Protein intrinsic disorder and network connectivity. The case of 14-3-3 proteins Uhart, Marina; Bustos, Diego Martin The understanding of networks is a common goal of an unprecedented array of traditional disciplines. One of the protein network properties most influenced by the structural contents of its nodes is the inter-connectivity. Recent studies in which structural information was included into the topological analysis of protein networks revealed that the content of intrinsic disorder in the nodes could modulate the network topology, rewire networks, and change their inter-connectivity, which is defined by its clustering coefficient. Here, we review the role of intrinsic disorder present in the partners of the highly conserved 14-3-3 protein family on its interaction networks. The 14-3-3s are phospho-serine/threonine binding proteins that have strong influence in the regulation of metabolism and signal transduction networks. Intrinsic disorder increases the clustering coefficients, namely the inter-connectivity of the nodes within each 14-3-3 paralog networks. We also review two new ideas to measure intrinsic disorder independently of the primary sequence of proteins, a thermodynamic model and a method that uses protein structures and their solvent environment. This new methods could be useful to explain unsolved questions about versatility and fixation of intrinsic disorder through evolution. The relation between the intrinsic disorder and network topologies could be an interesting model to investigate new implicitness of the graph theory into biology.

Entomofauna acuática del Parque Nacional Natural Gorgona,Pacífico colombiano, con énfasis en Ephemeroptera y Plecoptera; Aquatic entomofauna from Gorgona National Natural Park, Colombian Pacific, with emphasis in Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera Zuñiga, Maria del Carmen; Cardona, William; Molineri, Carlos; Mendivil, Julián; Cultid, Carlos; Chara, Ana Marcela; Giraldo, Alan Este trabajo constituye la primera aproximación al conocimiento de las especies que caracterizan la entomofauna acuática del PNN Gorgona, con énfasis en Ephemeroptera y Plecoptera, su distribución, ecología y relación con la parte continental. Entre Octubre de 2010 y Junio de 2011 se realizaron recolectas de estados inmaduros y adultos en cinco quebradas del sector oriental de la isla, con ayuda de redes entomológicas, trampas Malaise y de luz blanca y negra. Se registran nueve órdenes, 28 familias, 39 géneros y 16 especies. Por primera vez se reportan la familia Dytiscidae (Coleoptera) y los géneros: Zelusia, Farrodes y Terpides (Ephemeroptera), Leucotrichia y Wormaldia (Trichoptera), Laccodytes, Neoelmis y Pheneps (Coleoptera), Maruina y Limonia (Diptera). Se encontraron cuatro especies nuevas de Ephemeroptera y cuatro de Plecoptera, en proceso de descripción. Además, Leptohyphes jodiannae, L. maculatus y Hagenulopsis esmeralda son primeras citas para Colombia. Farrodes caribbianus, F. roundsi, Hagenulopsis zunigae, Zelusia principalis y Anacroneuria choco, reportadas para el país, amplían su rango de distribución para el PNN Gorgona. La riqueza de familias, géneros y especies es alta y se considera una extensión de la fauna de corrientes hídricas de bajo y mediano orden del trópico continental, particularmente en la provincia del Chocó biogeográfico.; Gorgona is a Colombian continental island that biogeographically belongs in the Choco region. This work constitutes a first approximation to the aquatic insects, with emphasis in Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera: distribution, ecology, and associations to the continental mainland. Between October 2010 and June 2011, immature and adult specimens were collected in five streams of the island´s Western sector using entomological nets, Malaise traps, and light traps. A total of nine orders, 28 families, 39 genera and 16 species of aquatic insects were found. New geographical records for Gorgona include: Dytiscidae (Coleoptera), Zelusia, Farrodes and Terpides (Ephemeroptera), Leucotrichia and Wormaldia (Trichoptera), Laccodytes, Neoelmis and Pheneps (Coleoptera), Maruina and Limonia (Diptera). As part of this study, four new species for each, Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera, were found. Leptohyphes jodiannae, L. maculatus and Hagenulopsis esmeralda are recorded for the first time for Colombia. Farrodes caribbianus, F. roundsi, Hagenulopsis zunigae, Zelusia principalis and Anacroneuria choco are reported for the first time for the National Park. The high abundance of families, genera, and species is similar to that of low order streams in the tropic mainland, particularly those associated to the Choco bio-geographical province.

The role of protein dynamics and thermal fluctuations in regulating cytochrome c/cytochrome c oxidase electron transfer Álvarez Paggi, Damián Jorge; Zitare, Ulises Alejandro; Murgida, Daniel Horacio In this overview we present recent combined electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, spectroscopic and computational studies from our group on the electron transfer reactions of cytochrome c and of the primary electron acceptor of cytochrome c oxidase, the CuA site, in biomimetic complexes. Based on these results, we discuss how protein dynamics and thermal fluctuations may impact on protein ET reactions, comment on the possible physiological relevance of these results, and finally propose a regulatory mechanism that may operate in the Cyt/CcO electron transfer reaction in vivo. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: 18th European Bioenergetic Conference.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Properties of Cationic Hydrogels Containing Copper(II) and Cobalt(II) Ions Lombardo Lupano, Lucía Victoria; Lazaro Martinez, Juan Manuel; Piehl, Lidia Leonor; Rubín de Celis, Emilio; Torres Sanchez, Rosa Maria; Campodallorto, Viviana Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of a hydrogel based on ethylene glicol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) and 1,8-diamino-3,6-dioxaoctane (DA). Chemically stable Co(II) and Cu(II) coordination complexes were prepared with this non-soluble polyelectrolyte, Poly(EGDE-DA), and studied by ss-NMR, FTIR, thermogravimetry and microscopy. Mesopores were found in all the samples, the thermal stability of the polymer matrix was highly affected by the presence of metal ions, and the 13C CP-MAS spectrum for the Cu(II)-complex evidenced a significant increase in the reticulation degree by Cu(II) ions. The catalytic activity of these materials on H2O2 activation was studied by Electron Spin Resonance (ESR). The Co(II)-Poly(EGDE-DA) / H2O2 heterogeneous system produced O2, anion superoxide (O2*¯) and hydroxyl radical (OH*), which diffused into the solution at the time that a decrease in pH was detected. In the same way, the Cu(II)-Poly(EGDE-DA) / H2O2 heterogeneous system produced O2 and OH*. H2O2 activation by the Poly(EGDE-DA) complexes with Co(II) and Cu(II) was applied on the decolorization of solutions of the azo-dye Methyl Orange (MO). In the presence of 63 mM H2O2, 87 % of MO was removed in 10 min with Cu(II)-Poly(EGDE-DA) and in 110 min with Co(II)-Poly(EGDE-DA). In addition, the pharmaceutical product epinephrine was partially oxidized to adrenochrome by the O2*¯ released from the Co(II)-Poly(EGDE-DA) / H2O2 heterogeneous system.

Discontinuous bifurcation analysis of thermodynamically consistent gradient poroplastic materials Mroginski, Javier Luis; Etse, Jose Guillermo In this work, analytical and numerical solutions of the condition for discontinuous bifurcation of thermodynamically consistent gradient-based poroplastic materials are obtained and evaluated. The main aim is the analysis of the potentials for localized failure modes in the form of discontinuous bifurcation in partially saturated gradient-based poroplastic materials as well as the dependence of these potentials on the current hydraulic and stress conditions. Also the main differences with the localization conditions of the related local theory for poroplastic materials are evaluated to perfectly understand the regularization capabilities of the non-local gradient-based one. Firstly, the condition for discontinuous bifurcation is formulated from wave propagation analyses in poroplastic media. The material formulation employed in this work for the spectral properties evaluation of the discontinuous bifurcation condition is the thermodynamically consistent, gradient-based modified Cam Clay model for partially saturated porous media previously proposed by the authors. The main and novel feature of this constitutive theory is the inclusion of a gradient internal length of the porous phase which, together with the characteristic length of the solid skeleton, comprehensively defined the non-local characteristics of the represented porous material. After presenting the fundamental equations of the thermodynamically consistent gradient based poroplastic constitutive model, the analytical expressions of the critical hardening/softening modulus for discontinuous bifurcation under both drained and undrained conditions are obtained. As a particular case, the related local constitutive model is also evaluated from the discontinuous bifurcation condition stand point. Then, the localization analysis of the thermodynamically consistent non-local and local poroplastic Cam Clay theories is performed. The results demonstrate, on the one hand and related to the local poroplastic material, the decisive role of the pore pressure and of the volumetric non-associativity degree on the location of the transition point between ductile and brittle failure regimes in the stress space. On the other hand, the results demonstrate as well the regularization capabilities of the non-local gradientbased poroplastic theory, with exception of a particular stress condition which is also evaluated in this work. Finally, it is also shown that, due to dependence of the characteristic lengths for the pore and skeleton phases on the hydraulic and stress conditions, the non-local theory is able to reproduce the strong reduction of failure diffusion that takes place under both, low confinement and low pore pressure of partially saturated porous materials, without loosing, however, the ellipticity of the related differential equations.

Electric and magnetic field manipulation and storage of charge-tunable excitons Simonin, Jorge Marcos; Proetto, Cesar Ramon; Pacheco, Mónica; Barticevic, Z. The excitonic spectrum of radially polarized semiconductor rings has been analyzed theoretically, in the presence of an in-plane electric field and a perpendicular magnetic field. Based on the numerically exact solution, a regime has been found where the exciton behaves as a single carrier or quasiparticle, with an effective and tunable electric charge determined by the ring geometry. A protocol is proposed for the storage of excitons without destroying them, consisting in converting them from “bright” to “dark,” by performing a sequence of well-defined steps. Accurate analytical approximations are provided for each of the exciton regimens found: quasifree, locked, and broken.

Piptochaetium fuscum (Nees ex Steud.) Barkworth, Ciald., & Gandhi, a new combination replacing Piptochaetium setosum (Trin.) Arechav. Barkworth, Mary E.; Cialdella, Ana Maria; Gandhi, Kanchi A new name, Piptochaetium fuscum, is provided for a taxon hitherto known as Piptochaetium setosum (Trin.) Arechav. Morphological, anatomical, and molecular studies that argue against including Piptochaetium in Stipa, and hence use of S. purpurata (Phil.) Columbus & J.P. Sm., are cited.

Atomic entropy squeezing in three-level systems Reboiro, Marta; Civitarese, Enrique Osvaldo; Tielas, Diego Alejandro We consider the problem of an atomic three-level system (in a ladder configuration) interacting with a radiation field. Assuming a coherent state as the initial state, we solve exactly the time evolution of the system. We discuss the appearance of atomic squeezing and calculate the atomic spin squeezing and the atomic entropy squeezing. We show that both parameters predict similar angular and time dependences.

A comparative study of the effect of multiple immersions on Aedini (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquito eggs with emphasis on sylvan vectors of yellow fever virus Alencar, Jerónimo; Gleiser, Raquel M.; Morone, Fernanda; Mello, Cecília Ferreira de; Silva, Júlia dos Santos; Serra Freire, Nicolau Maués; Guimarães, Anthony Érico The effect of multiple immersions on Haemagogus janthinomys, Haemagogus leucocelaenus, Aedes albopictus and Ochlerotatus terrens eggs was studied. Eggs were collected in April, June, October and December of 2011 in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Most of the Aedes and Ochlerotatus eggs hatched upon the first immersion, while Haemagogus eggs showed a varied instalment hatching response. The number of immersions required for hatching increased for eggs collected closer to the dry winter season.

Quaternary evolution of the Cordillera Frontal piedmont between c. 33° and 34°S Mendoza, Argentina Zárate, Marcelo Arístides; Mehl, Adriana Ester; Perucca, Laura Patricia A. The piedmont of Cordillera Frontal between c. 33° and 34°S (Mendoza, Argentina) is a highly populated area deeply modified by human activities, known as Valle de Uco. It is situated within the borderland region of the geological provinces of Cordillera Frontal and Cuyo basin. The landscape is dominantly composed of both erosional and depositional landforms made of fluvio-aeolian deposits fractured and folded by tectonic processes together with some landforms of volcanic origin. Alluvial fans, related to several aggradational cycles of Quaternary age, are the most remarkable geomorphological units. Several tectonic features are present giving rise to conspicuous morphological features. Some of the streams are structurally controlled by faults while several drainage anomalies that indicate active tectonic processes have been identified. The Late Quaternary alluvial sequences, dominantly comprising sandy and silty deposits of volcaniclastic composition and secondarily metamorphic rocks, represent the fine-grained sedimentary facies of the fluvial systems accumulated in a distal fan environment. The alluvial deposits have been incised by several episodes of erosion since Pleistocene time. The Andes Cordillera and the piedmont of Mendoza province (Argentina) are an active tectonic area characterized by a complex geological setting that determines a heterogeneous landscape. Of particular environmental and human significance is the piedmont of Cordillera Frontal between c. 33° and 34°S. Known as Valle de Uco, it is a highly populated area deeply modified by human activities and constitutes one of the three man-made agricultural oases of Mendoza province (Fig. 1). Consequently, the reconstruction of the piedmont evolution and the understanding of the processes involved are essential to evaluate possible environmental responses under the present climatic fluctuations in a densely populated area. Several contributions have demonstrated the environmental sensitivity of the region during Quaternary time as documented by the record of Pleistocene and Holocene glacial advances in the Andean headwaters of the fluvial systems (e.g. Espizúa 2004, 2005; Espizúa & Pitte 2009; Messager 2010) along with geomorphological, palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic studies (Baker et al. 2009; Paez et al. 2010). In order to understand the nature and characteristics of the present landscape, analysis of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene period is especially important. This key time interval covering the recent geological past includes a dramatic climatic change: the transition of the last glacial cycle to the present interglacial (Saltzman 2002). In addition, the Cordillera Frontal piedmont is considered as one of the source areas of the aeolian deposits of central Argentina (Zárate 2003; Mehl et al. 2012). Knowledge of the sedimentary record is therefore significant to validate the current models of aeolian sedimentation. These issues have renewed interest in the area and instigated multidisciplinary analysis by our research team. The studies, still under progress, include stratigraphical, sedimentological, geochronogical, morphostructural and palaeontological analysis, with the general aim of reconstructing the environmental and climatic conditions during Late Quaternary time across the Cordillera Frontal piedmont (e.g. Mehl & Zárate 2012; Rojo et al. 2012) and the eastern piedmont of San Rafael block, situated to the south (Tripaldi et al. 2011). Simultaneously, other authors (e.g. Pepin 2010; Pepin et al. 2013; Casa et al. 2011) have focused on tectonic, geomorphological and geochronological analyses in the study area (e.g. Cordón del Carrizalito piedmont, Las Tunas fluvial system). The purpose of this paper is to provide a general overview of the Quaternary stratigraphy and evolution of the Cordillera Frontal piedmont at Valle de Uco. Special emphasis is placed on Late Pleistocene and Holocene alluvial sequences that exhibit a suitable stratigraphic resolution for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. The chronology and morphotectonic of the area are also analysed, along with the composition and provenance of the sediments. The final aim is to contribute to the understanding of the landscape dynamics in an active tectonic setting within the context of the Quaternary climate cycles.

Improved pan-specific MHC class I peptide binding predictions using a novel representation of the MHC binding cleft environment Carrasco Pro, Sebastián; Zimic, Mirko; Nielsen, Morten Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules play a key role in cell-mediated immune responses presenting bounded peptides for recognition by the immune system cells. Several in silico methods have been developed to predict the binding affinity of a given peptide to a specific MHC molecule. One of the current state-of-the-art methods for MHC class I is NetMHCpan, which has a core ingredient for the representation of the MHC class I molecule using a pseudo-sequence representation of the binding cleft amino acid environment. New and large MHC–peptide-binding data sets are constantly being made available, and also new structures of MHC class I molecules with a bound peptide have been published. In order to test if the NetMHCpan method can be improved by integrating this novel information, we created new pseudo-sequence definitions for the MHC-binding cleft environment from sequence and structural analyses of different MHC data sets including human leukocyte antigen (HLA), non-human primates (chimpanzee, macaque and gorilla) and other animal alleles (cattle, mouse and swine). From these constructs, we showed that by focusing on MHC sequence positions found to be polymorphic across the MHC molecules used to train the method, the NetMHCpan method achieved a significant increase in the predictive performance, in particular, of non-human MHCs. This study hence showed that an improved performance of MHC-binding methods can be achieved not only by the accumulation of more MHC–peptide-binding data but also by a refined definition of the MHC-binding environment including information from non-human species.

Cationic porphyrin derivatives for application in photodynamic therapy of cancer Prack Mc Cormick, Bárbara Patricia; Pansa, Maria Florencia; Milla Sanabria, Laura Natalia; Carvalho, Carla Marisa Brito; Faustino, Maria Amparo Ferreira; Neves, Maria Graça P. M. S.; Cavaleiro, José A. S.; Vittar, Natalia Belen Rumie; Rivarola, Viviana Current studies in photodynamic therapy (PDT) against cancer are focused on the development of new photosensitizers (PSs), with higher phototoxic action. The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic efficiency of tri-cationic meso-substituted porphyrin derivatives (Tri-Py+–Me–PF, Tri-Py+–Me–Ph, Tri-Py+–Me–CO2Me and Tri-Py+–Me–CO2H) with the well-known tetra-cationic T4PM. The phototoxic action of these derivatives was assessed in human colon adenocarcinoma cells by cell viability, intracellular localization and nuclear morphology analysis. In the experimental conditions used we determined that after light activation –PF, –Ph and –CO2Me cause a more significant decline of cell viability compared to –CO2H and T4PM. These results suggest that the nature of the peripheral substituent influences the extent of cell photodamage. Moreover, we have demonstrated that PS concentration, physicochemical properties and further light activation determine the PDT response. All porphyrins were clearly localized as a punctuated pattern in the cytoplasm of the cells, and the PDT scheme resulted in apoptotic cell death after 3 h post-PDT. The tri-cationic porphyrin derivatives Tri-Py+–Me–PF, Tri-Py+–Me–Ph and Tri-Py+–Me–CO2Me showed a promising ability, making them good photosensitizer candidates for oncological PDT.

INQ-1, a chromosome-encoded AmpC β-lactamase from Inquilinus limosus Pino, Marylú; Power, Pablo; Gutkind, Gabriel Osvaldo; Di Conza, José Alejandro

Inmuno-spin trapping from biochemistry to medicine: advances, challenges, and pitfalls. Focus on protein-centered radicals Gomez Mejiba, Sandra E.; Zhai, Zili; Della Vedova, Maria Cecilia; Muñoz, Marcos David; Chatterjee, Saurabh; Towner, Rheal A.; Hensley, Kenneth; Floyd, Robert A.; Mason, Ronald P.; Ramirez, Dario Background: Immuno-spin trapping (IST) is based on the reaction of a spin trap with a free radical to form a stable nitrone adduct, followed by the use of antibodies, rather than traditional electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, to detect the nitrone adduct. IST has been successfully applied to mechanistic in vitro studies, and recently, macromolecule-centered radicals have been detected in models of drug-induced agranulocytosis, hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and ischemia/reperfusion, as well as in models of neurological, metabolic and immunological diseases. Scope of the review: To critically evaluate advances, challenges, and pitfalls as well as the scientific opportunities of IST as applied to the study of protein-centered free radicals generated in stressed organelles, cells, tissues and animal models of disease and exposure. Major conclusions: Because the spin trap has to be present at high enough concentrations in the microenvironment where the radical is formed, the possible effects of the spin trap on gene expression, metabolism and cell physiology have to be considered in the use of IST and in the interpretation of results. These factors have not yet been thoroughly dealt with in the literature. General significance: The identification of radicalized proteins during cell/tissue response to stressors will help define their role in the complex cellular response to stressors and pathogenesis; however, the fidelity of spin trapping/immuno-detection and the effects of the spin trap on the biological system should be considered.

Estructuras sedimentarias inducidas por actividad microbiana (ESIAM) en la planicie de marea de Puerto Rosales, estuario de Bahía Blanca; Microbially-induced sedimentary structures (MISS) in the Puerto Rosales tidal flat, Bahía Blanca estuary Bournod, Constanza Naimé; Cuadrado, Diana G.; Carmona, Noelia Beatriz; Ponce, Juan Jose; Pan, Jeronimo El estudio de matas microbianas en ambientes marinos costeros silicoclásticos actuales constituye una importante fuente de información para el análisis de análogos fósiles. En el estuario de Bahía Blanca se estudiaron planicies de marea cubiertas por matas desde un enfoque geobiológico, con el objetivo de identificar y describir estructuras inducidas por actividad microbiana (ESIAM), y distinguir rasgos presentes en los sistemas actuales que permitan reconocer estas comunidades de microorganismos en depósitos fósiles. Se realizaron muestreos biológicos y sedimentológicos, y se implementaron técnicas de microscopía óptica y electrónica para la determinación de microorganismos y la identificación de texturas características y minerales autigénicos. Las matas microbianas resultaron estar dominadas por cianobacterias y, en menor proporción, diatomeas; microorganismos que generan sustancias exopoliméricas que bioestabilizan la superficie sedimentaria. Se reconocieron texturas típicas de matas epibentónicas, tales como granos orientados y granos pequeños unidos por la mata, pirita framboidal y ceolitas. En la zona intermareal-supramareal se identificaron domos de gas, fábrica porosa esponjosa y superficies tipo colador. Además se observaron grietas de contracción, dobleces, fragmentos de mata, depresiones y remanentes erosivos, pliegues y arrugas, así como también ondulitas multidireccionales. Las estructuras halladas están relacionadas con condiciones de calma/latencia, exposición prolongada (desecación) y eventos de tormenta con alta energía erosiva sobre la planicie (olas y corrientes fuertes). En este sentido, las ESIAM resultan importantes indicadoras de condiciones ambientales particulares que presentan un elevado potencial de preservación. Su reconocimiento en el registro fósil, a través de rasgos macro y microscópicos, permiten refinar las interpretaciones paleoambientales en sucesiones marino-costeras.; The study of microbial mats in modern siliciclastic coastal marine settings represents an important analogue for the analysis of fossil deposits in similar paleoenvironments. In the Bahía Blanca estuary, mat-covered tidal flats were studied from a geobiological perspective with the aims of identifying and describing microbially-induced sedimentary structures (MISS), and to distinguish features in modern systems that allow the recognition of such microbial communities in fossil deposits. Systematic biological and sedimentological samplings were carried out, and the identification of microorganisms and the recognition and characterization of typical textures and authigenic minerals were performed through light and electronic microscopy techniques. Microbial mats were dominated by cyanobateria, followed by diatoms; both groups of microorganisms are known to secrete extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and biostabilize the sedimentary surface. Characteristic textures of epibenthic mats, such as oriented grains and mat-bound small grains, framboidal pyrite and zeolites were recognized. In the intertidal-supratidal zone, MISS termed gas domes, sponge pore fabric, and sieve-like surfaces were identified. Moreover, shrinkage cracks, flip-overs, mat chips, erosional remnants and pockets, folds, as well as multidirected ripple marks were observed. These structures are related to calm conditions/latencies, prolonged subaerial exposure (desiccation), and storm events with high hydrodynamic energy (erosive) acting over the tidal flat (e.g. waves and currents). In this sense, MISS constitute important indicators of specific environmental conditions and thus their recognition in the rock record allows a refined interpretation of the paleoenvironment in coastal marine successions.

Adaptación biológica y valor de verdad en creencias cognitivas y morales Zavadivker, María Natalia La perspectiva evolucionista parte del supuesto general de que cualquier rasgo fenotípico (fisiológico, morfológico, conductual, perceptual, cognitivo, etc.) presente en el bagaje genético de la mayoría de los miembros de una población, puede ser tomado como una adaptación biológica a un determinado entorno y a determinadas presiones selectivas. Vale decir, “está allí” como resultado de un proceso de selección natural, por haber contribuido (más eficazmente que otras variantes disponibles en el pasado ancestral) al desempeño exitoso del organismo portador, en términos de supervivencia y éxito reproductivo. A dicho enfoque filogenético, que aportaría las razones evolutivas del bagaje genético con el que vienen equipados los organismos antes de interactuar con el ambiente; habría que sumarle además la perspectiva ontogenética, que daría cuenta del aprendizaje por ensayo y error que cada organismo realiza en interacción directa con el entorno, a lo largo de su desarrollo (tema del que se ocupa, por ejemplo, la Ecología del comportamiento).

Molecular Identification of Brucella Abortus Bv5 and Strain 19 in Water Buffaloes (Bubalus Bubalis) in Northeast Argentina Martinez, Diana; Thompson, Carolina; Russo, Ana Maria; Jacobo, Roberto; Torioni de Echaide, Susana Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) populations are spread across northern Argentina, and they share their habitat with bovines. Both species are susceptible to brucellosis, and they are under a National Plan of Control and Eradication. To characterize the Brucella spp. that infects buffaloes, the blood of 35 animals that tested positive to brucellosis by a complement fixation test was collected. DNA was obtained and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction using different molecular markers. The genera, species, and biovars of Brucella were established by analyzing specific regions of the genes omp31, eri, alkB, and omp2ab. Brucella spp. was identified in 15 of 35 tested buffaloes. The product of the omp31 gene identified the genera. The detection of two fragments of 297 bp and/or 1000 bp from the eri gene confirmed the presence of B. abortus S19 and wild-type B. abortus. The amplification of the alkB gene allowed the identification of B. abortus biovars characterized by fragments of 498 bp (bv1, bv2, or bv4). The simultaneous amplification of 498 bp (alkB) and 1000 bp (eri) products suggested the presence of B. abortus bv1, which is highly prevalent in the cattle of Argentina. Fragments of 827 bp and 857 bp were amplified from the omp2ab gene, and their sequences showed 100% identity with B. melitensis and B. abortus bv5 (GenBank). However, the 721 bp product (alkB) specific for B. melitensis could not be amplified. This is the first report indicating the presence of B. abortus bv5 in Latin America.

El mito de la viajera en la poesía de Alejandra Pizarnik Calafell Sala, Núria En una poética en la que se anuncia la pérdida del sujeto como representación del yo y la problemática de un lenguaje no constitutivo, el motivo de la viajera se convierte en un símbolo a través del cual expresar el proceso de abandono que la voz poética sufrirá con respecto a sí misma y a su entorno. Esto explicaría las múltiples formas de enmascaramiento con las que Alejandra Pizarnik juega a enmascarar al sujeto de una parte importante de sus poesías: desde la figura de la exiliada, aquella que se sabe expulsada de su propio ser y del mundo aparentemente real, hasta la que inicia un peregrinaje por dos espacios que la sitúan en un ?entre?, todas estas formas se constituyen no sólo en máscaras del yo sino también en significantes con un significado propio.; In a poetic in which is announced the lost of the subject as a representation of the self and the problems of a language that is not constitutive, the topic of the traveller becomes one of the most important symbols to express the process of abandonment that the poetic voice will experience with itself and with the others. That would explain many of the masks that Alejandra Pizarnik uses to mask the subject: from the figure of the exiled, that one who knows herself expelled of her own being and of the real world; until that one that initiates a pilgrimage by two spaces that situate her in a “between”, all of them become not only a mask for the self, but also a significant with a subsequent meaning.

A lipid-mediated conformational switch modulates the thermosensing activity of DesK Inda, María Eugenia; Vandenbranden, Michel; Fernandez, Ariel; de Mendoza, Diego; Ruysschaert, Jean Marie; Cybulski, Larisa Estefania The thermosensor DesK is a multipass transmembrane histidine-kinase that allows the bacterium Bacillus subtilis to adjust the levels of unsaturated fatty acids required to optimize membrane lipid fluidity. The cytoplasmic catalytic domain of DesK behaves like a kinase at low temperature and like a phosphatase at high temperature. Temperature sensing involves a built-in instability caused by a group of hydrophilic residues located near the N terminus of the first transmembrane (TM) segment. These residues are buried in the lipid phase at low temperature and partially “buoy” to the aqueous phase at higher temperature with the thinning of the membrane, promoting the required conformational change. Nevertheless, the core question remains poorly understood: How is the information sensed by the transmembrane region converted into a rearrangement in the cytoplasmic catalytic domain to control DesK activity? Here, we identify a “linker region” (KSRKERERLEEK) that connects the TM sensor domain with the cytoplasmic catalytic domain involved in signal transmission. The linker adopts two conformational states in response to temperature-dependent membrane thickness changes: (i) random coiled and bound to the phospholipid head groups at the water-membrane interface, promoting the phosphatase state or (ii) unbound and forming a continuous helix spanning a region from the membrane to the cytoplasm, promoting the kinase state. Our results uphold the view that the linker is endowed with a helix/random coil conformational duality that enables it to behave like a transmission switch, with helix disruption decreasing the kinase/phosphatase activity ratio, as required to modulate the DesK output response.

Source limitations due to leaf rust (Puccinia Triticina) during grain filling period in wheat Serrago, Roman Augusto; Miralles, Daniel Julio Late foliar diseases (especially leaf rust) reduce assimilate supply during post-anthesis, determining fewer assimilates per grain and thereby inducing grain weight reductions. Although the assimilate reduction hypothesis is the most accepted to explain decreases in grain weight due to late foliar diseases, it has not been clearly established whether those reductions could be completely ascribed to source limitations or whether diminished grain weight could be the consequence of reductions in grain weight potential. The objective of this work was to determine whether grain weight reductions due to leaf rust during grain filling could be associated with source?sink limitations. Two experiments (during 2007 and 2008 growing seasons) including healthy and diseased wheat crops were conducted under field conditions. Source?sink manipulation treatments and grain water content measurements were made to test the source- and sink- limitation hypotheses due to the appearance of late foliar diseases during grain filling. Leaf rust was induced to appear exclusively during grain filling, and in both years, it reduced grain yield and grain weight in both experiments. However, except for distal grains, there were no significant differences between healthy and diseased plots in maximum grain water content, indicating that late foliar diseases did not affect the potential size of the grains. The reserves stored in stems were remobilised to the growing grains in both healthy and diseased crops. However, the reserves remaining at physiological maturity were significantly reduced in diseased crops. Reduction in grain number by trimming the spikes increased the grain weight in diseased but not in healthy crops. Grain weight of trimmed spikes in diseased crops reached similar values to those of healthy crops. These results support the hypothesis that foliar diseases could cause source limitation for grain filling beyond differences in grain weight potential when the crops are severely affected by late foliar diseases such as leaf rust.