35 research outputs found
Luminous Blue Variable eruptions and related transients: Diversity of progenitors and outburst properties
We present new light curves and spectra for a number of extragalactic optical
transients or "SN impostors" related to giant eruptions of LBVs, and we provide
a comparative discussion of LBV-like giant eruptions known to date. New data
include photometry and spectroscopy of SNe1999bw, 2000ch, 2001ac, 2002bu,
2006bv, and 2010dn. SN2010dn resembles SN2008S and NGC 300-OT, whereas SN2002bu
shows spectral evolution from a normal LBV at early times to a twin of these
cooler transients at late times. SN2008S, NGC300-OT, and SN2010dn appear to be
special cases of a broader eruptive phenomenon where the progenitor star was
enshrouded by dust. Examining the full sample, SN impostors have range of
timescales from a day to decades, potentially suffering multiple eruptions. The
upper end of the luminosity distribution overlaps with the least luminous SNe.
The low end of the luminosity distribution is poorly defined, and a distinction
between various eruptions is not entirely clear. We discuss observational clues
concerning winds or shocks as the relevant mass-loss mechanism, and we evaluate
possible ideas for physical mechanisms. Although examples of these eruptions
are sufficient to illustrate their diversity, their statistical distribution
will benefit greatly from upcoming transient surveys. Based on the distribution
of eruptions, we propose that SN1961V was not a member of this class of
impostors, but was instead a true core-collapse SNIIn preceded by a giant LBV
eruption. (abridged)Comment: 36(!) journal pages, 16 figures. submitted to MNRAS on october 12.
coments welcome. updated reference
On the evolution and molecular Epidemiology of the potyvirus Papaya ringspot virus.
The potyvirus Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) is found throughout the tropics and subtropics. Its P biotype is a devastating pathogen of papaya crops and its W biotype of cucurbits. PRSV-P is thought to arise by mutation from PRSV-W. However, the relative impact of mutation and movement on the structure of PRSV populations is not well characterized. To investigate this, we have determined the coat protein sequences of isolates of both biotypes of PRSV from Vietnam (50), Thailand (13), India (1) and the Philippines (1), and analysed them together with 28 PRSV sequences already published, so that we can better understand the molecular epidemiology and evolution of PRSV. In Thailand, variation was greater among PRSV-W isolates (mean nucleotide divergence 7·6%) than PRSV-P isolates (mean 2·6%), but in Vietnamese populations the P and W biotypes were more but similarly diverse. Phylogenetic analyses of PRSV also involving its closest known relative, Moroccan watermelon mosaic virus, indicate that PRSV may have originated in Asia, particularly in the Indian subcontinent, as PRSV populations there are most diverse and hence have probably been present longest. Our analyses show that mutation, together with local and long-distance movement, contributes to population variation, and also confirms an earlier conclusion that populations of the PRSV-P biotype have evolved on several occasions from PRSV-W populations
On the evolution and molecular epidemiology of the potyvirus Papaya ringspot virus
The potyvirus Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) is found throughout the tropics and subtropics. Its P biotype is a devastating pathogen of papaya crops and its W biotype of cucurbits. PRSV-P is thought to arise by mutation from PRSV-W. However, the relative impact of mutation and movement on the structure of PRSV populations is not well characterized. To investigate this, we have determined the coat protein sequences of isolates of both biotypes of PRSV from Vietnam (50), Thailand (13), India (1) and the Philippines (1), and analysed them together with 28 PRSV sequences already published, so that we can better understand the molecular epidemiology and evolution of PRSV. In Thailand, variation was greater among PRSV-W isolates (mean nucleotide divergence 7.6%) than PRSV-P isolates (mean 2.6%), but in Vietnamese populations the P and W biotypes were more but similarly diverse. Phylogenetic analyses of PRSV also involving its closest known relative, Moroccan watermelon mosaic virus, indicate that PRSV may have originated in Asia, particularly in the Indian subcontinent, as PRSV populations there are most diverse and hence have probably been present longest. Our analyses show that mutation, together with local and long-distance movement, contributes to population variation, and also confirms an earlier conclusion that populations of the PRSV-P biotype have evolved on several occasions from PRSV-W populations
Genetically engineered immunity to Papaya ringspot virus in Australian papaya cultivars
Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV), which has recently been identified inAustralia, is the major limiting factor in papaya production worldwide. In thispaper we report the development of two Australian papaya cultivars that areimmune to infection with PRSV. Papaya somatic embryos were transformed viamicroprojectile bombardment using a construct containing an untranslatable PRSVcoat protein coding region. Immunity was demonstrated by repeated inoculationinthe glasshouse and eighteen months in the field. The immune lines were shown tohave up to five copies of the transgene by Southern hybridisation. Northernhybridisation showed that the coat protein transcript in the immune linesappeared to be degraded; therefore, the mechanism of resistance appears to bepost transcriptional gene silencing via RNA degradation. We have taken aproactive approach to control of PRSV in Australia by developing geneticallyengineered resistance before the Australian papaya industry has been decimatedby the inevitable spread of PRSV
Isolation and functional characterisation of banana phytoene synthase genes as potential cisgenes
Carotenoids occur in all photosynthetic organisms where they protect photosystems from auto-oxidation, participate in photosynthetic energy-transfer and are secondary metabolites. Of the more than 600 known plant carotenoids, few can be converted into vitamin A by humans and so these pro-vitamin A carotenoids (pVAC) are important in human nutrition. Phytoene synthase (PSY) is a key enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of pVACs and plays a central role in regulating pVAC accumulation in the edible portion of crop plants. Bananas are a major commercial crop and serve as a staple crop for more than 30 million people. There is natural variation in fruit pVAC content across different banana cultivars, but this is not well understood. Therefore, we isolated PSY genes from banana cultivars with relatively high (cv. Asupina) and low (cv. Cavendish) pVAC content. We provide evidence that PSY in banana is encoded by two paralogs (PSY1 and PSY2), each with a similar gene structure to homologous genes in other monocots. Further, we demonstrate that PSY2 is more highly expressed in fruit pulp compared to leaf. Functional analysis of PSY1 and PSY2 in rice callus and E. coli demonstrate that both genes encode functional enzymes, and that Asupina PSYs have approximately twice the enzymatic activity of the corresponding Cavendish PSYs. These results suggest that differences in PSY enzyme activity contribute significantly to the differences in Asupina and Cavendish fruit pVAC content. Importantly, Asupina PSY genes could potentially be used to generate new cisgenic or intragenic banana cultivars with enhanced pVAC content