Erwinia carotovora Evf antagonizes the elimination of bacteria in the gut of Drosophila larvae

Erwinia Virulence Factor (Evf) has been identified in Erwinia carotovora carotovora 15 (Ecc15) as a virulence factor that promotes colonization of the Drosophila larval gut and provokes the triggering of a systemic immune response. Here we have analysed how Evf promotes persistence and colonization of bacteria inside the larval gut. Erwinia evf mutants do not persist in immune-deficient Drosophila, indicating that Evf does not act by counteracting immunity. The results indicated that Evf is not a toxin because various gram-negative bacteria expressing evf can persist without affecting viability of Drosophila larvae. Evf did not appear to be a factor antagonizing a host-specific reaction because in vitro assays failed to reveal detoxifying enzymatic activities against various compounds thought to contribute to the hostile environment of the gut. These findings were corroborated by the observation that Evf is not required for survival in midgut organ cultures. By contrast, bacteria expressing evf allow persistence in trans of bacteria lacking evf indicating that Evf promotes the accumulation of gram-negative bacteria in the anterior midgut by affecting gut physiology

Interaction between Wall Deposition and Cell Elongation in Dark-Grown Hypocotyl Cells in Arabidopsis

A central problem in plant biology is how cell expansion is coordinated with wall synthesis. We have studied growth and wall deposition in epidermal cells of dark-grown Arabidopsis hypocotyls. Cells elongated in a biphasic pattern, slowly first and rapidly thereafter. The growth acceleration was initiated at the hypocotyl base and propagated acropetally. Using transmission and scanning electron microscopy, we analyzed walls in slowly and rapidly growing cells in 4-d-old dark-grown seedlings. We observed thick walls in slowly growing cells and thin walls in rapidly growing cells, which indicates that the rate of cell wall synthesis was not coupled to the cell elongation rate. The thick walls showed a polylamellated architecture, whereas polysaccharides in thin walls were axially oriented. Interestingly, innermost cellulose microfibrils were transversely oriented in both slowly and rapidly growing cells. This suggested that transversely deposited microfibrils reoriented in deeper layers of the expanding wall. No growth acceleration, only slow growth, was observed in the cellulose synthase mutant cesA6(prc1-1) or in seedlings, which had been treated with the cellulose synthesis inhibitor isoxaben. In these seedlings, innermost microfibrils were transversely oriented and not randomized as has been reported for other cellulose-deficient mutants or following treatment with dichlorobenzonitrile. Interestingly, isoxaben treatment after the initiation of the growth acceleration in the hypocotyl did not affect subsequent cell elongation. Together, these results show that rapid cell elongation, which involves extensive remodeling of the cell wall polymer network, depends on normal cellulose deposition during the slow growth phase

Presence of multiple functional polyadenylation signals in the 3′-untranslated region of human corticotropin receptor cDNA

AbstractWe present 2.59 kb of the 3′-non-coding region of the ACTH receptor cDNA that contains seven potential polyadenylation signals. Among these signals, five are functional as detected by 3′-RACE and are consistent with the transcripts of 1.8, 3.4 and 4 kb visualized on Northern blots. We propose that the most likely molecular mechanism for the multiple ACTH-R mRNA transcripts is the alternative use of polyadenylation signals

Uranium interaction with two multi-resistant environmental bacteria: Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 and Rhodopseudomonas palustris.

Depending on speciation, U environmental contamination may be spread through the environment or inversely restrained to a limited area. Induction of U precipitation via biogenic or non-biogenic processes would reduce the dissemination of U contamination. To this aim U oxidation/reduction processes triggered by bacteria are presently intensively studied. Using X-ray absorption analysis, we describe in the present article the ability of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 and Rhodopseudomonas palustris, highly resistant to a variety of metals and metalloids or to organic pollutants, to withstand high concentrations of U and to immobilize it either through biosorption or through reduction to non-uraninite U(IV)-phosphate or U(IV)-carboxylate compounds. These bacterial strains are thus good candidates for U bioremediation strategies, particularly in the context of multi-pollutant or mixed-waste contaminations

Differentiating effects of somatomedin-C/insulin-like growth factor I and insulin on Leydig and Sertoli cell functions

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Dark Field Transmission Electron Microscopy Imaging for Biological and Soft Matter Systems

International audienceIn this study, we present a new application of the transmission electron microscopy dark field mode for cell imaging. We have applied this imaging mode to two types of cellular systems: human HeLa cells to analyze molecular membrane systems and HC11 mouse mammary cells containing lipid molecule droplets. We have also studied a third macromolecular system, copolymer nanoparticles for the characterization of core-shell structures. We want to show the effective use of diffraction contrast, even on amorphous systems for increasing the image contrast and the signal/noise ratio. We discuss the TEM dark field advantages for the analysis of polymers and other macromolecular systems, including biological, systems compared to the bright field mode

Dark Field Transmission Electron Microscopy Imaging for Biological and Soft Matter Systems

International audienceIn this study, we present a new application of the transmission electron microscopy dark field mode for cell imaging. We have applied this imaging mode to two types of cellular systems: human HeLa cells to analyze molecular membrane systems and HC11 mouse mammary cells containing lipid molecule droplets. We have also studied a third macromolecular system, copolymer nanoparticles for the characterization of core-shell structures. We want to show the effective use of diffraction contrast, even on amorphous systems for increasing the image contrast and the signal/noise ratio. We discuss the TEM dark field advantages for the analysis of polymers and other macromolecular systems, including biological, systems compared to the bright field mode

Speciation of uranium in plants upon root accumulation and root-to-shoot translocation: A XAS and TEM study

International audienceUranium mobilization in surface waters and soils is highly dependent on its speciation. Links between U speciation and in planta mobility remain unclear, although understanding this relationship is essential in a view to properly develop efficient phytoremediation strategies. To address this question, we used X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to determine U speciation and distribution in plant roots and leaves when exposed to U in the form of different chemical species. Our results indicate that U complexation with endogenous phosphate residues leads to its precipitation and fixation in plant organs, avoiding translocation from roots to leaves. We also show that complexation with a strong ligand such as citrate in exposure solution circumvents this precipitation, and enhances root-to-shoot translocation, in a U-carboxylate complex form. These results highlight correlations between U speciation in the environment and its mobility pattern in plants, which would help for phytoremediation purposes. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Folate-conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles for solid tumor targeting as potential specific magnetic hyperthermia mediators: synthesis, physicochemical characterization, and in vitro experiments

New folate-conjugated superparamagnetic maghemite nanoparticles have been synthesized for the intracellular hyperthermia treatment of solid tumors. These ultradispersed nanosystems have been characterized for their physicochemical properties and tumor cell targeting ability, facilitated by surface modification with folic acid. Preliminary experiments of nanoparticles heating under the influence of an alternating magnetic field at 108 kHz have been also performed. The nanoparticle size, surface charge, and colloidal stability have been assessed in various conditions of ionic strength and pH. The ability of these folate "decorated" maghemite nanoparticles to recognize the folate receptor has been investigated both by surface plasmon resonance and in folate receptor expressing cell lines, using radiolabeled folic acid in competitive binding experiments. The specificity of nanoparticle cellular uptake has been further investigated by transmission electron microscopy after incubation of these nanoparticles in the presence of three cell lines with differing folate receptor expression levels. Qualitative and quantitative determinations of both folate nanoparticles and nontargeted control nanoparticles demonstrated a specific cell internalization of the folate superparamagnetic nanoparticles

Folate-conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles for solid tumor targeting as potential specific magnetic hyperthermia mediators: synthesis, physicochemical characterization, and in vitro experiments

New folate-conjugated superparamagnetic maghemite nanoparticles have been synthesized for the intracellular hyperthermia treatment of solid tumors. These ultradispersed nanosystems have been characterized for their physicochemical properties and tumor cell targeting ability, facilitated by surface modification with folic acid. Preliminary experiments of nanoparticles heating under the influence of an alternating magnetic field at 108 kHz have been also performed. The nanoparticle size, surface charge, and colloidal stability have been assessed in various conditions of ionic strength and pH. The ability of these folate "decorated" maghemite nanoparticles to recognize the folate receptor has been investigated both by surface plasmon resonance and in folate receptor expressing cell lines, using radiolabeled folic acid in competitive binding experiments. The specificity of nanoparticle cellular uptake has been further investigated by transmission electron microscopy after incubation of these nanoparticles in the presence of three cell lines with differing folate receptor expression levels. Qualitative and quantitative determinations of both folate nanoparticles and nontargeted control nanoparticles demonstrated a specific cell internalization of the folate superparamagnetic nanoparticles