Serological characterization of the new genotype E of small ruminant lentivirus in roccaverano goat flocks

Maedi visna virus (MVV) and caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) are a heterogeneous group of infectious agents affecting sheep and goats. Due to their natural cross-species infection they are referred to as small-ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV). Recently a new genetic cluster, highly divergent from MVV and CAEV was identified in the north-west part of Italy. A panel of genotype E specific antigens was developed and evaluated in flocks infected with B1 and E strains. The results clearly indicate that a strain specific antigen is required to correctly identify animals infected with different genotypes.

     

Health status of a population of nutria (Myocastor coypus) living in a protected area in Italy

Ninety trapped nutria (Myocastor coypus) from a protected area of Piedmont (Italy), including the Po river, were examined for the prevalence for lesions in major viscera, selected serum antibodies and enteric bacteria. Coccidial lesions in the liver included cholangitis, calcification and necrosis. Renal lesions were nonsuppurative interstitial nephritis and a single case of renal adenocarcinoma. The lungs had a 41.1% prevalence of nonsuppurative interstitial pneumonia. Ten of 87 sera (11.5%) had antibodies against Leptospira bratislava, 3 of 87 (3.4%) against Leptospira ichterohaemorrhagiae, 15 of 41 (36.6%) against Toxoplasma gondii, and antibodies against encephalomyocarditis virus were detected in 5 of 78 sera (6.4%). All fecal samples were negative for Salmonella, Shigella, and Pseudomonas, and growth of enterobacteriaceae was in the normal range.     

Expression and antigenic characterization of recombinant Mycoplasma agalactiae P48 major surface protein

The gene encoding the P48 major surface lipoprotein of M. agalactiae has been recently characterised. Since its product plays an important role in the immune response of infected animals, in this study we analysed a recombinant P48 expressed in E. coli. Multiple point mutations were introduced by site directed mutagenesis in order to convert four tryptophan TGA codons, which are a typical feature of the mycoplasma genetic code, into the standard TGG. The mutated p48 gene was subcloned into pGex-2T and expressed in fusion with glutathione-S transferase. Following purification steps, P48 was eluted from carrier protein by thrombin digestion and used in Western blot and indirect ELISA using well-characterised sheep sera. Results demonstrate that specific antibodies against P48 are detected 3 weeks after onset of clinical disease and the recombinant P48 is a diagnostically relevant marker of M. agalactiae infection.     

Myc-induced T cell leukemia in transgenic zebrafish

The zebrafish is an attractive model organism for studying cancer development because of its genetic accessibility. Here we describe the induction of clonally derived T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in transgenic zebrafish expressing mouse c-myc under control of the zebrafish Rag2 promoter. Visualization of leukemic cells expressing a chimeric transgene encoding Myc fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) revealed that leukemias arose in the thymus, spread locally into gill arches and retro-orbital soft tissue, and then disseminated into skeletal muscle and abdominal organs. Leukemic cells homed back to the thymus in irradiated fish transplanted with GFP-labeled leukemic lymphoblasts. This transgenic model provides a platform for drug screens and for genetic screens aimed at identifying mutations that suppress or enhance c-myc- induced carcinogenesis.     

Phosphorylation of proteins by inositol pyrophosphates

The inositol pyrophosphates IP7 and IP8 contain highly energetic pyrophosphate bonds. Although implicated in various biologic functions, their molecular sites of action have not been clarified. Using radiolabeled IP7, we detected phosphorylation of multiple eukaryotic proteins. We also observed phosphorylation of endogenous proteins by endogenous IP7 in yeast. Phosphorylation by IP7 is nonenzymatic and may represent a novel intracellular signaling mechanism.     

Requirement of inositol pyrophosphates for full exocytotic capacity in pancreatic beta cells

Inositol pyrophosphates are recognized components of cellular processes that regulate vesicle trafficking, telomere length, and apoptosis. We observed that pancreatic beta cells maintain high basal concentrations of the pyrophosphate diphosphoinositol pentakisphosphate (InsP7 or IP7). Inositol hexakisphosphate kinases (IP6Ks) that can generate IP7 were overexpressed. This overexpression stimulated exocytosis of insulin-containing granules from the readily releasable pool. Exogenously applied IP7 dose-dependently enhanced exocytosis at physiological concentrations. We determined that IP6K1 and IP6K2 were present in beta cells. RNA silencing of IP6K1, but not IP6K2, inhibited exocytosis, which suggests that IP6K1 is the critical endogenous kinase. Maintenance of high concentrations of IP7 in the pancreatic beta cell may enhance the immediate exocytotic capacity and consequently allow rapid adjustment of insulin secretion in response to increased demand.     

Characterization of the reconstructed 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic virus

The pandemic influenza virus of 1918-1919 killed an estimated 20 to 50 million people worldwide. With the recent availability of the complete 1918 influenza virus coding sequence, we used reverse genetics to generate an influenza virus bearing all eight gene segments of the pandemic virus to study the properties associated with its extraordinary virulence. In stark contrast to contemporary human influenza H1N1 viruses, the 1918 pandemic virus had the ability to replicate in the absence of trypsin, caused death in mice and embryonated chicken eggs, and displayed a high-growth phenotype in human bronchial epithelial cells. Moreover, the coordinated expression of the 1918 virus genes most certainly confers the unique high-virulence phenotype observed with this pandemic virus.     

Agroforestry and organic agriculture

Current conventional agriculture is considered unsustainable and inadequate to address great societal challenges such as climate change, environmental pollution, food security, dependence on fossil energy as well as the decline of natural resources and biodiversity. Many of these problems are related to agricultural specialization (i.e. monoculture) and the consequent simplification of the agroecosystem. In this respect, efforts aimed at improving individual agronomic techniques and at increasing the use-efficiency of external inputs (e.g. synthetic inputs, fossil fuels), without modifying the structure and functions of the whole system, appear to be insufficient to achieve sustainability in most conventional and intensive farming systems. Current organic farming systems adopting the so-called input substitution approach remain intensive and highly specialized and not necessarily able to significantly improve their sustainability. This would require system diversification and redesign of the agroecosystem to increase the spatial and temporal diversification of all its components and promote positive ecological relationships between them. Agroforestry is an agricultural approach based on the diversification of the agroecosystem production components (woody perennials, such as trees or shrubs, plus crops and/or livestock) and on the intensification of the agroecological relationships between these components. As such, it has transformative potential, providing an opportunity for increasing the sustainability of organic farming. In this article we review how the adoption of agroforestry practices could contribute to increasing sustainability in organic farming, and discuss the challenges and opportunities of this adoption.