Molecular identification and seasonal monitoring of phytoplasmas infecting Croatian grapevines

Phytoplasmas of the 16S rRNA RFLP group XII-A (stolbur) have been detected with tests carried out 4 times from September 1997 to April 1998 in Croatian Pinot gris grapevines showing yellows symptoms. This is the first report on the presence of stolbur phytoplasma in Croatian grapevines. Two asymptomatic vineyard weeds, Taraxacum officinale Web. and Polygonum lapathifolium L. showed the presence of the same prokaryotes

Proteomic Analysis of the Dysferlin Protein Complex Unveils Its Importance for Sarcolemmal Maintenance and Integrity

Dysferlin is critical for repair of muscle membranes after damage. Mutations in dysferlin lead to a progressive muscular dystrophy. Recent studies suggest additional roles for dysferlin. We set out to study dysferlin's protein-protein interactions to obtain comprehensive knowledge of dysferlin functionalities in a myogenic context. We developed a robust and reproducible method to isolate dysferlin protein complexes from cells and tissue. We analyzed the composition of these complexes in cultured myoblasts, myotubes and skeletal muscle tissue by mass spectrometry and subsequently inferred potential protein functions through bioinformatics analyses. Our data confirm previously reported interactions and support a function for dysferlin as a vesicle trafficking protein. In addition novel potential functionalities were uncovered, including phagocytosis and focal adhesion. Our data reveal that the dysferlin protein complex has a dynamic composition as a function of myogenic differentiation. We provide additional experimental evidence and show dysferlin localization to, and interaction with the focal adhesion protein vinculin at the sarcolemma. Finally, our studies reveal evidence for cross-talk between dysferlin and its protein family member myoferlin. Together our analyses show that dysferlin is not only a membrane repair protein but also important for muscle membrane maintenance and integrity

Genetic modifiers ameliorate endocytic and neuromuscular defects in a model of spinal muscular atrophy

© 2020 The Author(s). This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.Background: Understanding the genetic modifiers of neurodegenerative diseases can provide insight into the mechanisms underlying these disorders. Here, we examine the relationship between the motor neuron disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which is caused by reduced levels of the survival of motor neuron (SMN) protein, and the actin-bundling protein Plastin 3 (PLS3). Increased PLS3 levels suppress symptoms in a subset of SMA patients and ameliorate defects in SMA disease models, but the functional connection between PLS3 and SMN is poorly understood.Results: We provide immunohistochemical and biochemical evidence for large protein complexes localized in vertebrate motor neuron processes that contain PLS3, SMN and members of the hnRNP F/H family of proteins. Using a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) SMA model, we determine that overexpression of PLS3 or loss of the C. elegans hnRNP F/H ortholog SYM-2 enhances endocytic function and ameliorates neuromuscular defects caused by decreased SMN-1 levels. Furthermore, either increasing PLS3 or decreasing SYM-2 levels suppresses defects in a C. elegans ALS model.Conclusions: We propose that hnRNP F/H act in the same protein complex as PLS3 and SMN and that the function of this complex is critical for endocytic pathways, suggesting that hnRNP F/H proteins could be potential targets for therapy development.Peer reviewe

Molecular identification of a phytoplasma infecting grapevine in the Republic of Macedonia

Phytoplasmas from the ribosomal subgroup 16SrXII-A (stolbur) were identified by PCR and RFLP analyses of 16S rRNA gene and elongation factor-Tu phytoplasma gene (tuf) in symptomatic grapevines from the Veles and Skopje areas in Macedonia. Two methods were used for nucleic acid extraction. Amplification and RFLP results of 16S rDNA were not influenced by the method used, but RFLP patterns of tuf gene revealed additional bands if a less time consuming method was applied. The possible origin of these bands is discussed. This is the first report of the presence of the stolbur phytoplasma in cvs Chardonnay and Vranac in Macedonia

Occurrence of stem-pitting strains of Citrus tristeza virus in Croatia

Citrus is grown in Croatia (approximately 1,500 ha of citrus groves) on the Dalmatian Coast and Islands between 42 and 43°30'N. The major species, Citrus unshiu Marc. (Satsuma mandarin), is grafted on trifoliate rootstock. The presence of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) in Satsumas in the Neretva Valley Region was previously reported (3). During the course of a biomolecular characterization of isolates from Croatia, 15 budsticks were collected from field- infected, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-positive sources during the autumn of 2003 near Kaštela, Split, Metković (Neretva Valley), and on the island of Vis. Isolates were propagated by graft transmission to Madam Vinous sweet orange (SwO) and maintained in an insect-proof greenhouse at 21 to 33° C

Occurrence of cucumber mosaic cucumovirus with satellite RNA in lethal necrosis affected tomatoes in Croatia

In the last few years, tomato crops of Southern coastal Croatia have been repetitively stricken by a devastating necrotic tomato disease on such a scale that it endangered tomato production in the area. Cucumber mosaic cucumovirus (CMV) was found in symptomatic plants by serology. Low-molecular weight RNA bands were detected in total nucleic acid extracts from naturally infected tomato fruits. The satellite nature of this RNA was proven by molecular hybridization with a digoxigenine-labelled satellite RNA probe. Molecular and biological characterization of the satRNA proved to be involved in codetermination of the lethal necrosis disease. This is the first report of CMV strain containing a satRNA in Croatia.(1