Independently evolved virulence effectors converge onto hubs in a plant immune system network

Plants generate effective responses to infection by recognizing both conserved and variable pathogen-encoded molecules. Pathogens deploy virulence effector proteins into host cells, where they interact physically with host proteins to modulate defense. We generated an interaction network of plant-pathogen effectors from two pathogens spanning the eukaryote-eubacteria divergence, three classes of Arabidopsis immune system proteins, and ~8000 other Arabidopsis proteins. We noted convergence of effectors onto highly interconnected host proteins and indirect, rather than direct, connections between effectors and plant immune receptors. We demonstrated plant immune system functions for 15 of 17 tested host proteins that interact with effectors from both pathogens. Thus, pathogens from different kingdoms deploy independently evolved virulence proteins that interact with a limited set of highly connected cellular hubs to facilitate their diverse life-cycle strategies.     

Development of A dormancy release technology: A review

Tuber dormancy can be released immediately in many commercially important potato cultivars by brief treatment (1-2 days) with bromoethane (BE) vapor at room temperature. The development of a large scale technology for BE application and safe removal through a capturing technique is necessary for successful application of this dormancy release method. Ideally, BE treatment of seed tubers would occur in a closed environment that would capture BE vapor in an unaltered form and allow controlled release for treatment of subsequent tuber lots. Results of screening studies for adsorbents indicate that the medium capacity activated carbon adsorbent, YAO has: i) a high capacity for BE; ii) a low capacity for water; and, iii) adsorbs and de-adsorbs BE quickly and easily. A plausible design of a large scale, dormancy release facility is presented. The proposed facility should meet present goals of the seed potato industry in an environmentally responsible manner.     

Degradation of [carboxyl-14C] 2,4-D and [ring-U-14C] 2,4-D in 114 agricultural soils as affected by soil organic carbon content

This study compared the degradation of [carboxyl-¹⁴C] 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) (C2,4-D) and [ring-U-¹⁴C] 2,4-D (R2,4-D) in 114 agricultural soils (0–15 cm) as affected by 2,4-D sorption and soil properties (organic carbon content, pH, clay content, carbonate content, cation exchange capacity, total microbial activity). The sample area was confined to Alberta, Canada, located 49–60° north longitude and 110–120° west latitude and soils were grouped by soil organic carbon content (SOC) (0–0.99%, 1–1.99%, 2–2.99%, 3–3.99% and >4% SOC). Degradation rates of C2,4-D and R2,4-D followed first-order kinetics in all soils. Although total microbial activity increased with increasing SOC, degradation rates and total degradation of C2,4-D and R2,4-D decreased with increasing SOC because of increased sorption of 2,4-D by soil and reduced bioavailability of 2,4-D and its metabolites. Rates of R2,4-D degradation were more limited by sorption than rates of C2,4-D degradation, possibly because of greater sorption and formation of bound residues of 2,4-D metabolites relative to the 2,4-D parent molecule. Based on the sorption and degradation parameters quantified, there were two distinct groups of soils, those with less than 1% SOC and those with greater than 1% SOC. Specifically, soils with less than 1% SOC had, on average, 2.4 times smaller soil organic carbon sorption coefficients and 1.4 times smaller 2,4-D half-lives than soils with more than 1% SOC. In regional scale model simulations of pesticide leaching to groundwater, covering many soils, input parameters for each pesticide include a single soil organic carbon sorption coefficient and single half-life value. Our results imply, however, that the approach to these regional scale assessments could be improved by adjusting the values of these two input parameters according to SOC. Specifically, this study indicates that for 2,4-D and Alberta soils containing less than 1% SOC, the 2,4-D pesticide parameters obtained from generic databases should be divided by 2.5 (soil organic carbon sorption coefficient) and 1.5 (half-life value).     

Anaerobic biotransformation of organo-arsenical pesticides monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid

Monomethylarsonic acid (MMAV) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAV) are extensively utilized as pesticides, introducing large quantities of arsenic into the environment. Once released into the environment, these organo-arsenicals are subject to microbial reactions. Aerobic biodegradation of MMAV and DMAV has been evaluated, but little is known about their fate in anaerobic environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biotransformation of MMAV and DMAV in anaerobic sludge. Biologically mediated conversion occurred under methanogenic or sulfate-reducing conditions but not in the presence of nitrate. Monomethylarsonous acid (MMAIII) was consistently observed as an important metabolite of MMAV degradation, and it was recovered in molar yields ranging from 5 to 47%. The main biotransformation product identified from DMAV metabolism was MMAV, which was recovered in molar yields ranging from 8 to 65%. The metabolites indicate that reduction and demethylation are important steps in the anaerobic bioconversion of MMAV and DMAV, respectively.     

Mineralogy and petrology of comet 81P/Wild 2 nucleus samples

The bulk of the comet 81P/Wild 2 (hereafter Wild 2) samples returned to Earth by the Stardust spacecraft appear to be weakly constructed mixtures of nanometer-scale grains, with occasional much larger (over 1 micrometer) ferromagnesian silicates, Fe-Ni sulfides, Fe-Ni metal, and accessory phases. The very wide range of olivine and low-Ca pyroxene compositions in comet Wild 2 requires a wide range of formation conditions, probably reflecting very different formation locations in the protoplanetary disk. The restricted compositional ranges of Fe-Ni sulfides, the wide range for silicates, and the absence of hydrous phases indicate that comet Wild 2 experienced little or no aqueous alteration. Less abundant Wild 2 materials include a refractory particle, whose presence appears to require radial transport in the early protoplanetary disk.     

The health of wild red and sika deer in Scotland: an analysis of key endoparasites and recommendations for monitoring disease

Monitoring the health of wildlife populations is important for understanding and controlling the risk of infections to livestock, humans and/or other wildlife. In this paper, we analyse the results of surveys of parasites and non-specific signs of diseases carried out on organs from 638 red and 107 sika deer culled in four regions of Scotland between 1991 and 1997. Infections of the lung by Elaphostrongylus spp. were significantly greater in red than sika deer. Older animals were more heavily infected with Elaphostrongylus spp. and Sarcocystis spp., and infections with Sarcocystis spp. tended to be heavier in more recent years. The results suggest that a combination of key indicator parasite species and non-specific signs of disease may be useful for monitoring the health of wildlife populations at a national scale. However, they also demonstrate that such monitoring needs to be long-term, carried out according to standard protocols and at an appropriate resolution to enable integration with data on other potentially influential environmental factors.     

A multiple disease test for field-based phenotyping of resistances to Fusarium head blight,yellow rust and stem rust in wheat

Wheat is affected by many diseases, in Germany eight fungal diseases are recorded during the cultivar registration process. For a commercially successful cultivar, therefore, at least moderate resistances to important diseases, like yellow rust (YR) and Fusarium head blight (FHB), are necessary. Additionally, in 2013 a regional stem rust (SR) epidemic occurred in Central Germany for the first time for decades. Our objective was to analyze the resistance of 36 commercially grown winter wheat cultivars to YR, FHB, and SR in three individual and one combined inoculation. Appreciable disease severities were achieved for YR and FHB at three to four locations in two years (= seven location × year combinations), for SR at one to two locations in two years (= three location × year combinations). Wheat cultivars showed a significant genotypic variation for all diseases with high heritabilities (0.90–0.95). Interaction between inoculation treatments (individual vs. combined) and wheat genotype was not significant for each of the three diseases. Accordingly, correlations between both inoculation treatments were very high (R²?=?0.95–0.99). Several cultivars showed multi-disease resistance (MDR) to YR, FHB, and SR. In conclusion, resistance ranking among genotypes was not changed when plants were challenged with all three pathogens together compared to factorial inoculations of only one of them. Substituting factorial inoculation trials by multi-pathogen inoculation makes it more efficient to select for MDR in practical breeding programs.     

Spatiotemporal variation in forest fire danger from 1996 to 2010 in Jilin Province,China

We evaluated the spatial and temporal patterns of forest fires in two fire seasons (March to June and September to November) from 1996 to 2010 in Jilin Province, China, using the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System. Fire data were obtained from the Provincial Fire Agency, and historical climate records of daily weather observations were collected from 36 weather stations in Jilin and its neighboring provinces. A linear regression model was used to analyze linear trends between climate and fire weather indices with time treated as an independent variable. Correlation analysis was used to detect correlations between fire frequency, areas burned, and fire weather indices. A thin-plate smooth spline model was used to interpolate the point data of 36 weather stations to generate a surface covering the whole province. Our analyses indicated fire frequency and areas burned were significantly correlated with fire weather indices. Overall, the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System appeared to be work well for determining the fire danger rating in Jilin Province. Also, our analyses indicated that in the forthcoming decades, the overall fire danger in March and April should decrease across the province, but the chance of a large fire in these months would increase. The fire danger in the fall fire season would increase in the future, and the chance of large fire would also increase. Historically, because most fires have occurred in the spring in Jilin Province, such a shift in the future fire danger between the two fire seasons would be beneficial for the province’s fire management.