Autumn Retranslocation of Heavy Metals from Leaves of Woody Plants in Forest Ecosystems

Biology Bulletin - This paper examines the autumn retranslocation of heavy metals (HMs), namely Cu, Zn, and Cd, from the photosynthetic organs of woody plants. This study was carried out in the...     

The role of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases P85/P110 and hVPS34 in endocytosis of EGF-receptor complexes

The previous data (Zheleznova et al., 2001) did not enable the authors to conclude which particular wortmannin sensitive PI-3-kinase--p85/p110 (I class PI-3-K) or hVPS34 (III class PI-3-K)--may be involved in the regulation of EGF-receptor endocytosis. In the present work, we have shown that upon stimulation of EGF-receptor endocytosis additional structures stained with antibody against p85 appear in A431 cells, but the p85-positive compartment never co-localized with EGF-receptor-containing compartments either in control or in wortmannin-treated cells. At the same time, wortmannin treatment prevented association of hVPS34 with endosomal membranes. We have also found that early endosomal markers--Rab5 and EEA1 (membrane association of the latter depends on Rab5 and hVPS34)--co-localized with EGF-receptor in the juxtranuclear region during late stages of endocytosis, both in control and upon wortmannin treatment. These observations favor our suggestions that the transition of EGF-receptors from early to late endosomes may occur directly in this juxtranuclear region and be tightly associated with the formation of so called multivesicular bodies (MVB), which are late endosomes per se. We suggest that wortmannin may have no effect on early EEA1-dependent stage of the receptor endocytosis but blocks a transition of EGF-receptor complexes into the late endosomes by inhibiting activity of hVPS34 and removing it from membranes. The hVPS34 product PI-3-K, according to the known data, is involved in the formation of internal vesicles of MVB. Accumulation of EGF-receptors in these vesicles is believed to be necessary for the receptor degradation.     

Peroxisomal targeting signal-1 receptor protein PEX5 from Leishmania donovani. Molecular, biochemical, and immunocytochemical characterization

The human pathogens of the Leishmania and Trypanosoma genera compartmentalize glycolytic and other key metabolic pathways in unique subcellular microbodies called glycosomes, organelles related to the peroxisomes of mammals and yeast. The molecular machinery that carries out the specific targeting of glycosomal proteins to the organelle has not been characterized, although the bulk of glycosomal proteins contain the COOH-terminal tripeptide glycosomal peroxisomal targeting signal-1 (PTS-1) similar to the mammalian and fungal peroxisomal targeting signal. To characterize the mechanisms of glycosomal targeting, the gene encoding PEX5, designated LdPEX5, has been isolated from Leishmania donovani. LdPEX5 encodes a 625-amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 69.7 kDa. Like its homologs in yeast and humans, LdPEX5 predicts a protein with seven copies of a tetratricopeptide repeat in its COOH-terminal half proposed to mediate PTS-1 binding and three copies of a WXXX(Y/F) motif in its NH(2) terminus conjectured to be essential for protein translocation into the organelle. LdPEX5 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity for binding experiments and generation of antibodies. Recombinant LdPEX5 bound xanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (XPRT), a PTS-1 containing glycosomal protein with a K(D) of 4.2 nm, but did not bind an XPRT in which the PTS-1 had been deleted. Moreover, binding studies with the COOH-terminal half of the LdPEX5 confirmed that this portion of the PEX5 protein was capable of binding the XPRT PTS-1 with an affinity of 17.3 nm. Confocal microsocopy revealed that LdPEX5 was predominantly in the cytosolic milieu, and genetic analysis implied that LdPEX5 was an essential gene.     

Nuclear gene trees and the phylogenetic relationships of the mangabeys (Primates: Papionini)

Phylogenetic relationships of mangabeys within the Old World monkey tribe Papionini are inferred from analyses of nuclear DNA sequences from five unlinked loci. The following conclusions are strongly supported, based on congruence among trees derived for the five separate gene regions: (1) mangabeys are polyphyletic within the Papionini; (2) Cercocebus is the sister taxon to the genus Mandrillus; and (3) Lophocebus belongs to a clade with Papio and Theropithecus, with Papio as its most likely sister taxon. Morphologically based phylogenies positing mangabey monophyly were evaluated by mapping the sequences for each locus on these trees. The data seem to fit these trees poorly in both maximum-parsimony and likelihood analyses. Incongruence among nuclear gene trees occurred in the interrelationships among Lophocebus, Papio, and Theropithecus. Several factors that may account for this incongruence are discussed, including sampling error, random lineage sorting, and introgression.      

Detoxification of ochratoxin A,a food contaminant: Prevention of growth of Aspergillus ochraceus and its production of ochratoxin A

The toxicity of ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin produced by fungi ofAspergillus orPenicillium genera is now well documented. Its nephrotoxicity, immunosuppression, teratogenicity, and carcinogenicity have been widely studied. Physical and biochemical methods have been studied to prevent these toxinogenicAspergillus andPenicillium from producing OTA, and/or to destroy the mycotoxin when already produced in a liquid or a solid medium. Repeated freezing at ? 20?C and thawing at + 26?C aleatory reduce OTA production in a liquid medium. Exposure to UV B for different periods of time is efficient in preventing OTA production in a liquid medium. Gamma-irradiation from 2 to 5 kGy gives good results in preventing the production of OTA or destroying it when already produced. Carboxypeptidase is very efficient at 5 units/50 ml in a liquid medium for cleaving the OTA already produced.     

The role of fish-poultry integration on fish growth performance,yields and economic benefits among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa,Tanzania

Aquaculture practices from sub-Saharan Africa are characterised by low production, owing to improper technology. Production can be increased through integrating fish farming with other existing on-farm activities, particularly livestock husbandry. We assessed the role of fish-poultry integration on all male Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus growth performance, yields and economic benefits among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania. The study also compared phytoplankton species composition, abundance and biomass between the fish-poultry integration and non-integrated system. After 180 days of the experiment, all male O. niloticus cultured under fish-poultry integration exhibited significantly higher growth rates than those in the non-integrated system (p < 0.05). Gross fish yield (GFY), net fish yield (NFY) and net annual yields (NAY) obtained from fish-poultry integration were significantly higher than those from non-integrated system (p < 0.05). Partial enterprise budget analysis revealed that fish-poultry integration was more profitable than the non-integrated system. Moreover, fish-poultry integrated system produced significantly higher phytoplankton abundance and biomass than those from the non-integrated system. Results demonstrate that rural smallholder farmers can achieve higher growth rate, farm net yields and income by integrating all male O. niloticus with other on-farm activities than practising a stand-alone fish culture system.     

EGF and its related growth factors mediate sodium transport in mpkCCDc14 cells via ErbB2 (neu/HER‐2) receptor

Amiloride‐sensitive sodium entry, via the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), is the rate‐limiting step for Na⁺ absorption. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is involved in the regulation of Na⁺ transport and ENaC activity. However it is still controversial exactly how EGF regulates ENaC and Na⁺ absorption. The aim of the present study was to characterize the EGF regulation of Na⁺ transport in cultured mouse renal collecting duct principal mpkCCD_c14 cells, a highly differentiated cell line which retains many characteristics of the cortical collecting duct (CCD). EGF dose dependently regulates basal transepithelial Na⁺ transport in two phases: an acute phase (<4 h) and a chronic phase (>8 h). Similar effects were observed with TGF‐α, HB‐EGF, and amphiregulin which also belong to the EGF‐related peptide growth factor family. Inhibition of MEK1/2 by PD98059 or U0126 increased acute effects and disrupted chronic effects of EGF on Na⁺ reabsorption. Inhibition of PI3‐kinase with LY294002 abolished acute effect of EGF. As assessed by Western blotting, ErbB2 is the most predominant member of the ErbB family detected in mpkCCD_c14 cells. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed localization of ErbB2 in the CCD in Sprague–Dawley rat kidneys. Both acute and long‐term effects of EGF were abolished when cells were treated with tyrphostin AG‐825 and ErbB2 inhibitor II, chemically dissimilar selective inhibitors of the ErbB2 receptor. Thus, we conclude that EGF and its related growth factors are important for maintaining transepithelial Na⁺ transport and that EGF biphasically modulates sodium transport in mpkCCD_c14 cells via the ErbB2 receptor. J. Cell. Physiol. 223: 252–259, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Spatial Organization of the Bird Population in the Middle Taiga of the Western Siberian Plain

Based on long-term route surveys, the bird population is studied in the least ornithologically investigated subzone of western Siberia, in the middle taiga all along its length from the Trans-Ural region to the Yenisei valley and in all types of landscapes. It is established that the species richness of the birds and the population density increase under replacement of dark coniferous species with small-leaved species, the impact of the floodplain regime and eutrophic swamping, and an increase in mosaicism and productivity of biocoenoses. It is noted that a decrease in the number of species and individuals in bird communities is associated with the replacement of dark coniferous small-leaved forests by pine forests or wooded mesotrophic and eutrophic bogs and then upland bogs. It is shown that the frequent trends of impoverishment of bird communities are determined by industrial and residential transformation of landscapes and the transition from land habitats to water ones.     

c-Src inactivation reduces renal epithelial cell-matrix adhesion, proliferation, and cyst formation

c-Src is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase whose activity is induced by phosphorylation at Y418 and translocation from the cytoplasm to the cell membrane. Increased activity of c-Src has been associated with cell proliferation, matrix adhesion, motility, and apoptosis in tumors. Immunohistochemistry suggested that activated (pY(418))-Src activity is increased in cyst-lining autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) epithelial cells in human and mouse ADPKD. Western blot analysis showed that SKI-606 (Wyeth) is a specific inhibitor of pY(418)-Src without demonstrable effects on epidermal growth factor receptor or ErbB2 activity in renal epithelia. In vitro studies on mouse inner medullary collecting duct (mIMCD) cells and human ADPKD cyst-lining epithelial cells showed that SKI-606 inhibited epithelial cell proliferation over a 24-h time frame. In addition, SKI-606 treatment caused a striking statistically significant decrease in adhesion of mIMCD and human ADPKD to extracellular collagen matrix. Retained viability of unattached cells was consistent with a primary effect on epithelial cell anchorage dependence mediated by the loss of extracellular matrix (ECM)-attachment due to α(2)β(1)-integrin function. SKI-606-mediated attenuation of the human ADPKD hyperproliferative and hyper-ECM-adhesive epithelial cell phenotype in vitro was paralleled by retardation of the renal cystic phenotype of Pkd1 orthologous ADPKD heterozygous mice in vivo. This suggests that SKI-606 has dual effects on cystic epithelial cell proliferation and ECM adhesion and may have therapeutic potential for ADPKD patients.