeptides with mol wts of 58 kD (calreticulin) and 79 kD (BiP). The content of calreticulins in roots was shown to be higher than in leaves. Cold acclimation enhanced, and ABA treatment reduced, the concentration of calreticulins in root cells. Both treatments increased the BiP concentration in roots. Oryzalin (10 M, treatment for 3 h) did not affect the level of reticuloplasmins in roots of unhardened, cold acclimated, treated with ABA and with a combination of cold and ABA plants. However, both oryzalin and low-temperature treatments resulted in the accumulation of reticuloplasmins in the two spherical structures in the vicinity of the plasmalemma and nuclear envelope. After the combined action of oryzalin and low temperature, the cortical sphere of BiP proteins was shifted into the endoplasm and calreticulins appeared in the nuclear matrix. We believe that these changes in the reticuloplasmin localization are related to the rearrangement of the endoplasmic reticulum determined by the cytoskeleton modification. They result in the improved capacity of reticuloplasmins to control Ca²⁺ behavior and/or to the function as chaperones. The results obtained permit the conclusion that cytoskeletal proteins interact with reticuloplasmins, and this interaction might be involved in the transduction of the external and internal signals.