Genomic analysis of three Bradyrhizobium geno(species) nodulating Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) in Peru

The Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), also known as pallar, ibes, garrofón or butter bean in Peru, México, Spain and USA, respectively, is the second most economically important species of Phaseolus. Peru is a centre of origin and domestication of Lima bean. This crop is cultivated mainly in the Central coast of Peru under a subtropical arid climate. In contrast to the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) which forms nodules with fast growing Rhizobium strains, the Lima bean forms nodules with slow growing bacteria of the Bradyrhizobium genus (López-López et al. 2013, Ormeño-Orrillo et al. 2006). We found strains of Bradyrhizobium yuanmingense and of three novel Bradyrhizobium genospecies inside P. lunatus nodules in Peru (Ormeño- Orrillo et al. 2006). Strains of the three novel genospecies were characterized by showing an extra-slow growing phenotype (generation time > 10 h-1) and strong alkali production in yeast extract mannitol medium. Two of the novel genospecies were recently named as Bradyrhizobium paxllaeri and Bradyrhizobium icense (Durán et al. 2014). B. paxllaeri strains dominate nodule occupancy followed by those of B. icense and then the third and yet-unnamed genospecies. With the aim to gain insights into this differential competitive ability, we sequenced the genome of one representative strain of each species. Sequencing was performed with the Illumina HiSeq or MiSeq platform and genome assembly with the SPAdes program. Gene prediction and automated annotation was performed with Prokka and RAST. Annotation of genes putatively involved in competitiveness was manually curated. Assemblies had from 55 to 175 contigs, with N50 sizes > 131 kb. Genome sizes of B. paxllaeri and B. icense were similar (8.2 Mb) and larger than that of the third genospecies (7.8 Mb). Preliminary analysis revealed differences between B. paxllaeri and the other two genospecies such as more genes for type IV pilus and two nodA genes. A comparative genomic analysis of P. lunatus symbionts will be presented at the meeting

TRIB3 suppresses tumorigenesis by controlling mTORC2/AKT/FOXO signaling.

In a recent article, we found that Tribbles pseudokinase 3 (TRIB3) plays a tumor suppressor role and that this effect relies on the dysregulation of the phosphorylation of v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (AKT) by the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2 complex), and the subsequent hyperphosphorylation and inactivation of the transcription factor Forkhead box O3 (FOXO3)

Cost Analysis of Seed Conservation of Commercial Pine Species Vulnerable to Climate Change in Mexico

Mexico is home to 40% of the pine species in the world. By the year 2050, 20% of the Mexican forests could be lost because of climate change and other human-related activities. In this paper, we determine the potential areas for seed collecting of four species of the genus Pinus and its ex situ economic value under different future Climate Change Scenarios (CCS). The species analyzed were Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl, P. rudis Endl., P. culminícola Andresen et Beaman and P. leiophylla Schiede ex Schltdl. and Cham which together accounts for 19% of the timber production in Mexico. Potential areas of distribution of populations in habitats with Annual Mean Maximum Temperatures (AMMT) for seed collection were modelled through a Geographic Information System and climate database. The seed storage economic value was determined by using the Collection Cost Method. The AMMT of P. oocarpa, P. rudis, P. culminícola and P. leiophylla were 28 °C, 20 °C, 18.3 °C and 27.4 °C, respectively. The economic losses from shortages of these species due to CCS in 2050, were estimated of 88.5 million (USD) and 67.16 million (USD) with severe and conservative future CCS, respectively. The nominal investment rate would be 8.84% or more, for storing seeds of the four species and withstanding climate change. An ex situ seed bank is a medium and long-term investment; among its benefits are establishing a market price for the use and conservation of species in the face of possible adverse scenarios

Cost Analysis of Seed Conservation of Commercial Pine Species Vulnerable to Climate Change in Mexico.

Mexico is home to 40% of the pine species in the world. By the year 2050, 20% of the Mexican forests could be lost because of climate change and other human-related activities. In this paper, we determine the potential areas for seed collecting of four species of the genus Pinus and its ex situ economic value under different future Climate Change Scenarios (CCS). The species analyzed were Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl, P. rudis Endl., P. culminícola Andresen et Beaman and P. leiophylla Schiede ex Schltdl. and Cham which together accounts for 19% of the timber production in Mexico. Potential areas of distribution of populations in habitats with Annual Mean Maximum Temperatures (AMMT) for seed collection were modelled through a Geographic Information System and climate database. The seed storage economic value was determined by using the Collection Cost Method. The AMMT of P. oocarpa, P. rudis, P. culminícola and P. leiophylla were 28 °C, 20 °C, 18.3 °C and 27.4 °C, respectively. The economic losses from shortages of these species due to CCS in 2050, were estimated of 88.5 million (USD) and 67.16 million (USD) with severe and conservative future CCS, respectively. The nominal investment rate would be 8.84% or more, for storing seeds of the four species and withstanding climate change. An ex situ seed bank is a medium and long-term investment; among its benefits are establishing a market price for the use and conservation of species in the face of possible adverse scenarios

Loss of Tribbles pseudokinase-3 promotes Akt-driven tumorigenesis via FOXO inactivation

Tribbles pseudokinase-3 (TRIB3) has been proposed to act as an inhibitor of AKT although the precise molecular basis of this activity and whether the loss of TRIB3 contributes to cancer initiation and progression remain to be clarified. In this study, by using a wide array of in vitro and in vivo approaches, including a Trib3 knockout mouse, we demonstrate that TRIB3 has a tumor-suppressing role. We also find that the mechanism by which TRIB3 loss enhances tumorigenesis relies on the dysregulation of the phosphorylation of AKT by the mTORC2 complex, which leads to an enhanced phosphorylation of AKT on Ser473 and the subsequent hyperphosphorylation and inactivation of the transcription factor FOXO3. These observations support the notion that loss of TRIB3 is associated with a more aggressive phenotype in various types of tumors by enhancing the activity of the mTORC2/AKT/FOXO axis