Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris and sativa; so far, so close: a 20 SSR based comparison of the two taxa

In Vitis vinifera L., the hypothesis of secondary domestication center, located along the wild progenitor distribution areas, is suggestive and credible even if up to now close parentage relationships between domestic (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sativa (DC.) Hegi) and wild (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmel.) Hegi) grapevines have not been detected, possibly due to century long separation of the two subspecies. The aim of this work was to verify the possibility of tracing a flow between the two compartments basing on molecular data and thanks to the availability of a huge dataset comprising 645 wild and more than 1400 cultivated samples. Twenty SSR loci were used to describe and genotype both sylvestris and sativa compartments. The sylvestris samples were all collected in the frame of a three year census in Italy and are representative of the Italian distribution range from north to south. The cultivated sativa accessions mainly (1231 samples) belong to the Vassal (INRA-Montpellier) collection, while the remaining (200) were selected in the frame of the Italian grapevine germplasm. Results highlighted a high level of genetic diversity for both wild and cultivated groups. STRUCTURE analysis clearly evidenced the separation of the two compartments and no first or second degree relationships were evidenced between the two subspecies

Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris and sativa; so far, so close: a 20 SSR based comparison of the two taxa

In Vitis vinifera L., the hypothesis of secondary domestication center, located along the wild progenitor distribution areas, is suggestive and credible even if up to now close parentage relationships between domestic (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sativa (DC.) Hegi) and wild (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmel.) Hegi) grapevines have not been detected, possibly due to century long separation of the two subspecies. The aim of this work was to verify the possibility of tracing a flow between the two compartments basing on molecular data and thanks to the availability of a huge dataset comprising 645 wild and more than 1400 cultivated samples. Twenty SSR loci were used to describe and genotype both sylvestris and sativa compartments. The sylvestris samples were all collected in the frame of a three year census in Italy and are representative of the Italian distribution range from north to south. The cultivated sativa accessions mainly (1231 samples) belong to the Vassal (INRA-Montpellier) collection, while the remaining (200) were selected in the frame of the Italian grapevine germplasm. Results highlighted a high level of genetic diversity for both wild and cultivated groups. STRUCTURE analysis clearly evidenced the separation of the two compartments and no first or second degree relationships were evidenced between the two subspecies

Considerations on the European wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. ssp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi) and Phylloxera infestation

Research Note 

Modification of the standard model for the lanthanides

We show that incorporation of strong electron correlations into the Kohn-Sham scheme of band structure calculations leads to a modification of the standard model of the lanthanides and that this procedure removes the existing discrepancy between theory and experiment concerning the ground state properties. Within the picture suggested, part of the upper Hubbard $f$-band is occupied due to conduction band-$f$-mixing interaction (that is renormalized due to correlations) and this contributes to the cohesive energy of the crystal. The lower Hubbard band has zero width and describes fermionic excitations in the shell of localized $f$-s. Fully self-consistent calculations (with respect to both charge density and many-electron population numbers of the $f$-shell) of the equilibrium volume $V_0$ and the bulk modulus of selected lanthanides have been performed and a good agreement is obtained.Comment: 1 fi

Antimalarial 4(1H)-pyridones bind to the Qisite of cytochromebc1

Cytochrome bc1 is a proven drug target in the prevention and treatment of malaria. The rise in drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum, the organism responsible for malaria, has generated a global effort in designing new classes of drugs. Much of the design/redesign work on overcoming this resistance has been focused on compounds that are presumed to bind the Qo site (one of two potential binding sites within cytochrome bc1) using the known crystal structure of this large membrane-bound macromolecular complex via in silico modeling. Cocrystallization of the cytochrome bc1 complex with the 4(1H)-pyridone class of inhibitors, GSK932121 and GW844520, that have been shown to be potent antimalarial agents in vivo, revealed that these inhibitors do not bind at the Qo site but bind at the Qi site. The discovery that these compounds bind at the Qi site may provide a molecular explanation for the cardiotoxicity and eventual failure of GSK932121 in phase-1 clinical trial and highlight the need for direct experimental observation of a compound bound to a target site before chemical optimization and development for clinical trials. The binding of the 4(1H)-pyridone class of inhibitors to Qi also explains the ability of this class to overcome parasite Qo-based atovaquone resistance and provides critical structural information for future design of new selective compounds with improved safety profiles

Molecular investigation of Caucasian and Eastern European grapevine cultivars (V. vinifera L.) by microsatellites

Grapevine (V. vinifera L.) is one of the most widely cultivated species of agricultural interest. The domestication of wild grapes starting in the Neolithic Age, took place in the Near East area. The aim of this study was the genotyping of germplasm coming from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova by SSR markers in order to investigate the genetic relationships among samples along the East-to-West dissemination route of grapevine after the domestication. Based on the descriptive statistics Azerbaijani samples appeared having the highest genetic diversity. PCoA and STRUCTURE analysis revealed three groups: i) Central European group; ii) a group reuniting cultivars coming from Armenia, Georgia and Moldova; iii) the group of Azerbaijani cultivars (94%). The analysis of genetic relationships in our dataset provided evidence of connection among cultivars included in the proles pontica and proles orientalis and geographical origin and human uses as well

Redondovirus DNA in human respiratory samples

Background: Redondovirus (ReDoV) is a recently discovered circular, Rep-encoding single-stranded DNA (CRESS-DNA) virus in humans. Its pathogenesis and clinical associations are still completely unknown. Methods: The presence of ReDoV DNA was investigated in biological specimens of 543 Italian subjects by in-house developed PCR assays. Results: The overall ReDoV prevalence was about 4% (23 of 543 samples). The virus was detected in 22 of 209 (11 %) respiratory samples. One stool sample was also ReDoV positive. Viral DNA was not found in blood samples from immunocompetent and immunosuppressed subjects and cerebrospinal fluids from patients with neurological diseases. Genomic nucleotide differences were detected among the ReDoV isolates by sequencing a 582-nucleotide fragment of the capsid gene of the viral genome. Conclusions: The results demonstrate that ReDoV is mainly present in the respiratory tract of infected people. Further investigations are needed to reveal possible clinical implications of this new CRESS-DNA virus in humans

Wild Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi) in Italy: Distribution and Preliminary Genetic Analysis

Vitis vinifera L. ssp. sylvestris grows principally in well preserved natural habitats. Its survival is threatened mainly by human land use practices. In spite of its importance as a progenitor of cultivated forms, very little research has been devoted to the study of its distribution and genetic structure. During the period 2007-2009 a census was carried out in 9 of the 20 Italian regions with major intensification in 4 of them. Eight hundred and twenty plants corresponding to 165 sites were found. Over 50% of these were localized in two regions only. After collection of the wooden material for greenhouse propagation and after rooting of the cuttings, samples were taken to perform genetic analysis using 10 nuclear SSR markers. Some genetic parameters (Ne, Ho, He, Fis, Fst and I) were calculated on the allelic size, grouping plants once for locus and once for region of origin. The results showed Italian wild grapevine expressed altogether high biodiversity and low rate of isolation. In particular plants from Sicilia, in spite of their low number, stood out for their high heterozigosity and low inbreeding and isolation level. This particularity brought the same plants to have the high genetic distance in the NJ phylogenetic tree. PCA analysis separated in 2 well-defined groups along the first component without correspondence with geographical grouping. AMOVA analysis confirmed that the highest variance was placed within populations (only 5% of the overall variance was placed among populations). SSR marker analysis is still in progress to verify the existence of introgression among wild and cultivated compartments and to comprehend the extent of factors driving the genetic structure and the possible pattern of dissemination of wild grapevine in Italy

Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields in magnetic resonance environment: an update on regulation, exposure assessment techniques, health risk evaluation, and surveillance

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most-used diagnostic imaging methods worldwide. There are ∼50,000 MRI scanners worldwide each of which involves a minimum of five workers from different disciplines who spend their working days around MRI scanners. This review analyzes the state of the art of literature about the several aspects of the occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) in MRI: regulations, literature studies on biological effects, and health surveillance are addressed here in detail, along with a summary of the main approaches for exposure assessment. The original research papers published from 2013 to 2021 in international peer-reviewed journals, in the English language, are analyzed, together with documents published by legislative bodies. The key points for each topic are identified and described together with useful tips for precise safeguarding of MRI operators, in terms of exposure assessment, studies on biological effects, and health surveillance. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Resistance to neoplastic transformation of ex-vivo expanded human mesenchymal stromal cells after exposure to supramaximal physical and chemical stress

The risk of malignant transformation of ex-vivo expanded human mesenchymal stromal cells (huMSCs) has been debated in the last years; however, the biosafety of these cells after exposure to supramaximal physical and chemical stress has never been systematically investigated. We established an experimental in vitro model to induce supramaximal physical (ionizing radiation, IR) and chemical (starvation) stress on ex-vivo expanded bone marrow (BM)-derived huMSCs and investigated their propensity to undergo malignant transformation. To this aim, we examined MSC morphology, proliferative capacity, immune-phenotype, differentiation potential, immunomodulatory properties and genetic profile before and after stressor exposure. Furthermore, we investigated the cellular mechanisms underlying MSC response to stress. MSCs were isolated from 20 healthy BM donors and expanded in culture medium supplemented with 5% platelet lysate (PL) up to passage 2 (P2). At this stage, MSCs were exposed first to escalating doses of IR (30, 100, 200 Gy) and then to starvation culture conditions (1% PL). With escalating doses of radiation, MSCs lost their typical spindle-shaped morphology, their growth rate markedly decreased and eventually stopped (at P4-P6) by reaching early senescence. Irradiated and starved MSCs maintained their typical immune-phenotype, ability to differentiate into adipocytes/osteoblasts and to inhibit mitogen-induced T-cell proliferation. The study of the genetic profile of irradiated/ starved MSCs did not show any alteration. While the induction of supramaximal stress triggered production of ROS and activation of DNA damage response pathway via multiple mechanisms, our data indicate that irradiated/starved MSCs, although presenting altered morphology/growth rate, do not display increased propensity for malignant transformation