Glycosylation abolishes an in vitro insulin-like action of prolactin

Ovine prolactin stimulated 14C-CO2 production from labeled glucose in adipose tissue of hypophysectomized rats in vitro, an insulin-like activity. Glycosylation of the hormone by attachment of a carbohydrate unit at asparagine31 abolished this in vitro insulin-like action. However, neither nonglycosylated nor glycosylated prolactin exhibited in vivo insulin-like action, as they did not lower serum glucose or non-esterified fatty acids in fasted hypophysectomized rats. Hindrance of receptor binding by the carbohydrate unit may account for the absence of in vitro insulin-like activity in glycosylated prolactin, but the dichotomy between in vivo and in vitro insulin-like actions for prolactin remains obscure.     

Fitness of Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) reared in an artificial diet

The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is an economically important pest of corn. Finding simple, cheap, and suitable rearing techniques of O. furnacalis is an urgent need to support research for management of this insect. This research aimed to determine the suitability of a read bean and rice bran-based artificial diet used for mass rearing of this insect since 2009.The tested artificial diet was compared with the natural diet (sweet corn kernel) and each diet was tested in individual rearing method (one larva in each vial). The criteria used to justify the quality of diet and mass rearing procedure were based on the fitness of O. furnacalis. The degree of fitness was based on life history, growth, and development. In general, the fitness parameteres observed from O. furnacalis reared in the artificial diet at 25.7?±?1.6?°C with 57.7?±?3.8% RH, and L12:D12 were similar than those in the natural diet.Therefore, the existing artificial diet and rearing procedure were considered suitable and qualified for O. furnacalis. It is important to periodically check the laboratory colony to ensure that they have similar fitness to those found in the natural population.     

In vitro insulin-like actions of human growth hormone: a study with an insulin antibody

When polyclonal insulin antibodies were preincubated with either adipose tissue from hypophysectomized rats or adipocytes from normal rats, human growth hormone failed to stimulate glucose oxidation. Removal of insulin from adipocytes through incubation with pyruvate at pH 7.0, followed by washing three times, also abolished subsequent in vitro insulin-like action of hGH. Administration of the same insulin antibody to hypophysectomized rats 30 minutes prior to injection of hGH did not inhibit the insulin-like activity of the hGH as measured by its ability to decrease serum glucose and non-esterified fatty acid levels. It is concluded that the in vitro promotion of glucose oxidation by hGH requires insulin. Because of the uncertainty of complete removal of insulin in intact animals, such a conclusion cannot be made regarding in vivo insulin-like action of hGH.     

Body measurements correlation and x-ray imaging of three Hystrix javanica fetuses in different fetal development stages

Hystrix javanica is endemic species in Indonesia. Study about fetal development of Hystrix javanica are very rare because of sample limitation. This study was carried out to describe the morphometrics and x-ray analysis of three fetuses in different stage to give basic information about fetal development of Hystrix javanica. Three fetus samples fixed in Bouin’s solution was used in this study. Observation was carried out to identify the characteristic of three fetus samples. This included the pattern of hair, body measurements, body volume, and body weight. X-ray analysis was carried out to know the ossification process in the fetal development. Statistical analysis was carried out using Microsoft 365® Excel program software. Three fetus samples had different specific hair pattern, that was hairless, smooth hairs, and smooth hairs with dense-non dense pattern. Body volume of 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd fetus were 23mL, 90mL, and 170mL, respectively. Body weight of 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd fetus were 19.5g, 79.22g, and 153.18g, respectively. Pearson’s correlation analysis shown strong relationship between total body length, front body length, back body length, horizontal body diameter, vertical body diameter, head length, and head diameter against body volume and body weight of three fetuses. Significant positive correlation was shown between horizontal body diameter, vertical body diameter, and head diameter against body volume and body length with P value < 0.05. Faint radiopaque images showed in the 2^nd fetus sample and strong radiopaque images showed in the 3^rd fetus sample. Radiopaque images were identified in the teeth, cranium, vertebrae, and extremities bones. In this study we concluded that there was a specific hair pattern in different fetal stage. All body measurements have positive correlation with body volume and body weight and x-ray analysis shown that the ossification of the bone was started to happen while the smooth hair was growth.     

Novel complex Re-Arrangement of ARG1 commonly shared by unrelated patients with Hyperargininemia

Background

Hyperargininemia is a very rare progressive neurometabolic disorder caused by deficiency of hepatic cytosolic arginase I, resulting from mutations in the ARG1 gene. Until now, some mutations were reported worldwide and none of them were of Southeast Asian origins. Furthermore, most reported mutations were point mutations and a few others deletions or insertions.

Objective

This study aims at identifying the disease-causing mutation in the ARG1 gene of Malaysian patients with hyperargininemia.

Methodology

We employed a series of PCR amplifications and direct sequencing in order to identify the mutation. We subsequently used quantitative real-time PCR to determine the copy number of the exons flanking the mutation. We blasted our sequencing data with that of the reference sequence in the NCBI in order to obtain positional insights of the mutation.

Results

We found a novel complex re-arrangement involving insertion, inversion and gross deletion of ARG1 (designated g.insIVS1 + 1899GTTTTATCAT;g.invIVS1 + 1933_ + 1953;g.delIVS1 + 1954_IVS2 + 914;c.del116_188;p.Pro20SerfsX4) commonly shared by 5 patients with hyperargininemia, each originating from different family. None of the affected families share known relationship with each other, although four of the five patients were known to have first-cousin consanguineous parents.

Conclusion

This is the first report of complex re-arrangement in the ARG1. Further analyses showing that the patients have shared the same geographic origin within the northeastern part of Malaysia prompted us to suggest a simple molecular screening of hyperargininemia within related ethnicities using a long-range PCR.     

Somatic embryogenesis and vegetative cutting capacity are under distinct genetic control in Coffea canephora Pierre

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the possible genetic effect on vegetative propagation of Coffea canephora. Diversity for somatic embryogenesis (SE) ability was observed not only among two groups of C. canephora Pierre (Congolese and Guinean), but also within these different genetic groups. The results therefore showed that, under given experimental conditions, SE ability is depending on genotype. Furthermore the detection of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling the SE and cutting abilities of C. canephora was performed on a large number of clones including accessions from a core collection, three parental clones and their segregating progenies. On the one hand we detected eight QTLs determining SE. Six positive QTLs for SE ability, whatever the criteria used to quantify this ability, were localized on one single chromosome region of the consensus genetic map. Two negative QTLs for SE ability (frequency of micro calli without somatic embryo) were detected on another linkage group. Deep analysis of the six QTLs detected for SE ability came to the conclusion that they can be assimilated to one single QTL explaining 8.6–12.2% of the observed variation. On the other hand, two QTLs for average length of roots and length of the longest sprouts of cuttings were detected in two linkage groups. These QTLs detected for cutting ability are explaining 12–27% of the observed variation. These observations led to conclude that SE and cutting abilities of C. canephora Pierre appeared to be genetic dependent but through independent mechanisms.     

Biodiversity inventory and informatics in Southeast Asia

Rapidly changing land use in Southeast Asia threatens plant diversity, and reduces the time we have left to document it. Despite over 200 years of scientific plant exploration, many plant species have yet to be discovered. Moreover, we still have a very poor understanding of the distribution of known taxa in this biogeographically complex region. We review the current state of biodiversity exploration, using plants in Indonesia as an example. Traditional methods of collecting and describing species have provided a solid foundation for our understanding of plant biodiversity, but are insufficient for the pragmatic task of rapidly discovering and documenting today’s biodiversity before it is gone, because general collecting expeditions tend to be infrequent, and documentation of most new species must await taxonomic revisions many years in the future. Solutions to this exploration and documentation crisis (i) could use the abundant resource of enthusiastic, networked, national biology students, (ii) should employ biodiversity informatics tools to efficiently engage both specialists and parataxonomists, and (iii) might require adoption of new types of α-taxonomy, utilizing increasingly low-cost molecular methods and high resolution photographs. We describe emerging technologies that will facilitate this taxonomic development. We believe that a new golden age of biodiversity exploration may be dawning, just as biodiversity itself is most threatened, and are hopeful that increasing knowledge of biodiversity will be a positive force to slow its loss.     

Complete genome sequences of Newcastle disease virus strains circulating in chicken populations of Indonesia

Eight highly virulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains were isolated from vaccinated commercial chickens in Indonesia during outbreaks in 2009 and 2010. The complete genome sequences of two NDV strains and the sequences of the surface protein genes (F and HN) of six other strains were determined. Phylogenetic analysis classified them into two new subgroups of genotype VII in the class II cluster that were genetically distinct from vaccine strains. This is the first report of complete genome sequences of NDV strains isolated from chickens in Indonesia.