Biochemical biomarkers in Oreochromis niloticus exposed to mixtures of benzo[a]pyrene and diazinon.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Biochemical biomarkers and metals in Perna perna mussels from mariculture zones of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Biochemical and proteomic effects in Procambarus clarkii after chlorpyrifos or carbaryl exposure under sublethal conditions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A new Coniacian-Santonian conchostracan genus from the Bauru Group, south-east Brazil: Taxonomy, palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology

Abundant conchostracans occur in Coniacian-Santonian dark grey, argillaceous, lacustrine sediments of the Sao Carlos Formation, Bauru Group, Parana Basin, in the central part of São Paulo State, south-east Brazil. They are ascribed to a new genus and species, Bauruestheria sancarlensis, included in the family Jilinestheriidae. The new taxon is similar to some Late Cretaceous species from China and Mongolia. It probably evolved from a Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous ancestral form (Migransia), which first lived in West Gondwana, and later dispersed to Europe and Asia, originating distinct parallel lineages with increasing ornamental complexity. The conchostracans probably lived in oxygenated marginal areas of a very calm, perennial lake with an anoxic bottom, and were transported in suspension to the depositional site by weak turbidity currents or storm-induced flows. Great concentrations of juvenile conchostracans in some thin layers can be related to mass mortality, episodes caused by convection and dispersion of anoxic water during storms. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TAXONOMY, ONTOGENY and PALEOECOLOGY of TWO SPECIES of HARBINIA TSAO, 1959 (CRUSTACEA, OSTRACODA) FROM THE SANTANA FORMATION, LOWER CRETACEOUS, NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Acerola: importance, culture conditions, production and biochemical aspects

Origin and importance. Acerola, or Malpighia emarginata D. C., is native to the Caribbean islands, Central America and the Amazonian region. More recently, it has been introduced in subtropical areas (Asia, India and South America). The vitamin C produced by acerola is better absorbed by the human organism than synthetic ascorbic acid. Exportation of acerola crops is a potential alternative source of income in agricultural businesses. In Brazil, the commercial farming of acerola is quite recent. Climatic conditions. Acerola is a rustic plant. It can resist temperatures close to 0 degrees C, but it is well adapted to temperatures around 26 degrees C with rainfall between (1200 and 1600) mm per year. Fruit characteristics. Acerola fruit is drupaceous, whose form can vary from round to conic. When ripe, it can be red, purple or yellow. The fruit weight varies between (3 and 16) g. Maturation. Acerola fruit presents fast metabolic activity and its maturation occurs rapidly. When commercialised in ambient conditions, it requires fast transportation or the use of refrigerated containers to retard its respiration and metabolism partially. Production and productivity. Flowering and fruiting are typically in cycles associated with rain. Usually, they take place in 25-day cycles, up to 8 times per year. The plant can be propagated by cuttings, grafting or seedlings. Harvest. Fruits produced for markets needs to be harvested at its optimal maturation stage. For distant markets, they need to be packed in boxes and piled up in low layers; transportation should be done in refrigerated trucks in relatively high humid conditions. Biochemical constituents. Acerola is the most important natural source of vitamin C [(1000 to 4500) mg.100(-1) g of pulp], but it is also rich in pectin and pectolytic enzymes, carotenoids, plant fibre, vitamin B, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, proteins and mineral salts. It has also shown active anti-fungal properties. Products and market. Acerola is used in the production of juice, soft drinks, gums and liqueurs. The USA and Europe are great potential markets. In Europe, acerola extracts are used to enrich pear or apple juices. In the USA, they are used in the pharmaceutical industry. Conclusions. The demand for acerola has increased significantly in recent years because of the relevance of vitamin C in human health, coupled with the use of ascorbic acid as an antioxidant in food and feed. Acerola fruit contains other significant components, which are likely to lead to a further increase in its production and trade all over the world.

Leaf Structure and Taxonomy of Petunia and Calibrachoa (Solanaceae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Taxonomy of Ophiuroidea (Echinonermata) from the continental shelf and slope of the southern and southeastern Brazilian coast

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Genetic divergence among Psidium accessions based on biochemical and agronomic variables

Sessenta e nove acessos de Psidium, coletados em seis estados brasileiros, foram analisados para dois métodos não hierárquicos de agrupamento e por componentes principais (CP), visando orientar programas de melhoramento. Foram analisadas as variáveis ácido ascórbico, β-caroteno, licopeno, fenóis totais, flavonóides totais, atividade antioxidante, acidez titulável, sólidos solúveis, açúcares solúveis totais, teor de umidade, diâmetro lateral e transversal do fruto, peso da polpa e das sementes/fruto, número e produção de frutos/planta. Foram observados agrupamentos específicos para os acessos de araçazeiros no método de Tocher e do k-means e na dispersão tridimensional dos quatro CPs. Os acessos de araçazeiros foram separados dos de goiabeira. Não foi observado nenhum agrupamento específico por estado de coleta, indicando a inexistência de barreiras na propagação dos acessos de goiabeira. As análises sugerem a prospecção de maior número de amostras de germoplasma num menor número de regiões, bem como acessos divergentes com alto teor de compostos nutricionais.

Molecular phylogeny, morphology and their implications for the taxonomy of Eriocaulaceae

Eriocaulaceae é uma família pantropical com dez gêneros e cerca de 1.400 espécies, com centro de diversidade no Novo Mundo, especialmente no Brasil. A última revisão da família foi publicada há mais de 100 anos, e até recentemente, as relações genéricas e infra-genéricas ainda eram pouco resolvidas. Entretanto, tem havido nos últimos 30 anos, um grande esforço por parte de pesquisadores brasileiros para preencher as lacunas existentes, utilizando caracteres morfológicos e anatômicos, complementados por dados adicionais de diferentes fontes, como palinologia, química, embriologia, genética de populações, citologia e, mais recentemente, estudos de filogenia molecular. Tal conjunto de dados tem levado a uma re-avaliação do relacionamento filogenético dentro da familia. Neste trabalho são apresentados novos dados para as regiões de ITS e trnL-F, analisadas separadamente e em combinação, usando máxima parcimônia e inferência Bayesiana. Os dados obtidos confirmam resultados já publicados, e mostram que muitos caracteres tradicionalmente usados para diferenciação e circunscrição dos gêneros dentro da família são homoplásicos. Uma nova descrição e chave genérica para a família, utilizando caracteres de várias fontes são apresentadas, refletindo a taxonomia atual das Eriocaulaceae.

Identification of Mycobacteria by Thin Layer Chromatographic Analysis of Mycolic Acids and Conventional Biochemical Method: Four Years of Experience

Mycolic acids analysis by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) has been employed by several laboratories worldwide as a method for fast identification of mycobacteria. This method was introduced in Brazil by our laboratory in 1992 as a routine identification technique. Up to the present, 861 strains isolated were identified by mycolic acids TLC and by standard biochemical tests; 61% out of these strains came as clinical samples, 4% isolated from frogs and 35% as environmental samples. Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains identified by classical methods were confirmed by their mycolic acids contents (I, III and IV). The method allowed earlier differentiation of M. avium complex - MAC (mycolic acids I, IV and VI) from M. simiae (acids I, II and IV), both with similar biochemical properties. The method also permitted to distinguish M. fortuitum (acids I and V) from M. chelonae (acids I and II) , and to detect mixed mycobacterial infections cases as M. tuberculosis with MAC and M. fortuitum with MAC. Concluding, four years experience shows that mycolic acids TLC is an easy, reliable, fast and inexpensive method, an important tool to put together conventional mycobacteria identification methods.

Biochemical traits useful for the determination of genetic variation in a natural population of Myracrodruon urundeuva

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

MORPHOMETRIC AND BIOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF RAT PROSTATE AND SEMINAL-VESICLE FOLLOWING CHEMICAL SYMPATHECTOMY WITH GUANETHIDINE

Selective chemical sympathectomy of the internal genital organs of adult male rats was undertaken by chronic treatment with low doses of guanethidine. Biochemical and morphometric methods revealed that removal of sympathetic innervation prevents fructose secretion in the prostate and seminal vesicle, in addition to promoting reduced efficiency of delivery by the latter.

Amniocentesis and biochemical evaluation of amniotic fluid in ewes at 70, 100 and 145 days of pregnancy

The objectives of this study were to determine the technical viability of amniocentesis in sheep and to observe biochemical changes in the amniotic fluid components. Amniotic fluid samples were collected by puncture in the greatest curvature of the uterine hum at days 70, 100, and 145 of pregnancy. The surgical procedure for collection of amniotic fluid samples was safe and efficient. For three stages of pregnancy, the following results were obtained: pH values 8.36, 7.34 and 7.37; glucose concentrations, 16.06. 8.58, and 3.79 g/dl; urea values, 42.68, 33.53, and 25.49 mg/dl; creatinine, 0.85, 5.04, and 11.25 g/dl; Gama-GT enzyme, 12.58, 14.20, and 12.30 UI/l; sodium concentrations, 146.60, 129.42, and 103.8 mmol/l: potassium concentrations, 9.79, 6.15, and 8.65 mmol/l; chloride, 96.59, 85.28, and 65.35 mmol/l; total protein, 0.14, 0.23, and 0.24 g/dl, respectively. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Biochemical characterization of Neurospora crassa glycogenin (GNN), the self-glucosylating initiator of glycogen synthesis

Glycogenin acts in the initiation step of glycogen biosynthesis by catalyzing a self-glucosylation reaction. In a previous work [de Paula et al., Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 435 (2005) 112-124], we described the isolation of the cDNA gnn, which encodes the protein glycogenin (GNN) in Neurospora crassa. This work presents a set of biochemical and functional studies confirming the GNN role in glycogen biosynthesis. Kinetic experiments showed a very low GNN K-m (4.41 mu M) for the substrate UDP-glucose. Recombinant GNN was produced in Escherichia coli and analysis by mass spectroscopy identified a peptide containing an oligosaccharide chain attached to Tyr196 residue. Site-directed mutagenesis and functional complementation of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strain confirmed the participation of this residue in the GNN self-glucosylation and indicated the Tyr198 residue as an additional, although less active, glucosylation site. The physical interaction between GNN and glycogen synthase (GSN) was analyzed by the two-hybrid assay. While the entire GSN was required for full interaction, the C-terminus in GNN was more important. Furthermore, mutation in the GNN glucosylation sites did not impair the interaction with GSN. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.