Evolution of the resistivity anisotropy in Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}CuO_{6+\delta} single crystals for a wide range of hole doping

To elucidate how the temperature dependence of the resistivity anisotropy of the cuprate superconductors changes with hole doping, both the in-plane and the out-of-plane resistivities (\rho_{ab} and \rho_{c}) are measured in a series of high-quality Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}CuO_{6+\delta} (BSLCO) single crystals for a wide range of x (x = 0.23 - 1.02), which corresponds to the hole doping per Cu, p, of 0.03 - 0.18. The anisotropy ratio, \rho_{c}/\rho_{ab}, shows a systematic increase with decreasing p at moderate temperatures, except for the most underdoped composition where the localization effect enhances \rho_{ab} and thus lowers \rho_{c}/\rho_{ab}. The exact p dependence of \rho_{c}/\rho_{ab} at a fixed temperature is found to be quite peculiar, which is discussed to be due to the effect of the pseudogap that causes \rho_{c}/\rho_{ab} to be increasingly more enhanced as p is reduced. The pseudogap also causes a rapid growth of \rho_{c}/\rho_{ab} with decreasing temperature, and, as a result, the \rho_{c}/\rho_{ab} value almost reaches 10^6 in underdoped samples just above T_c. Furthermore, it is found that the temperature dependence of \rho_{c} of underdoped samples show two distinct temperature regions in the pseudogap phase, which suggests that the divergence of \rho_{c} below the pseudogap temperature is governed by two different mechanisms.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, revised version. Discussions are expanded with a new analysis of the T-dependence of \rho_{c} and the resulting new phase diagra

Necrose da haste: uma nova virose da soja no Brasil.

bitstream/item/50146/1/36.pd

Citrus exocortis viroid and Hop stunt viroid doubly infecting grapevines in Brazil.

Viroids, non-protein-coding small (246-40 I nt) eircular single-stranded RNAs with autonornous replication, are currently classified into two farnilics. Within the farnily Pospiviroidae, Citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd) belongs to lhe genus Pospiviroid while Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) is the single rnembcr of the genus Hostuviroid. These pathogens are distributcd worldwide and infect a large nurnbcr of hosts. In Brazil, isolates of CEVd and HSVd have been detected in both citrus and grapevine. To characterize and study the genetic variability of thcse viroids, total RNA frorn leaves of grapevine Vitis vinifera 'Cabemet Sauvignon' and V Iabrusca 'Niagara Rosada' frorn Bento Gonçalves, RS, was used as a tcmplate for RTPCR amplification with specific primers for lhe five viroids described infccting grapevines [HSVd, CEVd, Grapevine yellow peckle viroid I (GYSVd-I), Grapevine yellow speckle viroid 2 (GYSVd-2) and Australian grapevine viroid (AGVd)]. Leaf sarnples of Citrus medica infected with CEVd frorn São Paulo were also analyzed. The resulting products wcre separated by agarose gel electrophoresis and DNA fragrncnts of lhe expected sizc were eluted, cloned and sequeneed. The grapevine samples analyzed wcre doubly infcctcd by CEVd and HSVd. A phylogcnctic analysis showed that the Brazilian grapevine HSVd variants clustercd with other grapevine HSVd variants, forming a specific group separated from citrus variants, whereas the Brazilian CEVd variants clustered with other citrus and grapevine variants. Additional keywords: CEVd, HSVd, Pospiviroid, Hostuviroid, Pospiviroidae. RESUMO Videiras duplamente infectadas pelo Citrus exocortis viroid e Hop stunt viroid no Brasil Os viróides são os menores fitopatógenos conhecidos, sendo constituídos de uma molécula de RNA fita simples, circular, com forte estrutura secundária. Possuem genomas que variam entre 246 e 40 I nucleotideos e, por não traduzirem proteínas próprias, são totalmente dependentes da célula hospedeira para sua replicação. São classificados em duas famílias e sete gêneros. O Citrus exoconis viroid (CEVd) pertence ao gênero Pospiviroid, enquanto o Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) é o único membro do gênero Hostuviroid, ambos pertencentes à família Pospiviroidae. Estes patógenos apresentam ampla distribuição mundial e infcctam um grande número de hospedeiras. No Brasil, isolados do CEVd e do HSVd foram detectados em citros e videiras. Com o objetivo de caracterizar e estudar a variabilidade genética destes viróides, promoveu-se extração de RNA total de folhas de videira Vitis vinifera 'Cabernet Sauvignon' e V Iabrusca 'Niagara Rosada' provenientes de Bento Gonçalves, RS, e RT-PCR com oligonucleotídeos específicos para os cinco viróides já descritos em videira [HSVd, CEVd, Grapevine yellow speckle viroid I (GYS Vd-I), Crape vine yellow speckle viroid 2 (GYSV d-2) e Australian grapevine viroid (AGVd)). Amostras de folhas de Citrus medica infectadas pelo CEVd provenientes de São Paulo também foram analisadas. Os fragmentos de DNA amplificados foram eluídos, clonados e seqüenciados. As análises das seqüências revelaram que as amostras de videira estavam duplamente infectadas com o CEVd e HSVd. As análises filogenéticas mostraram que os clones de HSVd de videira aqui caracterizados agruparam-se com outros variantes de videira, formando um grupo separado de um segundo formado por variantes de eitros. Já os clones de CEVd de videira agruparam-se com isolados de citros e videira. Palavras-chave adicionais: CEVd, HSVd, Pospiviroid, Hostuviroid, Posp

Necrose da haste da soja.

Estudos etiológicos; Levantamento da doença e novas ocorrências; Propriedades do gênero Carlavirus; Histórico de virose similar no Brasil; Variabilidade entre isolados do vírus; Determinação de resistência em cultivares de soja; Considerações finais.bitstream/CNPSO-2010/24143/1/doc221.pd

Sphingosine 1-phosphate modulates antigen capture by murine langerhans cells via the S1P2 receptor subtype

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in the development of cutaneous contact hypersensitivity (CHS) and atopic dermatitis as they capture and process antigen and present it to T lymphocytes in the lymphoid organs. Recently, it has been indicated that a topical application of the sphingolipid sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) prevents the inflammatory response in CHS, but the molecular mechanism is not fully elucidated. Here we indicate that treatment of mice with S1P is connected with an impaired antigen uptake by Langerhans cells (LCs), the initial step of CHS. Most of the known actions of S1P are mediated by a family of five specific G protein-coupled receptors. Our results indicate that S1P inhibits macropinocytosis of the murine LC line XS52 via S1P2 receptor stimulation followed by a reduced phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity. As down-regulation of S1P2 not only diminished S1P-mediated action but also enhanced the basal activity of LCs on antigen capture, an autocrine action of S1P has been assumed. Actually, S1P is continuously produced by LCs and secreted via the ATP binding cassette transporter ABCC1 to the extracellular environment. Consequently, inhibition of ABCC1, which decreased extracellular S1P levels, markedly increased the antigen uptake by LCs. Moreover, stimulation of sphingosine kinase activity, the crucial enzyme for S1P formation, is connected not only with enhanced S1P levels but also with diminished antigen capture. These results indicate that S1P is essential in LC homeostasis and influences skin immunity. This is of importance as previous reports suggested an alteration of S1P levels in atopic skin lesions

Citrus bright spot virus: a new dichorhavirus, transmitted by Brevipalpus azores, Causing Citrus Leprosis Disease in Brazil.

Citrus leprosis (CL) is the main viral disease affecting the Brazilian citriculture. Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) trees affected by CL were identified in small orchards in Southern Brazil. Rod-like particles of 40 × 100 nm and electron lucent viroplasm were observed in the nucleus of infected cells in symptomatic tissues. RNA extracts from three plants, which proved negative by RT-PCR for known CL-causing viruses, were analyzed by high throughput sequencing and Sanger sequencing after RT-PCR. The genomes of bi-segmented ss(?)RNA viruses, with ORFs in a typical organization of members of the genus Dichorhavirus, were recovered. These genomes shared 98?99% nt sequence identity among them but <73% with those of known dichorhavirids, a value below the threshold for new species demarcation within that genus. Phylogenetically, the three haplotypes of the new virus called citrus bright spot virus (CiBSV) are clustered with citrus leprosis virus N, which is a dichorhavirus transmitted by Brevipalpus phoenicis sensu stricto. In CiBSV-infected citrus plants, B. papayensis and B. azores were found, but the virus could only be transmitted to Arabidopsis plants by B. azores. The study provides the first evidence of the role of B. azores as a viral vector and supports the assignment of CiBSV to the tentative new species Dichorhavirus australis

Inverse correlation between E-cadherin and Snail expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a well-known malignancy in the world. However, the molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis and tumour progression remains unclear. Recently, reduced E-cadherin expression due to transcriptional suppressor Snail was proven in a panel of epithelial and dedifferentiated cells derived from carcinomas of various etiologies. In the present study, we examined Snail and E-cadherin mRNA/protein expression in five hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines with variable phenotypes (HuL-1, Hep-G2, Changliver, HLE, and HLF). The results demonstrated that the presence of Snail mRNA in HuL-1, Changliver, HLE and HLF cells detected by RT–PCR, which was further proven by in situ hybridization in tumours induced by HuL-1, Changliver, and HLF cells where Snail mRNA signals expressed in each of the sections. By contrast, E-cadherin mRNA and protein expression were only detected in Hep-G2 cells by RT–PCR and Western blot, respectively. These results were also consistent with the data obtained from in vivo immunohistochemical staining where membranous expression of endogenous E-cadherin protein was revealed only in tumour sections induced by Hep-G2 cells. Here we are the first to report that there is an inverse correlation between Snail and E-cadherin expression in HCC cells as well

Smc5/6 coordinates formation and resolution of joint molecules with chromosome morphology to ensure meiotic divisions

During meiosis, Structural Maintenance of Chromosome (SMC) complexes underpin two fundamental features of meiosis: homologous recombination and chromosome segregation. While meiotic functions of the cohesin and condensin complexes have been delineated, the role of the third SMC complex, Smc5/6, remains enigmatic. Here we identify specific, essential meiotic functions for the Smc5/6 complex in homologous recombination and the regulation of cohesin. We show that Smc5/6 is enriched at centromeres and cohesin-association sites where it regulates sister-chromatid cohesion and the timely removal of cohesin from chromosomal arms, respectively. Smc5/6 also localizes to recombination hotspots, where it promotes normal formation and resolution of a subset of joint-molecule intermediates. In this regard, Smc5/6 functions independently of the major crossover pathway defined by the MutLγ complex. Furthermore, we show that Smc5/6 is required for stable chromosomal localization of the XPF-family endonuclease, Mus81-Mms4Eme1. Our data suggest that the Smc5/6 complex is required for specific recombination and chromosomal processes throughout meiosis and that in its absence, attempts at cell division with unresolved joint molecules and residual cohesin lead to severe recombination-induced meiotic catastroph