Allelic database and divergence among Psidium accessions by using microsatellite markers.

This study aimed to investigate the genetic variability among guava accessions and wild Psidium species of the Embrapa Semiárido germplasm collection by using microsatellite loci to guide genetic resources and breeding programs, emphasizing crosses between guava and other Psidium species. DNA was extracted using the 2X CTAB method, and polymerase chain reaction products were analyzed on 6% denatured polyacrylamide gels stained with silver nitrate. The unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic average dendrogram generated from the distance matrix of the Jaccard coefficient for 183 alleles of 13 microsatellite loci was used for visualization of genetic similarity. The number of base pairs was estimated using inverse mobility method based on the regression of known-size products. Analysis of molecular variance was performed using total decomposition between and within guava accessions. The accessions showed similarity from 0.75 to 1.00, with the dendrogram presenting cophenetic value of 0.85. Five groups were observed: the first included guava accessions; the second, P. guineense accessions; the third, one accession of P. friedrichsthalianum; and the last 2 groups, P. cattleianum. The genetic similarity among P. guineense and some guava accessions were above 80%, suggesting greater possibility to obtain interspecies hybrids between these 2 species. The genetic variability between the accessions was considered to be high (ΦST = 0.238), indicating that guava genetic variability is not uniformly distributed among the 9 Brazilian states from where the accession were obtained. Obtaining a greater number of accessions by Brazilian states is recommended in order to have greater diversity among the species.

Changes in cytoskeletal organization in polyoma middle T antigen-transformed fibroblasts: involvement of protein phosphatase 2A and src tyrosine kinases.

The major transforming activity of polyomavirus, middle T antigen, targets several cellular regulatory effectors including protein phosphatase 2A and src tyrosine kinases. Although transformed cells exhibit profound morphological changes, little is known about how middle T antigen-induced changes in the cellular regulatory environment specifically affect the cytoskeleton. We have investigated these changes in 10T(1/2) mouse fibroblasts transformed with polyoma middle T antigen. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that expression of middle T antigen (Pym T cells) depleted the stable (acetylated) microtubule array and increased the sensitivity of dynamic (tyrosinated) microtubules to nocodazole-induced disassembly. These effects were associated with a modest but statistically significant (P

Protein phosphatase inhibitors alter cellular microtubules and reduce carbachol-dependent protein secretion in lacrimal acini.

PURPOSE: To further understand the regulation of microtubules and their function in the lacrimal gland, we investigated the effects of two serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitors, okadaic acid (300 nM-1 microM) and calyculin A (20-100 nM), on microtubules and stimulated secretion in lacrimal acini. METHODS: Primary rabbit lacrimal acini cultured for two days were utilized. Microtubule structure was probed using biochemical analysis and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Carbachol-stimulated and basal protein secretion were determined by measurement of released protein or, for pulse-chase studies, [(35)S]-protein. RESULTS: Biochemical analysis and confocal fluorescence microscopy showed that both inhibitors caused a major loss of cellular microtubules and also of acetylated (stable) microtubules. However, calyculin A was more potent than okadaic acid in causing microtubule loss. Because changes in microtubules can partially impair stimulated protein secretion in lacrimal acini, the effects of inhibitors on protein secretion were also evaluated. Both inhibitors caused a comparable dose-dependent and significant (p

Microtubules facilitate the stimulated secretion of beta-hexosaminidase in lacrimal acinar cells.

Stimulation of lacrimal acini with secretagogues such as carbachol initiates movement and fusion of acinar secretory vesicles with the apical plasma membrane, resulting in release of protein into the nascent tear fluid. Using rabbit lacrimal acini reconstituted in vitro from isolated cells, we have investigated the organization of the apical cytoskeleton and its role in stimulated secretion. Confocal microscopy revealed a microtubule array emanating from the apical region of the acini; the apical region was also enriched in microfilaments and (gamma)-tubulin. Cytokeratin-based intermediate filaments were apically concentrated, and also detected at the cell periphery. Neither confocal microscopy nor biochemical analysis revealed any reorganization of lumenal microfilaments or microtubules which might accompany carbachol-stimulated release of secretory proteins. However, major changes in the acinar microtubule array induced by taxol or nocodazole were correlated with inhibition of carbachol-dependent release of the secreted protein, beta-hexosaminidase. Major changes in lumenal microfilaments induced by jasplakinolide or cytochalasin D did not inhibit the carbachol-dependent release of beta-hexosaminidase; rather, release of beta-hexosaminidase from jasplakinolide- or cytochalasin D-treated carbachol-stimulated acini was markedly increased relative to the release from untreated stimulated acini. Our findings demonstrate that microtubules play a major role in stimulated lacrimal secretion, and suggest a contributory role for microfilaments.