Holozygosity for sex-linked genes in males of the termiteIncisitermes schwarzi

The termite Incisitermes schwarzi has multiple sex chromosomes that have arisen by repeated translocations between autosomes and previously existing sex chromosomes. Two sex-linked allozyme loci--Acp-1 and Est-3--are holozygous, not hemizygous, in males (the heterogametic sex). Both loci show less than 1% crossing-over between X and Y chromosomes, and alleles of both are in marked disequilibrium with respect to X vs Y linkage. The two loci assort independently in female meiosis, indicating that they lie on different sex chromosomes. But they are tightly linked in male meiosis because of nonrandom assortment of the multiple X and Y chromosomes in males of this species. The findings of holozygosity and strong linkage disequilibrium suggest that differential selection in the two sexes at or near these loci may be responsible for the establishment of the translocations in this species. The existence of active Y-linked alleles also suggests that the translocations may have occurred recently.     

High dietary salt decreases antioxidant defenses in the liver of fructose-fed insulin-resistant rats

In this study we investigated the hypothesis that a high-salt diet to hyperinsulinemic rats might impair antioxidant defense owing to its involvement in the activation of sodium reabsorption to lead to higher oxidative stress. Rats were fed a standard (CON), a high-salt (HS), or a high-fructose (HF) diet for 10 weeks after which, 50% of the animals belonging to the HF group were switched to a regimen of high-fructose and high-salt diet (HFS) for 10 more weeks, while the other groups were fed with their respective diets. Animals were then euthanized and their blood and liver were examined. Fasting plasma glucose was found to be significantly higher (approximately 50%) in fructose-fed rats than in the control and HS rats, whereas fat liver also differed in these animals, producing steatosis. Feeding fructose-fed rats with the high-salt diet triggered hyperinsulinemia and lowered insulin sensitivity, which led to increased levels of serum sodium compared to the HS group. This resulted in membrane perturbation, which in the presence of steatosis potentially enhanced hepatic lipid peroxidation, thereby decreasing the level of antioxidant defenses, as shown by GSH/GSSG ratio (HFS rats, 7.098±2.1 versus CON rats, 13.2±6.1) and superoxide dismutase (HFS rats, 2.1±0.05 versus CON rats, 2.3±0.1%), and catalase (HFS rats, 526.6±88.6 versus CON rats, 745.8±228.7 U/mg ptn) activities. Our results indicate that consumption of a salt-rich diet by insulin-resistant rats may lead to regulation of sodium reabsorption, worsening hepatic lipid peroxidation associated with impaired antioxidant defenses.     

Lipid bilayer stabilization of the Na,K-ATPase reconstituted in DPPC/DPPE liposomes

Different subunit aggregates of the Na,K-ATPase may be formed depending on the method used to solubilize and purify the enzyme. We have studied the thermal unfolding of detergent-solubilized and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine/ dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine liposome-reconstituted forms of the Na,K-ATPase by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity. The ellipticity at 222 nm of the solubilized and reconstituted forms showed a sigmoid decrease in the absolute value of the signal of 36 and 31% with T(50%) of 44 and 42 degrees C, respectively. The catalytic activity was reduced in two steps with T(50%) of 32 and 52 degrees C in the detergent-solubilized enzyme and T(50%) of 25 and 53 degrees C in the reconstituted enzyme. The reduction in catalytic activity of the detergent-solubilized enzyme was bi-exponential with t(1/2) of 8.3 and 67.9 min, resulting in the total loss of activity after 120 min. However, under the same conditions, the ATPase activity of the reconstituted enzyme was reduced by approx 35% with a t(1/2) of 145 min. The results suggest that the alpha- and beta-subunits present different thermal stability that may be modulated by the nature of the co-solvent (detergent or lipid) used in the preparations of the Na,K-ATPase. In addition, distinct processes of beta-subunit displacement and alpha-alpha-subunit aggregate formation may also contribute to the changes in both the CD spectra and the enzyme activity. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the protective role of the phospholipid bilayer in the reconstituted enzyme compared with the detergent-solubilized enzyme.     

Comparing Contact Calling Between Black Tufted-Ear Marmosets (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Callithrix penicillata</Emphasis>) in a Noisy Urban Environment and in a Quiet Forest

All habitats have some level of noise but anthropogenic sounds such as those produced by traffic are structurally different from natural sounds, and could cause organisms living in noisy urban areas to modify their vocal communication. We compared temporal and spectral parameters of contact calls in black tufted-ear marmosets (Callithrix penicillata) living in a noisy and a quiet area. From February 2009 to March 2012 we recorded spontaneously produced phee vocalizations by marmosets in two areas in Minas Gerais, Brazil: a noisy urban park (N = 581) in Belo Horizonte, and a quiet natural forest, on Cauaia farm in Matozinhos city (N = 560). We measured the duration, frequencies, and rate of phee vocalizations. We found that marmosets’ phee vocalizations were significantly longer in the noisy area than in the quiet area. The low, high, and dominant frequencies were significantly lower in the noisy area than in the quiet area, and contact calling was less frequent in the noisy area than in the quiet area. We suggest that the differences between marmoset contact calls from noisy and quiet areas are influenced by anthropogenic noise.     

Anti-inflammatory and redox-protective activities of citronellal

The anti-inflammatory and redox protective effects of the citronellal (CT) were evaluated using in vivo and in vitro tests. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of CT (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) inhibited (p < 0.05) the carrageenan-induced leukocyte migration to the peritoneal cavity. Additionally, the carrageenan- and arachidonic acid-induced rat hind paw edema was significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) by i.p. administration of 100 and 200 mg/kg of the compound. When the redox activity was evaluated, CT (200 mg/kg) significantly reduced hepatic lipoperoxidation (p < 0.001), as well as oxidation of plasmatic (p < 0.05) and hepatic (p < 0.01) proteins. The results of the present study support the hypothesis that CT possesses anti-inflammatory and redox protective activities. It is suggested that its effects are associated with the inhibition of the enzymes in the arachidonic acid pathway, which prevent cell migration by inhibiting leukotriene production, edema formation and the increase of reactive oxygen species in tissues. Therefore, CT is of potential benefit to manage inflammatory disorders and correlated damages caused by oxidant agents.     

Sugar metabolism and developmental stages of rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis L.) seeds

Changes in the concentration of sugars and sucrose metabolism enzymes can characterize the developmental stages of a seed. In recalcitrant species such as Hevea brasiliensis L., little is known about these changes. We aimed to evaluate the three main stages of development of rubber tree seeds – histodifferentiation, cell elongation and accumulation of reserves. The activities of acid and neutral invertases (E.C. 3.2.1.26) and sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13), and the concentrations of reducing sugars (RS), total soluble sugars (TSS) and sucrose (Suc) were determined concomitantly with the histochemical and anatomical evaluation of seed structure. Histodifferentiation in rubber tree seeds occurs up to 75 days after anthesis (DAA). The concentration of RS is high and of Suc is low during seed histodifferentiation, which occurs along with a visible increase in the number of cell divisions. After that period, there is an increase in the concentration of Suc (mg g^?1) and in the number and size of starch granules, and a decrease in the concentration of RS (mg g^?1). At that point, cell elongation occurs. At 135 DAA, there is an inversion in the concentration of these two sugars and an increase in reserve accumulation. Thus, in seeds of the evaluated clone, the period up to 75 DAA is characterized as the histodifferentiation stage, while from that time up to 120 DAA the cell elongation stage takes place. The final stage of seed maturation and reserve accumulation begins at 135 DAA, and the seed, including the embryo, is completely formed at 175 DAA.     

Molecular Cloning of α-Amylases from Cotton Boll Weevil, Anthonomus grandis and Structural Relations to Plant Inhibitors: An Approach to Insect Resistance

Anthonomus grandis, the cotton boll weevil, causes severe cotton crop losses in North and South America. Here we demonstrate the presence of starch in the cotton pollen grains and young ovules that are the main A. grandis food source. We further demonstrate the presence of α-amylase activity, an essential enzyme of carbohydrate metabolism for many crop pests, in A. grandis midgut. Two α-amylase cDNAs from A. grandis larvae were isolated using RT-PCR followed by 5′ and 3′ RACE techniques. These encode proteins with predicted molecular masses of 50.8 and 52.7 kDa, respectively, which share 58% amino acid identity. Expression of both genes is induced upon feeding and concentrated in the midgut of adult insects. Several α-amylase inhibitors from plants were assayed against A. grandis α-amylases but, unexpectedly, only the BIII inhibitor from rye kernels proved highly effective, with inhibitors generally active against other insect amylases lacking effect. Structural modeling of Amylag1 and Amylag2 showed that different factors seem to be responsible for the lack of effect of 0.19 and α-AI1 inhibitors on A. grandis α-amylase activity. This work suggests that genetic engineering of cotton to express α-amylase inhibitors may offer a novel route to A. grandis resistance.     

One year of exercise training promotes distinct adaptations in right and left ventricle of female Sprague-Dawley rats

Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry - Aerobic exercise training induces a unique cardioprotective phenotype, but it is becoming clear that it does not promote the same structural, functional,...     

Dengue virus type 3 isolated from a fatal case with visceral complications induces enhanced proinflammatory responses and apoptosis of human dendritic cells

A recent (2007 to 2009) dengue outbreak caused by dengue virus (DENV) in Paraguay presented unusual severe clinical outcomes associated with 50% mortality rates. Although it has been reported that inflammatory responses influence the severity of dengue virus infection (T. Pang, M. J. Cardosa, and M. G. Guzman, Immunol. Cell Biol. 85:43-45, 2007), there remains a paucity of information on virus-innate immunity interactions influencing clinical outcome. Using human dendritic cells from a major innate immune cell population as an in vitro model, we have investigated signature cytokine responses as well as infectivity-replicative profiles of DENV clinical isolates from either a nonfatal case of classical dengue fever (strain DENV3/290; isolated in Brazil in 2002) or a fatal case of dengue fever with visceral complications isolated in Paraguay in 2007 (strain DENV3/5532). Strain DENV3/5532 was found to display significantly higher replicative ability than DENV3/290 in monocyte-derived dendritic cells (mdDCs). In addition, compared to DENV3/290 results, mdDCs exposed to DENV3/5532 showed increased production of proinflammatory cytokines associated with higher rates of programmed cell death, as shown by annexin V staining. The observed phenotype was due to viral replication, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) appears to exert a protective effect on virus-induced mdDC apoptosis. These results suggest that the DENV3/5532 strain isolated from the fatal case replicates within human dendritic cells, modulating cell survival and synthesis of inflammatory mediators.