Nutrient conservation strategies in native Andean‐Patagonian forests

Abstract. Nutrient conservation in vegetation affects rates of litter decomposition and soil nutrient availability. Although resorption has been traditionally considered one of the most important plant strategies to conserve nutrients in temperate forests, long leaf life‐span and low nutrient requirements have been postulated as better indicators. We aimed at identifying nutrient conservation strategies within characteristic functional groups of NW Patagonian forests on Andisols. We analysed C‐, N‐, P‐, K‐ and lignin‐concentrations in mature and senescent leaves of ten native woody species within the functional groups: broad‐leaved deciduous species, broad‐leaved evergreens and conifers. We also examined mycorrhizal associations in all species. Nutrient concentration in mature leaves and N‐ resorption were higher in broad‐leaved deciduous species than in the other two functional groups. Conifers had low mature leaf nutrient concentrations, low N‐resorption and high lignin/N ratios in senescent leaves. P‐ and K‐resorptions did not differ among functional groups. Broad‐leaved evergreens exhibited a species‐dependent response. Nitrogen in mature leaves was positively correlated with both N resorption and soil N‐fertility. Despite the high P‐retention capacity of Andisols, N appeared to be the more limiting nutrient, with most species being proficient in resorbing N but not P. The presence of endomycorrhizae in all conifers and the broad‐leaved evergreen Maytenus boaria, ectomycorrhizae in all Nothofagus species (four deciduous, one evergreen), and cluster roots in the broad‐leaved evergreen Lomatia hirsuta, would be possibly explaining why P is less limiting than N in these forests.     

MV-mimicking micelles loaded with PEG-serine-ACP nanoparticles to achieve biomimetic intra/extra fibrillar mineralization of collagen in vitro

Since their discovery, matrix vesicles (MVs) containing minerals have received considerable attention for their role in the mineralization of bone, dentin and calcified cartilage. Additionally, MVs' association with collagen fibrils, which serve as the scaffold for calcification in the organic matrix, has been repeatedly highlighted. The primary purpose of the present study was to establish a MVs–mimicking model (PEG-S-ACP/micelle) in vitro for studying the exact mechanism of MVs-mediated extra/intra fibrillar mineralization of collagen in vivo. In this study, high-concentration serine was used to stabilize the amorphous calcium phosphate (S-ACP), which was subsequently mixed with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to form PEG-S-ACP nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were loaded in the polysorbate 80 micelle through a micelle self-assembly process in an aqueous environment. This MVs–mimicking model is referred to as the PEG-S-ACP/micelle model. By adjusting the pH and surface tension of the PEG-S-ACP/micelle, two forms of minerals (crystalline mineral nodules and ACP nanoparticles) were released to achieve the extrafibrillar and intrafibrillar mineralization, respectively. This in vitro mineralization process reproduced the mineral nodules mediating in vivo extrafibrillar mineralization and provided key insights into a possible mechanism of biomineralization by which in vivo intrafibrillar mineralization could be induced by ACP nanoparticles released from MVs. Also, the PEG-S-ACP/micelle model provides a promising methodology to prepare mineralized collagen scaffolds for repairing bone defects in bone tissue engineering.     

Manganese-54 accumulation by Chlorella spp., Daphnia magna and yellow perch (Perca flavescens)

Concentration factor and biological half-life of ⁵⁴Mn were determined in three species representing an ecologically and economically important food chain. Green algae (Chlorella spp.), Daphnia magna and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were exposed to ⁵⁴Mn in water and assayed for ⁵⁴Mn uptake. Steady state concentration factors computed from the laboratory data for algae, Daphnia and perch were 4230, 17 000 and 11, respectively. Respective biological half-lives were 1.6, 1.2 and 8.3 days.     

Microsecond Dynamics During the Binding-induced Folding of an Intrinsically Disordered Protein

Tau is an intrinsically disordered protein implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases. The repeat domain fragment of tau, tau-K18, is known to undergo a disorder to order transition in the presence of lipid micelles and vesicles, in which helices form in each of the repeat domains. Here, the mechanism of helical structure formation, induced by a phospholipid mimetic, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at sub-micellar concentrations, has been studied using multiple biophysical probes. A study of the conformational dynamics of the disordered state, using photoinduced electron transfer coupled to fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (PET-FCS) has indicated the presence of an intermediate state, I, in equilibrium with the unfolded state, U. The cooperative binding of the ligand (L), SDS, to I has been shown to induce the formation of a compact, helical intermediate (IL₅) within the dead time (∼37 µs) of a continuous flow mixer. Quantitative analysis of the PET-FCS data and the ensemble microsecond kinetic data, suggests that the mechanism of induction of helical structure can be described by a U ↔ I ↔ IL₅ ↔ FL₅ mechanism, in which the final helical state, FL₅, forms from IL₅ with a time constant of 50–200 µs. Finally, it has been shown that the helical conformation is an aggregation-competent state that can directly form amyloid fibrils.     

Effects of detergents on catalytic activity of human endometase/matrilysin 2, a putative cancer biomarker

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of hydrolytic enzymes that play significant roles in development, morphogenesis, inflammation, and cancer invasion. Endometase (matrilysin 2 or MMP-26) is a putative early biomarker for human carcinomas. The effects of the ionic and nonionic detergents on catalytic activity of endometase were investigated. The hydrolytic activity of endometase was detergent concentration dependent, exhibiting a bell-shaped curve with its maximum activity near the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of nonionic detergents tested. The effect of Brij-35 on human gelatinase B (MMP-9), matrilysin (MMP-7), and membrane-type 1 MMP (MT1-MMP) was further explored. Their maximum catalysis was observed near the CMC of Brij-35 (∼ 90 μM). Their IC₅₀ values were above the CMC. The inhibition mechanism of MMP-7, MMP-9, and MT1-MMP by Brij-35 was a mixed type as determined by Dixon’s plot; however, the inhibition mechanism of endometase was noncompetitive with a K_i value of 240 μM. The catalytic activities of MMPs are influenced by detergents. Monomer of detergents may activate and stabilize MMPs to enhance catalysis, but micelle of detergents may sequester enzyme and block the substrate binding site to impede catalysis. Under physiological conditions, a lipid or membrane microenvironment may regulate enzymatic activity.     

Assessment of the cryoprotectant concentration inside a bulky organ for cryopreservation using X-ray computed tomography

Cryoprotection of bulky organs is crucial for their storage and for subsequent transplantation. In this work we demonstrate the capability of the X-ray computed tomography (CT) as a non-invasive method to measure the cryoprotectant (cpa) concentration inside a tissue or an organ, specifically for the case of dymethil sulfoxide (Me₂SO). It is remarkable that the use of Me₂SO has been leader in techniques of cells and tissues cryopreservation. Although CT technologies are mainly based in density differences, and many cpas are alcohols with densities similar to water, the use of very low energies as acceleration voltage (∼70 kV) and the sulfur atom in the molecule of Me₂SO makes possible the visualization of this cpa inside tissues. As result we obtain a CT signal proportional to the Me₂SO concentration with a spatial resolution up to 50 μm in the case of our device.     

Quercetin-induced yeast apoptosis through mitochondrial dysfunction under the accumulation of magnesium in Candida albicans

Latterly, the upsurge in use of antifungal drugs has brought about the emergence of several drug-resistance strains, making it skeptical to continue relying on current therapeutic regime. In the necessity of resistance-free antifungal agent, flavonoids presented possibilities of replacing existing drugs, displaying antifungal activity against pathogenic fungi. Among them, quercetin, one of the most representative flavonoids, exhibited antifungal activity against Candida albicans. To inspect the further understanding regarding quercetin, the antifungal mode of action of quercetin was investigated. In the initial step, the apoptosis was monitored after quercetin treatment. Moreover, intracellular levels of Mg²⁺ was assessed and was determined that Mg²⁺ increase occurred under the influence of quercetin. In addition, several features of mitochondrial dysfunction were monitored. Mitochondrial dysfunction triggers decrease in mitochondrial redox levels and leads to disruption in mitochondrial antioxidant system. Increased intracellular ROS and decreased intracellular redox levels were also displayed, indicating the occurrence of overall disruption in antioxidant systems. Sequentially, DNA fragmentation was observed and this DNA damage in turn induces apoptosis. In analyses, hexaamminecobalt(III) chloride (Cohex) was applied to inhibit Mg²⁺ transport between cytosol and mitochondria. Cohex attenuated the effects induced by quercetin, which demonstrates that the presence of Mg²⁺ is essential in quercetin-induced apoptosis.     

Relationship between the concentration of sugars in the roots and VA mycorrhizal infection

Summary The VA-infected wheat varieties showed an increase of total (Lozano var.) and reducing (Lozano and Pane vars.) sugars in their root extracts. However, no clear relationship between sugar concentration in the root and VA mycorrhizal infection level could be established.In addition, the VA mycorrhizal hosts sorghum, alfalfa, sunflower and maize, and non-host radish and cabbage plants were tested for sugar content in their root extracts after fifteen days of growth. Sugars present in the root extracts of these plants did not seem to be a decisive factor in plant susceptibility to VA infection.     

Functional trade-off of hydration strategies in old forest epiphytic cephalolichens

Although water is essential for photosynthetic activation in lichens, rates of vapor uptake and activation in humid air, which likely influence their niche preferences and distribution ranges, are insufficiently known. This study simultaneously quantifies rehydration kinetics and PSII reactivation in sympatric, yet morphologically and functionally distinct cephalolichens (Lobaria amplissima, Lobaria pulmonaria, Lobaria virens). High-temporal resolution monitoring of rehydrating thalli by automatic weighing combined with chlorophyll fluorescence imaging of maximal PSII efficiency (F_V/F_M) was applied to determine species-specific rates of vapor uptake and photosynthetic activation. The thin and loosely attached growth form of L. pulmonaria rehydrates and reactivates faster in humid air than the thick L. amplissima, with L. virens in between. This flexible hydration strategy is consistent with L. pulmonaria’s wide geographical distribution stretching from rainforests to continental forests. By contrast, the thick and resupinate L. amplissima reactivates slowly in humid air but stores much water when provided in abundance. This prolongs active periods after rain, which could represent an advantage where abundant rain and stem flow alternates with long-lasting drying. Understanding links between morphological traits and functional responses, and their ecological implications for species at risk, is crucial to conservation planning and for modelling populations under various climate scenarios.     

Microphytobenthic biomass assessment by pigment analysis: comparison of spectrophotometry and High Performance Liquid Chromatography methods

Samples of microphytobenthos from the Tagus estuary were analysed for photosynthetic pigments by spectrophotometry and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Chlorophyll a values obtained with HPLC and spectrophotometry methods presented a highly significant positive correlation for both spectrophotometric methods used (with and without the correction for pheopigments), but this relationship depended on the type of sediment. We concluded that spectrophotometric methods give reliable Chl-a values, being suited for routine analysis, when a vast number of replicates is needed. However, for the correct estimation of pheopigments, HPLC analysis is indispensable. In the literature, Chl-a estimations are expressed per content (μg g⁻¹) or concentration (mg m⁻²). We discuss the influence of sediment type on the results depending on the type of unit used, and propose a simple conversion factor based on sediment water content.