Simple detection of Pythium irregulare using loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay

Pythium irregulare is an important soil-borne pathogen that causes seed, stem and root rot, and seedling damping-off in various crops. Here, we have developed a rapid and reliable approach for detecting the pathogen using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) in combination with primers designed from the sequences of the P. irregulare ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region. The specificity of the primers for P. irregulare was tested using 50 isolates of 40 Pythium species, 11 Phytophthora isolates and 8 isolates of 7 other soil-borne pathogens. The assay showed that the limit of sensitivity of the LAMP method was 100 fg of pure DNA, a similar level to that of a polymerase chain reaction. LAMP detected P. irregulare from the supernatant after mixing culture medium (template DNA source) with distilled water. Similarly, positive results were obtained using a 'Plant-LAMP' method applied to a suspension rotted roots in water. A 'Bait-LAMP' method using the supernatant of autoclaved perilla seeds incubated in a soil/water mixture for 1 week at 25°C successfully detected P. irregulare from the soil. The LAMP assay described in this study is therefore a simple and effective way for practical detection of P. irregulare.

Estradiol rapidly modulates synaptic plasticity of hippocampal neurons: Involvement of kinase networks

Estradiol (E2) is locally synthesized within the hippocampus in addition to the gonads. Rapid modulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity by E2 is essential for synaptic regulation. Molecular mechanisms of modulation through synaptic estrogen receptor (ER) and its downstream signaling, however, have been still unknown. We investigated induction of LTP by the presence of E2 upon weak theta burst stimulation (weak-TBS) in CA1 region of adult male hippocampus. Since only weak-TBS did not induce full-LTP, weak-TBS was sub-threshold stimulation. We observed LTP induction by the presence of E2, after incubation of hippocampal slices with 10nM E2 for 30 min, upon weak-TBS. This E2-induced LTP was blocked by ICI, an ER antagonist. This E2-LTP induction was inhibited by blocking Erk MAPK, PKA, PKC, PI3K, NR2B and CaMKII, individually, suggesting that Erk MAPK, PKA, PKC, PI3K and CaMKII may be involved in downstream signaling for activation of NMDA receptors. Interestingly, dihydrotestosterone suppressed the E2-LTP. We also investigated rapid changes of dendritic spines (=postsynapses) in response to E2, using hippocampal slices from adult male rats. We found 1nM E2 increased the density of spines by approximately 1.3-fold within 2h by imaging Lucifer Yellow-injected CA1 pyramidal neurons. The E2-induced spine increase was blocked by ICI. The increase in spines was suppressed by blocking PI3K, Erk MAPK, p38 MAPK, PKA, PKC, LIMK, CaMKII or calcineurin, individually. On the other hand, blocking JNK did not inhibit the E2-induced spine increase. Taken together, these results suggest that E2 rapidly induced LTP and also increased the spine density through kinase networks that are driven by synaptic ER. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Brain and Memory.