Interspecific Proteomic Comparisons Reveal Ash Phloem Genes Potentially Involved in Constitutive Resistance to the Emerald Ash Borer

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is an invasive wood-boring beetle that has killed millions of ash trees since its accidental introduction to North America. All North American ash species (Fraxinus spp.) that emerald ash borer has encountered so far are susceptible, while an Asian species, Manchurian ash (F. mandshurica), which shares an evolutionary history with emerald ash borer, is resistant. Phylogenetic evidence places North American black ash (F. nigra) and Manchurian ash in the same clade and section, yet black ash is highly susceptible to the emerald ash borer. This contrast provides an opportunity to compare the genetic traits of the two species and identify those with a potential role in defense/resistance. We used Difference Gel Electrophoresis (DIGE) to compare the phloem proteomes of resistant Manchurian to susceptible black, green, and white ash. Differentially expressed proteins associated with the resistant Manchurian ash when compared to the susceptible ash species were identified using nano-LC-MS/MS and putative identities assigned. Proteomic differences were strongly associated with the phylogenetic relationships among the four species. Proteins identified in Manchurian ash potentially associated with its resistance to emerald ash borer include a PR-10 protein, an aspartic protease, a phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductase (PCBER), and a thylakoid-bound ascorbate peroxidase. Discovery of resistance-related proteins in Asian species will inform approaches in which resistance genes can be introgressed into North American ash species. The generation of resistant North American ash genotypes can be used in forest ecosystem restoration and urban plantings following the wake of the emerald ash borer invasion

Effects of Heavy Metals and Arbuscular Mycorrhiza on the Leaf Proteome of a Selected Poplar Clone: A Time Course Analysis

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi establish a mutualistic symbiosis with the roots of most plant species. While receiving photosynthates, they improve the mineral nutrition of the plant and can also increase its tolerance towards some pollutants, like heavy metals. Although the fungal symbionts exclusively colonize the plant roots, some plant responses can be systemic. Therefore, in this work a clone of Populus alba L., previously selected for its tolerance to copper and zinc, was used to investigate the effects of the symbiosis with the AM fungus Glomus intraradices on the leaf protein expression. Poplar leaf samples were collected from plants maintained in a glasshouse on polluted (copper and zinc contaminated) or unpolluted soil, after four, six and sixteen months of growth. For each harvest, about 450 proteins were reproducibly separated on 2DE maps. At the first harvest the most relevant effect on protein modulation was exerted by the AM fungi, at the second one by the metals, and at the last one by both treatments. This work demonstrates how importantly the time of sampling affects the proteome responses in perennial plants. In addition, it underlines the ability of a proteomic approach, targeted on protein identification, to depict changes in a specific pattern of protein expression, while being still far from elucidating the biological function of each protein

Rotational effects in low energy dissociative recombination of diatomic ions

The effect of rotational interaction in the low energy dissociative recombination process of diatomic molecules has been explored for typical molecular ions ($\mathrm {H_2^+,\ HD^+,\ OH^+\ and\ NO^+}$) which sample a large range of molecular masses. We show that rotation plays a role mainly for the indirect recombination process through bound Rydberg states, and for light molecules. When the direct process based on a strong electronic interaction is fast and dominating, rotational couplings can be safely neglected especially for heavier molecules like NO

Low-energy collisions between electrons and BeH+ : Cross sections and rate coefficients for all the vibrational states of the ion

International audienceWe provide cross sections and Maxwell rate coefficients for reactive collisions of slow electrons with BeH+ ions on all the eighteen vibrational levels ( X1Σ+,vi+=0,1,2,…,17 ) using a Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory (MQDT)—type approach. These data on dissociative recombination, vibrational excitation and vibrational de-excitation are relevant for magnetic confinement fusion edge plasma modeling and spectroscopy, in devices with beryllium based main chamber materials, such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and the Joint European Torus (JET). Our results are presented in graphical form and as fitted analytical functions, the parameters of which are organized in tables

Advances in the MQDT approach of electron/molecular cation reactive collisions: High precision extensive calculations for applications

WOS:000351835100007International audienceRecent advances in the stepwise multichannel quantum defect theory approach of electron/molecular cation reactive collisions have been applied to perform computations of cross sections and rate coefficients for dissociative recombination and electron-impact rovibrational transitions of H-2(+), BeH+ and their deuterated isotopomers. At very low energy, rovibronic interactions play a significant role in the dynamics, whereas at high energy, the dissociative excitation strongly competes with all other reactive processes