Seedling Growth and Heavy Metal Accumulation of Candidate Woody Species for Revegetating Korean Mine Spoils

Selecting plant species that can overcome harsh soil and microclimatic conditions and speed the recovery of degraded minelands remains a worldwide restoration challenge. This study evaluated the potential of three woody species and various organic and inorganic fertilization treatments for revegetating abandoned metalliferous mines in Korea. We compared survival, growth, and heavy metal uptake of species common to Korean minelands in two spoil types and a reference forest soil. Substrate type and fertilization both influenced seedling growth and metal concentrations substantially, but they had little effect on seedling survival. Fertilization increased the growth of all three species when grown in mine spoils but influenced the growth of seedlings grown in forest soil only marginally. Initial seedling survival and growth indicate that the study species can tolerate the heavy metal concentrations and other soil constraints of metalliferous spoil types. We estimate that plants can stabilize 2–22% of various heavy metals contained in spoil materials into plant biomass during 20 years of plantation growth. Combined with the erosion control and site amelioration benefits of mineland reforestation, stabilization of heavy metals in forest biomass justifies this treatment on abandoned Korean metalliferous mines.     

The SARS-CoV-2 RNA interactome

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Characterization of an oviposition stimulant from the surface of sweet potato Ipomoea batatas storage roots for the sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius elegantulus

An improved laboratory bioassay was used to characterize an oviposition stimulant from the surface of sweet potato Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. storage roots for the sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius elegantulus (Summers). Filter paper discs impregnated with a methylene chloride surface extract of sweet potato storage roots induced significantly (p<0.05) higher oviposition on root cores than those treated with solvent only. Significantly higher oviposition was also observed in the nonpolar fractions, especially one that contains a tentatively identified triterpenoid present in susceptible cultivars.

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Caractérisation d'une substance extraite de la surface des racines tubéreuses d'Ipomoea batatas induisant la ponte de Cylas formicarius elegantulus

Résumé La caractérisation des substances extraites de la surface des racines tubéreuses d'I. batatas Lam et stimulant la ponte de C. formicarious elegantulus Summers, a été effectuée à partir d'une technique améliorée. Différents substrats ont été essayés: extraits au chlorure de méthylène ou péridermes intacts de cultivars résistants ou sensibles, racines tubéreuses après élimination du périderme, morceaux de Solanum tuberosum ou de papier filtre présentés au milieu de plaques à 24 plots pour culture de tissus. Le meilleur substrat s'est révélé être de petits disques de papier filtre (diamètre 0,4 cm), fixés au milieu d'un morceau de racine avec encore un peu de périderme sur lequel le coléoptère pouvait pondre. Cette méthode a été utilisée dans les tests ultérieurs pour caractériser la nature du stimulant.Des disques de papier filtre inhibés d'extraits au chlorure de méthylène du contenu des structures superficielles de racines tubéreuses de cultivars sensibles induisent une ponte significativement plus importante (p<0,05) sur les morceaux de racines par comparaison avec ceux traités au chlorure de méthylène pur. Une ponte significativement plus importante a aussi été obtenue avec des fractions non-polaires, particulièrement celles qui contiennent un triterpènoïde de cultivars dont l'identification a été tentée.

     

Study on intraspecific diversity of Ralstonia solanacearum strains in West Malaysia using whole cell fatty acid analysis

Abstract

Surveys were conducted between the years of 2005 and 2006 at several locations in the northern, central and southern parts of West Malaysia to study the polymorphism of Ralstonia solanacearum strains. These sites included vegetables and farms with known hosts of the pathogen, such as banana, tomato, eggplant, chili and tobacco. Samples were collected from the suspected wilted plants and weeds, including soil and water samples, in selected areas. The bacterium was isolated in all samples using semi-selective tetrazolium chloride medium (TZC). The bacteria strains were detected by using the BIOLOG identification system and were confirmed by nested-PCR. Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) profiling was performed to determine polymorphism among 58 bacterial isolates. The results showed that the fatty acid composition varied for all R. solanacearum isolates. Grouping of R. solanacearum isolates by fatty acid composition suggested that the existence of distinct groups that were significantly related to host of bacteria but low correlation between fatty acid profiles and biovar or sampling site was detected. A unique FAME profile was found among the strains that have been isolated from banana.     

Salmonella enterica Diversity in Central Californian Coastal Waterways

Salmonella enterica is one of the most important bacterial enteric pathogens worldwide. However, little is known about its distribution and diversity in the environment. The present study explored the diversity of 104 strains of Salmonella enterica isolated over 2 years from 12 coastal waterways in central California. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing were used to probe species diversity. Seventy-four PFGE patterns and 38 sequence types (STs) were found, including 18 newly described STs. Nineteen of 25 PFGE patterns were indistinguishable from those of clinical isolates in PulseNet. The most common ST was consistent with S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, and other frequently detected STs were associated with the serovars Heidelberg and Enteritidis; all of these serovars are important etiologies of salmonellosis. An investigation into S. enterica biogeography was conducted at the level of ST and subspecies. At the ST and subspecies level, we found a taxon-time relationship but no taxon-area or taxon-environmental distance relationships. STs collected during wet versus dry conditions tended to be more similar; however, STs collected from waterways adjacent to watersheds with similar land covers did not tend to be similar. The results suggest that the lack of dispersal limitation may be an important factor affecting the diversity of S. enterica in the region.     

Multiple FAS1 domains and the RGD motif of TGFBI act cooperatively to bind αvβ3 integrin,leading to anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor effects

TGFBI, a transforming growth factor β-induced extracellular matrix protein, circulates at a level of ~ 300 ng/ml in humans and modulates several integrin-mediated cellular functions. The protein contains an N-terminal EMI domain, four consecutive FAS1 domains, and the RGD motif. Each FAS1 domain and the RGD motif have been known to interact with avb3 integrin. Here, we found that the binding affinity (K_d) of TGFBI for αvβ3 integrin was approximately 3.8 × 10^? 8 M, a value ~ 2300-fold higher than that of a single FAS1 domain, and demonstrated that this greater affinity was due to the cooperative action of the four FAS1 domains and the RGD motif. Moreover, TGFBI exhibited more potent anti-angiogenic and anti-tumorigenic activities, even at a 100-fold lower molar dose than the reported effective dose of the FAS1 domain. Finally, our data showed that TGFBI specifically targeted the tumor vasculature and accumulated at the tumor site. Collectively, our results support the theory that TGFBI acts as a potent endogenous anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic molecule by targeting αvβ3 integrin, and highlights the importance of physiological circulating TGFBI levels in inhibiting tumor growth.     

A nucleic acid hydrolyzing recombinant antibody confers resistance to curtovirus infection in tobacco

A catalytic single chain variable antibody (scFv), 3D8 scFv, which has DNase activities, was functionally expressed in Nicotiana tabacum. The subcellular localization of the GFP-fused 3D8 indicated that the 3D8 protein was expressed in the cytosol of the N. tabacum protoplasts. Progenies of the transgenic tobacco plants exhibited complete resistance against two single stranded (ss) DNA geminiviruses, including the Beet curly top virus and the Beet severe curly top virus, without viral accumulation or disease symptoms. We presented a novel strategy for targeting the viral DNA itself in a sequence non-specific manner, rather than the viral proteins or RNAs, in order to generate virus-resistant transgenic plants. No noticeable adverse effects on the growth and reproduction of the transgenic plants were observed. Our results demonstrated that targeting viral DNA is an effective strategy for protecting plants from ssDNA viruses.     

Factors Associated with Compliance with Recommendations for Liver Cancer Screening in Korea: A Nationwide Survey in Korea

To investigate the factors associated with compliance with recommendations regarding liver cancer screening intervals and methods among individuals at high-risk for liver cancer in the Republic of Korea. We used data from the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV), a representative cross-sectional nationwide survey conducted between 2007 and 2009. The liver cancer screening rate and factors associated with compliance with recommended screening intervals (6 months) and methods (both abdominal ultrasonography and serum alpha-fetoprotein testing) among individuals at high risk for liver cancer such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers were investigated. Out of 24,871 KNHANES IV participants, 604 HBV carriers aged ≥20 years were included in our analysis. 39.6% of our study sample reported attending liver cancer screening at least once in their lifetime, 12.3% had attended within the previous 6 months, and 14.6% were screened using both recommended methods. Older age was associated with increased compliance with screening intervals (P-trend 0.011) and methods (40–49 year: OR = 3.25, 95% CI: 1.62–6.51; 50–59 years: OR = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.44–6.66; 60–69 years: OR = 3.17, 95% CI: 1.28–7.82). Unawareness of HBV infection status was negatively related to compliance with screening intervals and methods (OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.17–0.53; OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.26–0.79). Female sex (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.25–0.78), lower household income (P-trend 0.011), and routine and manual occupations (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.22–0.97) were associated with decreased compliance with screening methods. The liver cancer screening rate among high-risk individuals is much less suboptimal. Considering that those unaware of their HBV infection status got regular and complete liver cancer screening much less often, efforts should be made not only to decrease sociodemographic disparities, but also to better identify the high-risk population.