Coordination of meiotic recombination, pairing, and synapsis by PHS1

Pairing, synapsis, and recombination are prerequisites for accurate chromosome segregation in meiosis. The phs1 gene in maize is required for pairing to occur between homologous chromosomes. In the phs1 mutant, homologous chromosome synapsis is completely replaced by synapsis between nonhomologous partners. The phs1 gene is also required for installation of the meiotic recombination machinery on chromosomes, as the mutant almost completely lacks chromosomal foci of the recombination protein RAD51. Thus, in the phs1 mutant, synapsis is uncoupled from recombination and pairing. The protein encoded by the phs1 gene likely acts in a multistep process to coordinate pairing, recombination, and synapsis.     

Chemical contamination in upper horizon of Haplic Chernozem as a transformation factor of its physicochemical properties

Purpose

The effect of Cu, Zn, and Pb high rates on the physical properties and organic matter of Haplic Chernozem (Clayic) (A1 horizon 0–20 cm) under model experimental conditions was studied.

Materials and methods

In a model experiment, soil samples of Haplic Chernozem (Clayic) were artificially contaminated with 2000 mg/kg of Cu, Zn, and Pb acetates added separately. The particle-size fraction, the microaggregates distribution, the structural status, the total content and fractional and group composition of organic matter, physico-mechanical properties were determined in soil without metals and soil contaminated with metals.

Results and discussion

At the soil contamination with Cu, Zn, and Pb, the content of organo-mineral colloids increased, which results to the increasing of the clay fraction content by 4.5% compared to the control. The analysis of the microaggregate size composition of the studied soil shows that the content of coarser aggregates (1–0.25 mm) increases and the content of finer (0.05–0.001 mm) aggregates decreases after the addition of HMs and correspond to the HMs series: Cu → Zn → Pb. A significant decrease in the coefficient of water stability in the control from 3.0 to 1.4–1.5 in the contaminated treatments. The structural status (estimated from total agronomically valuable aggregates) changes from excellent to good. The addition of Cu, Zn, and Pb to the soil affects the quantitative composition of organic matter. The contents of free and sesquioxide-bound humic acids and free fulvic acids increased. The contamination with Zn and Pb causes the aliphatization of organic matter.

Conclusions

Under conditions of model experiment, the contamination of Haplic Chernozem (Clayic) with high rates of Cu, Zn, and Pb leads to changes of the microaggregates distribution, the structural status, and the qualitative composition of organic matter.

     

Contribution of soil bacteria isolated from different regions into crude oil and oil product degradation

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Crude oil and oil products are the most widespread environmental pollutants. The most efficient bioremediation is performed by using specific oil-degrading strains....     

Marine Compounds with Therapeutic Potential in Gram-Negative Sepsis

This paper concerns the potential use of compounds, including lipid A, chitosan, and carrageenan, from marine sources as agents for treating endotoxemic complications from Gram-negative infections, such as sepsis and endotoxic shock. Lipid A, which can be isolated from various species of marine bacteria, is a potential antagonist of bacterial endotoxins (lipopolysaccharide (LPSs)). Chitosan is a widespread marine polysaccharide that is derived from chitin, the major component of crustacean shells. The potential of chitosan as an LPS-binding and endotoxin-neutralizing agent is also examined in this paper, including a discussion on the generation of hydrophobic chitosan derivatives to increase the binding affinity of chitosan to LPS. In addition, the ability of carrageenan, which is the polysaccharide of red alga, to decrease the toxicity of LPS is discussed. We also review data obtained using animal models that demonstrate the potency of carrageenan and chitosan as antiendotoxin agents.     

The genome of the African trypanosome Trypanosoma brucei

African trypanosomes cause human sleeping sickness and livestock trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. We present the sequence and analysis of the 11 megabase-sized chromosomes of Trypanosoma brucei. The 26-megabase genome contains 9068 predicted genes, including approximately 900 pseudogenes and approximately 1700 T. brucei-specific genes. Large subtelomeric arrays contain an archive of 806 variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) genes used by the parasite to evade the mammalian immune system. Most VSG genes are pseudogenes, which may be used to generate expressed mosaic genes by ectopic recombination. Comparisons of the cytoskeleton and endocytic trafficking systems with those of humans and other eukaryotic organisms reveal major differences. A comparison of metabolic pathways encoded by the genomes of T. brucei, T. cruzi, and Leishmania major reveals the least overall metabolic capability in T. brucei and the greatest in L. major. Horizontal transfer of genes of bacterial origin has contributed to some of the metabolic differences in these parasites, and a number of novel potential drug targets have been identified.     

The future of the village in a restructured food and agricultural sector in the former Soviet Union

Personal observations and survey data are used to examine the future of the village in a restructured food and agricultural sector in the former Soviet Union. Specific comparisons are made between the subjective quality of life of residents in two villages in the former Soviet Union (one in southern Russia and one in eastern Ukraine) and two villages in northwest Missouri. Residents of the Russian and Ukrainian villages have substantially lower assessments of specific domains of their lives than do American villagers. Respondents in the Russian and Ukrainian sample express an interest in some aspects of privatization of services and consumer goods but, by and large, exhibit little interest in replacing the collective farms with household-level private farming. Historical factors, different incentive structures, and the possibilities for different institutional arrangements are discussed.     

Effect of seawater concentration on the productivity and nutritional value of annual Salicornia and perennial Sarcocornia halophytes as leafy vegetable crops

The halophyte Salicornia was recently introduced as a fresh vegetable crop that thrives in extreme salt conditions. Two annual Salicornia and two perennial Sarcocornia ecotypes were investigated for yield production and nutritional value in response to different seawater concentrations in the irrigation solution. A harvest schedule based on a three-week cycle gave better productivity than a two-week or a four-week cycle. Total yield declined with increasing percentage of seawater above 50% in the irrigation water, however annual plants had always ca 2–3-fold higher fresh biomass in comparison to their perennial counterparts. Increased percentages of seawater in the irrigation solution had the following effects on ion concentrations in the shoots: no change in Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, a slight increase in K⁺, and marked elevations in Na⁺ and Cl⁻. Importantly, total polyphenol, β-carotene and ureides, all known for their antioxidant capacities, rose with increasing seawater percentage, findings that indicated improved nutritional values for Salicornia and Sarcocornia irrigated with high concentrations of seawater. Impressively, both the annual Salicornia and the perennial Sarcocornia ecotypes exhibited high total shoot lipid contents of up to 2.41 and 2.06 mg g⁻¹ fresh weight, respectively, which included an omega-3 fraction of 47.6 and 41.2% of the total fatty acid content. Moreover, the high fatty acid content of the annual Salicornia ecotype was not significantly affected by increasing seawater concentrations. In this study, we thus demonstrated the feasibility of cultivating Salicornia and Sarcocornia by applying a multiple harvest system and 100% percentages of seawater in the irrigation water generating economic yields with high nutritional value. The findings also showed that Salicornia and Sarcocornia leafy vegetables may attract additional interest as an alternative source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for human consumption, even when the crop irrigated solely with seawater.     

Selective growth of metal tips onto semiconductor quantum rods and tetrapods

We show the anisotropic selective growth of gold tips onto semiconductor (cadmium selenide) nanorods and tetrapods by a simple reaction. The size of the gold tips can be controlled by the concentration of the starting materials. The new nanostructures display modified optical properties caused by the strong coupling between the gold and semiconductor parts. The gold tips show increased conductivity as well as selective chemical affinity for forming self-assembled chains of rods. Such gold-tipped nanostructures provide natural contact points for self-assembly and for electrical devices and can solve the difficult problem of contacting colloidal nanorods and tetrapods to the external world.     

Influence of PAH contamination on soil ecological status

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the responses of soil biological parameters as indicator of ecological status on PAH-contaminated soil.

Materials and methods

Studies are conducted on the soils and natural grassy vegetation of monitoring plots subjected to Novocherkassk power station (NPS) emissions. Monitoring plots were established at different distances from the NPS (1.0–20.0 km).

Results and discussion

The level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) around NPS is the highest at the monitoring plot located at distance 1.6 km to the northwest through the prevailing wind direction. Gradually, decrease of PAHs was observed while increasing the distance from the NPS through the prevailing wind direction. Calculation of correlations between PAH level and biological activity parameters of soils showed lack of dependence with total and every PAH content in all 12 studied monitoring plots. The most significant correlations were found between PAH content and enzyme activity in the monitoring plots situated through the prevailing wind direction from NPS.

Conclusions

The main pollution source in the studied area is NPS. It was found that contamination of soil by PAHs has a direct dependence on the activity of all biological communities in chernozems, as well as the activities of dehydrogenase and the phytotoxicity of soils. Inverse correlations have been revealed between the PAH contamination and abundance of soil bacteria.