Parasitism by the mite Acarophenax lacunatus on beetle pests of stored products

Recent reports of the biocontrolpotential of the mite species Acarophenaxlacunatus (Cross & Krantz) (Prostigmata:Acarophenacidae) and the lack of biologicalstudies on this regulatory agent led to thepresent study carried out under laboratoryconditions. The objective of the investigationwas to assess the host range of A. lacunatus,so far only reported as egg parasite ofRhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera:Bostrichidae). Four Coleoptera species ofstored cereals were used: R. dominica,Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Tenebrionidae),Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens)(Laemophloeidae) and Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Cucujidae). The highest rates of eggparasitism were observed on R. dominica and T.castaneum, leading to a significant decrease ofpopulations of both species and reduced wheatweight loss. A. lacunatus was also able toparasitize eggs of C. ferrugineus, but not ofO. surinamensis. These results indicate abroader host range of A. lacunatus thaninitially suspected and also strengthen itspossibility of use in integrated pestmanagement programs in storage environments.     

Pyrophosphate contamination in crystalline phosphocreatine: a source of error in kinetic studies using coupled enzymes.

Commercial crystalline phosphocreatine generally contains a contaminant, probably pyrophosphate, that can inhibit nucleoside triphosphatases and may therefore cause errors in steady-state kinetic studies of creatine kinase-coupled r reactions. Ion-exchange chromatography reveals the presence of pyrophosphate in some batches of phosphocreatine sufficient to account for the observed inhibition. Chromatographically purified phosphocreatine shows no inhibitory effect.     

Backbone dynamics of alamethicin bound to lipid membranes: spin-echo electron paramagnetic resonance of TOAC-spin labels

Alamethicin F50/5 is a hydrophobic peptide that is devoid of charged residues and that induces voltage-dependent ion channels in lipid membranes. The peptide backbone is likely to be involved in the ion conduction pathway. Electron spin-echo spectroscopy of alamethicin F50/5 analogs in which a selected Aib residue (at position n = 1, 8, or 16) is replaced by the TOAC amino-acid spin label was used to study torsional dynamics of the peptide backbone in association with phosphatidylcholine bilayer membranes. Rapid librational motions of limited angular amplitude were observed at each of the three TOAC sites by recording echo-detected spectra as a function of echo delay time, 2τ. Simulation of the time-resolved spectra, combined with conventional EPR measurements of the librational amplitude, shows that torsional fluctuations of the peptide backbone take place on the subnanosecond to nanosecond timescale, with little temperature dependence. Associated fluctuations in polar fields from the peptide could facilitate ion permeation.     

Electron spin-echo studies of spin-labelled lipid membranes and free fatty acids interacting with human serum albumin

Human serum albumin (HSA) is an abundant plasma protein that transports fatty acids and also binds a wide variety of hydrophobic pharmacores. Echo-detected (ED) EPR spectra and D(2)O-electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) Fourier-transform spectra of spin-labelled free fatty acids and phospholipids were used jointly to investigate the binding of stearic acid to HSA and the adsorption of the protein on dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) membranes. In membranes, torsional librations are detected in the ED-spectra, the intensity of which depends on chain position at low temperature. Water penetration into the membrane is seen in the D(2)O-ESEEM spectra, the intensity of which decreases greatly at the middle of the membrane. Both the chain librational motion and the water penetration are only little affected by adsorption of serum albumin at the DPPC membrane surface. In contrast, both the librational motion and the accessibility of the chains to water are very different in the hydrophobic fatty acid binding sites of HSA from those in membranes. Indeed, the librational motion of bound fatty acids is suppressed at low temperature, and is similar for the different chain positions, at all temperatures. Correspondingly, all segments of the bound chains are accessible to water, to rather similar extents.     

Daunomycin-polypeptide conjugates with antitumor activity

We have developed a group of water-soluble drug conjugates in which daunomycin (Dau) is coupled to cationic, amphoteric or anionic branched polypeptides and a new conjugate containing a cationic polypeptide carrier modified with a cell penetrating octaarginine. We investigated in vitro physiological activity of these conjugates in several aspects: in vitro cytotoxicity and cytostatic effect, adhesion and cellular uptake were examined on murine (J774 and L1210) and human (MonoMac6 and HL-60) leukemia cell lines and on murine bone marrow derived macrophages. We found that these processes are dependent on the properties of the carrier, on experimental conditions like concentration and incubation time. We found that attachment of polypeptide and cell penetrating peptide to the bioactive agent, depending on the cell line, could significantly improve the antitumor activity of the drug.     

Enalapril and losartan restored blood pressure and vascular reactivity in intrauterine undernourished rats

Epidemiological studies suggest that intrauterine undernutrition plays an important role in the development of arterial hypertension and endothelial dysfunction in adulthood. We have evaluated the effect of the Renin Angiotensin System inhibition on the blood pressure and the mesenteric arteriolar reactivity of the intrauterine undernourished rats. Wistar rats were fed either normal or 50% of the normal intake diets, during the whole gestational period. In this study only the male offspring was used. At 16 weeks of age, the rats were used for the study of blood pressure, microvascular reactivity studied in vivo-in situ to Angiotensin II (Ang II), Bradykinin (Bk) and Acetylcholine (Ach) before and after either losartan (10 mg/kg/15 days) or enalapril (15 mg/kg/21 days) treatment. We also evaluated the mesenteric and plasmatic Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE), renal function, lipid plasmatic content, and insulin and glucose metabolism. Intrauterine undernutrition induced hypertension and increased response of mesenteric arterioles to Ang II and decreased vasodilation to Bk and Ach. The treatments with losartan or enalapril normalized the blood pressure levels and significantly improved the arteriolar responses to Bk, Ach and reduced the response to Ang II. No differences have been detected to ACE activity, renal function, lipid content and insulin and glucose metabolism. This study shows for the first time that Renin Angiotensin System inhibitors can normalize the cardiovascular alterations induced by intrauterine undernutrition.     

Effects of low temperature on growth and non-structural carbohydrates of the imperial bromeliad <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alcantarea imperialis</Emphasis> cultured in vitro

The imperial bromeliad Alcantarea imperialis grows naturally on rocky outcrops (‘inselbergs’) in regions where daily temperatures vary from 5 to 40°C. As carbohydrate metabolism is altered in response to cold, it could lead to reprogramming of the metabolic machinery including the increase in levels of metabolites that function as osmolytes, compatible solutes, or energy sources in order to maintain plant homeostasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different temperatures on plant growth and non-structural carbohydrates in plants of A. imperialis adapted to low temperature. Seedlings of A. imperialis were grown in vitro under a 12-h photoperiod with four different day/night temperature cycles: 5/5°C, 15/15°C, 15/30°C (dark/light) and 30/30°C. Plants were also cultivated at 26°C in ex vitro conditions for comparison. The results showed an inverse relationship between temperature and germination time and no differences in the percentage of germination. Plants maintained for 9 months at 15°C presented a reduced number of leaves and roots, and a dry mass four times lower than plants grown at 30°C. Sugar content was higher in plants grown at 15°C than at 30°C. However, the highest amount of total sugar was found in plants growing under warm day/cold night conditions. Myo-inositol, glucose, fructose and sucrose were found predominantly under high temperatures, while under low temperatures, sucrose was apparently replaced by trehalose, raffinose and stachyose. Starch content was highest in plants grown under high temperatures. The lowest starch content was detected under low temperatures, suggesting its conversion into soluble carbohydrates to protect the plants against cold. These results indicated that low temperature retarded growth of A. imperialis and increased sugar levels, mainly trehalose, thus suggesting that these sugar compounds could be involved in cold tolerance.