The mitochondrial and nuclear genetic structure of Myotis capaccinii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in the Eurasian transition, and its taxonomic implications

Allopatric isolation in glacial refugia has caused differentiation and speciation in many taxa globally. In this study, we investigated the nuclear and mitochondrial genetic differentiation of the long fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii during the ice ages in south-eastern Europe and Anatolia. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analyses indicated a suture zone similar to those recorded in other animal species, including bats, suggesting the association of more than one refugium with the region. Contrary to most of the other species where a suture zone was seen in Anatolia, for M. capaccinii the geographical location of the genetic break was in south-eastern Europe. This mitochondrial differentiation was not reflected in the nuclear microsatellites, however, suggesting that the lack of contact during the ice ages did not result in reproductive isolation. Hence taxonomically, the two mitochondrial clades cannot be treated as separate species.     

Immunohistochemistry of thyroid hormones as a functional parameter in thyroid pathology

The authors study by means of immunoperoxidase method the pattern of thyroglobulin, triiodothyronine and thyroxine distribution in 58 cases of thyroid disorders: 15 euthyroid goiters, 10 Graves' disease, 7 Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 11 folliculo-papillary carcinomas (6 primary tumors and 5 lymph node metastases), 8 follicular carcinomas, 4 anaplastic carcinomas and 3 medullary carcinomas. Thyroglobulin, triiodothyronine and thyroxine were present in most of the thyroid disorders, excepting anaplastic and medullary carcinomas. Thyroglobulin and thyroxine were localized both in the follicular epithelium and in the colloid, whereas triiodothyronine was present especially in the follicular cells. The thyroid hormones distribution in benign lesions is rather similar. In carcinomas, the pattern of thyroglobulin, triiodothyronine and thyroxine is more heterogeneous, but generally the triiodothyronine distribution is similar to that of thyroglobulin. In some carcinomas, triiodothyronine and thyroxine showed a weak or negative immunostaining. The immunoperoxidase method is a valuable tool in the study of functional disturbances in the thyroid pathology and in the diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma metastases as well. Positive thyroid hormones staining clearly indicates the thyroid origin of metastases.     

Characteristics of the neuronal reaction of the substantia nigra to nociceptive stimulation

The nature of neurone response of substance nigra (SN) to nociceptive stimulation of the cat's peroneal nerve has been studied. The recording of neurone SN firing rate revealed that the majority (71.0%) of the SN neurones responded to the nociceptive repetitive stimulation of the peroneal nerve. But the thresholds of nociceptive activation in SN neurones turned to be very high. As a result of it the number of SN neurones responding to repetitive peroneal stimulation was twice as many as the number of cells responding to single stimulation of the nerve. The intravenous injection of naloxone in dose 1.0 mg/kg changed both excitatory and inhibitory responses in majority (71.4%) of SN neurones responding to repetitive peroneal stimulation. Naloxone did not modify the firing rate of neurones nonresponsive to nociception.     

Flavonoids from Rhamnus pallasii

A new dihydroflavonol, pallasiin, together with kaempferol, quercetin, isorhamnetin, mearnsetin, aromadendrin, eriodictyol and taxifolin, has been isolated from the bark of Rhamnus pallasii and its structure elucidated as 2,3-dihydromyricetin 4′-O-methyl ether.     

Ringworm in rabbit due to Trichophyton quinckeanum

Summary Trichophyton quinckeanum was isolated from a spontaneous infection in rabbit. The hairs were also invaded by the fungus, exibiting a yellowish fluorescence in Wood's light. White mice inoculation of the isolate produced typical scutula with hair penetration fluorescing in green colour. The type of animal hair invasion is also discussed. The morphologic features ofTr. quinckeanum, together with its ability of producing scutula while inoculating the white mice, must be emphasized, when proving its separate identity.     

Comparative bioinformatics analysis and abiotic stress responses of expansin proteins in Cucurbitaceae members: watermelon and melon

Protoplasma - Watermelon and melon are members of the Cucurbitaceae family including economically significant crops in the world. The expansin protein family, which is one of the members of the...     

Effect of Axial Ligand Length on Biological and Anticancer Properties of Axially Disubstituted Silicon Phthalocyanines

In this study, three new axially disubstituted silicon phthalocyanines ( SiPc1–3 ) and their quaternized phthalocyanine derivatives ( QSiPc1–3 ) were prepared and characterized. The biological properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and microbial cell viability activities) of the water-soluble silicon phthalocyanines were examined, as well. A 1 % DMSO diluted with pure water was used as a solvent in biological activity studies. All the compounds exhibited high antioxidant activity. They displayed efficient antimicrobial and antimicrobial photodynamic therapeutic properties against various microorganisms, especially Gram (+) bacteria. Additionally, they demonstrated high antibiofilm activities against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. In addition, 100 % bacterial reduction was obtained for all the studied phthalocyanines against E. coli viable cells. Besides, the DNA cleavage and binding features of compounds ( QSiPc1–3 ) were studied using pBR322 DNA and CT-DNA, respectively. Furthermore, the human topoisomerase I enzyme inhibition activities of compounds QSiPc1 – 3 were studied. Anticancer properties of the water-soluble compounds were investigated using cell proliferation MTT assay. They exhibited anticarcinogenic activity against the human colon cancer cell line (DLD-1). Compounds QSiPc1 and QSiPc3 displayed a high anticarcinogenic effect on the DLD-1 cell line. The obtained results indicated that all the studied compounds may be effective biological agents and anticancer drugs after further investigations.     

Constitutive mutations of Agrobacterium tumefaciens transcriptional activator virG.

The virulence (vir) genes of Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmids are positively regulated by virG in conjunction with virA and plant-derived inducing molecules. A procedure that utilizes both genetic selection and a genetic screen was developed to isolate mutations in virG that led to elevated levels of vir gene expression in the absence of virA and plant phenolic inducers. Mutants were isolated at a frequency of 1 in 10(7) to 10(8). Substitution mutations at two positions in the virG coding region were found to result in the desired phenotype. One mutant had an asparagine-to-aspartic acid substitution at residue 54, and the other contained an isoleucine-to-leucine substitution at residue 106. In both cases, the mutant phenotype required the presence of the active-site aspartic acid residue at position 52. Further analysis showed that no other substitution at residue 54 resulted in a constitutive phenotype. In contrast, several substitutions at residue 106 led to a constitutive phenotype. The possible roles of the residues at positions 54 and 106 in VirG function are discussed.     

Cloning, sequencing, and overexpression of a [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin gene from Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli contains a soluble, [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin of unknown function (Knoell, H.-E., and Knappe, J. (1974) Eur. J. Biochem. 50, 245-252). Using antiserum to the purified protein to screen E. coli genomic expression libraries, we have cloned a gene (designated fdx) encoding this protein. The DNA sequence of the gene predicts a polypeptide of 110 residues after removal of the initiator methionine (polypeptide M(r) = 12,186, holoprotein M(r) = 12,358). The deduced amino acid sequence is strikingly similar to those of the ferredoxins found in animal mitochondria which function with cytochrome P450 enzymes and to the ferredoxin from Pseudomonas putida which functions with P450cam. The overall sequence identity is approximately 36% when compared with human mitochondrial and P. putida ferredoxins, and the identities include 4 cysteine residues proposed to coordinate the iron cluster. The protein was overproduced approximately 500-fold using an expression plasmid, and the holoprotein was assembled and accumulated in amounts exceeding 30% of the total cell protein. The overexpressed ferredoxin exhibits absorption, circular dichroism, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra closely resembling those of the animal ferredoxins and P. putida ferredoxin.