The grass megagametophyte and its possible phylogenetic implications

The structure of the grasses megagametophyte is considered to be characteristic enough as to deserve a particular place in the megagametophyte typology. Furthermore, it is compared with those of other Monocotyledonous families to point out embryological affinities.Both are members of the Carrera del Investigador (Conicet, Argentina).     

Pleurotrema epiphylla Vězda sp. n., eine neue foliikole Flechte aus Zentral-Afrika

Eine nèue foliikole Flechte (Pleurotrema epiphylla sp. n.) aus Zaïre (Zentral-Afrika) wird beschrieben. Die systematischen Beziehungen der neuen Art zu den anderenPleurotrema-Arten und die Stellung der GattungPleurotrema innerhalb der FamilieParatheliaceae wird kurz diskutiert.     

Stereoselective action of acylated crude papain toward mandelic and atrolactic hydrazides

Acylated crude papain has been shown to exert stereoselective behavior toward racemic hydrazides devoid of an amino acid residue, namely, (RS)-mandelic and (RS)-atrolactic hydrazides. These hydrazides functioned as nucleophiles to yield N¹,N²-diacylhydrazines. Several achiral acylating agents for the enzyme were chosen, including Z-glycine, BOC-glycine, AOC-glycine, and hippuric acid. With the exception of hippuric acid as the acylating agent, the reaction product, in every instance for these achiral hydrazides, consisted of an excess of the (+)-N¹,N²-diacylhydrazine. The relative rates of product formation for the mandelic hydrazides were considerably greater than for corresponding reactions with racemic atrolactic hydrazide. When chiral Z-l-alanine was employed to acylate crude papain, the stereoselective action was most pronounced, with the formation of a mixture of diastereoisomers consisting of 73% N¹-(Z-l-alanyl)-N²-[(R)-mandelyl]hydrazine. The relative reactivities for the electrophiles was Z-l-alanine ? Z-glycine ? hippuric acid ? AOC-glycine > BOC-glycine. The hydrazides of (R)-, (S)-mandelic, and (RS)-atrolactic acids were prepared by conversion of the corresponding acids to their esters by means of a catalytic dehydrating agent and subsequent treatment with a methanolic solution of hydrazine.     

Ultracentrifugation in polyethylene tubing: An efficient method to concentrate protein solutions on the microliter scale

An ultracentrifugation procedure is described to concentrate protein solutions on the microliter scale. Protein solutions were centrifuged in U-shaped lengths of polyethylene tubing at 160 000 × g for 15 h and thereafter fractionated by cutting the tubing. The method can be performed in a conventional ultracentrifuge and needs no special equipment.     

Psoralen/UVA treatment and chromosomes

Summary Treatment of human lymphocytes in vitro with trimethylpsoralen or 8-methoxypsoralen and UVA irradiation (PUVA) induced chromosome damage, mainly constrictions and gaps, but also breaks and exchanges, and increased the frequency of sister chromatid exchange (SCE). The localization of the chromosome aberrations was nonrandom. The coincidence of many PUVA hits with mercaptoenthanol hits suggests that PUVA may have other targets in the cell than the DNA, perhaps the folding proteins of the chromosomes and the nuclear membrane/chromatin attachment organelles.Caffeine increased in a synergistic way the chromosome aberration yield if added after PUVA treatment, but there was no effect when caffeine was present before and during PUVA treatment. The SCE frequency was increased in the presence of caffeine.     

Revision der GattungLoxonia (Gesneriaceae)

Within the genusLoxonia Jack, currently regarded as monotypic, three species are recognized:L. hirsuta Jack (Sumatra, Mentawai-Islands, Java, Borneo, Anambas-Islands, Malay Peninsula),L. discolor Jack (Sumatra) andL. burttiana A. Weber, spec. nova (Borneo). [Key with English translation p. 203.] There is evidence thatL. discolor is the most primitive species within the genus, the two others being derived from it.

Teil V der Beiträge zur Morphologie und Systematik derKlugieae undLoxonieae (Gesneriaceae).     

Comparison of the in vivo clearance of des-AA and des-AABB rat fibrin monomers prepared by different methods

Solubilization of fibrin monomers (Fm's) is usually performed with dilute acetic acid, urea or sodium bromide. These solvents can affect the biological properties of Fm's. Therefore we describe a new method to keep Fm's in solution, under milder conditions i.e. by generating them in Dcate solutions and avoiding non-physiological conditions. The in vivo behaviour of iodinated rat Fm's injected in rats and prepared by this new method was compared with that of Fm's dissolved in acetic acid, urea or sodium bromide.Fm's prepared in Dcate solutions accumulate rapidly, within 10 minutes after injection, in all organs tested, predominantly in kidney, liver and lung, probably by interaction with endothelial cells. The blood radioactivity remains nearly constant during the first 90 minutes and decreases thereafter exponentially. Fm's dissolved in sodium bromide behave similarly. However, Fm's dissolved in acetic acid or urea behave differently and do not accumulate in organs. This suggests that Fm's loose their capability to accumulate in organs and probably to interact with endothelial cells when they have been dissolved in acetic acid or urea.The slow exponential clearance phase does not differ significantly between the various Fm's and their $\text{T}\text{1}\text{2'S}$ are estimated to lie between 5 and 7 hours.     

Foliicole Flechten aus der Kolchis (West-Transkaukasien,UdSSR)

This paper deals with 19 species of foliicolous lichens collected in the summer months of 1977 to 1980 during several excursions to the vicinity of the spas Sochi, Gagra and Sukhumi on the east shores of the Black Sea (part of the Colchis). Some new taxa and one new combination are proposed:Raciborskiella minor Vězda (sp. n.),Porina colchica Vězda (sp. n.),Gyalectidium caucasicum (Elenk. etWoronich.)Vězda (comb. n.),G. colchicum Vězda (sp. n.),Bacidia vasakii Vězda (sp. n.). Taxonomical, ecological and plant geographical notes to all species are given.     

Ecomorphological survey of the leaf characteristics in selected Central European plant communities

Starting from the significance of the leaf surface for synmorphology, synecology, herbivory, decomposition and other use values, the leaf shape and size, consistency and seasonality have been surveyed in some forest and nonforested Central European communities. In both the individual species and the plant communities, the leaf size and shape are linearly correlated with mineral nutrient supply and, to some extent, also by soil moisture, both factors having been evaluated according to the importance value for each indicator species. Leaf consistency and periodicity tend to coincidewith the moisture gradient. Noteworthy is the smoothing influence of the forest canopy on the representation of various leaf categories in comparison with nonforested communities. No correlation was found between the light factor and the representation of leaf graminoid types.     

Depolarization-induced release of [3H]histamine by high potassium concentrations,electrical stimulation and veratrine from rat brain slices after incubation with the radiolabelled amine

Brain slices obtained from neocortex, hypothalamus or hippocampus were incubated with [³H]histamine and subsequently superfused and exposed to different depolarizing stimuli, viz. high K⁺-concentrations, electrical field stimulation and veratrine. K⁺-induced release of tritium was completely calcium-dependent and its magnitude depended on the K⁺-concentration, with maximal release being reached at 56 mM K⁺. Electrically-evoked release of tritium increased with increasing frequencies and reached its maximum at about 20 Hz. The electrically-evoked release appeared to be totally calcium-dependent and it was strongly inhibited by tetrodotoxin. Veratrine (5–100 μM) also induced a release of tritium; maximal release was obtained at 100 μM veratrine. Veratrine-induced release was partially calcium-dependent and was strongly reduced by tetrodotoxin.Taken together the data indicate that the depolarization-induced release of tritium from brain slices pre-labelled with [³H]histamine, represents [³H]histamine release from neurons and not from either mast cells or glial cells. It remains to be established whether these neurons are specifically histaminergic.