Identification of lactoferrin and glutamate receptor‐interacting protein 1 in bovine cervical mucus: A putative marker for oestrous detection

Accurate detection of oestrus is important for artificial insemination. The aim of this study was to identify oestrous‐specific bovine cervical mucus proteins that could be used to determine the optimal time for artificial insemination. Non‐oestrous and controlled internal drug release (CIDR)‐induced oestrous‐stage mucus proteins were purified and subjected to surface‐enhanced laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry, sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and MALDI‐TOF/TOF. Among differentially expressed proteins, lactoferrin (LF) and glutamate receptor‐interacting protein 1 (GRIP1) showed a twofold increase during the CIDR‐induced oestrous stage compared to the levels in non‐oestrous stage in bovine cervical mucus. The RT‐PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry results showed that LF and GRIP1 expression was significantly increased during the oestrous stage in the uterus. This study demonstrated that bovine LF and GRIP1 exist during the oestrous stage, but not during the non‐oestrous stage, suggesting that cervical mucus LF and GRIP1 are useful oestrous detection markers in cattle.     

Contribution of forest floor fractions to carbon storage and abundance patterns of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonisation in a tropical montane forest

Forest floor carbon stocks, which include different components of litter, hemic and sapric materials, have not been empirically quantified in tropical montane forest, although they influence soil carbon (C) pools. To date, the contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizae in C sequestration potentials in tropical montane forests have not been clearly investigated. This study determined the amount of C stocks in the different decomposing layers of forest floor, mainly litter, hemic and sapric materials. The abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal root colonisation differed among forest floor fractions. Forest floor was measured for depth, area density, dry mass and carbon fraction separately in Sungai Kial Forest Reserve, Pahang, Malaysia to calculate C stocks. Percentages of root colonisation in the hemic and sapric materials were investigated. The results showed that forest floor C stocks were significantly higher in hemic (5 Mg C ha^?1) and sapric (7.7 Mg C ha^?1) compared with the litter fragments (1.5 Mg C ha^?1). Mycorrhizal root colonisation was significantly higher (75%) in the toeslope compared with the summit area in the hemic materials. Segregation of forest floor layers provided greater accuracy in forest floor C stocks reporting.     

Homology modelling of Drosophila cytochrome P450 enzymes associated with insecticide resistance

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of the cytochrome P450 gene Cyp6g1 confers resistance against DDT and a broad range of other insecticides in Drosophila melanogaster Meig. In the absence of crystal structures of CYP6G1 or complexes with its substrates, structural studies rely on homology modelling and ligand docking to understand P450–substrate interactions. RESULTS: Homology models are presented for CYP6G1, a P450 associated with resistance to DDT and neonicotinoids, and two other enzymes associated with insecticide resistance in D. melanogaster, CYP12D1 and CYP6A2. The models are based on a template of the X‐ray structure of the phylogenetically related human CYP3A4, which is known for its broad substrate specificity. The model of CYP6G1 has a much smaller active site cavity than the template. The cavity is also ‘V’‐shaped and is lined with hydrophobic residues, showing high shape and chemical complementarity with the molecular characteristics of DDT. Comparison of the DDT–CYP6G1 complex and a non‐resistant CYP6A2 homology model implies that tight‐fit recognition of this insecticide is important in CYP6G1. The active site can accommodate differently shaped substrates ranging from imidacloprid to malathion but not the pyrethroids permethrin and cyfluthrin. CONCLUSION: The CYP6G1, CYP12D1 and CYP6A2 homology models can provide a structural insight into insecticide resistance in flies overexpressing P450 enzymes with broad substrate specificities. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

The 18O/16O and 17O/16O ratios in atmospheric nitrous oxide: A mass-independent anomaly

Measurements of the oxygen isotope ratios (18O/16O and 17O/16O) in atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) from La Jolla, Pasadena, and the White Mountain Research Station (elevation, 3801 meters) in California and the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico show that N2O has a mass-independent composition. These data suggest the presence of a previously undefined atmospheric process. The La Jolla samples can be explained by a mixing between an atmospherically derived source of mass-independent N2O and biologically derived mass-dependent N2O. Possible origins of the mass-independent anomaly in N2O are discussed.