Ophioluxin, a convulxin-like C-type lectin from Ophiophagus hannah (King cobra) is a powerful platelet activator via glycoprotein VI

Ophioluxin, a potent platelet agonist, was purified from the venom of Ophiophagus hannah (King cobra). Under nonreducing conditions it has a mass of 85 kDa, similar to convulxin, and on reduction gives two subunits with masses of 16 and 17 kDa, slightly larger than those of convulxin. The N-terminal sequences of both subunits are very similar to those of convulxin and other C-type lectins. Ophioluxin induces a pattern of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in platelets like that caused by convulxin, when using appropriate concentrations based on aggregation response, because it is about 2-4 times more powerful as agonist than the latter. Ophioluxin and convulxin induce [Ca(2+)](i) elevation both in platelets and in Dami megakaryocytic cells, and each of these C-type lectins desensitizes responses to the other. Convulxin agglutinates fixed platelets at 2 microg/ml, whereas ophioluxin does not, even at 80 microg/ml. Ophioluxin resembles convulxin more than echicetin or alboaggregin B because polyclonal anti-ophioluxin antibodies recognize both ophioluxin and convulxin, but not echicetin, and platelets adhere to and spread on ophioluxin- or convulxin-precoated surfaces in the same way that is clearly different from their behavior on an alboaggregin B surface. Immobilized ophioluxin was used to isolate the glycoprotein VI-Fcgamma complex from resting platelets, which also contained Fyn, Lyn, Syk, LAT, and SLP76. Ophioluxin is the first multiheterodimeric, convulxin-like snake C-type lectin, as well as the first platelet agonist, to be described from the Elapidae snake family.

Penestragania apicalis (Osborn & Ball,1898),another invasive Nearctic leafhopper found in Europe

In 2010 the Nearctic leafhopper Penestragania apicalis (Osb.& Ball) was found for the first time in Europe. Altogether there are now 16 known localities in France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria indicating that the species is well established for a rather long period and more widespread in Europe and perhaps worldwide. As in North America it lives on honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos L.), overwinters in the egg stage and probably has one or two generations a year, with adults at least from late June until early October. It is yet unclear if it causes relevant damage to the host plant in Europe.

Afdeyu Research Substation: Hydrometeorological Data Analysis 1984-2007

This report presents a basic analyis of the data collected on agroclimatology, erosion, and soil and water conservation at Afdeyu Station in the central highlands of Eritrea between 1984 and 2007. Datasets and graphs include rainfall, air and soil surface temperatures, soil loss, surface runoff, river discharge, and land use including cropping patterns of the measured catchment.