Ovarian Development of Female-Female Pairs in the Termite, Reticulitermes speratus

In the rhinotermitid termite Reticulitermes speratus (Kolbe) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), facultative parthenogenesis is known to occur occasionally and females cooperate with other females to found the colony. To elucidate the ovarian development in these two females, incipient female-female colonies were established under laboratory conditions, and the process of colony development was observed at 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and 7.5 months (stages I–V, respectively) after colony foundation. Ovarian development, vitellogenin gene expression, and juvenile hormone (JH) titers were examined. A precise reproductive cycle in both females was observed, in which the oviposition rate was relatively higher during stages I and II, decreased during stages III and IV, and then increased again at stage V. JH III titer and vitellogenin gene expression changed in parallel throughout the reproductive cycle of these queens. Ovarian maturation and vitellogenesis were similar in both females in a female-female colony at all stages examined, suggesting that no conflicts existed for two females in terms of oviposition

Bowing of the band gap pressure coefficients in InGaN alloys

The hydrostatic pressure dependence of photoluminescence, dEPL/dp, of InxGa1−xN epilayers has been measured in the full composition range 0_x_1. Furthermore, ab initio calculations of the band gap pressure coefficient dEG/dp were performed. Both the experimental dEPL/dp values and calculated dEG/dp results show pronounced bowing and we find that the pressure coefficients have a nearly constant value of about 25 meV/GPa for epilayers with x_0.4 and a relatively steep dependence for x_0.4. On the basis of the agreement of the observed PL pressure coefficient with our calculations, we confirm that band-to-band recombination processes are responsible for PL emission and that no localized states are involved. Moreover, the good agreement between the experimentally determined dEPL/dp and the theoretical curve of dEG/dp indicates that the hydrostatic pressure dependence of PL measurements can be used to quantify changes of the band gap of the InGaN ternary alloy under pressure, demonstrating that the disorder-related Stokes shift in InGaN does not induce a significant difference between dEPL/dp and dEG/dp. This information is highly relevant for the correct analysis of pressure measurement

Nitrogen Management in Grasslands and Forage-Based Production Systems–Role of Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI)

Nitrogen (N), being the most critical and essential nutrient for plant growth, largely determines the productivity in both extensive- and intensive- grassland systems. Nitrification and denitrification processes in the soil are the primary drivers generating reactive-N: NO3-, N2O, and NO, and is largely responsible for N-loss and degradation of grasslands. Suppressing nitrification can thus facilitate the retention of soil-N to sustain long-term productivity of grasslands and forage-based production systems. Certain plants can suppress soil nitrification by releasing inhibitors from roots, a phenomenon termed ‘biological nitrification inhibition’ (BNI). Recent methodological developments (e.g. bioluminescence assay to detect BNIs from plant-root systems) led to significant advances in our ability to quantify and characterize BNI function in pasture grasses. Among grass-pastures, BNI-capacity is strongest in low-N adapted grasses such as Brachiaria humidicola and weakest in high-N environment grasses such as Italian ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and B. brizantha. The chemical identity of some of the BNIs produced in plant tissues and released from roots has now been established and their mode of inhibitory action determined on nitrifying bacteria Nitrosomonas. Synthesis and release of BNIs is a highly regulated and localized process, triggered by the presence of NH4+ in the rhizosphere, which facilitates the release of BNIs close to soil-nitrifier sites. Substantial genotypic variation is found for BNI-capacity in B. humidicola, which opens the way for its geneticmanipulation. Field studies suggest that Brachiaria grasses suppress nitrification and N2O emissions from soil. The potential for exploiting BNI function (from a genetic improvement and a system perspective) to develop production systems that are low-nitrifying, low N2O-emitting, economically efficient and ecologically sustainable, will be the subject of discussion

Cryo-EM structure of the volume-regulated anion channel LRRC8D isoform identifies features important for substrate permeation

Members of the leucine-rich repeat-containing 8 (LRRC8) protein family, composed of the five LRRC8A-E isoforms, are pore-forming components of the volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC). LRRC8A and at least one of the other LRRC8 isoforms assemble into heteromers to generate VRAC transport activities. Despite the availability of the LRRC8A structures, the structural basis of how LRRC8 isoforms other than LRRC8A contribute to the functional diversity of VRAC has remained elusive. Here, we present the structure of the human LRRC8D isoform, which enables the permeation of organic substrates through VRAC. The LRRC8D homo-hexamer structure displays a two-fold symmetric arrangement, and together with a structure-based electrophysiological analysis, revealed two key features. The pore constriction on the extracellular side is wider than that in the LRRC8A structures, which may explain the increased permeability of organic substrates. Furthermore, an N-terminal helix protrudes into the pore from the intracellular side and may be critical for gating

Temperature Modulates Plant Defense Responses through NB-LRR Proteins

An elevated growth temperature often inhibits plant defense responses and renders plants more susceptible to pathogens. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this modulation are unknown. To genetically dissect this regulation, we isolated mutants that retain disease resistance at a higher growth temperature in Arabidopsis. One such heat-stable mutant results from a point mutation in SNC1, a NB-LRR encoding gene similar to disease resistance (R) genes. Similar mutations introduced into a tobacco R gene, N, confer defense responses at elevated temperature. Thus R genes or R-like genes involved in recognition of pathogen effectors are likely the causal temperature-sensitive component in defense responses. This is further supported by snc1 intragenic suppressors that regained temperature sensitivity in defense responses. In addition, the SNC1 and N proteins had a reduction of nuclear accumulation at elevated temperature, which likely contributes to the inhibition of defense responses. These findings identify a plant temperature sensitive component in disease resistance and provide a potential means to generate plants adapting to a broader temperature range

Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolutionary Patterns of the Order Collodaria (Radiolaria)

Collodaria are the only group of Radiolaria that has a colonial lifestyle. This group is potentially the most important plankton in the oligotrophic ocean because of its large biomass and the high primary productivity associated with the numerous symbionts inside a cell or colony. The evolution of Collodaria could thus be related to the changes in paleo-productivity that have affected organic carbon fixation in the oligotrophic ocean. However, the fossil record of Collodaria is insufficient to trace their abundance through geological time, because most collodarians do not have silicified shells. Recently, molecular phylogeny based on nuclear small sub-unit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) confirmed Collodaria to be one of five orders of Radiolaria, though the relationship among collodarians is still unresolved because of inadequate taxonomic sampling. Our phylogenetic analysis has revealed four novel collodarian sequences, on the basis of which collodarians can be divided into four clades that correspond to taxonomic grouping at the family level: Thalassicollidae, Collozoidae, Collosphaeridae, and Collophidae. Comparison of the results of our phylogenetic analyses with the morphological characteristics of each collodarian family suggests that the first ancestral collodarians had a solitary lifestyle and left no silica deposits. The timing of events estimated from molecular divergence calculations indicates that naked collodarian lineages first appeared around 45.6 million years (Ma) ago, coincident with the diversification of diatoms in the pelagic oceans. Colonial collodarians appeared after the formation of the present ocean circulation system and the development of oligotrophic conditions in the equatorial Pacific (ca. 33.4 Ma ago). The divergence of colonial collodarians probably caused a shift in the efficiency of primary production during this period

The Antigen ASB4 on Cancer Stem Cells Serves as a Target for CTL Immunotherapy of Colorectal Cancer

網羅的なHLAリガンドーム解析により，がん幹細胞（cancer stem cell，CSC）に特異的なASB4由来のペプチドIV9を同定し，CSCを特異的に傷害可能なCTL免疫療法となることを示した．更にCSCを標的としたCTL免疫療法が再発予防として有用であることを明らかにした

Inhibition of NOS- like activity in maize alters the expression of genes involved in H2O2 scavenging and glycine betaine biosynthesis

Nitric oxide synthase-like activity contributes to the production of nitric oxide in plants, which controls plant responses to stress. This study investigates if changes in ascorbate peroxidase enzymatic activity and glycine betaine content in response to inhibition of nitric oxide synthase-like activity are associated with transcriptional regulation by analyzing transcript levels of genes (betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase) involved in glycine betaine biosynthesis and those encoding antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase and catalase) in leaves of maize seedlings treated with an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase-like activity. In seedlings treated with a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, transcript levels of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase were decreased. In plants treated with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, the transcript levels of ascorbate peroxidase-encoding genes were down-regulated. We thus conclude that inhibition of nitric oxide synthase-like activity suppresses the expression of ascorbate peroxidase and betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase genes in maize leaves. Furthermore, catalase activity was suppressed in leaves of plants treated with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor; and this corresponded with the suppression of the expression of catalase genes. We further conclude that inhibition of nitric oxide synthase-like activity, which suppresses ascorbate peroxidase and catalase enzymatic activities, results in increased H2O2 content

Expression analysis of the TAB2 protein in adult mouse tissues

Background: The Interleukin-1 (IL-1) signaling component TAK1 binding protein 2 (TAB2) plays a role in activating the NFκB and JNK signaling pathways. Additionally, TAB2 functions in the nucleus as a repressor of NFκB-mediated gene regulation. Objective: To obtain insight into the function of TAB2 in the adult mouse, we analyzed the in vivo TAB2 expression pattern. Materials and methods: Cell lines and adult mouse tissues were analyzed for TAB2 protein expression and localization. Results: Immunohistochemical staining for TAB2 protein revealed expression in the vascular endothelium of most tissues, hematopoietic cells and brain cells. While TAB2 is localized in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm in cell lines, cytoplasmic localization predominates in hematopoietic tissues in vivo. Conclusions: The TAB2 expression pattern shows striking similarities with previously reported IL-1 receptor expression and NFκB activation patterns, suggesting that TAB2 in vivo is playing a role in these signaling pathways