Light-dependent cold-induced fatty acid unsaturation, changes in membrane fluidity, and alterations in gene expression in Synechocystis

Cold stress causes unsaturation of the membrane lipids. This leads to adjustment of the membrane fluidity, which is necessary for cold acclimation of cells. Here we demonstrate that the cold-induced accumulation of PUFAs in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis is light-dependent. The desA(-)/desD(-) mutant, that lacks the genes for Δ12 and Δ6 desaturases, is still able to adjust the fluidity of its membranes in spite of its inability to synthesize PUFAs and modulate the fatty acid composition of the membrane lipids under cold stress. The expression of cold-induced genes, which are controlled by the cold sensor histidine kinase Hik33, depends on the fluidity of cell membranes and it is regulated by light, though it does not require the activity of the photosynthetic apparatus. The expression of cold-induced genes, which are not controlled by Hik33, does not depend on the membrane fluidity or light. Thus, membrane fluidity determines the temperature dependence of the expression of cold-induced genes that are under control of the Hik33, which might be the sensor of changes in the membrane fluidity. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Photosynthesis Research for Sustainability: from Natural to Artificial.     

Species loss of stoneflies (Plecoptera) in the Czech Republic during the 20th century

1. Rapid expansion and intensification of anthropogenic activities in the 20th century has caused profound changes in freshwater assemblages. Unfortunately, knowledge of the extent and causes of species loss (SL) is limited due to the lack of reliable historical data. An unusual data set allows us to compare changes in the most sensitive of aquatic insect orders, the Plecoptera, at some 170 locations in the Czech Republic between two time periods, 1955–1960 and 2006–2010. Historical data (1890–1911) on assemblages of six lowland rivers allow us to infer even earlier changes. 2. Regional stonefly diversity decreased in the first half of the 20th century. Streams at lower altitudes lost a substantial number of species, which were never recovered. In the second half of the century, large‐scale anthropogenic pressure caused SL in all habitats, leading to a dissimilarity of contemporary and previous assemblages. The greatest changes were found at sites affected by organic pollution and a mixture of organic pollution and channelisation or impoundment. Colonisation of new habitats was observed in only three of the 80 species evaluated. 3. Species of moderate habitat specialisation and tolerance to organic pollution were most likely to be lost. Those with narrow specialisations in protected habitats were present in both historical and contemporary collections. 4. Contemporary assemblages are the consequence of more than a 100 years of anthropogenic impacts. In particular, streams at lower altitude and draining intensively exploited landscapes host a mere fragment of the original species complement. Most stonefly species are less frequently present than before, although their assemblages remain almost intact in near‐natural mountain streams. Our analyses demonstrate dramatic restriction of species ranges and, in some cases, apparent changes in altitudinal preference throughout the area.     

Polarity reversal lowers activation time during diastolic field stimulation of the rabbit ventricles: insights into mechanisms

To fully characterize the mechanisms of defibrillation, it is necessary to understand the response, within the three-dimensional (3D) volume of the ventricles, to shocks given in diastole. Studies that have examined diastolic responses conducted measurements on the epicardium or on a transmural surface of the left ventricular (LV) wall only. The goal of this study was to use optical imaging experiments and 3D bidomain simulations, including a model of optical mapping, to ascertain the shock-induced virtual electrode and activation patterns throughout the rabbit ventricles following diastolic shocks. We tested the hypothesis that the locations of shock-induced regions of hyperpolarization govern the different diastolic activation patterns for shocks of reversed polarity. In model and experiment, uniform-field monophasic shocks of reversed polarities (cathode over the right ventricle is RV-, reverse polarity is LV-) were applied to the ventricles in diastole. Experiments and simulations revealed that RV- shocks resulted in longer activation times compared with LV- shocks of the same strength. 3D simulations demonstrated that RV- shocks induced a greater volume of hyperpolarization at shock end compared with LV- shocks; most of these hyperpolarized regions were located in the LV. The results of this study indicate that ventricular geometry plays an important role in both the location and size of the shock-induced virtual anodes that determine activation delay during the shock and subsequently affect shock-induced propagation. If regions of hyperpolarization that develop during the shock are sufficiently large, activation delay may persist until shock end.     

Biochemical Properties of Lipid Composition of Lipoproteins in Fish of Different Ecological Groups, Rainbow Trout Salmo irideus L. and Whitefish Coregonus lavaretus L.

We have studied the lipid composition of low- and high-density lipoproteins from the blood sera of female rainbow trout Salmo irideus L. and whitefish Coregonus lavaretus L. Phospholipids prevail in all lipoprotein fractions, and phosphatidylcholine is dominant among them. Species-specific features of lipid fractions depend on ecological conditions under which these fish exist: rainbow trout is an almost domesticated species, whereas whitefish is a component of the natural ichthyofauna. The sera of these species contains lipoprotein groups specific for other animals; however, high-density lipoproteins prevail in fish.     

Induction of tumor clones in D. melanogaster wts/+ heterozygotes with chemical carcinogens

Ten chemicals were assessed for blastomogenic activity in adult wts/+ heterozygotes of D. melanogaster. All of the strong mammalian carcinogens tested (benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), pyrene, aflatoxin B₁, 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) and cis-dichlorodihydroxydiamminoplatinum IV) were also shown to be strong Drosophila blastomogens. They induced several times more tumors than their counterparts that are less carcinogenic for mammals (4-acetylaminofluorene (4-AAF), aflatoxins B₂ and G₂) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(-3-pyridine)-1-butanone (NNK). Benzo(e)pyrene (B(e)P) and pyrene demonstrated minor effects. Most tumors were localized on the wing and notum, which are the derivatives of the wing disc. Humeri derived from dorsal prothoracic disc and the abdominal tergites and sternites had the lowest number of tumors. The tumor frequency in the cross of the wild type females with wts^P2/TM6B males was different from that in the reciprocal cross. The former type of cross exhibited consistently higher tumor frequency both in the experimental and control series.     

Adaptive Transformations of the Heart Rhythm Regulation and Structure of Behavioral Acts after Glycine Administration

The aim of this study was investigation of adaptive alterations in the structure of heart rhythm regulation, the functional levels of memory, and the dynamic characteristics of behavior after the administration of glycine. The heart rhythm variability, using standard statistical techniques of autocorrelation and spectral analysis, was analyzed. Nonsymbolic testing of the visual memory in three visual pattern (7 + 2) exposure modes was also assessed, where the number of correct and incorrect responses and temporal characteristics were calculated. Assessment of the functional state was conducted using dynamic characteristics of the behavioral act in stochastic and deterministic environments and involved measurement of the total response rate, its variance, and differential characteristics of decision making given repeated choices and during choice assessment after successful and unsuccessful trials. Healthy subjects 35–45 years old (7 males and 10 females) were tested before and after sublingual administration of glycine, 0.2 g two times a day, for three weeks. It was found that the sympathetic contribution to the heart rate regulation increased after the administration of glycine and was more pronounced in females. The rate of cognitive processing also significantly increased with an increased plasticity of prognostic self-regulation in all subjects and increased the sensitivity in a stochastic environment in females.     

The effect of stimulation of the adrenergic receptors on the frequency depression of the temporal parameters of the action potential in the right atrium of rats]

At a stimulation rate of 1 Hz, activation of alpha-adrenoreceptors prolonged the AP duration at 10%, 50%, and 90% repolarisation at 10(-7), 10(-6) M in the rat isolated right atria, but shortened it at a higher concentration of 10(-5) M. The frequency-induced depression of the AP duration became more evident in cardiomyocytes stimulated by 10(-7), 10(-6) M and less obvious at 10(-5) M of alpha-adrenoagonist. Activation of alpha-adrenoreceptors by isoprenalin shortened the AP duration and enhanced the stimulation-rate-dependent changes in the atrial AP configuration.