Author: Ping Wang

RNA interference in Lepidoptera: an overview of successful and unsuccessful studies and implications for experimental design.

International audience; Gene silencing through RNA interference (RNAi) has revolutionized the study of gene function, particularly in non-model insects. However, in Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) RNAi has many times proven to be difficult to achieve. Most of the negative results have been anecdotal and the positive experiments have not been collected in such a way that they are possible to analyze. In this review, we have collected detailed data from more than 150 experiments including all to date published and many unpublished experiments. Despite a large variation in the data, trends that are found are that RNAi is particularly successful in the family Saturniidae and in genes involv…

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Characteristic Excitation Wavelength Dependence of Fluorescence Emissions in Carbon "quantum" Dots

Carbon "quantum" dots (CDots), generally defined as small carbon nanoparticles with various surface passivation schemes, have emerged to represent a rapidly advancing and expanding research field. CDots are known for their bright and colorful fluorescence emissions, where the colorfulness is associated with the emissions being excitation wavelength dependent. In this work, CDots with 2,2′-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine) (EDA) for surface functionalization were studied systematically by using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence methods. The observed fluorescence quantum yields are strongly excitation wavelength dependent, and the dependence apparently tracks closely the observed absor…

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Analysis of cross-resistance to Vip3 proteins in eight insect colonies, from four insect species, selected for resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal proteins

Abstract Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3 proteins are synthesized and secreted during the vegetative growth phase. They are activated by gut proteases, recognize and bind to midgut receptors, form pores and lyse cells. We tested the susceptibility to Vip3Aa and Vip3Ca of Cry1A-, Cry2A-, Dipel- and Vip3-resistant insect colonies from different species to determine whether resistance to other insecticidal proteins confers cross-resistance to Vip3 proteins. As expected, the colonies resistant to Cry1A proteins, Dipel (Helicoverpa armigera, Trichoplusia ni, Ostrinia furnacalis and Plodia interpunctella) or Cry2Ab (H. armigera and T. ni) were not cross-resistant to Vip3 proteins. In contrast, H. arm…

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A new journal on the legume research horizon - Legume Perspectives; Legume Perspectives Editorial Board

International audience; Through the decades of research on various legume species and crops worldwide, its results have been published in an endless number of national and international journals and magazines dealing with various topics. It is certain that the articles on genetics, propelled by Mendel’s pioneering work, are among the most numerous, but it is also true that those on agronomy, agro-ecology, or stress tolerance were produced rather abundantly. So far, there has not been a journal devoted specifically to legume science, except Legume Research published by the Agricultural Research Communication Centre, India. We have published our articles in several crop-specific journals, suc…

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Spin Crossover in a Series of Non-Hofmann-Type Fe(II) Coordination Polymers Based on [Hg(SeCN)3]− or [Hg(SeCN)4]2– Building Blocks

Self-assembly of [Hg(SeCN)4]2- tetrahedral building blocks, iron(II) ions, and a series of bis-monodentate pyridyl-type bridging ligands has afforded the new heterobimetallic HgII-FeII coordination polymers {Fe[Hg(SeCN)3]2(4,4'-bipy)2}n (1), {Fe[Hg(SeCN)4](tvp)}n (2), {Fe[Hg(SeCN)3]2(4,4'-azpy)2}n (3), {Fe[Hg(SeCN)4](4,4'-azpy)(MeOH)}n (4), {Fe[Hg(SeCN)4](3,3'-bipy)}n (5) and {Fe[Hg(SeCN)4](3,3'-azpy)}n (6) (4,4-bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine, tvp = trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene, 4,4'-azpy = 4,4'-azobispyridine, 3,3-bipy = 3,3'-bipyridine, 3,3'-azpy = 3,3'-azobispyridine). Single-crystal X-ray analyses show that compounds 1 and 3 display a two-dimensional robust sheet structure made up of infini…

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Mechanism of Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Toxin Cry1Ac in a Greenhouse Population of the Cabbage Looper, Trichoplusia ni

ABSTRACT The cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni , is one of only two insect species that have evolved resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis in agricultural situations. The trait of resistance to B. thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ac from a greenhouse-evolved resistant population of T. ni was introgressed into a highly inbred susceptible laboratory strain. The resulting introgression strain, GLEN-Cry1Ac-BCS, and its nearly isogenic susceptible strain were subjected to comparative genetic and biochemical studies to determine the mechanism of resistance. Results showed that midgut proteases, hemolymph melanization activity, and midgut esterase were not altered in the GLEN-Cry1Ac-BCS strain. The pattern of…

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Quest for precision in hadronic cross sections at low energy: Monte Carlo tools vs. experimental data

We present the achievements of the last years of the experimental and theoretical groups working on hadronic cross section measurements at the low-energy e (+) e (-) colliders in Beijing, Frascati, Ithaca, Novosibirsk, Stanford and Tsukuba and on tau decays. We sketch the prospects in these fields for the years to come. We emphasise the status and the precision of the Monte Carlo generators used to analyse the hadronic cross section measurements obtained as well with energy scans as with radiative return, to determine luminosities and tau decays. The radiative corrections fully or approximately implemented in the various codes and the contribution of the vacuum polarisation are discussed.

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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition) 1

Contains fulltext : 232759.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to…

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Autophagy

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide…

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