Glycogen, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and pigment accumulation in three Synechocystis strains when exposed to a stepwise increasing salt stress.

The cyanobacterial genus Synechocystis is of particular interest to science and industry because of its efficient phototrophic metabolism, its accumulation of the polymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and its ability to withstand or adapt to adverse growing conditions. One such condition is the increased salinity that can be caused by recycled or brackish water used in cultivation. While overall reduced growth is expected in response to salt stress, other metabolic responses relevant to the efficiency of phototrophic production of biomass or PHB (or both) have been experimentally observed in three Synechocystis strains at stepwise increasing salt concentrations. In response to recent reports on metabolic strategies to increase stress tolerance of heterotrophic and phototrophic bacteria, we focused particularly on the stress-induced response of Synechocystis strains in terms of PHB, glycogen and photoactive pigment dynamics. Of the three strains studied, the strain Synechocystis cf. salina CCALA192 proved to be the most tolerant to salt stress. In addition, this strain showed the highest PHB accumulation. All the three strains accumulated more PHB with increasing salinity, to the point where their photosystems were strongly inhibited and they could no longer produce enough energy to synthesize more PHB.

Antibodies induced with recombinant VP1 from human rhinovirus exhibit cross-neutralisation.

Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are the major cause of the common cold and account for 30-50% of all acute respiratory illnesses. Although HRV infections are usually harmless and invade only the upper respiratory tract, several studies demonstrate that HRV is involved in the exacerbation of asthma. VP1 is one of the surface-exposed proteins of the viral capsid that is important for the binding of rhinoviruses to the corresponding receptors on human cells. Here we investigated its potential usefulness for vaccination against the common cold. We expressed VP1 proteins from two distantly related HRV strains, HRV89 and HRV14, in Escherichia coli. Mice and rabbits were immunised with the purified recombinant proteins. The induced antibodies reacted with natural VP1 and with whole virus particles as shown by immunoblotting and immunogold electron microscopy. They exhibited strong cross-neutralising activity for different HRV strains. Therefore, recombinant VP1 may be considered a candidate HRV vaccine to prevent HRV-induced asthma exacerbations.

Low-energy electron scattering in carbon-based materials analyzed by scanning transmission electron microscopy and its application to sample thickness determination.

High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF STEM) at low energies (≤30 keV) was used to study quantitatively electron scattering in amorphous carbon and carbon-based materials. Experimental HAADF STEM intensities from samples with well-known composition and thickness are compared with results of Monte Carlo simulations and semiempirical equations describing multiple electron scattering. A well-defined relationship is found between the maximum HAADF STEM intensity and sample thickness which is exploited (a) to derive a quantitative description for the mean quadratic scattering angle and (b) to calculate the transmitted HAADF STEM intensity as a function of the relevant materials parameters and electron energy. The formalism can be also applied to determine TEM sample thicknesses by minimizing the contrast of the sample as a function of the electron energy.