Calcium and EGTA Alleviate Cadmium Toxicity in Germinating Chickpea Seeds

Impact of exogenous calcium and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) supplement on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) germinating seeds exposed to cadmium stress for 6 days was studied. Ca and EGTA late treatment (3 days) alleviated growth inhibition and decreased Cd accumulation as well as lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation in both root and shoot cells. Exogenous effector application relieved Cd-induced cell death which was associated with a constant level of ATP, which was considered as an apoptotic-like process. Redox balance was examined through the study of the redox state of pyridine nucleotide couples NAD⁺/NADH and NADP⁺/NADPH as well as their related oxidative [NAD(P)H-oxidase] and dehydrogenase (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase) enzyme activities. The present research illustrated an ameliorative effect of Ca and EGTA on growth of Cd-exposed chickpea seedlings that occurs through the protection of sensitive cell sites from Cd-induced oxidation, namely membrane lipids and proteins, rather than the improvement of recycling capabilities of the cellular reducing power.     

Osmotic behavior of liposomes of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylsulfocholine as a function of lipid concentration

A relationship between the initial rate of liposome swelling, d(1/A)/dt and the reciprocal of the lipid concentration of the liposomes has been derived and then utilized to describe the osmotic swelling behavior of serially diluted liposomes and chloroplasts exposed to hypertonic urea solutions. The slopes of plots of d(1/A)/dt vs. the reciprocal of the lipid concentration of liposomes were not affected by differences in the initial absorbance of phosphatidylcholine-sterol bilayers, and were used to assess the ability of sterols to reduce the initial rates of urea permeation through dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) bilayers in the liquid-crystalline state. Multilamellar liposomes and sonicated vesicles were prepared from dimyristoylphosphatidylsulfocholine (DMPSC), in which the quaternary ammonium group of choline is replaced by -S⁺(CH₃)₂. Cholesterol reduced the initial rate of osmotic urea penetration into liposomes and the rate of 6-carboxyfluorescein efflux from vesicles at 35°C. The effect of cholesterol on bilayers of phosphatidylsulfocholine and phosphatidylcholine was very similar, suggesting that no strict structural requirements need be met in the choline moiety for lecithin-cholesterol interaction. The sulfonium analog could thus functionally replace phosphatidylcholine in natural membranes.     

Promotion of crown-gall tumor initiation on primary pinto bean leaves by certain inorganic salts

Crown-gall tumor initiation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens (SMITHand TOWN.) CONN, strain B6, on Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. "Pinto"was found to be sensitive to the addition of various salts tothe freshly inoculated primary leaves. Calcium, magnesium, zincand ammonium sulfates, cobalt and nickel chlorides and potassiumnitrate increased the number of tumors on inoculated leavesby 100 to 200 percent. Maximal promotions were obtained at concentrationsof 10^–7 to 10^–5 M with all of these salts exceptpotassium nitrate which was most active at 10^–2M. Sodium,potassium, calcium, magnesium and aluminum chlorides, and sodium,potassium and nickel sulfates had little or no effect on tumorinitiation. The combination of sodium sulfate with magnesiumchloride gave promotions comparable to those obtained with magnesiumsulfate, indicating that both the magnesium and sulfate ionswere necessary for the promotion obtained with this latter salt.Combining any two of the active salts at their optimum concentrationsfor promotion resulted in a reciprocal inhibition of the promotionobtained with either salt alone, suggesting these salts to beactive by different and potentially antagonistic mechanisms.The possible nature of these promotions is discussed, but theyremain too obscure to warrant a specific proposal for theirmode of action. ¹Present adress: Department of Botany, University of Khartoum,Khartoum, Sudan.     

Termites Improve the Horizontal Movement of Carbonized Particles: A Step towards Sustainable Utilization of Biochar

Soil amendments containing carbonized materials increase the soil carbon reservoir, influence plant productivity, and, ultimately, help to clean the environment. There is data on the effect of such additions on soil physicochemical properties or plant growth, but few studies have focused on how these carbonized materials are distributed by termite species in the soil ecosystem. It is the first comprehensive study of the transportation of biochar (BC) by termite species under tropical environmental conditions in Pakistan. The present study was carried out to test the hypothesis that if termite species I) were involved in the distribution of biochar particles II) if yes, then how far these particles were transported during the study period (10 days) and III) check their preference between the enriched BC (EBC) and non-enriched BC. BC was enriched with the cattle slurry after its pyrolysis in the study. The results showed that EBC particles were significantly more widely distributed than non-enriched BC particles, but both types of BC were transported more than 4 cm (ring 4) within 10 days (at the end of the experiment). The current study also revealed that EBC was easily attached to the setae, cuticle, and legs of termites, implying that it could potentially be transported over a greater distance. Furthermore, transportation of EBC over larger distances indicated a potential preference of termite species between the EBC and BC particles. During the study, however, the preference among the termite species was also observed. Under the prevailing study conditions, the Coptotermes heimi and Heteroterme indicola species transported the EBC further than Microtermes obesi and Odontotermes obesus. These findings revealed that transportation preferences were observed among the four termite species. In conclusion, the current study found that termites were involved in the distribution of BC particles, with a preference for EBC and that these have the potential to transport BC particles more than 4 cm within 10 days. Furthermore, two species Coptotermes heimi and Heteroterme indicola may be more suitable candidates for EBC transpiration in Pakistani soils. It was necessary to conduct additional research into the effect of temperature on the transportation process.     

Paxillin LD4 motif binds PAK and PIX through a novel 95-kD ankyrin repeat, ARF-GAP protein: A role in cytoskeletal remodeling.

Paxillin is a focal adhesion adaptor protein involved in the integration of growth factor- and adhesion-mediated signal transduction pathways. Repeats of a leucine-rich sequence named paxillin LD motifs (Brown M.C., M.S. Curtis, and C.E. Turner. 1998. Nature Struct. Biol. 5:677-678) have been implicated in paxillin binding to focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and vinculin. Here we demonstrate that the individual paxillin LD motifs function as discrete and selective protein binding interfaces. A novel scaffolding function is described for paxillin LD4 in the binding of a complex of proteins containing active p21 GTPase-activated kinase (PAK), Nck, and the guanine nucleotide exchange factor, PIX. The association of this complex with paxillin is mediated by a new 95-kD protein, p95PKL (paxillin-kinase linker), which binds directly to paxillin LD4 and PIX. This protein complex also binds to Hic-5, suggesting a conservation of LD function across the paxillin superfamily. Cloning of p95PKL revealed a multidomain protein containing an NH2-terminal ARF-GAP domain, three ankyrin-like repeats, a potential calcium-binding EF hand, calmodulin-binding IQ motifs, a myosin homology domain, and two paxillin-binding subdomains (PBS). Green fluorescent protein- (GFP-) tagged p95PKL localized to focal adhesions/complexes in CHO.K1 cells. Overexpression in neuroblastoma cells of a paxillin LD4 deletion mutant inhibited lamellipodia formation in response to insulin-like growth fac- tor-1. Microinjection of GST-LD4 into NIH3T3 cells significantly decreased cell migration into a wound. These data implicate paxillin as a mediator of p21 GTPase-regulated actin cytoskeletal reorganization through the recruitment to nascent focal adhesion structures of an active PAK/PIX complex potentially via interactions with p95PKL.     

Ultrastructural Study of the Development of Pleistophora schubergi Zwölfer, 1927 (Protozoa,Microsporida) in Larvae of the Spruce Budworm,Choristoneura fumiferana and Its Subsequent Taxonomic Change to the Genus Endoreticulatus

This study demonstrates that Pleistophora schubergi Zwölfer, 1927, a microsporidium originally isolated from the midgut epithelium of Nygmia phaeorrhoea Don (Euproctis chrysorrhoea L.) and Porthetria dispar L., and subsequently reported in several other insects including the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (the host used in this investigation), does not belong in the genus Pleistophora Gurley, 1893. Pleistophora schubergi lacks the major features that are characteristic of Pleistophora typicalis, the type species of this genus. A comparison of ultrastructural observations reported for the type species of the genus Pleistophora, P. typicalis, and our observations of P. schubergi revealed significant differences. A thick (0.5 μm) amorphous coat, derived from parasite secretions and deposited external to the parasite plasmalemma, surrounds all developmental stages in P. typicalis. Double membranes, derived from host rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae encircle the parasite plasmalemma of all developmental stages in P. schubergi. The sporophorous vesicle encases the spores in P. typicalis, and originates from the parasite-secreted coat that is present around meronts. In P. schubergi, the host endoplasmic reticulum cisternae form the envelope that surrounds the meronts. Moreover, the sporophorous vesicle envelope in P. typicalis persists around groups of spores, while in P. schubergi this envelope breaks easily to release the spores in the host cytoplasm. By comparing the characteristics of the microsporidium found in the spruce budworm with those of the recently created polysporous genera that sporulate within a vesicle, we found that P. schubergi does belong in the new genus Endoreticulatus Brooks et al. 1988, and consequently rename it Endoreticulatus schubergi (Zwölfer, 1927) n. comb.     

The trace fossil Nummipera eocenica from the Tatra Mountains,Poland: morphology and palaeoenvironmental implications

Jach, R., Machaniec, E. & Uchman, A. 2011: The trace fossil Nummipera eocenica from the Tatra Mountains, Poland: morphology and palaeoenvironmental implications. Lethaia, Vol. 45, pp. 342–355. The tubular trace fossil Nummipera eocenica Hölder 1989 occurs in a single stratigraphical horizon in Eocene nummulitic limestones of the Tatra Mountains, Poland. The wall of N. eocenica is built of Discocyclina and Nummulities (larger foraminifera) tests, very rarely of the Ditrupa (Polychaeta) tube fragments, bivalve shell fragments, echinoid spines and coralline algae. Morphotype are distinguished on the basis of wall composition and structure. Morphotype A is dominated by fusiform Discocyclina tests, which were preferentially selected by the trace makers for construction of a well‐constructed and resistant wall. Morphotype B contains more robust tests of Nummulites, while morphotype C is dominated by saddle‐shaped tests of Discocyclina. Nummipera eocenica was produced during a period of seafloor stabilization caused by a deepening. The succession of the morphotypes B, A reflects diminishing energy and increasing water depth. Probably morphotype C represents even lower energy environment than morphotype A. The trace fossil is interpreted as a domichnion, which wall was constructed for protection. The trace maker can be considered between polychaetes and crustaceans; however, comparisons to the closest recent analogues, the polychaete Diopatra cuprea or alpheid shrimps, are not satisfactory. □Bartonian, burrow, Carpathians, large foraminifera, trace fossils.     

EFFECTS OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTAL L-CARNITINE AND ASCORBIC ACID ON PERFORMANCE,CARCASS COMPOSITION AND PLASMA L-CARNITINE CONCENTRATION OF BROILER CHICKS REARED UNDER DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE

The present study was initiated to determine whether dietary supplemental L-carnitine and ascorbic acid affect growth performance, carcass yield and composition, abdominal fat and plasma L-carnitine concentration of broiler chicks reared under normal and high temperature. During the experiment, two temperature regimes were employed in two experimental rooms, which were identical but different in environmental temperature. The regimes were thermoneutral (20-22°C for 24 h) or recycling hot (34-36°C for 8 h and 20-22°C for 16 h). One-day-old broiler chicks (ROSS) were used in the experiment. A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement was employed with two levels (0 and 50 mg/kg) of supplemental L-carnitine and two levels (0 or 500 mg/kg) of supplemental ascorbic acid in drinking water under thermoneutral or high temperature regimes. Body weight gain was affected by high temperature. However, body weight gain was significantly improved in animals receiving supplemental L-carnitine, ascorbic acid or L-carnitine + ascorbic acid compared to animals receiving unsupplemented diet under high temperature. On the other hand, supplemental L-carnitine or L-carnitine + ascorbic acid reduced body weight gain under thermoneutral condition. Supplemental ascorbic acid significantly improved feed conversion efficiency, the improvement was relatively greater under high temperature. The L-carnitine content in the plasma was higher in the groups receiving supplemental L-carnitine and ascorbic acid under high temperature, while broilers fed supplemental L-carnitine and ascorbic acid had a decreased level of plasma L-carnitine concentration under normal temperature. It is concluded that dietary supplemental L-carnitine or L-carnitine + ascorbic acid may have positive effects on body weight gain, carcass weight under high temperature conditions.     

On the Composition, Deposition and Mobilization of Proteins in the Cotyledons of Castor Bean (Ricinus communis L. cv. Hale) Seeds: Their Role as Storage Proteins

Proteins in the soluble and insoluble fractions, extracted frommature castor bean cv. Hale seed cotyledons, differ quantitativelyand qualitatively from their counterparts extracted from theendosperm. The soluble fraction contains no glycoproteins, andthe lectins RCA₁ and ricin D are absent. While the insolubleproteins are electrophoretically and immunologically similarto those in the endosperm, they do not form the 100 kD subunitdimers which characterize some of the endosperm insoluble crystalloidproteins. Rapid rates of deposition of all of the soluble andinsoluble proteins present in the mature seed cotyledons commences30–35 d after pollination (DAP) and continues until 45DAP. These proteins are mobilized rapidly beginning 1–2d after seed imbibition and this coincides with an increasein specific activity, in the cotyledons, of two aminopeptidasesand a carboxypeptidase. The soluble and insoluble proteins inthe cotyledons of the mature seed probably function as storageproteins and support the growth of the germinated seed priorto the mobilization of the major protein storage reserves ofthe endosperm. Key words: Ricinus communis, Castor bean, Hale cultivar, Cotyledon, Storage protein, Seed development, Seed germination