Molecular and agronomic responses to plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in durum wheat

Plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi contribute to plant nutrient uptake by increasing the availability of nutrients and the root adsorbing surface (Garg et al., 2006; Asghar et al. 2002). The first objective of this study was to determine the effects of these associations on plant total biomass and grain yield in durum wheat (cv. Anco Marzio). Secondly, we aimed to analyze the root transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in response to mychorrizal infections and the expression pattern of key genes involved in nutrient uptake and stress responses. Field analysis were carried out in inner Sicily, a typical Mediterranean area. Four types of biotic association in presence/absence of easily mineralizable organic nitrogen were studied: 1) not inoculated soil (control); 2) inoculated with a commercial mix of 8 AM fungal species; 3) inoculated with a commercial mix of 13 PGPR (Bacillus spp.); 4) inoculated of both AMF and PGPR mixes. Nitrogen content in aboveground biomass was determined at stem elongation stage. Quantitative RT-PCR assays were designed for nitrogen and phosphate transporter genes basing on sequence homologies with Triticum aestivum. An increase of total biomass when both PGPR and AM fungi were inoculated. In addition, PGPR inoculum determined a biomass increase when the organic fertilizer was supplied. Data showed a general downregulation of the 13 analyzed genes when crop is fertilized. In absence of fertilization, the co-inoculation of PGPR and AM fungi upregulated phosphate transporter genes (PT1, PT2, PT2.1). Mycorrizal inoculation seemed to contribute a greater extent. When organic fertilizer was supplied, similar trend was obserbed only for PT2.1. Transcript abundance of ammonium transporters were higher when crop was co-inoculated with AM fungi and PGPR. In unfertilized conditions, the inoculation of AM fungi significantly induced the expression of the nitrate transporter genes (NRT1.1; NRT2 and NAR2.2) irrespective of the inoculation of PGPR. Mycorrhizal and PGPR inoculation seemed to be synergistically efficient to increase the total durum wheat biomass. Preliminary results of durum wheat transcriptome and metabolome in response to mycorrhizal infections will be additionally presented. Gene expression analysis could lead to the identification of biomarkers usable to early select genotypes for an increased nutrient uptake efficiency

Changes in immunohistochemical levels and subcellular localization after therapy and correlation and colocalization with CD68 suggest a pathogenetic role of Hsp60 in ulcerative colitis.

In an earlier work, the role of heat shock protein (Hsp60) in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) was suggested by its significant increase in the pathological mucosa parallel with an increase in inflammatory cells. More data in this direction are reported in this work. We analyzed by immunohistochemistry biopsies of colon tissue from 2 groups of patients with UC and treated with either 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) alone or in combination with a probiotic. We looked for inflammatory markers and Hsp60. Both the treatments were effective in reducing symptoms but the group treated with both 5-ASA and probiotics showed better clinical results. Amelioration of symptoms was associated with reduction of both inflammation and Hsp60, a reduction that was most marked in the group treated with 5-ASA and probiotics. The levels of Hsp60 positively correlated with those of CD68-positive cells, and double immunofluorescence showed a high index of colocalization of the chaperonin and CD68 in lamina propria. Immunoelectron microscopy showed thatHsp60Fclassically a mitochondrial proteinFwas abundantly also present in cytosol in biopsies taken at the time of diagnosis, but not after the treatment. Our data suggest that Hsp60 is an active player in pathogenesis of UC and it can be hypothesized that the chaperonin is responsible, at least in part, for initiation and maintenance of disease

Molecular and agronomic responses to soil inoculation with plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizae in Triticum durum

Plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi contribute to plant nutrient uptake by increasing the availability of nutrients and the root adsorbing surface. However, the molecular mechanisms of plant responses to these associations are still under-investigated. Gene expression analysis could lead to the identification of biomarkers usable to early select genotypes for an increased nutrient uptake efficiency. The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of these associations on plant total biomass and grain yield in durum wheat (cv. Anco Marzio). Secondly, we aimed to analyze the expression pattern of key genes involved in nutrient uptake. This experiment was carried out in a typical Mediterranean area (inner Sicily). Four types of biotic association in presence/absence of easily mineralizable organic nitrogen were considered: 1) not inoculated soil (control); 2) inoculated with a commercial mix of 8 AM fungal species; 3) inoculated with a commercial mix of 13 PGPR (Bacillus spp.); 4) inoculated of both AMF and PGPR mixes. Nitrogen content in aboveground biomass was determined at stem elongation stage. Quantitative RT-PCR assays were designed for nitrogen and phosphate transporter genes basing on sequence homologies with Triticum aestivum. Data showed an increase of total biomass when both PGPR and AM fungi were inoculated. In addition, PGPR inoculum determined a biomass increase when the organic fertilizer was supplied. These results can be explained by a synergistic effects of bacteria mineralization and AM nutrient uptake activities. Results of the ongoing gene expression analysis will be presented

Lymph node metastasis in lower lip squamous cell carcinoma in relation to tumour size, histologic variables and p27Kip1 protein expression

We studied a consecutive series of 95 patients undergoing radical surgical resection of lower lip squamous cell carcinoma (LLSCC) to assess the correlation between lymph node status and several prognostic variables, such as sex and age, tumour size, histologic grading, maximal microscopic tumour thickness, perineural infiltration and p27Kip1 protein status, to see which of these might be predictive of the development of lymph node metastases. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant association between node status and tumour size, histological grading, maximal thickness, perineural invasion and p27Kip1 protein expression; additionally to node metastasis, low p27Kip1 protein expression was significant correlated with high microscopic thickness. These results indicate that lower lip squamous cell carcinomas of >2 cm, with G3-G4 histological grading, maximal thickness of >6 mm, perineural invasion and low p27Kip1 protein expression (LI <19.7%) are at high risk for the development of lymph node metastases

Alcoholic Liver Disease: A Mouse Model Reveals Protection by Lactobacillus fermentum

Alcoholism is one of the most devastating diseases with high incidence, but knowledge of its pathology and treatment is still plagued with gaps mostly because of the inherent limitations of research with patients. We developed an animal model for studying liver histopathology, Hsp (heat-shock protein)-chaperones involvement, and response to treatment