Pay attention to membrane tension: Mechanobiology of the cell surface

The cell surface is a mechanobiological unit that encompasses the plasma membrane, its interacting proteins, and the complex underlying cytoskeleton. Recently, attention has been directed to the mechanics of the plasma membrane, and in particular membrane tension, which has been linked to diverse cellular processes such as cell migration and membrane trafficking. However, how tension across the plasma membrane is regulated and propagated is still not completely understood. Here, we review recent efforts to study the interplay between membrane tension and the cytoskeletal machinery and how they control cell form and function. We focus on factors that have been proposed to affect the propagation of membrane tension and as such could determine whether it can act as a global or local regulator of cell behavior. Finally, we discuss the limitations of the available tool kit as new approaches that reveal its dynamics in cells are needed to decipher how membrane tension regulates diverse cellular processes.     

A Survey Investigating the Infection of Fusarium langsethiae and Production of HT‐2 and T‐2 Mycotoxins in UK Oat Fields

Fusarium langsethiae is a toxigenic fungal species that has been reported in European small‐grain cereal crops such as oats, wheat and barley. Although its relative contribution to fusarium head blight (FHB) symptoms is not well understood, it is reported to contaminate these cereals with high levels of HT‐2 and T‐2 trichothecenes mycotoxins that are currently under consideration for legislation by the European Commission. Ten commercial oat fields in Shropshire and Staffordshire (two adjacent counties in the Midlands) in the UK were surveyed in the 2006/2007 growing season. Samples were taken from predetermined field locations at Zadoks growth stages 32/33, 69, 77‐85 and 90‐92 for F. langsethiae biomass and HT‐2 and T‐2 toxins quantification. The results from this study showed that oats can be heavily infected with F. langsethiae and have high concentrations of HT‐2 and T‐2 toxins with no apparent FHB symptoms. The regression of HT‐2 + T‐2 toxins on F. langsethiae DNA concentration was highly significant (P < 0.001, r² = 0.55). The results indicated that although F. langsethiae had no direct effect on crop yield, it may result in indirect economic losses where the grain can be rejected or downgraded as a result of intolerable levels of HT‐2 and T‐2 toxins, which are of human food and animal feed safety concern. The influence of cultural field practices on the infection and HT‐2 and T‐2 toxins accumulation in oats was not clear and warrants further studies to identify the sources of F. langsethiae inoculum and conditions favourable for infection and mycotoxin production.     

Trace element transfer from alginate dressings to wounds

ABSTRACT

A method has been developed for impregnating alginate-based wound dressings with trace elements required for wound healing and for quantifying the transfer from these dressing to wound fluid (for which a substitute—blood serum—was used in these experiments). Under ideal conditions, up to 85% can be carried across from the tow to the wound fluid.     

Distribution of Fusarium wilt of Bambara nut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) in farmers’ fields’ of Busia County in Western Kenya and its management using farmyard manure

A study was carried out to determine Fusarium wilt distribution in Bambara nut farmers’ fields and its management using farm yard manure (FYM). Four villages in Busia County were purposively sampled for the study. The data generated were subjected to analysis of variance and treatment means separated by least significant difference test. Fusarium wilt incidence in the fields ranged from 14.63 to 43.56%. In the greenhouse, FYM reduced the disease incidence by 10.2% and severity by 9.5% on the black landrace and 1.9 and 12.8%, respectively, on the red landrace. In the field, FYM reduced disease incidence by 9.1% and severity by 6.9% on the black landrace and 10.4 and 10.4%, respectively, on the red landrace. Farm yard manure had the lowest area under disease progress curve irrespective of the landrace. The study confirmed the presence of the pathogen in the fields and the ability to manage the disease using FYM.     

ERp46 binds to AdipoR1, but not AdipoR2, and modulates adiponectin signalling

The pleiotropic effects of the insulin-sensitizing adipokine adiponectin are mediated, at least in part, by two seven-transmembrane domain receptors AdipoR1 and AdipoR2. Recent reports indicate a role for AdipoR-binding proteins, namely APPL1, RACK1 and CK2β, in proximal signal transduction events. Here we demonstrate that endoplasmic reticulum protein 46 (ERp46) interacts specifically with AdipoR1 and provide evidence that ERp46 modulates adiponectin signalling. Co-immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry identified ERp46 as an AdipoR1-, but not AdipoR2-, interacting protein. Analysis of truncated constructs and GST-fusion proteins revealed the interaction was mediated by the cytoplasmic, N-terminal residues (1-70) of AdipoR1. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation studies demonstrated that ERp46 was present in the ER and the plasma membrane (PM). Transient knockdown of ERp46 increased the levels of AdipoR1, and AdipoR2, at the PM and this correlated with increased adiponectin-stimulated phosphorylation of AMPK. In contrast, adiponectin-stimulated phosphorylation of p38MAPK was reduced following ERp46 knockdown. Collectively these results establish ERp46 as the first AdipoR1-specific interacting protein and suggest a role for ERp46 in adiponectin receptor biology and adiponectin signalling.     

On Testing Equality of Means of Correlated Variates with Incomplete Data

A statistic is proposed for testing the hypothesis of equality of the means of a bivariate normal distribution with unknown common variance and correlation coefficient when observations are missing on one of the variates. Expressions for the second and fourth central moments of the statistic are obtained. These moments are used to approximate the distribution of the statistic by a Student's t distribution under the null hypothesis. The powers of the test are computed and compared with those of the conventional paired t and the other known statistics.