Guarana (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis), an anciently consumed stimulant from the Amazon rain forest: the seeded-fruit transcriptome

Guarana (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis) is a plant native to the central Amazon basin. Roasted seed extracts have been used as medicinal beverages since pre-Colombian times, due to their reputation as stimulants, aphrodisiacs, tonics, as well as protectors of the gastrointestinal tract. Guarana plants are commercially cultivated exclusively in Brazil to supply the national carbonated soft-drink industry and natural product stores around the world. In this report, we describe and discuss the annotation of 15,387 ESTs from guarana seeded-fruits, highlighting sequences from the flavonoid and purine alkaloid pathways, and those related to biotic stress avoidance. This is the largest set of sequences registered for the Sapindaceae family.     

Functional Quality,Antioxidant Capacity and Essential Oil Percentage in Different Mint Species Affected by Salinity Stress

Saline stress is responsible for significant reductions in the growth of plants, and it globally leads to limitations in the performance of crops, especially in drought-affected areas. However, a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the resistance of plants to environmental stress can lead to a better plant breeding and selection of cultivars. Mint is one of the most important medicinal plants, and it has important properties for industry, and for the medicinal and pharmacy fields. The effects of salinity on the biochemical and enzymatic properties of 18 ecotypes of mint from six different species, that is, Mentha piperita, Mentha mozafariani, Mentha rotundifolia, Mentha spicata, Mentha pulegium and Mentha longifolia, have been examined in this study. The experimental results showed that salinity increased with increasing in stress integrity influenced the enzymatic properties, proline content, electrolyte leakage, and the hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and essential oil contents. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis were conducted, and they grouped the studied species on the basis of their biochemical characteristics. According to the obtained biplot results, M. piperita and M. rotundifolia showed better stress tolerance than the other varieties, and M. longifolia was identified as being salt sensitive. Generally, the results showed that H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde had a positive connection with each other and showed a reverse relationship with all the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. Finally, it was found that the M. spicata, M. rotundifolia and M. piperita ecotypes could be used for future breeding projects to improve the salinity tolerance of other ecotypes.     

Changes in zinc,copper and metallothionein contents during oocyte growth and early development of the teleost Danio rerio (zebrafish)

In the present report, we investigated zinc, copper and metallothionein (MT) contents in zebrafish oocytes and embryos. Our results demonstrate that the metal content increases during oocytes maturation. Zinc increases from 30 ng/oocyte (stage-1 oocytes) to 100 ng/oocyte (stage-3 oocytes); copper varied from 1 ng/oocyte (stage-1 oocytes) to 3.5 ng/oocyte (stage-3 oocytes). During embryogenesis, zinc and copper contents dramatically increase after fertilisation around the 512-cells stage, then slowly decrease until the mid-gastrula stage. During oocyte growth, the changes in the MT level are proportional to metal content, whereas during embryogenesis the pattern of MT accumulation does not parallel that of the two metals. Indeed, the maternal pool of MT decreases steadily during the early stages of the development until the gastrula stage. We have examined the effect of cadmium on the expression of MT during zebrafish development. After cadmium exposure, MT content increases in embryos at the blastula stage, whereas no induction occurs in embryos at the gastrula stage. However, pre-treatment of embryos at the gastrula stage with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine induces MT synthesis following exposure to cadmium. These observations show that changes in metal levels are not correlated to MT content in the embryo, whereas DNA methylation is one of the factors regulating MT expression.     

Modulation of the TGF-β1-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) mediated by P1 and P2 purine receptors in MDCK cells

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs during embryogenesis or under pathological conditions such as hypoxia, injury, chronic inflammation, or tissue fibrosis. In renal tubular epithelial cells (MDCK), TGF-β1 induces EMT by reducing or increasing epithelial or mesenchymal marker expression, respectively. In this study, we confirmed that the cAMP analogues, 8-CPT-cAMP or N6-Ph-cAMP, inhibited the TGF-β1-driven overexpression of the mesenchymal markers ZEB-1, Slug, Fibronectin, and α-SMA. Furthermore, we showed that A1, A2A, P2Y1, P2Y11, and P2X7 purine receptor agonists modulated the TGF-β1-induced EMT through the involvement of PKA and/or MAPK/ERK signaling. The stimulation of A2A receptor reduced the overexpression of the EMT-related markers, mainly through the cAMP-dependent PKA pathway, as confirmed by cell pre-treatment with Myr-PKI. Both A1 and P2Y1 receptor stimulation exacerbated the TGF-β1-driven effects, which were reduced by cell pre-treatment with the MAPK inhibitor PD98059, according to the increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation upon receptor activation. The effects induced by P2Y11 receptor activation were oppositely modulated by PKA or MAPK inhibition, in line with the dual nature of the Gs- and Gq-coupled receptor. Differently, P2X7 receptor induced, per se, similar and not additive effects compared to TGF-β1, after prolonged cell exposure to BzATP. These results suggest a putative role of purine receptors as target for anti-fibrotic agents.     

Effect of Poor Access to Water and Sanitation As Risk Factors for Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infection: Selectiveness by the Infective Route

BackgroundSoil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are a public health problem in resource-limited settings worldwide. Chronic STH infection impairs optimum learning and productivity, contributing to the perpetuation of the poverty-disease cycle. Regular massive drug administration (MDA) is the cardinal recommendation for its control; along with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions. The impact of joint WASH interventions on STH infections has been reported; studies on the independent effect of WASH components are needed to contribute with the improvement of current recommendations for the control of STH. The aim of this study is to assess the association of lacking access to water and sanitation with STH infections, taking into account the differences in route of infection among species and the availability of adequate water and sanitation at home.ConclusionsLack of safe water and proper sanitation pose a risk of STH infections that is distinct according to the route of entry to the human host used by each of the STH species. Interventions aimed to improve water and sanitation access should be highlighted in the recommendations for the control of STH.     

Sequential foraging of dusky dolphins with an inspection of their prey distribution

The aim of this work was to analyze the sequential foraging behavior of dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus). Foraging sequences were defined when more than two feeding bouts occur with a traveling bout between them. We hypothesized that traveling costs of searching for prey patches were related to the time spent feeding on a patch. In addition, the distribution and seasonal variation of anchovy schools were studied in the area to better understand dolphins' behavior. We observed dolphins from a research vessel from 2001 to 2007, and recorded their location and behavior. Anchovy data were collected during two hydro‐acoustic surveys. Dusky dolphin behaviors varied seasonally; they spent a greater proportion of time traveling and feeding in the warm season (Kruskal‐Wallis: H = 172.07, P < 0.01). During the cold season dolphin groups were more likely to exhibit diving behavior and less surface feeding. We found a positive correlation between searching and foraging time (r = 0.88, P = 0.019), suggesting that the costs associated with searching were compensated by an increase in the energy intake during the foraging bout. There was an association between dusky dolphin and anchovy distribution, in that they co‐varied spatially and seasonally.     

Isolation and functional analysis of denitrifiers in an aquifer with high potential for denitrification

Aquifers are among the main freshwater sources. The Raigón aquifer is susceptible to contamination, mainly by nitrate and pesticides, such as atrazine, due to increasing agricultural activities in the area. The capacity of indigenous bacteria to attenuate nitrate contamination in different wells of this aquifer was assessed by measuring denitrification rates with either acetate plus succinate or nitrate amendments. Denitrification activity in nitrate-amended assays was significantly higher than in unamended assays, particularly in groundwater from wells where nitrate concentration was 33.5 mg L⁻¹ or lower. Furthermore, groundwater denitrifiers capable of using acetate or succinate as electron donors were isolated, identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and evaluated for functional denitrification genes (nirS, nirK and nosZ). Phylogenetic affiliation of 54 isolates showed that all members belonged to nine different genera within the Proteobacteria (Bosea, Ochrobactrum, Azospira, Zoogloea, Acidovorax, Achromobacter, Vogesella, Stenotrophomonas and Pseudomonas). In addition, isolate AR28 that clustered separately from validly described species could potentially belong to a new genus. The majority of the isolates were related to species belonging to previously reported denitrifying genera. However, the phylogeny of the nirS and nosZ genes revealed new sequences of these functional genes. To our knowledge, this is the first isolation and sequencing of the nirS gene from the genus Vogesella, as well as the nosZ gene from the genera Acidovorax and Zoogloea. The results indicated that indigenous bacteria in the Raigón aquifer had the capacity to overcome high nitrate contamination and exhibited functional gene diversity.     

Group G streptococcal IgG binding molecules FOG and protein G have different impacts on opsonization by C1q

Recent epidemiological data on diseases caused by beta-hemolytic streptococci belonging to Lancefield group C and G (GCS, GGS) underline that they are an emerging threat to human health. Among various virulence factors expressed by GCS and GGS isolates from human infections, M and M-like proteins are considered important because of their anti-phagocytic activity. In addition, protein G has been implicated in the accumulation of IgG on the bacterial surface through non-immune binding. The function of this interaction, however, is still unknown. Using isogenic mutants lacking protein G or the M-like protein FOG (group G streptococci), respectively, we could show that FOG contributes substantially to IgG binding. A detailed characterization of the interaction between IgG and FOG revealed its ability to bind the Fc region of human IgG and its binding to the subclasses IgG1, IgG2, and IgG4. FOG was also found to bind IgG of several animal species. Surface plasmon resonance measurements indicate a high affinity to human IgG with a dissociation constant of 2.4 pm. The binding site was localized in a central motif of FOG. It has long been speculated about anti-opsonic functions of streptococcal Fc-binding proteins. The presented data for the first time provide evidence and, furthermore, indicate functional differences between protein G and FOG. By obstructing the interaction between IgG and C1q, protein G prevented recognition by the classical pathway of the complement system. In contrast, IgG that was bound to FOG remained capable of binding C1q, an effect that may have important consequences in the pathogenesis of GGS infections.