Mapping the spatial distribution of plant diversity indices in a tropical forest using multi-spectral satellite image classification and field measurements

The relationships among alpha and beta diversity indices, computed from 141 randomly sampled quadrats, and the vegetation classes obtained by multi-spectral satellite image classification, were used as a strategy for mapping plant diversity in a tropical landscape mosaic. A relatively high accuracy of the land cover map was revealed by the overall accuracy assessment and the Cohen's Kappa statistic. Species accumulation models were used to evaluate how representative the sample size was the different vegetation types. A standard one-way, between-subjects ANOVA confirmed a significant reduction of the within-class variance of plant diversity with respect to their total variance across the landscape. Computed uniformity indices, to assess the internal uniformity of vegetation classes on the diversity indices, confirmed the goodness of the mapped classes in stratifying variability of plant diversity. This allowed for the use of the mapped classes as spatial interpolators of plant diversity values for estimation and up-scaling purposes. Finally, it was revealed that the plant diversity of the landscape depends, to a large extent, on the diversity contained in the most mature forest class, which is also the most diverse community in the studied area. High and moderate beta diversity values between mature forests and both the secondary associations and the first stages of succession, respectively, indicated that there is a significant contribution to the diversity of the landscape by those vegetation classes.     

Nutritional Requirements of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus delbrueckii</Emphasis> subsp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">lactis</Emphasis> in a Chemically Defined Medium

This study was undertaken to determine the nutritional requirements of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis and to develop a minimal chemically defined medium that supports sustained growth of these microorganisms. The single-omission technique was applied to each component of complete chemically defined medium in order to determine the nutritional requirements. L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis was prototrophic for alanine, glycine, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamine, threonine, and proline. The lysine requirement was strain-dependent. Magnesium was the only essential oligoelement. These microorganisms also required uracil and guanine and adenine as pyrimidine and purine sources, respectively. In view of the nutritional requirements we designed a new minimal defined medium which supports sustained growth of L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis. This medium is simple and well defined, and should be preferable to complex media for conducting future biochemical, physiological, and genetic studies on L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis.     

The Electron Transfer Flavoprotein <Emphasis Type="Italic">fixABCX</Emphasis> Gene Products from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azospirillum brasilense</Emphasis> Show a NifA-Dependent Promoter Regulation

The complete nucleotide sequence of the A. brasilense fixA, fixB, fixC, and fixX genes is reported here. Sequence similarities between the protein sequences deduced from fixABCX genes and many electron transfer flavoproteins (ETFs) have been noted. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of both subunits of ETF with the A. brasilense fixA and fixB gene products exhibits an identity of 30%. The amino acid sequence of the other two genes, fixC and fixX, revealed similarity with the membrane-bound electron transfer flavoprotein ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETF-QO). Using site-directed mutagenesis, mutations were introduced in the fixA promoter element of the A. brasilense fixABCX operon and chimeric pfixA-lacZ reporter gene fusions were constructed. The activation of the fixA promoter of A. brasilense is dependent upon the presence of the NifA protein being approximately 7 times less active than the A. brasilense nifH promoter. These results indicate that NifA from Klebsiella pneumoniae activates the fix promoter of A. brasilense and provide further evidence in support of the regulatory model of NifA activation in A. brasilense. Although no specific function has been assigned to the fixABCX gene products they are apparently required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. An electron-transferring capacity in the nitrogen fixation pathway has been suggested for the fix gene products based on sequence homologies to the ETFs and ETF-QO proteins and by the absence of orthologous electron transfer proteins NifJ and NifF in A. brasilense.     

Plasmalemmal vacuolar-type H+-ATPase in cancer biology

Vacuolar-type H⁺-adenosine triphosphatase (V-ATPase) is one of the most fundamental enzymes in nature. V-ATPases are responsible for the regulation of proton concentration in the intracellular acidic compartments. It has similar structure with the mitochondrial F₀F₁-ATP synthase (F-ATPase).^† The V-ATPases are composed of multiple subunits and have various physiological functions, including membrane and organelle protein sorting, neurotransmitter uptake, cellular degradative processes, and cytosolic pH regulation. The V-ATPases have been involved in multidrug resistance. Recently, plasma membrane V-ATPases have been involved in regulation of extracellular acidity, essential for cellular invasiveness and proliferation in tumor metastasis. The current knowledge regarding the structure and function of V-ATPase and its role in cancer biology is discussed. F in F₀F₁ ATPase is the coupling energy factor.     

Learning the codes of fly immunity

Insect antimicrobial response serves as an excellent model for studying human innate immunity. In this issue of Molecular Cell, Senger and colleagues demonstrate that a large number of immunity genes in Drosophila fat bodies can be regulated by a simple code, REL-GATA.     

Alternative diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough immunization schedule to evoke a Th2 tetanus and a Th1 pertussis immune response

In a previous study, using BALB/c mice, we found that while diphtheria (D), tetanus (T) and whooping cough (Pw, whole-cell Bordetella pertussis) immunization induces a Th1/Th2 tetanus response and memory T cells able to proliferate in response to in vitro stimulation with B. pertussis, DTPa immunization induces a Th2 tetanus immune response and no memory T cells that recognize B. pertussis as stimulus. Considering that a pro-inflammatory cytokine production is not necessary for protection against tetanus and therefore should be avoided, an alternative DTP immunization schedule with minimal Pw exposure was assessed in order to obtain a Th2 tetanus response and a Th1 pertussis response. BALB/c mice were primed with DT vaccine at day 0, with Pw vaccine at day 14 and boosted with DTPa vaccine at days 21 and 28. A control group was inoculated with saline. Antibodies against B. pertussis surface antigens, tetanus and diphtheria toxoids were produced by mice. Spleen cells stimulated in vitro with B. pertussis produced IL-6 and IFNgamma. Only IL-5 was produced by cells in response to tetanus toxoid stimulation. These results are in line with the low IgG1/IgG2a ratio for pertussis antibodies compared with those corresponding to tetanus and diphtheria. The immunization protocol presented herein succeeded in producing tetanus and pertussis immune responses of Th2 and Th1 type, respectively. In contrast to previous results obtained with DTPw immunization, no IL-12 production was observed. Our findings provide direct evidence that an immunization protocol with an interval of 14 days between DT and Pw primings, followed by DTPa boosters, can induce appropriate immune responses against DTP vaccine antigens.     

Accuracy of cDNA microarray methods to detect small gene expression changes induced by neuregulin on breast epithelial cells

Background  

cDNA microarrays are a powerful means to screen for biologically relevant gene expression changes, but are often limited by their ability to detect small changes accurately due to "noise" from random and systematic errors. While experimental designs and statistical analysis methods have been proposed to reduce these errors, few studies have tested their accuracy and ability to identify small, but biologically important, changes. Here, we have compared two cDNA microarray experimental design methods with northern blot confirmation to reveal changes in gene expression that could contribute to the early antiproliferative effects of neuregulin on MCF10AT human breast epithelial cells.     

Resuscitation affects microcirculatory polymorphonuclear leukocyte behavior after hemorrhagic shock: role of hypertonic saline and pentoxifylline

We have previously shown that lung injury following fluid resuscitation either with hypertonic saline (HS) or lactated Ringer's (LR) plus pentoxifylline (PTX) attenuated acute lung injury when compared with LR resuscitation. The objective of the present study is to determine whether our previous observations are accompanied by changes in polymorphonu-clear leukocyte (PMN) behavior. To study this, PMN-endothelial cell interactions, microcirculatory blood flow, lung histology, lung PMN infiltration (MPO, Myeloperoxidase), and lung intra-cellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression were assessed in a controlled hemorrhagic shock model followed by LR, HS, and LR+PTX resuscitation in rodents. Rats (240-300 g) were bled to a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 35 mm Hg for 1 hr and then randomized into three groups: HS (7.5% NaCl, 4 ml/kg); LR (3x shed blood); and LR+PTX (25 mg/kg). Additionally, total shed blood was reinfused. A sham group underwent no shock and no treatment. The internal spermatic fascia was exteriorized and the microcirculation was observed by closed-circuit TV coupled to a microscope, 2 and 6 hrs after treatment. The number of leukocytes sticking to the venular endothelium was determined 2 hrs after fluid resuscitation. Microcirculatory blood flow was measured by an optical Doppler velocimeter. Lung histology and lung MPO immunostaining were assessed at 6 hrs, and lung ICAM-1 expression was determined by immunostaining at 2 hrs following fluid resuscitation. Two hours after treatment, HS (1.4 +/- 0.4), LR+PTX (1.7 +/- 0.3), and sham (0.4 +/- 0.2) groups presented significant reductions in leukocyte adherence (cells/100 microm venule length), compared with the LR group (4.0 +/- 0.9, P < 0.05). No differences were observed 6 hrs after treatment on leukocyte adherence and microcirculatory blood flow. ICAM-1 expression was significantly higher in LR-treated animals compared with the HS, LR+PTX, and sham groups (P < 0.01). PMN infiltration and overall lung injury were significantly attenuated by HS and LR+PTX. These results support earlier studies that indicated the potential application of HS and PTX in shock therapy and the increase in PMN-endothelial cell interaction and lung injury after LR resuscitation.