Effect of a Bowman-Birk proteinase inhibitor from Phaseolus coccineus on Hypothenemus hampei gut proteinases in vitro

The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), is an important devastating coffee pest worldwide. Both trypsin and chymotrypsin enzyme activities from H. hampei larval midgut can be inactivated by proteinaceous enzyme-inhibitors. A serine proteinase inhibitor belonging to the Bowman-Birk class was purified from a wild accession of Phaseolus coccineus L. seeds. The inhibitor (PcBBI1) is a cysteine-rich protein that is heat-stable at alkaline pH. MALDI-TOF/MS analysis showed that PcBBI1 occurs in seeds as a monomer (8689 Da) or dimer (17,378 Da). Using in vitro inhibition assays, it was found that PcBBI1 has a high inhibitory activity against H. hampei trypsin-like enzymes, bovine pancreatic chymotrypsin, and trypsin. According to this, PcBBI1 could be a promising tool to make genetically modified coffee with resistance to coffee berry borer.     

Chemical Composition of Green Tea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Camellia sinensis</Emphasis>) Infusions Commercialized in Portugal

To evaluate the potential benefits and risks associated with tea consumption it is important to identify the constituents of this beverage. Levels of some minerals, caffeine and catechins in green tea samples commercialized in Portugal were evaluated. Potassium is the metal present in larger amount (92–151 mg/l). The content of sodium, calcium, fluoride, aluminium, manganese and iron were 35–69, 1.9–3.5, 0.80–2.0, 1.0–2.2, 0.52–1.9, 0.020–0.128 mg/l, respectively. Chromium and selenium were not detected. The resulting data showed considerable variability in catechins content. The levels of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) ranged from 117 to 442 mg/l, epicatechin 3-gallate (EGC) from 203 to 471 mg/l, epigallocatechin (ECG) from 16.9 to 150 mg/l, epicatechin (EC) from 25 to 81 mg/l and catechin (C) from 9.03 to 115 mg/l. Caffeine contents in the green tea infusions studied were between 141–338 mg/l. Green tea infusions provide significant amounts of catechins and could be an important source of some minerals.     

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in small mammals from the Ardennes region, France

Serum samples from 218 small mammals trapped in forest and grassland in the Ardennes region (North-eastern France) were tested for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Using the modified agglutination test, positive results were found in 4/92 Apodemus sp., 3/64 Clethrionomys glareolus, 0/26 Microtus agrestis, 0/4 Micromys minutus, 3/5 Sorex sp., 2/9 Arvicola terrestris, and 7/18 Talpa europaea. Toxoplasma gondii was not isolated from the heart of seropositive individuals after bioassay in mice. Seroprevalence was significantly higher in large fossorial mammals living in grassland than in small forest mammals, probably related to ecological factors.     

Chigger mites (Acari: Trombiculidae) from wild birds in Costa Rica, with a description of three new species

Three new species of chigger mites, Eutrombicula costaricensis sp. n., Eutrombicula passerinoruni sp. n., and Eutrombicula hectochaeta sp. n. are described from wild birds from Costa Rica. Two species, Eutrombicula pacae (Floch et Fauran, 1957) and Parasecia findata (Brennan, 1969), are recorded for the first time in Costa Rica and on new host species. Data on the distribution of Blankaartia sinnamaryi (Floch et Fauran, 1956) in Costa Rica are also reported.     

Peptidases of Trichobilharzia regenti (Schistosomatidae) and its molluscan host Radix peregra S. Lat. (Lymnaeidae): construction and screening of cDNA library from intramolluscan stages of the parasite

Trichobilharzia regenti is a neurotropic bird schistosome,causing cercarial dermatitis in humans. In this study, ZAP cDNA expression library from Radix peregra s. lat. hepatopancreases containing intramolluscan stages of T. regenti was constructed and screened using PCR with specific and degenerate primers, designed according to previously described serine and cysteine peptidases of other parasite species. Full-length sequences of cathepsins B1 and L, and two serine peptidases, named RpSP1 and RpSP2, were obtained.The protein-protein BLAST analysis and parallel control reactions with template from hepatopancreases of T. regenti non-infected snails revealed that only cathepsin B1 was of parasite origin. The remaining sequences were derived from the snail intermediate host, which implies that the initial source of parasite mRNA was contaminated by snail tissue.Regardless of this contamination, the cDNA library remains an excellent molecular tool for detection and identification of bioactive molecules in T. regenti cercariae.     

Abundance and richness of invertebrates in shade-grown versus sun-exposed coffee home gardens in Indonesia

Agroforestry Systems - Complex agroforestry systems are suggested as a possible solution to reduce the effects of deforestation in the tropics while enhancing the livelihoods of local human...     

Large-scale historical afforestation failure with Pinus cembra in the Swiss Prealps

New Forests - Between the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, large-scale afforestation projects were undertaken in the Swiss Prealps. The Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra L.), an emblematic...     

Less is more: Little seed processing required for direct seeding in seasonal tropics

Seed processing and dormancy break treatments are recommended for rendering seeds restoration-ready. Conversely, fruit structures and seed coats may protect seeds from environmental harm in the field. We evaluated the effects of seed processing (by either keeping fruit structures or extracting seeds) and/or scarification (of physically dormant seeds) on the seedling emergence and establishment of 10 legume tree species from tropical forests and savannas of Central Brazil. We sowed seeds in a greenhouse for reference and in a field experiment conducted in tilled ready-to-seed sites. We monitored seedling emergence and survival for a year. We calculated the costs of harvesting, processing, and pretreating seeds, and considered the final cost of a 1-year-old seedling. Seed extraction resulted in lower emergence for most species in the greenhouse and in the field. It also accelerated emergence of three and four species in the greenhouse and the field, respectively. Scarification resulted in lower seedling emergence in the field for half of the species, while it increased emergence of three species in the greenhouse. Most species presented accelerated emergence both in the greenhouse and the field. The seedling cost was 1.6 to 74.6 times higher when seeds were processed, and 1.3 to 6.0 times when seeds were scarified, except for one species. Keeping fruit structures and seed coats reduced the costs of seeds and increased the success of direct seeding.