Corrigendum: Butin H. (2018) Parasitic fungi on leaves of Black Cherry: A contribution to biological plant protection

Der ursprüngliche Artikel wurde unter Autorenschaft von Heinz Butin am 01.12.2018 im Journal für Kulturpflanzen 70 (12) S. 342–347, 2018, ISSN 1867-0911, DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2018.12.02 publiziert. Der Pilz Paecilomyces crassipes Butin wurde als neue Art beschrieben und eingeführt. Dies war nicht konform mit Artikel F.5.1 des International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (Turland et al. 2018), denn es fehlte ein Kennungszeichen, das seit dem 1. Januar 2013 obligatorisch ist. Die Art wird nun durch Angabe der unten stehenden MycoBank-Nummer validiert.The original article was published under the authorship of Heinz Butin on 01.12.2018 in Journal für Kulturpflanzen 70 (12) S. 342–347, 2018, ISSN 1867-0911, DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2018.12.02. The fungus Paecilomyces crassipes Butin was described and introduced as a new species. This was not compliant with the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants article F.5.1 (Turland et al. 2018), because a registration identifier was lacking, which is compulsory since 1 January 2013. The species is now validated by providing the MycoBank number below

Diplodia tip blight pathogen’s virulence empowered through host switch

Increased drought combined with emerging pathogens poses an increased threat to forest health. This is attributable to the unpredictable behaviour of forest pathosystems, which can favour fungal pathogens over the host under persistent drought stress conditions. Diplodia sapinea (≡ Sphaeropsis sapinea) is one of the most severe pathogens in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) causing Diplodia tip blight (conifer blight) under certain environmental conditions. Recently, the fungus has also been isolated from non-conifer hosts, indicating that it has a broader host range than previously known. In this study we compared the impact of different levels of water availability on necrosis length caused by D. sapinea strains isolated as endophytes (eight strains isolated from asymptomatic Scots pine) and pathogens (five strains isolated from symptomatic Scots pine) and five strains isolated from symptomatic non-pine hosts. For all strains the decreased water availability increased the necrosis length in Scots pine shoots. The isolates from non-pine hosts caused the most severe reactions under all water availabilities. The results of the study indicate the likelihood that effects of climatic changes such as drought will drive D. sapinea damage in Scots pine-dominated forests and increase mortality rates in affected trees. Further, the higher necrosis in the Scots pines caused by strains that had performed a host switch are concerning with regard to future scenarios thus increasing infection pressure on Scots pine from unknown sources

Tetrazine-Responsive Self-immolative Linkers

Molecules that undergo activation or modulation following the addition of benign external small‐molecule chemical stimuli have numerous applications. Here, we report the highly efficient “decaging” of a variety of moieties by activation of a “self‐immolative” linker, by application of water‐soluble and stable tetrazine, including the controlled delivery of doxorubicin in a cellular context

Bio-orthogonal Fluorescent Labelling of Biopolymers through Inverse-Electron-Demand Diels–Alder Reactions

Bio-ort hogona llabellin gschemes based on inverse-elec tron- deman dDiels–Ald er (IEDDA) cycloa ddition have attracted much attention in chem ical biology recently .The appeal ing features of this reactio n, such as the fast reactio nkinetics, fully bio-ort hogonal nature and high selectiv ity,have helped chem i- cal biologists gain deeper understandi ng of biochemic al pro- cesses at the molecular level.Listing the compo nents and dis- cussing the possib ilities andlimitations of thesereagent s, we provid earecent snapshot of the field of IEDDA -based biomo- lecular manipulatio nwith special focus on fluores cent modula- tion approaches throug hthe use of bio-orthogon alized build- ing blocks. At the end, we discuss challenges that need to be addres sed for further develop ments in order to overcome recent limita tions and to enabl eresearchers to answer biomo - lecular quest ions in more detail

Kriegsbezogene Technikfantasien zwischen 1871 und 1914

This essay is supposed to answer the purpose of examining reflections about the technological development of war machinery between the end of the Franco-Prussian War and the beginning of the First World War. The use of technologically evolved weapons in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71 and other wars in the aftermath were observed critically and led to various opinions about the form of war to be. These were expressed in contemporary literature like pamphlets, scientific papers and science fiction novels. These will be analysed for imprints of technophobia, technophilia or fascination with technology. As this paper will point out, all three elements can be found in the corpus of literature consulted for this topic. Besides reflections on already existing and only enhanced weapons like guns or cannons, also technology not yet used in war like ironclads or airplanes and its impacts on future war are covered in the works chosen for this essay

Schadenserhebung, Kartierung und Charakterisierung des „Diplodia-Triebsterbens“ der Kiefer, insbesondere des endophytischen Vorkommens in den klimasensiblen Räumen und Identifikation von den in Kiefer (Pinus sylvestris) vorkommenden Endophyten

Kooperation mit der Nordwestdeutschen Forstlichen Versuchsanstalt; Waldklimafonds WAHYKLAS-Projekt (Förderkennzeichen 28W-C-4-031

From New DNA Conjugation Approaches to 3D DNA Networks for an Artificial Extracellular Matrix

The aim of this work was to establish a material based on branched DNA, with cell attractive properties. Several challenges had to be addressed to reach this goal. First of all, the building blocks for automated DNA synthesis had to be efficiently synthesized. Two synthesis routes were elaborated to synthesize bis homotris-based branched DNA building blocks with exchangeable chemical handles at the branching core. Three distinct synthesis strategies at the automated DNA synthesizer were tested for applicability. As inverse DNA synthesis is unavoidably needed, two strategies aimed at only synthesizing one DNA strand with this less efficient DNA synthesis, to raise the overall yield of branched DNA. These strategies relied on the bridging of two synthesized DNA strands on the solid support. To achieve efficient bridging, only low excesses of the branched-DNA building block could be applied, resulting in only low coupling efficiencies. As these strategies appeared to be inefficient, a synthesis strategy was optimized that relied on the parallel synthesis of two DNA strands with inverse DNA synthesis. To ensure the best possible yields, the general synthesizer chemistry was optimized. Thereby, the exchange of the activating agent ethylthio-1H-tetrazole with 4,5-dicyanoimidazole increased the yields significantly, providing the foundation for the efficient synthesis of branched DNA constructs, bearing free 3’-ends as needed for elongation by DNA polymerases. The enzymatic elongation of the branched primers was optimized. Especially with the surface-bound application in mind, the concentration of additives was optimized, to ensure efficient PCR with the branched primers. Additives like BSA were needed, to passivate surfaces that can come in contact to the DNA. Efficient PCR protocols were elaborated. To form DNA networks by branched PCR on glass slides, DNA had to be immobilized an glass substrates. The spotting procedures had to be optimized, particularly in respect to unselective, electrostatic immobilization of DNA. Amino functionalized glass slides were activated by p phenylenediisothiocyanate treatment. Unreacted amino groups had to be passivated by a treatment of succinic anhydride and N-methylimidazole, to convert the positive charge of the amino function to a negative charge of the succinic acid. DNA spotting protocols and subsequent passivation steps were optimized, so branched DNA modified glass slides are now reliably obtainable. Considering the modification of the branched DNA networks, bioorthogonal ligation reactions were tested towards their applicability. As promising reactions, the copper catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition and the Diels-Alder reaction were tested. As the building block for the synthesis of branched DNA already had a pentynoic acid-moiety, the copper catalyzed reaction was explored first. Different Cu+-stabilizing ligands were synthesized and tested. BTTAA showed by far the best properties to be used with the branched DNA constructs. Protocols were elaborated for the efficient ligation of branched primers. Additionally, the possibility for the modification of DNA strands by the incorporation of alkyne-bearing dNTPs was explored. Two dNTPs were explored, that were alkyne modified and were readily incorporated by enzymatic synthesis. The ligation protocols elaborated for the branched DNA worked efficiently on the intra-strand modified DNA. The approach for incorporating modified building blocks by enzymatic reaction and post-synthetic labelling of the DNA was transferred to modification by Diels-Alder reaction. For that reason, vinylated dNTPs were synthesized and their incorporation into DNA by primer extension experiments was tested. Both dvinATP and dvinUTP were incorporated efficiently by KlenTaq DNA polymerase, but upon incubation with a biotin-modified tetrazine, only the dvinAMP containing DNA underwent inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction. Measurements of the reaction kinetics revealed even higher conversion rates on DNA as on the isolated nucleosides. All in all, these favorable reaction kinetics prompted the inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction a very promising labelling reaction. With labelling reactions in hand, suitable bio-active molecules, so called bait molecules, were tested for their attachment to the DNA networks. These bioactive compounds should lead to cell attachment to the DNA networks. As bait molecule a cyclic peptide was established. This peptide presenting the well-known RGD motif can serve as attachment site for various cell types, as the RGD-motif is the universal recognition sequence in many multicellular organisms. An azide-functionalized version was obtained. The modification of surface-bound DNA by CuAAC was tested. A fluorescent azide was used in first studies, to detect efficient conversion of the DNA networks on the slides by reading the fluorescence signal. No efficient ligation protocols could be established directly on the glass slides. But the conversion of branched primers with either a biotin azide or the azido-functionalized cRGD-peptide was possible. So, modified branched primers were obtained, which were used for the generation of surface bound bioactive DNA networks. With these networks, first proof of concept studies were performed. HeLa cells were cultured on DNA modified slides, with and without bait molecules. It was shown, that to the bait molecule-modified DNA networks double as many cells adhered as to the unmodified DNA networks. After stressing of the cells and prolonged incubation, up to 7-fold more cells adhered to the functionalized networks compared to unmodified DNA networks. To conclude, a cell attractive material could be generated and the first experiments towards its application are very promising

Sphaeropsis sapinea and fungal endophyte diversity in twigs of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) in Germany

Gefördert im Rahmen des Projekts DEA