Intracellular sodium in mammalian muscle fibers after eccentric contractions.

The effect of eccentric contractions on intracellular Na(+) concentration ([Na(+)](i)) and its distribution were examined in isolated rat and mouse muscle fiber bundles. [Na(+)](i) was measured with either Na(+)-binding benzofuran isophthalate or sodium green. Ten isometric contractions had no significant effect on force (measured after 5 min of recovery) and caused no significant change in the resting [Na(+)](i) (7.2 +/- 0.5 mM). In contrast 10 eccentric contractions (40% stretch at 4 muscle lengths/s) reduced developed force at 100 Hz to 45 +/- 3% of control and increased [Na(+)](i) to 16.3 +/- 1.6 mM (n = 6; P < 0.001). The rise of [Na(+)](i) occurred over 1-2 min and showed only minimal recovery after 30 min. Confocal images of the distribution of [Na(+)](i) showed a spatially uniform distribution both at rest and after eccentric contractions. Gd(3+) (20 microM) had no effect on resting [Na(+)](i) or control tetanic force but prevented the rise of [Na(+)](i) and reduced the force deficit after eccentric damage. These data suggest that Na(+) entry after eccentric contractions may occur principally through stretch-sensitive channels.     

Transient Concanavalin A-Binding Glycoproteins of the Parallel Fibres of the Developing Rat Cerebellum: Evidence for the Destruction of Their Glycans

Abstract: The lifetime of the glycoprotein glycans of the rat cerebellum was followed in the 2nd and 3rd weeks of postnatal age, after injection of labelled glucosamine. It appears that a particular class of glycans binding to Concanavalin A synthesized at an early age has a short lifetime. These results indicate that the glycans of the Concanavalin A-binding glycoproteins abundant on the newly formed parallel fibres are rapidly degraded between the 14th and the 18th postnatal day. Reeber A. et al. Transient Concanavalin A-binding glycoproteins of the parallel fibres of the developing rat cerebellum: Evidence for the destruction of their glycans. J. Neurochem. 35 , 1273–1277 (1980).     

MicroFilament Analyzer,an image analysis tool for quantifying fibrillar orientation,reveals changes in microtubule organization during gravitropism

Image acquisition is an important step in the study of cytoskeleton organization. As visual interpretations and manual measurements of digital images are prone to errors and require a great amount of time, a freely available software package named MicroFilament Analyzer (MFA) was developed. The goal was to provide a tool that facilitates high‐throughput analysis to determine the orientation of filamentous structures on digital images in a more standardized, objective and repeatable way. Here, the rationale and applicability of the program is demonstrated by analyzing the microtubule patterns in epidermal cells of control and gravi‐stimulated Arabidopsis thaliana roots. Differential expansion of cells on either side of the root results in downward bending of the root tip. As cell expansion depends on the properties of the cell wall, this may imply a differential orientation of cellulose microfibrils. As cellulose deposition is orchestrated by cortical microtubules, the microtubule patterns were analyzed. The MFA program detects the filamentous structures on the image and identifies the main orientation(s) within individual cells. This revealed four distinguishable microtubule patterns in root epidermal cells. The analysis indicated that gravitropic stimulation and developmental age are both significant factors that determine microtubule orientation. Moreover, the data show that an altered microtubule pattern does not precede differential expansion. Other possible applications are also illustrated, including field emission scanning electron micrographs of cellulose microfibrils in plant cell walls and images of fluorescent actin.     

Effects of inhibitors of serine/threonine protein kinases on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis> root morphology and microtubule organization in its cells

The effect of different types of serine/threonine protein kinase inhibitors (cyclin-dependent, Ca²⁺-calmodulin dependent and protein kinase C) on the microtubule organization in cells of Arabidopsis thaliana main primary root zones were investigated in vivo. It was found that the microtubules in epidermal and cortex cells of transition and elongation zones, as well as microtubules in trichoblasts and atrichoblasts of the differentiation zone, were the most sensitive to the action of the investigated protein kinase inhibitors. It was established that, in these types of cells, microtubules change their initial orientation from transverse (oblique) to chaotic or longitudinal relative to the main primary root axis as a result of serine/threonine protein kinase inhibition. Microtubules in cells of root meristematic zone, as well as in root hairs, were less sensitive to the action of tested protein kinase inhibitors. Changes in the orientation of microtubules in cells of primary root zones under the effect of serine/threonine protein kinase inhibitors led to further disturbances in the growth and differentiation processes. It was assumed that the phosphorylation of microtubule proteins, primarily tubulin, could be involved in the regulation of these processes.     

Effects of 20 fungicides on the infectivity of conidia of the aphid entomopathogenic fungus Erynia neoaphidis

The effect of 20 fungicides on theinfectivity of conidia of the entomopathogenicfungus, Erynia neoaphidis, were assessedin the laboratory. After projection on broadbean leaves, conidia were treated withfungicides applied at their recommended fieldrate. Afterwards, the infectivity of theseinocula was assessed using an aphid bioassay.Four fungicides, carbendazim, kresoxym-methyl, nuarimol and thiophanate-methyl reduced the infectivity of the conidia by less than 25% and can be considered harmless for this aphid pathogen. Propiconazole was a little more toxic, with 37% reduction. Other products reducedinfectivity by between 50% and 100%. These are, from the least to the most toxic:flutriafol, prochloraz, epoxyconazole,iprodione, hexaconazole, triadimenol,azoxystrobine, cyproconazole, cyprodynil,flusilazole and tridemorph. Chlorothalonil,fenpropimorph, spiroxamine and tebuconazoletotally inhibited infectivity of the fungi. Analysis of the results according to chemicalclass showed that the benzimidazoles were theleast toxic for E. neoaphidis and themorpholines the most toxic. Effects oftriazoles and strobilurines were variable, withreduction ranging from 37% to 100% fortriazoles and from 17% to 68% forstrobilurines.