Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression of vacuolar GFPs in Petunia leaves and petals

Abstract

A suitable Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression assay was evaluated for rapid analysis of vacuole organisation in different cell types in vivo. By simple infiltration of Agrobacterium cells carrying appropriate plasmid constructs into Petunia hybrida leaves and petals, reproducible expression can be revealed by GFP fluorescence within one day without using expensive equipment (e.g. biolistic gun or electroporation apparatus) or complicated procedures (e.g. preparation of protoplasts). Different vacuolar markers for the neutral compartment (GFP-Chi) or the lytic one (Aleu-GFP), and an ER resident protein (GFP-KDEL) were used. Previously, it was shown that these markers could label different compartments but that such compartments are organised differently depending on plant species and tissues. Our results demonstrate that epidermal cells of petunia petals represent a case study that demands further investigation concerning vacuolar organisation, and that Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression is a simple and efficient method for in vivo assays of sub-cellular markers in this tissue. In the present study, this method revealed an unexpected difference between the anthocyan accumulating vacuole and the normal lytic vacuole labelled by Aleu-GFP.     

Development of Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus during Azole Therapy Associated with Change in Virulence

Four sequential Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from a patient with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) eventually failing azole-echinocandin combination therapy were investigated. The first two isolates (1 and 2) were susceptible to antifungal azoles, but increased itraconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole MICs were found for the last two isolates (3 and 4). Microsatellite typing showed that the 4 isolates were isogenic, suggesting that resistance had been acquired during azole treatment of the patient. An immunocompromised mouse model confirmed that the in vitro resistance corresponded with treatment failure. Mice challenged with the resistant isolate 4 failed to respond to posaconazole therapy, while those infected by susceptible isolate 2 responded. Posaconazole-anidulafungin combination therapy was effective in mice challenged with isolate 4. No mutations were found in the Cyp51A gene of the four isolates. However, expression experiments of the Cyp51A showed that the expression was increased in the resistant isolates, compared to the azole-susceptible isolates. The microscopic morphology of the four isolates was similar, but a clear alteration in radial growth and a significantly reduced growth rate of the resistant isolates on solid and in broth medium was observed compared to isolates 1 and 2 and to unrelated wild-type controls. In the mouse model the virulence of isolates 3 and 4 was reduced compared to the susceptible ones and to wild-type controls. For the first time, the acquisition of azole resistance despite azole-echinocandin combination therapy is described in a CGD patient and the resistance demonstrated to be directly associated with significant change of virulence.     

Marked seasonal variation in the wild mouse gut microbiota

Recent studies have provided an unprecedented view of the microbial communities colonizing captive mice; yet the host and environmental factors that shape the rodent gut microbiota in their natural habitat remain largely unexplored. Here, we present results from a 2-year 16 S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing-based survey of wild wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) in two nearby woodlands. Similar to other mammals, wild mice were colonized by 10 bacterial phyla and dominated by the Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. Within the Firmicutes, the Lactobacillus genus was most abundant. Putative bacterial pathogens were widespread and often abundant members of the wild mouse gut microbiota. Among a suite of extrinsic (environmental) and intrinsic (host-related) factors examined, seasonal changes dominated in driving qualitative and quantitative differences in the gut microbiota. In both years examined, we observed a strong seasonal shift in gut microbial community structure, potentially due to the transition from an insect- to a seed-based diet. This involved decreased levels of Lactobacillus, and increased levels of Alistipes (Bacteroidetes phylum) and Helicobacter. We also detected more subtle but statistically significant associations between the gut microbiota and biogeography, sex, reproductive status and co-colonization with enteric nematodes. These results suggest that environmental factors have a major role in shaping temporal variations in microbial community structure within natural populations.     

Legionella pneumophila in commercial bottled mineral water

Sixty-eight commercial bottled mineral waters (64 brands, 68 different 'best-before dates') were tested for the presence of bacteria and fungi. Six samples were Legionella antigen positive and six were Legionella pneumophila PCR positive. Two samples were both Legionella antigen and L. pneumophila PCR positive. Legionella cultures were negative. Although the PCR might have detected only dead Legionella cells, the PCR has been described to detect specifically viable but not culturable (VBNC) L. pneumophila cells as well. Whether VBNC bacteria may be present in bottled mineral waters and the risk for infection this may pose for severely immunocompromised patients should be investigated.     

Possible Environmental Origin of Resistance of Aspergillus fumigatus to Medical Triazoles

We reported the emergence of resistance to medical triazoles of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from patients with invasive aspergillosis. A dominant resistance mechanism was found, and we hypothesized that azole resistance might develop through azole exposure in the environment rather than in azole-treated patients. We investigated if A. fumigatus isolates resistant to medical triazoles are present in our environment by sampling the hospital indoor environment and soil from the outdoor environment. Antifungal susceptibility, resistance mechanisms, and genetic relatedness were compared with those of azole-resistant clinical isolates collected in a previous study. Itraconazole-resistant A. fumigatus (five isolates) was cultured from the indoor hospital environment as well as from soil obtained from flower beds in proximity to the hospital (six isolates) but never from natural soil. Additional samples of commercial compost, leaves, and seeds obtained from a garden center and a plant nursery were also positive (four isolates). Cross-resistance was observed for voriconazole, posaconazole, and the azole fungicides metconazole and tebuconazole. Molecular analysis showed the presence of the dominant resistance mechanism, which was identical to that found in clinical isolates, in 13 of 15 environmental isolates, and it showed that environmental and clinical isolates were genetically clustered apart from nonresistant isolates. Patients with azole-resistant aspergillosis might have been colonized with azole-resistant isolates from the environment.Invasive aspergillosis is a fungal disease caused by Aspergillus species that primarily affects immunocompromised patients, such as those treated for hematological malignancy. Patients may become infected by inhalation of ambient air that contains fungal spores. The Aspergillus conidia can penetrate into the alveoli and if not effectively removed, may germinate, proliferate, and cause invasive aspergillosis. Mortality and morbidity due to invasive aspergillosis remain a significant problem.Triazoles, such as itraconazole (ITZ), voriconazole, and posaconazole, are used increasingly in the management of patients with this disease. Although the risk of resistance due to the increased use of triazoles is considered low (11), we recently observed ITZ resistance rapidly emerging in clinical Aspergillus fumigatus isolates (19, 22, 24, 25). Azole resistance was observed in up to 6% of patients in our hospital and in up to 14.5% of isolates sent to our laboratory from other hospitals in The Netherlands, which were obtained from patients with aspergillus disease (19). Furthermore, azole resistance has been reported in other European countries (3, 13, 19). The ITZ-resistant isolates also showed significantly reduced susceptibility to the other mold-active medical triazoles voriconazole and posaconazole (19). A substitution of leucine for histidine at codon 98 (L98H), combined with a 34-bp tandem repeat (designated TR) in the promoter region of the cyp51A gene (TR/L98H), which is the target for antifungal azoles, was found in 94% of isolates (14, 19, 24).Azole resistance can develop through the exposure of the fungus to azole compounds, which may occur in azole-treated patients or through the use of azole compounds in the environment. The dominance of a single resistance mechanism is difficult to explain by resistance development in individual azole-treated patients, as one would expect multiple resistance mechanisms to develop. Also, spread by person-to-person transmission of any Aspergillus isolate is highly unlikely. As inhalation of airborne aspergillus spores is the common route of infection for aspergillus diseases, we hypothesized that the dominance of a single resistance mechanism in clinical ITZ-resistant isolates was more consistent with acquisition from a common environmental source (19). If azole-resistant A. fumigatus is present in our environment, patients could inhale resistant spores and subsequently develop azole-resistant disease. Indeed, azole-resistant aspergillosis was reported in azole-naïve patients, indicating that resistance does not exclusively develop during azole therapy (24).Favorable conditions for resistance development are exposure to azole compounds and the presence of reproducing fungus (1). A. fumigatus is abundantly present in our environment as saprophytic, reproducing fungi, most notably in soil and compost. Furthermore, azoles are commonly used for plant protection as well as material preservation. Therefore, it appears that resistance development in A. fumigatus is feasible in the environment, and isolates that develop resistance to fungicides might be cross-resistant to medical triazoles.We investigated if A. fumigatus isolates that are present in our environment are resistant to medical triazoles and if they are cross-resistant to azole fungicides. Furthermore, we characterized the isolates by microsatellite typing in order to determine if they were genetically related to clinical A. fumigatus isolates previously obtained from patients cared for in our University Medical Center.     

The rise to dominance of the angiosperm kingdom: dispersal,habitat widening and evolution during the Late Cretaceous of Europe

Coiffard, C. & Gomez, B. 2009: The rise to dominance of the angiosperm kingdom: dispersal, habitat widening and evolution during the Late Cretaceous of Europe. Lethaia, Vol. 43, pp. 164–169. The earliest fossil records of angiosperms in Europe occur in the Barremian and consist of freshwater wetland plants. From the Barremian onwards, angiosperms show a stepwise widening of their ecological range with the result that they inhabited most environments by the Cenomanian. Nevertheless, most angiosperms had still restricted habitats, while a few angiosperm trees were confined to disturbed environments, such as channel margins. A Wagner’s Parsimony Method analysis performed on a fossil plant and locality database from the Turonian to the Campanian of Europe indicates continued decrease in richness of ferns and gymnosperms compared with angiosperms, turnover between conifer and palm trees in freshwater‐related swamps at about the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary, and spreading of angiosperm trees through the floodplains. The ecological range of angiosperm trees was increased, being recorded in channel margins from the Cenomanian and spreading over floodplains (e.g. Platanaceae) and swamps (e.g. Arecaceae) by the Campanian. These new ecological ranges and successions went with innovative architectures, such as dicot trees and palm trees. Most living core angiosperm families had their earliest representatives in the Late Cretaceous, which should be considered as the dawn of modern angiosperm forests. □Core angiosperms, Europe, Late Cretaceous, palms, Wagner’s Parsimony Method.     

CD8+ T cell responses against TAP-inhibited cells are readily detected in the human population

Target cell recognition by CTLs depends on the presentation of peptides by HLA class I molecules. Tumors and herpes viruses have adopted strategies to greatly hamper this peptide presentation at the important bottleneck, the peptide transporter TAP. Previously, we described the existence of a CD8(+) CTL subpopulation that selectively recognizes such TAP-deficient cells in mouse models. In this study, we show that the human counterpart of this CTL subset is readily detectable in healthy subjects. Autologous PBMC cultures were initiated with dendritic cells rendered TAP-impaired by gene transfer of the viral evasion molecule UL49.5. Strikingly, specific reactivity to B-LCLs expressing one of the other viral TAP-inhibitors (US6, ICP47, or BNLF2a) was already observed after three rounds of stimulation. These short-term T cell cultures and isolated CD8(+) CTL clones derived thereof did not recognize the normal B-LCL, indicating that the cognate peptide-epitopes emerge at the cell surface upon an inhibition in the MHC class I processing pathway. A diverse set of TCRs was used by the clones, and the cellular reactivity was TCR-dependent and HLA class I-restricted, implying the involvement of a broad antigenic peptide repertoire. Our data indicate that the human CD8(+) T cell pool comprises a diverse reactivity to target cells with impairments in the intracellular processing pathway, and these might be exploited for cancers that are associated with such defects and for infections with immune-evading herpes viruses.     

Determination of the docetaxel vehicle,polysorbate 80, in patient samples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A new simple method was developed for the quantitative determination of the docetaxel (Taxotere) vehicle, polysorbate 80 (Tween 80), in human plasma. Calibration curves were constructed in the range of 1-100 microg/ml, using paclitaxel (0.01 mM) as internal standard, and were analyzed using a power fit with equal weighting. Sample pretreatment involved a one-step extraction with acetonitrile-n-butyl chloride (1:4, v/v). The analytes were separated on a Waters X-Terra MS column (50x2.1 mm I.D.) packed with 3.5-microm ODS material, and eluted with methanol-water (9:1, v/v) containing 0.1% formic acid. The column effluent was monitored by tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization. The overall extraction efficiency was 50-60%, with values for precision and accuracy of < or =16% and <15% relative error, respectively. Our current method is approximately 60-100-fold more sensitive than previous assays, and will be used to define Tween 80 disposition in patients receiving Taxotere.     

Displacement of linker for activation of T cells from the plasma membrane due to redox balance alterations results in hyporesponsiveness of synovial fluid T lymphocytes in rheumatoid arthritis

The T lymphocytes that reside in the synovium of the inflamed joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis display severe hyporesponsiveness upon antigenic stimulation, which is probably due to their constant subjection to high levels of oxidative stress. Here we report that the synovial fluid T lymphocytes exert severely impaired phosphorylation of the adaptor protein linker for activation of T cells (LAT), a crucial component of the TCR-mediated signaling pathways. In healthy T lymphocytes, LAT is a membrane-bound protein and becomes phosphorylated by zeta-associated protein of 70 kDa (ZAP-70) upon TCR engagement. The molecular basis underlying the deficient phosphorylation of LAT and consequently the hyporesponsiveness of the synovial fluid T lymphocytes lies in the membrane displacement of LAT. We demonstrate that the subcellular localization of LAT is sensitive to changes in the intracellular levels of the antioxidant glutathione. The membrane anchorage of LAT, and consequently the phosphorylation of LAT and the cellular activation of the synovial fluid T lymphocytes upon TCR engagement, is restored in synovial fluid T lymphocytes after supplementation of the intracellular glutathione levels with N-acetyl-l -cysteine. These data suggest a role for the membrane displacement of LAT in the hyporesponsiveness of the synovial fluid T lymphocytes as a consequence of oxidative stress.