BICD2 phosphorylation regulates dynein function and centrosome separation in G2 and M.

The activity of dynein is regulated by a number of adaptors that mediate its interaction with dynactin, effectively activating the motor complex while also connecting it to different cargos. The regulation of adaptors is consequently central to dynein physiology but remains largely unexplored. We now describe that one of the best-known dynein adaptors, BICD2, is effectively activated through phosphorylation. In G2, phosphorylation of BICD2 by CDK1 promotes its interaction with PLK1. In turn, PLK1 phosphorylation of a single residue in the N-terminus of BICD2 results in a structural change that facilitates the interaction with dynein and dynactin, allowing the formation of active motor complexes. Moreover, modified BICD2 preferentially interacts with the nucleoporin RanBP2 once RanBP2 has been phosphorylated by CDK1. BICD2 phosphorylation is central for dynein recruitment to the nuclear envelope, centrosome tethering to the nucleus and centrosome separation in the G2 and M phases of the cell cycle. This work reveals adaptor activation through phosphorylation as crucial for the spatiotemporal regulation of dynein activity.

Microtubule-Organizing Centers: Towards a Minimal Parts List.

Despite decades of molecular analysis of the centrosome, an important microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) of animal cells, the molecular basis of microtubule organization remains obscure. A major challenge is the sheer complexity of the interplay of the hundreds of proteins that constitute the centrosome. However, this complexity owes not only to the centrosome's role as a MTOC but also to the requirements of its duplication cycle and to various other functions such as the formation of cilia, the integration of various signaling pathways, and the organization of actin filaments. Thus, rather than using the parts lists to reconstruct the centrosome, we propose to identify the subset of proteins minimally needed to assemble a MTOC and to study this process at non-centrosomal sites.

Efecto diurético y dosaje de electrolitos del extracto hidroalcohólico de las hojas de Aenium arboreum (L). Webb.&Berth. "rosa verde" en Cavia porcellus "Cobayo". Ayacucho - 2015 / Diuretic effect and electrolyte measurement of the hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves of Aenium arboreum (L). Webb. & Berth. "green rose" in Cavia porcellus "Cobayo". Ayacucho - 2015

Las plantas medicinales utilizadas en la medicina tradicional como diuréticos son muy útiles para el tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial, para prevenir eventos cardiovasculares y en caso de edemas. El presente trabajo se realizó con el propósito de determinar el efecto diurético del extracto hidroalcohólico de las hojas de Aeonium arboreum (L). Webb. & Berth. "rosa verde". El tipo de investigación fue experimental, desarrollado en el Laboratorio de Farmacología de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad Nacional de San Cristóbal de Huamanga, durante los meses de mayo a octubre de 2015. La muestra fue colectada en el distrito de Chilca, provincia de Huancayo, departamento de Junín. Se preparó un extracto hidroalcohólico utilizando etanol al 80%, al extracto obtenido se le realizó el tamizaje fitoquímico para identificar los metabolitos secundarios. El efecto diurético se determinó utilizando el método de Naik et al., en cobayos divididos en cinco grupos de cinco cada uno, el grupo I fue el control, el ll recibió furosemida como fármaco de referencia y el III, IV y V grupo recibieron 100, 200 y 400 mg/Kg del extracto respectivamente.

Predicting favorable conditions for early leaf spot of peanut using output from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model.

Early leaf spot of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), a disease caused by Cercospora arachidicola S. Hori, is responsible for an annual crop loss of several million dollars in the southeastern United States alone. The development of early leaf spot on peanut and subsequent spread of the spores of C. arachidicola relies on favorable weather conditions. Accurate spatio-temporal weather information is crucial for monitoring the progression of favorable conditions and determining the potential threat of the disease. Therefore, the development of a prediction model for mitigating the risk of early leaf spot in peanut production is important. The specific objective of this study was to demonstrate the application of the high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for management of early leaf spot in peanut. We coupled high-resolution weather output of the WRF, i.e. relative humidity and temperature, with the Oklahoma peanut leaf spot advisory model in predicting favorable conditions for early leaf spot infection over Georgia in 2007. Results showed a more favorable infection condition in the southeastern coastline of Georgia where the infection threshold were met sooner compared to the southwestern and central part of Georgia where the disease risk was lower. A newly introduced infection threat index indicates that the leaf spot threat threshold was met sooner at Alma, GA, compared to Tifton and Cordele, GA. The short-term prediction of weather parameters and their use in the management of peanut diseases is a viable and promising technique, which could help growers make accurate management decisions, and lower disease impact through optimum timing of fungicide applications.