bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterization of BGTG‐1, a tergal gland‐secreted alpha‐amylase, from the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.)
Authors: Saltzmann K. D. , Saltzmann K. A. , Neal J. J. , Scharf M. E. , Bennett G. W. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThe protein fraction of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), tergal gland secretion was examined. SDS–PAGE separation of proteins present in B. germanica tergal gland secretion revealed a tergal gland‐secreted protein, BGTG‐1, at ≈ 63 kDa. BGTG‐1 first appeared in tergal gland secretion at 2 days postimaginal moult and the amount of protein observed increased through day 5. A 2051 bp cDNA sequence, bgtg‐1, was obtained by RACE polymerase chain reaction and contains a 1494 bp ORF encoding a predicted protein of 498 amino acids. In a Northern hybridization experiment using total RNA from B. germanica tergal gland tissue, a 32P‐labelled bgtg‐1 probe hybridized to an RNA ≈ 2000 bp and confirmed the 2051 bp cDNA size obtained by RACE PCR. Using the BLASTx sequence similarity search tool, the top match to the bgtg‐1 ORF was found to be an α‐amylase from Drosophila kikkawai (e‐value = 1 × 10−178). Alignment of the bgtg‐1 deduced protein sequence with α‐amylases from fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, honey bee, Apis mellifera (L.) and yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor (L.), revealed conserved residues throughout the ORF and sequence identities ranging from 58.4 to 58.2%. Using a gel‐based assay, degradation of starch by native BGTG‐1 was demonstrated in vitro and we propose that BGTG‐1 may be involved in processing phagostimulatory sugars present in B. germanica tergal gland secretion.
piggyBac‐like elements in the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (Fabricius)
Authors: Wang J. , Ren X. , Miller T. A. , Park Y. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractWe identified two different groups of piggyBac‐like elements (PLE) in the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens, and named them HvPLE1 and HvPLE2. An intact copy of HvPLE1 revealed the characteristics of PLE: inverted terminal repeats, inverted subterminal repeats, and an open reading frame encoding transposase, whereas other HvPLE1 copies and all the HvPLE2 copies carried disruptive mutations in the region encoding transposase. We also identified none to two bands per genome hybridized to a probe of Trichoplusia ni piggyBac in genomic Southern blotting, which are different from HvPLE1 or HvPLE2. Analysis of the sequences of multiple copies of HvPLE1 and HvPLE2 suggests that the PLEs are closely related to the T. ni piggyBac, of relatively young age, and independently entered the H. virescens genome.
Germ‐line transformation and RNAi of the ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis
Authors: Kuwayama H. , Yaginuma T. , Yamashita O. , Niimi T. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractTo elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the tremendous diversity of insect wing colour patterns, it is imperative to identify and functionally characterize the genes involved in this developmental process. Here we report the first successful germ‐line transformation using the transposable element vector piggyBac in the ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis, which demonstrates typical genetic polymorphism in its wing colour patterns. The transformation efficiency by piggyBac was 3.7% per fertile G0. We investigated the effectiveness of RNAi in Harmonia by injecting EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) dsRNA into early transgenic EGFP‐expressing embryos and observed substantial reduction of EGFP fluorescence in 87.2% of hatched larvae. Application of these new genetic tools to non‐model insects such as Harmonia will facilitate the broad understanding of developmental mechanisms and evolutionary processes that are inaccessible using established model systems.
‘Suicide’ of crickets harbouring hairworms: a proteomics investigation
Authors: Biron D. G. , Ponton F. , Marché L. , Galeotti N. , Renault L. , Demey‐Thomas E. , Poncet J. , Brown S. P. , Jouin P. , Thomas F. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractDespite increasing evidence of host phenotypic manipulation by parasites, the underlying mechanisms causing infected hosts to act in ways that benefit the parasite remain enigmatic in most cases. Here, we used proteomics tools to identify the biochemical alterations that occur in the head of the cricketNemobius sylvestriswhen it is driven to water by the hairwormParagordius tricuspidatus. We characterized host and parasite proteomes during the expression of the water‐seeking behaviour. We found that the parasite produces molecules from the Wnt family that may act directly on the development of the central nervous system (CNS). In the head of manipulated cricket, we found differential expression of proteins specifically linked to neurogenesis, circadian rhythm and neurotransmitter activities. We also detected proteins for which the function(s) are still unknown. This proteomics study on the biochemical pathways altered by hairworms has also allowed us to tackle questions of physiological and molecular convergence in the mechanism(s) causing the alteration of orthoptera behaviour. The two hairworm species produce effective molecules acting directly on the CNS of their orthoptera hosts.
Differences in Ichthyophonus prevalence and infection severity between upper Yukon River and Tanana River chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), stocks
Authors: Kocan R , Hershberger P 
Published: August 2006

AbstractTwo genetically distinct populations of chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), were simultaneously sampled at the confluence of the Yukon and Tanana rivers in 2003. Upper Yukon‐Canadian fish had significantly higher infection prevalence as well as more severe infections (higher parasite density in heart tissue) than the lower Yukon‐Tanana River fish. Both populations had migrated the same distance from the mouth of the Yukon River at the time of sampling but had significantly different distances remaining to swim before reaching their respective spawning grounds. Multiple working hypotheses are proposed to explain the differences between the two stocks: (1) the two genetically distinct populations have different inherent resistance to infection, (2) genetically influenced differences in feeding behaviour resulted in temporal and/or spatial differences in exposure, (3) physiological differences resulting from different degrees of sexual maturity influenced the course of disease, and (4) the most severely infected Tanana River fish either died en route or fatigued and were unable to complete their migration to the Tanana River, thus leaving a population of apparently healthier fish.
The regulation of masticatory function and food bolus formation
Authors: WODA A. , MISHELLANY A. , PEYRON M‐A. 
Published: August 2006

summary  This review emphasizes the following points: 1 The values of the physiological parameters of mastication (number of cycles and total electromyographic activity in the sequence, sequence duration, cycle frequency in the sequence, kinetic characteristics of the cycles) are characteristic of each individual and vary widely from one individual to another. In a given individual their modification reflects an adaptation of mastication to the size of the food bolus, and the hardness and rheological characteristics of the food. 2 The ready‐to‐swallow food boluses produced by different individuals nevertheless display similar particle size distributions. 3 Ageing entails adaptation of the masticatory function and does not impair swallowing. 4 Observed increase in total electromyographic activity shows that more energy is expended in mastication by full denture wearers. Despite this increased muscle activity, loss of teeth, even if compensated for by complete dentures, hinders the formation of a normal bolus. The food boluses made by denture wearers thus contain many large‐size particles. The impaired mastication observed in denture wearers approaches the masticatory disabilities found in persons with neuromotor deficiencies.
Proteomic and microarray characterization of the AggR regulon identifies a pheU pathogenicity island in enteroaggregative Escherichia coli
Authors: Dudley Edward G. , Thomson Nicholas R. , Parkhill Julian , Morin Nicholas P. , Nataro James P. 
Published: August 2006

SummaryEnteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is defined by aggregative adherence (AA) to HEp‐2 cells, where bacteria display adherence to cell surfaces and also to the intervening substratum in a stacked‐brick configuration. We previously showed that an AraC homologue designated AggR is required for the expression of plasmid‐encoded genes that mediate AA of EAEC strain 042. In this study, we hypothesized that AggR also controls the expression of other virulence determinants in EAEC 042. Using proteomic and microarray analysis, we identified for the first time that AggR activates the expression of chromosomal genes, including 25 contiguous genes (aaiA–Y), which are localized to a 117 kb pathogenicity island (PAI) inserted at pheU. Many of these genes have homologues in other Gram‐negative bacteria and were recently proposed to constitute a type VI secretion system (T6SS). AaiC was identified as a secreted protein that has no apparent homologues within GenBank. EAEC strains carrying in‐frame deletions of aaiB, aaiG, aaiO or aaiP still synthesized AaiC; however, AaiC secretion was abolished. Cloning of aai genes into E. coli HB101 suggested that aaiA–P are sufficient for AaiC secretion. A second T6SS was identified within the pheU PAI that secretes a protein unrelated by sequence identity to AaiC. Distribution studies indicated that aaiA and aaiC are commonly found in EAEC isolates worldwide, particularly in strains defined as typical EAEC. These data support the hypothesis that AggR is a global regulator of EAEC virulence determinants, and builds on the hypothesis that T6SS is an importance mediator of pathogenesis.
Lipid domains in bacterial membranes
Authors: Matsumoto Kouji , Kusaka Jin , Nishibori Ayako , Hara Hiroshi 
Published: August 2006

SummaryThe recent development of specific probes for lipid molecules has led to the discovery of lipid domains in bacterial membranes, that is, of membrane areas differing in lipid composition. A view of the membrane as a patchwork is replacing the assumption of lipid homogeneity inherent in the fluid mosaic model of Singer and Nicolson (Science 1972, 175: 720–731). If thus membranes have complex lipid structure, questions arise about how it is generated and maintained, and what its function might be. How do lipid domains relate to the functionally distinct regions in bacterial cells as they are identified by protein localization techniques? This review assesses the current knowledge on the existence of cardiolipin (CL) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) domains in bacterial cell membranes and on the specific cellular localization of certain membrane proteins, which include phospholipid synthases, and discusses possible mechanisms, both chemical and physiological, for the formation of the lipid domains. We propose that bacterial membranes contain a mosaic of microdomains of CL and PE, which are to a significant extent self‐assembled according to their respective intrinsic chemical characteristics. We extend the discussion to the possible relevance of the domains to specific cellular processes, including cell division and sporulation.
Accumulation of genome‐specific transcripts, transcription factors and phytohormonal regulators during early stages of fiber cell development in allotetraploid cotton
Authors: Samuel Yang S. , Cheung Foo , Lee Jinsuk J. , Ha Misook , Wei Ning E. , Sze Sing‐Hoi , Stelly David M. , Thaxton Peggy , Triplett Barbara , Town Christopher D. , Jeffrey Chen Z. 
Published: August 2006

SummaryGene expression during the early stages of fiber cell development and in allopolyploid crops is poorly understood. Here we report computational and expression analyses of 32 789 high‐quality ESTs derived from Gossypium hirsutum L. Texas Marker‐1 (TM‐1) immature ovules (GH_TMO). The ESTs were assembled into 8540 unique sequences including 4036 tentative consensus sequences (TCs) and 4504 singletons, representing approximately 15% of the unique sequences in the cotton EST collection. Compared with approximately 178 000 existing ESTs derived from elongating fibers and non‐fiber tissues, GH_TMO ESTs showed a significant increase in the percentage of genes encoding putative transcription factors such as MYB and WRKY and genes encoding predicted proteins involved in auxin, brassinosteroid (BR), gibberellic acid (GA), abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene signaling pathways. Cotton homologs related to MIXTA, MYB5, GL2 and eight genes in the auxin, BR, GA and ethylene pathways were induced during fiber cell initiation but repressed in the naked seed mutant (N1N1) that is impaired in fiber formation. The data agree with the known roles of MYB and WRKY transcription factors in Arabidopsis leaf trichome development and the well‐documented phytohormonal effects on fiber cell development in immature cotton ovules cultured in vitro. Moreover, the phytohormonal pathway‐related genes were induced prior to the activation of MYB‐like genes, suggesting an important role of phytohormones in cell fate determination. Significantly, AA sub‐genome ESTs of all functional classifications including cell‐cycle control and transcription factor activity were selectively enriched in G. hirsutum L., an allotetraploid derived from polyploidization between AA and DD genome species, a result consistent with the production of long lint fibers in AA genome species. These results suggest general roles for genome‐specific, phytohormonal and transcriptional gene regulation during the early stages of fiber cell development in cotton allopolyploids.
Peroxidase‐dependent apoplastic oxidative burst in Arabidopsis required for pathogen resistance
Authors: Bindschedler Laurence V. , Dewdney Julia , Blee Kris A. , Stone Julie M. , Asai Tsuneaki , Plotnikov Julia , Denoux Carine , Hayes Tezni , Gerrish Chris , Davies Dewi R. , Ausubel Frederick M. , Paul Bolwell G. 
Published: August 2006

SummaryThe oxidative burst is an early response to pathogen attack leading to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) including hydrogen peroxide. Two major mechanisms involving either NADPH oxidases or peroxidases that may exist singly or in combination in different plant species have been proposed for the generation of ROS. We identified an Arabidopsis thaliana azide‐sensitive but diphenylene iodonium‐insensitive apoplastic oxidative burst that generates H2O2 in response to a Fusarium oxysporum cell‐wall preparation. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing an anti‐sense cDNA encoding a type III peroxidase, French bean peroxidase type 1 (FBP1) exhibited an impaired oxidative burst and were more susceptible than wild‐type plants to both fungal and bacterial pathogens. Transcriptional profiling and RT‐PCR analysis showed that the anti‐sense (FBP1) transgenic plants had reduced levels of specific peroxidase‐encoding mRNAs, including mRNAs corresponding to Arabidopsis genes At3g49120 (AtPCb) and At3g49110 (AtPCa) that encode two class III peroxidases with a high degree of homology to FBP1. These data indicate that peroxidases play a significant role in generating H2O2 during the Arabidopsis defense response and in conferring resistance to a wide range of pathogens.
Growth responses of soybean (Glycine max) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) to an increase in density of Amaranthus dubius (L.) plants at two temperatures
Authors: WULFF RENATA D. 
Published: August 2006

SummaryPlants of soybean (Glycine max) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) were grown either alone or in combination with 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 Amaranthus dubius plants per pot in controlled environment chambers at 31/24 and 25/18°C day/night temperatures. Above‐ground dry weights, leaf areas and heights were measured at 17 and 35 days after planting. Growth of both species increased with temperature. At the second harvest, at both temperatures, even one A. dubius plant per pot had a significant effect on growth of the crop species, and the effects of the two highest densities were equivalent. Shoot dry weights of A. dubius plants were significantly lower when grown with soybean than with sorghum at the same conditions. Linear regressions showed that the dry weights of the crop species were more highly correlated with biomass than with numbers of the interfering weeds, and suggest that soybean may be more affected by an increase in abundance of A. dubius than is sorghum.
The prescriptions frequencies and patterns of Chinese herbal medicine for allergic rhinitis in Taiwan
Authors: Kung Y. Y. , Chen Y. C. , Hwang S. J. , Chen T. J. , Chen F. P. 
Published: August 2006

Background:  The evaluation of Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) to allergic rhinitis (AR) by large‐scale pharmaco‐epidemiological study is not ease found, although CHM had been reported to have potential effect for AR in some clinical trials.Aims of the study:  To explore the frequency and pattern of CHM prescriptions on AR, we have the study by analysing the population‐based CHM database in Taiwan.Methods:  The way for this study was linked and processed the complete traditional Chinese medicine database for Taiwanese recorded in the year 2002. The diagnosis of AR was extracted with the only single ICD‐9 Code of 477 to calculate the frequency and pattern of prescriptions. Association rule was applied to analyse co‐prescription of CHM for patients with AR.Results:  In the year 2002, among the 22 520 776 valid beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance, Taiwan, 914 612 subjects (3.8% of the total valid beneficiaries) have diagnosed AR. There were 35.6% of AR patients been treated by CHM. The peak age of AR patients treated by CHM was at the first decade (0–10). For the AR patients, the most common Chinese herbal formula prescription was Shin‐yi‐qing‐fei‐tang, or Angelica dahurica (Bai‐zhi) for the single Chinese herb. While for the combination treatments the most common prescription was the two formulae, Xiao‐qing‐long‐tang and Shin‐yi‐san.Conclusions:  Because of the high utilization rate of the CHM treatment for AR, a large‐scale randomized trial warrants further research for its efficacy and safety.
Additive partitioning of rarefaction curves and species–area relationships: unifying α‐, β‐ and γ‐diversity with sample size and habitat area
Authors: Crist Thomas O. , Veech Joseph A. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractAdditive partitioning of species diversity is widely applicable to different kinds of sampling regimes at multiple spatial and temporal scales. In additive partitioning, the diversity within and among samples (α and β) is expressed in the same units of species richness, thus allowing direct comparison of α and β. Despite its broad applicability, there are few demonstrated linkages between additive partitioning and other approaches to analysing diversity. Here, we establish several connections between diversity partitions and patterns of habitat occupancy, rarefaction, and species–area relationships. We show that observed partitions of species richness are equivalent to sample‐based rarefaction curves, and expected partitions from randomization tests are approximately equivalent to individual‐based rarefaction. Additive partitions can also be applied to species–area relationships to determine the relative contributions of factors influencing the β‐diversity among habitat fragments.
Mutation accumulation in space and the maintenance of sexual reproduction
Authors: Salathé Marcel , Salathé Rahel , Schmid‐Hempel Paul , Bonhoeffer Sebastian 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThe maintenance of sexual reproduction remains one of the major puzzles of evolutionary biology, since, all else being equal, an asexual mutant should have a twofold fitness advantage over the sexual wildtype. Most theories suggest that sex helps either to purge deleterious mutations, or to adapt to changing environments. Both mechanisms have their limitations if they act in isolation because they require either high genomic mutation rates or very virulent pathogens, and it is therefore often thought that they must act together to maintain sex. Typically, however, these theories have in common that they are not based on spatial processes. Here, we show that local dispersal and local competition can explain the maintenance of sexual reproduction as a means of purging deleterious mutations. Using a spatially explicit individual‐based model, we find that even with reasonably low genomic mutation rates and large total population sizes, asexual clones cannot invade a sexual population. Our results demonstrate how spatial processes affect mutation accumulation such that it can fully erode the twofold benefit of asexuality faster than an asexual clone can take over a sexual population. Thus, the cost of sex is generally overestimated in models that ignore the effects of space on mutation accumulation.
Expression of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in cotton plants, acquisition by pests and predators: a tritrophic analysis
Authors: Torres Jorge B. , Ruberson John R. , Adang Michael J. 
Published: August 2006

Abstract1. Studies have shown that Cry proteins of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis expressed in transgenic plants can be acquired by nontarget herbivores and predators. A series of studies under field and controlled conditions was conducted to investigate the extent to which Cry1Ac protein from Bt transgenic cotton reaches the third trophic level and to measure the amount of protein that herbivores can acquire and expose to predators.2. Levels of Cry1Ac in Bt cotton leaves decreased over the season. Among herbivores (four species), Cry1Ac was detected in lepidopteran larvae and the amount varied between species. Among predators (seven species), Cry1Ac was detected in Podisus maculiventris and Chrysoperla rufilabris.3. In the greenhouse, only 14% of the Cry1Ac detected in the prey (Spodoptera exigua larvae) was subsequently found in the predator P. maculiventris. Detection of Cry1Ac protein in Orius insidiosus, Geocoris punctipes and Nabis roseipennis was probably limited by the amount of prey consumed that had fed on Bt cotton.4. Purified Cry1Ac was acquired by the small predatory bug G. punctipes but at much higher concentration than found in plants or in lepidopteran larvae.5. Bt protein was shown to move through prey to the third trophic level. Predatory heteropterans acquired Cry1Ac from prey fed Bt cotton, but acquisition was dependent on the concentration of Cry1Ac conveyed by the prey and the amount of prey consumed. The type and availability of prey capable of acquiring the protein, coupled with the generalist feeding behaviour of the most common predators in the cotton ecosystem, probably constrain the flow of Cry1Ac through trophic levels.