Pectolytic Activity by the Haustorium of the Parasitic PlantOrobancheL. (Orobanchaceae) in Host Roots

The possible involvement of enzymes in the penetration of intrusivecells of the parasitic angiospermOrobancheinto host root tissueswas studied using cytochemical and immunocytochemical methods.Pectin methyl esterase (PME) was detected, with specific antibodies,in the cytoplasm and cell walls ofOrobancheintrusive cells andin adjacent host apoplast. Depletion and chemical changes ofpectins in host cell walls were shown by histochemical stainingwith PATAg, which detects carbohydrates that are sensitive toperiodic acid, especially pectins, and with the monoclonal antibodiesJIM 5 and JIM 7 that label pectins with low and high rates ofesterification, respectively. Galacturonic sequences with lowrates of esterification were more abundant in host cell wallsadjacent to the parasite, which is consistent with pectin de-methylationby PME release from the parasite. Pectins were absent in middlelamellae and in host cell walls neighbouring mature intrusivecells of the parasite, consistent with further degradation ofpectins by other enzymes. These results provide the first directevidence for the presence and activity of a pectolytic enzymein the infection zone of the haustorium of a parasitic angiosperminsitu.Copyright 1998 Annals of Botany Company Broomrape;Orobanche; parasitic weed; haustorium; pectin methyl esterase; pectin; cell wall.     

The Location of Glutamine Synthetase in Leaf Cells and its Role in the Reassimilation of Ammonia Released in Photorespiration

The localization of glutamine synthetase within the cells ofbarley and pea leaves has been reinvestigated using either amechanical technique or rupturing of isolated protoplasts torelease the cellular organelles, and both differential and densitygradient centrifugation to separate them. In no case could wefind evidence for any significant association between glutaminesynthetase and the mitochondria; our results suggest that theenzyme is present in the chloroplast and the cytoplasm of bothspecies. Experiments with isolated mitochondria from spinachalso failed to provide any suggestion that these organellesmight contain glutamine synthetase. Thus there is no evidenceto support the hypothesis, published by others, that mitochondriareassimilate ammonia, released from glycine oxidation, by meansof their own glutamine synthetase. Further experiments werecarried out to see if glutamate dehydrogenase present in themitochondria could reassimilate ammonia under conditions inwhich the electron transport chain to oxygen was blocked. Althoughthere was some evidence for a small amount of assimilatory glutamatedehydrogenase activity under these conditions it was dependenton adding relatively high concentrations of ammonia and wasinsufficient to sustain the rate of recycling of NAD requiredfor glycine oxidation. The results were thus considered to becompatible with the operation of the photorespiratory nitrogencycle as previously published.     

Four New Recent Genera of Foraminiferida

SYNOPSIS. Four new genera of Foraminiferida are described. Phlegeria , type species P. hyalina sp. nov. and Tomaculoides , type species T. lucidum sp. nov. belong to the family Glandulinidae, and both were obtained from the Gulf of Mexico. Francesita , type species Virgulina ? advena Cusbman is found in the North Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, and belongs to the Caucasinidae. Montfortella , type species M. bramlettei sp. nov. occurs in Pleistocene strata and is living on the coast of California, and belongs to the Cibicididae.     

Extinction and opportunistic evolution among late Wenlock graptolites

The late Homerian was a time of profound importance to graptolites. Following the complete extinction of Cyrtograptus and the near extinction of Monograptus (s.s.)at the end of the lundgrenitestis Zone(lower Homerian, upper Wenlock), the morphologically simple and long-ranging Pristiograptus dubius lineage underwent rapid (opportunistic) cladogenesis during the succeeding upper Homerian. Two clades, each with novel and sometimes complex sicular and thecal structures, appeared. One clade, the 'Pristiograptus' praedeubeli group, gave rise to similar but more complex species, such as ' P.' ludensis and 'P.' deubeli , which in turn gave rise to Ludlow taxa, including Saetograptus (s.l.) and Pseudomonclimacis. The other clade, the Lobograptus group, gave rise to Ludlow taxa Lobograptus, Neolobograptus, Bohemograptus , and Neocucullograptus some with very complex thecal structures. Ludlow and younger monograptid faunas therefore comprise at least three separate lineages: Monograptus (s.s.), the Lobograptus group (clade), and the 'Pristiograptus' praedeubeli group (clade). Cladogenesis, evolution, extinction, Homerian, PRISTIOGRAPTUS, LOBOGRAPTUS     

The Lower Jurassic ornithischian dinosaur Heterodontosaurus tucki Crompton & Charig, 1962: cranial anatomy,functional morphology,taxonomy, and relationships

The cranial anatomy of the Lower Jurassic ornithischian dinosaur Heterodontosaurus tucki Crompton & Charig, 1962 is described in detail for the first time on the basis of two principal specimens: the holotype (SAM‐PK‐K337) and referred skull (SAM‐PK‐K1332). In addition several other specimens that have a bearing on the interpretation of the anatomy and biology of Heterodontosaurus are described. The skull and lower jaw of Heterodontosaurus are compact and robust but perhaps most notable for the heterodont dentition that merited the generic name. Details of the cranial anatomy are revealed and show that the skull is unexpectedly specialized in such an early representative of the Ornithischia, including: the closely packed, hypsodont crowns and ‘warping’ of the occlusal surfaces (created by progressive variation in the angulation of wear on successive crowns) seen in the cheek dentition; the unusual sutural relationships between the bones along the dorsal edge of the lower jaw; the very narrow, deeply vaulted palate and associated structures on the side wall of the braincase; and the indications of cranial pneumatism (more commonly seen in basal archosaurs and saurischian dinosaurs). Evidence for tooth replacement (which has long been recognized, despite frequent statements to the contrary) is suggestive of an episodic, rather than continuous, style of tooth replacement that is, yet again, unusual in diapsids generally and particularly so amongst ornithischian dinosaurs. Cranial musculature has been reconstructed and seems to conform to that typically seen in diapsids, with the exception of the encroachment of M. adductor mandibulae externus superficialis across the lateral surface of the temporal region and external surface of the lower jaw. Indications, taken from the unusual shape of the occlusal surfaces of the cheek dentition and jaw musculature, are suggestive of a novel form of jaw action in this dinosaur. The taxonomy of currently known late Karoo‐aged heterodontosaurids from southern Africa is reviewed. Although complicated by the inadequate nature of much of the known material, it is concluded that two taxa may be readily recognized: H. tucki and Abrictosaurus consors. At least one additional taxon is recognized within the taxa presently named Lanasaurus and Lycorhinus; however, both remain taxonomically problematic and their status needs to be further tested and may only be resolved by future discoveries. The only other named taxon, Geranosaurus atavus, represents an invalid name. The recognition of at least four distinct taxa indicates that the heterodontosaurids were speciose within the late Karoo ecosystem. The systematics of Heterodontosaurus and its congeners has been analysed, using a restricted sample of taxa. A basal (nongenasaurian) position within Ornithischia is re‐affirmed. There are at least four competing hypotheses concerning the phylogenetic placement of the Heterodontosauridae, so the evidence in support of the various hypotheses is reviewed in some detail. At present the best‐supported hypothesis is the one which places Heterodontosauridae in a basal (non‐genasaurian) position; however, the evidence is not fully conclusive and further information is still needed in respect of the anatomy of proximate outgroups, as well as more complete anatomical details for other heterodontosaurids. Heterodontosaurids were not such rare components of the late Karoo ecosystem as previously thought; evidence also suggests that from a phylogenetic perspective they occupied a potentially crucial position during the earliest phases of ornithischian dinosaur evolution. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011.     

Intracoenosteal variation in a Devonian stromatoporoid

Fagerstrom, J. A. & Saxena, K. M. L.: Intracoenosteal variation in a Devonian stromatoporoid.
Statistical analysis of four different features of coenosteal morphology measured in sixteen randomly distributed vertical and tangential thin sections from a specimen of Syringostroma sherzeri (Grabau) from the Detroit River Group near Ingersoll, Ontario, indicates that although the degree of variation is very high, the variation in a single section is representative of the variation in the entire coenosteum. This discovery may therefore be regarded as a partial vindication of current practice in stromatoporoid taxonomy of baaing identifications on examination of one vertical and one tangential sectior. Furthermore, this study indicates that certain morphological features are less variable than others and are therefore of greater value as taxonomic criteria. In cases where the number of measurements per section is small, tests of the significance of differences based on a comparison of the medians, rather than means, is preferred because such tests do not assume that the data are normally distributed.     

Vibration Sensitivity in an Orb-weaver

Electrophysiological activity is recorded from the ventral nervemass of A. diadematus in response to direct vibration of theleg. Measurements taken under varied frequcncy and intensityconditions indicate that response maxima are in the region of100 hertz with a threshold sensitivity less than 100 Å.The frequency response of the spiders leg does not correspondwell to the frequency response of its web in a sound field.     

Developmental Life Cycle of Leishmania—Cultivation and Characterization of Cultured Extracellular Amastigotes1

ABSTRACT. The biochemistry and immunology of Leishmania promastigotes has been extensively studied; this is due primarily to the facility with which this stage, in contrast to the amastigotes stage, can be maintained in axenic culture. Several attempts to axenically culture lines of Leishmania amastigotes have been reported in the literature. This paper summarizes methods of adaptation (low pH, elevated temperature and culture medium) and characterization of several axenic lines of Leishmania amastigotes. Based on morphological, biological, immunological and biochemical evidence, these organisms appear to resemble amastigotes from infected macrophages or tissue. The axenically cultured amastigotes appear to be distinct from shocked (heat, serum deprivation, stressed) Leishmania promastigotes in the plethora of proteins synthesized, growth (multiplication) in culture, and developmental regulation observed. These data suggest that Leishmania organisms have a significant developmental response to certain signals (pH, temperature) mimicking their in vivo macrophage milieu. The response to other environmental parameters characteristic of the host-macrophage remain to be determined. These axenically cultured amastigotes should be of interest for further immunological, biochemical and developmental investigations of the disease-maintaining stage of this parasite.     

Phylogeny and evolution of Staphyliniformia and Scarabaeiformia: forest litter as a stepping stone for diversification of nonphytophagous beetles

The beetle series Staphyliniformia exhibits extraordinary taxonomic, ecological and morphological diversity. To gain further insight into staphyliniform relationships and evolution, we reconstructed the phylogeny of Staphyliniformia using DNA sequences from nuclear 28S rDNA and the nuclear protein‐coding gene CAD for 282 species representing all living families and most subfamilies, a representative sample of Scarabaeiformia serving as a near outgroup, and three additional beetles as more distant outgroups. Under both Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood inference (MLI), the major taxa within Staphyliniformia are each monophyletic: (i) Staphylinoidea, (ii) Hydrophiloidea s.l., and the contained superfamilies (iii) Hydrophiloidea s.s. and (iv) Histeroidea, although Staphylinoidea and Hydrophiloidea s.l. are not strongly supported by MLI bootstrap. Scarabaeiformia is monophyletic under both methods of phylogenetic inference. However, the relative relationships of Staphylinoidea, Hydrophiloidea s.l. and Scarabaeiformia differ between BI and MLI: under BI, Staphyliniformia and Scarabaeiformia were sister groups; under MLI, Hydrophiloidea s.l. and Scarabaeiformia were sister groups and these together were sister to Staphylinoidea. The internal relationships in Scarabaeiformia were similar under both methods of phylogenetic inference, with Cetoniinae, Dynastinae + Rutelinae, Hybosoridae, Passalidae, Scarabaeidae and Scarabaeinae recovered as monophyla. Histeridae comprised two major clades: (1) Abraeinae, Trypanaeine and Trypeticinae; and (2) Chlamydopsinae, Dendrophilinae, Haeteriinae, Histerinae, Onthophilinae, Saprininae and Tribalinae. The relationships among early‐divergent Hydrophiloidea differed between BI and MLI, and overall were unresolved or received only moderate to low nodal support. The staphylinoid families Agyrtidae, Hydraenidae and Ptiliidae were recovered as monophyletic; the latter two were sister taxa, and Staphylinidae + Silphidae was also monophyletic. Silphidae was placed within Staphylinidae in close relation to a subset of Tachyporinae. Pselaphinae and Scydmaeninae were both recovered within Staphylinidae, in accordance with recent analyses of morphological characters, although not always with recently proposed sister taxa. None of the four major groups of Staphylinidae proposed by Lawrence and Newton (1982) was recovered as monophyletic. Certain highly specialized staphyliniform habits and morphologies, such as abdominal defensive glands and reduced elytra, have arisen in parallel in separate lineages. Further, our analyses support two major transitions to an aquatic lifestyle within Staphyliniformia: once within Staphylinoidea (Hydraenidae), and once within Hydrophiloidea s.l. (Hydrophiloidea s.s.). On a smaller scale, the most common transition is from litter to subcortical or to periaquatic microhabitats and the next most common is from litter to carrion and to fungi. Overall, transitions to periaquatic microhabitats were the most numerous. The broad picture in Staphyliniformia seems to be a high level of evolutionary plasticity, with multiple possible pathways to and from many microhabitat associations, and litter as a major source microhabitat for diversification. In Scarabaeiformia, the most common transitions were from litter to foliage, with flowers to litter, litter to flowers, and litter to dung being next, and then litter to roots, logs or carrion. Litter is again the largest overall source microhabitat. The most common transitions were to foliage and flowers. It thus seems that the litter environment presents ecological and evolutionary opportunities/challenges that facilitate entry of Staphyliniformia and Scarabaeiformia into ‘new’ and different ecological adaptive zones.