Seasonal variation in food allergy to apple

The aim of the study was to investigate the possibility of a seasonal variation in reactivity to apples in 27 birch pollen allergic patients. Before and during the birch pollen season 1998, the patients were subjected to double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFCs) with grated fresh Golden Delicious apple followed by an open food challenge with whole fresh apple. The clinical reactions elicited during the challenges were evaluated both by the patients and the investigators. Moreover, the skin reactivity and the in vitro reactivity to apple were evaluated by skin prick test (SPT), leukocyte histamine release (HR), measurement of specific IgE, and immunoblotting experiments. The sensitivity of the DBPCFC, when compared with the result of the open challenge, was 0.74 (14/19) before the season and 0.80 (16/20) during the season. None of the patients reacted to the blinded challenge without a subsequent reaction to the open challenge. One placebo reaction was registered both before and in season, but not in the same patient. The patient scores of the first positive challenges, and the maximal scores of each combined blinded and open challenge session, were significantly increased during the pollen season (P<0.05). The scores of the open challenge were significantly higher than the scores of the DBPCFC both before the season and during the in-season challenges (P<0.05). Specific IgE against Golden Delicious increased during season (P<0.05), while neither SPT, HR, nor immunoblotting experiments could confirm an increase in reactivity. In conclusion, the results of the oral challenge tests indicated an increase in clinical reactivity to apples during the birch pollen season in birch pollen allergic individuals.     

Energy metabolism of Chironomus anthracinus (Diptera: Chironomidae) from the profundal zone of Lake Esrom,Denmark, as a function of body size,temperature and oxygen concentration

The profundal zone of Lake Esrom, Denmark has a dense population of Chironomus anthracinus, which survives 2–4 months of oxygen depletion each summer during stratification. The metabolism of 3rd and 4th instar larvae was examined in regard to variation in biomass and temperature. Respiration at air saturation was described by a curvilinear multiple regression relating oxygen consumption to individual AFDW and temperature. At 10 °C and varying oxygen regimes the O₂ consumption and CO₂ production of 4th instar larvae were almost unaltered from saturation to about 3 mg O₂ l^–1, but decreased steeply below this level. The respiratory quotient increased from 0.82 at saturation to about 3.4 at oxygen concentrations near 0.5 mg O₂ l^–1. This implied a shift from aerobic to partially anaerobic metabolism. At 0.5 mg O₂ l^–1 the total energy production equalled 20% of the rate at saturation of which more than one third was accounted for by anaerobic degradation of glycogen. This corresponded to a daily loss of 12 µg mg AFDW^–1 or approximately 5% of the body reserves. At unchanged metabolic rate the glycogen store would last three weeks, but long term oxygen deficiency causes a further suppression of the energy metabolism in C. anthracinus.     

Biotransformation of diphenyl ether by the yeastTrichosporon beigelii SBUG 752

Trichosporon beigelii SBUG 752 was able to transform diphenyl ether. By TLC, HPLC, GC, GC-MS, NMR- and UV-spectroscopy, several oxidation products were identified. The primary attack was initiated by a monooxygenation step, resulting in the formation of 4-hydroxydiphenyl ether, 2-hydroxydiphenyl ether and 3-hydroxydiphenyl ether (48:47:5). Further oxidation led to 3,4-dihydroxydiphenyl ether. As a characteristic product resulting from the cleavage of an aromatic ring, the lactone of 2-hydroxy-4-phenoxymuconic acid was identified. The possible mechanism of ring cleavage to yield this metabolite is discussed.     

The human placental transferrin receptor: Reconstitution into liposomes and electron microscopy

Human transferrin receptor was isolated from Triton X-100 solubilized placental plasma membranes by a rapid one-step chromatographic procedure based on immunoadsorption of the receptortransferrin complex on anti-transferrin Sepharose and lectin-affinity on wheat germ agglutinin. Following exchange of Triton X-100 with CHAPS or n-octylglucoside, the purified receptor was incorporated into egg phosphatidylcholine liposomes upon, detergent removal by dialysis (lipid/protein ratio 15:1 to 45:1 (w/w) Reconstitution of the receptor was confirmed by trypsin cleavage to dissociate the large extracellular receptor domain from the liposomal membranes. Electron micrographs of the receptor-lipid recombinants negatively stained with sodium sillicotungstate, showed ographs of the receptor-lipid recombinants negatively stained with sodium sillicotungstate, showed that the receptor molecules distributed very inhomogeneously on the liposomes, most receptors being clustered. Single copies of the receptor were seen as elongate structures (5×10 nm) oriented with their long axis parallel to the liposome surface and separated from this by a 2–3 nm gap. This result provides evidence for a narrow connecting link between the globular extracellular receptor domain and the membrane spanning segment.Abbreviations CHAPS 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane sulfonate - PAGE polyacrylaminde gel electrophoresis - PC phosphatidylcholine - PMSF phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - WGA wheat germ agglutinin     

Induction of type C virions from normal rat kidney cells by 2-deoxy-D-glucose.

The sugar 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) induced the release of type C virions from an established line of normal rat kidney (NRK) cells. Within 20 h after the addition of 5 mg of 2-DG per ml to exponentially growing NRK clutures, more than 80% of the cells expressed the mammalian type C virus interspecies-specific antigen (p30) as determined by indirect cytoplasmic immunofluorescence. Maximal virion release occurred 1 to 2 days after 2-DG was added for 24 h to the growth medium although a low level of virion production was detected as early as 2.5 h after 2-DG treatment. Studies with inhibitors of RNA synthesis indicated a requirement for de novo RNA synthesis after the addition of 2-DG. Sensitivity of NRK cells to type C virion induction was limited to a relatively short period of in vitro growth and preceded spontaneous virion release by 8 to 10 subculture generations. A model is presented for the sequential derepression of latent type C virus information in serially propagated NRK cells.     

Genome-inferred spatio-temporal resolution of an uncultivated Roizmanbacterium reveals its ecological preferences in groundwater

Subsurface ecosystems like groundwater harbour diverse microbial communities, including small-sized, putatively symbiotic organisms of the Candidate Phyla Radiation, yet little is known about their ecological preferences and potential microbial partners. Here, we investigated a member of the superphylum Microgenomates (Cand. Roizmanbacterium ADI133) from oligotrophic groundwater using mini-metagenomics and monitored its spatio-temporal distribution using 16S rRNA gene analyses. A Roizmanbacteria-specific quantitative PCR assay allowed us to track its abundance over the course of 1 year within eight groundwater wells along a 5.4 km hillslope transect, where Roizmanbacteria reached maximum relative abundances of 2.3%. In-depth genomic analyses suggested that Cand. Roizmanbacterium ADI133 is a lactic acid fermenter, potentially able to utilize a range of complex carbon substrates, including cellulose. We hypothesize that it attaches to host cells using a trimeric autotransporter adhesin and inhibits their cell wall biosynthesis using a toxin–antitoxin system. Network analyses based on correlating Cand. Roizmanbacterium ADI133 abundances with amplicon sequencing-derived microbial community profiles suggested one potential host organism, classified as a member of the class Thermodesulfovibrionia (Nitrospirae). By providing lactate as an electron donor Cand. Roizmanbacterium ADI133 potentially mediates the transfer of carbon to other microorganisms and thereby is an important connector in the microbial community.