Leaf rust induced volatile organic compounds signalling in willow during the infection

Plants are known to emit volatile organic compounds (VOC) in response to various biotic or abiotic stresses. Although the VOC emission in the case of insect attacks is well described, there is only little known about the impact of pathogens on plant emission. In the present study, we used a willow-leaf rust system to describe the effects of a biotrophic fungal infection on the VOC emission pattern of willow leaves. We detected that isoprene emissions from rust-infected leaves decreased threefold compared to control. The total monoterpene emissions did not change although a stress-signalling compound (Z)-β-ocimene showed an increase in infected plants on several days. The infection also increased the emission of sesquiterpenes and lipoxygenase products (LOX) by factors of 175-fold and 10-fold, respectively. The volatile emission signals showed two clear peaks during the experiment. At 6, 7 and 12 days post-infection (dpi), the relative volatile emission signal increased to about sixfold compared to uninfected plants. These time points are directly connected to rust infection since at 6 dpi the first rust pustules appeared on the leaves and at 12 dpi necrosis had developed around several pustules. We present correlations between LOX and sesquiterpene emission signals, which suggest at least two different steps in eliciting the volatile emission.     

Virgin females compete for mates in the male lekking species Ceratitis capitata

Abstract. Aggressive behaviour occurring in intrasexual competition is an important trait for animal fitness. Although female intrasexual aggression is reported in several insect species, little is known about female competition and aggressive interactions in polygynous male lekking species. The interactions of female Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (a male lekking species), with other females and mating pairs under laboratory conditions are investigated. Mature, unmated (virgin) females are aggressive against each other and against mating pairs, whereas immature females are not. Female aggression against other females decreases dramatically after mating; however, mated females maintain aggression against mating pairs. In addition, higher intrasexual aggression rates are observed for mature, virgin females than for virgin males of the same age. The results show that female aggressiveness is virginity related, suggesting female competition for mates. These findings have important implications for understanding the physiological aspects of a complex social behaviour such as aggression and should stimulate further research on female agonistic behaviour in male lekking mating systems.     

西伯利亚蝗卵发育过程的比较转录组分析及滞育关联基因筛选

【目的】通过筛选西伯利亚蝗Gomphocerus sibiricus卵滞育基因及代谢通路,初步明确西伯利亚蝗卵滞育分子机理。【方法】利用Illumina NovaSeq 6000测序平台对西伯利亚蝗早期发育(ES)、滞育(DS)和滞育后发育阶段(PS)的卵进行转录组测序;采用GO和KEGG富集分析并结合文献,预测滞育相关通路并聚类热图分析,筛选蝗卵滞育关联基因,并选取其中6个重要基因进行qRT-PCR验证。【结果】DSvs ES和PS vs DS两比较组分别富集到12 419和4 789个差异表达基因,且多上调表达;两比较组共表达差异基因为2 206个,主要与糖代谢、环境胁迫和生长发育相关。DS vs ES组富集最显著的GO条目为蛋白结合,PS vs DS组GO条目主要包含酶活性、细胞骨架构建及蛋白结合等过程。滞育关联基因主要集中在Wnt信号通路、胰岛素信号通路、细胞周期通路以及昆虫激素生物合成等通路。6个重要的滞育关联基因的表达量变化趋势与转录组数据结果基本一致。【结论】本研究初步明确了西伯利亚蝗卵滞育调控的重要代谢途径,并筛选出20个滞育关联基因,为后续深入研究该物种的适应机理奠定了基础。     

The regulatory effects of clomiphene and tamoxifen on mTOR and LC3-II expressions in relation to autophagy in experimental polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Molecular Biology Reports - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a metabolic disease that causes infertility due to anovulation in women in reproductive age. It is known that clomiphene citrate (CC)...     

3-Pyridinylboronic Acid Ameliorates Rotenone-Induced Oxidative Stress Through Nrf2 Target Genes in Zebrafish Embryos

Neurochemical Research - Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common forms of neurodegenerative diseases and research on potential therapeutic agents for PD continues. Rotenone is a...     

Controls of the quantum yield and saturation light of isoprene emission in different‐aged aspen leaves

Leaf age alters the balance between the use of end‐product of plastidic isoprenoid synthesis pathway, dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMADP), in prenyltransferase reactions leading to synthesis of pigments of photosynthetic machinery and in isoprene synthesis, but the implications of such changes on environmental responses of isoprene emission have not been studied. Because under light‐limited conditions, isoprene emission rate is controlled by DMADP pool size (S_DMADP), shifts in the share of different processes are expected to particularly strongly alter the light dependency of isoprene emission. We examined light responses of isoprene emission in young fully expanded, mature and old non‐senescent leaves of hybrid aspen (Populus tremula x P. tremuloides) and estimated in vivo S_DMADP and isoprene synthase activity from post‐illumination isoprene release. Isoprene emission capacity was 1.5‐fold larger in mature than in young and old leaves. The initial quantum yield of isoprene emission (α_I) increased by 2.5‐fold with increasing leaf age primarily as the result of increasing S_DMADP. The saturating light intensity (Q_I90) decreased by 2.3‐fold with increasing leaf age, and this mainly reflected limited light‐dependent increase of S_DMADP possibly due to feedback inhibition by DMADP. These major age‐dependent changes in the shape of the light response need consideration in modelling canopy isoprene emission.     

Impact of tannic acid on blood pressure,oxidative stress and urinary parameters in L-NNA-induced hypertensive rats

Hypertension is a major health problem with increasing prevalence around the world. Tannic acid is water-soluble polyphenol that is present in tea, green tea, coffee, red wine, nuts, fruits and many plant foods. It has been reported to serve as an antioxidant or a pro-oxidant depending on the type of cells and its concentration. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of tannic acid on systolic blood pressure, oxidative stress and some urinary parameters in the rat model of essential hypertension. Blood pressures of all rats were measured using the tail-cuff method. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N (omega)-nitro-L-arginine was administered orally at a dose of 0.5 g/l/day for 15 days to rats in order to create an animal model of hypertension. Tannic acid was intraperitoneally injected at a dose of 50 mg/kg for 15 days. Superoxide dismutase, catalase activity and the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined in blood plasma and homogenates of heart, liver and kidney. In order to evaluate renal functions, urine pH, urine volume, urine creatine, uric acid, and urea nitrogen values were measured. Compared with the hypertension group, a decrease in MDA concentrations of heart tissue (p < 0.01), urea nitrogen values (p < 0.01) and urine volumes (p < 0.001) were established in hypertension + tannic acid group. There was also a decrease in blood pressure values (20th and 30th days) of this group, but there was no a statistical difference according to hypertension group. The findings of our research show the effect of tannic acid in lowering blood pressure in hypertensive rats.