Unsaturated vitamin b(12) binding capacity in human and ruminant blood serum - a comparison of techniques including a new technique by high performance liquid chromatography

A new technique by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC-gel permeation) shows promise as a tool to separate and quantitate the Unsaturated Vitamin B(12) Binding Capacity (UBSC) of the individual Vitamin B(12) binders in blood serum. This method, although not as rapid as protein-coated charcoal or cellulose separation techniques, is more applicable for use with large numbers of samples than gel filtration. The use of a radioactivity detector to monitor the eluant from the column permitted automation of the method. Comparable results for UBBC and for the UBBC of individual binders were obtained when samples were analyzed by gel filtration and HPLC. The HPLC method proved suitably precise and the recovery of added cyanocobalamin was acceptable. It is proposed that HPLC be the method of choice for measurement of the USBC of binders of Vitamin B(12) in blood serum.     

Identification of blackeye cowpea mosaic virus from germplasm of yard-long bean and from soybean,and the relationships between blackeye cowpea mosaic virus and cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus

Two potyvirus isolates, one from germplasm of yard-long bean (Vigna unguiculata ssp.sesquipedalis) introduced into the Netherlands, and another one from soybean plants (Glycine max) in Indonesia, were compared with two virus isolates of blackeye cowpea mosaic virus (BICMV) from the USA and a Moroccan isolate of cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CAMV). It is proposed that all five isolates be now considered BICMV on the basis of host ranges, symptoms and serology. From our results, and a reassessment of the literature it is suggested to drop the name CAMV in favour of BICMV.Samenvatting Twee potyvirussen, de een in Nederland ingevoerd met genenmateriaal vanVigna unguiculata ssp.sesquipedalis en de ander uit planten van sojaboon (Glycine max) in Indonesië, werden vergeleken met twee isolaten van blackeye cowpea mosiac virus (BICMV) en een Marokkaans isolaat van cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CAMV). Op grond van waardplantenreeksen, symptomen en serologie stellen de auteurs voor om alle vijf isolaten te beschouwen als BICMV. Gebaseerd op de verkregen resultaten en een kritische beschouwing van de literatuur wordt de aanbeveling gedaan om de naam CAMV te laten vallen ten gunste van BICMV.     

Transmission of the agent causing a melon yellowing disease by the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum in southeast Spain

The agent causing a yellowing disease of melon (Cucumis melo), which results in severe losses in crops under plastic on the coastal plains of southeast Spain, was shown to be transmitted in a semipersistent manner by the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood). The agent was transmitted by grafting, but not by mechanical inoculation or through seeds. The agent was acquired in the minimum period tested (2 h) and could infect plants in an infection feeding interval of 6 h. Capsella bursa-pastoris, Cucumis melo, C. sativus, Cucurbita moschata, Cichorium endivia, Lactuca sativa andTaraxacum officinale were found susceptible.Results suggest that the yellowing disease affecting melon crops in the southeast of Spain is due to a pathogen similar to beet pseudo yellows virus, but this has to be confirmed by serology.     

家蚕质型多角体病毒苏州核包涵体小种的纯化

从BmCPV_t内发现和分离出一株新的核包涵体小种,初步命名为家蚕质型多角体病毒—苏州核包涵体小种(Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Virus——Suzhou nuclear polyhedra forming strain,简称CPV——Suzhou N strain),家蚕感梁CPV——Suzhou N Strain引起的多角体病,与国内外已知的CPV各变异株不同。本病蚕的多角体只在中肠组织圆筒形细胞核内检出,多角体内有许多病毒粒子,病毒粒子球状,具有核蛋白紫外吸收特征性光谱和较强的感染活性,病毒核酸初步鉴定为dsRNA。     

Comparative studies of strains of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus isolated from latently infected calves

Three strains (479 C, 778 TL, 982 LE) of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus isolated from latently infected calves were compared with the prototype strain of IBR virus (LA strain) in studies which included restriction endonuclease analysis, experimental infection, and reciprocal cross protection tests in cattle. From the restriction endonuclease analysis it appeared that the 3 "latent" viruses were derived from the same isolate, and that it differed slightly from the LA strain. However, latency does not seem to have affected the pathogenicity or the immunogenicity of the virus. This is demonstrated by the identical clinical and virologic response of calves subjected to experimental infection with the various strains under study, and by the finding that when the LA strain and a "latent" strain (982 LE) were tested in cross protection tests in cattle, they proved to be mutually protective.     

Biochemical properties of the pathogenesis-related proteins from tobacco

This review describes the discovery and identification of the pathogenesis-related proteins (PRs) from tobacco. In crude leaf extracts the PRs are distinguished from the proteins in uninfected plants by their solubility at pH 3, resistance to a range of proteases, and mobility in polyacrylamide gels upon electrophoresis (PAGE) in non-denaturing conditions. PAGE has been used as a qualitative and semi-quantitative assay for PRs, and their migration in gels made from different acrylamide concentrations has been used to identify charge and size isomers and electrophoretically identical PRs in different tobacco cultivars. The subunit composition and molecular weight (mol. wt) of the four PRs identified first in Xanthi-nc were determined by SDS-PAGE; staining the gels has shown that these same four proteins in Samsun NN did not contain carbohydrate, lipid or nucleic acid, nor were they isozymic forms of twenty five enzymes known to increase in activity following infection with TMV. Evidence suggests that most of the PRs in Xanthi-nc and Samsun NN are extracellular.The purification of several PRs from Xanthi-nc, Samsun NN and other tobaccos is described, as well as their mol. wt, subunit and amino acid composition. PRs 1a, b and c consist of a single polypeptide and have similar mol. wt and amino acid compositions. Antisera prepared against purified Xanthi-nc b₁ protein have been used to determine serological relationships between PRs and form the basis of a very sensitive quantitative assay using ELISA. The regulation of synthesis of some PRs has been shown to involve translational control.     

A streak disease of pearl millet caused by a leafhopper-transmitted geminivirus

The cause of a streak disease of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), originating from Nigeria, has been attributed to a geminivirus belonging to the African streak virus cluster. A full-length, infectious clone of the virus was obtained which was transmissible by the vectorCicadulina mbila (Naudé). Analysis of the complete nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene of this virus shows it to be most closely related to sugarcane streak virus. The possible evolutionary implications of this finding are discussed.     

Characterisation of a maize-infecting potyvirus from Spain

In order to characterise and classify an unknown maize-infecting potyvirus isolated from fields in northeast Spain, the entire coat protein gene and the C-terminal twothirds of the large nuclear inclusion protein (NIb) gene were cloned and sequenced. Protein sequencing enabled the cleavage site between the two proteins to be deduced and also revealed that on storage the viral coat protein undergoes a specific degradation in which the N-terminal 39 amino acids are removed. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of the 3 non-coding region of the viral RNA and the predicted amino acid sequence of the coat protein with the equivalent regions of other members of the potyvirus group revealed that the Spanish virus is closely related to maize dwarf mosaic virus strain A.     

Pathogenic mechanisms of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus

Goats infected with caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) show chronic arthritis and cachexia, which are progressive in nature. The immunopathogenic mechanisms responsible for these progressive clinical symptoms have not been fully elucidated. Various haematological and immunological parameters were evaluated in experimentally-infected goats showing typical signs of CAEV-induced disease. Infected goats showed recurrent lymphocytosis that may be due to constant presentation of antigen by infected cells of a monocyte/macrophage lineage. The serum alkaline phosphatase and -glutamyl transferase concentrations were elevated in infected goats, a characteristic of hepatic and bone disorders. All other serum chemistry parameters were similar between infected and control goats. Importantly, the serum tumour necrosis factor- (TNF-) levels were higher in infected goats. The cachexia seen in infected goats may be at least partly due to altered metabolism as a result of prolonged elevation of serum TNF- levels. Depressed natural killer cell activity was observed in infected goats and may contribute towards the establishment of a persistent infection with CAEV.Abbreviations AIDS acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - CAEV caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus - GGT -glutamyl transferase - HBSS Hanks' balanced salt solution - HIV human immunodeficiency virus - NK natural killer - PBMC peripheral blood mononuclear cells - PCR polymerase chain reaction - SAP serum alkaline phosphatase - TNF tumour necrosis factor