A carbon isotope challenge to the snowball Earth

The snowball Earth hypothesis postulates that the planet was entirely covered by ice for millions of years in the Neoproterozoic era, in a self-enhanced glaciation caused by the high albedo of the ice-covered planet. In a hard-snowball picture, the subsequent rapid unfreezing resulted from an ultra-greenhouse event attributed to the buildup of volcanic carbon dioxide (CO(2)) during glaciation(1). High partial pressures of atmospheric CO(2) (p(CO2); from 20,000 to 90,000 p. p. m. v.) in the aftermath of the Marinoan glaciation (similar to 635 Myr ago) have been inferred from both boron and triple oxygen isotopes(2,3). These p(CO2) values are 50 to 225 times higher than present-day levels. Here, we re-evaluate these estimates using paired carbon isotopic data for carbonate layers that cap Neoproterozoic glacial deposits and are considered to record post-glacial sea level rise(1). The new data reported here for Brazilian cap carbonates, together with previous ones for time-equivalent units(4-8), provide p(CO2) estimates lower than 3,200 p. p. m. v.-and possibly as low as the current value of similar to 400 p. p. m. v. Our new constraint, and our reinterpretation of the boron and triple oxygen isotope data, provide a completely different picture of the late Neoproterozoic environment, with low atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen that are inconsistent with a hard-snowball Earth.

Anatomical and biochemical changes in the composition of developing seed coats of annatto (Bixa orellana L.)

Seeds of Bixa orellana (L.) have a sclerified palisade cell layer, which constitutes a natural barrier to water uptake. In fact, newly fully developed B. orellana seeds are highly impermeable to water and thereby dormant. The purpose of this work is to investigate, from a developmental point of view, the histochemical and physical changes in the cell walls of the seed coat that are associated with the water impermeability. Seed coat samples were analyzed by histochemical and polarization microscopy techniques, as well as by fractionation/HPAEC-PAD. For histochemical analysis the tissue samples were fixed, dehydrated, embedded in paraffin and the slides were dewaxed and tested with appropriate stains for different cell wall components. Throughout the development of B. orellana seeds, there was a gradual thickening of the seed coat at the palisade region. This thickening was due to the deposition of cellulose and hemicelluloses in the palisade layer cell walls, which resulted in a highly water impermeable seed coat. The carbohydrate composition of the cell walls changed dramatically at the late developmental stages due to the intense deposition of hemicelluloses. Hemicelluloses were mainly deposited in the outer region of the palisade layer cell walls and altered the birefringent pattern of the walls. Xylans were by far the most abundant hemicellulosic component of the cell walls. Deposition of cellulose and hemicelluloses, especially xylans, could be responsible for the impermeability to water observed in fully developed B. orellana seeds.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibition downregulates Na(+)-H(+) exchanger NHE3 in rat renal proximal tubule

In the microvillar microdomain of the kidney brush border, sodium hydrogen exchanger type 3 (NHE3) exists in physical complexes with the serine protease dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV). The purpose of this study was to explore the functional relationship between NHE3 and DPPIV in the intact proximal tubule in vivo. To this end, male Wistar rats were treated with an injection of the reversible DPPIV inhibitor Lys [Z(NO(2))]-pyrrolidide (I40; 60 mg center dot kg(-1)center dot day(-1) ip) for 7 days. Rats injected with equal amounts of the noninhibitory compound Lys[ Z(NO(2))]-OH served as controls. Na(+) -H(+) exchange activity in isolated microvillar membrane vesicles was 45 +/- 5% decreased in rats treated with I40. Membrane fractionation studies using isopycnic centrifugation revealed that I40 provoked redistribution of NHE3 along with a small fraction of DPPIV from the apical enriched microvillar membranes to the intermicrovillar microdomain of the brush border. I40 significantly increased urine output ( 67 +/- 9%; P < 0.01), fractional sodium excretion ( 63 +/- 7%; P < 0.01), as well as lithium clearance ( 81 +/- 9%; P < 0.01), an index of end-proximal tubule delivery. Although not significant, a tendency toward decreased blood pressure and plasma pH/HCO(3)(-) was noted in I40-treated rats. These findings indicate that inhibition of DPPIV catalytic activity is associated with inhibition of NHE3-mediated NaHCO(3) reabsorption in rat renal proximal tubule. Inhibition of apical Na(+) -H(+) exchange is due to reduced abundance of NHE3 protein in the microvillar microdomain of the kidney brush border. Moreover, this study demonstrates a physiologically significant interaction between NHE3 and DPPIV in the intact proximal tubule in vivo.

Functional Characterization of LcpA, a Surface-Exposed Protein of Leptospira spp. That Binds the Human Complement Regulator C4BP

We have previously shown that pathogenic leptospiral strains are able to bind C4b binding protein (C4BP). Surface-bound C4BP retains its cofactor activity, indicating that acquisition of this complement regulator may contribute to leptospiral serum resistance. In the present study, the abilities of seven recombinant putative leptospiral outer membrane proteins to interact with C4BP were evaluated. The protein encoded by LIC11947 interacted with this human complement regulator in a dose-dependent manner. The cofactor activity of C4BP bound to immobilized recombinant LIC11947 (rLIC11947) was confirmed by detecting factor I-mediated cleavage of C4b. rLIC11947 was therefore named LcpA (for leptospiral complement regulator-acquiring protein A). LcpA was shown to be an outer membrane protein by using immunoelectron microscopy, cell surface proteolysis, and Triton X-114 fractionation. The gene coding for LcpA is conserved among pathogenic leptospiral strains. This is the first characterization of a Leptospira surface protein that binds to the human complement regulator C4BP in a manner that allows this important regulator to control complement system activation mediated either by the classical pathway or by the lectin pathway. This newly identified protein may play a role in immune evasion by Leptospira spp. and may therefore represent a target for the development of a human vaccine against leptospirosis.

Vitellin-binding proteins in the nematode Oscheius tipulae (Nematoda, Rhabditida)

We describe the first application of a non-radioactive ligand-blotting technique to the characterization of proteins interacting with nematode vitellins. Chromatographically purified vitellins from the free-living nematode Oscheius tipulae were labeled with fluorescein in vitro. Ligand-blotting assays with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-fluorescein antibodies showed that labeled vitellins reacted specifically with a polypeptide of approximately 100 kDa, which we named P100. This polypeptide is a specific worm`s vitellin-binding protein that is present only in adult worms. Blots containing purified O. tipulae vitellin preparations showed no detectable signal in the 100 kDa region, ruling out any possibility of yolk polypeptides self-assembling under the conditions used in our assay. Experiments done in the presence of alpha-methyl mannoside ruled out the possibility of vitellins binding to P100 through mannose residues. Triton X-114 fractionation of whole worm extracts showed that P100 is either a membrane protein or has highly hydrophobic regions. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

EPR, FT-IR and XRD investigation of soils from Parana, Brazil

Samples of Araucaria area soil from Parana state, Brazil, were separated by particle size fractionation and investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in X-Band of 9.5 GHz at room temperature and 77K, infra-red spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The paramagnetic species in the soil samples were identified by comparison with EPR spectra of some minerals studied recently by our group, several soil types and/or soil components investigated in the literature. The value of g = 2.1 (Delta H = 85 mT) indicated the presence of ferrihydrite. Hematite was identified by g = 2.1 (Delta H = 100 mT) and g = 4.3 for Fe(3+) lines of the concentrated dominium and diluted dominium. Kaolinite was identified by IR and EPR with the resonance at g = 4.3 attributed to Fe(3+) ions in isolated sites of tetrahedral and octahedral symmetry with rhombic distortion. The resonances at g = 3.7 and g = 4.9 were attributed to Fe(3+) in more highly symmetrical environment than rhombic symmetry, but not in axial symmetry. Three signals around g = 2 were attributed to radiation defects, plus additional resonances at g = 2.8 and 9.0. Signals less intense than those at g = 2.1, 3.7, and 6.5, observed for clear grains of soil, were attributed to presence of Fe(3+) in quartz which was identified by IR and XDR. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SBTX, a new toxic protein distinct from soyatoxin and other toxic soybean [Glycine max] proteins, and its inhibitory effect on Cercospora sojina growth

SBTX, a novel toxin from soybean, was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by chromatographic steps DEAE-Cellulose, CM-Sepharose and Superdex 200 HR fast-protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). Lethality of SBTX to mice (LD50 5.6 mg/kg) was used as parameter in the purification steps. SBTX is a 44-kDa basic glycoprotein composed of two polypeptide chains (27 and 17 kDa) linked by a disulfide bond. The N-terminal sequences of the 44 and 27 kDa chains were identical (ADPTFGFTPLGLSEKANLQIMKAYD), differing from that of 17 kDa (PNPKVFFDMTIGGQSAGRIVMEEYA). SBTX contains high levels of Glx, Ala, Asx, Gly and Lys and showed maximum absorption at 280 nm, epsilon(1 cm) (1%) of 6.3, and fluorescence emission in the 290-450nm range upon excitation at 280nm. The secondary structure content was 35% alpha-helix, 13% beta-strand and beta-sheet, 27% beta-turn, 25% unordered, and 1% aromatic residues. Immunological assays showed that SBTX was related to other toxic proteins, such as soyatoxin and canatoxin, and cross-reacted weekly with soybean trypsin inhibitor and agglutinin, but it was devoid of protease-inhibitory and hemagglutinating activities. The inhibitory effect of SBTX on growth of Cercospora sojina, fungus causing frogeye leaf spot in soybeans, was observed at 50 mu g/ml, concentration 112 times lesser than that found to be lethal to mice. This effect on phytopathogenic fungus is a potential attribute for the development of transgenic plants with enhanced resistance to pathogens. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of petrogenetic models for intermediate and silicic plutonic rocks from the Sierra de Valle Fertil-La Huerta, Argentina: Petrologic constraints on the origin of igneous rocks in the Ordovician Famatinian-Puna paleoarc

The whole Valle Fertil-La Huerta section appears as a calc-alkaline plutonic suite typical of a destructive plate margin. New Sr and Nd isotopic whole-rock data and published whole-rock geochemistry suggest that the less-evolved intermediate (dioritic) rocks can be derived by magmatic differentiation, mainly by hornblende + plagioclase +/- Fe-Ti oxide fractional crystallization, from mafic (gabbroic) igneous precursors. Closed-system differentiation, however, cannot produce the typical intermediate (tonalitic) and silicic (granodioritic) plutonic rocks, which requires a preponderant contribution of crustal components. Intermediate and silicic plutonic rocks from Valle Fertil-La Huerta section have formed in a plate subduction setting where the thermal and material input of mantle-derived magmas promoted fusion of fertile metasedimentary rocks and favored mixing of gabbroic or dioritic magmas with crustal granitic melts. Magma mixing is observable in the field and evident in variations of chemical elemental parameters and isotopic ratios, revealing that hybridization coupled with fractionation of magmas took place in the crust. Consideration of the whole-rock geochemical and isotopic data in the context of the Famatinian-Puna magmatic belt as a whole demonstrates that the petrologic model postulated for the Sierra Valle Fertil-La Huerta section has the potential to explain the generation of plutonic and volcanic rocks across the Early Ordovician paleoarc from central and northwestern Argentina. As the petrologic model does not require the intervention of old Precambrian continental crust, the nature of the basement on which thick accretionary turbiditic sequences were deposited remains a puzzling aspect. Discussion in this paper provides insights into the nature of magmatic source rocks and mechanisms of magma generation in Cordilleran-type volcano-plutonic arcs of destructive plate margins. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Major- and trace-element composition of olivine, perovskite, clinopyroxene, Cr-Fe-Ti oxides, phlogopite and host kamafugites and kimberlites, Alto Paranaiba, Brazil

An integrated whole-rock petrographic and geochemical study has been carried out on kamafugites and kimberlites of the Late Cretaceous Alto Paranaiba igneous province, in Brazil, and their main minerals, olivine, clinopyroxene, perovskite, phlogopite, spinels and ilmenite. Perovskite is by far the dominant repository for light lanthanides, Nb, Ta, Th and U, and occasionally other elements, reaching concentrations up to 3.4 x 10(4) chondrite values for light lanthanides and 105 chondrite for Th. A very strong fractionation between light and heavy lanthanides (chondrite-normalized La/Yb from similar to 175 to similar to 2000) is also observed. This is likely the first comprehensive dataset on natural perovskite. Clinopyroxene has variable trace-element contents. likely due to the different position of this phase in the crystallization sequence; Sc reaches values as high as 200 ppm whereas the lanthanides show very variable enrichment in light over heavy REE, and commonly show a negative Eu anomaly. The olivine, phlogopite (and tetra-ferriphlogopite), Cr-Ti oxide and ilmenite are substantially barren minerals for lanthanides and most other trace elements, with the exception of Ba, Cs and Rb in mica, and V, Nb and Ta in ilmenite. Estimated mineral/whole-rock partition coefficients for lanthanides in perovskite are similar to previous determinations, though much higher than those calculated in experiments with synthetic compositions, testifying once more to the complex behavior of these elements in a natural environment. The enormous potential for exploitation of lanthanides, Th, U and high-field-strength elements in the Brazilian kamafugites, kimberlites and related rocks is clearly shown.

Boron isotope composition of tourmalinite and vein tourmalines associated with gold mineralization, Serra do Itaberaba Group, central Ribeira Belt, SE Brazil

Important concentrations of tourmaline occur as gold-bearing stratiform tourmalinites and in mineralized quartz-tourmaline veins at the Tapera Grande and Quartzito gold prospects in the Mesoproterozoic Serra do Itaberaba Group, central Ribeira Belt (Sao Paulo State, SE Brazil). The main rock types in both prospects constitute the volcanic-sedimentary Morro da Pedra Preta Formation, which formed in a submarine back-arc setting. At Tapera Grande, the volcanic-sedimentary sequence is composed of metabasic and metavolcaniclastic rocks, graphitic and sulfur-rich metapelites, banded iron formation, metandesite, metarhyolite, calcsilicates, tourmalinites and metahydrothermalites derived from mafic and felsic rocks. The Mesoproterozoic rocks at Quartzito prospect are lithologically similar but they have been affected by Neoproterozoic faulting and shearing and by the emplacement of granitic rocks, resulting in the formation of tourmaline-rich quartz-carbonate veins with gold and base metal mineralization. We conducted a chemical and B-isotope study of tourmalines in order to better understand the origin of the stratiform tourmalinites in the Morro da Pedra Preta Formation and their relationship with gold mineralization. The overall range of delta(11)B values obtained for the tourmalinite and vein tourmalines is between - 15%. and -5 parts per thousand, with the tourmalinites failing at the low end of this range (-15 to -8 parts per thousand). Such values are typical for continental crust and inconsistent with a primary marine boron signature as expected from the submarine-exhalative model for the gold prospects. We conclude from this that tourmaline formed or recrystallized from crustal fluids related to the amphibolite-grade metamorphism which affected the Serra do Itaberaba Group and that gold deposition occurred syn- to post-peak metamorphism by phase immiscibility, as attested by fluid inclusions in Tapera Grande tourmalinite tourmaline and quartz. The vein-hosted tourmalines at Quartzito have isotopically variable boron signatures, with heavier delta(11)B values of -5 parts per thousand to -8 parts per thousand for acicular green tourmalines and lighter values (-15 parts per thousand to -7 parts per thousand for light blue, Ti-firee tourmaline from quartz-carbonate veins). We attribute the heavier boron to fluids derived from the volcano-sedimentary rocks of marine affinity whereas the lighter boron was contributed by crustal fluids related to the granitoids or metasediments in the continental crust. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alkaline magmatism in the Amambay area, NE Paraguay: The Cerro Sarambi complex

The Early Cretaceous alkaline magmatism in the northeastern region of Paraguay (Amambay Province) is represented by stocks, plugs, dikes, and dike swarms emplaced into Carboniferous to Triassic-Jurassic sediments and Precambrian rocks. This magmatism is tectonically related to the Ponta Pora Arch, a NE-trending structural feature, and has the Cerro Sarambi and Cerro Chiriguelo carbonatite complexes as its most significant expressions. Other alkaline occurrences found in the area are the Cerro Guazu and the small bodies of Cerro Apua, Arroyo Gasory, Cerro Jhu, Cerro Tayay, and Cerro Teyu. The alkaline rocks comprise ultramafic-mafic, syenitic, and carbonatitic petrographic associations in addition to lithologies of variable composition and texture occurring as dikes; fenites are described in both carbonatite complexes. Alkali feldspar and clinopyroxene, ranging from diopside to aegirine, are the most abundant minerals, with feldspathoids (nepheline, analcime), biotite, and subordinate Ti-rich garnet; minor constituents are Fe-Ti oxides and cancrinite as the main alteration product from nepheline. Chemically, the Amambay silicate rocks are potassic to highly potassic and have miaskitic affinity, with the non-cumulate intrusive types concentrated mainly in the saturated to undersaturated areas in silica syenitic fields. Fine-grained rocks are also of syenitic affiliation or represent more mafic varieties. The carbonatitic rocks consist dominantly of calciocarbonatites. Variation diagrams plotting major and trace elements vs. SiO(2) concentration for the Cerro Sarambi rocks show positive correlations for Al(2)O(3), K(2)O, and Rb, and negative ones for TiO(2), MgO, Fe(2)O(3), CaO, P(2)O(5), and Sr, indicating that fractional crystallization played an important role in the formation of the complex. Incompatible elements normalized to primitive mantle display positive spikes for Rb, La, Pb, Sr, and Sm, and negative for Nb-Ta, P, and Ti, as these negative anomalies are considerably more pronounced in the carbonatites. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns point to the high concentration of these elements and to the strong LRE/HRE fractionation. The Amambay rocks are highly enriched in radiogenic Sr and have T(DM) model ages that vary from 1.6 to 1.1 Ga. suggesting a mantle source enriched in incompatible elements by metasomatic events in Paleo-Mesoproterozoic times. Data are consistent with the derivation of the Cerro Sarambi rocks from a parental magma of lamprophyric (minette) composition and suggest an origin by liquid immiscibility processes for the carbonatites. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global perturbation of the marine Ca isotopic composition in the aftermath of the Marinoan global glaciation

Ca isotopic compositions of Marinoan post-glacial carbonate successions in Brazil and NW Canada were measured Both basal dolostones display delta(44/40)Ca values between 1 and 0 7 parts per thousand overlying limestones show a negative Ca isotope excursion to values around 0 1 parts per thousand and delta(44/40)Ca values rapidly increase up-section to near 2 0 parts per thousand In the Brazilian successions those high delta(44/40)Ca values rapidly decrease and stabilize to values between 0 6 and 0 9 parts per thousand These Ca isotope secular variation trends are unlike those of Sturtian post-glacial carbonate successions but similar to those of Marinoan post-glacial carbonate successions in Namibia suggesting that the perturbation of the marine Ca cycle was global This recommends Ca isotope stratigraphy as a tool to correlate Neoproterozoic post-glacial carbonate successions worldwide While the lowermost and uppermost strata have delta(44/40)Ca values typical of Phanerozoic carbonates the extremes 0 1 and 2 0 parts per thousand have not been thus far reported for other marine carbonates These extreme values suggest a short-lived non-actualistic perturbation in the marine Ca cycle Simple box modelling of the Marinoan post-glacial marine Ca cycle can reproduce the extreme values only by postulating a two-step process with Ca input initially exceeding Ca removal trough carbonate precipitation followed by precipitation overtaking a decreased Ca Input (C) 2010 Elsevier B V All rights reserved

Prenylated benzoic acid derivatives from Piper aduncum L. and P. hostmannianum C. DC. (Piperaceae)

The bioactivity-guided fractionation of the crude extracts from leaves of Brazilian species Piper aduncum and Piper hostmannianum by means of bioautography using the fungi Cladosporium cladosporioides and C. sphaerospermum afforded prenylated methyl benzoate, chromenes, and dihydrobenzopyran derivatives as antifungal compounds. The isolation and structural elucidation of a new compound methyl 4-hydroxy-3-(2`-hydroperoxy-3`-methyl-3`-butenyl) benzoate were performed by application of chromatographic techniques and spectroscopic analyses. (C) 2009 Phytochemical Society of Europe. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In vitro Trypanocidal Activity of Phenolic Derivatives from Peperomia obtusifolia

The trypanocidal activity of crude extracts and fractions from the leaves and stems of Peperomia obtusifolia (Piperaceae) was evaluated in vitro against the epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the most active extracts afforded seven known compounds, including three chromanes, two furofuran lignans and two flavone C-diglycosides. The most active compounds were the chromanes peperobtusin A and 3,4-dihydro-5-hydroxy-2,7-dimethyl-8-(2 ``-methyl-2 ``-butenyl)-2-(4`-methyl-1`,3`-pentadienyl)-2H-1-benzopyran-6-carboxylic acid, with IC(50) values of 3.1 mu M (almost three times more active than the positive control benznidazole, IC(50) 10.4 mu M) and 27.0 mu M, respectively. Cytotoxicity assays using peritoneal murine macrophages indicated that the chromanes were not toxic at the level of the IC(50) for trypanocidal activity. This is the first report on the trypanocidal activity besides unspecific cytotoxicity of chromanes from Peperomia species. Additionally it represents the first time isolation of 3,4-dihydro5-hydroxy-2,7-dimethyl-8-(2 ``-methyl-2 ``-butenyl)-2-(4`-methyl-1`,3`-pentadienyl)-2H-1-benzopyran-6-carboxylic acid from P. obtusifolia.

Dihydroisocoumarin from Xyris pterygoblephara active against dermatophyte fungi

The ethanol extract from Xyris pteygoblephara aerial parts was evaluated against five microorganism strains, by the microdilution and agar diffusion methods. Extract fractionation led to the isolation of three compounds, whose structures were assigned by spectrometric data (113 and 2D NMR, IR, MS and UV) as (3R,4R)-(-)-6-methoxy-3,4-dihydro-3-n-pentil-4-acethoxy-1H-2-benzopyran-1-one (1), moronic acid and quercetin. The absolute configuration of I was defined by circular dichroism spectroscopy and comparison with data reported for other dihydroisocoumarins. Assay of 1 (100 mu g/disc) by the agar diffusion method against clinical isolates of the dermatophytes Epidermophyton floccosum (inhibition zone, mm +/- s.d.: 4.5 +/- 0.8), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (4.8 +/- 0.4) and Trichophyton rubrum (10.2 +/- 0.8) revealed similar inhibition zones to the positive control amphotericin B (32 mu g/disc; 5.0 +/- 0.2; 5.0 +/- 0.6 and 8.8 +/- 1.2, respectively). The result corroborates the ethnomedical use of Xyris species to treat dermatitis. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.