Morphology and molecules reveal the alien <Emphasis Type="Italic">Posthodiplostomum centrarchi</Emphasis> Hoffman, 1958 as the third species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Posthodiplostomum</Emphasis> Dubois, 1936 (Digenea: Diplostomidae) in Europe

Metacercariae of two species of Posthodiplostomum Dubois, 1936 (Digenea: Diplostomidae) were subjected to morphological and molecular studies: P. brevicaudatum (von Nordmann, 1832) from Gasterosteus aculeatus (L.) (Gasterosteiformes: Gasterosteidae), Bulgaria (morphology, cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and Perca fluviatilis L. (Perciformes: Percidae), Czech Republic (morphology, cox1, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 28S); and P. centrarchi Hoffman, 1958 from Lepomis gibbosus (L.) (Perciformes: Centrarchidae), Bulgaria (morphology, cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and Slovakia (cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). In addition, cercariae of P. cuticola (von Nordmann, 1832) from Planorbis planorbis (L.) (Mollusca: Planorbidae), Lithuania (morphology and cox1) and metacercariae of Ornithodiplostomum scardinii (Schulman in Dubinin, 1952) from Scardinius erythrophthalmus (L.) (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae), Czech Republic, were examined (morphology, cox1, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 28S). These represent the first molecular data for species of Posthodiplostomum and Ornithodiplostomum Dubois, 1936 from the Palaearctic. Phylogenetic analyses based on cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, using O. scardinii as the outgroup and including the three newly-sequenced Posthodiplostomum spp. from Europe and eight published unidentified (presumably species-level) lineages of Posthodiplostomum from Canada confirmed the distinct status of the three European species (contrary to the generally accepted opinion that only P. brevicaudatum and P. cuticola occur in the Palaearctic). The subspecies Posthodiplostomum minimum centrarchi Hoffmann, 1958, originally described from North America, is elevated to the species level as Posthodiplostomum centrarchi Hoffman, 1958. The undescribed “Posthodiplostomum sp. 3” of Locke et al. (2010) from centrarchid fishes in Canada has identical sequences with the European isolates of P. centrarchi and is recognised as belonging to the same species. The latter parasite, occurring in the alien pumpkinseed sunfish Lepomis gibbosus in Europe, is also supposed to be alien for this continent. It is speculated that it colonised Europe long ago and is currently widespread (recorded in Bulgaria, Slovakia and Spain); based on the cox1 sequence of an adult digenean isolate from the Ebro Delta, Spain, only the grey heron (Ardea cinerea L.) (Ciconiiformes: Ardeidae) is known to be its definitive host in Europe.     

Morphological and molecular analyses support the existence of host-specific Peronospora species infecting Chenopodium

About 20 species of Peronospora have been reported to cause downy mildew on Chenopodium, but, particularly in plant pathology literature, only one species, P. farinosa, is considered to be involved. We performed sequence analysis of the ITS rDNA to reveal the phylogenetic relationships of Peronospora specimens from five species of Chenopodium, viz. C. album, C. ambrosioides, C. bonus-henricus, C. hybridum, and C. polyspermum. The five clades corresponded to particular Chenopodium species, and showed a high level of sequence divergence. Differences in the morphology of the conidia and ultimate branchlets also supported the separation of the five groups at the host species level. These results suggest that the names P. variabilis, P. boni-henrici, P. chenopodii, and P. chenopodii-polyspermi should be used for the four downy mildew pathogens specific to C. album, C. bonus-henricus, C. hybridum, and C. polyspermum, respectively. The Peronospora on C. ambrosioides was found to be an independent species.     

Fungal substances as modulators of NF-κB activation pathway

MCF7 breast cancer cell line, carrying a luciferase reporter gene under the control of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)-responsive promoter, was established and used for the screening of fungal organic extracts for their ability to interfere with the NF-κB activation pathway. Twenty-eight crude fungal extracts, out of 242, were found to inhibit NF-κB reporter activity by more than 40%. Furthermore, positive extracts were used to evaluate their antiproliferative activity as well as their ability to influence the phosphorylation and degradation levels of IκBa. Fungal extracts prepared from Marasmius oreades and Cyathus striatus showed significant inhibitory effects on the NF-κB activation pathway. Taken together, our results support the notion of the presence of novel activities that might be utilized as cancer therapeutics.     

Upper Ordovician chondrichthyan‐like scales from North America

Studies of Ordovician micromeric fish scales from the Sandbian of North America have identified a number of scale‐based taxa potentially referable to the chondrichthyans and therefore can be among the stratigraphically oldest representatives of the clade described to date. Two of these, Tezakia hardingensis gen. et sp. nov. and Canyonlepis smithae gen. et sp. nov., are formally described herein. Tezakia gen. nov. scales are composed exclusively of tubular dentine and possess polyodontocomplex crowns with a characteristically large primordial odontode. Similar scale crown architecture has been reported only in the reputed chondrichthyan Altholepis composita (Lower Devonian of Podolia, Ukraine), and on these grounds, the two are united within the newly erected Altholepidiformes ordo nov. Multiple odontocomplexes are also a feature of Canyonlepis gen. nov. scale crowns; however, the latter do not demonstrate prominent primordial odontodes and are supported by a base composed of acellular bone. Additional data suggest that both taxa possess a combination of characteristics (areal crown growth, scale symmetry, linear odontocomplex architecture and absence of enamel, osteons, cancellous bone and hard‐tissue resorption) previously documented to occur only in chondrichthyan scales. This study contributes to a growing body of evidence that reveals the presence of diverse tissue types (bone, tubular and atubular dentine) and morphogenetic patterns (odontocomplex and non‐odontocomplex type of scale crown growth) in the dermal skeleton of putative Ordovician chondrichthyans.     

In vitro culture of switchgrass: Influence of 2,4-d and picloram in combination with benzyladenine on callus initiation and regeneration

The objective of this study was to determine the types and concentrations of auxins and cytokinins that would result in effective culture initiation and plant regeneration of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Whole caryopses and young seedling explants were cultured on MS medium containing different concentrations of picloram or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-d) in combination with benzyladenine. Best results from mature caryopses were obtained with 11.3–45.0 M 2,4-d in combination with 15.0 or 45.0 M benzyladenine (BA). More than 300 plants were obtained per embryogenic callus from some treatments after the second transfer to regeneration medium (90 days after initiation of the cultures). Regeneration was obtained from young seedling explants with both auxins. However, picloram was more effective over a wider range of BA concentrations than 2,4-d. Protocols developed during this study were used to regenerate hundreds of plants which could easily be established in the field.     

lazaro encodes a lipid phosphate phosphohydrolase that regulates phosphatidylinositol turnover during Drosophila phototransduction

An essential step in Drosophila phototransduction is the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate PI(4,5)P2 by phospholipase Cbeta (PLCbeta) to generate a second messenger that opens the light-activated channels TRP and TRPL. Although the identity of this messenger remains unknown, recent evidence has implicated diacylglycerol kinase (DGK), encoded by rdgA, as a key enzyme that regulates its levels, mediating both amplification and response termination. In this study, we demonstrate that lazaro (laza) encodes a lipid phosphate phosphohydrolase (LPP) that functions during phototransduction. We demonstrate that the synergistic activity of laza and rdgA regulates response termination during phototransduction. Analysis of retinal phospholipids revealed a reduction in phosphatidic acid (PA) levels and an associated reduction in phosphatidylinositol (PI) levels. Together our results demonstrate the contribution of PI depletion to the rdgA phenotype and provide evidence that depletion of PI and its metabolites might be a key signal for TRP channel activation in vivo.     

Nitrile degradation by free and immobilized cells of the thermophile Bacillus sp. UG-5B, isolated from polluted industrial waters

A moderately thermophilic Gram-positive, sporulating, rod-shaped strain of Bacillus with nitrile-degrading activity was isolated from polluted industrial waters. Whole cells and cell-free extracts from the end of exponential growth phase expressed 7.6 nkat mg⁻¹ and 2.0 nkat mg⁻¹ benzonitrile-degrading activity, respectively, after cultivation in a fermentor with complex medium containing benzonitrile as an inducer. The benzonitrile degradation took place via the nitrilase pathway directly to benzoic acid without intermediate formation of benzamide. Samples with benzonitrilase activity of 7.6 nkat mg⁻¹ converted 3 mg benzonitrile in 1 h at 45°C. The half-life of benzonitrilase activity for a whole cell suspension and for cells immobilized in 2% agar was 4.5 min and 6 min at 70°C without substrate and 3 min at 90°C with substrate, respectively. The nitrilase had a broad substrate spectrum. The active biocatalyst obtained by immobilization was used in a continuous process and total biodegradation of 14.1 mM benzonitrile and 37.2 mM 4-cyanopyridine in a column bioreactor at 50°C for 5 h was achieved.     

Footprint analysis of gait using a pressure sensor system.

The purpose of this study was to investigate if the detailed pressure data of the footprints of normal gait add essential information to the spatio-temporal variables of gait. The gait of 62 healthy adult subjects was investigated using GAITRite pressure sensor system. Each footprint was divided into 12 equal trapezoids and after that the hindfoot, midfoot and forefoot analysis was developed. A typical activation pattern of the sensors with two peaks of active area and peak pressure distribution during normal walking was obtained. The first peak reflected the heel strike, and the second peak reflected push-off at the end of the stance phase. The lowest pressure values were in the midfoot, where the lateral part of the foot activated sensors more than the medial part. The footprint patterns of right and left legs were symmetrical and corresponded with the symmetry found in the spatio-temporal variables of gait. The variability for the active area and the peak pressure were more pronounced for the lateral part of the midfoot and a smaller variation was seen in areas with concentrated observations (e.g. 1st, 2nd and 5th lateral trapezoids). Increasing active area in the forefoot was associated with decreasing pressure sensor activity in the midfoot. The footprint patterns identified the symmetry between the legs and at the same time revealed the velocity performance.