Recombination suppression in heterozygotes for a pericentric inversion induces the interchromosomal effect on crossovers in Arabidopsis.

During meiosis, recombination ensures allelic exchanges through crossovers (COs) between the homologous chromosomes. Advances in our understanding of the rules of COs have come from studies of mutations including structural chromosomal rearrangements that, when heterozygous, are known to impair COs in various organisms. In this work, we investigate the effect of a large heterozygous pericentric inversion on male and female recombination in Arabidopsis. The inversion was discovered in the Atmcc1 mutant background and was characterized through genetic and next-generation sequencing analysis. Reciprocal backcross populations, each consisting of over 400 individuals, obtained from the mutant and the wild type, both crossed with Landsberg erecta, were analyzed genome-wide by 143 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The negative impact of inversion became evident in terms of CO loss in the rearranged chromosome in both male and female meiosis. No single-CO event was detected within the inversion, consistent with a post-meiotic selection operating against unbalanced gametes. Cytological analysis of chiasmata in F1 plants confirmed that COs were reduced in male meiosis in the chromosome with inversion. Crossover suppression on the rearranged chromosome is associated with a significant increase of COs in the other chromosomes, thereby maintaining unchanged the number of COs per cell. The CO pattern observed in our study is consistent with the interchromosomal (IC) effect as first described in Drosophila. In contrast to male meiosis, in female meiosis no IC effect is visible. This may be related to the greater strength of interference that constrains the CO number in excess of the minimum value imposed by CO assurance in Arabidopsis female meiosis.

Phosphatidyl myo-inositol mannosides mimics built on an acyclic or heterocyclic core: synthesis and anti-inflammatory properties.

Phosphatidyl myo-inositol mannosides (PIMs) are constituents of the mycobacterial cell wall and possess immunomodulatory activities. Certain PIM derivatives have immunoprotective activity and are of interest as anti-inflammatory agents. In order to identify simplified analogues of PIMs that retain this interesting activity, we have prepared a series of new analogues based either on an acyclic or on a heterocyclic scaffold that replaces the inositol moiety, and evaluated these compounds for their inhibition of LPS-induced release of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines by macrophages. It was found that the inositol moiety can be favourably replaced by an aza-cyclitol (trihydroxy-piperidine) or an oxa-cyclitol (trihydroxy-tetrahydropyran) unit, and that the configuration of the OH-carrying carbons does not play a significant role. The biological activity is reduced if the nitrogen atom is free in the aza-cyclitol unit.

Synthesis and immunobiological activity of an original series of acyclic lipid a mimics based on a pseudodipeptide backbone.

Ndelta-L-Homoserinyl-D-ornithinol pseudodipeptides N-acylated with typical Escherichia coli lipid A fatty acid residues and mono-O- or bis-O-phosphorylated have been prepared and their properties investigated. The derivatives carrying two phosphate groups were found to be inducers of NO production. In addition, while they were unable to induce significantly the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) by human PBMC cells, these compounds behaved also as potent antagonists of LPS-induced IL-6 production in the same human cells system. In conclusion, the molecules described here are the first members of an original class of immunobiologically active lipid A mimics based on an acyclic pseudodipeptide backbone carrying only the essential functionalities of the parent lipid A structure (OM-174). As the products exhibit very low endotoxicity and pyrogenicity, this class of lipid A mimics therefore opens a new generation of immunoadjuvants that possibly could reach clinical applications.

Proteomic investigation of natural variation between Arabidopsis ecotypes.

Two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis and peptide mass fingerprinting were used to investigate the natural variation in the proteome among 8 Arabidopsis thaliana ecotypes, of which 3 were previously shown to display atypical responses to environmental stress. Comparison of 2-D maps demonstrated that only one-quarter of spots was shared by all accessions. On the other hand, only 15% of the 25 majors spots accounting for half the total protein amount could be classified as major spots in all ecotypes. Identification of these major spots demonstrated large differences between the major functions detected. Accordingly, the proteomes appeared to reveal important variations in terms of function between ecotypes. Hierarchical clustering of proteomes according to either the amount of all anonymous spots, that of the 25 major spots or the functions of these major spots identified the same classes of ecotypes, and grouped the three atypical ecotypes. It is proposed that proteome comparison has the capacity to evidence differences in the physiological status of ecotypes. Results are discussed with respect to the possibility to infer such differences from limited comparisons of major proteins. It is concluded that classical proteomics could constitute a powerful tool to mine the biodiversity between ecotypes of a single plant species.