The influence of native populations’ genetic history on the reconstruction of invasion routes: the case of a highly invasive aquatic species

Biological Invasions - Insufficient data on the origins of the first introduced propagule and the initial stages of invasion complicate the reconstruction of a species’ invasion history....     

The Evaluation of Biomarkers of Physical Activity on Stress Resistance and Wellness

Physical activity can improve health as well as reduce stress and the risk of developing several widespread diseases. However, there exists no accepted standard biomedical examination-method for stress evaluation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of regular physical activity on stress and wellness as well as the evaluation of potential biomarkers in this field. This study included 105 people (mean age = 36.57 ± 1.4 years) who were randomly assigned into the exercise group 1 (EG-1) (n = 41), the exercise group 2 (EG-2) (n = 30), and the control group (CG) (n = 34). Measurements of stress and wellness were obtained by Multiscan BC-OXI before and after experimental period. This device presents a multifrequency segmental body composition 3D analyser with digital pulse oximeter. The key indicators of stress as well as for wellness were significantly improved in the EG-1. Parasympathetic activity showed significant changes as potential stress biomarker. Statistically significant gender differences were not observed in the comparable groups. The results suggest that the stress resistance and well-being significantly improved in the EG-1 due to regular physical activity. However, further research is necessary to determine effects of physical activity on integral health indicators.

     

Differential uses of coral reef habitats by a poorly-known cryptic fish predator

This study used otolith microchemistry to evaluate whether the moray eel Gymnothorax chilospilus uses different habitats throughout its life (mainly juvenile and adult phases). Of the most informative trace elements within otoliths (the twelve isotopes ²³Na, ²⁵Mg, ⁴³Ca, ⁵⁵Mn, ⁵⁹Co, ⁶⁰Ni, ⁶³Cu, ⁶⁶Zn, ⁸⁶Sr, ¹¹¹Cd, ¹³⁸Ba and ²⁰⁸Pb) only three ratios of Ca (Na:Ca, Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca) were informative and therefore used in a multivariate regression-tree analysis. Using a multivariate partitioning, three main phases were described from profiles, including the larval life phase (leptocephali), the intermediate phase (longest section between the larval life phase and the terminal phase) and the terminal phase (final section i.e., the most recent months preceding the death of fish). According to concentrations of the three ratios to Ca, G. chilospilus can be separated into three groups during their larval life stage (very different in Sr and Na), four groups during the intermediate phase (few differences in Sr and Na) and three groups during the terminal phase (differences in Sr), illustrating that G. chilospilus inhabit different habitats during these three phases. Our results showed that the leptocephali encountered different oceanic water masses with fluctuating Sr:Ca ratios during the early larval phase. During the intermediate phase (main part of their life-span), they lived in lagoonal waters such as fringing reefs or reef flats of lagoonal islets, characterized by a lower Sr:Ca ratio. During the latter part of their life, approximately one third of G. chilospilus encountered more oceanic waters close to or at barrier reefs, suggesting possible movements of these fish along a coast-to-ocean gradient.     

Antagonistic roles of ESCRT and Vps class C/HOPS complexes in the recycling of yeast membrane proteins

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, deficiencies in the ESCRT machinery trigger the mistargeting of endocytic and biosynthetic ubiquitinated cargoes to the limiting membrane of the vacuole. Surprisingly, impairment of this machinery also leads to the accumulation of various receptors and transporters at the plasma membrane in both yeast and higher eukaryotes. Using the well-characterized yeast endocytic cargo uracil permease (Fur4p), we show here that the apparent stabilization of the permease at the plasma membrane in ESCRT mutants results from an efficient recycling of the protein. Whereas several proteins as well as internalized dyes are known to be recycled in yeast, little is known about the machinery and molecular mechanisms involved. The SNARE protein Snc1p is the only cargo for which the recycling pathway is well characterized. Unlike Snc1p, endocytosed Fur4p did not pass through the Golgi apparatus en route to the plasma membrane. Although ubiquitination of Fur4p is required for its internalization, deubiquitination is not required for its recycling. In an attempt to identify actors in this new recycling pathway, we found an unexpected phenotype associated with loss of function of the Vps class C complex: cells defective for this complex are impaired for recycling of Fur4p, Snc1p, and the lipophilic dye FM4-64. Genetic analyses indicated that these phenotypes were due to the functioning of the Vps class C complex in trafficking both to and from the late endosomal compartment.     

Determination of platinated purines in oligoribonucleotides by limited digestion with ribonucleases T1 and U2

Platinum complexes which are known to react preferentially with guanine (G) and adenine (A) bases of oligonucleotides can be used as tools to analyze their tertiary structures and eventually to cross-link them. However, this requires efficient methods to allow the identification and quantification of the corresponding adducts which have so far been developed only for oligodeoxyribonucleotides. Maxam-Gilbert type digestions cannot be used for RNAs and HPLC techniques would require too large amounts of expensive material for separation and further characterization. We report a method to determine platination sites on oligoribonucleotides based on the cleavage activity of ribonucleases T1 and U2. To test the method, these enzymes were first used under conditions of limited digestion on 5-mer oligoribonucleotides platinated at a single defined purine. The phosphodiester bond on the 3^′ side of platinated G or A appeared fully resistant to cleavage by ribonuclease T1 or U2, respectively. An inhibitory effect was also observed due to neighboring platinated purines, which decreases with their distance (−2, −1, +1, +2) from the cleavage site and with the enzyme concentration. The method allowed the identification and quantification of the platination sites of a 17-mer oligoribonucleotide, based on the analysis of the mixture of monoplatinated adducts.     

An european pupil project linked to the scientific aims of the experiment AQUARIUS-XENOPUS on the taxi Soyuz flight Andromede to ISS

The German-French biological experiment AQUARIUS-XENOPUS which flew on the Soyuz flight Andromede to the International Space Station ISS (launched October 21, 2001 in Baikonour/Kazakhstan) was extended by an outreach project. Pupils of class 10 to 12 from Ulm/D and Nancy-Tomblaine/F studied swimming behavior of Xenopus tadpoles on ground. They were instructed to perform all experimental steps following the protocol of similar video recordings on ISS. After the flight, they evaluated the kinetics of swimming of both ground controls and space animals. The pupil project included theoretical components to introduce them to the field of gravitational biology. One feature of the project was the exchange of ideas between pupils by meetings which took place in Ulm (June 2001), Nancy (February 2002) and Paris (May 2002). We consider our approach as a successful way to include young people in space experiments on a cheap cost level and to bring ideas of gravitational biology into the curricula of European schools.     

The Search for Therapeutic Bacteriophages Uncovers One New Subfamily and Two New Genera of Pseudomonas-Infecting Myoviridae

In a previous study, six virulent bacteriophages PAK_P1, PAK_P2, PAK_P3, PAK_P4, PAK_P5 and CHA_P1 were evaluated for their in vivo efficacy in treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections using a mouse model of lung infection. Here, we show that their genomes are closely related to five other Pseudomonas phages and allow a subdivision into two clades, PAK_P1-like and KPP10-like viruses, based on differences in genome size, %GC and genomic contents, as well as number of tRNAs. These two clades are well delineated, with a mean of 86% and 92% of proteins considered homologous within individual clades, and 25% proteins considered homologous between the two clades. By ESI-MS/MS analysis we determined that their virions are composed of at least 25 different proteins and electron microscopy revealed a morphology identical to the hallmark Salmonella phage Felix O1. A search for additional bacteriophage homologs, using profiles of protein families defined from the analysis of the 11 genomes, identified 10 additional candidates infecting hosts from different species. By carrying out a phylogenetic analysis using these 21 genomes we were able to define a new subfamily of viruses, the Felixounavirinae within the Myoviridae family. The new Felixounavirinae subfamily includes three genera: Felixounalikevirus, PAK_P1likevirus and KPP10likevirus. Sequencing genomes of bacteriophages with therapeutic potential increases the quantity of genomic data on closely related bacteriophages, leading to establishment of new taxonomic clades and the development of strategies for analyzing viral genomes as presented in this article.     

Treatment failure with antagonists of TNF-α: mechanisms and implications for the care of patients

The use of TNF-α antagonists has substantially improved the care of many patients with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. However, approximately one third of such patients fail to respond well to treatment, regardless of the antagonist used or of the underlying disease. The mechanisms underlying these failures are analyzed in this review, and proposals made concerning how best to adapt therapeutic decisions in these instances.     

Labeling elastase digests with TMT: informational gain by identification of poorly detectable peptides with MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry

The applicability of the less specific protease elastase for the identification of membrane and cytosolic proteins has already been demonstrated. MALDI as ionization technique particularly favors the detection of basic and to a lesser extent of weakly acidic peptides, whereas neutral peptides often remain undetected. Moreover, peptides below 700 Da are routinely excluded. In the following study, the advantage of additional information gained from tandem mass tag zero labeled peptides and the resultant increase in sequence coverage was evaluated. Through derivatization with tandem mass tag reagents, peptide measurement within the standard mass range of the MALDI reflector mode is achievable due to the mass increase. Compared to the unlabeled sample, peptides exhibiting relatively low molecular masses, pI values or higher hydrophobicity could be identified.     

Native European eels as a potential biological control for invasive crayfish

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