The immunodominant 90-kilodalton protein is localized on the terminal tip structure of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Immunoblot analysis of convalescent-phase sera of experimentally infected chimpanzees or monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to the 90- and 40-kDa proteins of Mycophasma pneumoniae indicated that both proteins were present in cytadsorbing, pathogenic strains PI-1428, M129, and FH but absent in noncytadsorbing, nonpathogenic strain M129-B176. Adsorption of convalescent-phase chimpanzee sera with virulent strain PI-1428 removed reactivity, whereas adsorption with avirulent strain M129-B176 did not remove reactivity to these two proteins. By using proteolysis and specific MAbs, we demonstrated that the 90- and 40-kDa proteins were surface exposed. Immunoelectron microscopy employing specific MAbs showed that the 90-kDa protein is localized on the terminal tip attachment apparatus.Immunoblot analysis of convalescent-phase sera of experimentally infected chimpanzees or monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to the 90- and 40-kDa proteins of Mycophasma pneumoniae indicated that both proteins were present in cytadsorbing, pathogenic strains PI-1428, M129, and FH but absent in noncytadsorbing, nonpathogenic strain M129-B176. Adsorption of convalescent-phase chimpanzee sera with virulent strain PI-1428 removed reactivity, whereas adsorption with avirulent strain M129-B176 did not remove reactivity to these two proteins. By using proteolysis and specific MAbs, we demonstrated that the 90- and 40-kDa proteins were surface exposed. Immunoelectron microscopy employing specific MAbs showed that the 90-kDa protein is localized on the terminal tip attachment apparatus

Macrophyte abundance in Waquoit Bay : effects of land-derived nitrogen loads on seasonal and multi-year biomass patterns

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2008. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Springer for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Estuaries and Coasts 31 (2008): 532-541, doi:10.1007/s12237-008-9039-6.Anthropogenic inputs of nutrients to coastal waters have rapidly restructured coastal ecosystems. To examine the response of macrophyte communities to land-derived nitrogen loading, we measured macrophyte biomass monthly for six years in three estuaries subject to different nitrogen loads owing to different land uses on the watersheds. The set of estuaries sampled had nitrogen loads over the broad range of 12 to 601 kg N ha-1 y-1. Macrophyte biomass increased as nitrogen loads increased, but the response of individual taxa varied. Specifically, biomass of Cladophora vagabunda and Gracilaria tikvahiae increased significantly as nitrogen loads increased. The biomass of other macroalgal taxa tended to decrease with increasing load, and the relative proportion of these taxa to total macrophyte biomass also decreased. The seagrass, Zostera marina, disappeared from the higher loaded estuaries, but remained abundant in the estuary with the lowest load. Seasonal changes in macroalgal standing stock were also affected by nitrogen load, with larger fluctuations in biomass across the year and higher minimum biomass of macroalgae in the higher loaded estuaries. There were no significant changes in macrophyte biomass over the six years of this study, but there was a slight trend of increasing macroalgal biomass in the latter years. Macroalgal biomass was not related to irradiance or temperature, but Z. marina biomass was highest during the summer months when light and temperatures peak. Irradiance might, however, be a secondary limiting factor controlling macroalgal biomass in the higher loaded estuaries by restricting the depth of the macroalgal canopy. The relationship between the bloom-forming macroalgal species, C. vagabunda and G. tikvahiae, and nitrogen loads suggested a strong connection between development on watersheds and macroalgal blooms and loss of seagrasses. The influence of watershed land uses largely overwhelmed seasonal and inter-annual differences in standing stock of macrophytes in these temperate estuaries.This research was supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technologies (CICEET-UNH#99-304, NOAA NA87OR512), NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research Fellowship NERRS GRF, #NA77OR0228), and an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) STAR Fellowship for Graduate Environmental Study (U-915335-01-0) awarded to J. Hauxwell. S. Fox was supported by a NOAA NERRS GRF (#NA03NOS4200132) and an EPA STAR Graduate Research Fellowship. We also thank the Quebec-Labrador Foundation Atlantic Center for the Environment's Sounds Conservancy Program and the Boston University Ablon/Bay Committee for their awarding research funds

Fine-Scale Mapping of the 5q11.2 Breast Cancer Locus Reveals at Least Three Independent Risk Variants Regulating MAP3K1

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Micoplasma como contaminante de culturas celulares mantidas em laboratórios de instituições particulares e oficiais Mycoplasma contamination of cell cultures maintained in laboratories of private, government and college institutions

Foi realizado estudo sobre a incidência de contaminação por micoplasma em 29 tipos de linhagens celulares pertencentes a sete laboratórios de instituições particulares, oficiais e de ensino superior. Utilizando o método de cultivo direto e oito passagens seriadas em meios específicos, líquido e sólido, verificou-se que, do total de 106 amostras, 48 apresentaram-se contaminadas por micoplasma (45,28%), o que constitui elevado índice de contaminação. O fato indica que testes periódicos para a determinação da presença de micoplasma nas culturas em utilização é recomendável e que as culturas contaminadas devem ser eliminadas para evitar a disseminação do microrganismo. Outras medidas preventivas devem ser adotadas, como a eliminação da pipetagem bucal, execução de técnicas assépticas mais estritas no manuseio das células, controle dos soros de origem animal, da tripsina e de outros componentes dos meios de cultura utilizados em cultura celular. O estudo mostrou que, ao invés das oito passagens seriadas propostas inicialmente, cinco foram suficientes para a detecção dos micoplasmas, o que representa economia de tempo e de materiais de custo elevado, reduzindo de 848 para 530 o número de passagens e a duração do teste, de oito para cinco semanas.<br>Mycoplasma is one of the most serious contaminants of cell cultures. Its detection is very important in virology, as well as its eradication. The aim of this study was to verify the incidence of mycoplasma in cell lines maintained in seven laboratories of private, government and college institutions of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, for the purposes of research, production of reagents for diagnosis and production of biologicals for human and animal use. Of the 29 cell lines, eight were derived from human tissues and 21 from other animal species (dog, rabbit, mouse, hamster, monkey, pig, chicken and ox). Using the direct method with specific liquid and solid media for detection of mycoplasma, 48 out of the 106 cell samples tested were positive, corresponding to a contamination index of 45.28%. The incidence of contamination among the 35 cell samples of human origin was 51.43% (18 positive). Of the 71 samples originated from other species, 30 were positive (42.25%). The high incidence of contamination found calls for the adoption of measures for the prevention of this hazard: the elimination of mouth pipetting, the use of aseptic techniques and a rigid control of trypsin, serum and other components of cell culture media. The substitution of mycoplasma-free cultures for all contaminated ones and the performance of periodical tests for mycoplasma detection must also be carried out to prevent and avoid the dissemination of these organisms. Data obtained showed that contamination appeared in the 2nd (72.92%), in the 3rd (20.83%) and in the 4th passage (6.25%). By using this technique, five passages are sufficient to detect mycoplasma and allow a safety margin, thus shortening the length of the test, saving reagents and providing satisfactory and reliable results. If a similar study were carried out establishing five as the number of serial passages for each mycoplasma detection test, the original number of passages would be reduced from 848 to 530 and the time spent on the test would be reduced from eight weeks to five

Current status on control of mycoplasmal diseases of man, animals, plants and insects

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