<i>VvBOR3</i> and <i>VvBOR4</i> expression in response to hormone applications.

<p>Analysis was performed on flowers at anthesis and fruits at setting from <i>Vitis vinifera</i> cv Carménère plants exposed to 100 μM ABA or 290 μM GA. Non-treated plants were used as a control. For each determination, expression of the respective gene in control samples was adjusted to 1 relative unit. Data represent means of 4 biological replicates ± SD.</p

Morphology of normal (a-e,n,o) and abnormal (f-m) pollen grains from six <i>Vitis vinifera</i> cultivars analyzed under scanning electron microscopy.

<p>a) Cabernet sauvignon (polar view); b) Chardonnay (sub-polar view); c) Malbec (sub-equatorial view); d) Carménère (equatorial view); e) Syrah (equatorial view); f) Carménère acolporate; g) Merlot acolporate; h) Carménère acolporate and collapsed; i) Malbec acolporate and collapsed, j) Carménère jumbo; k) Malbec bicolporate; l) Merlot irregular; m) Carménère irregular; n) Carménère anatomy of endo (germinal pore) and ectoapertures (colpi); and o) Cabernet sauvignon classical exine sculpture.</p

Quantification of abnormal pollen, millerandage and fruitlet abscission rates in the <i>V</i>. <i>vinifera</i> cultivars Cabernet Sauvignon (CS), Carménère (Cm), Chardonnay (Ch), Malbec (Mb), Merlot (Mt) and Syrah (Sy) in two growing seasons (S1 and S2).

<p>a) Abnormal pollen rates determined in samples processed by the Erdtman acetolysis method; b) PFD and fruitlet abscission rates; and c) Correlation between abnormal pollen and PFD rates (black squares) and between abnormal pollen and fruitlet abscission rates (open squares). Means with different letters are significantly different at p<0.05.</p

Acetolyzed pollen grains from six <i>Vitis vinifera</i> cultivars analyzed under light microscopy.

<p>a) Cabernet Sauvignon, b) Carménère, c) Chardonnay, d) Malbec, e) Merlot and f) Syrah. Samples were visualized at 40X magnification. Abnormal pollen grains are pointed by arrowheads.</p

Grapevine <i>VvBOR</i> gene family and identity of encoded proteins with the reference protein AtBOR1 from <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>.

<p>Grapevine <i>VvBOR</i> gene family and identity of encoded proteins with the reference protein AtBOR1 from <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>.</p

Expression profiles of <i>VvBOR1</i>, <i>VvBOR3</i> and <i>VvBOR4</i> genes in vegetative (leaves and roots) and reproductive organs of <i>Vitis vinifera cv</i>. <i>Carménère</i>.

<p>Pre-anthesis (flowers, 5 days before full bloom), anthesis (pollen depleted flowers at full bloom), setting (fruits, 2 days after pollination), pre-véraison (berries, 2 weeks after pollination) and véraison (berries, 8 weeks after pollination). The insert represent expression levels in pollen from flowers at anthesis. <i>VvBOR1</i> expression in leaves was adjusted to 1 relative unit. Data represent the means of 4 biological replicates ± SD.</p

Germination capability of pollen grains from two <i>V</i>. <i>vinifera</i> cultivars examined under light microscopy.

<p>a) Cabernet Sauvignon in basal media (100x); b) Carménère in basal media (100x), c) Carménère in basal media (400x); and d) Germination rates in either basal or 1mM borate supplemented media at 25°C. Acolporate pollen grains in b) and c) are pointed by arrows. Basal: basal germination medium composed by 1mM CaCl2, 15% sucrose, pH 5.8 and 1% agar. +Bac: basal germination medium supplemented with 1mM borate. Means with different letters in d) are significantly different at p<0.05.</p

Differential expression of pathogenic genes of <i>Entamoeba histolytica</i> vs <i>E</i>. <i>dispar</i> in a model of infection using human liver tissue explants

<div><p>We sought to establish an <i>ex vivo</i> model for examining the interaction of <i>E</i>. <i>histolytica</i> with human tissue, using precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) from donated organs. <i>E</i>. <i>histolytica-</i> or <i>E</i>. <i>dispar</i>-infected PCLS were analyzed at different post-infection times (0, 1, 3, 24 and 48 h) to evaluate the relation between tissue damage and the expression of genes associated with three factors: a) parasite survival (peroxiredoxin, superoxide dismutase and 70 kDa heat shock protein), b) parasite virulence (<i>EhGal/GalNAc lectin</i>, amoebapore, cysteine proteases and calreticulin), and c) the host inflammatory response (various cytokines). Unlike <i>E</i>. <i>dispar</i> (non-pathogenic), <i>E</i>. <i>histolytica</i> produced some damage to the structure of hepatic parenchyma. Overall, greater expression of virulence genes existed in <i>E</i>. <i>histolytica</i>-infected versus <i>E</i>. <i>dispar</i>-infected tissue. Accordingly, there was an increased expression of <i>EhGal/GalNAc lectin</i>, <i>Ehap-a</i> and <i>Ehcp-5</i>, <i>Ehcp-2</i>, <i>ehcp-1</i> genes with <i>E</i>. <i>histolytica</i>, and a decreased or lack of expression of <i>Ehcp-2</i>, <i>and Ehap-a</i> genes with <i>E</i>. <i>dispar</i>. <i>E</i>. <i>histolytica</i>-infected tissue also exhibited an elevated expression of genes linked to survival, principally peroxiredoxin, superoxide dismutase and <i>Ehhsp-70</i>. Moreover, <i>E</i>. <i>histolytica</i>-infected tissue showed an overexpression of some genes encoding for pro-inflammatory interleukins (ILs), such as il-8, ifn-γ and tnf-α. Contrarily, <i>E</i>. <i>dispar</i>-infected tissue displayed higher levels of il-10, the gene for the corresponding anti-inflammatory cytokine. Additionally, other genes were investigated that are important in the host-parasite relationship, including those encoding for the 20 kDa heat shock protein (HSP-20), the AIG-1 protein, and immune dominant variable surface antigen, as well as for proteins apparently involved in mechanisms for the protection of the trophozoites in different environments (e.g., thioredoxin-reductase, oxido-reductase, and 9 hypothetical proteins). Some of the hypothetical proteins evidenced interesting overexpression rates, however we should wait to their characterization. This finding suggest that the present model could be advantageous for exploring the complex interaction between trophozoites and hepatocytes during the development of ALA, particularly in the initial stages of infection.</p></div

Summary of characteristics for donors of human livers.

<p>Summary of characteristics for donors of human livers.</p

Primers and their sequences used in this study.

<p>Primers and their sequences used in this study.</p