Identifying SNP markers tightly associated with six major genes in peach [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus persica</Emphasis> (L.) Batsch] using a high-density SNP array with an objective of marker-assisted selection (MAS)

One of the applications of genomics is to identify genetic markers linked to loci responsible for variation in phenotypic traits, which could be used in breeding programs to select individuals with favorable alleles, particularly at the seedling stage. With this aim, in the framework of the European project FruitBreedomics, we selected five main peach fruit characters and a resistance trait, controlled by major genes with Mendelian inheritance: fruit flesh color Y, fruit skin pubescence G, fruit shape S, sub-acid fruit D, stone adhesion-flesh texture F-M, and resistance to green peach aphid Rm2. They were all previously mapped in Prunus. We then selected three F₁ and three F₂ progenies segregating for these characters and developed genetic maps of the linkage groups including the major genes, using the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genome-wide scans obtained with the International Peach SNP Consortium (IPSC) 9K SNP array v1. We identified SNPs co-segregating with the characters in all cases. Their positions were in agreement with the known positions of the major genes. The number of SNPs linked to each of these, as well as the size of the physical regions encompassing them, varied depending on the maps. As a result, the number of useful SNPs for marker-assisted selection varied accordingly. As a whole, this study establishes a sound basis for further development of MAS on these characters. Additionally, we also discussed some limitations that were observed regarding the SNP array efficiency.     

Jurassic PARK2: You eat your mitochondria,and you are what your mitochondria eat

Park2/Parkin is a central mediator of selective mitochondrial autophagy for mitochondrial quality control. We showed in mouse hearts that PINK1/Mfn2/Park2 mediated generalized mitophagy is essential to the normal perinatal transition from fetal mitochondria that prefer carbohydrates as metabolic substrates to adult fatty-acid metabolizing mitochondria. Our findings demonstrate how functional interactions between mitophagic mitochondrial removal and biogenic mitochondrial replacement facilitate metabolic maturation of the heart.     

Seasonal Dynamics of the Airborne Bacterial Community and Selected Viruses in a Children’s Daycare Center

Children’s daycare centers appear to be hubs of respiratory infectious disease transmission, yet there is only limited information about the airborne microbial communities that are present in daycare centers. We have investigated the microbial community of the air in a daycare center, including seasonal dynamics in the bacterial community and the presence of specific viral pathogens. We collected filters from the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a daycare center every two weeks over the course of a year. Amplifying and sequencing the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the air was dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes that are commonly associated with the human skin flora. Clear seasonal differences in the microbial community were not evident; however, the community structure differed when the daycare center was closed and unoccupied for a 13-day period. These results suggest that human occupancy, rather than the environment, is the major driver in shaping the microbial community structure in the air of the daycare center. Using PCR for targeted viruses, we detected a seasonal pattern in the presence of respiratory syncytial virus that included the period of typical occurrence of the disease related to the virus; however, we did not detect the presence of adenovirus or rotavirus at any time.     

Cannabinoid receptor 1 ligands revisited: Pharmacological assessment in the ACTOne system

In vitro cannabinoid pharmacology has evolved over time from simple receptor binding to include [³⁵S]GTPγ, β-arrestin, and cAMP assays. Each assay has benefits and drawbacks; however, no single functional system has been used for high-throughput evaluation of compounds from binding to pharmacological functionality and antagonist assessment in a well-characterized human cell line. In this study, we evaluated and validated one system—ACTOne human embryonic kidney cells transfected with a cyclic nucleotide gated channel and cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1)—and compared human CB1 affinity, functional, and antagonistic effects on cAMP with previously published results. The study was conducted on a diverse group of CB1 ligands, including endocannabinoids and related compounds, 2-AG, AEA, MAEA, and ACEA, the phytocannabinoid Δ⁹ THC, and synthetic cannabinoids CP 55,940, WIN 55,212-2, SR 141716A, CP 945,598, and WIN 55,212-3. Our results were compared with literature values where human CB1 was used for affinity determination and cAMP was used as a functional readout. Here we report the first detailed evaluation of the ACTOne assay for the pharmacological evaluation of CB1 ligands. The results from the study reveal some interesting deviations from previously reported functional activities of the aforementioned ligands.     

Exploiting the natural poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) production capacity of Antarctic Pseudomonas strains: from unique phenotypes to novel biopolymers

Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology - Extreme environments are a unique source of microorganisms encoding metabolic capacities that remain largely unexplored. In this work, we...