Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a relatively new technique that appears to be a promising tool for soilborne pest management and crop production improvement. This new 5-page publication of the ...UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department is intended to introduce ASD for Florida vegetable growers. Written by Bodh R. Paudel, Francesco Di Gioia, Qiang Zhu, Xin Zhao, Monica Ozores-Hampton, Marilyn E. Swisher, Kaylene Sattanno, Jason C. Hong, and Erin N. Rosskopf. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1345
In 1992, a pycnidial fungus isolated from diseased amaranth plants was found to be the causal agent of the observed stem and leaf blight. Inoculations performed in the greenhouse revealed that this ...organism caused a disease characterized by a general blight. The isolate was tentatively identified as a member of the genus Phomopsis and its morphological characteristics were compared to those reported in the literature for Phomopsis species collected from amaranth. The Florida isolate, ATCC 74226, was found to produce extremely large alpha conidia. Beta conidia were produced, as well as a third type of conidium of intermediate shape. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the sequences within the internal transcribed spacer regions of the ribosomal DNA, revealed that isolate ATCC 74226 differed substantially from the other Phomopsis species tested, including those that are known to produce the third type of conidium. Based on the morphological characteristics and DNA sequence information the isolate is described here as a new species of Phomopsis.
The INSIG2 rs7566605 polymorphism was identified for obesity (BMI> or =30 kg/m(2)) in one of the first genome-wide association studies, but replications were inconsistent. We collected statistics ...from 34 studies (n = 74,345), including general population (GP) studies, population-based studies with subjects selected for conditions related to a better health status ('healthy population', HP), and obesity studies (OB). We tested five hypotheses to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. The meta-analysis of 27 studies on Caucasian adults (n = 66,213) combining the different study designs did not support overall association of the CC-genotype with obesity, yielding an odds ratio (OR) of 1.05 (p-value = 0.27). The I(2) measure of 41% (p-value = 0.015) indicated between-study heterogeneity. Restricting to GP studies resulted in a declined I(2) measure of 11% (p-value = 0.33) and an OR of 1.10 (p-value = 0.015). Regarding the five hypotheses, our data showed (a) some difference between GP and HP studies (p-value = 0.012) and (b) an association in extreme comparisons (BMI> or =32.5, 35.0, 37.5, 40.0 kg/m(2) versus BMI<25 kg/m(2)) yielding ORs of 1.16, 1.18, 1.22, or 1.27 (p-values 0.001 to 0.003), which was also underscored by significantly increased CC-genotype frequencies across BMI categories (10.4% to 12.5%, p-value for trend = 0.0002). We did not find evidence for differential ORs (c) among studies with higher than average obesity prevalence compared to lower, (d) among studies with BMI assessment after the year 2000 compared to those before, or (e) among studies from older populations compared to younger. Analysis of non-Caucasian adults (n = 4889) or children (n = 3243) yielded ORs of 1.01 (p-value = 0.94) or 1.15 (p-value = 0.22), respectively. There was no evidence for overall association of the rs7566605 polymorphism with obesity. Our data suggested an association with extreme degrees of obesity, and consequently heterogeneous effects from different study designs may mask an underlying association when unaccounted for. The importance of study design might be under-recognized in gene discovery and association replication so far.
Phylogenetic relationships among isolates of Cercospora species pathogenic to water hyacinth, collected from several geographic regions of the world, were examined by using partial DNA sequences from ...three protein-coding genes: elongation factor-lα, β-tubulin, and histone H3. In cladograms from individual, as well as from combined datasets for 14 isolates, two statistically well supported clades were found: a mijor clade that included isolates from Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Florida (USA), South Africa, and Zambia; and a minor clade restricted to isolates from Texas (USA). Shape and dimensions of conidia were unreliable criteria for taxonomic differentiation of most isolates that composed the two clades. In addition, the ex-type culture of C. rodmanii did not show differences in DNA sequence in relation to the other isolates grouped in the major clade, including some that had conidial size and morphology fitting the description of C. piaropi. Therefore, the separation of these species not only did not have strong phenotypic support, but also did not have support from the phylogenetic analysis. Consequently, the description of C. piaropi is emended herein to include C. rodmanii as a synonym.
Dodder is a serious parasitic weed in the crops in which it is a problem (particularly citrus). Alternaria destruens is the active ingredient in a registered bioherbicide for control of dodder ...species. In greenhouse studies, the treatments applied to citrus parasitized with field dodder were a nontreated control; oil at 7.5% v/v in water; ammonium sulfate at 0.125% w/v in water; glyphosate at 0.02 kg ae/L; A. destruens at 1.8 × 1010 spores/L; A. destruens (1.8 × 1010 spores/L) + oil at 7.5% v/v in water; and a mixture of A. destruens (1.8 × 1010 spores/L) + oil at 7.5% v/v in water + glyphosate at 0.02 kg ae/L + ammonium sulfate 0.125% w/v (the mixture treatment). The highest disease or damage severity rating out of all treatments, measured as the area under the disease or damage progress curve (AUDPC), was obtained for the mixture treatment. By 35 d after treatment, all field dodder plants that received the mixture treatment were dead but the host plant, citrus, was not. These results indicate the feasibility of integrating glyphosate, ammonium sulfate, and A. destruens to manage dodder. Nomenclature: Glyphosate; ammonium sulfate; field dodder, Cuscuta pentagona Engelm. CVCPE; citrus, Citrus spp. ‘Smooth Flat Seville’; Alternaria destruens L. Simmons, sp. nov.
The INSIG2 rs7566605 polymorphism was identified for obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2) in one of the first genome-wide association studies, but replications were inconsistent. We collected statistics from 34 ...studies (n = 74,345), including general population (GP) studies, population-based studies with subjects selected for conditions related to a better health status ('healthy population', HP), and obesity studies (OB). We tested five hypotheses to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. The meta-analysis of 27 studies on Caucasian adults (n = 66,213) combining the different study designs did not support overall association of the CC-genotype with obesity, yielding an odds ratio (OR) of 1.05 (p-value = 0.27). The I2 measure of 41% (p-value = 0.015) indicated between-study heterogeneity. Restricting to GP studies resulted in a declined I2 measure of 11% (p-value = 0.33) and an OR of 1.10 (p-value = 0.015). Regarding the five hypotheses, our data showed (a) some difference between GP and HP studies (p-value = 0.012) and (b) an association in extreme comparisons (BMI≥32.5, 35.0, 37.5, 40.0 kg/m2 versus BMI<25 kg/m2) yielding ORs of 1.16, 1.18, 1.22, or 1.27 (p-values 0.001 to 0.003), which was also underscored by significantly increased CC-genotype frequencies across BMI categories (10.4% to 12.5%, p-value for trend = 0.0002). We did not find evidence for differential ORs (c) among studies with higher than average obesity prevalence compared to lower, (d) among studies with BMI assessment after the year 2000 compared to those before, or (e) among studies from older populations compared to younger. Analysis of non-Caucasian adults (n = 4889) or children (n = 3243) yielded ORs of 1.01 (p-value = 0.94) or 1.15 (p-value = 0.22), respectively. There was no evidence for overall association of the rs7566605 polymorphism with obesity. Our data suggested an association with extreme degrees of obesity, and consequently heterogeneous effects from different study designs may mask an underlying association when unaccounted for. The importance of study design might be under-recognized in gene discovery and association replication so far.
In this study, we provide a molecular signature of highly enriched CD34+ cells from bone marrow of untreated patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in chronic phase In comparison with ...normal CD34+ cells using mlcroarrays covering 8746 genes. Expression data reflected several BCR-ABL-lnduced effects In primary CML progenitors, such as transcrlptfonal activation of the classical mltogen-activated protein kinase pathway and the phospholnositide-3 klnase/AKT pathway as well as downregulatlon of the proapoptotic gene IRF8. Moreover, novel transcriptional changes In comparison with normal CD34+ cells were Identified. These include upregulation of genes involved In the transforming growth factor beta pathway, fetal hemoglobin genes, leptin receptor, sorcin, tissue inhibitor of metalloprotelnase 1, the neuroeplthe-lial cell transforming gene 1 and downregulation of selenopro-tein P. Additionally, genes associated with early hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and leukemogenesis such as HoxA9 and MEIS1 were transcrlptionally activated. Differential expression of differentiation-associated genes suggested an altered composition of the CD34+ cell population in CML. This was confirmed by subset analyses of chronic phase CML CD34 + cells showing an increase of the proportion of megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitors, whereas the proportion of HSC and granulocyte-macrophage progenitors was decreased in CML. In conclusion, our results give novel Insights into the biology of CML and could provide the basis for Identification of new therapeutic targets.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a common late-onset disease with a strong genetic component. It is characterized by insulin resistance which results from alterations in insulin signal transduction. The G ...protein beta 3 subunit 825T allele was recently found to be associated with hypertension and obesity which makes it a sensible candidate gene for type 2 diabetes.
In a case-control study on 320 male patients and 962 male healthy controls we investigated the association of two candidate genes with diabetes, i.e. (i) the GNB3 825T allele, associated with a G protein beta 3 subunit splice variant and enhanced intracellular signal transduction, and (ii) the insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) 972Arg variant, which encodes a protein variant associated with cellular insulin resistance.
The GNB3 825T allele and the IRS-1 972Arg variant were significantly associated with diabetes (odds ratios for either variant 1.4 1.8). Odds ratios were 3 4 in males carrying both alleles.
The results document an association of a hypertension susceptibility gene with type 2 diabetes which may partially explain the frequent coexistence of both disorders.
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