[The study of genetic factors that determine the awned glume trait in bread wheat]. / Изучение Ð³ÐµÐ½ÐµÑ‚Ð¸Ñ‡ÐµÑÐºÐ¸Ñ Ñ„Ð°ÐºÑ‚Ð¾Ñ€Ð¾Ð², Ð¾Ð¿Ñ€ÐµÐ´ÐµÐ»ÑÑŽÑ‰Ð¸Ñ Ð¿Ñ€Ð¸Ð·Ð½Ð°Ðº «Ñ‚етраостость¼ мягкой пшеницы.

Awns are bristle-like structures, typically extending from the tip end of the lemmas in the florets of cereal species, including such economically important crops as wheat (Triticum aestivum L., T. durum Desf.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), and rye (Secale cereale L.). The presence of long awns adhered at tip end of glumes is a characteristic feature of "Persian wheat" T. carthlicum Nevski spike. Glume outgrowth of T. carthlicum Nevski spike passes into a long awn, equal in length to the lemma awn. Awned glumes can be formed in T. aestivum and T. aethiopicum wheats, however, such forms are rare. Features of the awned glume development and the genetic determinants of this trait have been little studied. In this paper, we described the features of the development and inheritance of the tetra-awness (awned glume) trait of the bread wheat T. aestivum line CD 1167-8, using classical genetic analysis, molecular genetic mapping, and scanning electron microscopy. It was shown that the trait is inherited as a recessive monogenic. The gene for the awned glume trait of CD 1167-8 was mapped in the long arm of chromosome 5A, using the Illumina Infinium 15K Wheat Array (TraitGenetics GmbH), containing 15,000 SNPs associated with wheat genes. Results of allelism test and molecular-genetic mapping suggest that the gene for awned glumes in bread wheat is a recessive allele of the B1 awn suppressor. This new allele was designated the b1.ag (b1. awned glume). Analysis of the CD 1167-8 inflorescence development, using scanning electron microscopy, showed that awns had grown from the top of the lemmas and glumes simultaneously, and no differences in patterns of their development were found.

[Malignant Melanoma - from Classical Histology towards Molecular Genetic Testing]. / Maligní melanom - od klasické histologie k molekulárne genetickému testování.

BACKGROUND: Malignant melanoma is - in comparison with other skin tumors - a relatively rare malignant neoplasm with highly aggressive biologic behavior and variable prognosis. Recent data in pathology and molecular diagnostics indicate that malignant melanoma is in fact not a single entity but a group of different neoplasms with variable etiopathogenesis, biologic behavior and prognosis. New therapeutic options using targeted treatment blocking MAPK signaling pathway require testing of BRAF gene mutation status. This helps to select patients with highest probability of benefit from this treatment. AIM: This article summarizes information on the correlation of morphological findings with genetic changes, discusses the representation of individual genetic types in various morphological subgroups and deals with the newly proposed genetic classification of melanoma and the current possibilities, pitfalls and challenges in BRAF testing of malignant melanoma. It also describes the current testing situation in the Czech Republic - the methods used, the representation of BRAF mutations in the tested population and the future of testing. It also shows the limitations of the BRAF and MEK targeted treatment concept resulting from the heterogeneity of the tumor population. Mechanisms of acquired resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors, possibilities of their detection, and issues of combination of targeted therapy and immunotherapy are discussed.Key words: malignant melanoma - BRAF - mutation - molecular targeted therapy - tumor microenvironment - tumor heterogeneity This work was supported by projects PROGRES Q40/11, BBMRICZ LM2015089, SVV 260398 and GACR 17-10331S. The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers.Submitted: 28. 3. 2017Accepted: 16. 5. 2017.

Reaction of Leaf Weevil Phyllobius arborator (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to Manganese Content in Diet.

Reaction of leaf weevil (Phyllobius arborator (Herbst)) to increased concentration of manganese in diet was investigated in laboratory rearing with controlled temperature, humidity, and light conditions. Food for leaf weevils in rearing (leaves of birch Betula pendula Roth) was contaminated by soaking the leaves in solutions of MnCl2.4H2O with graded concentration of manganese. Direct influence of food was characterized by the consumed amount of leaves, period of feeding, and weight of P. arborator adults. At the same time, the levels of manganese in unconsumed food, excrement, and bodies of adults were determined.Even very high content of manganese in food did not cause significantly different reaction of P. arborator adults in comparison to individuals in control treatment. No significant difference in the quantity of the consumed food, weight of adults, and duration of their feeding period was found between the treatments within the experiment. The content of manganese found in food, excrement, and adult beetles indicate that P. arborator avoided manganese intoxication through food by both-voiding manganese through the feces and sequestering it at relatively high concentrations in unspecified parts of their body.

Identification of differentially expressed genes in a pistillody common wheat mutant using an annealing control primer system.

HTS-1 is a new kind of pistillody wheat. All or parts of its stamen are transformed into pistils or pistil-like structures, and it has more seed sets per floret than normal wheat under normal cultivation conditions. To investigate the expression divergence in this mutant, an annealing control primer system was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the young spikelets. As a result, three DEGs, including HDB2, HGF2, and HCG4, were detected, with variable expression in HTS-1 and the control. After further confirmation using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis, these genes were overexpressed in HTS-1 wheat. NGF2 was identified in the double ridge to floret differentiation stages; HDB2 and HCG4 were identified in the stage of pistil and stamen-differentiating. Therefore, we inferred that the homeotic transformation of stamens into pistil-like structures occurred during the early stage of stamen development. Sequence alignment analysis revealed that HDB2 encodes a putative protein of 189 amino acids, with high homology to the DEAD-box ATP-dependent RNA helicase, and HCG4 was identical to the Chinese spring wheat cDNA clone predicted protein according to GenBank. However, NGF2 was not found to have significant similarity to any reported proteins, suggesting it is a new functional gene in wheat. The results suggest that HDB2, HCG4, and HGF2 are minor genes contributing to pistillody trait formation in HTS-1.

[Analysis of point mutations in interleukin-11 gene in the population of infertile patients and fertile control women]. / Vysetrení bodových mutací v genu pro interleukin-11 v populaci neplodných zen a plodných kontrol.

OBJECTIVE: The interleukin-11 (IL-11) is one of the most important signaling factors in the process of decidua-lization and embryo-maternal cross talk during the embryo implantation. We investigated the prevalence of the IL-11 gene point variants in the population of infertile women and fertile control subjects. DESIGN: A cohort study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Charles University, Pilsen. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The population to screen consisted of 354 infertile women. The control population was comprised of 195 healthy fertile subjects. For the mutational analysis, the temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) and direct sequencing had been used. The groups of fertile controls and infertile patients were compared for statistically significant difference using the Fisher´s 2 by 2 Exact test. RESULTS: Thirteen potentially functional IL-11 gene variants, the G to A transversions at the position 3651 (G3651A) leading to the arginin to histidin exchange on the position 113 (R113H) were detected in the group of infertile women. No mutations were identified in the control group, which means that the frequency of functionally relevant mutations of the IL-11 gene in infertile women is significantly enhanced in comparison with controls (p = 0.01, Fisher´s 2 by 2 Exact test). CONCLUSION: The results prove the presence of the potentially functionally relevant IL-11 gene variants in the population of infertile women. The presence of variants does not have to lead directly to decrease fertility but may contribute to the dysbalance of cytokine milieu which is needed for the decidualization as well as subsequent embryo implantation. Even thought IL-11 gene variants occur infrequently, their impact on molecular events during early phases of pregnancy should be further elucidated.

[The leukemia inhibitory factor gene mutations in the population of infertile women: the heterozygote transition G to A on the position 3400 does not affect the outcome of the infertility treatment]. / Mutace v genu pro leukemický inhibicní faktor v populaci neplodných zen: heterozygotní bodová zámena G za A na pozici 3400 neovlivnuje úspesnost lécby.

OBJECTIVE: The leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is one of the most important signaling factors in the embryo-maternal cross talk during the embryo implantation. We investigated the prevalence of the LIF gene mutations in the population of infertile women and their impact on infertility treatment. DESIGN: A cohort study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Charles University, Pilsen. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The population to screen consisted of 399 infertile women. The control population was comprised of 202 healthy fertile subjects. For the mutational analysis, the temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) followed by subsequent sequencing of the positive samples, had been used. The groups of fertile controls and infertile patients were compared for statistically significant difference using the Fisher's 2 by 2 Exact test. RESULTS: Twelve potentially functional LIF gene mutations, the G to A transversion at the position 3400 leading to the valin to methionin exchange at codon 64 (V64M) were detected in the group of infertile women. No mutations were identified in the control group, which means that the frequency of functionally relevant mutations of the LIF gene in infertile women is significantly enhanced in comparison with controls (P = 0.01, Fisher's 2 by 2 Exact test ). Seven of these patients were successfully treated by in vitro fertilization (IVF). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the LIF gene mutation, the heterozygote G to A transition on the position 3400, affects fertility but the infertility treatment can succeed. Even though LIF gene mutations occur infrequently and can be overcome by infertility treatment, their impact on molecular events during early phases of pregnancy should be further elucidated.