Dissimilar phloem loading in leaves with symplasmic or apoplasmic minor-vein configurations

Plant species were selected on the basis of abundant or no symplasmic continuity between sieveelement-companion-cell (SE-CC) complexes and adjacent cells in the minor veins. Symplasmic continuity and discontinuity are denoted, respectively, as symplasmic and apoplasmic minor-vein configurations. Discs of predarkened leaves from which the lower epidermis had been removed, were exposed to ¹⁴CO₂. After 2 h of subsequent incubation, phloem loading in control discs and discs treated with p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid (PCMBS) was recorded by autoradiography. Phloem loading was strongly suppressed by PCMBS in minor veins with symplasmically isolated SE-CC complexes (Centaurea, Impatiens, Ligularia, Pelargonium, Pisum, Symphytum). No significant inhibition of phloem loading by PCMBS was observed in minor veins containing sieve elements with abundant symplasmic connections (Epilobium, Fuchsia, Hydrangea, Oenothera, Origanum, Stachys). Phloem loading in minor veins with both types of SE-CC complex (Acanthus) had apoplasmic features. The results provide strong evidence for coincidence between the mode of phloem loading and the minor-vein configuration. The widespread occurrence of a symplasmic mode of phloem loading is postulated.Abbreviations PCMBS p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid - SE-CC complex sieve-element-companion-cell complex     

Intra-Genomic Variation in the Ribosomal Repeats of Nematodes

Ribosomal loci represent a major tool for investigating environmental diversity and community structure via high-throughput marker gene studies of eukaryotes (e.g. 18S rRNA). Since the estimation of species’ abundance is a major goal of environmental studies (by counting numbers of sequences), understanding the patterns of rRNA copy number across species will be critical for informing such high-throughput approaches. Such knowledge is critical, given that ribosomal RNA genes exist within multi-copy repeated arrays in a genome. Here we measured the repeat copy number for six nematode species by mapping the sequences from whole genome shotgun libraries against reference sequences for their rRNA repeat. This revealed a 6-fold variation in repeat copy number amongst taxa investigated, with levels of intragenomic variation ranging from 56 to 323 copies of the rRNA array. By applying the same approach to four C. elegans mutation accumulation lines propagated by repeated bottlenecking for an average of ~400 generations, we find on average a 2-fold increase in repeat copy number (rate of increase in rRNA estimated at 0.0285-0.3414 copies per generation), suggesting that rRNA repeat copy number is subject to selection. Within each Caenorhabditis species, the majority of intragenomic variation found across the rRNA repeat was observed within gene regions (18S, 28S, 5.8S), suggesting that such intragenomic variation is not a product of selection for rRNA coding function. We find that the dramatic variation in repeat copy number among these six nematode genomes would limit the use of rRNA in estimates of organismal abundance. In addition, the unique pattern of variation within a single genome was uncorrelated with patterns of divergence between species, reflecting a strong signature of natural selection for rRNA function. A better understanding of the factors that control or affect copy number in these arrays, as well as their rates and patterns of evolution, will be critical for informing estimates of global biodiversity.     

Chiral detection of carotenoid assemblies

Carotenoid assemblies were produced by aqueous dilution of ethanolic solutions. UV/VIS and CD spectroscopy revealed the formation of J- and H-types of aggregates of both right- and left-handed kinds. Simulation of UV/VIS spectra of the aggregates showed characteristic differences between the two types. 6'-Epimers of capsanthol ((all-E,3R,3'S,5'R)-beta,kappa-carotene-3,3',6'-triols) formed assemblies with increased chirality in dilute solution. While the absorption of 6'R-capsanthol giving H-type aggregate does not depend on the concentration, 6'S-capsanthol yielding J-type assembly showed concentration-dependent absorption intensity. Dilute aggregate of 6'R-capsanthol is characterized by an extremely large A value of -6,600. The transformation of J- to H-type assembly was observed in the mixtures of the epimers producing an intermediate kind of aggregate. A hypothetical structure for H-type assemblies is proposed.     

Supramolecular exciton chirality of carotenoid aggregates

The conventional organic chemistry concept of chirality relates to single molecules. This article deals with cases in which exciton chirality is generated by the interaction of associated carotenoids. The handed property responsible for exciton signals in these systems is due to the alignment of neighboring molecules held together by secondary chemical forces. Their mutual positions are characterized by the overlay angle. Experimental manifestation is obtained by spectroscopic studies on carotenoid aggregates. Compared to molecular spectra, both UV/visible and circular dichroism spectroscopic observations reveal modified absorption bands and induced Cotton effects of opposite sign (exciton couplets), respectively. A new term, "supramolecular exciton chirality," is suggested for these phenomena, allowing the detection of weak chemical interactions not readily accessible for experimental studies, although highly important in the mechanism of biological processes.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">TRAF1/C5</Emphasis>polymorphism is not associated with increased mortality in rheumatoid arthritis: two large longitudinal studies

Introduction  

Recently an association between a genetic variation in TRAF1/C5 and mortality from sepsis or cancer was found in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The most prevalent cause of death, cardiovascular disease, may have been missed in that study, since patients were enrolled at an advanced disease stage. Therefore, we used an inception cohort of RA patients to investigate the association between TRAF1/C5 and cardiovascular mortality, and replicate the findings on all-cause mortality. As TRAF1/C5 associated mortality may not be restricted to RA, we also studied a large cohort of non-RA patients.     

Mesenchymal stem cells in autoimmune diseases: hype or hope?

Intervention with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represents a promising therapeutic tool in treatment-refractory autoimmune diseases. A new report by Schurgers and colleagues in a previous issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy sheds novel mechanistic insight into the pathways employed by MSCs to suppress T-cell proliferation in vitro, but, at the same time, indicates that MSCs do not influence T-cell reactivity and the disease course in an in vivo arthritis model. Such discrepancies between the in vitro and in vivo effects of potent cellular immune modulators should spark further research and should be interpreted as a sign of caution for the in vitro design of MSC-derived interventions in the setting of human autoimmune diseases.     

Pentacycloundecane lactam vs lactone norstatine type protease HIV inhibitors: binding energy calculations and DFT study

Background

Novel pentacycloundecane (PCU)-lactone-CO-EAIS peptide inhibitors were designed, synthesized, and evaluated against wild-type C-South African (C-SA) HIV-1 protease. Three compounds are reported herein, two of which displayed IC₅₀ values of less than 1.00 μM. A comparative MM-PB(GB)SA binding free energy of solvation values of PCU-lactam and lactone models and their enantiomers as well as the PCU-lactam-NH-EAIS and lactone-CO-EAIS peptide inhibitors and their corresponding diastereomers complexed with South African HIV protease (C-SA) was performed. This will enable us to rationalize the considerable difference between inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of PCU-lactam-NH-EAIS and PCU-lactone-CO-EAIS peptides.

Results

The PCU-lactam model exhibited more negative calculated binding free energies of solvation than the PCU-lactone model. The same trend was observed for the PCU-peptide inhibitors, which correspond to the experimental activities for the PCU-lactam-NH-EAIS peptide (IC₅₀ = 0.076 μM) and the PCU-lactone-CO-EAIS peptide inhibitors (IC₅₀ = 0.850 μM). Furthermore, a density functional theory (DFT) study on the natural atomic charges of the nitrogen and oxygen atoms of the three PCU-lactam, PCU-lactim and PCU-lactone models were performed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. Electrostatic potential maps were also used to visualize the electron density around electron-rich regions. The asymmetry parameter (η) and quadrupole coupling constant (χ) values of the nitrogen and oxygen nuclei of the model compounds were calculated at the same level of theory. Electronic molecular properties including polarizability and electric dipole moments were also calculated and compared. The Gibbs theoretical free solvation energies of solvation (∆G_solv) were also considered.

Conclusions

A general trend is observed that the lactam species appears to have a larger negative charge distribution around the heteroatoms, larger quadrupole constant, dipole moment and better solvation energy, in comparison to the PCU-lactone model. It can be argued that these characteristics will ensure better eletronic interaction between the lactam and the receptor, corresponding to the observed HIV protease activities in terms of experimental IC₅₀ data.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12929-015-0115-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.