Unrestricted recognition of a nonpeptide antigen by CD8+ cytolytic T lymphocytes

CD8+ murine CTL that are specific for an unusual nonpeptide Ag, the heme moiety of hemoglobin, have been derived by in vitro stimulation of spleen cells with hemin. Such CTL demonstrate a requirement for the expression of class I Ag on target cells, yet appear to be unrestricted to the extent that both syngeneic and allogeneic targets precoated with hemin are sensitive to lysis. A series of CTL clones with specificity for hemin was derived from C57BL/6 mice. They exhibited the same type of promiscuous recognition that was observed in CTL populations from a number of different strains. The possibility that hemin acts as a nonspecific mediator of lysis by CTL was ruled out by the fact that a variety of CTL populations and clones specific for different Ag did not exhibit hemin-specific lysis. Some explanations offered to explain these results include 1) the possibility that hemin is recognized by binding to a site on the MHC other than the Ag-binding groove, and 2) the possibility that TCR recognition of a rigid molecule, such as hemin, may be less sensitive to polymorphic variation in the MHC than is recognition of a conventional peptide Ag whose conformation may differ significantly when bound to MHC molecules whose sequences differ within the Ag-binding groove.     

Visual evoked potentials in a sample of schizophrenic patients

Variations in evoked potentials utilizing a photic stimulus in a sample of psychiatric patients compared to a healthy sample were evaluated. A group of patients diagnosed as schizophrenic was tested against a sample of healthy volunteers in a trial combining visual evoked potentials and a simultaneous cognitive processing. The stimulus was a checkerboard pattern presented under three different conditions. The results indicate diminished P100 and lack the reactivity associated with cognitive processes in schizophrenic group. The P200 component also lacked, in the inpatient group the changes associated with the performance of the trial. Finally the multiple P300 component was shortened in latency and decreased in amplitude in the schizophrenia group. Besides, P300 interhemispheric shifts related to trials, were commonly inverted in schizophrenics. Results are interpreted as a lacked interhemispheric coordination in schizophrenics, rather than a fixed hemispheric alteration. Likewise, an attenuation in processing from specific cortical areas to association cortex is concluded.     

Genetic structure of the population of Sicily.

Genetic heterogeneity within Sicily was investigated on the basis of ACP1, ADA, ESD, GLO1, PGD, PGM1, PGM2, SODA, ABO, and MN gene frequencies, and compared to those of other regions of Italy for which these same loci have been examined. Correspondence analysis revealed no differences within the island, at least at the provincial level, but showed genetic differentiation among Italian regions, distinctly clustering northern, central, and southern populations, respectively. These data indicate a close relationship between Sicily and southern Italy. In addition, the contribution of Middle Eastern populations to the gene pool of Sicily was evident.     

Distribution of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactive fibers in the cat thalamus

Neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity was studied in the thalamus of the cat using an indirect immunoperoxidase method. The densest network of immunoreactive fibers was observed in the nucleus (n.) paraventricularis anterior. In the anterior, intralaminar and midline thalamic nuclei, as well as in the n. geniculatum medialis, n. geniculatum lateralis, n. habenularis lateralis, n. medialis dorsalis, n. lateralis posterior and n. pulvinar a low density of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactive fibers was observed. Neuropeptide Y-like fibers were totally absent in the n. ventralis lateralis, n. ventralis medialis, n. ventralis postero-medialis and n. ventralis postero-lateralis. In addition, neuropeptide Y-like perikarya were found in the n. parafascicularis, n. suprageniculatus, n. geniculatum lateralis ventralis, n. medialis dorsalis and n. lateralis posterior.     

Genetically-based plant resistance traits affect arthropods,fungi, and birds

We examine how the distribution of a leafgalling aphid (Pemphigus betae) affects other species associated with natural stands of hybrid cottonwoods (Populus angustifolia x P. fremontii). Aphid transfers on common-garden clones and RFLP analysis show that resistance to aphids in cottonwoods is affected by plant genotype. Because susceptible trees typically support thousands of galls, while adjacent resistant trees have few or none, plant resistance traits that affect the distribution of this abundant herbivore may directly and/or indirectly affect other species. We found that the arthropod community of aphid-susceptible trees had 31% greater species richness and 26% greater relative abundance than aphid-resistant trees. To examine direct and indirect effects of plant resistance traits on other organisms, we experimentally excluded aphids and found that abundances and/or foraging behavior of arthropods, fungi, and birds were altered. First, exclusion of gall aphids on susceptible trees resulted in a 24% decrease in species richness and a 28% decrease in relative abundance of the arthropod community. Second, exclusion of aphids also caused a 2- to 3-fold decrease in foraging and/or presence of three taxa of aphid enemies: birds, fungi, and insects. Lastly, aphidexclussion resulted in a 2-fold increase in inquilines (animals who live in abodes properly belonging to another). We also found that fungi and birds responded to variation in gall density at the branch level. We conclude plant resistance traits affect diverse species from three trophic levels supporting a bottom-up influence of plants on community structure.     

Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis applied to biomonitoring on alps

Biological Trace Element Research - The results of a research in progress at the Istituto di Fisica Generale Applicata—University of Milan—on natural and anthropogenic elements'...     

Mutations in the consensus ATP-binding sites of XcpR and PilB eliminate extracellular protein secretion and pilus biogenesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The process of extracellular secretion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa requires specialized machinery which is widely distributed among bacteria that actively secrete proteins to the extracellular medium. One of the components of this machinery is the product of the xcpR gene, which is homologous to pilB, a gene encoding a protein essential for the biogenesis of type IV pili. Both XcpR and PilB are characterized by the presence of a conserved ATP-binding motif (Walker sequence). The codons of highly conserved glycine residues within the Walker sequences of xcpR and pilB were altered to encode a serine, and the effects of these substitutions were examined. Bacteria expressing mutant XcpR or PilB were unable to secrete exotoxin A or assemble pili, respectively. In addition, high-level expression of mutant XcpR in wild-type P. aeruginosa led to a pleiotropic extracellular secretion defect, resulting in the periplasmic accumulation of enzymes that are normally secreted from the cell. These studies show that the putative ATP-binding sites of XcpR and PilB are essential for their functions in protein secretion and assembly of pili, respectively. Moreover, the observed dominant negative phenotype of mutant XcpR suggests that this protein functions as a multimer or, alternatively, interacts with another essential component of the extracellular protein secretion machinery.