SnoN expression is differently regulated in microsatellite unstable compared with microsatellite stable colorectal cancers

BACKGROUND: SnoN is an important regulator of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signalling pathway and has been shown to exhibit both tumour promotion and suppression activity. METHODS: To further explore the role of this complex molecule in colorectal tumorigenesis, we examined 52 paired normal and tumour colorectal specimens stratified by level of microsatellite instability; 18 with high-level microsatellite instability (MSI-H) and 34 microsatellite stable (MSS). SnoN transcript expression was quantitated by real-time PCR and analysed with respect to clinical indicators of prognosis. RESULTS: Within the MSI-H subgroup, SnoN was commonly either up-regulated (6/18, 33%) or down-regulated (7/18, 39%). A significantly different distribution of SnoN expression was observed in MSS cancers compared with MSI-H (P ≤ 0.001). Whilst 17/34 (50%) of MSS tumours demonstrated up-regulation, none showed down-regulated expression. Within the MSI-H subgroup, up-regulation was significantly correlated with lack of repeat tract mutation in the TGFβRII gene (P ≤ 0.025), suggesting that SnoN is more frequently up-regulated in the presence of functional TGFβ signalling. CONCLUSION: Together these data support the notion that SnoN has both oncogenic and tumour suppressive properties depending on other genetic changes within the tumour, and that the MSI-H pathway of colorectal tumorigenesis presents an excellent model for the study of these opposing functions

Evidence of maternal QTL affecting growth and obesity in adult mice

Most quantitative trait loci (QTL) studies fail to account for the effect that the maternal genotype may have on an individual’s phenotypes, even though maternal effect QTL have been shown to account for considerable variation in growth and obesity traits in mouse models. Moreover, the fetal programming theory suggests that maternal effects influence an offspring’s adult fitness, although the genetic nature of fetal programming remains unclear. Within this context, our study focused on mapping genomic regions associated with maternal effect QTL by analyzing the phenotypes of chromosomes 2 and 7 subcongenic mice from genetically distinct dams. We analyzed 12 chromosome 2 subcongenic strains that spanned from 70 to 180 Mb with CAST/EiJ donor regions on the background of C57BL/6 J, and 14 chromosome 7 subcongenic strains that spanned from 81 to 111 Mb with BALB/cByJ donor regions on C57BL/6ByJ background. Maternal QTL analyses were performed on the basis of overlapping donor regions between subcongenic strains. We identified several highly significant (P < 5 × 10−4) maternal QTL influencing total body weight, organ weight, and fat pad weights in both sets of subcongenics. These QTL accounted for 1.9-11.7% of the phenotypic variance for growth and obesity and greatly narrowed the genomic regions associated with the maternal genetic effects. These maternal effect QTL controlled phenotypic traits in adult mice, suggesting that maternal influences at early stages of development may permanently affect offspring performance. Identification of maternal effects in our survey of two sets of subcongenic strains, representing approximately 5% of the mouse genome, supports the hypothesis that maternal effects represent significant sources of genetic variation that are largely ignored in genetic studies

Inhibition of Melanogenesis by the Pyridinyl Imidazole Class of Compounds: Possible Involvement of the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

While investigating the role of p38 MAPK in regulating melanogenesis, we found that pyridinyl imidazole inhibitors class compounds as well as the analog compound SB202474, which does not inhibit p38 MAPK, suppressed both α-MSH-induced melanogenesis and spontaneous melanin synthesis. In this study, we demonstrated that the inhibitory activity of the pyridinyl imidazoles correlates with inhibition of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity. Imidazole-treated cells showed a reduction in the level of Tcf/Lef target genes involved in the β-catenin signaling network, including ubiquitous genes such as Axin2, Lef1, and Wisp1 as well as cell lineage-restricted genes such as microphthalmia-associated transcription factor and dopachrome tautomerase. Although over-expression of the Wnt signaling pathway effector β-catenin slightly restored the melanogenic program, the lack of complete reversion suggested that the imidazoles interfered with β-catenin-dependent transcriptional activity rather than with β-catenin expression. Accordingly, we did not observe any significant change in β-catenin protein expression. The independence of p38 MAPK activity from the repression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was confirmed by small interfering RNA knockdown of p38 MAPK expression, which by contrast, stimulated β-catenin-driven gene expression. Our data demonstrate that the small molecule pyridinyl imidazoles possess two distinct and opposite mechanisms that modulate β-catenin dependent transcription: a p38 inhibition-dependent effect that stimulates the Wnt pathway by increasing β-catenin protein expression and an off-target mechanism that inhibits the pathway by repressing β-catenin protein functionality. The p38-independent effect seems to be dominant and, at least in B16-F0 cells, results in a strong block of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Value of hospital antimicrobial stewardship programs [ASPs]:a systematic review

Abstract Background Hospital antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) aim to promote judicious use of antimicrobials to combat antimicrobial resistance. For ASPs to be developed, adopted, and implemented, an economic value assessment is essential. Few studies demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of ASPs. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the economic and clinical impact of ASPs. Methods An update to the Dik et al. systematic review (2000–2014) was conducted on EMBASE and Medline using PRISMA guidelines. The updated search was limited to primary research studies in English (30 September 2014–31 December 2017) that evaluated patient and/or economic outcomes after implementation of hospital ASPs including length of stay (LOS), antimicrobial use, and total (including operational and implementation) costs. Results One hundred forty-six studies meeting inclusion criteria were included. The majority of these studies were conducted within the last 5 years in North America (49%), Europe (25%), and Asia (14%), with few studies conducted in Africa (3%), South America (3%), and Australia (3%). Most studies were conducted in hospitals with 500–1000 beds and evaluated LOS and change in antibiotic expenditure, the majority of which showed a decrease in LOS (85%) and antibiotic expenditure (92%). The mean cost-savings varied by hospital size and region after implementation of ASPs. Average cost savings in US studies were $732 per patient (range:$2.50 to $2640), with similar trends exhibited in European studies. The key driver of cost savings was from reduction in LOS. Savings were higher among hospitals with comprehensive ASPs which included therapy review and antibiotic restrictions. Conclusions Our data indicates that hospital ASPs have significant value with beneficial clinical and economic impacts. More robust published data is required in terms of implementation, LOS, and overall costs so that decision-makers can make a stronger case for investing in ASPs, considering competing priorities. Such data on ASPs in lower- and middle-income countries is limited and requires urgent attention

Frequently asked questions about chlorophyll fluorescence, the sequel

[EN] Using chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence many aspects of the photosynthetic apparatus can be studied, both in vitro and, noninvasively, in vivo. Complementary techniques can help to interpret changes in the Chl a fluorescence kinetics. Kalaji et al. (Photosynth Res 122: 121-158, 2014a) addressed several questions about instruments, methods and applications based on Chl a fluorescence. Here, additionalChl a fluorescence-related topics are discussed again in a question and answer format. Examples are the effect of connectivity on photochemical quenching, the correction of F-V/F-M values for PSI fluorescence, the energy partitioning concept, the interpretation of the complementary area, probing the donor side of PSII, the assignment of bands of 77 K fluorescence emission spectra to fluorescence emitters, the relationship between prompt and delayed fluorescence, potential problems when sampling tree canopies, the use of fluorescence parameters in QTL studies, the use of Chl a fluorescence in biosensor applications and the application of neural network approaches for the analysis of fluorescence measurements. The answers draw on knowledge fromdifferent Chl a fluorescence analysis domains, yielding in several cases new insights.Kalaji, H.; Schansker, G.; Brestic, M.; Bussotti, F.; Calatayud, A.; Ferroni, L.; Goltsev, V.... (2017). Frequently asked questions about chlorophyll fluorescence, the sequel. Photosynthesis Research. 132(1):13-66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-016-0318-yS13661321Adams WW III, Demmig-Adams B (1992) Operation of the xanthophyll cycle in higher plants in response to diurnal changes in incident sunlight. Plant 186:390–398Adams WW III, Demmig-Adams B (2004) Chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool to monitor plant response to the environment. In: Papageorgiou GC, Govindjee (eds) Advances in photosynthesis and respiration series chlorophyll fluorescence: a signature of photosynthesis, vol 19. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 583–604Adams WW III, Demmig-Adams B, Winter K, Schreiber U (1990a) The ratio of variable to maximum chlorophyll fluorescence from photosystem II, measured in leaves at ambient temperature and at 77 K, as an indicator of the photon yield of photosynthesis. Planta 180:166–174Adams WW III, Winter K, Schreiber U, Schramel P (1990b) Photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics in relationship to changes in pigment and element composition of leaves of Platanus occidentalis L. during autumnal senescence. Plant Physiol 93:1184–1190Alfonso M, Montoya G, Cases R, Rodriguez R, Picorel R (1994) Core antenna complexes, CP43 and CP47, of higher plant photosystem II. Spectral properties, pigment stoichiometry, and amino acid composition. Biochemistry 33:10494–10500Allakhverdiev SI (2011) Recent progress in the studies of structure and function of photosystem II. J Photochem Photobiol B Biol 104:1–8Allakhverdiev SI, Klimov VV, Carpentier R (1994) Variable thermal emission and chlorophyll fluorescence in photosystem II particles. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 491:281–285Allakhverdiev SI, Los DA, Mohanty P, Nishiyama Y, Murata N (2007) Glycinebetaine alleviates the inhibitory effect of moderate heat stress on the repair of photosystem II during photoinhibition. Biochim Biophys Acta 1767:1363–1371Allen JF (1992) Protein phosphorylation in regulation of photosynthesis. Biochim Biophys Acta 1098:275–335Allen JF, Bennett J, Steinback KE, Arntzen CJ (1981) Chloroplast protein phosphorylation couples platoquinone redox state to distribution of excitation energy between photosystems. Nature 291:21–25Amesz J, van Gorkom HJ (1978) Delayed fluorescence in photosynthesis. Annu Rev Plant Physiol 29:47–66Ananyev GM, Dismukes GC (1996) Assembly of the tetra-Mn site of photosynthetic water oxidation by photoactivation: Mn stoichiometry and detection of a new intermediate. Biochemistry 35:4102–4109Anderson JM, Chow WS, Goodchild DJ (1988) Thylakoid membrane organization in sun/shade acclimation. Aust J Plant Physiol 15:11–26Andrizhiyevskaya EG, Chojnicka A, Bautista JA, Diner BA, van Grondelle R, Dekker JP (2005) Origin of the F685 and F695 fluorescence in photosystem II. Photosynth Res 84:173–180Anithakumari AM, Nataraja KN, Visser RGF, van der Linden G (2012) Genetic dissection of drought tolerance and recovery potential by quantitative trait locus mapping of a diploid potato population. Mol Breed 30:1413–1429Antal TK, Krendeleva TE, Rubin AB (2007) Study of photosystem 2 heterogeneity in the sulfur-deficient green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Photosynth Res 94:13–22Antal TK, Matorin DN, Ilyash LV, Volgusheva AA, Osipov A, Konyuhow IV, Krendeleva TE, Rubin AB (2009) Probing of photosynthetic reactions in four phytoplanktonic algae with a PEA fluorometer. Photosynth Res 102:67–76Araus JL, Amaro T, Voltas J, Nakkoul H, Nachit MM (1998) Chlorophyll fluorescence as a selection criterion for grain yield in durum wheat under Mediterranean conditions. Field Crops Res 55:209–223Argyroudi-Akoyunoglou J (1984) The 77 K fluorescence spectrum of the Photosystem I pigment-protein complex CPIa. FEBS Lett 171:47–53Arnold WA (1991) Experiments. Photosynth Res 27:73–82Arnold WA, Thompson J (1956) Delayed light production by blue-green algae, red algae and purple bacteria. J Gen Physiol 39:311–318Aro EM, Hundal T, Carlberg I, Andersson B (1990) In vitro studies on light-induced inhibition of PSII and D1-protein degradation at low temperatures. Biochim Biophys Acta 1019:269–275Aro EM, Virgin I, Andersson B (1993) Photoinhibition of photosystem II. Inactivation protein damage and turnover. Biochim Biophys Acta 1143:113–134Arsalane W, Parésys G, Duval JC, Wilhelm C, Conrad R, Büchel C (1993) A new fluorometric device to measure the in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence yield in microalgae and its use as a herbicide monitor. Eur J Phycol 28:247–252Asada K (1999) The water-water cycle in chloroplasts: scavenging of active oxygens and dissipation of excess photons. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 50:601–639Ashraf M, Harris PJC (2004) Potential biochemical indicators of salinity tolerance in plants. Plant Sci 166:3–16Bailey S, Walters RG, Jansson S, Horton P (2001) Acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana to the light environment: the existence of separate low light and high light responses. Planta 213:794–801Baker NR (2008) Chlorophyll fluorescence: a probe of photosynthesis in vivo. Annu Rev Plant Biol 59:659–668Baker NR, Rosenqvist E (2004) Applications of chlorophyll fluorescence can improve crop production strategies: an examination of future possibilities. J Exp Bot 55:1607–1621Ballottari M, Dall’Osto L, Morosinotto T, Bassi R (2007) Contrasting behavior of higher plant photosystem I and II antenna systems during acclimation. J Biol Chem 282:8947–8958Barbagallo RP, Oxborough K, Pallett KE, Baker NR (2003) Rapid, noninvasive screening for perturbations of metabolism and plant growth using chlorophyll fluorescence imaging. Plant Physiol 132:485–493Barber J, Malkin S, Telfer A (1989) The origin of chlorophyll fluorescence in vivo and its quenching by the photosystem II reaction centre. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B 323:227–239Barra M, Haumann M, Loja P, Krivanek R, Grundmeier A, Dau H (2006) Intermediates in assembly by photoactivation after thermally accelerated disassembly of the manganese complex of photosynthetic water oxidation. Biochemistry 45:14523–14532Baumann HA, Morrison L, Stengel DB (2009) Metal accumulation and toxicity measured by PAM-chlorophyll fluorescence in seven species of marine macroalgae. Ecotoxicol Environ Safe 72:1063–1075Bauwe H, Hagemann M, Fernie A (2010) Photorespiration: players, partners and origin. Trends Plant Sci 15:330–336Beck WF, Brudvig GW (1987) Reactions of hydroxylamine with the electron-donor side of photosystem II. Biochemistry 26:8285–8295Belgio E, Kapitonova E, Chmeliov J, Duffy CDP, Ungerer P, Valkunas L, Ruban AV (2014) Economic photoprotection in photosystem II that retains a complete light-harvesting system with slow energy traps. Nat Commun 5:4433. doi: 10.1038/ncomms5433Bell DH, Hipkins MF (1985) Analysis of fluorescence induction curves from pea chloroplasts: photosystem II reaction centre heterogeneity. Biochim Biophys Acta 807:255–262Bellafiore S, Barneche F, Peltier G, Rochaix J-D (2005) State transitions and light adaptation require chloroplast thylakoid protein kinase STN7. Nature 433:892–895Belyaeva NE, Schmitt F-J, Paschenko VZ, Riznichenko GY, Rubin AB (2015) Modeling of the redox state dynamics in photosystem II of Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick cells and leaves of spinach and Arabidopsis thaliana from single flash-induced fluorescence quantum yield changes on the 100 ns–10 s time scale. Photosynth Res 125:123–140Bennett J (1977) Phosphorylation of chloroplast membrane polypeptides. Nature 269:344–346Bennett J (1983) Regulation of photosynthesis by reversible phosphorylation of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein. Biochem J 212:1–13Bennett J, Shaw EK, Michel H (1988) Cytochrome b6f complex is required for phosphorylation of light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complex II in chloroplast photosynthetic membranes. Eur J Biochem 171:95–100Bennoun P (2002) The present model for chlororespiration. Photosynth Res 73:273–277Bennoun P, Li Y-S (1973) New results on the mode of action of 3,-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea in spinach chloroplasts. Biochim Biophys Acta 292:162–168Berden-Zrimec M, Drinovec L, Zrimec A (2011) Delayed fluorescence. In: Suggett DJ, Borowitzka M, Prášil O (eds) Chlorophyll a fluorescence in aquatic sciences: methods and applications, developments in applied phycology, vol 4. Springer, The Netherlands, pp 293–309Berger S, Sinha AK, Roitsch T (2007) Plant physiology meets phytopathology: plant primary metabolism and plant-pathogen interactions. J Exp Bot 58:4019–4026Bernacchi CJ, Leakey ADB, Heady LE, Morgan PB, Dohleman FG, McGrath JM, Gillespie GM, Wittig VE, Rogers A, Long SP, Ort DR (2006) Hourly and seasonal variation in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance of soybean grown at future CO2 and ozone concentrations for 3 years under fully open-air field conditions. Plant Cell Environ 29:2077–2090Betterle N, Ballotari M, Zorzan S, de Bianchi S, Cazzaniga S, Dall’Osto L, Morosinotto T, Bassi R (2009) Light-induced dissociation of an antenna hetero-oligomer is needed for non-photochemical quenching induction. J Biol Chem 284:15255–15266Bielczynski LW, Schansker G, Croce R (2016) Effect of light acclimation on the organization of photosystem II super and sub-complexes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Front Plant Sci. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00105Björkman O, Demmig-Adams B (1995) Regulation of photosynthetic light energy capture, conversion, and dissipation in leaves of higher plants. In: Schulze ED, Caldwell MM (eds) Ecophysiology of photosynthesis. Springer, Berlin, pp 17–47Blubaugh DJ, Cheniae GM (1990) Kinetics of photoinhibition in hydroxylamine-extracted photosystem II membranes: relevance to photoactivation and site of electron donation. Biochemistry 29:5109–5118Bock A, Krieger-Liszkay A, Ortiz de Zarate IB, Schönknecht G (2001) Cl—channel inhibitors of the arylaminobenzoate type act as photosystem II herbicides: a functional and structural study. Biochemistry 40:3273–3281Bode S, Quentmeier CC, Liao P-N, Hafi N, Barros T, Wilk L, Bittner F, Walla PJ (2009) On the regulation of photosynthesis by excitonic interactions between carotenoids and chlorophylls. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106:12311–12316Boekema EJ, Van Roon H, Van Breemen JFL, Dekker JP (1999) Supramolecular organization of photosystem II and its light-harvesting antenna in partially solubilized photosystem II membranes. Eur J Biochem 266:444–452Bolhar-Nordenkampf HR, Long SP, Baker NR, Öquist G, Schreiber U, Lechner EG (1989) Chlorophyll fluorescence as a probe of the photosynthetic competence of leaves in the field: a review of current Instrumentation. Funct Ecol 3:497–514Bonaventura C, Myers J (1969) Fluorescence and oxygen evolution from Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Biochim Biophys Acta 189:366–383Bonfig KB, Schreiber U, Gabler A, Roitsch T, Berger S (2006) Infection with virulent and avirulent P. syringae strains differentially affects photosynthesis and sink metabolism in Arabidopsis leaves. Planta 225:1–12Bouges-Bocquet B (1980) Kinetic models for the electron donors of photosystem II of photosynthesis. Biochim Biophys Acta 594:85–103Bradbury M, Baker NR (1981) Analysis of the slow phases of the in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence induction curve; changes in the redox state of photosystem II electron acceptors and fluorescence emission from photosystem I and II. Biochim Biophys Acta 635:542–551Brestič M, Živčák M (2013) PSII fluorescence techniques for measurement of drought and high temperature stress signal in crop plants: protocols and applications. In: Das AB, Rout GR (eds) Molecular stress physiology of plants. Springer, New Dehli, pp 87–131Brestič M, Cornic G, Fryer MJ, Baker NR (1995) Does photorespiration protect the photosynthetic apparatus in French bean leaves from photoinhibition during drought stress? Planta 196:450–457Brestič M, Živčák M, Kalaji HM, Allakhverdiev SI, Carpentier R (2012) Photosystem II thermo-stability in situ: environmentally induced acclimation and genotype-specific reactions in Triticum aestivum L. Plant Physiol Biochem 57:93–105Brody SS, Rabinowitch E (1957) Excitation lifetime of photosynthetic pigments in vitro and in vivo. Science 125:555–563Brudvig GW, Casey JL, Sauer K (1983) The effect of temperature on the formation and decay of the multiline EPR signal species associated with photosynthetic oxygen evolution. Biochim Biophys Acta 723:366–371Bukhov NG, Boucher N, Carpentier R (1997) The correlation between the induction kinetics of the photoacoustic signal and chlorophyll fluorescence in barley leaves is governed by changes in the redox state of the photosystem II acceptor side; a study under atmospheric and high CO2 concentrations. Can J Bot 75:1399–1406Bukhov N, Egorova E, Krendeleva T, Rubin A, Wiese C, Heber U (2001) Relaxation of variable chlorophyll fluorescence after illumination of dark-adapted barley leaves as influenced by the redox states of electron carriers. Photosynth Res 70:155–166Buschmann C, Koscányi L (1989) Light-induced heat production correlated with chlorophyll fluorescence and its quenching. Photosynth Res 21:129–136Bussotti F (2004) Assessment of stress conditions in Quercus ilex L. leaves by O-J-I-P chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis. Plant Biosystems 13:101–109Bussotti F, Agati G, Desotgiu R, Matteini P, Tani C (2005) Ozone foliar symptoms in woody plants assessed with ultrastructural and fluorescence analysis. New Phytol 166:941–955Bussotti F, Desotgiu R, Cascio C, Pollastrini M, Gravano E, Gerosa G, Marzuoli R, Nali C, Lorenzini G, Salvatori E, Manes F, Schaub M, Strasser RJ (2011a) Ozone stress in woody plants assessed with chlorophyll a fluorescence. A critical reassessment of existing data. Environ Exp Bot 73:19–30Bussotti F, Pollastrini M, Cascio C, Desotgiu R, Gerosa G, Marzuoli R, Nali C, Lorenzini G, Pellegrini E, Carucci MG, Salvatori E, Fusaro L, Piccotto M, Malaspina P, Manfredi A, Roccotello E, Toscano S, Gottardini E, Cristofori A, Fini A, Weber D, Baldassarre V, Barbanti L, Monti A, Strasser RJ (2011b) Conclusive remarks. Reliability and comparability of chlorophyll fluorescence data from several field teams. Environ Exp Bot 73:116–119Butler WL (1978) Energy distribution in the photochemical apparatus of photosynthesis. Annu Rev Plant Physiol 29:345–378Byrdin M, Rimke I, Schlodder E, Stehlik D, Roelofs TA (2000) Decay kinetics and quantum yields of fluorescence in photosystem I from Synechococcus elongatus with P700 in the reduced and oxidized state: Are the kinetics of excited state decay trap-limited or transfer-limited? Biophys J 79:992–1007Caffarri S, Croce R, Cattivelli L, Bassi R (2004) A look within LHCII: differential analysis of the Lhcb1-3 complexes building the major trimeric antenna complex of higher-plant photosynthesis. Biochemistry 43:9467–9476Calatayud A, Ramirez JW, Iglesias DJ, Barreno E (2002) Effects of ozone on photosynthetic CO2 exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence and antioxidant systems in lettuce leaves. Physiol Plant 116:308–316Cascio C, Schaub M, Novak K, Desotgiu R, Bussotti F, Strasser RJ (2010) Foliar responses to ozone of Fagus sylvatica L. seedlings grown in shaded and in full sunlight conditions. Environ Exp Bot 68:188–197Cazzaniga S, Dall’Osto L, Kong S-G, Wada M, Bassi R (2013) Interaction between avoidance of photon absorption, excess energy dissipation and zeaxanthin synthesis against photooxidative stress in Arabidopsis. Plant J 76:568–579Ceppi MG, Oukarroum A, Çiçek N, Strasser RJ, Schansker G (2012) The IP amplitude of the fluorescence rise OJIP is sensitive to changes in the photosystem I content of leaves: a study on plants exposed to magnesium and sulfate deficiencies, drought stress and salt stress. Physiol Plant 144:277–288Chaudhary N, Singh S, Agrawal SB, Agrawal M (2013) Assessment of six Indian cultivars of mung bean against ozone by using foliar injury index and changes in carbon assimilation, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthetic pigments. Environ Monit Assess 185:7793–7807Chen J, Kell A, Acharya K, Kupitz C, Fromme P, Jankowiak R (2015) Critical assessment of the emission spectra of various photosystem II core complexes. Photosynth Res 124:253–265Cheng L, Fuchigami LH, Breen PJ (2000) Light absorption and partitioning in relation to nitrogen content ‘Fuji’ apple leaves. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 125:581–587Choi CJ, Berges JA, Young EB (2012) Rapid effects of diverse toxic water pollutants on chlorophyll a fluorescence: variable responses among freshwater microalgae. Water Res 46:2615–2626Chow WS, Aro EM (2005) Photoinactivation and mechanisms of recovery. In: Wydrzynski T, Satoh K (eds) Photosystem II: the light-driven water: plastoquinone oxidoreductase, advances in photosynthesis and respiration, vol 22. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 627–648Chow WS, Fan DY, Oguchi R, Jia H, Losciale P, Youn-Il P, He J, Öquist G, Shen YG, Anderson JM (2012) Quantifying and monitoring functional photosystem II and the stoichiometry of the two photosystems in leaf segments: approaches and approximations. Photosynth Res 113:63–74Christensen MG, Teicher HB, Streibig JC (2003) Linking fluorescence induction curve and biomass in herbicide screening. Pest Manag Sci 59:1303–1310Codrea CM, Aittokallio T, Keränen M, Tyystjärvi E, Nevalainen OS (2003) Feature learning with a genetic algorithm for fluorescence fingerprinting of plant species. Pattern Recognit Lett 24:2663–2673Conjeaud H, Mathis P (1980) The effect of pH on the reduction kinetics of P-680 in tris-treated chloroplasts. Biochim Biophys Acta 590:353–359Conrad R, Büchel C, Wilhelm C, Arsalane W, Berkaloff C, Duval JC (1993) Changes in yield of in-vivo fluorescence of chlorophyll a as a tool for selective herbicide monitoring. J Appl Phycol 5:505–516Cornic G, Massacci A (1996) Leaf photosynthesis under drought stress. In: Baker NR (ed) Photosynthesis and the environment. Kluwer Academic Publisher, Dordrecht, pp 347–366Cornic G, Fresneau C (2002) Photosynthetic carbon reduction and carbon oxidation cycles are the main electron sinks for photosystems II during a mild drought. Ann Bot 89:887–894Correia MJ, Chaves MMC, Pereira JS (1990) Afternoon depression in photosynthesis in grapevine leaves—evidence for a high light stress effect. J Exp Bot 41:417–426Cotrozzi L, Remorini D, Pellegrini E, Landi M, Massai R, Nali C, Guidi L, Lorenzini G (2016) Variations in physiological and biochemical traits of oak seedlings grown under drought and ozone stress. Physiol Plant 157:69–84Croce R, Zucchelli G, Garlaschi FM, Bassi R, Jennings RC (1997) Excited state equilibration in the photosystem I-light-harvesting I complex: P700 is almost isoenergetic with its antenna. Biochemistry 35:8572–8579Cser K, Vass I (2007) Radiative and non-radiative charge recombination pathways in photosystem II studied by thermoluminescence and chlorophyll fluorescence in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6308. Biochim Biophys Acta 1767:233–243Czyczyło-Mysza I, Tyrka M, Marcińska Skrzypek E, Karbarz M, Dziurka M, Hura T, Dziurka K, Quarrie SA (2013) Quantitative trait loci for leaf chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in relation to biomass and yield in bread wheat and their chromosome deletion bin assignments. Mol Breed 32:189–210D’Haene SE, Sobotka R, Bučinská L, Dekker JP, Komenda J (2015) Interaction of the PsbH subunit with a chlorophyll bound to histidine 114 of CP47 is responsible for the red 77 K fluorescence of Photosystem II. Biochim Biophys Acta 1847:1327–1334Dang NC, Zazubovich V, Reppert M, Neupane B, Picorel R, Seibert M, Jankowiak R (2008) The CP43 proximal antenna complex of higher plant photosystem II revisited: modeling and hole burning study. J Phys Chem B 112:9921–9933Dau H (1994) Molecular mechanisms and quantitative models of variable Photosystem II fluorescence. Photochem Photobiol 60:1–23Dau H, Sauer K (1992) Electric field effect on the picosecond fluorescence of photosystem II and its relation to the energetics and kinetics of primary charge separation. Biochim Biophys Acta 1102:91–106Dau H, Zaharieva I, Haumann M (2012) Recent developments in research on water oxidation by photosystem II. Curr Opin Chem Biol 16:3–10de Wijn R, van Gorkom HJ (2001) Kinetics of electron transfer from QA to QB in photosystem II. Biochemistry 40:11912–11922de Wijn R, van Gorkom HJ (2002) The rate of charge recombination in photosystem II. Biochim Biophys Acta 1553:302–308Debus RJ (1992) The manganese and calcium ions of photosynthetic oxygen evolution. Biochim Biophys Acta 1102:269–352Degl’Innocenti E, Guidi L, Soldatini GF (2002) Characteriz

Genetic variability of milk fatty acids.

The milk fatty acid (FA) profile is far from the optimal fat composition in regards to human health. The natural sources of variation, such as feeding or genetics, could be used to increase the concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids. The impact of feeding is well described. However, genetic effects on the milk FA composition begin to be extensively studied. This paper summarizes the available information about the genetic variability of FAs. The greatest breed differences in FA composition are observed between Holstein and Jersey milk. Milk fat of the latter breed contains higher concentrations of saturated FAs, especially short-chain FAs. The variation of the delta-9 desaturase activity estimated from specific FA ratios could explain partly these breed differences. The choice of a specific breed seems to be a possibility to improve the nutritional quality of milk fat. Generally, the proportions of FAs in milk are more heritable than the proportions of these same FAs in fat. Heritability estimates range from 0.00 to 0.54. The presence of some single nucleotide polymorphisms could explain partly the observed individual genetic variability. The polymorphisms detected on SCD1 and DGAT1 genes influence the milk FA composition. The SCD1 V allele increases the unsaturation of C16 and C18. The DGAT1 A allele is related to the unsaturation of C18. So, a combination of the molecular and quantitative approaches should be used to develop tools helping farmers in the selection of their animals to improve the nutritional quality of the produced milk fat