Antimicrobial and antiviral activities of an actinomycete (Streptomyces sp.) isolated from a Brazilian tropical forest soil

A promising producer of bioactive compounds isolated from a Brazilian tropical soil was tested for its range of antimicrobial activities. Strain 606, classified as Streptomyces sp., could not be identified up to species level, suggesting a possible new taxon. The supernatant and 10 extracts and fractions, obtained by extraction and chromatographic techniques, presented antimicrobial activity using antibiograms. The methanolic fraction was highly active against pathogenic bacteria, phytopathogenic fungi and the human pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. It also possessed high antiviral activity inhibiting the propagation of an acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 strain on HEp-2 cells at non-cytotoxic concentration. The strong cytotoxic effect suggests an antitumour action. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Isolation of fungi from bats of the Amazon basin

A total of 2,886 bats captured in the Amazon Basin of Brazil were processed for the isolation of fungi. From the livers, spleens, and lungs of 155 bats (5.4%), 186 fungal isolates of the genera Candida (123 isolates), Trichosporon (26 isolates), Torulopsis (25 isolates), Kluyveromyces (11 isolates), and Geotrichum (1 isolate) were recovered. Seven known pathogenic species were present: Candida parapsilosis, C. guilliermondii, C. albicans, C. stellatoidea, C. pseudotropicalis, Trichosporon beigelii, and Torulopsis glabrata. Twenty-three culture-positive bats showed identical fungal colonization in multiple organs or mixed colonization in a single organ. The fungal isolation rates for individual bat species varied from 1 fungus per 87 bats to 3 fungi per 13 bats, and the mycoflora diversity for members of an individual fungus-bearing bat species varied from 16 fungi per 40 bats to 7 fungi per 6 bats. Of the 38 fungal species isolated, 36 had not been previously described as in vivo bat isolates. Of the 27 culture-positive bat species, 21 had not been previously described as mammalian hosts for medically or nonmedically important fungi.     

Liver Accumulation of Plasmodium chabaudi-Infected Red Blood Cells and Modulation of Regulatory T Cell and Dendritic Cell Responses

It is postulated that accumulation of malaria-infected Red Blood Cells (iRBCs) in the liver could be a parasitic escape mechanism against full destruction by the host immune system. Therefore, we evaluated the in vivo mechanism of this accumulation and its potential immunological consequences. A massive liver accumulation of P. c. chabaudi AS-iRBCs (Pc-iRBCs) was observed by intravital microscopy along with an over expression of ICAM-1 on day 7 of the infection, as measured by qRT-PCR. Phenotypic changes were also observed in regulatory T cells (Tregs) and dendritic cells (DCs) that were isolated from infected livers, which indicate a functional role for Tregs in the regulation of the liver inflammatory immune response. In fact, the suppressive function of liver-Tregs was in vitro tested, which demonstrated the capacity of these cells to suppress naive T cell activation to the same extent as that observed for spleen-Tregs. On the other hand, it is already known that CD4+ T cells isolated from spleens of protozoan parasite-infected mice are refractory to proliferate in vivo. In our experiments, we observed a similar lack of in vitro proliferative capacity in liver CD4+ T cells that were isolated on day 7 of infection. It is also known that nitric oxide and IL-10 are partially involved in acute phase immunosuppression; we found high expression levels of IL-10 and iNOS mRNA in day 7-infected livers, which indicates a possible role for these molecules in the observed immune suppression. Taken together, these results indicate that malaria parasite accumulation within the liver could be an escape mechanism to avoid sterile immunity sponsored by a tolerogenic environment.     

Rediscovery of Anthias salmopunctatus Lubbock & Edwards, 1981, with comments on its natural history and conservation

After c. 30 years without sighting or capture, Anthias salmopunctatus was rediscovered at the type locality, St Peter and St Paul's Rocks, Mid-Atlantic Ridge. To date, the known distribution is restricted to depths varying from 35 to 55 m in vertical drop offs around the perimeter of the islands ( c. 400 m). This may be the smallest geographic range known for a marine fish species.     

Evaluation of strain competitiveness in Rhizobium leguminosarum bv phaseoli using a nod + fix− natural mutant

Competition from native soil rhizobia is likely to be an important factor limiting Phaseolus vulgaris L. inoculant response in Latin America. We used UMR 1116, a nod ⁺ fix^– natural mutant of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv phaseoli strain CC511, as a reference strain to study competition for nodulation sites in this species. When P. vulgaris cv Carioca was planted in soils containing different proportions of UMR 1116 and the effective and competitive strain UMR 1899, UMR 1116 occupied more than 50% of the nodules at all inoculant ratios tested, though increasing the proportion of UMR 1899 in the inoculant did enhance the number and percentage of effective nodules and plant dry weight. Sixty two strains of bean rhizobia were tested in competition with UMR 1116. An inoculant ratio of 1:1 was used, with all strains applied to the soil rather than to seeds. Strains varied in the number and percentage of effective nodules produced in competition with UMR 1116, and in plant dry weight, and there was a strong correlation between variation in each of these traits and plant N accumulation. Seven of the strains (UMR 1073, 1084, 1102, 1125, 1165, 1378 and 1384) were identified as both superior in competitive ability and active in N₂ fixation. Site of placement of the inoculant and ambient temperature influenced strain response.Journal paper 16736, Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA     

Glutathione reductase fromSaccharomyces cerevisiae undergoes redox interconversionin situ andin vivo

Redox interconversion of glutathione reductase was studiedin situ withS. cerevisiae. The enzyme was more sensitive to redox inactivation in 24 hour-starved cells than in freshly-grown ones. While 5 μM NADPH or 100 μM NADH caused 50% inactivation in normal cells in 30 min, 0.75 μM NADPH or 50 μM NADH promoted a similar effect in starved cells. GSSG reactivated the enzyme previously inactivated by NADPH, ascertaining that the enzyme was subjected to redox interconversion. Low EDTA concentrations fully protected the enzyme from NADPH inactivation, thus confirming the participation of metals in such a process. Extensive inactivation was obtained in permeabilized cells incubated with glucose-6-phosphate or 6-phosphogluconate, in agreement with the very high specific activities of the corresponding dehydrogenases. Some inactivation was also observed with malate, L-lactate, gluconate or isocitrate in the presence of low NADP⁺ concentrations. The inactivation of yeast glutathione reductase has also been studiedin vivo. The activity decreased to 75% after 2 hours of growth with glucono-δ-lactone as carbon source, while NADPH rose to 144% and NADP⁺ fell to 86% of their initial values. Greater changes were observed in the presence of 1.5 μM rotenone: enzymatic activity descended to 23% of the control value, while the NADH/NAD⁺ and NADPH/NADP⁺ ratios rose to 171% and 262% of their initial values, respectively. Such results indicate that the lowered redox potential of the pyridine nucleotide pool existing when glucono-δ-lactone is oxidized promotesin vivo inactivation of glutathione reductase.     

A Study of Magnetic Properties of Magnetotactic Bacteria

The first direct measurements of magnetic properties of magnetotactic bacteria from natural samples are presented. Measurements were made at 4.2 K, using a Superconducting Quantum Interfering Device (SQUID) magnetometer. From the magnetization results an anisotropy is obtained that is typical of magnetized ferro- or ferri-magnetic materials. The average magnetic moment of the bacteria determined from the results is in good agreement with the estimated moment from electron microscopy.     

Indirect evidence of alteration in the expression of the rDNA genes in interspecific hybrids betweenDrosophila melanogaster andDrosophila simulans

Crosses betweenDrosophila melanogaster females andD. simulans males produce viable hybrid females, while males are lethal. These males are rescued if they carry theD. simulans Lhr gene. This paper reports that females of the wild-typeD. melanogaster population Staket do not produce viable hybrid males when crossed withD. simulans Lhr males, a phenomenon which we designate as the Staket phenotype. The agent responsible for this phenomenon was found to be the StaketX chromosome (X ^mel ,Stk). Analysis of the Staket phenotype showed that it is suppressed by extra copies ofD. melanogaster rDNA genes and that theX ^mel ,Stk chromosome manifests a weak bobbed phenotype inD. melanogaster X ^mel ,Stk/0 males. The numbers of functional rDNA genes inX ^mel ,Stk andX ^mel ,y w (control) chromosomes were found not to differ significantly. Thus a reduction in rDNA gene number cannot account for the weak bobbedX ^mel ,Stk phenotype let alone the Staket phenotype. The rRNA precursor molecules transcribed from theX ^mel ,Stk rDNA genes seem to be correctly processed in both intraspecific (melanogaster) and interspecific (melanogaster-simulans) conditions. It is therefore suggested that theX ^mel ,Stk rDNA genes are inefficiently transcribed in themelanogaster-simulans hybrids.     

Stimulation of in vitro shoot proliferation from nodal explants of cassava by thidiazuron, benzyladenine and gibberellic acid

Multiple shoots were produced from nodal explants of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) by a two-step procedure: a 6- to 8-day exposure to 0.11–0.22 µM thidiazuron (TDZ) in liquid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium followed by culture on agar-solidified MS medium supplemented with 2.2 µM 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 1.6 M gibberellic acid (GA₃). TDZ caused the nodal explants to expand and this expansion (growth) continued during culture with BA and GA₃. From this expanded explant, clusters of buds and fasciated stems developed continuously and these gave rise to shoots. The shoot proliferation process was open-ended, yielding an average of 31.5 shoots per nodal explant after 10 weeks of culture with genotype CG 1–56. A positive response was also obtained from seven other genotypes evaluated with this protocol.Abbreviations BA 6-benzyladenine - BM basal medium - DPU 1,3-diphenylurea - GA₃ gibberellie acid - 2iP isopentenyladenine - MSM multiple shoot medium - NAA 1-naphthaleneacetic acid - PGR plant growth regulator - TDZ thidiazuron - Z zeatin