Linkage among melanin biosynthetic mutations in Cochliobolus heterostrophus

Melanin is synthesized by C. heterostrophus from acetate via pentaketide and several dihydroxynaphthalene intermediates (Tanaka et al. 1991 Mycol. Res. 95:49-56), as it is for certain other fungi (Bell and Wheeler 1986 Ann. Rev. Phytopathol. 24:411-451; Kubo et al. 1989 Exp. Mycol 13:77-84; Chumley and Valent 1990 Mol. Plant-Microbe Int. 3:135-143). Previously, five melanin deficient mutants of C. heterostrophus were analyzed by Tanaka et al. (Mycol. Res. 95:49-56), who were unable to establish complete linkage relationships because three of the mutations (alb1, alb3, and brn1) showed no recombination when crossed to each other, and were unlinked to the other two (sal1 and pgr1), which mapped about 12 cM apart. A sixth color mutation, scr1, represented a third linkage group, but there was no evidence of its involvement in melanin biosynthesis. Independently, we have recovered six melanin-deficient mutants, one of which (alb1, Leach et al. 1982 J. Gen. Microbiol. 128:1719-1729) was included in the study of Tanaka et al. and maps to chromosome 1 on the C. heterostrophus RFLP map (Tzeng et al. 1992 Genetics 130:81-96). We report here that our remaining five melanin-deficient mutants [crm1 (light cream), crm2 (dark cream), brn1 (brown), rsy1 (rose), and probably gra3 (gray)] are linked to, but are not allelic with, alb1 (white) and constitute a gene cluster on chromosome

Transoral incisionless fundoplication effective in eliminating GERD symptoms in partial responders to proton pump inhibitor therapy at 6 months: The TEMPO randomized clinical trial

Background. Incomplete control of troublesome regurgitation and extraesophageal manifestations of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a known limitation of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. This multicenter randomized study compared the efficacy of transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) against PPIs in controlling these symptoms in patients with small hiatal hernias. Methods. Between June and August 2012, 63 patients were randomized at 7 US community hospitals. Patients in the PPI group were placed on maximum standard dose (MSD). Patients in the TIF group underwent esophagogastric fundoplication using the EsophyX2 device. Primary outcome was elimination of daily troublesome regurgitation or extraesophageal symptoms. Secondary outcomes were normalization of esophageal acid exposure (EAE), PPI usage and healing of esophagitis. Results. Of 63 randomized patients (40 TIF and 23 PPI), 3 were lost to follow-up leaving 39 TIF and 21 PPI patients for analysis. At 6-month follow-up, troublesome regurgitation was eliminated in 97% of TIF patients versus 50% of PPI patients, relative risk (RR) = 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-3.11 (P = .006). Globally, 62% of TIF patients experienced elimination of regurgitation and extraesophageal symptoms versus 5% of PPI patients, RR = 12.9, 95% CI = 1.9-88.9 (P = .009). EAE was normalized in 54% of TIF patients (off PPIs) versus 52% of PPI patients (on MSD), RR = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.6-1.7 (P = .914). Ninety percent of TIF patients were off PPIs. Conclusion. At 6-month follow-up, TIF was more effective than MSD PPI therapy in eliminating troublesome regurgitation and extraesophageal symptoms of GERD

101 Dothideomycetes genomes: A test case for predicting lifestyles and emergence of pathogens.

Dothideomycetes is the largest class of kingdom Fungi and comprises an incredible diversity of lifestyles, many of which have evolved multiple times. Plant pathogens represent a major ecological niche of the class Dothideomycetes and they are known to infect most major food crops and feedstocks for biomass and biofuel production. Studying the ecology and evolution of Dothideomycetes has significant implications for our fundamental understanding of fungal evolution, their adaptation to stress and host specificity, and practical implications with regard to the effects of climate change and on the food, feed, and livestock elements of the agro-economy. In this study, we present the first large-scale, whole-genome comparison of 101 Dothideomycetes introducing 55 newly sequenced species. The availability of whole-genome data produced a high-confidence phylogeny leading to reclassification of 25 organisms, provided a clearer picture of the relationships among the various families, and indicated that pathogenicity evolved multiple times within this class. We also identified gene family expansions and contractions across the Dothideomycetes phylogeny linked to ecological niches providing insights into genome evolution and adaptation across this group. Using machine-learning methods we classified fungi into lifestyle classes with >95 % accuracy and identified a small number of gene families that positively correlated with these distinctions. This can become a valuable tool for genome-based prediction of species lifestyle, especially for rarely seen and poorly studied species

Multiple Scale Reorganization of Electrostatic Complexes of PolyStyrene Sulfonate and Lysozyme

We report on a SANS investigation into the potential for these structural reorganization of complexes composed of lysozyme and small PSS chains of opposite charge if the physicochemical conditions of the solutions are changed after their formation. Mixtures of solutions of lysozyme and PSS with high matter content and with an introduced charge ratio [-]/[+]intro close to the electrostatic stoichiometry, lead to suspensions that are macroscopically stable. They are composed at local scale of dense globular primary complexes of radius ~ 100 {\AA}; at a higher scale they are organized fractally with a dimension 2.1. We first show that the dilution of the solution of complexes, all other physicochemical parameters remaining constant, induces a macroscopic destabilization of the solutions but does not modify the structure of the complexes at submicronic scales. This suggests that the colloidal stability of the complexes can be explained by the interlocking of the fractal aggregates in a network at high concentration: dilution does not break the local aggregate structure but it does destroy the network. We show, secondly, that the addition of salt does not change the almost frozen inner structure of the cores of the primary complexes, although it does encourage growth of the complexes; these coalesce into larger complexes as salt has partially screened the electrostatic repulsions between two primary complexes. These larger primary complexes remain aggregated with a fractal dimension of 2.1. Thirdly, we show that the addition of PSS chains up to [-]/[+]intro ~ 20, after the formation of the primary complex with a [-]/[+]intro close to 1, only slightly changes the inner structure of the primary complexes. Moreover, in contrast to the synthesis achieved in the one-step mixing procedure where the proteins are unfolded for a range of [-]/[+]intro, the native conformation of the proteins is preserved inside the frozen core

Efficacy of transoral fundoplication vs omeprazole for treatment of regurgitation in a randomized controlled trial.

Background The aim of this randomized, crossover study was to determine if transoral fundoplication (TF) could further improve clinical outcomes in partial responders to high-dose (HD) proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy and to evaluate durability of TF. Methods In seven United States centers, patients with hiatal hernia ≤2 cm and abnormal esophageal acid exposure (EAE) were randomized to TF (n = 40) or HD PPIs (n = 23) group. At 6-month follow-up, PPI patients underwent crossover. We assessed clinical outcomes 6-month post TF in crossover patients (COP), as compared to 6-month of HD PPI therapy, and 12-month outcomes in patients initially randomized to TF. The primary outcome was symptom control evaluated by Reflux Disease Questionnaire and Reflux Symptom Index. Secondary outcomes included healing of esophagitis, normalization of EAE and PPI use after TF. We analyzed 21 COP and 39 TF patients. McNemar’s test or Fisher exact test was used to compare proportions. Results Of 63 randomized patients, 3 were lost to follow-up, leaving 39 TF and 21 COP for analyses. In the COP, TF further improved control of regurgitation and of atypical symptoms achieved after six months of HD PPIs. Of 20 patients with GERD symptoms after six months of high-dose PPI therapy, 65% (13/20) reported global elimination of troublesome regurgitation and atypical symptoms post TF off PPIs; 67% (6/9) reported no troublesome regurgitation. Esophagitis further healed in 75% (6/8) of patients. Seventy-one percent of COP patients were off PPIs six months following TF. Normalization of EAE decreased from 52% after HD PPIs (on PPIs) to 33% after TF (off PPIs), p =0.388. In the original TF group, 12-month post TF, 77% of patients achieved complete symptom control, 82% ceased PPI therapy, 100% healed esophagitis and 45% normalized EAE. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that in patients with incomplete symptom control on high-dose PPI therapy TF may provide further elimination of symptoms and esophagitis healing. In the original TF group, the clinical outcomes of TF remained stable between 6- and 12-month follow-up. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01647958

Symplasmic transport and phloem loading in gymnosperm leaves

Despite more than 130 years of research, phloem loading is far from being understood in gymnosperms. In part this is due to the special architecture of their leaves. They differ from angiosperm leaves among others by having a transfusion tissue between bundle sheath and the axial vascular elements. This article reviews the somewhat inaccessible and/or neglected literature and identifies the key points for pre-phloem transport and loading of photoassimilates. The pre-phloem pathway of assimilates is structurally characterized by a high number of plasmodesmata between all cell types starting in the mesophyll and continuing via bundle sheath, transfusion parenchyma, Strasburger cells up to the sieve elements. Occurrence of median cavities and branching indicates that primary plasmodesmata get secondarily modified and multiplied during expansion growth. Only functional tests can elucidate whether this symplasmic pathway is indeed continuous for assimilates, and if phloem loading in gymnosperms is comparable with the symplasmic loading mode in many angiosperm trees. In contrast to angiosperms, the bundle sheath has properties of an endodermis and is equipped with Casparian strips or other wall modifications that form a domain border for any apoplasmic transport. It constitutes a key point of control for nutrient transport, where the opposing flow of mineral nutrients and photoassimilates has to be accommodated in each single cell, bringing to mind the principle of a revolving door. The review lists a number of experiments needed to elucidate the mode of phloem loading in gymnosperms

Secondary contact and admixture between independently invading populations of the Western corn rootworm, diabrotica virgifera virgifera in Europe

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is one of the most destructive pests of corn in North America and is currently invading Europe. The two major invasive outbreaks of rootworm in Europe have occurred, in North-West Italy and in Central and South-Eastern Europe. These two outbreaks originated from independent introductions from North America. Secondary contact probably occurred in North Italy between these two outbreaks, in 2008. We used 13 microsatellite markers to conduct a population genetics study, to demonstrate that this geographic contact resulted in a zone of admixture in the Italian region of Veneto. We show that i) genetic variation is greater in the contact zone than in the parental outbreaks; ii) several signs of admixture were detected in some Venetian samples, in a Bayesian analysis of the population structure and in an approximate Bayesian computation analysis of historical scenarios and, finally, iii) allelic frequency clines were observed at microsatellite loci. The contact between the invasive outbreaks in North-West Italy and Central and South-Eastern Europe resulted in a zone of admixture, with particular characteristics. The evolutionary implications of the existence of a zone of admixture in Northern Italy and their possible impact on the invasion success of the western corn rootworm are discussed

Fruit ripening in Vitis vinifera: spatiotemporal relationships among turgor, sugar accumulation, and anthocyanin biosynthesis

This study reports the first observations indicating the spatiotemporal relationships among genetic and physiological aspects of ripening in the berry of Vitis vinifera. At the onset of ripening in the red flesh variety Alicante Bouschet, colour development began in the flesh at the stylar end of the fruit and progressed toward the pedicel end flesh and into the skin. Tissue solute potential and cell turgor also decreased first in the flesh. The decrease in flesh solute potential was due to accumulation of sugars, glucose and fructose, an accumulation that is integral to ripening. Expression of the anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes VvMybA and VvUFGT was linearly related to the decrease in solute potential. Expression of VvMybA, and to a lesser extent VvUFGT, was correspondingly low in green tissue, higher in the red, stylar end flesh of berries beginning to ripen, and greatest in red berries. In contrast, expression of the abscisic acid biosynthesis-related genes VvNCED1 and VvNCED2 was not correlated with the other spatiotemporal aspects of the onset of ripening. These results, together with earlier work showing that sugar accumulation and acid loss also begin in the stylar flesh in other varieties, indicate that ripening in the grape berry originates in the stylar end flesh

Risk-stratified approach to breast cancer screening in canada: Women’s knowledge of the legislative context and concerns about discrimination from genetic and other predictive health data

The success of risk-stratified approaches in improving population-based breast cancer screening programs depends in no small part on women’s buy-in. Fear of genetic discrimination (GD) could be a potential barrier to genetic testing uptake as part of risk assessment. Thus, the objective of this study was twofold. First, to evaluate Canadian women’s knowledge of the legislative context governing GD. Second, to assess their concerns about the possible use of breast cancer risk levels by insurance companies or employers. We use a cross-sectional survey of 4293 (age: 30–69) women, conducted in four Canadian provinces (Alberta, British Colombia, Ontario and Québec). Canadian women’s knowledge of the regulatory framework for GD is relatively limited, with some gaps and misconceptions noted. About a third (34.7%) of the participants had a lot of concerns about the use of their health information by employers or insurers; another third had some concerns (31.9%), while 20% had no concerns. There is a need to further educate and inform the Canadian public about GD and the legal protections that exist to prevent it. Enhanced knowledge could facilitate the implementation and uptake of risk prediction informed by genetic factors, such as the risk-stratified approach to breast cancer screening that includes risk levels