A Behavioural Genetic Analysis Of Personality, Personality Disorder, The Environment, And The Search For Sources Of Nonshared Environmental Influences

A behaviour genetic analysis of personality, liability to personality disorder, and the general environment of siblings was conducted using a classic twin study design. A sample of 138 same-sex young adult twin pairs (89 monozygotic pairs, 49 dizygotic pairs) was used to estimate trait variance attributable to direct gene action (h{dollar}\sp2\sb{lcub}\rm A{rcub}{dollar}), shared environmental experiences (c{dollar}\sp2{dollar}), and nonshared environmental experiences (e{dollar}\sp2{dollar}). Paralleling previously published results, model-fitting heritability analyses of the Personality Research Form (PRF; Jackson, 1986), and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, (MMPI, Hathaway & McKinley, 1983) showed that additive genetic and nonshared environmental factors could satisfactorily account for the trait variance in personality. Additional analyses revealed that genetic dominance effects (d{dollar}\sp2{dollar}) were present but are of a negligible magnitude. Multivariate genetic analyses also showed that there is evidence for a common genetic and environmental etiology to some dimensions of normal personality and liability to personality disorder.;Simple heritability analyses were also applied to four measures of the environment: Sibling Inventory of Differential Experience (SIDE; Daniels and Plomin, 1985), the Environmental Response Inventory (ERI; McKenchie, 1974), the Family Environment Scale (FES; Moos and Moos, 1986), and the Classroom Environment Scale (CES: Trickett and Moos, 1974). With the exception of the CES and specific scales from the SIDE, most of the remaining scales showed substantial additive genetic influence. However, the degree of genetic influence was found to be smaller than that reported in some previous studies.;Finally, a series of analyses was conducted with twins and an additional sample of 65 same-sex non-twin sibling pairs (51 sister-pairs, 14 brother-pairs) designed to identify sources of nonshared environmental influence related to differential personality and liability to personality disorder. Absolute differences in sibling personality as measured by the PRF and MMPI were regressed on absolute differences in sibling experience as measured by the SIDE, FES, CES, and ERI. Overall, only a few significant predictors of differential personality were found. Parental treatment and peer delinquency variables emerged as predictors of liability to personality disorder. However, this pattern is not consistent across kinship groups. These and other results are discussed

You Can\u27t Make Me Stop Loving You

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Pro/con ethics debate: is nonheart-beating organ donation ethically acceptable?

This pro/con debate explores the ethical issues surrounding nonheart-beating organ donation (NHBD), a source of considerable controversy. It is estimated that NHBD can increase the number of organs available for transplant by 25% at a time of great need. However, should NHBD be ethically acceptable? In support of NHBD, it may be acceptable practice if there is a separation of the rationale to withdraw life support/to withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation from the decision to recover organs, if no conflicts of interest exist, if a waiting time precluding spontaneous return of circulation is included, and if NHBD conforms to a standardized protocol. Against NHBD, there are questions regarding the ambiguity and cultural perspectives of death, regarding whether a separation of rationale between withdrawal and donation is sufficient to preclude conflicts of interest, and regarding whether variable protocols arise that subordinate the patient to the goal of donation. Such concerns suggest NHBD may damage the trust in patient–physician relationships and may adversely affect organ donation rates

Core effectors of plant-parasitic nematodes and their host targets

Plant parasitic nematodes infect many major food crops worldwide, causing damage valued at approximately 80 billion U.S. dollars per year (Nicol et al. 2011). As part of the parasitic process, some nematodes form a feeding site called a syncytium in the roots of their host. Specialised pathogen proteins known as effectors are thought to play critical roles in these processes. This thesis identifies and characterises a subset of core effectors conserved in the syncytia forming nematode species Globodera rostochiensis, Globodera pallida, Rotylenchulus reniformis, and Nacobbus aberrans, but that are absent from other nematodes. Three of the candidates (GROS_g02394, GROS_g02469, and GROS_g05682) have been validated as effectors using in situ hybridisation to confirm expression in the oesophageal gland cells. Further functional characterisation using in planta localisation, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) analysis, and co immunoprecipitation for host target identification were undertaken. Using Y2H it was possible to identify an arginine N-methyltransferase (stPRMT1.1) from Solanum tuberosum as an interacting host protein for GROS_g02394. In addition, a set of novel GH53 endo-β-1, 4-galactanase effectors has been identified which may assist in invasion of the host and migration through root tissue. These genes have likely been acquired through a horizontal gene transfer event. This has given a greater insight into the invasion process and the co evolution between the nematode and its host plant. A conserved family of Cathepsin L-like peptidases has also been identified. Analysis using in situ hybridisation showed these to be intestinal proteins. Expression analysis suggests conserved functions for different family members across a range of species."This work was Funded by the East of Scotland Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership (Eastbio) (UKRI BBSRC). This work was supported by the University of St Andrews (School of Biology)." -- Fundin

Characterisation of arabinogalactan endo β 1,4 galactanases from Globodera rostochiensis, Globodera pallida and Rotylenchulus reniformis

KL was funded by a BBSRC EASTBIO DTP studentship provided through the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) grant number BB/T00875X/1 and by the Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division of the Scottish Government at The James Hutton Institute and The University of St Andrews. Work on plant-parasitic nematodes at the University of Cambridge is supported by DEFRA licence 125034/359149/3 and funded by BBSRC grants BB/R011311/1, BB/N021908/1, and BB/S006397/1.Plant parasitic nematodes need to overcome the barrier presented by the plant cell wall in order to invade their host. A variety of plant cell wall degrading enzymes are present in endoparasitic nematodes including enzymes that degrade cellulose (beta 1,4 endoglucanases) and various pectin components. We describe the cloning and functional analysis of genes encoding GH53 arabinogalactan endo-1,4-beta-galactosidases from three related plant parasitic nematodes Globodera rostochiensis, Globodera pallida and Rotylenchulus reniformis. Phylogenetic and structural analyses strongly indicate that these genes have been acquired by horizontal gene transfer from bacteria. We show that the genes are expressed at invasive stages of the parasites in the secretory gland cells. We also demonstrate that the enzymes from these species are biochemically active, showing the expected hydrolytic enzymatic activity when galactan was used as a substrate. This work further demonstrates the importance of cell wall degradation to the success of the parasitic process and the extensive role that horizontal gene transfer has played in the evolution of plant parasitism by nematodes.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Juxta-membrane S-acylation of plant receptor-like kinases is likely fortuitous and does not necessarily impact upon function

This work was funded by UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Grants BB/M024911/1 and BB/M010996/1 to P.A.H.S-acylation is a common post-translational modification of membrane protein cysteine residues with many regulatory roles. S-acylation adjacent to transmembrane domains has been described in the literature as affecting diverse protein properties including turnover, trafficking and microdomain partitioning. However, all of these data are derived from mammalian and yeast systems. Here we examine the role of S-acylation adjacent to the transmembrane domain of the plant pathogen perceiving receptor-like kinase FLS2. Surprisingly, S-acylation of FLS2 adjacent to the transmembrane domain is not required for either FLS2 trafficking or signalling function. Expanding this analysis to the wider plant receptor-like kinase family we find that S-acylation adjacent to receptor-like kinase domains is common, affecting ~25% of Arabidopsis receptor-like kinases, but poorly conserved between orthologues through evolution. This suggests that S-acylation of receptor-like kinases at this site is likely the result of chance mutation leading to cysteine occurrence. As transmembrane domains followed by cysteine residues are common motifs for S-acylation to occur, and many S-acyl transferases appear to have lax substrate specificity, we propose that many receptor-like kinases are fortuitously S-acylated once chance mutation has introduced a cysteine at this site. Interestingly some receptor-like kinases show conservation of S-acylation sites between orthologues suggesting that S-acylation has come to play a role and has been positively selected for during evolution. The most notable example of this is in the ERECTA-like family where S-acylation of ERECTA adjacent to the transmembrane domain occurs in all ERECTA orthologues but not in the parental ERECTA-like clade. This suggests that ERECTA S-acylation occurred when ERECTA emerged during the evolution of angiosperms and may have contributed to the neo-functionalisation of ERECTA from ERECTA-like proteins.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

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