DDT-induced inhibition of avian shell gland carbonic anhydrase: a mechanism for thin eggshells

The shell-forming glands of Japanese quail fed p,p'-DDT or p,p'-DDE had carbonic anhydrase activity 16 to 19 percent lower than shell glands of quail on a diet free of pesticides.     

Genetics. FDA races in wrong direction

Despite recent genetic evidence and the promise of individualized medicine, there is a continuing interest in using self-identified categories of race and ethnicity as variables in scientific and medical research. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently proposed a standardized approach for the collection of race and ethnicity data in clinical trials. We believe that this move fails to acknowledge new scientific data and recommend that relevant data from individuals be collected and used rather than broad group statistics. We also encourage that increased funding be committed to this important issue.     

Spindle multipolarity is prevented by centrosomal clustering

Most tumor cells are characterized by increased genomic instability and chromosome segregational defects, often associated with hyperamplification of the centrosome and the formation of multipolar spindles. However, extra centrosomes do not always lead to multipolarity. Here, we describe a process of centrosomal clustering that prevented the formation of multipolar spindles in noncancer cells. Noncancer cells needed to overcome this clustering mechanism to allow multipolar spindles to form at a high frequency. The microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein was a critical part of this coalescing machinery, and in some tumor cells overexpression of the spindle protein NuMA interfered with dynein localization, promoting multipolarity.     

Identification of a DNA nonhomologous end-joining complex in bacteria

In eukaryotic cells, double-strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA are generally repaired by the pathway of homologous recombination or by DNA nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). Both pathways have been highly conserved throughout eukaryotic evolution, but no equivalent NHEJ system has been identified in prokaryotes. The NHEJ pathway requires a DNA end-binding component called Ku. We have identified bacterial Ku homologs and show that these proteins retain the biochemical characteristics of the eukaryotic Ku heterodimer. Furthermore, we show that bacterial Ku specifically recruits DNA ligase to DNA ends and stimulates DNA ligation. Loss of these proteins leads to hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation in Bacillus subtilis. These data provide evidence that many bacteria possess a DNA DSB repair apparatus that shares many features with the NHEJ system of eukarya and suggest that this DNA repair pathway arose before the prokaryotic and eukaryotic lineages diverged.     

G protein signalling involved in host recognition and mycoparasitismrelated chitinase expression in Trichoderma atroviride

Mycoparasitic species of Trichoderma are commercially applied as biological control agents against various fungal pathogens. The mycoparasitic interaction is host specific and includes recognition, attack and subsequent penetration and killing of the host. Investigations on the underlying events revealed that Trichoderma responds to multiple signals from the host (e.g. lectins or other ligands such as low molecular weight components released from the host's cell wall) and host attack is ac…     

Food choice and reproductive success of Folsomia candida feeding on copper-contaminated mycelium of the soil fungus Alternaria alternata

We examined collembolan food preference for fungal mycelium grown on copper-contaminated medium, and the relationship between copper content, food selectivity and collembolan fitness when fed contaminated mycelium.To clarify whether collembolan food selectivity is related to fitness parameters, Folsomia candida were fed mycelium of the dark-pigmented fungus Alternaria alternata grown on medium with different copper concentrations. Copper-contaminated food (fungus grown on 50, 125, 250 and 500 μg Cu g^?1 medium, fresh wt.) was offered together with untreated food for 4 weeks. F. candida fed selectively on the provided mycelium and discriminated clearly between mycelium grown on high and low levels of contamination, distinctly preferring fungus grown on medium with a total copper concentration of 50 and 125 μg g^?1. In contrast, fungus grown on highly contaminated medium (250 and 500 μg g^?1) was avoided. Collembolan food preference generally matched fitness parameters. Reproduction was significantly affected by the total copper concentration of the fungal growth medium. When fed their preferred mycelium, collembolan reproduction was enhanced, whereas a diet of highly contaminated mycelium (250 or 500 μg g^?1) resulted in a strong decrease in reproduction. Adult survival was affected only marginally. Even though heavy metal contamination is a potential stress factor for many soil microarthropods, F. candida is able to discriminate between high and low quality food sources, and even benefits from moderately elevated copper concentrations.     

Fusarium oxysporum- und F. proliferatum-Isolate aus Spargel und deren Pathogenit?ts��berpr��fung in einer modifizierten in vitro-Schnelltestmethode

Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium proliferatum are important causal agents of crown and root rot of asparagus. In order to detect differences in pathogenicity and aggressiveness, two F. proliferatum and five F. oxysporum single spore isolates from asparagus spears from plantings in Austria and Germany, 55 pure cultures of F. oxysporum from asparagus roots from a planting in Hesse, Germany, and a single F. oxysporum isolate from an asparagus shoot collected in Austria were evaluated in a 28-day quick test on Hoagland??s agar in glass culture tubes. Plantlets were inoculated with spore suspensions from each respective isolate after 14 days of growth under sterile, controlled conditions in a growth chamber. A severity scale was used to assess symptoms on roots two weeks after inoculation. The effects of the single-spore isolates on root and shoot fresh weights of the plantlets were also determined. The pathogenicity of the majority of the F. proliferatum and F. oxysporum isolates included in this study was confirmed. Inoculation with pure and single-spore cultures resulted in elevated disease severity in comparison to non-inoculated controls. In particular, the two F. proliferatum isolates were found to be more aggressive than the F. oxysporum isolates. Moreover, all single spore isolates caused a reduction in fresh weight of roots and shoots in comparison to the controls. With respect to differences among asparagus cultivars, ??Ramos??, was found to be more susceptible than ??Ravel??. Overall, the quick test method was found to be capable of evaluating the pathogenicity and aggressiveness of the tested F. oxysporum and F. proliferatum isolates towards asparagus within 28 days.     

Thermal oxidation of 9'-cis-neoxanthin in a model system containing peroxyacetic acid leads to the potent odorant beta-damascenone

The potent odorant beta-damascenone was formed directly from 9'-cis-neoxanthin in a model system by peroxyacetic acid oxidation and two-phase thermal degradation without the involvement of enzymatic activity. Beta-damascenone formation was heavily dependent on pH (optimum at 5.0) and temperature, occurring over the two sequential phases. The first was incubation with peroxyacetic acid at 60 degrees C for 90 min, and the second was at above 90 degrees C for 20 min. Only traces of beta-damascenone were formed on application of only one of the two phases. Formate and citrate solutions produced a much better environment for beta-damascenone formation than acetate and phosphate. About 7 microg/L beta-damascenone was formed from 5.8 mg/L 9'-cis-neoxanthin under optimal experimental condition. The detailed pathway by which beta-damascenone is formed remains to be elucidated.