The COP9 SIGNALOSOME is required for postembryonic meristem maintenance in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cullin-RING E3 ligases (CRLs) regulate different aspects of plant development, and are activated by modification of their cullin subunit with the ubiquitin-like protein NEDD8 (NEural precursor cell expressed Developmentally Down-regulated 8) (neddylation) and deactivated by NEDD8 removal (deneddylation). The CONSTITUTIVELY PHOTOMORPHOGENIC9 (COP9) signalosome (CSN) acts as a molecular switch of CRLs activity by reverting their neddylation status, but its contribution to embryonic and early seedling development remains poorly characterized. Here, we analyzed the phenotypic defects of csn mutants and monitored the cullin deneddylation/neddylation ratio during embryonic and early seedling development. We show that while csn mutants can complete embryogenesis (albeit at a slower pace than wild type) and are able to germinate (albeit at a reduced rate), they progressively loose meristem activity upon germination, until they become unable to sustain growth. We also show that the majority of cullin proteins is progressively neddylated during the late stages of seed maturation and becomes deneddylated upon seed germination. This developmentally regulated shift in the cullin neddylation status is absent in csn mutants. We conclude that the CSN and its cullin deneddylation activity are required to sustain postembryonic meristem function in Arabidopsis

Movement patterns of the spiny lobster <em>Palinurus elephas</em> (Fabricius, 1787) from a central western Mediterranean protected area

Movement patterns of the spiny lobster Palinurus elephas were determined from 389 individuals (total tagged 5666) tag-recaptured inside a no-take area of the central western Mediterranean and its surrounding zone. High site association and limited movements in tagged lobsters was observed; 60.4% of lobsters moved less than 2 km from the centre of the area (site of release). No clear relationship between lobster movement pattern and sex or size was observed; however, it seemed that the largest males and females tended to be more resident, thus contributing to the rebuilding of the biomass of local lobsters. Most lobsters undertook migrations in the southwest direction. The increased availability of shelters and food towards the southwest could have contributed to the lobsters' movement. The results of our research indicate that the small size of the protected area and the scale of the movement exhibited by tagged lobsters allows a proportion of the lobster population to move out of the protected area and become susceptible to capture in the adjacent fishery

Pautas de movimiento de la langosta Palinurus elephas (Fabricius, 1787) desde un área protegida en el Mediterráneo occidental central

Movement patterns of the spiny lobster Palinurus elephas were determined from 389 individuals (total tagged 5666) tag-recaptured inside a no-take area of the central western Mediterranean and its surrounding zone. High site association and limited movements in tagged lobsters was observed; 60.4% of lobsters moved less than 2 km from the centre of the area (site of release). No clear relationship between lobster movement pattern and sex or size was observed; however, it seemed that the largest males and females tended to be more resident, thus contributing to the rebuilding of the biomass of local lobsters. Most lobsters undertook migrations in the southwest direction. The increased availability of shelters and food towards the southwest could have contributed to the lobsters’ movement. The results of our research indicate that the small size of the protected area and the scale of the movement exhibited by tagged lobsters allows a proportion of the lobster population to move out of the protected area and become susceptible to capture in the adjacent fishery.Se determinaron las pautas de movimiento de 389 individuos de la langosta Palinurus elephas (total marcados 5666) marcados y recapturados en el interior de un área protegida (sin captura) así como de su área circundante. En las langostas marcadas se observó una elevada asociación al lugar de liberación, así como movimientos limitados: el 60.4% de las langostas se movieron menos de 2 km desde el centro del área de liberación. No se observó ninguna clara relación entre las pautas de movimiento de las langostas y su sexo y talla; no obstante, hay una tendencia a que los machos y hembras grandes muestren un comportamiento más residente, contribuyendo así al aumento de la biomasa local. La mayor parte de langostas mostró migraciones en dirección sudoeste. La mayor disponibilidad de refugios y alimento hacia el sudoeste pudo haber contribuído al movimiento de las langostas. Los resultados de este estudio indican que el pequeño tamaño del área protegida y la escala de movimientos mostrados por las langostas marcadas permite a una porción de la población su salida del área protegida y su susceptibilidad a la captura en la pesquería adyacente

Ribosomal selection of mRNAs with degenerate initiation triplets

To assess the influence of degenerate initiation triplets on mRNA recruitment by ribosomes, five mRNAs identical but for their start codon (AUG, GUG, UUG, AUU and AUA) were offered to a limiting amount of ribosomes, alone or in competition with an identical AUGmRNA bearing a mutation conferring different electrophoretic mobility to the product. Translational efficiency and competitiveness of test mRNAs toward this AUGmRNA were determined quantifying the relative amounts of the electrophoretically separated wt and mutated products synthesized in vitro and found to be influenced to different extents by the nature of their initiation triplet and by parameters such as temperature and nutrient availability in the medium. The behaviors of AUAmRNA, UUGmRNA and AUGmRNA were the same between 20 and 40°C whereas the GUG and AUUmRNAs were less active and competed poorly with the AUGmRNA, especially at low temperature. Nutrient limitation and preferential inhibition by ppGpp severely affected activity and competitiveness of all mRNAs bearing non-AUG starts, the UUGmRNA being the least affected. Overall, our data indicate that beyond these effects exclusively due to the degenerate start codons within an optimized translational initiation region, an important role is played by the context in which the rare start codons are present

Influence of the brood rearing temperature on honey bee development and susceptibility to intoxication by pesticides

contribution to session IV Test methodolog

Associations of multilingualism and language proficiency with cognitive functioning: epidemiological evidence from the SwissDEM study in community dwelling older adults and long-term care residents

BACKGROUND We explored whether number of languages spoken and language proficiency are associated with cognitive performance among older adults living in the community and in long-term care (LTC) in Switzerland. METHODS Among study participants, 664 lived in the community in the Canton of Zurich (Mean age = 72.97 years; SD = 6.08), 386 lived in the community in Ticino (Mean age = 76.24 years; SD = 6.66), and 176 resided in LTC in Ticino (Mean age = 87.61 years; SD = 6.45). We recorded sociodemographic variables, number of languages spoken, language proficiency, and assessed overall cognitive performance, immediate and delayed memory, and verbal fluency with standardized tests. We used adjusted regression models. RESULTS A higher number of spoken languages was positively associated with overall cognitive performance, verbal fluency and immediate and delayed memory performance in community-dwelling older adults in the Cantons of Ticino and Zurich, (all p values ≤ 0.012;), but not in in older adults living in LTC homes (all p values ≥ 0.35). Higher language proficiency was associated with better memory performance among individuals living in the community in Ticino (p value = 0.003), and to better performance in verbal fluency and memory tasks in Zurich (p values ≤ 0.002). Among LTC residents, proficiency levels were not associated with cognitive performance. CONCLUSIONS Multilingualism and greater language proficiency were associated with better cognitive functioning in community-dwelling but not in institutionalized older adults. Multilingualism may contribute to cognitive reserve, as well as protect and delay cognitive decline in late life

Putative virulence properties of Aeromonas strains isolated from food, environmental and clinical sources in Italy: A comparative study

none9noThe distribution of virulence properties in 142 strains of Aeromonas isolated from diarrhoeic patients, food and surface water in Italy and identified by biochemical and molecular methods was investigated. The virulence properties studied were the presence of genes for the aerolysin (aerA), heat-stable cytotonic enterotoxin (ast), heat-labile cytotonic enterotoxin (alt), cytotoxic enterotoxin (act); and cytotoxicity for Vero cells and adhesion on Hep-2 cells. A. hydrophila and A. caviae were the species most commonly isolated from clinical and environmental samples (9/30; 30.0% and 5/27; 18.5%, respectively) while mesophilic A. salmonicida was most common in food samples (19/80; 23.7%). Out of 142 strains, 86 (60.6%) were positive for at least one of the virulence properties. All the toxin genes were present in 4/18 (22.3%) of clinical strains. Most of the food isolates (54/55; 98.2%) were cytotoxic and most of the environmental strains (12/13; 92.3%) were adhesive. The aerA gene was present in most toxigenic strains (72/86; 83.7%), irrespective of their origin. The growth temperature affected the expression of cytotoxicity and adhesivity. Aeromonas strains from food and surface water frequently had toxin gene patterns similar to those of clinical strains and expressed virulence properties at human body temperature. These findings indicate that aeromonads have the potential to cause human illness and confirm the role of food and water as vehicles for Aeromonas diseases.openD. OTTAVIANI; C. PARLANI; B. CITTERIO; L. MASINI; F. LEONI; C. CANONICO; L. SABATINI; F. BRUSCOLINI; A. PIANETTID., Ottaviani; Parlani, Chiara; Citterio, Barbara; L., Masini; F., Leoni; C., Canonico; Sabatini, Luigia; Bruscolini, Francesca; Pianetti, Ann

A multitaxonomic assessment of Natura 2000 effectiveness across European biogeographic regions

AbstractThe Natura 2000 (N2K) protected area (PA) network is a crucial tool to limit biodiversity loss in Europe. Despite covering 18% of EU's land area, its effectiveness at conserving biodiversity across taxa and biogeographic regions remains uncertain. Testing this effectiveness is, however, difficult as it requires considering the non‐random location of PAs, and many possible confounding factors. Here, we used propensity score matching accounting for the confounding effects of biogeographic regions, terrain ruggedness, and land cover, when assessing the effectiveness of N2K PAs on the distribution of 1,769 priority species from EU's Birds and Habitats Directives, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, arthropods, fishes, molluscs, vascular and non‐vascular plants. We compared alpha, beta, and gamma diversity between matched selections of protected and non‐protected areas across EU's biogeographic regions using generalized linear models, generalized mixed models, and non‐parametric tests for paired samples, respectively, for each taxonomic group and for the entire set of species. While we found N2K PAs to host significantly more priority species than non‐protected land, this difference was not consistent across biogeographic regions and taxa. Total alpha diversity as well as alpha diversity of amphibians, arthropods, birds, mammals, and vascular plants were significantly higher inside PAs than outside, except in the Boreal region. Beta diversity was in general significantly higher inside N2K PAs than outside. Similarly, gamma diversity showed the highest values within N2K PAs, with some exceptions in Boreal and Atlantic regions. The planned expansion of the N2K network, as dictated by the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, should therefore target areas in the southern part of the Boreal region, areas with high species diversity of amphibians, arthropods, birds, mammals, and vascular plants, which are currently underrepresented in the N2K network.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserve

Two pup vocalization types are genetically and functionally separable in deer mice

Vocalization is a widespread vertebrate social behavior that is essential for fitness in the wild. While many vocal behaviors are highly conserved, heritable features of specific vocalization types can vary both within and between species, raising the questions of why and how some vocal behaviors evolve. Here, using new computational tools to automatically detect and cluster vocalizations into distinct acoustic categories, we compare pup isolation calls across neonatal development in eight taxa of deer mice (genusPeromyscus) and compare them to laboratory mice (C57Bl6/j strain) and free-living, wild house mice (Mus musculus musculus). Whereas bothPeromyscusandMuspups produce ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs),Peromyscuspups also produce a second call type with acoustic features, temporal rhythms, and developmental trajectories that are distinct from those of USVs. In deer mice, these tonal and low frequency “cries” are predominantly emitted in postnatal days one through nine, while USVs are primarily made after day nine. Using playback assays, we show that cries result in a more rapid approach byPeromyscusmothers than USVs, suggesting a role for cries in eliciting parental care early in neonatal development. Using genetic crosses between two sister species of deer mice exhibiting large, innate differences in the acoustic structure of cries and USVs, we find that variation in vocalization rate, duration, and pitch display different degrees of genetic dominance and that cry and USV features can be uncoupled in second-generation hybrids. Taken together, this work shows that vocal behavior can evolve quickly between closely related rodent species in which vocalization types, likely serving distinct functions in communication, are controlled by distinct genetic loci