International audience | In April 2007, two newborn springboks (Antidorcas marsupialis) from a zoo of southern France were found dead. Necropsy was performed on the two animals and revealed arthrogryposis, mild facial structural abnormalities, and bilateral enlargement of the kidneys with concurrent hydronephrosis in both newborns. Histopathologically, extensive cytoplasmic vacuolation of neurons in the central nervous system, thyroid follicular epithelium, renal tubular epithelium, enterocytes, hepatocytes, and ruminal epithelial cells was the most remarkable lesion in both animals. By electron microscopy, the vacuoles were membrane bound and contained scattered membranous and granular material within a primarily electron-lucent background. Hence, a diagnosis of lysosomal storage disease was established, with gross, histological, and ultrastructural features suggestive of an inherited form of mannosidosis. This report documents the first case of lysosomal storage disease in springboks.

The effect of gaseous ozone exposure on the development of stem-end rot disease, caused by Botrytis cinerea, on kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa, cv. Hayward) was investigated. Artificially inoculated kiwifruit were subjected for 4 months to conventional cold storage (0°C, RH 95%) where catalytic oxidation of ethylene was applied (control) and to conventional cold storage with continuous supply of ozone (0.3μLL⁻¹) or in a conventional kiwifruit cold storage room, where catalytic oxidation of ethylene was applied. Ozone treatment delayed and simultaneously decreased disease incidence by 56%, while disease severity on infected fruit remained unaffected. Infected fruit formed sclerotia, while no sporulation of the pathogen occurred in the presence of ozone. To elucidate whether the observed disease suppression was mediated by a direct effect of ozone on the fungal pathogen per se or by the induction of a resistance mechanism in the fruit, two additional sets of experiments were conducted. Kiwifruit were exposed to ozone (0.3μLL⁻¹) for 0, 2, 8, 24, 72 and 144h in a conventional cold storage room either before or after the artificial inoculation with the pathogen and its efficacy on disease incidence and severity was monitored. Pre-inoculation exposure of fruit to ozone, at increasing exposure time intervals led to significant suppression of disease incidence, while post-inoculation exposure did not affect it. The observed disease suppression, provided by the pre-inoculation exposure, strongly suggests that ozone treatments induce resistance of kiwifruit to the pathogen. Measurements of antioxidant substances and antioxidant activity on fruit exposed to ozone for the same time intervals showed a strong negative correlation between disease incidence or severity and phenol content.

Taiwan native strain mango fruits (Tuu Shien) had three types of treatments: Hot water (HW) (52, 55, 58 degree C); Vapor heat treatment (VHT) (46.5 degree C for 40 min) and hot water + vapor heat treatment followed cold storage (1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 20 degree C) to determine incidences disease control treatment and the changes in quality. The HW at 55 degree C for 3 min was decreased total spots of anthracnose disease for 6 days compared to control. Moreover, HW at 55 degree C for 3 min controlled anthracnose disease treatment for 6 days. The vapor heat maintained peel color index, firmness and total soluble solid content at 3 degree C of storage time. The disease incidences of the Alternaria alternata and Colletotrichum gloeosporiodes were decreased by application of HW and VHT followed by storage at 3 degree C for 3 weeks.

The in vitro and in vivo fungicidal activity of chitosan was studied against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, the causal agent of anthracnose in papaya fruits. Chitosan at 1.5% and 2.0% concentrations showed a fungistatic effect with 90-100% inhibition (significant at P [less-than or equal to] 0.05) of the fungal mycelial growth. Changes in the conidial morphology were also observed with the higher chitosan concentrations after 7- h incubation. In vivo studies showed that 1.5% and 2.0% chitosan coatings on papaya not only controlled the fruit decay but also delayed the onset of disease symptoms by 3-4 weeks during 5 weeks storage at 12 ± 1 °C and slowed down the subsequent disease development. However, when leaving the fruits to ripen at ambient temperature (28 ± 2 °C), 2.0% chitosan was less effective than 1.5% in controlling the disease development. Chitosan coatings also delayed the ripening process by maintaining the firmness levels, soluble solids concentration and titratable acidity values during and after storage.

Loss of function of Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) leads to lysosomal free cholesterol storage, resulting in the neurodegenerative disease Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC). Significant numbers of patients with NPC also suffer from liver disease. Currently, no treatments exist that alter patient outcome, and it is unknown if recovery from tissue damage can occur even if a treatment were found. Our laboratory developed a strategy to test whether mice can recover from NPC liver disease. We used antisense oligonucleotides to knock down hepatic expression of NPC1 in BALB/C mice for either 9 or 15 weeks. This recapitulated liver disease with hepatomegaly, cell death, and fibrosis. Then, antisense oligonucleotide treatment was halted for an additional 4, 9, or 15 weeks. We report that significant liver recovery occurred even when NPC1 protein expression only partially returned to normal. Several pathological phenotypes were alleviated, including hepatomegaly, cholesterol storage, and liver cell death. Histological examination revealed that foamy cell accumulation was relieved; however, liver fibrosis increased. Additionally, resolution of cholesterol storage and liver cell death took longer in mice with long-term knockdown. Finally, we found that transcription of cholesterol homeostatic genes was significantly disrupted during the recovery phase after long-term knockdown.

Niemann-Pick disease type C is a complex lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in either the NPC1 or NPC2 genes that is characterized at the cellular level by the storage of multiple lipids, defective lysosomal calcium homeostasis and unique trafficking defects. We review the potential role of each of the individual storage lipids in initiating the pathogenic cascade and propose a model of NPC1 and NPC2 function based on the current knowledge

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was realized an evaluation of influence of infestation terms on potato (Solanum tuberosum) varieties resistance to black leg disease (disease agents: Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. Carotovorum; and Pectobacterium caratovotum subsp. atrocepticum) at storage period. Potato varieties were artificially infected at storage. Potato plants were inoculated by a mix of strains agents: P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and P. caratovotum subsp. atrocepticum. Research results showed that for the obtaining of the most reliable figures on potato tubers resistance to black leg it was necessary to realize the artificial infection infestation at a storage period from the third decade of January till the third decade of March. There was marked the dependence of the value points of potato resistance to black leg on the weather conditions at vegetation period.

The effects of brassinosteroids (BRs) against blue mould rot caused by Penicillium expansum and on senescence of harvested jujube fruit were investigated. Brassinosteroids at a concentration of 5μM effectively inhibited development of blue mould rot and enhanced the activities of defense-related enzymes, such as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, polyphenoloxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase. However, BRs did not have direct antimicrobial activity against P. expansum in vitro. BRs significantly delayed fruit senescence by reducing ethylene production and maintained fruit quality. It is suggested that the effects of BRs on reducing decay caused by P. expansum may be associated with induction of disease resistance in fruit and delay of senescence.

Effect of heat treatment (hot air at 38°C for 36h) and Pichia guilliermondii (P. guilliermondii), either alone or in combination, against anthracnose rot caused by Colletotrichum acutatum (C. acutatum), in loquat fruit was investigated. Results showed that the combined treatment significantly reduced natural decay, and disease incidence and lesion diameter in artificially inoculated fruit. Fruit given the combined treatment maintained low activities of catalase (CAT) during the early storage period, but CAT and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities both rose later in storage. This corresponded with a high level of H₂O₂ in the early storage period and a lower level of H₂O₂ in the later period. At the same time, induced activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and β-1,3-glucanase stimulated synthesis of lignin, thus eliciting disease resistance. Moreover, the combined treatment significantly inhibited mycelial growth and spore germination of C. acutatum, reducing anthracnose rot of loquat fruit.

This study evaluated the potential use of near-neutral (pH=6.3-6.5) electrolyzed oxidizing water (EO water) to inactivate pure cultures of Botrytis cinerea and Monilinia fructicola and to mitigate fungal infection of these organisms on fruit surfaces. Treatment of these organisms, in pure culture, with EO water at concentrations of 25, 50, 75, and 100ppm total residual chlorine (TRC) and 10min of contact time resulted in a 6 log₁₀ spores/mL reduction of both organisms. A dip treatment or a dip and daily spray treatment of EO water were used to evaluate its ability to prevent or delay the onset of surface infection on fruit during postharvest packaging and in retail shelf environments. A 10 minute dip treatment of surface inoculated peaches (M. fructicola) in EO water prevented infection for 3days and resulted in a 12.5% incidence of infection and a disease severity rating of 6% after 5days of storage at 25°C. Dipping of green table grapes inoculated with B. cinerea into EO water prevented infection for 7days and resulted in a 1% incidence of infection and a disease severity rating of 2% after 10days of storage at 25°C. A dip and daily spray of peaches with EO water prevented infection for 12days and resulted in a 10% incidence of infection and a 6% disease severity after 14days of storage at 25°C. A dip and daily spray of grapes with EO water prevented infection for 24days and resulted in a 2% incidence of infection and a disease severity rating of 2% after 26days of storage at 25°C. The results from this study suggest that these solutions may prove to be effective for postharvest sanitation of fruit surfaces prior to packaging and may increase the shelf life of the fruit in commercial settings.