Simplicissin,a New Pollen Growth Inhibitor Produced by the Fungus,Penicillium cf. simplidssimum (Oudemans) Thorn No. 410

A new pollen growth inhibitor, named simplicissin, was isolated from Penicillium cf. simplicissimum (Oudemans) Thorn No. 410, and its structure was established by spectroscopic methods including 2D NMR. The biological activities of the compound were examined by the bioassay methods involving tea pollen together with lettuce seedlings. The compound inhibited the growth of the tea pollen tube by 45% at a concentration of 3 mg/liter and showed complete inhibition at 10mg/liter.     

A combination of genome-wide association study and selection signature analysis dissects the genetic architecture underlying bone traits in chickens

The bones of chicken play an important role in supporting and protecting the body. The growth and development of bones have a substantial influence on the health and production performance in chickens. However, genetic architecture underlying chicken bone traits is not well understood. The objectives of this study are to dissect the genetic basis of bone traits in chickens and to identify valuable genes and genetic markers for chicken breeding. We performed a combination of genome-wide association study (GWAS) and selection signature analysis (fixation index values and nucleotide diversity ratios) in an F₂ crossbred experimental population with different genetic backgrounds (broiler × layer) to identify candidate genes and significant variants related to femur, shank, keel length, chest width, metatarsal claw weight, metatarsal length, and metatarsal circumference. A total of 545 individuals were genotyped based on the whole genome re-sequencing method (26 F₀ individuals were re-sequenced at 10 × coverage; 519 F₂ individuals were re-sequenced at 3 × coverage). A total of 2 028 112 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) remained to carry out analysis after quality control and imputation. The integration of GWAS and selection signature analysis indicated that all significant SNPs responsible for bone traits were mainly localized on chicken chromosomes 1, 4, and 27. Finally, we identified 21 positional candidate genes that might regulate chicken bone growth and development, including LRCH1, RB1, FNDC3A, MLNR, CAB39L, FOXO1, LHFP, TRPC4, POSTN, SMAD9, RBPJ, PPARGC1A, SLIT2, NCAPG, NKX3-2, CPZ, SPOP, NGFR, SOST, ZNF652, and HOXB3. Additionally, an array of uncharacterized genes was identified. The findings provide an in-depth understanding of the genetic architecture of chicken bone traits and offer a molecular basis for applying genomics in practical chicken breeding.     

Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Receptor Binding in Brains of Alzheimer''s and Alcoholic Patients

Patients with chronic alcoholism and/or Alzheimer's disease show degenerative changes in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. To investigate possible changes in insulin-like growth factor I receptor binding sites in brain tissue of patients with these pathological conditions, the number of 125I-insulin-like growth factor I binding sites was determined in tissues obtained from control patients and those with Alzheimer's and/or with a history of alcoholism. The four experimental groups examined consisted of patients from similar age groups. Postmortem histology and a clinical history were used for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and alcoholism, respectively. Careful clinical records were kept concerning other variables such as immediate cause of death and medications administered before death. Specific binding of 125I-insulin-like growth factor I to homogenates prepared from cerebral cortex of Alzheimer's, alcoholic, alcoholic Alzheimer's, and age-matched control patients was similar, although Alzheimer's patients tended to have slightly higher binding values. No significant differences in insulin-like growth factor I binding in cerebral cortex were found with regard to age of patients, the interval between death and autopsy, and CNS-active medications. No statistical differences in 125I-insulin-like growth factor I binding were noted in hippocampal tissue from the four patient groups. Thus, human insulin-like growth factor I binding sites in cerebral cortex and hippocampus appear unaffected by several variables.     

NMR characterization of copper and lipid interactions of the C2B domain of synaptotagmin I—relevance to the non-classical secretion of the human acidic fibroblast growth factor (hFGF-1)

Human fibroblast growth factor (hFGF-1) is a ∼ 17 kDa heparin binding cytokine. It lacks the conventional hydrophobic N-terminal signal sequence and is secreted through non-classical secretion routes. Under stress, hFGF-1 is released as a multiprotein complex consisting of hFGF-1, S100A13 (a calcium binding protein), and p40 synaptotagmin (Syt1). Copper (Cu²⁺) is shown to be required for the formation of the multiprotein hFGF-1 release complex (Landriscina et al. ,2001; Di Serio et al., 2008). Syt1, containing the lipid binding C2B domain, is believed to play an important role in the eventual export of the hFGF-1 across the lipid bilayer. In this study, we characterize Cu²⁺ and lipid interactions of the C2B domain of Syt1 using multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. The results highlight how Cu²⁺ appears to stabilize the protein bound to pS vesicles. Cu²⁺ and lipid binding interface mapped using 2D ¹H-¹⁵N heteronuclear single quantum coherence experiments reveal that residues in β-strand I contributes to the unique Cu²⁺ binding site in the C2B domain. In the absence of metal ions, residues located in Loop II and β-strand IV contribute to binding to unilamelar pS vesicles. In the presence of Cu²⁺, additional residues located in Loops I and III appear to stabilize the protein-lipid interactions. The results of this study provide valuable information towards understanding the molecular mechanism of the Cu²⁺-induced non-classical secretion of hFGF-1.     

Modulation of adenylate cyclase activity by sulfated glycosaminoglycans II. Effects of mucopolysaccharides and dextran sulfate on the activity of adenylate cyclase derived from various tissues

Heparin was found to be the most potent inhibitor of rat ovarian luteinizing hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase (I₅₀ = 2 μg/ml) when compared to other naturally occurring glycosaminoglycans. This inhinibition was also appparent when this enzyme was stimulated by follicle-stimulating hormone or prostaglandin E ₂. Heparin was also found to inhibit glucagon-sensitive rat hepatice adenylate cyclase, and the prostaglandin E₁-sensitive enzyme from rat ileum and human platelets. In contrast, heparin stimulated the dopamine sensitive adenylate cyclase from rat caudate nucleus. The sulfade polysugar dextran sulfate exerts similar effects on adenylate cyclase activity of the rat ovary was shown to inhibit hormone binding to rat ovarian plasma membrane in a manner similar to that exerted by heparin. In contrast to heparin, dextran sulfate inhibited dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase from rat caudate nucleus.     

Juvenile hormone and ovarian growth in Manduca sexta

In Manduca sexta the major size increase of ovarian follicles is accomplished by two processes: (1) vitellogenesis in which follicular volume and dry weight increase simultaneously, and (2) hydration in which absorption of water by the oocyte accounts for an 80% increase in volume prior to chorion formation. Vitellogenic growth occurs in both a slow and rapid phase. Rapid vitellogenic growth is initiated only by follicles of a threshold size (1 mm) and is a juvenile hormone (JH)-dependent event. In the absence of JH follicles grow to 1 mm and then degenerate.     

Life history responses of fishes to culture

The protected environment in culture permits fishes to reduce the proportion of energy normally channelled into the costs associated with competition for food, shelter and mates, avoidance of predators and counteracting parasites and diseases. The surplus energy so released is allocated to growth and reproduction, accelerating development through increased growth rate, earlier maturation and increased relative fecundity. Cultivators manipulate the rearing environment to remove seasonal variation in availability of resources, so that the fishes grow and develop through otherwise unproductive seasons. Such environmental manipulations exaggerate the basic accelerative effects. Since maturation deflects energy from growth, farmers also manipulate the fishes nutritionally, physiologically, hormonally and genetically to postpone maturation. As environmental regulators determine sex in many fish species, environmental manipulation in culture may have unintended effects on sex ratios. Mortality in culture should be very low, but survival of fishes released from culture is rarely as high as that of wild conspecifics. Finally, while short life‐cycles and simplified population age‐structures permit high rates of production in farms, they lead to ecological instability when the fishes are cultured for support of wild populations.     

Changes in size and age at maturity in a population of kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka during a period of declining growth conditions

Trends in size distributions and age at maturity of spawning kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka during a 5 year period of declining growth conditions at Bucks Lake, California, U.S.A. were consistent with the hypothesis that reductions in growth rates in successive cohorts induce a shift to an older age at maturity. This forestalls decreases in size at maturity during a transitional period characterized by an increasing proportion of individuals that delay maturation. During the course of the study, kokanee first began declining in size at maturity, and then shifted from a 3 year to a 4 year egg to adult cycle. Individuals that spawned during their fourth year (age 3 years) were significantly larger, on average, than members of their cohort that spawned during their third year (age 2 years). This difference was greatest when age 2 year adults were smallest. The shift to an older age at maturity prevented a steady decline in size at maturity, even though age‐specific size was steadily declining over time. Size at maturity, however, began to decline again once the transition to a 4 year cycle was complete. In addition, there was a general trend of decreasing length‐specific mass. The data indicate that there is a range of growth trajectories over which delayed maturity can prevent a temporal pattern of decreasing size at maturity as growth rates decline.