Antifungal effect and reduction of Ulmus minor symptoms to Ophiostoma novo-ulmi by carvacrol and salicylic acid

There are still no effective means to control Dutch elm disease (DED), caused by the vascular fungi Ophiostoma ulmi and O. novo-ulmi. Plant phenolics may provide a new strategy for DED control, given their known antifungal activity against pathogens and their involvement in plant defence mechanisms. The in vitro antifungal activity of salicylic acid, carvacrol, thymol, phenol, o-cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol, and 2,5-xylenol against the DED pathogens was tested. Also, the protective effect of watering Ulmus minor seedlings with these compounds was tested against O. novo-ulmi. Salicylic acid, carvacrol, and thymol showed the strongest antifungal in vitro activity, while carvacrol and salicylic acid provided the strongest in vivo protection against O. novo-ulmi (63 and 46% reduction of leaf wilting symptoms with respect to controls, respectively). The effect of the treatments on tree phenology was low, and a significant negative relation was observed between the number of days to bud burst and the leaf wilting symptoms after inoculation, probably determined by genetic differences among the elm tree progenies used. The treatments with salicylic acid, carvacrol and thymol induced the highest shift in phenolic metabolite profile with respect to control trees. The protective effect of carvacrol and salicylic acid is discussed in terms of their combined activity as antifungal compounds and as inductors of tree defence responses

Modelación molecular y variación estructural de las integrasas de dos retrovirus humanos:HTLV-I y VIH-1 / Molecular modeling and structural variation of two human retrovirus integrases: HTLV-I and HIV-1

ResumenObjetivo: Analizar las características moleculares y de variación de secuencias de las integrasas del HTLV-I y del VIH-1 y sus variantes poblacionales.Metodología: Análisis de secuencias y estructuras obtenidas de diferentes bases de datos; para ello se utilizaron programas computacionales de modelación de estructuras proteicas e identificación de sustituciones polimórficas en secuencias de aminoácidos de integrasas del HTLV-I y VIH-1 previamente reportadas.Materiales y métodos: Tanto la integrasa del HTLV-I como la del VIH-1 son proteínas compuestas por 288 residuos de aminoácidos. Se encontró un parecido de estructuras terciarias entre los dominios catalíticos de las IN de VIH-1, ASV y RSV con la del HTLVI. A partir de 103 secuencias completas de la integrasa del VIH-1 se registraron, en 46 codones, un total de 53 sustituciones que se localizaron en diferentes posiciones de la proteína nativa; las más frecuentes fueron: N27G (32,1%), A265V (30,1%), L101I (31,1%) y T123A (27,0%). Ninguna de las sustituciones más frecuentemente encontradas generó un cambio en el plegamiento nativo de la correspondiente región.Conclusión: La estructura tridimensional del dominio central catalítico de la integrasa condicionaría su actividad y su relación con moléculas potencialmente inhibidoras. Las sustituciones observadas fueron neutrales sin alterar la estructura nativa. Los resultados obtenidos confirman que la integrasa es un nuevo y promisorio blanco para el desarrollo de terapias antirretrovirales más efectivas en el siglo xxi.Palabras clave: Retrovirus, integrasa, modelación molecular, estructura proteica,polimorfismos proteicos, resistencia antiviral.AbstractObjective: To analyze the molecular characteristics and amino acid sequence variations of HTLV-I and of HIV-1 integrases and their population variants.Materials adn methods: Data mining and analysis of integrase sequences and protein structure data bases by using appropriate software for modelling and search for polymorphic substitutions in HTLV-I and HIV-1 integrase amino acid sequences previously reported.Results: HTLV-I and HIV-1 integrases are proteins of 288 amino acid residues. Structural modeling of tertiary folding of HTLV-I integrase catalytic central domain’s, showed closed structural characteristic with those of HIV-1, ASV and RSV. From 103 full amino acid sequences of HIV-1 integrase, 53 substitutions located in 46 different codons were recorded. The more frequents correspond to N27G (32,1%), L101I (31,1%), A265V (30,1%) and T123A (27,0%). None of these frequent substitutions introduced changes in the folding of HIV-1 native integrase.Conclusion: The tridimensional structure of central catalytic domain would influence the integrase activity and its relationship with potentially inhibitory molecules. Those observed amino acid substitutions were neutral and do not alter the native protein structure. Our data confirm those previously published, and enable us to propose that IN is a new and promissory target for develop more effective antiviral therapies in the xxi century.Keywords: Retrovirus, Integrase, molecular modeling, protein structure, proteinpolymorphisms, antiviral resistance

Potential factors influencing the condition of demersal sharks in the Mediterranean deep sea ecosystems

The Alboran Sea and the Balearic Islands are two contrasting areas in terms of primary productivity. The former is among the most productive areas of the whole Mediterranean Sea, whereas the Balearic Islands is among the less productive ones in the western Mediterranean. The two areas also show different patterns in the bottom trawl fishing footprint. In the Alboran Sea, the fishing effort on the upper slope is much higher than in Balearic Islands. However, the opposite applies to the middle slope, the vast majority of it remaining unexploited in Alboran Sea, whereas a widespread fishery targeting blue and red shrimp Aristeus antennatus develops in Balearic Islands. Galeus melastomus is a small demersal shark species inhabiting slope bottoms, where adults and juveniles are segregated and concentrate in the middle and upper slope, respectively. It feeds intensively on mesopelagic preys which, in turn, feed on low trophic level organisms close to primary producers. In this work we aimed to study the effect of surface primary production on the condition of deep sea demersal communities. We compared the condition, diet and potential intra- and inter-species competition for feeding resources in the juveniles of G. melastomus between Alboran Sea and Balearic Islands. The comparisons of Le Cren’s relative condition factor, and hepatosomatic and digestivosomatic indices evidenced an opposite pattern to that a priori expectable: better condition in the less productive area. The analysis of stomach contents showed similar diets in both areas, but lower food ingestion in Alboran Sea than in Balearic Islands. Different abundances of potential intra- and inter-specific competitors for feeding resources in the two areas, apparently linked to the different fishing footprints, seems the most likely explanation for the better nourished individuals in Balearic Islands. Whereas juveniles of G. melastomus dominate the shark community in the Balearic Islands upper slope, where the presence of adults of this species is almost negligible, in Alboran Sea this stratum is dominated by adults and potential competitors of other small demersal shark species. All shark species together, including G. melastomus, showed abundances 38% higher in Alboran than in Balearic Islands. Our results show that condition of deep sea demersal fish is ruled by complex inter-relationships among different factors, needing the combination of biological, ecological and fisheries knowledge to understand its variability.En prensa2,42

Increasing breast milk betaine modulates Akkermansia abundance in mammalian neonates and improves long-term metabolic health

Accelerated postnatal growth is a potentially modifiable risk factor for future obesity. To study how specific breast milk components contribute to early growth and obesity risk, we quantified one-carbon metabolism-related metabolites in human breast milk and found an inverse association between milk betaine content and infant growth. This association was replicated in an independent and geographically distinct cohort. To determine the potential role of milk betaine in modulating offspring obesity risk, we performed maternal betaine supplementation experiments in mice. Higher betaine intake during lactation increased milk betaine content in dams and led to lower adiposity and improved glucose homeostasis throughout adulthood in mouse offspring. These effects were accompanied by a transient increase in Akkermansia spp. abundance in the gut during early life and a long-lasting increase in intestinal goblet cell number. The link between breast milk betaine and Akkermansia abundance in the gut was also observed in humans, as infants exposed to higher milk betaine content during breastfeeding showed higher fecal Akkermansia muciniphila abundance. Furthermore, administration of A. muciniphila to mouse pups during the lactation period partially replicated the effects of maternal breast milk betaine, including increased intestinal goblet cell number, lower adiposity, and improved glucose homeostasis during adulthood. These data demonstrate a link between breast milk betaine content and long-term metabolic health of offspring.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Identificación y caracterización de grupos biológicos (comunidades hidrobiológicas, macroinvertebrados, plantas acuáticas, peces, anfibios, plantas terrestres, reptiles, aves y mamíferos), en el complejo ventana piloto de humedales de Paz de Ariporo-Hato Corozal

Este documento es resultado de la ejecución del Contrato 14-13-014-237PS entre el Instituto Humboldt y la Fundación Omacha, firmado en el marco del Convenio 005 (13-014) entre el Instituto Humboldt y el Fondo Adaptación. Contiene la propuesta para la identificación del límite funcional de la ventana piloto de humedales Paz de Ariporo-Hato Corozal, donde se estudiaron en los principales tipos de humedales naturales asociados a las cuencas de los ríos Ariporo y Chire (caños, cañadas, bosques de rebalse, matorrales inundables y cuerpos lénticos como esteros, lagunas de rebalse, bajos y madreviejas) la composición, estructura y uso del hábitat de los grupos biológicos asociados, tanto a los cuerpos de aguas como en las zonas transicionales acuático terrestres.BogotáSubdirección de Servicios Científicos y Proyectos Especiale

Chromatin regulation by Histone H4 acetylation at Lysine 16 during cell death and differentiation in the myeloid compartment

Histone H4 acetylation at Lysine 16 (H4K16ac) is a key epigenetic mark involved in gene regulation, DNA repair and chromatin remodeling, and though it is known to be essential for embryonic development, its role during adult life is still poorly understood. Here we show that this lysine is massively hyperacetylated in peripheral neutrophils. Genome-wide mapping of H4K16ac in terminally differentiated blood cells, along with functional experiments, supported a role for this histone post-translational modification in the regulation of cell differentiation and apoptosis in the hematopoietic system. Furthermore, in neutrophils, H4K16ac was enriched at specific DNA repeats. These DNA regions presented an accessible chromatin conformation and were associated with the cleavage sites that generate the 50 kb DNA fragments during the first stages of programmed cell death. Our results thus suggest that H4K16ac plays a dual role in myeloid cells as it not only regulates differentiation and apoptosis, but it also exhibits a non-canonical structural role in poising chromatin for cleavage at an early stage of neutrophil cell death

Zonificación, identificación de áreas de interés para la conservación y propuesta de criterios para el establecimiento de límites funcionales en el complejo ventana piloto de humedales Paz de Ariporo- Hato Corozal.

Este documento es resultado de la ejecución del Contrato 14-13-014-237PS entre el Instituto Humboldt y la Fundación Omacha, firmado en el marco del Convenio 005 (13-014) entre el Instituto Humboldt y el Fondo Adaptación. Contiene la propuesta para la identificación del límite funcional de la ventana piloto de humedales Paz de Ariporo- Hato Corozal, el cual consistió en un ejercicio de zonación de los humedales, identificación de los hábitos de crecimiento y alimentarios, como también en la descripción de otros procesos ecológicos que interactuaban con el paisaje de acuerdo con el gradiente transicional, desde el cuerpo de agua hasta tierra firme.BogotáSubdirección de Servicios Científicos y Proyectos Especiale

Caracterización del uso de los recursos hidrobiológicos y pesqueros, carne de monte, productos maderables y no maderables en el complejo ventana piloto de humedales Paz de Ariporo-Hato Corozal

Este documento es resultado de la ejecución del Contrato 14-13-014-237PS entre el Instituto Humboldt y la Fundación Omacha, firmado en el marco del Convenio 005 (13-014) entre el Instituto Humboldt y el Fondo Adaptación. Contiene la caracterización del uso de los recursos hidrobiológicos y pesqueros, carne de monte, productos maderables y no maderables en el Complejo de Humedales de Paz de Ariporo-Hato Corozal.BogotáSubdirección de Servicios Científicos y Proyectos Especiale

Identificación de amenazas presentes y potenciales para la conservación de hábitats y especies en el complejo ventana piloto de humedales Paz de Ariporo- Hato Corozal

Este documento es resultado de la ejecución del Contrato 14-13-014-237PS entre el Instituto Humboldt y la Fundación Omacha, firmado en el marco del Convenio 005 (13-014) entre el Instituto Humboldt y el Fondo Adaptación. Contiene la identificación de amenazas presentes y potenciales para la conservación de hábitats y especies en el complejo ventana piloto de humedales de Paz de Ariporo- Hato Corozal.BogotáSubdirección de Servicios Científicos y Proyectos Especiale

Intensification of Antiretroviral Therapy with a CCR5 Antagonist in Patients with Chronic HIV-1 Infection: Effect on T Cells Latently Infected

Objective: The primary objective was to assess the effect of MVC intensification on latently infected CD4+ T cells in chronically HIV-1-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. Methods: We performed an open-label pilot phase II clinical trial involving chronically HIV-1-infected patients receiving stable antiretroviral therapy whose regimen was intensified with 48 weeks of maraviroc therapy. We analyzed the latent reservoir, the residual viremia and episomal 2LTR DNA to examine the relationship between these measures and the HIV-1 latent reservoir, immune activation, lymphocyte subsets (including effector and central memory T cells), and markers associated with bacterial translocation. Results: Overall a non significant reduction in the size of the latent reservoir was found (p = 0.068). A mean reduction of 1.82 IUPM was observed in 4 patients with detectable latent reservoir at baseline after 48 weeks of intensification. No effect on plasma residual viremia was observed. Unexpectedly, all the patients had detectable 2LTR DNA circles at week 24, while none of them showed those circles at the end of the study. No changes were detected in CD4+ or CD8+ counts, although a significant decrease was found in the proportion of HLA-DR+/CD38+ CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. LPS and sCD14 levels increased. Conclusions: Intensification with MVC was associated with a trend to a decrease in the size of the latent HIV-1 reservoir in memory T cells. No impact on residual viremia was detected. Additional studies with larger samples are needed to confirm the results