Pseudomonas aeruginosa-derived rhamnolipids subvert the host innate immune response through manipulation of the human beta-defensin-2 expression

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a well‐known cause of infections especially in compromised patients. To neutralize this pathogen, the expression of antimicrobial factors in epithelial cells is crucial. In particular the human beta‐defensin hBD‐2 is especially active against P. aeruginosa. In this study, we identified rhamnolipids in P. aeruginosa culture supernatants that are able to prevent the pathogen‐induced hBD‐2 response in keratinocytes. The presence of rhamnolipids within the host cells and inhibition assays suggest that calcium‐regulated pathways and protein kinase C activation are impaired by rhamnolipids. In consequence, the induction of hBD‐2 in keratinocytes by P. aeruginosa‐derived flagellin as well as the host's own hBD‐2 mediator interleukin IL‐1β is inhibited. Strikingly, rhamnolipids did not affect the release of the proinflammatory mediator interleukin IL‐8 by flagellin. Thus, in addition to their function in establishment and persistence of P. aeruginosa infections, rhamnolipids can be engaged by P. aeruginosa for a targeted attenuation of the innate immunity to manage its survival and colonization on compromised epithelia.     

Cryptic niche conservatism among evolutionary lineages of an invasive lizard

Aim There is increasing evidence that the quality and breadth of ecological niches vary among individuals, populations, evolutionary lineages and therefore also across the range of a species. Sufficient knowledge about niche divergence among clades might thus be crucial for predicting the invasion potential of species. We tested for the first time whether evolutionary lineages of an invasive species vary in their climate niches and invasive potential. Furthermore, we tested whether lineage‐specific models show a better performance than combined models. Location Europe. Methods We used species distribution models (SDMs) based on climatic information at native and invasive ranges to test for intra‐specific niche divergence among mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) clades of the invasive wall lizard Podarcis muralis. Using DNA barcoding, we assigned 77 invasive populations in Central Europe to eight geographically distinct evolutionary lineages. Niche similarity among lineages was assessed and the predictive power of a combination of clade‐specific SDMs was compared with a combined SDM using the pooled records of all lineages. Results We recorded eight different invasive mtDNA clades in Central Europe. The analysed clades had rather similar realized niches in their native and invasive ranges, whereas inter‐clade niche differentiation was comparatively strong. However, we found only a weak correlation between geographic origin (i.e. mtDNA clade) and invasive occurrences. Clades with narrow realized niches still became successful invaders far outside their native range, most probably due to broader fundamental niches. The combined model using data for all invasive lineages achieved a much better prediction of the invasive potential. Conclusions Our results indicate that the observed niche differentiation among evolutionary lineages is mainly driven by niche realization and not by differences in the fundamental niches. Such cryptic niche conservatism might hamper the success of clade‐specific niche modelling. Cryptic niche conservatism may in general explain the invasion success of species in areas with apparently unsuitable climate.     

Pulmonary hypertension in patients with Martorell hypertensive leg ulcer: a case control study

Background

Martorell hypertensive ischemic leg ulcer (Martorell ulcer) is characterized by distinct alterations in the arteriolar wall of subcutaneous vessels, leading to progressive narrowing of the vascular lumen and increase of vascular resistance. These changes are similar to the alterations observed in pulmonary arterioles in patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study was aimed to assess an association between the two disorders.

Methods

In this case–control study, 14 patients with Martorell ulcer were clinically assessed for the presence of pulmonary hypertension using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography. Data from patients were compared to 28 matched hypertensive controls.

Results

Systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) in patients with Martorell ulcer was significantly higher than in the control group (33.8 ± 16.9 vs 25.3 ± 6.5 mmHg, p = 0.023); the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension was 31% (5/14) in patients and 7% (2/28) in controls (p = 0.031). No differences were seen in left heart size and function between patients and controls.

Conclusion

This study provides first evidence that subcutaneous arteriolosclerosis, the hallmark of Martorell ulcer, is associated with PH. These findings suggest that patients with Martorell leg ulcer might be at significant risk to develop elevated pulmonary arterial pressure. Patients with leg ulcers who present with dyspnea should be evaluated by echocardiography for the presence of pulmonary hypertension.     

Rethinking the relationship between nestedness and beta diversity: a comment on Baselga (2010)

Baselga [Partitioning the turnover and nestedness components of beta diversity. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 19 , 134–143, 2010] proposed pairwise (β_nes) and multiple‐site (β_NES) beta‐diversity measures to account for the nestedness component of beta diversity. We used empirical, randomly created and idealized matrices to show that both measures are only partially related to nestedness and do not fit certain fundamental requirements for consideration as true nestedness‐resultant dissimilarity measures. Both β_nes and β_NES are influenced by matrix size and fill, and increase or decrease even when nestedness remains constant. Additionally, we demonstrate that β_NES can yield high values even for matrices with no nestedness. We conclude that β_nes and β_NES are not true measures of the nestedness‐resultant dissimilarity between sites. Actually, they quantify how differences in species richness that are not due to species replacement contribute to patterns of beta diversity. Finally, because nestedness is a special case of dissimilarity in species composition due to ordered species loss (or gain), the extent to which differences in species composition is due to nestedness can be measured through an index of nestedness.     

Leptospira spp. strain identification by MALDI TOF MS is an equivalent tool to 16S rRNA gene sequencing and multi locus sequence typing (MLST)

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: In this study mass spectrometry was used for evaluating extracted leptospiral protein samples and results were compared with molecular typing methods. For this, an extraction protocol for Leptospira spp. was independently established in two separate laboratories. Reference spectra were created with 28 leptospiral strains, including pathogenic, non-pathogenic and intermediate strains. This set of spectra was then evaluated on the basis of measurements with well-defined, cultured leptospiral strains and with 16 field isolates of veterinary or human origin. To verify discriminating peaks for the applied pathogenic strains, statistical analysis of the protein spectra was performed using the software tool ClinProTools. In addition, a dendrogram of the reference spectra was compared with phylogenetic trees of the 16S rRNA gene sequences and multi locus sequence typing (MLST) analysis. RESULTS: Defined and reproducible protein spectra using MALDI-TOF MS were obtained for all leptospiral strains. Evaluation of the newly-built reference spectra database allowed reproducible identification at the species level for the defined leptospiral strains and the field isolates. Statistical analysis of three pathogenic genomospecies revealed peak differences at the species level and for certain serovars analyzed in this study. Specific peak patterns were reproducibly detected for the serovars Tarassovi, Saxkoebing, Pomona, Copenhageni, Australis, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Grippotyphosa. Analysis of the dendrograms of the MLST data, the 16S rRNA sequencing, and the MALDI-TOF MS reference spectra showed comparable clustering. CONCLUSIONS: MALDI-TOF MS analysis is a fast and reliable method for species identification, although Leptospira organisms need to be produced in a time-consuming culture process. All leptospiral strains were identified, at least at the species level, using our described extraction protocol. Statistical analysis of the three genomospecies L. borgpetersenii, L. interrogans and L. kirschneri revealed distinctive, reproducible differentiating peaks for seven leptospiral strains which represent seven serovars. Results obtained by MALDI-TOF MS were confirmed by MLST and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.     

An approach to the chemotaxonomic differentiation of two European dog's mercury species: Mercurialis annua L. and M. perennis L

Mercurialis annua and M. perennis are medicinal plants used in complementary medicine. In the present work, analytical methods to allow a chemotaxonomic differentiation of M. annua and M. perennis by means of chemical marker compounds were established. In addition to previously published compounds, the exclusive presence of pyridine-3-carbonitrile and nicotinamide in CH(2) Cl(2) extracts obtained from the herbal parts of M. annua was demonstrated by GC/MS. Notably, pyridine-3-carbonitrile was identified for the first time as a natural product. Further chromatographic separation of the CH(2) Cl(2) extracts via polyamide yielded a MeOH fraction exhibiting a broad spectrum of side-chain saturated n-alkylresorcinols. While the n-alkylresorcinol pattern was similar for both plant species, some specific differences were observed for particular n-alkylresorcinol homologs. Finally, the investigation of H(2) O extracts by LC/MS/MS revealed the presence of depside constituents. Whereas, in M. perennis, a mixture of mercurialis acid (=(2R)-[(E)-caffeoyl]-2-oxoglutarate) and phaselic acid (=(E)-caffeoyl-2-malate) could be detected, in M. annua solely phaselic acid was found. By comparison with synthesized enantiomerically pure (2R)- and (2S)-phaselic acids, the configuration of the depside could be determined as (2S) in M. annua and as (2R) in M. perennis.     

Thermodynamic Efficiency Limit of Molecular Donor‐Acceptor Solar Cells and its Application to Diindenoperylene/C60‐Based Planar Heterojunction Devices

In organic photovoltaic (PV) cells, the well‐established donor‐acceptor (D/A) concept enabling photo‐induced charge transfer between two partners with suitable energy level alignment has proven extremely successful. Nevertheless, the introduction of such a heterojunction is accompanied with additional energy losses as compared to an inorganic homojunction cell, owing to the presence of a charge‐transfer (CT) state at the D/A interface. Based on the principle of detailed balance, a modified Shockley‐Queisser theory is developed including the essential effects of interfacial CT states, that allows for a quantitative assessment of the thermodynamic efficiency limits of molecular D/A solar cells. Key parameters, apart from the optical gap of the absorber material, entering the model are the energy (E_CT) and relative absorption strength (α_CT) of the CT state. It is demonstrated how the open‐circuit voltage (V_OC) and thus the power conversion efficiency are affected by different parameter values. Furthermore, it is shown that temperature dependent device characteristics can serve to determine the CT energy, and thus the upper limit of V_OC for a given D/A combination, as well as to quantify non‐radiative recombination losses. The model is applied to diindenoperylene (DIP)‐based photovoltaic devices, with open‐circuit voltages between 0.9 and 1.4 V, depending on the partner, that have recently been reported.