The environmental fate and behaviour of antifouling paint booster biocides: A review

Antifouling paint booster biocides are a group of organic compounds added to antifouling paints to improve their efficacy. They have become prevalent since the requirement for alternative antifouling paints formulations for small boats (< 25 m). This need followed a ban on the use of triorganotin biocides in antifouling paints for small boats, in the late 1980's. Worldwide, around eighteen compounds are currently used as antifouling biocides, viz. benzmethylamide, chlorothalonil, copper pyrithione, dichlofluanid, diuron, fluorofolpet, Irgarol 1051, Sea‐Nine 211, Mancozeb, Polyphase, pyridine‐triphenyl‐borane, TCMS (2,3,5,6‐tetrachloro‐4‐methylsulfonyl) pyridine, TCMTB [2‐(thiocyanomethylthio)benzothia‐zole], Thiram, tolyfluanid, zinc pyrithione (ZPT), ziram and Zineb. Any booster biocide released into the environment is subjected to a complex set of processes. These processes include transport mechanisms, transformation, degradation, cross media partitioning, and bioaccumulation. This paper reviews the fate and behaviour data currently available in the public domain concerning antifouling paint booster biocides.     

Functional evolution of two subtly different (similar) folds

Background

The function of proteins is a direct consequence of their three-dimensional structure. The structural classification of proteins describes the ways of folding patterns all proteins could adopt. Although, the protein folds were described in many ways the functional properties of individual folds were not studied.

Results

We have analyzed two β-barrel folds generally adopted by small proteins to be looking similar but have different topology. On the basis of the topology they could be divided into two different folds named SH3-fold and OB-fold. There was no sequence homology between any of the proteins considered. The sequence diversity and loop variability was found to be important for various binding functions.

Conclusions

The function of Oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-binding (OB) fold proteins was restricted to either DNA/RNA binding or sugar binding whereas the Src homology 3 (SH3) domain like proteins bind to a variety of ligands through loop modulations. A question was raised whether the evolution of these two folds was through DNA shuffling.     

Novel indolo[2,1-b]quinazoline analogues as cytostatic agents: synthesis,biological evaluation and structure-activity relationship

In our endeavor to design and synthesize novel anticancer agents, a new series of indoloquinazoline compounds were prepared and tested initially for anticancer activity in vitro against a panel of human cancer cell lines. Most of these compounds exhibited cytotoxic activity in in vitro screens. Compounds were selected and further evaluated using a modified Hollow Fiber Assay for their preliminary in vivo activity against 12 cell lines implanted in the subcutaneous and intraperitoneal compartments in mice. The results indicate that these compounds may constitute a new class of anticancer agents.     

Absence of sodA Increases the Levels of Oxidation of Key Metabolic Determinants of Borrelia burgdorferi

Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, alters its gene expression in response to environmental signals unique to its tick vector or vertebrate hosts. B. burgdorferi carries one superoxide dismutase gene (sodA) capable of controlling intracellular superoxide levels. Previously, sodA was shown to be essential for infection of B. burgdorferi in the C3H/HeN model of Lyme disease. We employed two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and immunoblot analysis with antibodies specific to carbonylated proteins to identify targets that were differentially oxidized in the soluble fractions of the sodA mutant compared to its isogenic parental control strain following treatment with an endogenous superoxide generator, methyl viologen (MV, paraquat). HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of oxidized proteins revealed that several proteins of the glycolytic pathway (BB0057, BB0020, BB0348) exhibited increased carbonylation in the sodA mutant treated with MV. Levels of ATP and NAD/NADH were reduced in the sodA mutant compared with the parental strain following treatment with MV and could be attributed to increased levels of oxidation of proteins of the glycolytic pathway. In addition, a chaperone, HtpG (BB0560), and outer surface protein A (OspA, BBA15) were also observed to be oxidized in the sodA mutant. Immunoblot analysis revealed reduced levels of Outer surface protein C (OspC), Decorin binding protein A (DbpA), fibronectin binding protein (BBK32), RpoS and BosR in the sodA mutant compared to the control strains. Viable sodA mutant spirochetes could not be recovered from both gp91/phox ^−⁄− and iNOS deficient mice while borrelial DNA was detected in multiple tissues samples from infected mice at significantly lower levels compared to the parental strain. Taken together, these observations indicate that the increased oxidation of select borrelial determinants and reduced levels of critical pathogenesis-associated lipoproteins contribute to the in vivo deficit of the sodA mutant in the mouse model of Lyme disease. This study, utilizing the sodA mutant, has provided insights into adaptive capabilities critical for survival of B. burgdorferi in its hosts.     

Autopolyploidy differentially influences body size in plants, but facilitates enhanced accumulation of secondary metabolites, causing increased cytosine methylation

Whole genome duplication leads to autopolyploidy and brings about an increase in cell size, concentration of secondary metabolites and enhanced cytosine methylation. The increased cell size offers a positive advantage to polyploids for cell-surface-related activities, but there is a differential response to change in body size across species and taxonomic groups. Although polyploidy has been very extensively studied, having genetic, ecological and evolutionary implications, there is no report that underscores the significance of native secondary metabolites vis-à-vis body size with ploidy change. To address this problem we targeted unique diploid-autotetraploid paired sets of eight diverse clones of six species of Cymbopogon- a species complex of aromatic grasses that accumulate qualitatively different monoterpene essential oils (secondary metabolite) in their vegetative biomass. Based on the qualitative composition of essential oils and the plant body size relationship between the diploid versus autotetraploid paired sets, we show that polyploidy brings about enhanced accumulation of secondary metabolites in all cases, but exerts differential effects on body size in various species. It is observed that the accumulation of alcohol-type metabolites (e.g. geraniol) does not inhibit increase in body size with ploidy change from 2× to 4× (r = 0.854, P < 0.01), but aldehyde-type metabolites (e.g. citral) appear to drastically impede body development (r = -0.895). Such a differential response may be correlated to the metabolic steps involved in the synthesis of essential oil components. When changed to tetraploidy, the progenitor diploids requiring longer metabolic steps in production of their secondary metabolites are stressed, and those having shorter metabolite routes better utilize their resources for growth and vigour. In situ immunodetection of 5-methylcytosine sites reveals enhanced DNA methylation in autopolyploids. It is underpinned that the qualitative composition of secondary metabolites found in the vegetative biomass of the progenitor diploid has a decisive bearing on the body size of the derived autotetraploids and brings about an enhancement in genome-wide cytosine methylation.     

Virus isolation and molecular epidemiology of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8) from an outbreak in free-ranging wild birds,India 2016

We report the molecular epidemiology of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus involved in an outbreak causing death in free-ranging wild birds at Mysore, Karnataka state of India. The virus was typed as HPAI A(H5N8) by conventional and TaqMan probe based real-time PCR assays. Six isolates of HPAI virus were recovered in 9-day-old embryonated chicken eggs. Haemagglutinin gene-based phylogeny of virus isolates showed >?99.9% nucleotide sequence identity with HPAI A(H5N8) isolates from migratory birds and domestic poultry from China and Korea indicating either these wild birds have routed their migration through Korea and/or eastern China or these dead birds must have directly or indirectly contacted with wild birds migrating from Eastern China and/or Korean regions. The study emphasises the role of migratory wild birds in spread of HPAI across the globe.     

Position-dependent attenuation by Kv1.6 of N-type inactivation of Kv1.4-containing channels

Assembly of distinct α subunits of Kv1 (voltage-gated K(+) channels) into tetramers underlies the diversity of their outward currents in neurons. Kv1.4-containing channels normally exhibit N-type rapid inactivation, mediated through an NIB (N-terminal inactivation ball); this can be over-ridden if associated with a Kv1.6 α subunit, via its NIP (N-type inactivation prevention) domain. Herein, NIP function was shown to require positioning of Kv1.6 adjacent to the Kv1.4 subunit. Using a recently devised gene concatenation, heterotetrameric Kv1 channels were expressed as single-chain proteins on the plasmalemma of HEK (human embryonic kidney)-293 cells, so their constituents could be arranged in different positions. Placing the Kv1.4 and 1.6 genes together, followed by two copies of Kv1.2, yielded a K(+) current devoid of fast inactivation. Mutation of critical glutamates within the NIP endowed rapid inactivation. Moreover, separating Kv1.4 and 1.6 with a copy of Kv1.2 gave a fast-inactivating K(+) current with steady-state inactivation shifted to more negative potentials and exhibiting slower recovery, correlating with similar inactivation kinetics seen for Kv1.4-(1.2)(3). Alternatively, separating Kv1.4 and 1.6 with two copies of Kv1.2 yielded slow-inactivating currents, because in this concatamer Kv1.4 and 1.6 should be together. These findings also confirm that the gene concatenation can generate K(+) channels with α subunits in pre-determined positions.     

Antibodies Are Generated during Infection to Coxiella burnetii Macrophage Infectivity Potentiator Protein (Cb-Mip)

Antisera from rabbits immunized with formalin inactivated Coxiella burnetii isolates associated with either acute (Nine Mile, phase I or phase II) or chronic (Priscilla) Q fever showed reactivity to a C. burnetii macrophage infectivity potentiator protein (Cb-Mip) cloned in Escherichia coli. Further, antisera generated in BALB/c mice after infection with live Nine Mile phase I or Priscilla isolates also showed reactivity to Cb-Mip by immunoblot analysis. In addition, human serum from an individual with previous serological and clinical evidence of Q fever showed reactivity to Cb-Mip. This study indicates that Cb-Mip is immunogenic in both experimental and natural infections, and is the first report on the presence of antibodies to Mip/Mip-like proteins of intracellular bacteria in human sera. Cb-Mip may serve as a potential target antigen for developing recombinant vaccines or diagnostic assays for Q fever.     

Isolates of Arthrobacter from the soils of Schirmacher Oasis,Antarctica

Summary Thirteen isolates of bacteria from the soils of Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica have been identified as members of the genus Arthrobacter. All the isolates exhibited a rod-coccus cycle during growth; were gram positive, catalase positive, non-motile and non-fermentative; did not form endospores; and contained MK-8 (H₂) as the major menaquinone. The mole %G + C in DNA of the isolates ranged from 58% to 72%. Based on their morphology, physiology, nutritional requirements, biochemical characteristics, and mole %G + C of their DNA, the isolates were identified as A. globiformis, A. pascens and A. protophormiae. However, unlike the mesophilic isolates the Antarctic Arthrobacter could be considered to be unique as they were psychrotrophic, contained glucose and lysine in the cell wall, and did not hydrolyze starch.