Analysis of TYA protein regions necessary for formation of the Ty1 virus-like particle structure

The yeast retrotransposon, Ty1, produces a macromolecular structure known as a virus-like particle (VLP) as an essential part of its replication cycle. The Ty1 Gag-like structural protein TYA, p1-440, alone is capable of directing assembly of the VLP. In order to determine the TYA sequences required for assembly, we have produced a series of truncated and deleted TYA forms and assessed their ability to assemble into particles. Removal of 100 amino acids from the C-terminus renders the TYA protein, p1-340, incapable of particle assembly; however, p1-363 with 77 residues missing from the C-terminus is capable of assembly. Removal of 40 amino acids from the N-terminus (p41-440 and p41-381) does not affect particle formation but more severely N-truncated forms, p71-381 and p100-381, are present as large aggregates within the cells and are therefore either incapable of or unavailable for VLP formation. Analysis of an internally deleted TYA, p1-381 delta 62-114, has identified this as a possible region of the TYA protein important for subunit:subunit interactions during the particle assembly

Analysis of TYA protein regions necessary for formation of the Ty1 virus-like particle structure

AbstractThe yeast retrotransposon, Ty1, produces a macromolecular structure known as a virus-like particle (VLP) as an essential part of its replication cycle. The Ty1 Gag-like structural protein TYA, p1-440, alone is capable of directing assembly of the VLP. In order to determine the TYA sequences required for assembly, we have produced a series of truncated and deleted TYA forms and assessed their ability to assemble into particles. Removal of 100 amino acids from the C-terminus renders the TYA protein, p1-340, incapable of particle assembly; however, p1-363 with 77 residues missing from the C-terminus is capable of assembly. Removal of 40 amino acids from the N-terminus (p41-440 and p41-381) does not affect particle formation but more severely N-truncated forms, p71-381 and p100-381, are present as large aggregates within the cells and are therefore either incapable of or unavailable for VLP formation. Analysis of an internally deleted TYA, p1-381δ62-114, has identified this as a possible region of the TYA protein important for subunit:subunit interactions during the particle assembly

Composição e dinâmica da biomassa aérea após a queima em savana gramíneo-lenhosa no Pantanal Composition and aerial biomass dynamics after burning of a grassy-woody savanna in the Pantanal wetlands

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a composição e dinâmica da biomassa aérea após a queima de uma savana gramíneo-lenhosa no Pantanal. Foram coletados dados mensais de freqüência de espécies, biomassa aérea e cobertura do solo durante 11 meses em uma área com queima (CQ) e outra sem queima (SQ), ambas sem pastejo. A queima reduziu a freqüência das gramíneas predominantes e condicionou aumento no número de espécies dicotiledôneas e ciperáceas. A produção de biomassa aérea total foi inferior na área com queima, embora a tendência de incremento tenha sido semelhante nas duas áreas. A produção de biomassa morta foi muito afetada pela queima, cuja produção, 11 meses após, representou aproximadamente 25% da obtida na área sem queima. A cobertura do solo foi inferior na área com queima e somente no quarto mês assemelhou-se à área sem queima.<br>The purpose of this work was to evaluate composition and aerial biomass dynamics after burning of a grassy-woody savanna in the Pantanal wetlands, Brazil. During 11 months, data on species frequency, aerial biomass and soil cover were collected in an area with burning (WB) and another free of burning (FB), both not grazed. Burning reduced the frequency of the most predominant grasses and increased the number of dicotyledons and cyperaceae species. The production of total aerial biomass was lower in the WB area, despite an increase tendency that was similar in both areas. Litter production was strongly affected by burnings. After 11 months its production was approximately 25% of the production exhibited by the FB area. Soil cover was also lower in the WB and only after four months it was similar to the FB area

Hemócitos fagocitários em larvas de Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) Phagocytic hemocytes in larval of Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae)

<abstract language="eng">The ultrastructural observation of the hemocytes of D. saccharalis larvae showed different hemocyte tvpes in various stage of interaction with microorganisms, which were interpreted as bacteria. The microorganisms were observed either free in the hemolymph or into the insect hemocytes. The bacteria were detected mostly into lhe granulocytes and plasmatocytes: the spherule cells and the oenocytoids also presented intracytoplasmic microorganisms, but less frequently. The fagocytic capacity of the different hemocyte tvpes is discussed