Phenotypic and genetic comparison of a plant-internalized and an animal-isolated salmonella choleraesuis strain

Contamination of fresh produce with human pathogens poses an important risk for con-sumers, especially after raw consumption. Moreover, if microorganisms are internalized, no re-moval by means of further hygienic measures would be possible. Human pathogenic bacteria identified in these food items are mostly of human or animal origin and an adaptation to this new niche and particularly for internalization would be presumed. This study compares a plant-internalized and an animal-borne Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Choleraesuis aiming at the identification of adaptation of the plant-internalized strain to its original environment. For this purpose, a phenotypical characterization by means of growth curves under conditions resembling the indige-nous environment from the plant-internalized strain and further analyses using Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight spectrometry were as-sessed. Furthermore, comparative genomic analyses by means of single nucleotide polymorphisms and identification of present/absent genes were performed. Although some phenotypical and genetic differences could be found, no signs of a specific adaptation for colonization and internaliza-tion in plants could be clearly identified. This could suggest that any Salmonella strain could directly settle in this niche without any evolutionary process being necessary. Further comparative analysis including internalized strains would be necessary to assess this question. However, these kinds of strains are not easily available. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Synthesis and anti-HIV-1 activities of new pyrimido[5,4-b]indoles

A set of new pyrimido[5,4-b]indole derivatives that are structurally related to some non-nucleside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors were synthesized and biologically evaluated for their activity as inhibitors of wild and mutant HIV-1 RT types in an 'in vitro' recombinant HIV-1 RT screening assay, as well as anti-infectives in HLT4lacZ-1IIIB cells. Preliminary structure-activity relationships suggest that activity is promoted by simultaneous substitution in positions 2 and 4, especially when chains of alkyldiamine type are present, and by electron-releasing substituents (methoxy) in positions 7 and 8. The inactivity or the very low activity of title derivatives does not suggest interest in AIDS therapy

European sea bass brain DLB-1 cell line is susceptible to nodavirus: A transcriptomic study

Viral diseases are responsible for high rates of mortality and subsequent economic losses in modern aquaculture. The nervous necrosis virus (NNV) produces viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER), which affects the fish central nervous system. It is considered one of the most serious viral diseases in marine aquaculture, the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) being amongst the most susceptible. We have evaluated the European sea bass brain derived cell line (DLB-1) susceptibility to NNV genotypes and evaluated its transcriptomic profile. DLB-1 cells supported NNV gene transcription and replication since strains belonging to the four NNV genotypes produce cytopathic effects. Afterwards, DLB-1 cells were infected with an RGNNV strain, the one which showed the highest replication, for 12 and 72 h and an RNA-seq analysis was performed to identify potential genes involved in the host-NNV interactions. Differential expression analysis showed the up-regulation of many genes related to immunity, heat-shock proteins or apoptosis but not to proteasome or autophagy processes. These data suggest that the immune response, mainly the interferon (IFN) pathway, is not powerful enough to abrogate the infection, and cells finally suffer stress and die by apoptosis liberating infective particles. GO enrichment also revealed, for the first time, the down-regulation of terms related to brain/neuron biology indicating molecular mechanisms causing the pathogenic effect of NNV. This study opens the way to understand key elements in sea bass brain and NNV interactions.Versión del edito

Generación de una línea celular de cerebro de lubina (DBL-1). Aplicación en estudios de toxicología y virología

Las líneas celulares son herramientas fundamentales para diversos estudios de Biología. En peces existen pocas líneas celulares y muy pocas de peces marinos. Por ello, hemos generado y caracterizado una línea celular (DLB-1) a partir de cerebro de lubina (Dicentrarchus labrax) y evaluamos su posible aplicación en Toxicología y Virología de peces. La incubación con distintos metales pesados (Cd, Hg, As o Pb) produce mortalidad en las células DLB-1 de manera dosis-dependiente, siendo muy tóxicos el Cd, Hg y As y muy poco el plomo. Además, se indujo la expresión del gen de la metalotioneína. Por otro lado, hemos evaluado la susceptibilidad de las células DLB-1 a nodavirus, el principal virus que afecta a lubinas. Los datos muestran que las células DLB-1 son susceptibles a los 4 genotipos de nodavirus. Esta línea celular puede ser muy útil para diversos estudios de la Biología de peces, concretamente de la lubina

Efficient Excitation of Channel Plasmons in Tailored, UV-Lithography-Defined V-Grooves

[Image: see text] We demonstrate the highly efficient (>50%) conversion of freely propagating light to channel plasmon-polaritons (CPPs) in gold V-groove waveguides using compact 1.6 μm long waveguide-termination coupling mirrors. Our straightforward fabrication process, involving UV-lithography and crystallographic silicon etching, forms the coupling mirrors innately and ensures exceptional-quality, wafer-scale device production. We tailor the V-shaped profiles by thermal silicon oxidation in order to shift initially wedge-located modes downward into the V-grooves, resulting in well-confined CPPs suitable for nanophotonic applications

Mature Andean forests as globally important carbon sinks and future carbon refuges

It is largely unknown how South America’s Andean forests affect the global carbon cycle, and thus regulate climate change. Here, we measure aboveground carbon dynamics over the past two decades in 119 monitoring plots spanning a range of >3000 m elevation across the subtropical and tropical Andes. Our results show that Andean forests act as strong sinks for aboveground carbon (0.67 ± 0.08 Mg C ha−1 y−1) and have a high potential to serve as future carbon refuges. Aboveground carbon dynamics of Andean forests are driven by abiotic and biotic factors, such as climate and size-dependent mortality of trees. The increasing aboveground carbon stocks offset the estimated C emissions due to deforestation between 2003 and 2014, resulting in a net total uptake of 0.027 Pg C y−1. Reducing deforestation will increase Andean aboveground carbon stocks, facilitate upward species migrations, and allow for recovery of biomass losses due to climate change.Fil: Duque, Alvaro. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Peña, Miguel A.. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Cuesta, Francisco. Universidad de Las Américas; EcuadorFil: González Caro, Sebastián. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Kennedy, Peter. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Phillips, Oliver L.. University of Leeds; Reino UnidoFil: Calderón Loor, Marco. Universidad de Las Américas; EcuadorFil: Blundo, Cecilia Mabel. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Carilla, Julieta. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Cayola, Leslie. Missouri Botanical Garden; Estados UnidosFil: Farfán Ríos, William. Washington University in St. Louis; Estados UnidosFil: Fuentes, Alfredo. Missouri Botanical Garden; Estados UnidosFil: Grau, Hector Ricardo. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Homeier, Jürgen. Universität Göttingen; AlemaniaFil: Loza-Rivera, María I.. Missouri Botanical Garden; Estados UnidosFil: Malhi, Yadvinder. University of Oxford; Reino UnidoFil: Malizia, Agustina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Malizia, Lucio Ricardo. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy; ArgentinaFil: Martínez Villa, Johanna A.. Université du Québec a Montreal; CanadáFil: Myers, Jonathan A.. Washington University in St. Louis; Estados UnidosFil: Osinaga Acosta, Oriana. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Peralvo, Manuel. No especifíca;Fil: Pinto, Esteban. No especifíca;Fil: Saatchi, Sassan. Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Silman, Miles. Center For Energy, Environment And Sustainability; Estados UnidosFil: Tello, J. Sebastián. Missouri Botanical Garden; Estados UnidosFil: Terán Valdez, Andrea. No especifíca;Fil: Feeley, Kenneth J.. University of Miami; Estados Unido

Mature Andean forests as globally important carbon sinks and future carbon refuges

It is largely unknown how South America’s Andean forests affect the global carbon cycle, and thus regulate climate change. Here, we measure aboveground carbon dynamics over the past two decades in 119 monitoring plots spanning a range of >3000 m elevation across the subtropical and tropical Andes. Our results show that Andean forests act as strong sinks for aboveground carbon (0.67 ± 0.08 Mg C ha−1 y−1) and have a high potential to serve as future carbon refuges. Aboveground carbon dynamics of Andean forests are driven by abiotic and biotic factors, such as climate and size-dependent mortality of trees. The increasing aboveground carbon stocks offset the estimated C emissions due to deforestation between 2003 and 2014, resulting in a net total uptake of 0.027 Pg C y−1. Reducing deforestation will increase Andean aboveground carbon stocks, facilitate upward species migrations, and allow for recovery of biomass losses due to climate change.Fil: Duque, Alvaro. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Peña, Miguel A.. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Cuesta, Francisco. Universidad de Las Américas; EcuadorFil: González Caro, Sebastián. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Kennedy, Peter. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Phillips, Oliver L.. University of Leeds; Reino UnidoFil: Calderón Loor, Marco. Universidad de Las Américas; EcuadorFil: Blundo, Cecilia Mabel. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Carilla, Julieta. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Cayola, Leslie. Missouri Botanical Garden; Estados UnidosFil: Farfán Ríos, William. Washington University in St. Louis; Estados UnidosFil: Fuentes, Alfredo. Missouri Botanical Garden; Estados UnidosFil: Grau, Hector Ricardo. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Homeier, Jürgen. Universität Göttingen; AlemaniaFil: Loza-Rivera, María I.. Missouri Botanical Garden; Estados UnidosFil: Malhi, Yadvinder. University of Oxford; Reino UnidoFil: Malizia, Agustina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Malizia, Lucio Ricardo. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy; ArgentinaFil: Martínez Villa, Johanna A.. Université du Québec a Montreal; CanadáFil: Myers, Jonathan A.. Washington University in St. Louis; Estados UnidosFil: Osinaga Acosta, Oriana. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Peralvo, Manuel. No especifíca;Fil: Pinto, Esteban. No especifíca;Fil: Saatchi, Sassan. Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Silman, Miles. Center For Energy, Environment And Sustainability; Estados UnidosFil: Tello, J. Sebastián. Missouri Botanical Garden; Estados UnidosFil: Terán Valdez, Andrea. No especifíca;Fil: Feeley, Kenneth J.. University of Miami; Estados Unido

Nodavirus colonizes and replicates in the testis of gilthead seabream and European sea bass modulating its immune and reproductive functions

Viruses are threatening pathogens for fish aquaculture. Some of them are transmitted through gonad fluids or gametes as occurs with nervous necrosis virus (NNV). In order to be transmitted through the gonad, the virus should colonize and replicate inside some cell types of this tissue and avoid the subsequent immune response locally. However, whether NNV colonizes the gonad, the cell types that are infected, and how the immune response in the gonad is regulated has never been studied. We have demonstrated for the first time the presence and localization of NNV into the testis after an experimental infection in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), and in the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), a very susceptible and an asymptomatic host fish species, respectively. Thus, we localized in the testis viral RNA in both species using in situ PCR and viral proteins in gilthead seabream by immunohistochemistry, suggesting that males might also transmit the virus. In addition, we were able to isolate infective particles from the testis of both species demonstrating that NNV colonizes and replicates into the testis of both species. Blood contamination of the tissues sampled was discarded by completely fish bleeding, furthermore the in situ PCR and immunocytochemistry techniques never showed staining in blood vessels or cells. Moreover, we also determined how the immune and reproductive functions are affected comparing the effects in the testis with those found in the brain, the main target tissue of the virus. Interestingly, NNV triggered the immune response in the European sea bass but not in the gilthead seabream testis. Regarding reproductive functions, NNV infection alters 17β-estradiol and 11-ketotestosterone production and the potential sensitivity of brain and testis to these hormones, whereas there is no disruption of testicular functions according to several reproductive parameters. Moreover, we have also studied the NNV infection of the testis in vitro to assess local responses. Our in vitro results show that the changes observed on the expression of immune and reproductive genes in the testis of both species are different to those observed upon in vivo infections in most of the casesMINECO and FEDER (AGL2010-20801-C02-01; AGL2010-20801-C02-02; AGL2013-43588-P); Fundación Séneca (04538/GERM/06)Versión del editor4,411

CIBERER : Spanish national network for research on rare diseases: A highly productive collaborative initiative

Altres ajuts: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación.CIBER (Center for Biomedical Network Research; Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red) is a public national consortium created in 2006 under the umbrella of the Spanish National Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII). This innovative research structure comprises 11 different specific areas dedicated to the main public health priorities in the National Health System. CIBERER, the thematic area of CIBER focused on rare diseases (RDs) currently consists of 75 research groups belonging to universities, research centers, and hospitals of the entire country. CIBERER's mission is to be a center prioritizing and favoring collaboration and cooperation between biomedical and clinical research groups, with special emphasis on the aspects of genetic, molecular, biochemical, and cellular research of RDs. This research is the basis for providing new tools for the diagnosis and therapy of low-prevalence diseases, in line with the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) objectives, thus favoring translational research between the scientific environment of the laboratory and the clinical setting of health centers. In this article, we intend to review CIBERER's 15-year journey and summarize the main results obtained in terms of internationalization, scientific production, contributions toward the discovery of new therapies and novel genes associated to diseases, cooperation with patients' associations and many other topics related to RD research