Bacterial structures and ecosystem functions in glaciated floodplains: contemporary states and potential future shifts

Glaciated alpine floodplains are responding quickly to climate change through shrinking ice masses. Given the expected future changes in their physicochemical environment, we anticipated variable shifts in structure and ecosystem functioning of hyporheic microbial communities in proglacial alpine streams, depending on present community characteristics and landscape structures. We examined microbial structure and functioning during different hydrologic periods in glacial (kryal) streams and, as contrasting systems, groundwater-fed (krenal) streams. Three catchments were chosen to cover an array of landscape features, including interconnected lakes, differences in local geology and degree of deglaciation. Community structure was assessed by automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis and microbial function by potential enzyme activities. We found each catchment to contain a distinct bacterial community structure and different degrees of separation in structure and functioning that were linked to the physicochemical properties of the waters within each catchment. Bacterial communities showed high functional plasticity, although achieved by different strategies in each system. Typical kryal communities showed a strong linkage of structure and function that indicated a major prevalence of specialists, whereas krenal sediments were dominated by generalists. With the rapid retreat of glaciers and therefore altered ecohydrological characteristics, lotic microbial structure and functioning are likely to change substantially in proglacial floodplains in the future. The trajectory of these changes will vary depending on contemporary bacterial community characteristics and landscape structures that ultimately determine the sustainability of ecosystem functioning.     

Structural and thermodynamic properties of rice starches with different genetic background Part 2. Defectiveness of different supramolecular structures in starch granules

High-sensitivity differential scanning microcalorimetry (HSDSC), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), light (LM) and scanning electronic (SEM) microscopy techniques were used to study the defectiveness of different supramolecular structures in starches extracted from 11 Thai cultivars of rice differing in level of amylose and amylopectin defects in starch crystalline lamellae. Despite differences in chain-length distribution of amylopectin macromolecules and amylose level in starches, the invariance in the sizes of crystalline lamellae, amylopectin clusters and granules was established. The combined analysis of DSC, SAXS, LM and SEM data for native starches, as well as the comparison of the thermodynamic data for native and annealed starches, allowed to determine the structure of defects and the localization of amylose chains in crystalline and amorphous lamellae, defectiveness of lamellae, clusters and granules. It was shown that amylose “tie chains”, amylose–lipid complexes located in crystalline lamellae, defective ends of double helical chains dangling from crystallites inside amorphous lamellae (“dangling” chains), as well as amylopectin chains with DP 6–12 and 25–36 could be considered as defects. Their accumulation can lead to a formation of remnant granules. The changes observed in the structure of amylopectin chains and amylose content in starches are reflected in the interconnected alterations of structural organization on the lamellar, cluster and granule levels.     

Some Notes on the Morphology of an Aberrant Actinian (Hexacorallia, Actiniaria) Associated with the Glaucothoe of the Hermit Crab Paguropsis typica Henderson (Anomura, Paguridae)

The planktonic glaucothoe of the Indo-West Pacific hermit crab Paguropsis typica Henderson has an aberrant anthozoan polyp, identified as a nynanthean actinian, attached to the underside of its thorax. The morphology of the anemone is described. The scapus is dumb-bell shaped and exhibits a slit-like mouth opening oriented transverse to the animal's siphonoglyphal plane. The gonads are very well developed, whereas tentacle-like structures or retractor muscles of certain septa are reduced. In the adult stage, Paguropsis typica is associated with the zoanthidean Epizoanthus paguropsides . It is assumed that the actinian is lost at the ecdysis leading to the first "hermit stage" and that P. typica might possibly seize a free Epizoanthus colony and adapt it to its body.     

Modulation of intracellular calcium and proliferative activity of invertebrate and vertebrate cells by ethylene

Background  

Ethylene is a widely distributed alkene product which is formed enzymatically (e.g., in plants) or by photochemical reactions (e.g., in the upper oceanic layers from dissolved organic carbon). This gaseous compound was recently found to induce in cells from the marine sponge Suberites domuncula, an increase in intracellular Ca²⁺ level ([Ca²⁺]_i) and an upregulation of the expression of two genes, the potential ethylene-responsive gene, SDERR, and a Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase.