Zur Ethologie der afrikanischen Grille Phaeophilacris spectrum Saussure

In the East African cricket Phaeophilacris spectrum a few ♀♀ form a social group which is joined by a ♂ who defends the group against other ♂♂. There is a special courtship and aggressive behaviour with several action sequences. ♂♂ perform two types of non-stridulatory wing flicking.     

Similar regulation of cell surface human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) surface binding proteins in cells highly and poorly transduced by HTLV-1-pseudotyped virions

Little is known about the requirements for human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) entry, including the identity of the cellular receptor(s). Previous studies have shown that although the HTLV receptor(s) are widely expressed on cell lines of various cell types from different species, cell lines differ dramatically in their susceptibility to HTLV-Env-mediated fusion. Human cells (293, HeLa, and primary CD4(+) T cells) showed higher levels of binding at saturation than rodent (NIH 3T3 and NRK) cells to an HTLV-1 SU immunoadhesin. A direct comparison of the binding of the HTLV-1 surface glycoprotein (SU) immunoadhesin and transduction by HTLV-1 pseudotyped virus revealed parallels between the level of binding and the titer for various cell lines. When cells were treated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), which down-modulates a number of cell surface molecules, the level of SU binding was markedly reduced. However, PMA treatment only slightly reduced the titer of murine leukemia virus(HTLV-1) on both highly susceptible and poorly susceptible cells. Treatment of target cells with trypsin greatly reduced binding, indicating that the majority of HTLV SU binding is to proteins. Polycations, which enhance the infectivity of several other retroviruses, inhibited HTLV-1 Env-mediated binding and entry on both human and rodent cells. These results suggest that factors other than the number of primary binding receptors are responsible for the differences in the titers of HTLV-1 pseudotypes between highly susceptible cells and poorly susceptible cells.     

Biomarker discovery in biological fluids

Discovery of novel protein biomarkers is essential for successful drug discovery and development. These novel protein biomarkers may aid accelerated drug efficacy, response, or toxicity decision making based on their enhanced sensitivity and/or specificity. These biomarkers, if necessary, could eventually be converted into novel diagnostic marker assays. Proteomic platforms developed over the past few years have given us the ability to rapidly identify novel protein biomarkers in various biological matrices from cell cultures (lysates, supernatants) to human clinical samples (serum, plasma, and urine). In this article, we delineate an approach to biomarker discovery. This approach is divided into three steps, (i) identification of markers, (ii) prioritization of identified markers, and (iii) preliminary validation (qualification) of prioritized markers. Using drug-induced idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity as a case study, the article elaborates methods and techniques utilized during the three steps of biomarker discovery process. The first step involves identification of markers using multi-dimensional protein identification technology. The second step involves prioritization of a subset of marker candidates based on several criteria such as availability of reagent set for assay development and literature association to disease biology. The last step of biomarker discovery involves development of preliminary assays to confirm the bio-analytical measurements from the first step, as well as qualify the marker(s) in pre-clinical models, to initiate future marker validation and development.     

Amöboid bewegliche Pigmentzellen im Epithel des Seeigels Centrostephanus longispinus

Zusammenfassung Für den physiologischen Farbwechsel bei Vertebraten und Evertebraten gilt die Vorstellung, daß eine Pigmentbewegung innerhalb einer formkonstanten Zelle stattfindet. Am Seeigel Centrostephanus longispinus wird nun der Nachweis einer amoeboiden Bewegung von Pigmentzellen geführt: Die Epidermis von Centrostephanus enthält große braune Chromatophoren, die bei Belichtung eine Pigmentdispersion, bei Verdunkelung eine Konzentration des Pigments zeigen. Die Chromatophoren sind außerordentlich stark verzweigte Zellen, deren Arme dicht mit Pigmentgrana erfüllt sind. Im geballten Zustand ist die allgemeine Zellform mehr oder weniger ovoid, wobei die Zellarme eingezogen und dicht um die Zellmitte angeordnet sind. Dispersion des Pigments wird hervorgerufen durch Ausstrecken der pigmentierten Zellarme in den Interzellularraum des umgebenden Gewebes. Innerhalb der Zelle werden filamentöse Elemente nachgewiesen, die vermutlich für die Zellbeweglichkeit verantwortlich sind. — Ferner wird der zelluläre Aufbau des Integuments beschrieben.

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Amoeboid pigment cells in the epithelium of the sea urchin Centrostephanus longispinus A novel colour change mechanism

Summary Rapid colour changes in vertebrate and invertebrate species are considered to be due to movement of pigment granules within pigment cells of constant shape. Evidence is presented in this study to show that an amoeboid movement of chromatophores occurs in the epidermis of the Echinoderm Centrostephanus longispinus. The epidermis in this species contains large brown chromatophores, which display a dispersion of pigment on illumination and its concentration on darkening. The chromatophores are extensively branched cells, and their branches are densely packed with pigment granules. In the state of pigment concentration, the shape of the cell is more or less ovoid, and the cell branches are drawn in and closely arranged around the cell centre. Dispersion is attained by a stretching out of the pigmented cell branches into the intercellular spaces of the surrounding tissue. Within the cell, filamentous elements, which may be functional in the motility of the pigment cell, can be demonstrated.—Additionally the cellular composition of the integument is described.

Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Frl. A. Mikolaczick danken wir für sorgfältige technische Assistenz.     

Effects of glucagon, 3′,5′-AMP and 3′,5′-GMP on ion fluxes and transmembrane potential in perfused livers of normal and adrenalectomized rats

The effects of glucagon, 3′,5′-AMP, 3′,5′-GMP and dexamethasone on ion fluxes and transmembrane-potential changes were compared in perfused livers from normal and adrenalectomized rats. Glucagon and cyclic nucleotide administration resulted in a similar redistribution of Na⁺ and K⁺ and membrane hyperpolarization in both groups. Dexamethasone at a dose which restores the gluconeogenic response after adrenalectomy, had no effect on either the ion movements or membrane potential and did not alter the responses to cyclic nucleotides or glucagon in either normal or adrenalectomized rat livers. These results suggest that the permissive effect of glucacorticoids on gluconeogenesis might be related to an event following ion movement.     

Parametric and non-parametric masking of randomness in sequence alignments can be improved and leads to better resolved trees

Background

Ants typically distinguish nestmates from non-nestmates based on the perception of colony-specific chemicals, particularly cuticular hydrocarbons present on the surface of the ants' exoskeleton. These recognition cues are believed to play an important role in the formation of vast so-called supercolonies that have been described for some invasive ant species, but general conclusions about the role of these cues are hampered by only few species being studied. Here we use data on cuticular hydrocarbons, aggression and microsatellite genetic markers to investigate the interdependence of chemical recognition cues, genetic distance and nestmate discrimination in the pharaoh ant (Monomorium pharaonis), a widespread pest species, and ask whether introduced populations of this species are genetically differentiated and exhibit intraspecific aggression.

Results

Microsatellite analyses of a total of 35 colonies from four continents revealed extremely high levels of genetic differentiation between almost all colonies (F _ST = 0.751 ± 0.006 SE) and very low within-colony diversity. This implies that at least 34 and likely hundreds more independent lineages of this ant have spread worldwide. Aggression tests involving workers from 14 different colonies showed only low levels of aggression, even between colonies that were geographically and/or genetically very distant. Chemical analyses of groups of worker ants showed that all colonies had the same cuticular compounds, which varied only quantitatively among colonies. There was a positive correlation between geographical and genetic distance, but no other significant relationships were detected between aggression, chemical profile, genetic distance and geographical distance.

Conclusions

The pharaoh ant has a global invasion history of numerous independent introductions resulting in genetically highly differentiated colonies typically displaying surprisingly low levels of intraspecific aggression, a behaviour that may have evolved in the native range or by lineage selection in the introduced range.