Chromosome and plasmid-encoded N-acyl homoserine lactones produced by Agrobacterium vitis wildtype and mutants that differ in their interactions with grape and tobacco

Agrobacterium vitis causes crown gall disease on grapevines. It also induces a specific necrosis on grape roots and a hypersensitive response (HR) on tobacco that are regulated by a complex quorum-sensing regulatory system. Strain F2/5 produces at least six N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) that function as signal molecules in quorum-sensing. The AHLs differ in acyl side chain length (8–16 carbons) as determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Mutant derivatives of F2/5 differ in ability to cause necrosis and the HR and show variable AHL profiles as determined by a thin-layer chromatography/biosensor assay. All wildtype A. vitis strains revealed the presence of long-chain AHLs regardless of tumorigenicity or ability to cause the HR. Whereas genes encoding long-chain AHLs are predicted to reside on the F2/5 chromosome, the determinants for short-chain AHLs were shown to be located on conjugal plasmids.     

Melatonin reduces apoptotic cells,SOD2 and HSPB1 and improves the in vitro production and quality of bovine blastocysts

Effects of adding different concentrations of melatonin (10^?7, 10^?9 and 10^?11 M) to maturation (Experiment 1; Control, IVM  + 10^?7, IVM  + 10^?9, IVM  + 10^?11) and culture media (Experiment 2; Control, IVC  + 10^?7, IVC  + 10^?9, IVC  + 10^?11) were evaluated on in vitro bovine embryonic development. The optimal concentration of melatonin (10^?9 M) from Experiments 1–2 was tested in both maturation and/or culture media of Experiment 3 (Control, IVM  + 10^?9, IVC  + 10^?9, IVM /IVC  + 10^?9). In Experiment 1, maturated oocytes from Control and IVM  + 10^?9 treatments showed increased glutathione content, mitochondrial membrane potential and percentage of Grade I blastocysts (40.6% and 43%, respectively). In Experiment 2, an increase in the percentage of Grade I blastocysts was detected in IVC  + 10^?7 (43.5%; 56.7%) and IVC  + 10^?9 (47.4%; 57.4%). Moreover, a lower number and percentage of apoptotic cells in blastocysts were observed in the IVC  + 10^?9 group compared to Control (3.8 ± 0.6; 3.6% versus 6.1 ± 0.6; 5.3%). In Experiment 3, the IVC  + 10^?9 treatment increased percentage of Grade I blastocysts with a lower number of apoptotic cells compared to IVM /IVC  + 10^?9 group (52.6%; 3.0 ± 0.5 versus 46.0%; 5.4 ± 1.0). The IVC  + 10^?9 treatment also had a higher mRNA expression of antioxidant gene (SOD 2) compared to the Control, as well as the heat shock protein (HSPB 1) compared to the IVM  + 10^?9. Reactive oxygen species production was greater in the IVM /IVC  + 10^?9 treatment group. In conclusion, the 10^?9 M concentration of melatonin and the in vitro production phase in which it is used directly affected embryonic development and quality.     

Microbial Ecology of the Gastrointestinal Tract of Fish and the Potential Application of Prebiotics and Probiotics in Finfish Aquaculture

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The need for enhanced disease resistance, feed efficiency, and growth performance of cultured organisms is substantial for various sectors of this industry. If growth performance and feed efficiency are increased in commercial aquaculture, then the costs of production are likely to be reduced. Also if more fish are able to resist disease and survive until they are of marketable size, the subsequent cost of medication and overall production costs would be reduced drastically. It has been documented in a number of food animals that gastrointestinal microbiota play important roles in affecting the nutrition and health of the host organism. Thus, various means of altering the intestinal microbiota to achieve favorable effects such as enhancing growth, digestion, immunity, and disease resistance of the host organism have been investigated in various terrestrial livestock as well as in humans. Dietary supplementation of prebiotcs, which are classified as non‐digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by stimulating growth and/or activity of a limited number of health‐promoting bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacter spp. in the intestine, while limiting potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria and Escherichia coli, have been reported to favorably affect various terrestrial species; however, such information is extremely limited to date for aquatic organisms. Effects of probiotics, defined as live microbial feed supplements, on gastrointestinal microbiota have been studied in some fishes, but the primary application of microbial manipulations in aquaculture has been to alter the composition of the aquatic medium. In general, the gastrointestinal microbiota of fishes including those produced in aquaculture has been poorly characterized, especially the anaerobic microbiota. Therefore, more detailed studies of the microbial community of cultured fish are needed to potentially enhance the effectiveness of prebiotic and probiotic supplementation. This review summarizes and evaluates current knowledge of intestinal microbial ecology of fishes, the various functions of this intestinal microbial community, and the potential for further application of prebiotics and probiotics in aquaculture.     

Aggressiveness of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines isolates to soybean and hypersensitivity responses by other plants

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines ( Xag ) causes bacterial pustule disease which can significantly reduce the production of soybean. A collection of 26 isolates of Xag from different soybean-production areas of Thailand was shown to differ with regard to aggressiveness on soybean. They also differed in their ability to induce a hypersensitive response (HR) on four cultivars of tobacco and on other plant species including pepper, tomato, cucumber, pea and sesame. Tomato was most sensitive to HR induction by Xag . Isolate KU-P-34017 caused an HR on all the plant species tested. The minimal concentration of KU-P-34017 needed to induce HR on tobacco was approximately 5 × 10⁸ CFU mL⁻¹. A bacterium–plant interaction period of at least 2·5 h was necessary for HR, and different temperatures, relative humidity and light periods did not affect HR development. Inhibitors of eukaryotic metabolism, including cobalt chloride, lanthanum chloride and sodium orthovanadate (completely), and cycloheximide (partially) blocked the HR on tobacco, indicating the association of an active plant response. In contrast, the HR on tomato was inhibited only by cobalt chloride.     

Liver biopsy techniques for adult horses and neonatal foals to assess copper status

Objective To evaluate standing, percutaneous, ultrasound-guided, transthoracic liver biopsy in mares, and transabdominal, laparoscopically-guided, liver biopsy under general anaesthesia in foals, as techniques for obtaining tissue for assessment of copper status. The techniques were evaluated with respect to ease of use and effect on the animal.
Procedure Twenty of 24 Thoroughbred mares and 21 of their foals were biopsied. The animals were part of a larger study of the effect of copper supplementation on copper status and the prevalence of developmental orthopaedic disease. Livers were also collected from unrelated horses and sampled to investigate the variability in the distribution of copper in liver tissue.
Result The biopsy technique caused no lasting effect on the mares, but there was an increased risk of viscus penetration associated with taking multiple biopsy cores. The use of ultrasonography to scan the target area for the liver identified four cases that were not appropriate candidates for liver biopsy, because of large intestine being located in the biopsy area. In the foals there were no serious postoperative adverse effects, nor was there any evidence of problems caused by the procedure when the abdomen was examined post-mortem at 5 months of age. In livers collected to investigate the variability of copper concentration, copper appeared to be relatively evenly distributed through the liver.
Conclusion Standing, percutaneous, ultrasound-guided, transthoracic liver biopsy in mares, and transabdominal, laparoscopically-guided, liver biopsy under general anaesthesia in foals are convenient procedures for obtaining liver tissue for assessing copper status in horses. The use of ultrasound to identify liver tissue is recommended, especially in older mares.     

The effects of dietary advice and vouchers on the intake of fruit and fruit juice by pregnant women in a deprived area: a controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of two methods of increasing fruit and fruit juice intake in pregnancy: midwives' advice and vouchers exchangeable for juice. DESIGN: Pregnant women were randomly allocated to three groups: a control group, who received usual care; an advice group, given advice and leaflets promoting fruit and fruit juice consumption; and a voucher group, given vouchers exchangeable for fruit juice from a milk delivery firm. Dietary questionnaires were administered at ~16, 20 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. Serum beta-carotene was measured at 16 and 32 weeks. SETTING: An antenatal clinic in a deprived area. SUBJECTS: Pregnant women aged 17 years and over. RESULTS: The study comprised 190 women. Frequency of fruit consumption declined during pregnancy in all groups, but that of fruit juice increased substantially in the voucher group. Serum beta-carotene concentration increased in the voucher group, from 106.2 to 141.8 micromol l(-1) in women with measurements on both occasions (P = 0.003), decreased from 120.0 to 99.8 micromol l(-1) in the control group (P = 0.005), and was unchanged in the advice group. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women drink more fruit juice if they receive vouchers exchangeable for juice supplied by the milk delivery service. Midwives' advice to eat more fruit has no great effect. Providing vouchers for fruit juice is a simple method of increasing its intake in a deprived population and may be useful for other sections of the community.