Environmental,geographical and time-related impacts on avian malaria infections in native and introduced populations of house sparrows (Passer domesticus), a globally invasive species

Aim

The increasing spread of vector-borne diseases has resulted in severe health concerns for humans, domestic animals and wildlife, with changes in land use and the introduction of invasive species being among the main possible causes for this increase. We explored several ecological drivers potentially affecting the local prevalence and richness of avian malaria parasite lineages in native and introduced house sparrows (Passer domesticus) populations.

Location

Global.

Time period

2002–2019.

Major taxa studied

Avian Plasmodium parasites in house sparrows.

Methods

We analysed data from 2,220 samples from 69 localities across all continents, except Antarctica. The influence of environment (urbanization index and human density), geography (altitude, latitude, hemisphere) and time (bird breeding season and years since introduction) were analysed using generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) and random forests.

Results

Overall, 670 sparrows (30.2%) were infected with 22 Plasmodium lineages. In native populations, parasite prevalence was positively related to urbanization index, with the highest prevalence values in areas with intermediate urbanization levels. Likewise, in introduced populations, prevalence was positively associated with urbanization index; however, higher infection occurred in areas with either extreme high or low levels of urbanization. In introduced populations, the number of parasite lineages increased with altitude and with the years elapsed since the establishment of sparrows in a new locality. Here, after a decline in the number of parasite lineages in the first 30 years, an increase from 40 years onwards was detected.

Main conclusions

Urbanization was related to parasite prevalence in both native and introduced bird populations. In invaded areas, altitude and time since bird introduction were related to the number of Plasmodium lineages found to be infecting sparrows.     

Agrobacterium bohemicum sp. nov. isolated from poppy seed wastes in central Bohemia

Two non-pathogenic strains R89-1 and R90^T isolated from poppy seed (Papaver somniferum L.) wastes were phenotypically and genotypically characterized. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) was conducted with six genes (atpD, glnA, gyrB, recA, rpoB, 16S rRNA). The strains represented a new species which clustered with Agrobacterium rubi NBRC 13261^T and Agrobacterium skierniewicense Ch11^T type strains. MLSA was further accompanied by whole-genome phylogeny, in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) analyses for both strains. ANI and dDDH values were deep below the species delineation threshold. Phenotypic features of the novel strains unequivocally allowed their differentiation from all other Agrobacterium species. Unlike other agrobacteria, the strains were salt sensitive and were able to biotransform morphine alkaloids. The dominant cellular fatty acids are 18:1 w7c, 16:0 and 12:0 aldehyde/16:1 iso I/14:0 3OH summed in feature 2 and the major respiratory quinine is Q-10 (87%). The DNA G + C content is 56 mol%. Microbial community analysis indicated probable association with P. somniferum plant material. Altogether, these characteristics showed that strains R90^T and R89-1 represent a new species of the genus Agrobacterium which we propose to name Agrobacterium bohemicum. The type strain of A. bohemicum is R90^T (=CCM 8736^T = DSM 104667^T).     

Protein identification using top-down

In the last two years, because of advances in protein separation and mass spectrometry, top-down mass spectrometry moved from analyzing single proteins to analyzing complex samples and identifying hundreds and even thousands of proteins. However, computational tools for database search of top-down spectra against protein databases are still in their infancy. We describe MS-Align+, a fast algorithm for top-down protein identification based on spectral alignment that enables searches for unexpected post-translational modifications. We also propose a method for evaluating statistical significance of top-down protein identifications and further benchmark various software tools on two top-down data sets from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Salmonella typhimurium. We demonstrate that MS-Align+ significantly increases the number of identified spectra as compared with MASCOT and OMSSA on both data sets. Although MS-Align+ and ProSightPC have similar performance on the Salmonella typhimurium data set, MS-Align+ outperforms ProSightPC on the (more complex) Saccharomyces cerevisiae data set.     

An alternative excited-state proton transfer pathway in green fluorescent protein variant S205V

Wild-type green fluorescent protein (wt-GFP) has a prominent absorbance band centered at approximately 395 nm, attributed to the neutral chromophore form. The green emission arising upon excitation of this band results from excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) from the chromophore hydroxyl, through a hydrogen-bond network proposed to consist of a water molecule and Ser205, to Glu222. Although evidence for Glu222 as a terminal proton acceptor has already been obtained, no evidence for the participation of Ser205 in the proton transfer process exists. To examine the role of Ser205 in the proton transfer, we mutated Ser205 to valine. However, the derived GFP variant S205V, upon excitation at 400 nm, still produces green fluorescence. Time-resolved emission spectroscopy suggests that ESPT contributes to the green fluorescence, and that the proton transfer takes place approximately 30 times more slowly than in wt-GFP. The crystal structure of S205V reveals rearrangement of Glu222 and Thr203, forming a new hydrogen-bonding network. We propose this network to be an alternative ESPT pathway with distinctive features that explain the significantly slowed rate of proton transfer. In support of this proposal, the double mutant S205V/T203V is shown to be a novel blue fluorescent protein containing a tyrosine-based chromophore, yet is incapable of ESPT. The results have implications for the detailed mechanism of ESPT and the photocycle of wt-GFP, in particular for the structures of spectroscopically identified intermediates in the cycle.     

Internal Jugular Vein Cross-Sectional Area Enlargement Is Associated with Aging in Healthy Individuals

Background

Internal jugular vein (IJV) narrowing has been implicated in central nervous system pathologies, however normal physiological age- and gender-related IJV variance in healthy individuals (HIs) has not been adequately assessed.

Objectives

We assessed the relationship between IJV cross-sectional area (CSA) and aging.

Materials and Methods

This study involved 193 HIs (63 males and 130 females) who received 2-dimensional magnetic resonance venography at 3T. The minimum CSA of the IJVs at cervical levels C2/C3, C4, C5/C6, and C7/T1 was obtained using a semi-automated contouring-thresholding technique. Subjects were grouped by decade. Pearson and partial correlation (controlled for cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, heart disease, smoking and body mass index) and analysis of variance analyses were used, with paired t-tests comparing side differences.

Results

Mean right IJV CSA ranges were: in males, 41.6 mm² (C2/C3) to 82.0 mm² (C7/T1); in females, 38.0 mm² (C2/C3) to 62.3 mm² (C7/T1), while the equivalent left side ranges were: in males, 28.0 mm² (C2/C3) to 52.2 mm² (C7/T1); in females, 27.2 mm² (C2/C3) to 47.8 mm² (C7/T1). The CSA of the right IJVs was significantly larger (p<0.001) than the left at all cervical levels. Controlling for cardiovascular risk factors, the correlation between age and IJV CSA was more robust in males than in the females for all cervical levels.

Conclusions

In HIs age, gender, hand side and cervical location all affect IJV CSA. These findings suggest that any definition of IJV stenosis needs to account for these factors.     

Separation of magnetic affinity biopolymer adsorbents in a Davis tube magnetic separator

A Davis tube (a matrix-free, flow-through magnetic separator used mainly in mineral processing) has been tested for separation of magnetic affinity biopolymer adsorbents from larger volumes of suspensions. Both magnetic chitosan and magnetic cross-linked erythrocytes could be efficiently separated from litre volumes of suspensions. Up to 90% adsorbent recovery was achieved under optimised separation conditions.     

Evidence for antibody-mediated enhancement of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Gag antigen processing and cross presentation in SIV-infected rhesus macaques

By using the dominant simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Gag Mamu-A01 restricted major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I epitope p11CM, we demonstrate antibody-mediated enhanced MHC class I cross presentation of SIV Gag. In vitro restimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from SIV-infected rhesus macaques with recombinant full-length SIV Gag p55 plus p55 affinity-purified immunoglobulin G (p55 Gag/p55-IgG) led to the generation of markedly higher frequencies of p11CM specific precursor cytotoxic T lymphocytes (p-CTLs) compared with restimulation with (i) SIV Gag p55 alone or (ii) optimal concentrations of the p11CM peptide alone. These results, along with the finding that CD4 depletion abrogated the enhancement, suggest a prominent role for CD4(+) T cells. Testing for p-CTLs against other Mamu-A01-restricted SIV Gag epitopes suggested that this mechanism favored recognition of the dominant p11CM peptide, potentially further skewing of the CTL response. The p-CTL enhancing effect was also decreased or abrogated by pepsin digestion of the p55-specific IgG or by the addition of monoclonal antibodies to Fc receptor (FcR) II/III, suggesting that the effect was dependent on FcR-mediated uptake of the immune-complexed antigen. Finally, incubation of antigen-presenting cells with SIV Gag p55 immune complexes in the presence of lactacystin or of bafilomycin indicated that the mechanism of antibody-mediated enhancement of cross presentation required both the proteasomal and the endosomal pathways. These data demonstrate for the first time the cross presentation of antigens via immune complexes in lentiviral infection and indicate a heretofore-unrecognized role for antibodies in modulating the magnitude and potentially also the breadth of MHC class I-restricted antigen processing and presentation and CTL responses.     

Ostracism of an Albino Individual by a Group of Pigmented Catfish

Physiological and behavioural constraints hinder albino individuals. Albino animals are rare in the wild; this trait is associated with easy detection by predators, non-native or damaged environments, and exclusively aphotic environments in total darkness. The social aspect of albinism is reported only for human beings, and the effect is distinguishable in time and space when social benefits, are used to a limited the extent. Thus far, the social consequences of albinism for animals remain unknown. We used socially established groups of the pigmented catfish, (Silurus glanis), to observe space and temporal distance detachment of albino specimens in laboratory conditions. The albino fish were separated at larger distances from the group than pigmented individuals with the same social status determined by familiarity, and this asymmetry also varied in time. Albinism-related ostracism results in a solitary existence, usually followed by enhanced predation risk. The motivation for an individual’s exclusion from a group appears to be the avoidance of the predation risk that increases not only for an odd individual but also for conspecifics within a group. Our findings indicate a role for albinism in behavioural processes related to sociality in a group of conspecifics.