Eutrophication in natural fresh-water ecosystems of the Neusiedler See

Ecological aspects of vertical distribution of biocenoses were compared in the biotopes of Neusiedler See. The importance of the mineralization process associated with eutrophication was revealed during the production of sediments in the summer season.     

Selection of reference genes for real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis in tissues from Bombus terrestris and Bombus lucorum of different ages

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is an accurate and sensitive technique for gene expression analysis. However, it requires data normalization using reference genes. Here we assessed the stability of eight reference genes in the labial gland and fat body of the bumblebees Bombus terrestris and Bombus lucorum of different ages. To date, no reference genes have been identified for these species. Our data show that arginine kinase (AK) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) are the most stable genes in both tissues of B. terrestris. The most stable genes for the labial gland and fat body of B. lucorum were found to be elongation factor 1α (EEF1A) and PLA2.     

Bioinformatics analysis of bacteriophage and prophage endolysin domains

Endolysins as a class of antibacterial enzymes are expected to become a very useful tool for many purposes to control spreading of, e.g., multiresistant bacteria in different environments. Their antimicrobial properties could be broadened or altered by mutagenesis, domain swapping or gene shuffling. Therefore, the specific designing of endolysins to achieve their desired properties is challenging. This work is focused on the in silico analysis of protein domains presence in sequences of phage and prophage endolysins, followed by the study of variety of domain combinations in the individual endolysin types. The multiple sequence alignment of endolysin sequences revealed the recognition of sequence types with typical domain arrangement and conserved amino acids, divided according to the target substrate in bacterial cell walls. The five protein families of catalytic domains are specifically occurring in dependence of bacterial Gram-type. The presence, types and numbers of binding domains within endolysin sequences were also studied. The obtained results enable a more targeted design of endolysins with required antimicrobial properties.     

Circumscription of species in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hodophilus foetens</Emphasis> complex (Clavariaceae,Agaricales) in Europe

Four European Hodophilus species with an odour similar to naphthalene, a strong unpleasant odour similar to that of mothballs, are recognized based on sequence and/or morphological data. The traditional concept defines Ho. foetens as the only Hodophilus species with a naphthalene odour in Europe. This name is now assigned to one of the studied species based on morphological examination of the holotype specimen. A recently collected specimen is proposed as the epitype. The other three species with a naphthalene odour are described here as new: Ho. pallidus, Ho. subfoetens and Ho. tenuicystidiatus. They are distinguishable in the field based on a combination of lamellae number and colour of basidiomata. All four species are grouped in the Ho. foetens superclade, one of two superclades, together with the Ho. micaceus superclade, in the genus Hodophilus. All are different species from North American taxa with a naphthalene-like odour recognised in a previous study. The Ho. foetens superclade also includes one species identified as Ho. atropunctus that does not have a distinctive odour. The type collection of Ho. albofloccipes, a recently described European species with a naphthalene odour, is placed together with some collections without a distinctive odour in the Ho. micaceus superclade.     

Nerve injury affects the capillary supply in rat slow and fast muscles differently

The goal of this study was to determine the acute effects of permanent denervation on the length density of the capillary network in rat slow soleus (SOL) and fast extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles and the effect of short-lasting reinnervation in slow muscle only. Denervation was performed by cutting the sciatic nerve. Both muscles were excised 2 weeks later. Reinnervation was studied 4 weeks after nerve crush in SOL muscle only. Capillaries and muscle fibres were visualised by triple immunofluorescent staining with antibodies against CD31 and laminin and with fluorescein-labelled Griffonia (Bandeira) simplicifolia lectin. A recently developed stereological approach allowing the estimation of the length of capillaries adjacent to each individual fibre (Lcap/Lfib) was employed. Three-dimensional virtual test grids were applied to stacks of optical images captured with a confocal microscope and their intersections with capillaries and muscle fibres were counted. Interrelationships among capillaries and muscle fibres were demonstrated with maximum intensity projection of the acquired stacks of optical images. The course of capillaries in EDL seemed to be parallel to the fibre axes, whereas in SOL, their preferential direction deviated from the fibre axes and formed more cross-connections among neighbouring capillaries. Lcap/Lfib was clearly reduced in denervated SOL but remained unchanged in EDL, although the muscle fibres significantly atrophied in both muscle types. When soleus muscle was reinnervated, capillary length per unit fibre length was completely restored. The physiological background for the different responses of the capillary network in slow and fast muscle is discussed. This study was supported by the Slovenian Research Agency and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic (KONTAKT grant no. 19/2005).