Essai ďApplication de ľAnalyse Phénétique à la Classification du Phylum des Ciliophora

ABSTRACT. Relationships among 59 genera and species are determined by analyzing 122 ultrastructural, morphological, stomatogenic, nuclear, and asexual reproductive features on the basis of a numerical phenetic analysis. At first, the study concerns 12 genera and species of the colpodid group whose numerous features have now been investigated. Next, the same procedure is used for the analysis of 47 kinetophragminophoran, oligohymenophoran, polyhymenophoran genera. On the basis of these results, a new macrosystem of the phylum Ciliophora arises. Three subphyla are distinguished: 1) Karyorelictophora with one class, Karyorelictea; 2) Kinetophrag-mophora with four classes, a) Colpodea, b) Hypostomea including Peniculida, Nassulida, Parapeniculida, and Peritrichida, c) Spirotrichea including Hypotrichida, Clevelandellida, Heterotrichida, and Oligotrichida, and d) Hymenostomea including Hymenostomatida and Apostomatida; 3) Hymenophora with two classes, a) Phyllopharyngea and b) Gymnostomea including two subclasses, Gymnostomia and Astomia.     

Mise en évidence ďamines liées à des structures cellulaires chez Nicotiana tabacum et Lycopersicum esculentum

Demonstration of amines connected with cellular structures in Nicotiana tabacum and Lycopersicum esculentum .
The level of free and bound amines in various tissues of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi was investigated. After acid hydrolysis of different pellets from ethanol or buffer extractions, three aliphatic polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, spermine) and one aromatic monoamine (tyramine) were found in different proportions according to the nature of the tissue. Roots contain high quantities of insoluble tyramine bound very strongly to cellular structures. On the contrary, there were only traces of bound tyramine in leaves and stem. After extraction and purification of cell structures, tyramine was shown to be bound to one component of the cell wall. Addition of pronase or cellulase to the extract did not break the tyramine complex. In tobacco roots, insoluble tyramine concentration increased with plant development. High content of bound tyramine was also found in Lycopersicum esculentum roots. The possibility that tyramine binds with lignin is discussed.     

Synthèses ďacides nucléiques et de protéines au cours de ľinitiation de bourgeons adventifs sur des explantats de Cichorium intybus cultivés in vitro

Synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins during initiation of vegetative buds from explants of Cichorium intybus cultivated in vitro .
Explants of 6 mm diameter and 2 mm thickness from roots of Cichorium intybus L. (var. WitIoof cv. "Zoom"), grown in vitro in the presence of kinetin (l0_–6 M ), produced only buds. By comparing the histological events and the biochemical modifications which occurred during the neoformation of buds, it is possible to distinguish two distinct phases. The first phase starts immediately after the excision of the explants and continues for 30 h, when the mitotic index is at its highest. This corresponds to a phase of cellular activation, which is characterized by early synthesis of RNA, permitting the synthesis of proteins necessary for duplication of DNA and cell divisions. The second period starts after 30 h and ends after approximately 72 h of culture, at which time the first bud meristematic nodules were detected. This is a preparatory phase for organogenesis and above all related to synthesis of RNA and proteins.     

Rôle des polyphénols dans la croissance. Définition ďun modèle expérimental chez Lycopersicum esculentum

Using young plants of Lycopersicum esculentum Mill., we attempt to define a system for a new evaluation of the physiological role of polyphenols, particularly of their regulating properties on growth and development, Exogenously supplied qoinic acid causes an important increase of the phenolic content and a reduced growth of the plants. The decrease in size is proportional to the stimulation of the phenolic pool and is equally obtained using other precursors of aromatic compounds like phenylalanine and cinnamic acid. Non-precursors of polyphenols structurally related to quinic acid are ineffective. It appears from these data that polyphenol levels and growth could be related in tomato plant and that this material would be convenient for studies on interactions between growth and polyphenols.     

Formaldehyde kills spores of Bacillus subtilis by DNA damage and small, acid-soluble spore proteins of the ααααααα/βββββββ-type protect spores against this DNA damage

Killing of wild-type spores of Bacillus subtilis with formaldehyde also caused significant mutagenesis; spores (termed α⁻β⁻) lacking the two major α/β-type small, acid-soluble spore proteins (SASP) were more sensitive to both formaldehyde killing and mutagenesis. A recA mutation sensitized both wild-type and α⁻β⁻ spores to formaldehyde treatment, which caused significant expression of a recA - lacZ fusion when the treated spores germinated. Formaldehyde also caused protein–DNA cross-linking in both wild-type and α⁻β⁻ spores. These results indicate that: (i) formaldehyde kills B. subtilis spores at least in part by DNA damage and (b) α/β-type SASP protect against spore killing by formaldehyde, presumably by protecting spore DNA.     

The limnology of Lac ďIfni (High Atlas Mountains, Morocco), an unusually productive mountain lake

• 1 Lac ?Ifni (surface area 30 ha, z_max 60 m, altitude 2300 m) lies in a catchment comprised of Precambrian igneous rocks in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Previously described as a typical ohgotrophic lake, it was also reported to have a warm layer at the base of the hypolimnion which was ascribed to phreatic water supply and drainage.
• 2 Visits to the lake made in May/June and September 1990 showed strong thermal stratification but no hypolimnial warm layer. Drainage from the lake is subterranean, through a natural rubble dam, and the water level dropped by at least 7m through the summer. The flushing rate is about 0.6 year^?1.
• 3 The upper part of the metalimnion and the lower epilimnion were strongly supersaturated with oxygen in June, and there was a pH gradient from 7 to 10.5 between the hypolimnion and the epilimnion. These features were less marked in September when planktonic gross primary productivity was estimated to be about 145mgCm^?2 h^?1. In September the hypolimnion was 38% saturated with oxygen; the areal hypolimnetic oxygen deficit between June and September was 0.073mg O₂ cm^?2 day^?1. Total dissolved phosphate concentrations were 7–14 μgl^?1.
• 4 The open water faunal assemblage consisted of Brachionus calyciflorus and Filinia lotigiseta (Rotifera), Cyclops abyssorum (Copepoda), and stunted Salmo trutta (Pisces). Trout diets were comprised principally of adult copepods and copepodites, which showed diurnal vertical migration, and of algal material apparently scraped from rock surfaces. The dry biomass density of Cyclops was at least 2gm^?2 in June and at least 4.1 gm ^?2 in September.
• 5 Tubifex tubifex (Oligochaeta) dominated the benthos below depths of 40m. Mean dry biomass density was 2.8gm^?2, but ranged from 0.6–8.1 gm^?2 between samples. About 50% of the lake bottom is below 40m depth.
• 6 The persistent oxygen supersaruration of the euphoric zone, the field estimate of primary productivity, the hypolimnetic oxygen deficit, the biomass of zooplankton and the benthic biomass together indicate that Lac ?Ifni is an unusually productive mountain lake. This high level of productivity may be sustained by nutrient addition through contamination by dust originating outside the catchment, aided by efficient nutrient recycling in the euphoric zone.

     

Influence ďune alimentation continue avec une solution glucosée sur ľévolution des glucides et des protéines dans les divers organes de la rose coupée (Rosa hybrida cv. Carina)

Influence of continuous supply with a solution of glucose on the changes in the content of soluble sugars and proteins in various organs of the cut rose (Rosa hybrida cv. Carina). Exogenous glucose continuously supplied to the cut rose is immediately converted into saccharose in the stem tissues. This saccharose migrates to the flower, where it is immediately hyd-rolysed, and to the leaves where its hydrolysis occurs more slowly. The reducing sugars resulting from the hydrolysis of saccharose in the flower and, therefore, possibly from the hydrolysis of saccharose in leaves, induce a large accumulation of hexoses (glucose and fructose) in the flower. The protein content does not depend on the level of reducing sugars in the flower.     

Acides-aminés et amines libres ďexplants foliaires de Nicotiana tabacum cultivés in vitro sur des milieux induisant la rhizogenèse ou la caulogenèse

Free amino acids and amines in leaf explants of Nicotiana tabacum cultivated in vitro on media inducing rhizogenesis or caulogenesis.
Foliar explants of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi n.c. were cultivated on three different media: (1) a basal medium without hormone, so that no differentiation occurred in the explants; (2) with auxin added; and (3) with auxin plus cytokinin added, where the additions (2) and (3) promote rhizogenesis and caulogenesis, respectively. The content of free amino acids and amines of the three kinds of explants were investigated. In the two media lacking cytokinin, the explants contained great amounts of five amino acids (asparagine, glutamine, proline, glutamic acid and histidine) and of one aromatic amine, tyramine. In the cytokinin containing medium, only two amines accumulated in the explants: one aliphatic polyamine (putrescine) and one aromatic amine (phenethylamine). The increase in amino acids began immediately on the first days of culture. It was related neither to a more active proteolysis nor to the breaking of the correlations from the mother plant. It was induced by the addition of nutritional elements into the medium. On the other hand, the accumulation of aromatic amines occurred after a few days of culture and was transitory. A decrease was observed after the first emergence of new organs. The relation between the accumulations of these aromatic compounds and formation of roots or shoots is discussed.     

Purification and partial amino acid sequence of plantaricin 1.25ααα and 1.25βββ, two bacteriocins produced by Lactobacillus plantarum TMW1.25

Two bacteriocins produced by Lactobacillus plantarum TMW1.25 have been purified by a four-step purification procedure, including ammonium sulphate precipitation and cation-exchange chromatography followed by hydrophobic-interaction chromatography on octyl sepharose. The final purification was performed by repeated reversed-phase chromatography steps which yielded two bacteriocin fractions designated plantaricin 1.25 alpha and plantaricin 1.25 beta. The molecular masses of the peptides in these fractions were 5979 and 5203 Da, respectively. Combination of the fractions did not have any synergistic effects on bacteriocin activity, indicating that they each contain a one-peptide bacteriocin. The major peptide in the alpha fraction was blocked at its N-terminus, and a partial sequence (25 residues) could only be obtained after cleavage with CNBr. This sequence did not show clear homologies with known bacteriocins. The beta peptide has been sequenced almost completely and consists, presumably, of 53 residues. This peptide displayed strong homology to the known N-terminal part of brevicin 27 produced by Lactobacillus brevis SB27. The results showed that the beta peptide contains as many as six consecutive lysine residues at the N-terminus.