Conservation and expansion of a necrosis-inducing small secreted protein family from host-variable phytopathogens of the Sclerotiniaceae

Fungal effector proteins facilitate host-plant colonization and have generally been characterized as small secreted proteins (SSPs). We classified and functionally tested SSPs from the secretomes of three closely related necrotrophic phytopathogens: Ciborinia camelliae, Botrytis cinerea, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Alignment of predicted SSPs identified a large protein family that share greater than 41% amino acid identity and that have key characteristics of previously described microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs). Strikingly, 73 of the 75 SSP family members were predicted within the secretome of the host-specialist C. camelliae with single-copy homologs identified in the secretomes of the host generalists S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea. To explore the potential function of this family of SSPs, 10 of the 73 C. camelliae proteins, together with the single-copy homologs from S. sclerotiorum (SsSSP3) and B. cinerea (BcSSP2), were cloned and expressed as recombinant proteins. Infiltration of SsSSP3 and BcSSP2 into host tissue induced rapid necrosis. In contrast, only one of the 10 tested C. camelliae SSPs was able to induce a limited amount of necrosis. Analysis of chimeric proteins consisting of domains from both a necrosis-inducing and a non-necrosis-inducing SSP demonstrated that the C-terminus of the S. sclerotiorum SSP is essential for necrosis-inducing function. Deletion of the BcSSP2 homolog from B. cinerea did not affect growth or pathogenesis. Thus, this research uncovered a family of highly conserved SSPs present in diverse ascomycetes that exhibit contrasting necrosis-inducing functions.     

Interaction of Lead with Calcium,Iron, and Zinc in the Biological Samples of Malnourished Children

There have been few investigations of trace elements in the urine and hair of populations exposed to high levels of arsenic (As) in drinking water. Therefore, concentrations of selected metals in urine and hair samples from a population in a study area where arsenism was endemic and a control area were determined. It was found that the median concentrations of barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and As in the urine samples from the population in the study area were 3.87, 0.47, 0.50, 61.84, 26.82, 1.33, 128.45, 7.05, 1.10, 233.75, and 339.63 μg/L, respectively. The corresponding values in the urine samples from a population in the control area were 29.08, 0.19, 0.21, 27.77, 10.32, 4.61, 14.01, 2.19, 3.90, 113.92, and 20.28 μg/L, respectively. In the study area, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn excreted in the urine were likely to be mainly derived from drinking water with high levels of arsenic. The median concentrations of Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Zn, and As in the hair samples from the study area were 4.16, 0.03, 0.09, 1.09, 6.54, 1.97, 0.06, 0.53, 1.64, 144.28, and 1.67 mg/kg, respectively. The corresponding values from the control area were 4.76, 0.03, 0.02, 1.41, 8.31, 1.34, 0.07, 0.39, 0.86, 154.58, and 0.29 mg/kg, respectively. Significant positive correlations were observed between As and Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the urine in the study area. However, As was not positively associated with these metals in the hair samples. Exposure to high levels of As in drinking water increased the accumulation of Ba and Mn in the hair and the excretion of Cd, Cu, and Mo in the urine in the study area. The population in the study area might experience Cu and Mo deficiencies for an increasing excretion of Cu and Mo.     

Prostate cancer proteomics: clinically useful protein biomarkers and future perspectives

Introduction: Although prostate cancer constitutes one of the most important, death-related diseases in the male population, there is still a need for identification of sensitive biomarkers that could precociously detect the disease and differentiate aggressive from indolent cancers, in order to decrease overtreatment. Proteomics research has improved understanding on mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis, cancer cells migration and invasion potential, and castration resistance. This review has focused on proteomic studies of prostate cancer published in the recent years, with a special emphasis on determination of biomarkers for cancer progression and diagnosis.

Areas covered: Shotgun and targeted-proteomic studies of prostate cancer in different matrices are reviewed, i.e., prostate tissue, prostate cell lines, blood (serum and plasma), urine, seminal plasma, and exosomes. The most important biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and aggressiveness characterization are highlighted.

Expert commentary: In general, results demonstrate alteration in cell cycle control, DNA repair, proteasomal degradation, and metabolic activity. However, these studies suffer from low reproducibility due to heterogeneity of the cancer itself, as well as to techniques utilized for protein identification/quantification. Downstream confirmatory studies in separate cohorts are warranted in order to demonstrate accuracy of these results.     

Identification of a distinct strain of Cotton leaf curl Gezira virus infecting tomato in Oman

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants exhibiting yellowing, curling and stunting symptoms were identified in fields of the Tawoos Agricultural Systems, in Al‐Batinah in Oman. Cloning and sequencing of restriction endonuclease digested rolling circle amplified viral DNA identified a cotton begomovirus (family Geminiviridae) associated with the symptomatic tomato plants. Detailed analysis of complete sequences showed the virus to be a previously unknown strain of Cotton leaf curl Gezira virus (CLCuGeV) in association with the betasatellite Tomato leaf curl betasatellite (ToLCB). The new CLCuGeV strain, for which the name “Al Batinah” strain is suggested, has the greatest levels of sequence identity (91.9%) to an isolate of CLCuGeV recently reported from the neighbouring United Arab Emirates. Additionally, CLCuGeV‐Al Batinah was shown to have a recombinant origin with sequences donated by an African cassava mosaic virus‐like parent. This is the first identification of this Malvaceae‐adapted begomovirus in tomato. Although ToLCB is common in Oman, being one of only two betasatellites identified there so far, this is the first identification of this betasatellite with CLCuGeV. The significance of these findings is discussed.     

Entomopathogenic fungus Clonostachys rosea as a biocontrol agent against whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)

Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is a notorious insect pest of many economic important crop plants including cotton, tomato, etc. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of new biological control agent to replace toxic chemical pesticides from agro-ecosystem. Clonostachys rosea associated with whitefly and aphid (Aphis gossypii) on cotton plants was isolated and characterised on a morphological and molecular basis. Phylogenetic analysis was also performed based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Pathogenicity of C. rosea was evaluated in two concentrations against fourth instar nymphal and adult stages of B. tabaci. The study revealed that C. rosea was highly parasitic against fourth instar nymphs than adults at different spore concentrations. Two isolates of C. rosea were identified in this study, and both were morphologically similar. However, differences were observed in the ITS region of the C. rosea isolates. Our results showed that C. rosea has the prospects to serve as a potential biocontrol agent against economically important insect pests.