The incompatible interaction between Phytophthora parasitica var. nicotianae race 0 and tobacco is suppressed in transgenic plants expressing antisense lipoxygenase sequences

Nicotiana tabacum 46-8 cultivar displays an incompatible interaction with race 0 of Phytophthora parasitica var. nicotianae (Ppn), a fungal pathogen of most tobacco cultivars. At the plant level, incompatibility is characterized by the induction of lipoxygenase (LOX, EC = 1.13.11.12) activity and localized hypersensitive cell death before defense gene activation. To evaluate the involvement of LOX in the onset of plant defense, tobacco 46-8 plants were genetically engineered using full-length or partial-length antisense (AS) tobacco LOX cDNA constructs. AS expression strongly reduced elicitor- and pathogen-induced LOX activity. Eight independent AS-LOX lines were selected and assayed for their response to Ppn. After root or stem inoculation with race 0, all AS-LOX lines but one displayed a compatible phenotype whereas control transformed plants, not containing the AS-LOX cassette, showed the typical incompatible reaction. The presence of the fungus in transgenic lines was demonstrated by PCR amplification of a Ppn-specific genomic sequence. A linear relationship was found between the extent of LOX suppression and the size of the lesion caused by the fungus. The AS-LOX plants also showed enhanced susceptibility toward the compatible fungus Rhizoctonia solani. The results demonstrate the strong involvement of LOX in the establishment of incompatibility in plant-microorganism interactions, consistent with its role in the defense of host plants.

In vitro and in vivo measures of evoked excitatory and inhibitory conductance dynamics in sensory cortices

In order to better understand the synaptic nature of the integration process operated by cortical neurons during sensory processing, it is necessary to devise quantitative methods which allow one to infer the level of conductance change evoked by the sensory stimulation and, consequently, the dynamics of the balance between excitation and inhibition. Such detailed measurements are required to characterize the static versus dynamic nature of the non-linear interactions triggered at the single cell level by sensory stimulus. This paper primarily reviews experimental data from our laboratory based on direct conductance measurements during whole-cell patch clamp recordings in two experimental preparations: (1) in vitro, during electrical stimulation in the visual cortex of the rat and (2) in vivo, during visual stimulation, in the primary visual cortex of the anaesthetized cat. Both studies demonstrate that shunting inhibition is expressed as well in vivo as in vitro. Our in vivo data reveals that a high level of diversity is observed in the degree of interaction (from linear to non-linear) and in the temporal interplay (from push-pull to synchronous) between stimulus-driven excitation (E) and inhibition (I). A detailed analysis of the E/I balance during evoked spike activity further shows that the firing strength results from a simultaneous decrease of evoked inhibition and increase of excitation. Secondary, the paper overviews the various computational methods used in the literature to assess conductance dynamics, measured in current clamp as well as in voltage clamp in different neocortical areas and species, and discuss the consistency of their estimations.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 951-1041

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Antarctica, Apenidiella antarctica from permafrost, Cladosporium fildesense from an unidentified marine sponge. Argentina, Geastrum wrightii on humus in mixed forest. Australia, Golovinomyces glandulariae on Glandularia aristigera, Neoanungitea eucalyptorum on leaves of Eucalyptus grandis, Teratosphaeria corymbiicola on leaves of Corymbia ficifolia, Xylaria eucalypti on leaves of Eucalyptus radiata. Brazil, Bovista psammophila on soil, Fusarium awaxy on rotten stalks of Zea mays, Geastrum lanuginosum on leaf litter covered soil, Hermetothecium mikaniae-micranthae (incl. Hermetothecium gen. nov.) on Mikania micrantha, Penicillium reconvexovelosoi in soil, Stagonosporopsis vannaccii from pod of Glycine max. British Virgin Isles, Lactifluus guanensis on soil. Canada, Sorocybe oblongispora on resin of Picea rubens. Chile, Colletotrichum roseum on leaves of Lapageria rosea. China, Setophoma caverna from carbonatite in Karst cave. Colombia, Lareunionomyces eucalypticola on leaves of Eucalyptus grandis. Costa Rica, Psathyrella pivae on wood. Cyprus, Clavulina iris on calcareous substrate. France, Chromosera ambigua and Clavulina iris var. occidentalis on soil. French West Indies, Helminthosphaeria hispidissima on dead wood. Guatemala, Talaromyces guatemalensis in soil. Malaysia, Neotracylla pini (incl. Tracyllales ord. nov. and Neotracylla gen. nov.) and Vermiculariopsiella pini on needles of Pinus tecunumanii. New Zealand, Neoconiothyrium viticola on stems of Vitis vinifera, Parafenestella pittospori on Pittosporum tenuifolium, Pilidium novae-zelandiae on Phoenix sp. Pakistan, Russula quercus-floribundae on forest floor. Portugal, Trichoderma aestuarinum from saline water. Russia, Pluteus liliputianus on fallen branch of deciduous tree, Pluteus spurius on decaying deciduous wood or soil. South Africa, Alloconiothyrium encephalarti, Phyllosticta encephalarticola and Neothyrostroma encephalarti (incl. Neothyrostroma gen. nov.) on leaves of Encephalartos sp., Chalara eucalypticola on leaf spots of Eucalyptus grandis × urophylla, Clypeosphaeria oleae on leaves of Olea capensis, Cylindrocladiella postalofficium on leaf litter of Sideroxylon inerme, Cylindromonium eugeniicola (incl. Cylindromonium gen. nov.) on leaf litter of Eugenia capensis, Cyphellophora goniomatis on leaves of Gonioma kamassi, Nothodactylaria nephrolepidis (incl. Nothodactylaria gen. nov. and Nothodactylariaceae fam. nov.) on leaves of Nephrolepis exaltata, Falcocladium eucalypti and Gyrothrix eucalypti on leaves of Eucalyptus sp., Gyrothrix oleae on leaves of Olea capensis subsp. macrocarpa, Harzia metrosideri on leaf litter of Metrosideros sp., Hippopotamyces phragmitis (incl. Hippopotamyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Phragmites australis, Lectera philenopterae on Philenoptera violacea, Leptosillia mayteni on leaves of Maytenus heterophylla, Lithohypha aloicola and Neoplatysporoides aloes on leaves of Aloe sp., Millesimomyces rhoicissi (incl. Millesimomyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Rhoicissus digitata, Neodevriesia strelitziicola on leaf litter of Strelitzia nicolai, Neokirramyces syzygii (incl. Neokirramyces gen. nov.) on leaf spots of Syzygium sp., Nothoramichloridium perseae (incl. Nothoramichloridium gen. nov. and Anungitiomycetaceae fam. nov.) on leaves of Persea americana, Paramycosphaerella watsoniae on leaf spots of Watsonia sp., Penicillium cuddlyae from dog food, Podocarpomyces knysnanus (incl. Podocarpomyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Podocarpus falcatus, Pseudocercospora heteropyxidicola on leaf spots of Heteropyxis natalensis, Pseudopenidiella podocarpi, Scolecobasidium podocarpi and Ceramothyrium podocarpicola on leaves of Podocarpus latifolius, Scolecobasidium blechni on leaves of Blechnum capense, Stomiopeltis syzygii on leaves of Syzygium chordatum, Strelitziomyces knysnanus (incl. Strelitziomyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Strelitzia alba, Talaromyces clemensii from rotting wood in goldmine, Verrucocladosporium visseri on Carpobrotus edulis. Spain, Boletopsis mediterraneensis on soil, Calycina cortegadensisi on a living twig of Castanea sativa, Emmonsiellopsis tuberculata in fluvial sediments, Mollisia cortegadensis on dead attached twig of Quercus robur, Psathyrella ovispora on soil, Pseudobeltrania lauri on leaf litter of Laurus azorica, Terfezia dunensis in soil, Tuber lucentum in soil, Venturia submersa on submerged plant debris. Thailand, Cordyceps jakajanicola on cicada nymph, Cordyceps kuiburiensis on spider, Distoseptispora caricis on leaves of Carex sp., Ophiocordyceps khonkaenensis on cicada nymph. USA, Cytosporella juncicola and Davidiellomyces juncicola on culms of Juncus effusus, Monochaetia massachusettsianum from air sample, Neohelicomyces melaleucae and Periconia neobrittanica on leaves of Melaleuca styphelioides × lanceolata, Pseudocamarosporium eucalypti on leaves of Eucalyptus sp., Pseudogymnoascus lindneri from sediment in a mine, Pseudogymnoascus turneri from sediment in a railroad tunnel, Pulchroboletus sclerotiorum on soil, Zygosporium pseudomasonii on leaf of Serenoa repens. Vietnam, Boletus candidissimus and Veloporphyrellus vulpinus on soil. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes.

Prognostic significance of circulating P53 antibodies in patients undergoing surgery for locoregional breast cancer

P53 mutations can lead to the production of P53 antibodies in serum of cancer patients. Here we studied the prognostic value of P53 antibodies in 353 primary breast cancer patients. P53 antibodies were detected in 42 cases (12%) and were negatively related to oestradiol and progesterone receptors. The median duration of follow-up for live patients was 5.3 years. In actuarial analyses, overall survival was worse in patients with P53 antibody (p < 0.0005); in Cox's multivariate analysis, P53 antibody was an independent prognostic variable. Thus plasma assay of P53 antibody would be useful to select rapidly and easily a population of patients with poor prognosis.

Protective effects of SR 57746A in central and peripheral models of neurodegenerative disorders in rodents and primates

Compounds possessing neurotrophic properties may represent a possible treatment for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. SR 57746A, 1-[2-(naphth-2-yl)ethyl]-4-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-1,2,5,6- tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride, is a new compound with neurotrophic activity in a number of in vitro preparations. The neurotrophic effects of this compound have been evaluated in vivo using four distinct rat models of neurodegeneration: transient global ischaemia produced by a four-vessel occlusion; septohippocampal lesion produced by injection of vincristine sulphate into the medial septum; sciatic nerve crushing; and acrylamide-induced peripheral neuropathy. Rats were administered vehicle or 2.5-10 mg/kg p.o. SR 57746A, after initiation of the degenerative process, then once daily for 10 days in the first two models, 16 days in the third and 26 days in the fourth model. Median scores for ischaemia-induced neuronal damage were reduced by 30-40% by SR 57746A treatment in hippocampal CA1, CA2, and CA3 regions, and in the dorsal striatum. Twelve days after intraseptal vincristine administration, there was a marked loss of septohippocampal cholinergic neurons, as indicated by reduced choline acetyltransferase activity in both the septum and hippocampus. SR 57746A dose-dependently reversed this reduction in both areas. These results were confirmed by histoenzymological evaluation of hippocampal acetylcholinesterase content. SR 57746A also reversed the loss of hippocampal choline acetyltransferase induced by intraseptal vincristine in marmosets. Behavioral deficits in these models (exploratory behaviour in the former and short-term social memory in the latter) were also significantly reduced by SR 57746A treatment. In the sciatic crush model, sensorimotor function improved more rapidly in rats treated with 10 mg/kg SR 57746A. In this same model, SR 57746A (10 mg/kg/day) also significantly increased the length of regenerated nerve eight days after the crush, as measured using the pinch test. Finally, SR 57746A retarded the onset, reduced the amplitude and accelerated the recovery of acrylamide-induced peripheral neuropathy. Thus, SR 57746A possesses notable neurotrophic activity in a variety of neurodegenerative models in vivo, suggesting that the compound may possess therapeutic potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Tissue distribution and cellular localization of the levocabastine-sensitive neurotensin receptor mRNA in adult rat brain

The aim of this study was to determine the regional and cellular distribution of the neurotensin type 2 receptor (NT-2R) mRNA in the rat brain. Using a radioactive in situ hybridization approach, the distribution of NT-2R transcripts was quantified from autoradiograms, and the cellular localization was examined in liquid emulsions. In rat brain, NT-2R mRNAs, are more widespread than the neurotensin type 1 receptor mRNA. NT-2R transcripts are diffusely distributed throughout the brain, with higher quantities found in the pia mater, the ventricles, the subfornical organ, the subiculum, the substantia nigra, the ventral tegmental area, the superior colliculus, the periaqueductal gray matter, the Purkinje cells and certain hypothalamic and brainstem nuclei. At the cellular level, silver grains appear to be concentrated on glia, neurons and ependymal cells, such as cell bodies of the glia-rich corpus callosum, Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum and ependymal cells lining the ventricles. In contrast, the thalamus and the amygdala contain low amounts of NT-2R mRNA. We discuss the anatomical location of NT-2R mRNA in relation to possible roles for this new receptor subtype.

Feeding trials of Listeria monocytogenes with a nonhuman primate model

One of the major unanswered questions regarding the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in foods is how many cells must be ingested in order to cause illness. To answer this question, studies were undertaken by using Macaca fascicularis (cynomolgus monkey) as an animal model. Healthy nonhuman primates were dosed with various concentrations of L. monocytogenes suspended in sterile whole milk. Final concentrations of 10(5), 10(7), and 10(9) total cells of the organism were used; a control was also included. Blood samples, as well as fecal and nasal specimens, were taken at various time intervals. Only animals that received 10(9) cells of L. monocytogenes became noticeably ill, with symptoms of septicemia, irritability, loss of appetite, and occasional diarrhea. Monkeys that received 10(7) and 10(9) cells shed L. monocytogenes in the feces for approximately 21 days. In monkeys that received the dose of 10(9) cells, severe lymphopenia and neutrophilia occurred within 48 h. In a separate trial, monkeys received Maalox to reduce the gastric acidity of the stomach. However, no substantial differences were observed between Maalox-treated and control monkeys.

Lipoxygenase gene expression in the tobacco-Phytophthora parasitica nicotianae interaction

A recently isolated cDNA clone of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) lipoxygenase (LOX) was used to study LOX gene expression in tobacco cell-suspension cultures and intact plants in response to infection with Phytophthora parasitica nicotianae (Ppn). Southern blot analysis of tobacco DNA indicated that only a small number of LOX genes hybridize to this probe. These genes were not constitutively expressed to a detectable level in control cells and healthy plants. In contrast, a rapid and transient accumulation of transcripts occurred in cells and plants after treatment with elicitor and inoculation with zoospores of Ppn, respectively. In cell cultures LOX gene expression could also be induced by linolenic acid, a LOX substrate, and by methyl jasmonate, one of the products derived from the action of LOX on linolenic acid. In the infection assays, LOX gene expression and enzyme activity were observed earlier when the plants carried a resistance gene against the race of Ppn used for inoculation. The differential expression of LOX during the race-cultivar-specific interaction between tobacco and Ppn, as well as its regulation by elicitors and jasmonate, suggest a role of LOX in plant resistance and establishment of the defense status against this pathogen.

The WalkTrainer--a new generation of walking reeducation device combining orthoses and muscle stimulation

This paper presents a novel reeducation device for paraplegics that combines hybrid orthoses and closed-loop electrical muscle stimulation. Based on the so called Cyberthosis concept, the WalkTrainer enables an active muscular participation of the subject in the walking reeducation process by the mean of closed-loop muscle stimulation. The WalkTrainer is also equipped with a leg and pelvic orthosis, an active bodyweight support, and motorized wheels to allow true over ground deambulation. This paper will focus on the development of the WalkTrainer, the presentation of the control strategies, and also give some preliminary results of the first clinical trials.

Physeal-sparing reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament tears in children: results of 57 cases using patellar tendon

This study evaluated the results of a physeal-sparing technique of intra-articular anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in skeletally immature patients, with particular reference to growth disturbance. Between 1992 and 2007, 57 children with a mean age of 12.2 years (6.8 to 14.5) underwent ACL reconstruction using the same technique. At a mean of 5.5 years (2 to 14) after surgery, 56 patients underwent clinical and radiological evaluation. At that time, 49 patients (87.5%) had reached bony maturity and 53 (95%) achieved A or B according to the IKDC 2000 classification. Four patients had stopped participation in sports because of knee symptoms, and three patients (5.4%) had a subsequent recurrent ACL injury. There was no clinical or radiological evidence of growth disturbance after a mean growth in stature of 20.0 cm (3 to 38). This study demonstrates that ACL reconstruction sparing the physes in children is a safe technique protecting against meniscal tears and giving better results than reconstruction in adults, without causing significant growth disturbance.

Cubital tunnel syndrome: comparative results of a multicenter study of 4 surgical techniques with a mean follow-up of 92 months

BACKGROUND

Cubital tunnel syndrome is the second most frequent entrapment syndrome. Physiopathology is mixed, and treatment options are multiple, none having yet proved superior efficacy.

OBJECTIVES

The present retrospective multicenter study compared results and rates of complications and recurrence between the 4 main cubital tunnel syndrome treatments, to identify trends and optimize outcome.

MATERIALAND METHODS

Patients presenting with primary clinical cubital tunnel syndrome diagnosed on electroneuromyography were included and operated on using 1 of the following 4 techniques: open or endoscopic in situ decompression, or subcutaneous or submuscular anterior transposition. Four specialized upper-limb surgery centers participated, each systematically performing 1 of the above procedures. Subjective and objective results and rates of complications and recurrence were compared at end of follow-up.

RESULTS

Five hundred and two patients were included and 375 followed up for a mean 92 months (range, 9-144 months); 103 were lost to follow-up and 24 died. Whichever the procedure, more than 90% of patients were cured or showed improvement. There was a single case of scar pain at end of follow-up, managed by endoscopic decompression; there were no other long-term complications. None of the 4 techniques aggravated symptoms. There were 6 recurrences by end of follow-up: 1 associated with open in situ decompression and 5 with submuscular transposition.

CONCLUSION

Surgery was effective in treating cubital tunnel syndrome. Submuscular anterior transposition was associated with recurrence. In contrast to literature reports, subcutaneous anterior transposition, which is a reliable and valid technique, was not associated with a higher complication rate than in situ decompression.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV. Multicenter retrospective.

Radical oxidation reactions of the purine moiety of 2'-deoxyribonucleosides and DNA by iron-containing minerals

The radical oxidation capability of several classes of iron minerals, including biotite, hematite, magnetite, minette, nemalite, pyrite, vivianite and two chrysotiles (asbestos), was investigated by using a double experimental approach. One involved the electron spin resonance spin-trapping measurement of organic radicals obtained by the reaction of activated oxygen species, released upon incubation of the minerals in phosphate buffered solutions with formate used as the target molecule. In addition, the formation of mineral-mediated oxidation purine decomposition products, including 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine and 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyadenosine, was searched within nucleosides and DNA by using specific and sensitive HPLC electrochemical assays. Emphasis was placed on the mechanistic aspects of the radical oxidation reactions involved in the formation of the two C(8) hydroxylated purine decomposition products.

Genetic diversity of carbofuran-degrading soil bacteria

The genetic diversity of 128 carbofuran-degrading bacteria was determined by ARDRA (amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis) of 16S rDNA and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the 16S-23S rDNA spacer region (IGS) using five endonucleases. The isolates were distributed in 26 distinct ARDRA groups and 45 IGS types revealing a high level of microbial diversity confirmed by ARDRA clustering and sequencing of 16S rDNA. The occurrence of a methylcarbamate-degrading gene (mcd) was monitored by polymerase chain reaction amplification using specific primers. The mcd gene was detected only in 58 bacteria and there was no clear relationship between the presence of this gene and the phylogenetic position of the strain.

MDM2 gene amplification in human breast cancer

The MDM2 gene is a gene whose product binds to p53 and regulates its functions. The amplification of the MDM2 gene has been found in one third of human sarcomas, and a differential expression of MDM2 gene in relation with oestrogen receptor status was recently found in human breast cancer cell lines. We analysed 60 breast cancers for MDM2 gene amplification by Southern blot. This event was observed in 1 case with high levels of oestrogen receptor (ER). Thus, MDM2 gene amplification seems to be a rare event in breast cancer. Further studies are needed to define precisely the relationship between MDM2 amplification and ER status.

Effective-area elasticity and tension of micromanipulated membranes

We evaluate the effective Hamiltonian governing, at the optically resolved scale, the elastic properties of micromanipulated membranes. We identify floppy, entropic-tense and stretched-tense regimes, representing different behaviors of the effective-area elasticity of the membrane. The corresponding effective tension depends on the microscopic parameters (total area, bending rigidity) and on the optically visible area, which is controlled by the imposed external constraints. We successfully compare our predictions with recent data on micropipette experiments.

Capillary force on a micrometric sphere trapped at a fluid interface exhibiting arbitrary curvature gradients

We report theoretical predictions and measurements of the capillary force acting on a spherical colloid smaller than the capillary length that is placed on a curved fluid interface of arbitrary shape. By coupling direct imaging and interferometry, we are able to measure the in situ colloid contact angle and to correlate its position with respect to the interface curvature. Extremely tiny capillary forces down to femtonewtons can be measured with this method. Measurements agree well with a theory relating the capillary force to the gradient of Gaussian curvature and to the mean curvature of the interface prior to colloidal deposition. Numerical calculations corroborate these results.

On the stress and torque tensors in fluid membranes

We derive the membrane elastic stress and torque tensors using the standard Helfrich model and a direct variational method, in which the edges of a membrane are infinitesimally translated and rotated. We give simple expressions of the stress and torque tensors both in the local tangent frame and in projection onto a fixed frame. We recover and extend the results of Capovilla and Guven [, 2002, , 6233], which were obtained using covariant geometry and Noether's theorem; we show that the Gaussian rigidity contributes to the torque tensor and we include the effect of a surface potential in the stress tensor. Many interesting situations may be investigated directly using force and torque balances instead of full energy minimization. As examples, we consider the force exerted at the end of a membrane tubule, membrane adhesion and domain-contact conditions.

The many-body problem for anisotropic membrane inclusions and the self-assembly of "saddle" defects into an "egg carton"

We calculate the many-body, nonpairwise interaction between N rigid, anisotropic membrane inclusions by modeling them as point-like constraints on the membrane's curvature tensor and by minimizing the membrane's curvature energy. Because multipolar distortions of higher-order decay on very short distances, our calculation gives the correct elastic interaction energy for inclusions separated by distances of the order of several times their size. As an application, we show by thermally equilibrating the many-body elastic energy using a Monte Carlo algorithm, that inclusions shaped as "saddles" attract each other and build an "egg-carton" structure. The latter is reminiscent of some patterns observed in membranes obtained from biological extracts, the origin of which is still mysterious.

Effect of serotonin on cytokine mRNA expression in rat hippocampal astrocytes

Serotonin is a widely distributed neurotransmitter which elicits a range of central activities. We examined the effect of serotonin on cytokine mRNA expression by rat hippocampal astrocytes in primary cultures. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis shows that interleukin-6 (IL6) mRNA is expressed after 10(-12) M serotonin stimulation whereas transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF alpha) are induced by 10(-10) M serotonin. These inductions appeared after 1 h stimulation for IL6 and TNF alpha, whereas that of TGF beta appeared after 4 h. The present results provide the first evidence that serotonin can influence astrocyte cytokine production, and thus this neurotransmitter may be considered a potential neuroimmunomodulator.

Fluctuation spectrum of fluid membranes coupled to an elastic meshwork: jump of the effective surface tension at the mesh size

We identify a class of composite membranes: fluid bilayers coupled to an elastic meshwork that are such that the meshwork's energy is a function F(el)[A(xi)] not of the real microscopic membrane area A, but of a smoothed membrane's area A(xi), which corresponds to the area of the membrane coarse grained at the mesh size xi. We show that the meshwork modifies the membrane tension sigma both below and above the scale xi, inducing a steep crossover of amplitude deltasigma=dF(el)/dA(xi). The predictions of our model account for the fluctuation spectrum of red blood cell membranes coupled to their cytoskeleton. Our results indicate that the cytoskeleton might be under extensional stress, which would provide a means to regulate available membrane areas. We also predict an observable tension jump for membranes decorated with polymer "brushes."

Isolation and sequence analysis of Clpg1, a gene coding for an endopolygalacturonase of the phytopathogenic fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum

Oligodeoxyribonucleotide primers designed from the N-terminal amino acid (aa) sequence of the endopolygalacturonase (EndoPG) of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (Cl) race beta and from an internal sequence conserved among different fungal EndoPG were used in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify genomic related sequences of the fungus. A 542-bp fragment, designated pgA, was obtained and used as a probe to screen a partial genomic library of Cl. Among the positive clones, one was further analyzed. Nucleotide sequencing of this clone revealed on ORF encoding a 363-amino-acid (aa) polypeptide beginning with a signal peptide of 26 aa interrupted by an intron of 70 bp, and showing a high degree of homology to ten fungal EndoPG sequences. Consensus sequences were identified in the 5' non-coding region. This genomic clone was thereafter designated Clpg1. Southern analysis, performed with a Clpg1-specific probe, showed that this gene is present as a single copy in the Cl genome.

Dynamin recruitment by clathrin coats: a physical step?

Recent structural findings have shown that dynamin, a cytosol protein playing a key-role in clathrin-mediated endocytosis, inserts partly within the lipid bilayer and tends to self-assemble around lipid tubules. Taking into account these observations, we make the hypothesis that individual membrane-inserted dynamins imprint a local cylindrical curvature to the membrane. This imprint may give rise to long-range mechanical forces mediated by the elasticity of the membrane. Calculating the resulting many-body interaction between a collection of inserted dynamins and a membrane bud, we find a regime in which the dynamins are elastically recruited by the bud to form a collar around its neck, which is reminiscent of the actual process preempting vesicle scission. This physical mechanism might therefore be implied in the recruitment of dynamins by clathrin coats.