Search results for "ops"
showing 10 items of 5435 documents
Patterns of morphological variation in two sexually dimorphic bird species with different tail shapes
2007
Many studies have focused on tail ornamentation in birds, but not all tail shapes have been studied in depth. Graduated and pin tails have received less attention than forked tails, despite being more likely, in terms of aerodynamic theory, to be honest signals. We report morphological variation in live specimens of two sexually dimorphic passerines from the same site with different tail shapes: graduated (Cape sugarbird Promerops cafer ) and pin (orangebreasted sunbird Antobaphes violacea ). Coefficients of variation (CVs) were calculated for all morphological traits, both non-ornamental (range 1.91–5.72) and ornamental (range 5.83–21.71). Males and females did not differ in CV for any non…
Response Mechanisms of Invertebrates to Bacillus thuringiensis and Its Pesticidal Proteins
2021
SUMMARY Extensive use of chemical insecticides adversely affects both environment and human health. One of the most popular biological pest control alternatives is bioinsecticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis. This entomopathogenic bacterium produces different protein types which are toxic to several insect, mite, and nematode species. Currently, insecticidal proteins belonging to the Cry and Vip3 groups are widely used to control insect pests both in formulated sprays and in transgenic crops. However, the benefits of B. thuringiensis-based products are threatened by insect resistance evolution. Numerous studies have highlighted that mutations in genes coding for surrogate receptors are …
Deficiency in the Phosphorylated Pathway of Serine Biosynthesis Perturbs Sulfur Assimilation.
2018
Although the plant Phosphorylated Pathway of l-Ser Biosynthesis (PPSB) is essential for embryo and pollen development, and for root growth, its metabolic implications have not been fully investigated. A transcriptomics analysis of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PPSB-deficient mutants at night, when PPSB activity is thought to be more important, suggested interaction with the sulfate assimilation process. Because sulfate assimilation occurs mainly in the light, we also investigated it in PPSB-deficient lines in the day. Key genes in the sulfate starvation response, such as the adenosine 5′phosphosulfate reductase genes, along with sulfate transporters, especially those involved in sulfat…
Activation of the plant plasma membrane H+ -ATPase. Is there a direct interaction between lysophosphatidylcholine and the C-terminal part of the enzy…
1996
The antagonistic effects of the fungal toxin beticolin-1 and of L-alpha-lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) were investigated on the plasma membrane H+-ATPase of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana (isoform 2) expressed in yeast, using both wild-type enzyme (AHA2) and C-terminal truncated enzyme (aha2delta92). Phosphohydrolytic activities of both enzymes were inhibited by beticolin-1, with very similar 50% inhibitory concentrations, indicating that the toxin action does not involve the C-terminal located autoinhibitory domain of the proton pump. Egg lysoPC, a compound that activates the H+-ATPase by a mechanism involving the C-terminal part of the protein, was found to be able to reverse the inhibi…
The interplay of landscape composition and configuration: new pathways to manage functional biodiversity and agroecosystem services across Europe
2019
Managing agricultural landscapes to support biodiversity and ecosystem services is a key aim of a sustainable agriculture. However, how the spatial arrangement of crop fields and other habitats in landscapes impacts arthropods and their functions is poorly known. Synthesising data from 49 studies (1515 landscapes) across Europe, we examined effects of landscape composition (% habitats) and configuration (edge density) on arthropods in fields and their margins, pest control, pollination and yields. Configuration effects interacted with the proportions of crop and non-crop habitats, and species’ dietary, dispersal and overwintering traits led to contrasting responses to landscape variables. O…
Pulsed electric field and pH assisted selective extraction of intracellular components from microalgae Nannochloropsis
2015
Abstract The study was aimed at investigation of the potential of pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment as a preliminary step of pH-assisted aqueous extraction of algae components from microalgae Nannochloropsis suspensions. The PEF and sonication (S) were compared as pretreatment methods. They were applied at normal (pH = 8.5) and basic (pH = 11) conditions, and supplementary basic extraction (at pH = 11) was done. The extracts were analyzed for content of pigments, proteins, carbohydrates, total phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. The colloidal stability of PEF- and S-pretreated suspensions was also evaluated. The data evidence that PEF technique allows selective extraction o…
Involvement of the glutamate receptor AtGLR3.3 in plant defense signaling and resistance toHyaloperonospora arabidopsidis
2013
Like their animal counterparts, plant glutamate receptor-like (GLR) homologs are intimately associated with Ca(2+) influx through plasma membrane and participate in various physiological processes. In pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP)-/elicitor-mediated resistance, Ca(2+) fluxes are necessary for activating downstream signaling events related to plant defense. In this study, oligogalacturonides (OGs), which are endogenous elicitors derived from cell wall degradation, were used to investigate the role of Arabidopsis GLRs in defense signaling. Pharmacological investigations indicated that GLRs are partly involved in free cytosolic [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)]cyt) variations, nitric oxide (N…
The invasive Asparagopsis taxiformis hosts a low diverse and less trophic structured molluscan assemblage compared with the native Ericaria brachycar…
2021
Abstract Invasive seaweeds threaten biodiversity and socio-economics values of worldwide marine ecosystems. Understanding to what extent invasive seaweeds can modify local biodiversity is one of the main priorities in conservation ecology. We compared the molluscan assemblage of the invasive Asparagopsis taxiformis with that of the native Ericaria brachycarpa and explore if variation in the molluscan assemblage diversity was related to the substrate attributes (biomass, and thallus, canopy, and interstitial volumes) of the algae. Results showed that A. taxiformis harboured lower diversity and trophic structure of the molluscan assemblage compared to E. brachycarpa. Biomass was the variable …
Pulsed electric field assisted extraction of nutritionally valuable compounds from microalgae Nannochloropsis spp. using the binary mixture of organi…
2015
Abstract This work studies the potential of the pulsed electric field (PEF) assisted extraction of nutritionally valuable compounds from microalgae Nannochloropsis spp. using the binary mixture of organic solvents (dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO and ethanol, EtOH) and water. The one-stage (E I ) and two stage (E II ) extraction procedures were compared. The procedure E I included the common extraction using the binary mixtures. Two stage (E II ) extraction procedure involved PEF-treatment (20 kV/cm) of microalgae suspension (1% wt.) and extraction in water as the first step. The second step included the common extraction using the binary mixtures. The effects of extraction procedure and concentra…
New national and regional bryophyte records, 61
2019
New record of phytogeographical interest, at national or regional scale, for 47 bryophytes taxa are reported. New sites are located in 23 different geographical areas of . In particular, for each taxon, data on taxonomy, ecological as well as phytogeographical features are specified