Erratum to: Changes in patterns of uveitis at a tertiary referral center in Northern Italy: analysis of 990 consecutive cases

Erratum to: Changes in patterns of uveitis at a tertiary referral center in Northern Italy: analysis of 990 consecutive case

Severe neurological outcomes after very early bilateral nephrectomies in patients with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD)

To test the association between bilateral nephrectomies in patients with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) and long-term clinical outcome and to identify risk factors for severe outcomes, a dataset comprising 504 patients from the international registry study ARegPKD was analyzed for characteristics and complications of patients with very early (� 3 months; VEBNE) and early (4�15 months; EBNE) bilateral nephrectomies. Patients with very early dialysis (VED, onset � 3 months) without bilateral nephrectomies and patients with total kidney volumes (TKV) comparable to VEBNE infants served as additional control groups. We identified 19 children with VEBNE, 9 with EBNE, 12 with VED and 11 in the TKV control group. VEBNE patients suffered more frequently from severe neurological complications in comparison to all control patients. Very early bilateral nephrectomies and documentation of severe hypotensive episodes were independent risk factors for severe neurological complications. Bilateral nephrectomies within the first 3 months of life are associated with a risk of severe neurological complications later in life. Our data support a very cautious indication of very early bilateral nephrectomies in ARPKD, especially in patients with residual kidney function, and emphasize the importance of avoiding severe hypotensive episodes in this at-risk cohort. © 2020, The Author(s)

An investigation on the bacterial flora of Agriotes lineatus (Coleoptera: Elateridae) and pathogenicity of the flora members

The wireworm Agriotes lineatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Elateridae) is a serious agricultural pest of various vegetables and fruits throughout the world. To find an effective and safe biological control agent against this pest, we investigated the bacterial flora of A. lineatus. Nineteen different bacterial strains were isolated and identified as Paenibacillus sp. (Ag1), Cellulomonas sp. (Ag2), Bacillus subtilis (Ag3), Staphylococcus sp. (Ag4), Enterococcus mundtii (Ag5), Staphylococcus sp. (Ag6), Sphingobacterium sp. (Ag7), Staphylococcus pasteuri (Ag8), Arthrobacter gandensis (Ag9), Bacillus sp. (Ag10), Chryseobacterium sp. (Ag11), Streptomyces sp. (Ag12), Oerskovia turbata (Ag13), Bacillus thuringiensis (Ag14), Pseudomonas fluorescens (Ag15), Oerskovia jenensis (Ag16), Arthrobacter gandavensis (Ag17), B. thuringiensis (Ag18), and Pseudomonas plecoglossicida (Ag19) based on conventional and molecular tests. A. gandavensis and P. plecoglossicida were isolated for the first time from any insect. The insecticidal effects of these 19 bacterial isolates and the additional 11 isolates belonging to Bacillus genus isolated from different hosts were tested on third instar larvae of A. lineatus. Ag17 (A. gandavensis), Ag18 (B. thuringiensis), and Ag19 (P. plecoglossicida) from the bacterial flora of A. lineatus, and two Bacillus isolates (Bacillus circulans Ar1 from Anoplus roboris and B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki BnBt from Balanicus nucum) showed 100% mortality 10 days after treatment. Our results indicate that the bacterial isolates tested in this study may be considered as a possible microbial control agent against A. lineatus. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi: 2008.111.004.7This study was supported by Karadeniz Technical University, Scientific Research Projects Division (Project Number: 2008.111.004.7)

Amsacta moorei entomopoxvirus encodes a functional DNA photolyase (AMV025)

The major damage induced in DNA by ultraviolet light is the induction of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). Amsacta moorei entomopoxvirus (AMEV) encodes a CPD photolyase (AMV025) with a putative role in converting these dimers back into monomers. In infected Lymantria dispar cells transcription of the AMV025 gene started 8 h post inoculation (p.i.) and continued through 38 h p.i. Transcription was inhibited by a DNA synthesis blocker. Transient expression in an Escherichia coil strain that lacks its endogenous photolyase, rescued growth of the UV-irradiated bacteria in a light-dependent manner, showing that AMV025 encodes a functional DNA photolyas

The Chilo iridescent virus DNA polymerase promoter contains an essential AAAAT motif

The delayed-early DNA polymerase promoter of Chilo iridescent virus (CIV), officially known as Invertebrate iridescent virus, was fine mapped by constructing a series of increasing deletions and by introducing point mutations. The effects of these mutations were examined in a luciferase reporter gene system using Bombyx mori cells transfected with promoter constructs and infected with CIV. When the size of the upstream element was reduced from position ¿19 to ¿15, relative to the transcriptional start site, the luciferase activity was reduced to almost zero. Point mutations showed that each of the 5 nt (AAAAT) located between ¿19 and ¿15 were equally essential for promoter activity. Mutations at individual bases around the transcription initiation site showed that the promoter extended until position ¿2 upstream of the transcription start site. South-Western analysis showed that a protein of approximately 100 kDa interacted with the ¿19 nt promoter fragment in CIV-infected cells. This binding did not occur with a point mutant that lacked promoter activity. The AAAAT motif was also found in the DNA polymerase promoter region of other iridoviruses and in other putative CIV delayed-early genes

Open reading frame 193R of Chilo iridescent virus encodes a functional inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP)

Programmed cell death or apoptosis is a major defense mechanism in insects in response to viral infections. The genome of Chilo iridescent virus (CIV) has three ORFs with homology to baculovirus inhibitor of apoptosis (iap) genes. The proteins encoded by the 157L, 193R, and 332L ORFs contain 152, 208 and 234 amino acids, respectively. While all three proteins contain C-terminal RING domains, only the protein encoded by ORF 193R contains a baculoviral iap repeat (BIR) domain, indicative of a putative IAP protein. The 193R protein has 28 and 27% similarity in amino acid sequence to the Orgyia pseudotsugata MNPV and Cydia pomonella granulovirus IAP-3 proteins, respectively. ORF 193R from CIV is the only gene known to exist among the Iridoviridae that encodes a BIR domain. 193R is transcribed early during CIV infection, and its transcription is not dependent on the synthesis of early viral proteins. When this putative CIV IAP was transiently expressed in SPC-BM-36 and Sf21 cells under the control of an immediate early baculovirus promoter it significantly reduced apoptosis induced by actinomycin-D. Silencing of the CIV iap gene (193R) in CIV infected SPC-BM-36 cells with 193R-specific dsRNA resulted in apoptosis. Thus, CIV ORF 193R is the first iap gene identified in an iridovirus, which encodes a functional IAP protein

Promoter analysis of the Chilo iridescent virus DNA polymerase and major capsid protein genes

The DNA polymerase (DNApol) and major capsid protein (MCP) genes were used as models to study promoter activity in Chilo iridescent virus (CIV). Infection of Bombyx mori SPC-BM-36 cells in the presence of inhibitors of DNA or protein synthesis showed that DNApol, as well as helicase, is an immediate-early gene and confirmed that the major capsid protein (MCP) is a late gene. Transcription of DNApol initiated 35 nt upstream and that of MCP 14 nt upstream of the translational start site. In a luciferase reporter gene assay both promoters were active only when cells were infected with CIV. For DNApol sequences between position -27 and -6, relative to the transcriptional start site, were essential for promoter activity. Furthermore, mutation of a G within the sequence TTGTTTT located just upstream of the DNApol transcription initiation site reduced the promoter activity by 25%. Sequences crucial for MCP promoter activity are located between positions -53 and -29. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Highly pathogenic Bacillus thuringiensis subp. tenebrionis from European shot-hole borer, Xyleborus dispar (Coleoptera : Scolytidae)

Demirbag, Zihni/0000-0001-5487-1977; Nalcacioglu, Remziye/0000-0003-0527-9541WOS: 000255184300008The entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis is the most widely used biopesticide. In this study, to find and identify the more toxic B. thuringiensis strains against coleopteran pests, we isolated a B. thuringiensis strain (Xd3) from European shot-hole borer, Xyleborus dispar (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), a higly damaging pest of hazelnut. Based on various morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular characteristics, the bacterial isolate was identified as B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis (naorrisoni) serovar H8a8b. This isolate was compared with the reference strains by scanning electron microscopy, SDS-PAGE analysis, cry gene content, and insecticidal activity. Isolate Xd3 forms a flat-square inclusion containing a protein component of c. 70 kDa. PCR analysis showed that the Xd3 has a cry gene, cry3. Toxicity tests were performed against coleopteran species. One hundred percent mortality was observed against larvae of Agelastica alni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The others were 90% for Amphimallon solstitiale (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), and Melolontha melolontha (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Our results indicate that B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis (Xd3) may be valuable as biological control agent for coleopteran insects

Construction and Characterization of a Recombinant Invertebrate Iridovirus

Chilo iridescent virus (CIV), officially named Insect iridescent virus 6 (IIV6), is the type species of the genus Iridovirus (family Iridoviridae). In this paper we constructed a recombinant CIV, encoding the green fluorescent protein (GFP). This recombinant can be used to investigate viral replication dynamics. We showed that homologous recombination is a valid method to make CIV gene knockouts and to insert foreign genes. The CIV 157L gene, putatively encoding a non-functional inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP), was chosen as target for foreign gene insertion. The gfp open reading frame preceded by the viral mcp promoter was inserted into the 157L locus by homologous recombination in Anthonomus grandis BRL-AG-3A cells. Recombinant virus (rCIV-¿157L-gfp) was purified by successive rounds of plaque purification. All plaques produced by the purified recombinant virus emitted green fluorescence due to the presence of GFP. One-step growth curves for recombinant and wild-type CIV were similar and the recombinant was fully infectious in vivo. Hence, CIV157L can be inactivated without altering the replication kinetics of the virus. Consequently, the CIV 157L locus can be used as a site for insertion of foreign DNA, e.g. to modify viral properties for insect biocontrol