Variability of the Mitochondrial SSU rDNA of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nomuraea</Emphasis> Species and Other Entomopathogenic Fungi from Hypocreales

Hypocrealean arthropod pathogenic fungi have profound impact on the regulation of agricultural and medical pests. However, until now the genetic and phylogenetic relationships among species have not been clarified, such studies could clarify host specificity relationships and define species boundaries. Our purpose was to compare the sequences of the mitochondrial SSU rDNA fragments from several mitosporic entomopathogenic Hypocreales to infer relationships among them and to evaluate the possibility to use these sequences as species diagnostic tool in addition to the more commonly studied sequences of nuclear SSU rDNA. The SSU mt-rDNA proved to be useful to help in differentiation of species inside several genera. Clusters obtained with Parsimony, Bayesian, and Maximum Likelihood analyses were congruent with a new classification of the Clavicipitaceae (Sung et al. Stud Mycol. 2007;57:5-59) in which the anamorphic genera Nomuraea and Metarhizium species remain in the Clavicipitaceae and Isaria species sequenced here are assigned to the family Cordycipitaceae. Mitochondrial genomic information indicates the same general pattern of relationships demonstrated by nuclear gene sequences.     

Molecular motors: how to make models that can be used to convey the concept of molecular ratchets and thermal capture

A wide variety of cellular processes use molecular motors, including processive motors that move along some form of track (e.g., myosin with actin, kinesin or dynein with tubulin) and polymerases that move along a template (e.g., DNA and RNA polymerases, ribosomes). In trying to understand how these molecular motors actually move, many apply their understanding of how man-made motors work: the latter use some form of energy to exert a force or torque on its load. However, quite a different mechanism has been proposed to possibly account for the movement of molecular motors. Rather than hydrolyzing ATP to push or pull their load, they might use their own thermal vibrational energy as well as that of their load and their environment to move the load, capturing those movements that occur along a desired vector or axis and resisting others; ATP hydrolysis is required to make backward movements impossible. This intriguing thermal capture or Brownian ratchet model is relatively more difficult to convey to students. In this report, we describe several teaching aids that are very easily constructed using widely available household materials to convey the concept of a molecular ratchet.     

Morphology and molecular taxonomy of Evlachovaea-like fungi,and the status of this unusual conidial genus

The entomopathogenic anamorphic genus Evlachovaea was described to differ from other fungi in forming its conidia obliquely to the axis of the conidiogenous cell and with successive conidia having alternate orientations with a zipper- or chevron-like arrangement resulting in flat, ribbon-like chains. Morphological and molecular studies of six Evlachovaea-like isolates baited from Central Brazilian soils using Triatoma infestans (a vector of Chagas disease) and of other entomopathogens with Evlachovaea-like conidiogenesis led to a re-evaluation of the status of this little known fungal genus. The Brazilian isolates formed two distinct groups based on gene sequences for both the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and translation elongation factor (EF-1α) genes, morphology, and growth patterns; both groups also differed from the type species, Evlachovaea kintrischica. More detailed studies of these fungi indicated that the alternatingly oblique orientations of forming conidia are neither a stable nor invariant character (even on single phialides). Furthermore, the molecular cladistic analysis unambiguously placed the Evlachovaea isolates firmly within the genus Isaria (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae). The ITS sequences of E. kintrischica were very similar or even identical to those of Isaria amoenerosea and Isaria cateniobliqua, thereby suggesting that E. kintrischica is a synonym of one of these species, and that the genus Evlachovaea must be treated as a later synonym of Isaria, which must now be recognized to include several highly divergent modes of conidiogenesis. These taxonomic findings are discussed in the context of dramatic changes recently imposed on the nomenclatural standards used to determine the correct names of all pleomorphic fungi.     

The influence of parity and maternal preimmunization on fetal survival in mice

It is known that as parity increases, cell-mediated immunity to paternal antigens increases in mice. The article reports an experiment designed to compare the results of normal parity with artificial immunization simulating maternal sensitization to paternal antigens in mice. Virgin females were immunized at weekly intervals by intraperitoneal injections of 50 mcl of heparinized blood from males with whom they would eventually be mated. The immunized virgins and multiparous females were mated for 4 to 6 weeks after their last injection or litter. The total and live litter size increased with immunization; the total size with natural parity also increased though the live litter size slightly decreased with parity. The mean fetal death rate was relatively the same for both groups. Fetal weight increased with parity but not change was observed in placental weight. Both fetal and placental weight did not change with immunization. There was no increase in the expected number of male fetuses. The increased litter size in the immunized group may be due to increased ovulation rates.     

An essential saccharide binding domain for the mAb 2C7 established for Neisseria gonorrhoeae LOS by ES-MS and MSn

A study of bacterial surface oligosaccharides were investigated among different strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to correlate structural features essential for binding to the MAb 2C7. This epitope is widely expressed and conserved in gonococcal isolates, characteristics essential to an effective candidate vaccine antigen. Sample lipooligosaccharides (LOS), was prepared by a modification of the hot phenol-water method from which de-O-acetylated LOS and oligosaccharide (OS) components were analyzed by ES-MS-CID-MS and ES-MSnin a triple quadrupole and an ion trap mass spectrometer, respectively. Previously documented natural heterogeneity was apparent from both LOS and OS preparations which was admixed with fragments induced by hydrazine and mild acid treatment. Natural heterogeneity was limited to phosphorylation and antenni extensions to the alpha-chain. Mild acid hydrolysis to release OS also hydrolyzed the beta(1-->6) glycosidic linkage of lipid A. OS structures were determined by collisional and resonance excitation combined with MS and multistep MSn which provided sequence information from both neutral loss, and nonreducing terminal fragments. A comparison of OS structures, with earlier knowledge of MAb binding, enzyme treatment, and partial acid hydrolysis indicates a generic overlapping domain for 2C7 binding. Reoccurring structural features include a Hepalpha(1-->3)Hepbeta(1-->5)KDO trisaccharide core branched on the nonreducing terminus (Hep-2) with an alpha(1-->2) linked GlcNAc (gamma-chain), and an alpha-linked lactose (beta-chain) residue. From the central heptose (Hep-1), a beta(1-->4) linked lactose (alpha-chain), moiety is required although extensions to this residue appear unnecessary.      

Phylogeny and systematics of the anamorphic, entomopathogenic genus Beauveria

Beauveria is a cosmopolitan anamorphic genus of arthropod pathogens that includes the agronomically important species, B. bassiana and B. brongniartii, which are used as mycoinsecticides for the biological control of pest insects. Recent phylogenetic evidence demonstrates that Beauveria is monophyletic within the Cordycipitaceae (Hypocreales), and both B. bassiana and B. brongniartii have been linked developmentally and phylogenetically to Cordyceps species. Despite recent interest in the genetic diversity and molecular ecology of Beauveria, particularly as it relates to their role as pathogens of insects in natural and agricultural environments, the genus has not received critical taxonomic review for several decades. A multilocus phylogeny of Beauveria based on partial sequences of RPB1, RPB2, TEF and the nuclear intergenic region, Bloc, is presented and used to assess diversity within the genus and to evaluate species concepts and their taxonomic status. B. bassiana and B. brongniartii, both which represent species complexes and which heretofore have lacked type specimens, are redescribed and types are proposed. In addition six new species are described including B. varroae and B. kipukae, which form a biphyletic, morphologically cryptic sister lineage to B. bassiana, B. pseudobassiana, which also is morphologically similar to but phylogenetically distant from B. bassiana, B. asiatica and B. australis, which are sister lineages to B. brongniartii, and B. sungii, an Asian species that is linked to an undetermined species of Cordyceps. The combination B. amorpha is validly published and an epitype is designated.     

Intrinsic Protein Fluorescence Interferes with Detection of Tear Glycoproteins in SDS-Polyacrylamide Gels Using Extrinsic Fluorescent Dyes

Intrinsic protein fluorescence may interfere with the visualization of proteins after SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. In an attempt to analyze tear glycoproteins in gels, we ran tear samples and stained the proteins with a glycoprotein-specific fluorescent dye. The fluorescence detected was not limited to glycoproteins. There was strong intrinsic fluorescence of proteins normally found in tears after soaking the gels in 40% methanol plus 1-10% acetic acid and, to a lesser extent, in methanol or acetic acid alone. Nanograms of proteins gave visible native fluorescence and interfere with extrinsic fluorescent dye detection. Poly-L-lysine, which does not contain intrinsically fluorescent amino acids, did not fluoresce.