132 research outputs found
Iron, oxidative stress, and virulence : roles of iron-sensitive transcription factor Sre1 and the redox sensor ChAp1 in the maize pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus.
The gene SRE1, encoding the GATA transcription factor siderophore biosynthesis repressor (Sre1), was identified in the genome of the maize pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus and deleted. Mutants were altered in sensitivity to iron, oxidative stress, and virulence to the host. To gain insight into mechanisms of this combined regulation, genetic interactions among SRE1 (the nonribosomal peptide synthetase encoding gene NPS6, which is responsible for extracellular siderophore biosynthesis) and ChAP1 (encoding a transcription factor regulating redox homeostasis) were studied. To identify members of the Sre1 regulon, expression of candidate iron and oxidative stress-related genes was assessed in wild-type (WT) and sre1 mutants using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. In sre1 mutants, NPS6 and NPS2 genes, responsible for siderophore biosynthesis, were derepressed under iron replete conditions, whereas the high-affinity reductive iron uptake pathway associated gene, FTR1, was not, in contrast to outcomes with other well-studied fungal models. C. heterostrophus L-ornithine-N(5)- monooxygenase (SIDA2), ATP-binding cassette (ABC6), catalase (CAT1), and superoxide dismutase (SOD1) genes were also derepressed under iron-replete conditions in sre1 mutants. Chap1nps6 double mutants were more sensitive to oxidative stress than either Chap1 or nps6 single mutants, while Chap1sre1 double mutants showed a modest increase in resistance compared with single Chap1 mutants but were much more sensitive than sre1 mutants. These findings suggest that the NPS6 siderophore indirectly contributes to redox homeostasis via iron sequestration, while Sre1 misregulation may render cells more sensitive to oxidative stress. The double-mutant phenotypes are consistent with a model in which iron sequestration by NPS6 defends the pathogen against oxidative stress. C. heterostrophus sre1, nps6, Chap1, Chap1nps6, and Chap1sre1 mutants are all reduced in virulence toward the host, compared with the WT
Virulence, host-selective toxin production, and development of three Cochliobolus phytopathogens lacking the Sfp-type 4′-phosphopantetheinyl transferase Ppt1
The Sfp-type 4′-phosphopantetheinyl transferase Ppt1 is required for activation of nonribosomal peptide synthetases, including α-aminoadipate reductase (AAR) for lysine biosynthesis and polyketide synthases, enzymes that biosynthesize peptide and polyketide secondary metabolites, respectively. Deletion of the PPT1 gene, from the maize pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus and the rice pathogen Cochliobolus miyabeanus, yielded strains that were significantly reduced in virulence to their hosts. In addition, ppt1 mutants of C. heterostrophus race T and Cochliobolus victoriae were unable to biosynthesize the host-selective toxins (HST) T-toxin and victorin, respectively, as judged by bioassays. Interestingly, ppt1 mutants of C. miyabeanus were shown to produce tenfold higher levels of the sesterterpene-type non-HST ophiobolin A, as compared with the wild-type strain. The ppt1 strains of all species were also reduced in tolerance to oxidative stress and iron depletion; both phenotypes are associated with inability to produce extracellular siderophores biosynthesized by the nonribosomal peptide synthetase Nps6. Colony surfaces were hydrophilic, a trait previously associated with absence of C. heterostrophus Nps4. Mutants were decreased in asexual sporulation and C. heterostrophus strains were female-sterile in sexual crosses; the latter phenotype was observed previously with mutants lacking Nps2, which produces an intracellular siderophore. As expected, mutants were albino, since they cannot produce the polyketide melanin and were auxotrophic for lysine because they lack an AAR
The molecular gas in Luminous Infrared Galaxies I: CO lines, extreme physical conditions, and their drivers
We report results from a large molecular line survey of Luminous Infrared
Galaxies (L_{IR} >= 10^{11} L_sol) in the local Universe (z<=0.1), conducted
during the last decade with the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) and the
IRAM 30-m telescope. This work presents the CO and {13}CO line data for 36
galaxies, further augmented by multi-J total CO luminosities available for
other IR-bright galaxies from the literature. This yields a sample of N=70
galaxies with the star-formation (SF) powered fraction of their IR luminosities
spanning L_{IR} (10^{10}-2x10^{12}) L_sol and a wide range of morphologies.
Simple comparisons of their available CO Spectral Line Energy Distributions
(SLEDs) with local ones, as well as radiative transfer models discern a
surprisingly wide range of average ISM conditions, with most of the surprises
found in the high-excitation regime. These take the form of global CO SLEDs
dominated by a very warm (T_{kin}>=100 K) and dense (n>=10^4 cm^{-3}) gas
phase, involving galaxy-sized (~(few)x10^9 M_sol) gas mass reservoirs under
conditions that would otherwise amount only ~1% of mass per typical SF
molecular cloud in the Galaxy. Some of the highest excitation CO SLEDs are
found in the so-called Ultra Luminous Infrared Galaxies and seem irreducible to
ensembles of ordinary SF-powered regions. Highly supersonic turbulence and high
cosmic ray (CR) energy densities rather than far-UV/optical photons or
SNR-induced shocks from individual SF sites can globally warm the large amounts
of dense gas found in these merger-driven starbursts and easily power their
extraordinary CO line excitation.....Comment: 29 pages, 12 Figures, 8 Tables, originally submitted and now accepted
for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
(only minor modifications with respect to the first version
The Allen Telescope Array Twenty-centimeter Survey - A 690-Square-Degree, 12-Epoch Radio Dataset - I: Catalog and Long-Duration Transient Statistics
We present the Allen Telescope Array Twenty-centimeter Survey (ATATS), a
multi-epoch (12 visits), 690 square degree radio image and catalog at 1.4GHz.
The survey is designed to detect rare, very bright transients as well as to
verify the capabilities of the ATA to form large mosaics. The combined image
using data from all 12 ATATS epochs has RMS noise sigma = 3.94mJy / beam and
dynamic range 180, with a circular beam of 150 arcsec FWHM. It contains 4408
sources to a limiting sensitivity of S = 20 mJy / beam. We compare the catalog
generated from this 12-epoch combined image to the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS),
a legacy survey at the same frequency, and find that we can measure source
positions to better than ~20 arcsec. For sources above the ATATS completeness
limit, the median flux density is 97% of the median value for matched NVSS
sources, indicative of an accurate overall flux calibration. We examine the
effects of source confusion due to the effects of differing resolution between
ATATS and NVSS on our ability to compare flux densities. We detect no
transients at flux densities greater than 40 mJy in comparison with NVSS, and
place a 2-sigma upper limit on the transient rate for such sources of 0.004 per
square degree. These results suggest that the > 1 Jy transients reported by
Matsumura et al. (2009) may not be true transients, but rather variable sources
at their flux density threshold.Comment: 41 pages, 19 figures, ApJ accepted; corrected minor typo in Table
The Allen Telescope Array Pi GHz Sky Survey I. Survey Description and Static Catalog Results for the Bootes Field
The Pi GHz Sky Survey (PiGSS) is a key project of the Allen Telescope Array.
PiGSS is a 3.1 GHz survey of radio continuum emission in the extragalactic sky
with an emphasis on synoptic observations that measure the static and
time-variable properties of the sky. During the 2.5-year campaign, PiGSS will
twice observe ~250,000 radio sources in the 10,000 deg^2 region of the sky with
b > 30 deg to an rms sensitivity of ~1 mJy. Additionally, sub-regions of the
sky will be observed multiple times to characterize variability on time scales
of days to years. We present here observations of a 10 deg^2 region in the
Bootes constellation overlapping the NOAO Deep Wide Field Survey field. The
PiGSS image was constructed from 75 daily observations distributed over a
4-month period and has an rms flux density between 200 and 250 microJy. This
represents a deeper image by a factor of 4 to 8 than we will achieve over the
entire 10,000 deg^2. We provide flux densities, source sizes, and spectral
indices for the 425 sources detected in the image. We identify ~100$ new flat
spectrum radio sources; we project that when completed PiGSS will identify 10^4
flat spectrum sources. We identify one source that is a possible transient
radio source. This survey provides new limits on faint radio transients and
variables with characteristic durations of months.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; revision submitted with extraneous
figure remove
Detection of an ultra-bright submillimeter galaxy in the Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Field using AzTEC/ASTE
We report the detection of an extremely bright (37 mJy at 1100 m
and 91 mJy at 880 m) submillimeter galaxy (SMG),
AzTEC-ASTE-SXDF1100.001 (hereafter referred to as SXDF1100.001 or Orochi),
discovered in 1100 m observations of the Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Field
using AzTEC on ASTE. Subsequent CARMA 1300 m and SMA 880 m
observations successfully pinpoint the location of Orochi and suggest that it
has two components, one extended (FWHM of 4) and one
compact (unresolved). Z-Spec on CSO has also been used to obtain a wide band
spectrum from 190 to 308 GHz, although no significant emission/absorption lines
are found. The derived upper limit to the line-to-continuum flux ratio is
0.1--0.3 (2 ) across the Z-Spec band.
Based on the analysis of the derived spectral energy distribution from
optical to radio wavelengths of possible counterparts near the SMA/CARMA peak
position, we suggest that Orochi is a lensed, optically dark SMG lying at behind a foreground, optically visible (but red) galaxy at . The deduced apparent (i.e., no correction for magnification) infrared
luminosity () and star formation rate (SFR) are
and 11000 yr, respectively, assuming that the
is dominated by star formation. These values suggest that Orochi
will consume its gas reservoir within a short time scale (
yr), which is indeed comparable to those in extreme starbursts like the centres
of local ULIRGs.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figure
Simultaneous Measurements of Star Formation and Supermassive Black Hole Growth in Galaxies
Galaxies grow their supermassive black holes in concert with their stars, although the relationship between these major galactic components is poorly understood. Observations of the cosmic growth of stars and black holes in galaxies suffer from disjoint samples and the strong effects of dust attenuation. The thermal infrared holds incredible potential for simultaneously measuring both the star formation and black hole accretion rates in large samples of galaxies covering a wide range of physical conditions. Spitzer demonstrated this potential at low redshift, and by observing some of the most luminous galaxies at z~2. JWST will apply these methods to normal galaxies at these epochs, but will not be able to generate large spectroscopic samples or access the thermal infrared at high-redshift. An order of magnitude gap in our wavelength coverage will persist between JWST and ALMA. A large, cold infrared telescope can fill this gap to determine when (in cosmic time), and where (within the cosmic web), stars and black holes co-evolve, by measuring these processes simultaneously in statistically complete and unbiased samples of galaxies to z>8. A next-generation radio interferometer will have the resolution and sensitivity to measure star-formation and nuclear accretion in even the dustiest galaxies. Together, the thermal infrared and radio can uniquely determine how stars and supermassive blackholes co-evolve in galaxies over cosmic time
Mid-infrared properties of OH megamaser host galaxies. I: Spitzer IRS low- and high-resolution spectroscopy
We present mid-infrared spectra and photometry from the Infrared Spectrograph
on the Spitzer Space Telescope for 51 OH megamasers (OHMs), along with 15
galaxies confirmed to have no megamaser emission above L_OH = 10^2.3 L_sun. The
majority of galaxies display moderate-to-deep 9.7 um amorphous silicate
absorption, with OHM galaxies showing stronger average absorption and steeper
20-30 um continuum emission than non-masing galaxies. Emission from multiple
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), especially at 6.2, 7.7, and 11.3 um,
is detected in almost all systems. Fine-structure atomic emission (including
[Ne II], [Ne III], [S III], and [S IV]) and multiple H2 rotational transitions
are observed in more than 90% of the sample. A subset of galaxies show emission
from rarer atomic lines, such as [Ne V], [O IV], and [Fe II]. 50% of the OHMs
show absorption from water ice and hydrogenated amorphous carbon grains (HACs),
while absorption features from CO2, HCN, C2H2, and crystalline silicates are
also seen in several OHMs. Column densities of OH derived from 34.6 um OH
absorption are similar to those derived from 1667 MHz OH absorption in
non-masing galaxies, indicating that the abundance of masing molecules is
similar for both samples. This data paper presents full mid-infrared spectra
for each galaxy, along with measurements of line fluxes and equivalent widths,
absorption feature depths, and spectral indices.Comment: 28 pages, 10 figures; accepted to ApJS. Ancillary data includes full
IRS spectra of the complete sampl
Jellyfish Modulate Bacterial Dynamic and Community Structure
Jellyfish blooms have increased in coastal areas around the world and the outbreaks have become longer and more frequent over the past few decades. The Mediterranean Sea is among the heavily affected regions and the common bloom - forming taxa are scyphozoans Aurelia aurita s.l., Pelagia noctiluca, and Rhizostoma pulmo. Jellyfish have few natural predators, therefore their carcasses at the termination of a bloom represent an organic-rich substrate that supports rapid bacterial growth, and may have a large impact on the surrounding environment. The focus of this study was to explore whether jellyfish substrate have an impact on bacterial community phylotype selection. We conducted in situ jellyfish - enrichment experiment with three different jellyfish species. Bacterial dynamic together with nutrients were monitored to assess decaying jellyfish-bacteria dynamics. Our results show that jellyfish biomass is characterized by protein rich organic matter, which is highly bioavailable to ‘jellyfish - associated’ and ‘free - living’ bacteria, and triggers rapid shifts in bacterial population dynamics and composition. Based on 16S rRNA clone libraries and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis, we observed a rapid shift in community composition from unculturable Alphaproteobacteria to culturable species of Gammaproteobacteria and Flavobacteria. The results of sequence analyses of bacterial isolates and of total bacterial community determined by culture independent genetic analysis showed the dominance of the Pseudoalteromonadaceae and the Vibrionaceae families. Elevated levels of dissolved proteins, dissolved organic and inorganic nutrient release, bacterial abundance and carbon production as well as ammonium concentrations characterized the degradation process. The biochemical composition of jellyfish species may influence changes in the amount of accumulated dissolved organic and inorganic nutrients. Our results can contribute insights into possible changes in bacterial population dynamics and nutrient pathways following jellyfish blooms which have important implications for ecology of coastal waters
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