Transmission of the agent causing a melon yellowing disease by the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum in southeast Spain

The agent causing a yellowing disease of melon (Cucumis melo), which results in severe losses in crops under plastic on the coastal plains of southeast Spain, was shown to be transmitted in a semipersistent manner by the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood). The agent was transmitted by grafting, but not by mechanical inoculation or through seeds. The agent was acquired in the minimum period tested (2 h) and could infect plants in an infection feeding interval of 6 h. Capsella bursa-pastoris, Cucumis melo, C. sativus, Cucurbita moschata, Cichorium endivia, Lactuca sativa andTaraxacum officinale were found susceptible.Results suggest that the yellowing disease affecting melon crops in the southeast of Spain is due to a pathogen similar to beet pseudo yellows virus, but this has to be confirmed by serology.     

家蚕质型多角体病毒苏州核包涵体小种的纯化

从BmCPV_t内发现和分离出一株新的核包涵体小种,初步命名为家蚕质型多角体病毒—苏州核包涵体小种(Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Virus——Suzhou nuclear polyhedra forming strain,简称CPV——Suzhou N strain),家蚕感梁CPV——Suzhou N Strain引起的多角体病,与国内外已知的CPV各变异株不同。本病蚕的多角体只在中肠组织圆筒形细胞核内检出,多角体内有许多病毒粒子,病毒粒子球状,具有核蛋白紫外吸收特征性光谱和较强的感染活性,病毒核酸初步鉴定为dsRNA。     

Comparative studies of strains of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus isolated from latently infected calves

Three strains (479 C, 778 TL, 982 LE) of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus isolated from latently infected calves were compared with the prototype strain of IBR virus (LA strain) in studies which included restriction endonuclease analysis, experimental infection, and reciprocal cross protection tests in cattle. From the restriction endonuclease analysis it appeared that the 3 "latent" viruses were derived from the same isolate, and that it differed slightly from the LA strain. However, latency does not seem to have affected the pathogenicity or the immunogenicity of the virus. This is demonstrated by the identical clinical and virologic response of calves subjected to experimental infection with the various strains under study, and by the finding that when the LA strain and a "latent" strain (982 LE) were tested in cross protection tests in cattle, they proved to be mutually protective.     

A review of feline serum protein electrophoresis

A review of the current literature available on feline serum proteins is presented. Early studies concentrated on comparative aspects of species variations in the electrophoretic pattern. The feline electrophoretogram was divided into five basic regions: albumin, alpha-1, alpha-2, beta and gamma. Different subdivisions of these areas were recognized depending on the support medium used. Current papers have compared the relative migration distances of each globulin peak to the migration of albumin. This "Rf" value enables reliable peak identification. To date, no data exists identifying the individual proteins responsible for the peaks in the alpha and beta regions. The only feline globulin to be studied is haptolobin; however its precise location on the electrophoretic strip was not identified.     

Biochemical properties of the pathogenesis-related proteins from tobacco

This review describes the discovery and identification of the pathogenesis-related proteins (PRs) from tobacco. In crude leaf extracts the PRs are distinguished from the proteins in uninfected plants by their solubility at pH 3, resistance to a range of proteases, and mobility in polyacrylamide gels upon electrophoresis (PAGE) in non-denaturing conditions. PAGE has been used as a qualitative and semi-quantitative assay for PRs, and their migration in gels made from different acrylamide concentrations has been used to identify charge and size isomers and electrophoretically identical PRs in different tobacco cultivars. The subunit composition and molecular weight (mol. wt) of the four PRs identified first in Xanthi-nc were determined by SDS-PAGE; staining the gels has shown that these same four proteins in Samsun NN did not contain carbohydrate, lipid or nucleic acid, nor were they isozymic forms of twenty five enzymes known to increase in activity following infection with TMV. Evidence suggests that most of the PRs in Xanthi-nc and Samsun NN are extracellular.The purification of several PRs from Xanthi-nc, Samsun NN and other tobaccos is described, as well as their mol. wt, subunit and amino acid composition. PRs 1a, b and c consist of a single polypeptide and have similar mol. wt and amino acid compositions. Antisera prepared against purified Xanthi-nc b₁ protein have been used to determine serological relationships between PRs and form the basis of a very sensitive quantitative assay using ELISA. The regulation of synthesis of some PRs has been shown to involve translational control.     

A streak disease of pearl millet caused by a leafhopper-transmitted geminivirus

The cause of a streak disease of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), originating from Nigeria, has been attributed to a geminivirus belonging to the African streak virus cluster. A full-length, infectious clone of the virus was obtained which was transmissible by the vectorCicadulina mbila (Naudé). Analysis of the complete nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene of this virus shows it to be most closely related to sugarcane streak virus. The possible evolutionary implications of this finding are discussed.     

Characterisation of a maize-infecting potyvirus from Spain

In order to characterise and classify an unknown maize-infecting potyvirus isolated from fields in northeast Spain, the entire coat protein gene and the C-terminal twothirds of the large nuclear inclusion protein (NIb) gene were cloned and sequenced. Protein sequencing enabled the cleavage site between the two proteins to be deduced and also revealed that on storage the viral coat protein undergoes a specific degradation in which the N-terminal 39 amino acids are removed. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of the 3 non-coding region of the viral RNA and the predicted amino acid sequence of the coat protein with the equivalent regions of other members of the potyvirus group revealed that the Spanish virus is closely related to maize dwarf mosaic virus strain A.     

Pathogenic mechanisms of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus

Goats infected with caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) show chronic arthritis and cachexia, which are progressive in nature. The immunopathogenic mechanisms responsible for these progressive clinical symptoms have not been fully elucidated. Various haematological and immunological parameters were evaluated in experimentally-infected goats showing typical signs of CAEV-induced disease. Infected goats showed recurrent lymphocytosis that may be due to constant presentation of antigen by infected cells of a monocyte/macrophage lineage. The serum alkaline phosphatase and -glutamyl transferase concentrations were elevated in infected goats, a characteristic of hepatic and bone disorders. All other serum chemistry parameters were similar between infected and control goats. Importantly, the serum tumour necrosis factor- (TNF-) levels were higher in infected goats. The cachexia seen in infected goats may be at least partly due to altered metabolism as a result of prolonged elevation of serum TNF- levels. Depressed natural killer cell activity was observed in infected goats and may contribute towards the establishment of a persistent infection with CAEV.Abbreviations AIDS acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - CAEV caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus - GGT -glutamyl transferase - HBSS Hanks' balanced salt solution - HIV human immunodeficiency virus - NK natural killer - PBMC peripheral blood mononuclear cells - PCR polymerase chain reaction - SAP serum alkaline phosphatase - TNF tumour necrosis factor     

Chylothorax associated with cryptococcal mediastinal granuloma in a cat

A 10-year-old neutered female cat had chylothorax, precaval syndrome, and a mediastinal granuloma resulting from infection with Cryptococcus neoformans. Diagnosis of a chylous effusion was made by cytologic examination of pleural fluid and by finding higher triglyceride levels in the effusion than in serum (825 vs. 64 mg/dl, respectively). Postmortem examination revealed cryptococcal organisms in the mediastinal granuloma, lungs, cerebral meninges, and connective tissues adjacent to the thyroid gland. Chylous effusion in a cat associated with cryptococcosis has not been reported previously. Cryptococcosis should be included in the differential diagnosis in chylous effusions in cats.     

Comparison of the effects of salicylic acid and ethephon with virus-induced hypersensitivity and acquired resistance in tobacco

The induction of a hypersensitive reaction in Samsun NN tobacco by tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) at 20°C leads to the development of both localized and systemic acquired resistance, and is associated with the appearance of pathogenesis-related proteins (PR's) and large increases in peroxidase activity and ethylene production. Salicylic acid (SA) induced a similar resistance in treated plant parts and occasionally also in untreated upper leaves of plants of which three lower leaves had been injected. SA also induced the same four PR's, but these were confined to the treated leaves. Thus, the connection between the presence of PR's and the reduction of TMV multiplication and spread may not be direct.In contrast to TMV, SA did not stimulate ethylene production and hardly increased peroxidase activity. Induction of acquired resistance and PR's by SA developed equally well at 20°C and at 32°C. However, pricking leaves with needles moistened with the ethylene-releasing compound ethephon mimicked TMV infection in inducing acquired resistance and PR's in both treated and untreated leaves at 20°C, but not at 32°C. Ethephon increased peroxidase activity at both temperatures, but only at 20°C dit it induce changes in both the anodic and the cathodic isoenzymes that were similar to those induced as a result of TMV infection. SA induced PR's and reduced TMV multiplication in Samsun tobacco, and inhibited virus spread in Samsun NN at 32°C.These observation indicate that neither the induction of PR's, nor the development of acquired resistance is temperature-sensitive. On the other hand, the effects of ethephon are temperature-sensitive in the same way as the hypersensitive response to TMV. It can thus be hypothesized that ethylene, produced naturally during the hypersensitive reaction of tobacco to TMV, leads to the temperature-sensitive synthesis or release of a presumably benzoic acid-type compound that functions as the natural inducer of PR's and acquired resistance. Although vanillic acid has been shown to accumulate in hypersensitively reacting tobacco leaves, it produced none of the effects of SA, and thus cannot be the natural inducer.Samenvatting Inductie van een overgevoeligheidsreactie in Samsun NN-tabak door tabaksmozaïekvirus (TMV) bij 20°C leidt tot de ontwikkeling van een verworven resistentie die zowel lokaal als systemisch werkzaam is, en gaat samen met het verschijnen van pathogenesis-related proteins (PR's) en sterke toename in de activitieit van peroxidase en de produktie van ethyleen. Salicylzuur (SA) induceerde een vergelijkbare resistentie in behandelde plantedelen en af en toe ook in niet behandelde bovenbladeren van planten waarvan drie onderbladeren waren ingespoten. SA induceerde ook dezelfde vier PR's, maar deze waren beperkt tot de behandelde bladeren. Er bestaat dus geen directe samenhang tussen de aanwezigheid van PR's en de remming van de vermeerdering en uitbreiding van TMV in de plant.In tegenstelling tot TMV stimuleerde SA de ethyleenproduktie niet en verhoogde het de peroxidaseactiviteit nauwelijks. Inductie van verworven resistentie en PR's door SA trad even goed op bij 32°C als bij 20°C. Net als infectie met TMV leidde aanprikken van bladeren met naalden die gedoopt waren in een oplossing van ethefon — waaruit in het blad ethyleen vrijkomt — echter tot inductie van verworven resistentie en PR's in zowel behandelde als onbehandelde bladeren bij 20°C, maar niet bij 32°C. Ethefon verhoogde de peroxidaseactiviteit bij beide temperaturen, maar alleen bij 20°C induceerde het veranderingen in zowel de anodische als de kathodische isoënzymen die vergelijkbaar waren met die welke geïnduceerd werden als gevolg van infectie met TMV. SA induceerde PR's en verminderde de vermenigvuldiging van TMV in Samsun tabak, en remde de uitbreiding van het virus in Samsun NN bij 32°C.Deze waarnemingen tonen dat noch de inductie van PR's, noch de ontwikkeling van verworven resistentie een temperatuurgevoelig proces is. Daarentegen zijn de effecten van ethefon op dezelfde wijze temperatuurgevoelig als de overgevoeligheidsreactie op TMV. Men kan daarom veronderstellen dat ethyleen, dat op natuurlijke wijze geproduceerd wordt tijdens de overgevoeligheidsreactie van tabak op TMV, aanleiding geeft tot een temperatuurgevoelig proces, namelijk de synthese of het vrijkomen van een verbinding, vermoedelijk een benzoëzuurderivaat, dat fungeert als de natuurlijke inductor van PR's en verworven resistentie. Hoewel is aangetoond dat vanillinezuur zich ophoopt in overgevoelig reagerende tabaksbladeren, veroorzaakte deze verbinding geen enkel van de effecten van SA. Vanillinezuur kan dus niet de natuurlijke inductor zijn.