The downstream drifting of larvae of Dixa (Diptera: Dixidae) in two stony streams

SUMMARY. Larvae of Dixa , especially D. puberula Loew., were a significant component of the invertebrate drift in the Walla Brook in southwest England, the Wilfin Beck and the River Duddon in the English Lake District, and the River Estibère in the French Pyrenees. The drifting of the larvae increased markedly at night and showed a definite diel periodicity with maximum numbers usually in the early hours of the night. Seasonal peaks in the density of larvae in the drift frequently occurred in months when adults and especially pupae were present. Most drifting larvae were in the fourth and final instar, and their drift rate usually increased when they were searching for suitable pupation sites.     

A comparative study of four dredges used for sampling benthic macroinvertebrates in rivers

SUMMARY. After considering the large number of dredges described in the literature, four light-weight dredges were chosen for manual operation from a small boat or the bank: Irish triangular dredge, small Fast dredge, medium-sized and large Naturalist's dredges. The dredges were tested in a series of trials at three sites in two rivers. A stratified random sample (number of sampling units, n = 5) was taken at each site and the modal particle sizes at sites 1–3 were 1–2 mm (fine gravel), 64–128 mm (larger stones) and 128–256 mm, respectively. The dredges usually took a similar range of stone sizes at each site but the design of the Fast dredge excluded larger stones (>16 mm). The Irish dredge sometimes failed to operate correctly. Variations in the volume of substrata taken with each dredge were large, both between sampling units in the same sample and between samples. The latter differences were partially due to the increase in the modal size of the stones, especially between sites 1 and 2, the different sampling areas of the dredges and the depth of penetration into the substratum. Penetration depth was probably greatest for the two Naturalist's dredges, smaller for the Fast dredge and smallest for the Irish dredge. In field trials, the relative abundances of major taxa were similar for most dredges at each site; major exceptions were the Fast dredge at site 2 and the Irish dredge at site 3. There was a high variability between sampling units in the same sample and therefore a lack of precision in the estimates of the mean number of invertebrates per sample. Therefore, the dredges cannot be used as quantitative samplers for the estimation of population density. Their adequacy as qualitative samplers for the estimation of total number of taxa per sample varied considerably and maximum estimates of their efficiencies for a small sample (n= 5) were <40% for the Irish and Fast dredges, >57% for the medium-sized Naturalist's dredge and >76% for the large Naturalist's dredge. There was a clear relationship between the number of taxa and the number of invertebrates taken at each site and this relationship was well described by a power law with an exponent within the range 0.18–0.53. The number of sampling units in the sample had no significant effect on the power-law equations for each site. The power-law equation was very similar for most of the dredges at each site, the only major exception being the Fast dredge at site 1. The implications of this relationship are discussed.     

Characterizing the normal proteome of human ciliary body

Background

The ciliary body is the circumferential muscular tissue located just behind the iris in the anterior chamber of the eye. It plays a pivotal role in the production of aqueous humor, maintenance of the lens zonules and accommodation by changing the shape of the crystalline lens. The ciliary body is the major target of drugs against glaucoma as its inhibition leads to a drop in intraocular pressure. A molecular study of the ciliary body could provide a better understanding about the pathophysiological processes that occur in glaucoma. Thus far, no large-scale proteomic investigation has been reported for the human ciliary body.

Results

In this study, we have carried out an in-depth LC-MS/MS-based proteomic analysis of normal human ciliary body and have identified 2,815 proteins. We identified a number of proteins that were previously not described in the ciliary body including importin 5 (IPO5), atlastin-2 (ATL2), B-cell receptor associated protein 29 (BCAP29), basigin (BSG), calpain-1 (CAPN1), copine 6 (CPNE6), fibulin 1 (FBLN1) and galectin 1 (LGALS1). We compared the plasma proteome with the ciliary body proteome and found that the large majority of proteins in the ciliary body were also detectable in the plasma while 896 proteins were unique to the ciliary body. We also classified proteins using pathway enrichment analysis and found most of proteins associated with ubiquitin pathway, EIF2 signaling, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.

Conclusions

More than 95% of the identified proteins have not been previously described in the ciliary body proteome. This is the largest catalogue of proteins reported thus far in the ciliary body that should provide new insights into our understanding of the factors involved in maintaining the secretion of aqueous humor. The identification of these proteins will aid in understanding various eye diseases of the anterior segment such as glaucoma and presbyopia.     

Characterization of dental pulp stem/stromal cells of Huntington monkey tooth germs

Background

Activation by extracellular ligands of G protein-coupled (GPCRs) and tyrosine kinase receptors (RTKs), results in the generation of second messengers that in turn control specific cell functions. Further, modulation/amplification or inhibition of the initial signalling events, depend on the recruitment onto the plasma membrane of soluble protein effectors. High throughput methodologies to monitor quantitatively second messenger production, have been developed over the last years and are largely used to screen chemical libraries for drug development. On the contrary, no such high throughput methods are yet available for the other aspect of GPCRs regulation, i.e. protein translocation to the plasma membrane, despite the enormous interest of this phenomenon for the modulation of receptor downstream functions. Indeed, to date, the experimental procedures available are either inadequate or complex and expensive.

Results

Here we describe the development of a novel conceptual approach to the study of cytosolic proteins translocation to the inner surface of the plasma membrane. The basis of the technique consists in: i) generating chimeras between the protein of interests and the calcium (Ca²⁺)-sensitive, luminescent photo-protein, aequorin and ii) taking advantage of the large Ca²⁺ concentration [Ca²⁺] difference between bulk cytosolic and the sub-plasma membrane rim.

Conclusion

This approach, that keeps unaffected the translocation properties of the signalling protein, can in principle be applied to any protein that, upon activation, moves from the cytosol to the plasma membrane. Thus, not only the modulation of GPCRs and RTKs can be investigated in this way, but that of all other proteins that can be recruited to the plasma membrane also independently of receptor activation. Moreover, its automated version, which can provide information about the kinetics and concentration-dependence of the process, is also applicable to high throughput screening of drugs affecting the translocation process.