A new role for PGRP-S (Tag7) in immune defense: lymphocyte migration is induced by a chemoattractant complex of Tag7 with Mts1

PGRP-S (Tag7) is an innate immunity protein involved in the antimicrobial defense systems, both in insects and in mammals. We have previously shown that Tag7 specifically interacts with several proteins, including Hsp70 and the calcium binding protein S100A4 (Mts1), providing a number of novel cellular functions. Here we show that Tag7–Mts1 complex causes chemotactic migration of lymphocytes, with NK cells being a preferred target. Cells of either innate immunity (neutrophils and monocytes) or acquired immunity (CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ lymphocytes) can produce this complex, which confirms the close connection between components of the 2 branches of immune response.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas aeruginosa</Emphasis> inhibits <Emphasis Type="Italic">in-vitro Candida</Emphasis> biofilm development

Background  

Elucidation of the communal behavior of microbes in mixed species biofilms may have a major impact on understanding infectious diseases and for the therapeutics. Although, the structure and the properties of monospecies biofilms and their role in disease have been extensively studied during the last decade, the interactions within mixed biofilms consisting of bacteria and fungi such as Candida spp. have not been illustrated in depth. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the interspecies interactions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and six different species of Candida comprising C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, and C. dubliniensis in dual species biofilm development.     

Molecular determinants of caste differentiation in the highly eusocial honeybee <Emphasis Type="Italic">Apis mellifera</Emphasis>

Background  

In honeybees, differential feeding of female larvae promotes the occurrence of two different phenotypes, a queen and a worker, from identical genotypes, through incremental alterations, which affect general growth, and character state alterations that result in the presence or absence of specific structures. Although previous studies revealed a link between incremental alterations and differential expression of physiometabolic genes, the molecular changes accompanying character state alterations remain unknown.     

Mitochondrial haplotype diversity in the tortoise species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Testudo graeca</Emphasis> from North Africa and the Middle East

Background  

To help conservation programs of the endangered spur-thighed tortoise and to gain better insight into its systematics, genetic variation and evolution in the tortoise species Testudo graeca (Testudines: Testudinidae) was investigated by sequence analysis of a 394-nucleotide fragment of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene for 158 tortoise specimens belonging to the subspecies Testudo graeca graeca, Testudo graeca ibera, Testudo graeca terrestris, and a newly recognized subspecies Testudo graeca whitei. A 411-nucleotide fragment of the mitochondrial D-loop was additionally sequenced for a subset of 22 T. graeca, chosen because of their 12S gene haplotype and/or geographical origin.     

Description of Hemicaloosia graminis n. sp. (Nematoda: Caloosiidae) Associated with Turfgrasses in North and South Carolina,USA

A new nematode species was discovered during a diversity survey of plant-parasitic nematodes on turfgrass conducted in North and South Carolina in 2010 and 2011. It is described herein as Hemicaloosia graminis n. sp. and is characterized by two annuli in the lip region, one lateral line, body 610.0–805.0 μm long, stylet 65.0–74.6 μm long, vulva at 84.1% –85.8% of the body , 254–283 annuli, vulva at the 38–53^rd annulus from tail terminus, 12–14 annuli between vulva and anus, tail elongate-pointed, 67.5–84.8 μm long in females and spicule straight, 31.0 μm long, caudal alae well developed, two lateral lines in males. The newly described species is morphologically closest to H. paradoxa, but has a longer stylet (65.0–74.6 vs 61.0–65.0 μm) and a higher V-value (84.1–85.8 vs 78.1–84.0%), less RV (38–53 vs 50–56), higher RVan (12–14 vs 10) in females, and a shorter tail (30.1 vs 36.7 μm) and more anteriorly located excretory pore (105.9 vs 140.0 μm) in the male. It was easily differentiated from other species based on near-full-length small subunit rRNA gene (SSU) and ITS1 sequences. Phylogenetic analysis from SSU supports placement in a monophyletic clade with the genus Caloosia. An identification key and a table of distinguishing characteristics are presented for all seven species of Hemicaloosia.     

A network-based approach to identify substrate classes of bacterial glycosyltransferases

Background

Bacterial interactions with the environment- and/or host largely depend on the bacterial glycome. The specificities of a bacterial glycome are largely determined by glycosyltransferases (GTs), the enzymes involved in transferring sugar moieties from an activated donor to a specific substrate. Of these GTs their coding regions, but mainly also their substrate specificity are still largely unannotated as most sequence-based annotation flows suffer from the lack of characterized sequence motifs that can aid in the prediction of the substrate specificity.

Results

In this work, we developed an analysis flow that uses sequence-based strategies to predict novel GTs, but also exploits a network-based approach to infer the putative substrate classes of these predicted GTs. Our analysis flow was benchmarked with the well-documented GT-repertoire of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 and applied to the probiotic model Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG to expand our insights in the glycosylation potential of this bacterium. In L. rhamnosus GG we could predict 48 GTs of which eight were not previously reported. For at least 20 of these GTs a substrate relation was inferred.

Conclusions

We confirmed through experimental validation our prediction of WelI acting upstream of WelE in the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides. We further hypothesize to have identified in L. rhamnosus GG the yet undiscovered genes involved in the biosynthesis of glucose-rich glycans and novel GTs involved in the glycosylation of proteins. Interestingly, we also predict GTs with well-known functions in peptidoglycan synthesis to also play a role in protein glycosylation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-349) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Inhibition of implantation in vitro of frozen-thawed mouse embryos by the signal molecule diadenosine tetraphosphate

The dinucleotide polyphosphate, diadenosine 5', 5'-P(1), P(4)-tetraphosphate (Ap4A), has been identified in mammalian and non-mammalian cells as a signal molecule that initiates the process of DNA replication and cell division. The objective of this study was to determine the function of this messenger molecule in preimplantation mouse embryonic cells. Frozenthawed two-cell mouse embryos were incubated in the presence of 0, 0.1 and 1.0 mM Ap4A at 37 degrees C in moist 5% CO(2) in air mixture for 5 d. The developmental stages of the embryos in terms of hatching and implantation were evaluated. The data showed dose-dependent inhibition of blastocyst implantation; however, there were no differences observed in the number of embryos developing to the blastocyst stage. The results suggest that Ap4A neither promotes nor inhibits the development of early stage embryos except at the implantation stage, where it exerts inhibitory control.     

Diversity and Occurrence of Plant-parasitic Nematodes Associated with Golf Course Turfgrasses in North and South Carolina,USA

One hundred and eleven golf courses from 39 counties in the Carolinas were surveyed for plant-parasitic nematodes. Species diversity within habitats was analyzed with five diversity indices including Diversity index (H’), Evenness (J’), Richness (SR), Dominance (λ) and Diversity (H₂). The results revealed a remarkably high diversity of 24 nematode species belonging to 19 genera and 11 families. Of those, 23 species were found in SC, 19 species in NC, and 18 species were detected in both states. Helicotylenchus dihystera, Mesocriconema xenoplax, Hoplolaimus galeatus, Tylenchorhynchus claytoni, Belonolaimus longicaudatus, Meloidogyne graminis and Paratrichodorus minor were the most prevalent and abundant species in golf course turfgrasses in both states. Twelve species were new records of plant parasitic nematodes in turfgrasses in both NC and SC. The results also revealed effects of different habitats on diversity of nematode species in turfgrass ecosystem. H’ and SR values were higher in SC than in NC. H’, J’ and H₂ values were significantly higher in sandy than in clay soil in NC, but no significant differences between sand and clay soil were detected in SC or in pooled data from both states. There were no significant differences for all indices among the management zones (putting green, fairway and tee) in NC. However, in SC and pooled data, H’, SR and H₂ were significantly higher in putting greens than in fairways and tees. Significant differences from different grass species (bermudagrass, creeping bentgrass and zoysiagrass) were detected only in H’, which was significantly higher in zoysiagrass than in bentgrass or bermudagrass in NC. In pooled data, H’ was significantly higher in zoysiagrass samples than in creeping bentgrass samples but was not significantly different from bermudagrass samples.