Mechanosensitivity in the model sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

Abstract Tentacles of the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, are covered with hair bundles. Hair bundles were deXected by water jets to test whether they are mechanoreceptors. Electrophysiological recordings conWrm that deXections of hair bundles induce transients in membrane current. In a diVerent species of anemone, hair bundle mechanoreceptors are known to change shape and responsiveness according to the activity of chemoreceptors that bind prey-derived compounds including N-acetylated sugars. In Nematostella, hair bundles signiWcantly elongate upon exposure to NANA, an N-acetylated sugar. Based on a bioassay in which discharged nematocysts are counted in gelatin-coated test probes touched to tentacles, we Wnd that NANA shifts vibration dependent discharge of basitrich nematocysts to lower frequencies overlapping those produced during swimming by known prey including planktonic crustaceans. Furthermore, we Wnd for the Wrst time that vibration detection extends at least 2.5 cm beyond the tentacle tips. Thus, Nematostella likely employs its hair bundles to detect swimming movements of nearby prey

Disruption of d-alanyl esterification of Staphylococcus aureus cell wall teichoic acid by the β-lactam resistance modifier (−)-epicatechin gallate

The naturally occurring polyphenol (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECg) increases oxacillin susceptibility in mecA-containing strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Decreased susceptibility to lysostaphin suggests alterations to the wall teichoic acid (WTA) content of ECg-grown bacteria. Changes in WTA structure in response to ECg were determined.Peer reviewe