The use of amplified fragment length polymorphism in determining species trees at fine taxonomic levels: analysis of a medically important snake, Trimeresurus albolabris

There are a huge number of phylogenetic studies based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA); however, these may represent gene trees that may not be congruent with the species tree. A solution to this problem is to include additional, independent, loci from the nuclear genome. At fine taxonomic levels, i.e. between populations and closely related species, previously suggested nuclear markers such as intron sequence data may not be appropriate. In this study we investigate the use of amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) to aid determination of the species tree for 24 specimens of a medically important snake, Trimeresurus albolabris. This is of particular importance for many venomous snakes as venom often varies intraspecifically. Five different primer combinations produced 434 bands and were analysed by constructing a phylogenetic tree using neighbour joining and principal component analysis. Results were similar across all methods and found distinct groupings. The results were compared with mtDNA data and a reconciled tree was constructed in order to determine the species tree for T. albolabris. We found that T. albolabris (sensu lato) is not monophyletic. Specimens from the Indonesian islands (except West Java) form a distinct clade and we propose elevation to species level. A specimen from Nepal is also distinct and suggests that this population also deserves specific status. We suggest that AFLPs may prove a valuable aid in determining species trees as opposed to gene trees at fine taxonomic levels and this should facilitate the incorporation of molecular data into such activities as antivenom production and conservation management.     

Cytoskeleton of human mononuclear cells as a possible peripheral marker for phenylalanine neurotoxicity in PKU

In this work we tested human mononuclear cells as a peripheral marker to study neurotoxicity of phenylalanine (Phe). Slices of cerebral cortex of rats or human mononuclear cells were incubated with different concentrations of Phe and/or Ala in the presence of ³²P-orthophosphate, the cytoskeletal fraction was extracted, and the radioactivity incorporated into intermediate filament proteins was measured. Our results show that 2 mM Phe as well as 1 mM Ala are effective in increasing the ³²P in vitro incorporation into IFs in both tissues. When cerebral cortex slices or mononuclear cells were incubated with different concentrations of Phe and/or Ala, the effects on the ³²P in vitro incorporation into IF proteins was compatible with an antagonistic mechanism of action of the two amino acids on the enzymes of the phosphorylating system. In addition, these blood cells may be a possible peripheral marker to study neurotoxicity of Phe in patients with PKU.     

Evidence of Field-Evolved Resistance of Spodoptera frugiperda to Bt Corn Expressing Cry1F in Brazil That Is Still Sensitive to Modified Bt Toxins

Brazil ranked second only to the United States in hectares planted to genetically modified crops in 2013. Recently corn producers in the Cerrado region reported that the control of Spodoptera frugiperda with Bt corn expressing Cry1Fa has decreased, forcing them to use chemicals to reduce the damage caused by this insect pest. A colony of S. frugiperda was established from individuals collected in 2013 from Cry1Fa corn plants (SfBt) in Brazil and shown to have at least more than ten-fold higher resistance levels compared with a susceptible colony (Sflab). Laboratory assays on corn leaves showed that in contrast to SfLab population, the SfBt larvae were able to survive by feeding on Cry1Fa corn leaves. The SfBt population was maintained without selection for eight generations and shown to maintain high levels of resistance to Cry1Fa toxin. SfBt showed higher cross-resistance to Cry1Aa than to Cry1Ab or Cry1Ac toxins. As previously reported, Cry1A toxins competed the binding of Cry1Fa to brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) from SfLab insects, explaining cross-resistance to Cry1A toxins. In contrast Cry2A toxins did not compete Cry1Fa binding to SfLab-BBMV and no cross-resistance to Cry2A was observed, although Cry2A toxins show low toxicity to S. frugiperda. Bioassays with Cry1AbMod and Cry1AcMod show that they are highly active against both the SfLab and the SfBt populations. The bioassay data reported here show that insects collected from Cry1Fa corn in the Cerrado region were resistant to Cry1Fa suggesting that resistance contributed to field failures of Cry1Fa corn to control S. frugiperda.     

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Diffusion Weighted MR Imaging at 3.0 T: Assessment of Steatohepatitis and Fibrosis Compared with Liver Biopsy in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

ObjectiveTo evaluate the capability of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to assess steatohepatitis and fibrosis determined by histopathology in type 2 diabetic patients.MethodsFifty-nine type 2 diabetic patients (49 women, 10 men; mean age, 54 ± 9 years) were submitted to liver biopsy for the evaluation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and underwent DWI on a 3.0T MR system using 10 b values. Institutional approval and patient consent were obtained. Pure molecular-based (D), perfusion-related (D*), and vascular fraction (f) were calculated using a double exponential model and least squares curve fitting. D, D*, and f were compared between patients with and without steatohepatitis and between patients with and without fibrosis. The variables were compared by using the Ranksum test and Student t-test.ResultsSteatohepatitis was observed in 22 patients and fibrosis in 16 patients. A lower D median (0.70 s/mm² vs. 0.83 s/mm², p<0.05) and a lower D* median (34.39 s/mm² vs. 45.23 s/mm², p<0.05) were observed among those with steatohepatitis. A lower D median (0.70 s/mm² vs. 0.82 s/mm², p<0.05) and a lower D* median (35.01 s/mm² vs. 44.76 s/mm², p=0.05) were also observed among those with fibrosis.ConclusionIVIM-DWI has the potential to aid in the characterization of steatohepatitis and fibrosis.     

Antimicrobial activity of the Naja atra cathelicidin and related small peptides

We have identified an 11-residue pattern (KR(F/A)KKFFKK(L/P)K), which we have named the ATRA motif, within the sequence of the Chinese cobra (Naja atra) cathelicidin. A series of 11-residue peptides (ATRA-1, -2, -1A and -1P) were designed to probe the significance of the conserved residues within the ATRA motif, and their contributions to antimicrobial performance. The antimicrobial activities of the peptides were assessed against Escherichia coli K12 strain and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Y4. ATRA-1 and -1A, demonstrated potencies comparable to that of N. atra cathelicidin. Structural examination by circular dichroism of the four short peptides suggested the significance of specific amino acid positions within the motif by their contribution to helicity. The results of these studies indicate that short peptides derived from the repeated ATRA motif from the N. atra cathelicidin can demonstrate both low toxicity against host cells and high antimicrobial activity against the gram-negative bacteria used in this study. They constitute novel, effective antimicrobial peptides that are much shorter (and thus less expensive to produce) than the natural cathelicidins, and they may represent new templates for therapeutic drug development.     

Kinetic and structural features of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenases: Mechanistic and regulatory implications

The betaine aldehyde dehydrogenases (BADH; EC 1.2.1.8) are so-called because they catalyze the irreversible NAD(P)⁺-dependent oxidation of betaine aldehyde to glycine betaine, which may function as (i) a very efficient osmoprotectant accumulated by both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms to cope with osmotic stress, (ii) a metabolic intermediate in the catabolism of choline in some bacteria such as the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or (iii) a methyl donor for methionine synthesis. BADH enzymes can also use as substrates aminoaldehydes and other quaternary ammonium and tertiary sulfonium compounds, thereby participating in polyamine catabolism and in the synthesis of γ-aminobutyrate, carnitine, and 3-dimethylsulfoniopropionate. This review deals with what is known about the kinetics and structural properties of these enzymes, stressing those properties that have only been found in them and not in other aldehyde dehydrogenases, and discussing their mechanistic and regulatory implications.     

B cells from rheumatoid arthritis patients show important alterations in the expression of CD86 and FcγRIIb,which are modulated by anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy

Introduction  

Several molecules help preserve peripheral B cell tolerance, but when altered, they may predispose to autoimmunity. This work studied the expression of the costimulatory molecule CD86 and the inhibitory receptor for IgG immune complexes FcγRIIb (CD32b), on B cells from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and the influence of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy.     

The Effect of Chitosan as Internal or External Coating on the 5-ASA Release from Calcium Alginate Microparticles

The effect of chitosan as internal or external coating on the mesalamine (5-ASA) release from calcium alginate microparticles (CaAl) was studied, and a delayed release of 5-ASA system intended for colonic drug delivery was developed. The external chitosan coating was developed by immersion of wetted CaAl in chitosan solution and the internal coating by mixing 5-ASA with chitosan solution and drying before the preparation of CaAl. Both systems were coated with Acryl-EZE^® using combined fluid bed coating and immersion procedure. The results showed that in phosphate medium (pH 7.5), chitosan as 5-ASA coating promotes a quick erosion process accelerating drug release, but chitosan as external coating (CaAlCS) does not increase the T ₅₀ value compared with the microparticles without chitosan (CaAl). Chitosan as internal or external coating was not effective to avoid the quick 5-ASA release in acidic medium (pH 1.2). The presence of β-glucosidase enzymes increases significantly the 5-ASA release for CaAl, while no effect was observed with chitosan as internal or external coating. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray data revealed that 5-ASA did not form a solid solution but was dispersed in the microparticles. The Acryl-EZE^® coating of microparticles was effective because all the formulations showed a low release, less than 15%, of 5-ASA in acid medium at pH 1.2. Significant differences in the percentage of 5-ASA released between formulations were observed in phosphate buffer at pH 6.0. In phosphate buffer at pH 7.2, all the formulations released 100% of 5-ASA.