Blue Light Overrides Repression of Asexual Sporulation by Mating Type Genes in the Basidiomycete Coprinus cinereus

Monokaryotic mycelia of the homobasidiomycete Coprinus cinereus form asexual spores (oidia) constitutively in abundant numbers. Mycelia with mutations in both mating type loci (Amut Bmut homokaryons) also produce copious oidia but only when exposed to blue light. We used such an Amut Bmut homokaryon to define environmental and inherent factors that influence the light-induced oidiation process. We show that the Amut function causes repression of oidiation in the dark and that light overrides this effect. Similarly, compatible genes from different haplotypes of the A mating type locus repress sporulation in the dark and not in the light. Compatible products of the B mating type locus reduce the outcome of light on A-mediated repression but the mutated B function present in the Amut Bmut homokaryons is not effective. In dikaryons, the coordinated regulation of asexual sporulation by compatible A and B mating type genes results in moderate oidia production in light. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.     

'Navius' kissing stents for coronary bifurcation stenosis,recreating a new metallic carina: an IVUS-assessed case report

We report a case of implantation of a new design of stent which allows creation of a double-hemispheric lumen for the treatment of a bifurcational stenosis. The unfavourable outcome following the implantation of this stent is described.     

Salivary alpha amylase and salivary cortisol response to fluid consumption in exercising athletes

The objective of the study was to examine salivary biomarker response to fluid consumption in exercising athletes. Exercise induces stress on the body and salivary alpha amylase (sAA) and salivary cortisol are useful biomarkers for activity in the sympathoadrenal medullary system and the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis which are involved in the stress response. Fifteen college students were given 150 ml and 500 ml of water on different days and blinded to fluid condition. The exercise protocol was identical for both fluid conditions using absolute exercise intensities ranging from moderate to high. Saliva was collected prior to exercise, post moderate and post high intensities and analyzed by Salimetrics assays. Exercise was significant for sAA with values different between pre-exercise (85 ± 10 U · ml⁻¹) and high intensity (284 ± 30 U · ml⁻¹) as well as between moderate intensity (204 ± 32 U · ml⁻¹) and high intensity. There was no difference in sAA values between fluid conditions at either intensity. Exercise intensity and fluid condition were each significant for cortisol. Cortisol values were different between pre-exercise (0.30 ± 0.03 ug · dL⁻¹) and high intensity (0.45 ± 0.05 ug · dL⁻¹) as well as between moderate intensity (0.33 ± 0.04 ug · dL⁻¹) and high intensity. Moderate exercise intensity cortisol was lower in the 500 ml condition (0.33 ± 0.03 ug · dL⁻¹) compared with the 150 ml condition (0.38 ± 0.03 ug · dL⁻¹). This altered physiological response due to fluid consumption could influence sport performance and should be considered. In addition, future sport and exercise studies should control for fluid consumption.     

Genetic studies of the lac repressor. X. Analysis of missense mutations in the lacI gene.

Approximately 2000 non-suppressible mutations in the lacI gene of Escherichia coli have been extensively analyzed. The majority consists of missense mutations resulting in amino acid substitutions in the lac repressor. We characterized each mutation with respect to the resulting altered phenotype, and also mapped them against a large set of deletions. The correlation of the genetic and physical map reported previously has been used to localize the part of the protein affected by each mutation with a high degree of precision (within several amino acids). In particular, we examined the distribution of mutational sites along the gene leading to the i^?, i^s, i^r and i^ts phenotypes. Certain regions of the protein, such as the amino-terminal end, are very sensitive to amino acid exchanges with regard to the i^? phenotype, whereas other regions are relatively insensitive to substitutions. Of particular interest is the C-terminal half of the gene-protein map, where many I^s, and I^ts mutational sites cluster in very small regions separated by distinct and nearly regularly spaced intervals. The possible significance of these results with respect to repressor structure and function, and to protein structure in general, is discussed. In the following paper we consider the results reported here together with the data from suppressed nonsense mutations, which are described in the preceding paper.     

Point mutations of human interleukin-1 with decreased receptor binding affinity

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a monocyte-derived polypeptide hormone that interacts with a plasma membrane receptor. We have used oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis to construct mutant human IL-1 proteins. Three different point mutants in a unique histidine residue (position 30) exhibited varying degrees of reduced IL-1 receptor binding affinity, whereas point mutants at five other residues behaved normally. Structural analysis of these mutant proteins by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy detected no (or only minor) conformational changes relative to wild-type IL-1. These data suggest that the unique histidine residue influences the architecture of the receptor binding site on human IL-1.     

Reduction of liver macrophage transduction by pseudotyping lentiviral vectors with a fusion envelope from Autographa californica GP64 and Sendai virus F2 domain

Background  

Lentiviral vectors are well suited for gene therapy because they can mediate long-term expression in both dividing and nondividing cells. However, lentiviral vectors seem less suitable for liver gene therapy because systemically administered lentiviral vectors are preferentially sequestered by liver macrophages. This results in a reduction of available virus and might also increase the immune response to the vector and vector products.     

The relationship between the L1 and L2 domains of the insulin and epidermal growth factor receptors and leucine-rich repeat modules

Background  

Leucine-rich repeats are one of the more common modules found in proteins. The leucine-rich repeat consensus motif is LxxLxLxxNxLxxLxxLxxLxx- where the first 11–12 residues are highly conserved and the remainder of the repeat can vary in size Leucine-rich repeat proteins have been subdivided into seven subfamilies, none of which include members of the epidermal growth factor receptor or insulin receptor families despite the similarity between the 3D structure of the L domains of the type I insulin-like growth factor receptor and some leucine-rich repeat proteins.     

Pregnancy success of lactating Holstein cows after a single administration of a sustained-release formulation of recombinant bovine somatotropin

Background

Results regarding the use of bovine somatotropin for enhancing fertility in dairy cattle are variable. Here, the hypothesis was tested that a single injection of a sustained-release preparation of bovine somatotropin (bST) during the preovulatory period would improve pregnancy success of lactating dairy cows at first service.

Results

The first experiment was conducted in a temperate region of Mexico. Cows inseminated following natural estrus or timed artificial insemination were given a single injection of bST or a placebo injection at insemination (n = 100 cows per group). There was no significant difference between bST and control groups in the proportion of inseminated cows diagnosed pregnant (29 vs 31% pregnant). The second experiment was performed during heat stress in Florida. Cows were subjected to an ovulation synchronization regimen for first insemination. Cows treated with bST received a single injection at 3 days before insemination. Controls received no additional treatment. As expected, bST did not increase vaginal temperature. Treatment with bST did not significantly increase the proportion of inseminated cows diagnosed pregnant although it was numerically greater for the bST group (24.2% vs 17.8%, 124–132 cows per group). There was a tendency (p = 0.10) for a smaller percent of control cows to have high plasma progesterone concentrations (≥ 1 ng/ml) at Day 7 after insemination than for bST-treated cows (72.6 vs 81.1%). When only cows that were successfully synchronized were considered, the magnitude of the absolute difference in the percentage of inseminated cows that were diagnosed pregnant between bST and control cows was reduced (24.8 vs 22.4% pregnant for bST and control).

Conclusion

Results failed to indicate a beneficial effect of bST treatment on fertility of lactating dairy cows.

     

Short pulse of 1080 improves the survival of brown kiwi chicks in an area subjected to long-term stoat trapping

Many mainland populations of kiwi are declining because stoats (Mustela erminea) kill most of their chicks. Stoats are often trapped during conservation programmes, but the long-term effectiveness of trapping has not been measured. During continuous trapping of mammalian predators in the 9800?ha Whangarei Kiwi Sanctuary, the survival of brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) chicks declined over time. Following the use of sodium fluoroacetate (1080) to kill rats (Rattus spp.) and possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and likely secondary poisoning of stoats, chick survival at Riponui increased from 5% to 56%, and the 62% chick survival at Rarewarewa was better than the 20% recorded in a trapped-only area nearby. We suggest that untrappable stoats accumulate in areas subjected to continuous predator trapping. Conservation managers should build into their long-term pest control programmes a periodic pulse of an alternative tool to kill pests that, for whatever reason, actively avoid the primary control tool.