scholarly journals Nematotoxic effects of endophyte-infected tall fescue toxins and extracts in an in vitro bioassay using the nematode Pratylenchus scribneri

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 357-361
Author(s):  
A.A. Bacetty ◽  
M.E. Snook ◽  
A.E. Glenn ◽  
C.W. Bacon ◽  
P. Nagabhyru ◽  
...  

Biotypes of the Neotyphodium coenophialum-tall fescue grass symbiota are provided with enhanced protection from grazing vertebrate herbivores due to the production of toxic secondary metabolites. However, considerable controversy exists concerning this symbiotum and its toxicity to nematode species. A sterile in vitro system was developed to determine the interactive nature of known toxins specific to this mutualistic association and compounds within grass extracts known to be nematotoxic. The in vitro assay used Pratylenchus scribneri, the lesion nematode, as the target organism to determine the interactive nature of ergot alkaloids, the pyrrolizidine alkaloid (the lolines), total phenolic fractions, and specific phenolic compounds. The in vitro assay is described along with methods for testing toxicity. The results indicate that only two of three ergot alkaloids were toxic to P. scribneri, and there were possible potentiating or synergistic effects with other alkaloids and water soluble polyphenolics. HPLC analysis and UV mass spectrometry of root extracts revealed the presence of two major polyphenolics, chlorogenic and di-caffeoylquinic acids, both of which are natural constituents of this and other plants and have known toxicity to several species of nematodes. Further, it was determined that there were quantitative differences between the total phenolic and specific phenolic contents in roots of endophyte infected and noninfected tall fescue, cultivar Jesup. This in vitro assay offers a rapid and routine screen for acute testing chemical components of the tall fescue-endophyte symbiotum for toxicity to this nematode species. Keywords: Chlorogenic acid, di-caffeoylquinic acids, ergot alkaloid, lolines, nematode, polyphenolics, Pratylenchus scribneri, pyrrolizidine alkaloid

2009 ◽  
Vol 99 (12) ◽  
pp. 1336-1345 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Bacetty ◽  
M. E. Snook ◽  
A. E. Glenn ◽  
J. P. Noe ◽  
N. Hill ◽  
...  

Neotyphodium coenophialum, an endophytic fungus associated with tall fescue grass, enhances host fitness and imparts pest resistance. This symbiotum is implicated in the reduction of stresses, including plant-parasitic nematodes. To substantiate this implication, toxicological effects of root extracts, polyphenolic fraction, ergot, and loline alkaloids from endophyte-infected tall fescue were investigated using Pratylenchus scribneri, a nematode pest of tall fescue. In vitro bioassays and greenhouse studies were used as tests for effects of root fractions and compounds on motility and mortality of this lesion nematode. Greenhouse studies revealed that endophyte-infected tall fescue grasses are essentially nonhosts to P. scribneri, with root populations averaging 3 to 17 nematodes/pot, compared with 4,866 and 8,450 nematodes/pot for noninfected grasses. The in vitro assay indicated that root extracts from infected tall fescues were nematistatic. Polyphenols identified in extracts included chlorogenic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acids, caffeic acid, and two unidentified compounds, but these were not correlated with endophyte status, qualitatively or quantitatively. Tests of several ergot alkaloids revealed that ergovaline and α-ergocryptine were nematicidal at 5 and 50 μg/ml, respectively, while ergocornine and ergonovine were nematistatic at most concentrations. Loline (N-formylloline), the pyrrolizidine alkaloid tested, was nematicidal (50 to 200 μg/ml). The ecological benefits of the metabolites tested here should assist in defining their role in deterring this nematode species while offering some probable mechanisms of action against plant-parasitic nematodes in general.


1968 ◽  
Vol 20 (03/04) ◽  
pp. 384-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Zbinden ◽  
S Tomlin

SummaryAn in vitro system is described in which adhesion of blood platelets to washed and tannic acid-treated red cells was assayed quantitatively by microscopic observation. ADP, epinephrine and TAME produced a reversible increase in platelet adhesiveness which was antagonized by AMP. With Evans blue, polyanetholsulfonate, phthalanilide NSC 38280, thrombin and heparin at concentrations above 1-4 u/ml the increase was irreversible. The ADP-induced increase in adhesiveness was inhibited by sodium citrate, EDTA, AMP, ATP and N-ethylmaleimide. EDTA, AMP and the SH-blocker N-ethylmaleimide also reduced spontaneous platelet adhesion to red cells. No significant effects were observed with adenosine, phenprocoumon, 5-HT, phthalanilide NSC 57155, various estrogens, progestogens and fatty acids, acetylsalicylic acid and similarly acting agents, hydroxylamine, glucose and KCN. The method may be useful for the screening of thrombogenic and antithrombotic properties of drugs.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Anita Virtanen ◽  
Outi Huttala ◽  
Kati Tihtonen ◽  
Tarja Toimela ◽  
Tuula Heinonen ◽  
...  

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> To determine the direct effect of pravastatin on angiogenesis and to study the interaction between pravastatin and maternal sera from women with early- or late-onset pre-eclampsia (PE), intrauterine growth restriction, or healthy pregnancy. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We collected 5 maternal serum samples from each group. The effect of pravastatin on angiogenesis was assessed with and without maternal sera by quantifying tubule formation in a human-based in vitro assay. Pravastatin was added at 20, 1,000, and 8,000 ng/mL concentrations. Concentrations of angiogenic and inflammatory biomarkers in serum and in test medium after supplementation of serum alone and with pravastatin (1,000 ng/mL) were measured. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Therapeutic concentration of pravastatin (20 ng/mL) did not have significant direct effect on angiogenesis, but the highest concentrations inhibited angiogenesis. Pravastatin did not change the levels of biomarkers in the test media. There were no changes in angiogenesis when therapeutic dose of pravastatin was added with maternal sera, but there was a trend to wide individual variation towards enhanced angiogenesis, particularly in the early-onset PE group. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> At therapeutic concentration, pravastatin alone or with maternal sera has no significant effect on angiogenesis, but at high concentrations the effect seems to be anti-angiogenic estimated by in vitro assay.


Lab on a Chip ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
YUHAO QIANG ◽  
Jia Liu ◽  
Ming Dao ◽  
E Du

Red blood cells (RBCs) are subjected to recurrent changes in shear stress and oxygen tension during blood circulation. The cyclic shear stress has been identified as an important factor that...


1981 ◽  
Vol 36 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 30-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Sütfeld ◽  
Rolf Wiermann

Abstract Chalcone synthase was isolated from both anthers of Tulipa cv. “Apeldoorn” and petals of Cosmos sulphureus Cav. After certain prepurification steps, the enzymes were further purified using gel chromatography on Sephadex G-200 followed by repeated hydroxylapatite absorption chromatography. Both the enzymes showed the same chromatographic properties. After gel chromatography as well as after the first hydroxylapatite fractionation, the reaction products appeared as flavanones. However, after the second hydroxylapatite step, production of chalcones was observed. Like the enzyme from tulip anthers, the synthase from Cosmos petals produced the correspondingly substituted chalcones when p-coumaroyl-CoA, caffeoyl-CoA and feruloyl-CoA, respectively, were used as substractes. In both the cases, the ratios of the different chalcones produced were found to be about the same. The appearance of chalcone synthesis in this in vitro assay is caused by the complete elimination of chalcone isomerase in the purification procedure. The importance of the isomerase for flavonoid biosynthesis, particularly in plant systems which are accumulating chalcones, is discussed.


2009 ◽  
Vol 191 (7) ◽  
pp. 2033-2041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meriyem Aktas ◽  
Franz Narberhaus

ABSTRACT Agrobacterium tumefaciens requires phosphatidylcholine (PC) in its membranes for plant infection. The phospholipid N-methyltransferase PmtA catalyzes all three transmethylation reactions of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to PC via the intermediates monomethylphosphatidylethanolamine (MMPE) and dimethylphosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE). The enzyme uses S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) as the methyl donor, converting it to S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). Little is known about the activity of bacterial Pmt enzymes, since PC biosynthesis in prokaryotes is rare. In this article, we present the purification and in vitro characterization of A. tumefaciens PmtA, which is a monomeric protein. It binds to PE, the intermediates MMPE and DMPE, the end product PC, and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidylinositol. Binding of the phospholipid substrates precedes binding of SAM. We used a coupled in vitro assay system to demonstrate the enzymatic activity of PmtA and to show that PmtA is inhibited by the end products PC and SAH and the antibiotic sinefungin. The presence of PG stimulates PmtA activity. Our study provides insights into the catalysis and control of a bacterial phospholipid N-methyltransferase.


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