Contributions to the sociology and chorology of contrasting plant communities in the southern part of the ‘Wienerwald’ (Austria)

Five plant communities contrasting in successional status and human impact from the southern part of the ‘Wienerwald’ (Austria) are analyzed using vegetation relevés, spectra of area types and a newly proposed disjunction quotient. A climax community (Asperulo-Fagetum), a subclimax community (Querco-Carpinetum s.l.), an anthropogenous substitute community (Mesobromion) and two natural, non-climax permanent communities (Euphorbio saxatilis-Pinetum nigrae and Fumano-Stipetum eriocaulis) are recognized. The disjunction quotient is defined as the number of partial (discontinous) areas divided by the size of the total area of distribution of a species. In particular, the average disjunction quotients of the species in the first two communities reflect relatively table environments only slightly influenced by man, with many ancient, stable taxa. These communities are characterized by species with well-delimited, stable distribution areas. The species in the Mesobromion community have very low average disjunction quotients as its component species are widely and continuously distributed and are often promoted by man. In contrast to these communities, the species linked to the natural permanent, non-climax communities of extreme habitats, have high distribution quotients i.e. small, disconinuous areas; this illustrates the relic character of these plant communities and of the eastern edge of the Alps is a whole. Using the highly variable disjunction quotient of all species and communities examined, the concepts of climax and permanent communities (of different origin) are discussed with regard to European conditions.     

Body size but not colony size increases with altitude in the holarctic ant,Leptothorax acervorum

1. Bergmann's rule states that organisms inhabiting colder environments show an increase in body size or mass in comparison to their conspecifics living in warmer climates. Although originally proposed for homoeothermic vertebrates, this rule was later extended to ectotherms. In social insects, only a few studies have tested this rule and the results were ambiguous. Here, ‘body size’ can be considered at two different levels (the size of the individual workers or the size of the colony). 2. In this study, data from 53 nests collected along altitudinal gradients in the Alps were used to test the hypotheses that the worker body size and colony size of the ant Leptothorax acervorum increase with increasing altitude and therefore follow Bergmann's rule. 3. The results show that the body size of workers but not the colony size increases with altitude. Whether this pattern is driven by starvation resistance or other mechanisms remains to be investigated.     

Variation of chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils of Mentha x rotundifolia (L.) Huds. (Lamiaceae) collected from different bioclimatic areas of Tunisia

The variation of the essential oils composition of 10 Tunisian Mentha x rotundifolia (L.) Huds. Populations and their antioxidant activity were assessed. Essential oils showed high percentages of oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Rotundifolone, p-menthane-1,2,3-triol, β-caryophyllene and germacrene D were identified as main compounds at the species level. A variation in the essential oil composition was observed according to the populations and ecological factors. The populations 7, 8, 9 and 10 from the upper semi-arid bioclimatic zone and situated at high altitudes, exhibited the highest amount of rotundifolone. The populations 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 from the lower humid showed a rotundifolone/β-caryophyllene/germacrene D chemotype. The population 6, situated at the lowest altitude, was characterized by the highest amount of p-menthane-1,2,3-triol. The level of antioxidant activity of the populations was linked to their chemical composition difference. The highest scavenging activity and the best ability to reduce ferric ions were recorded for the population 10. The most important capacity to inhibit β-carotene bleaching was revealed for the population 8. For all populations, the antioxidant activities were substantial but lower than antioxidant standards used (Trolox and BHT).The populations (7, 8, 9 and 10) from the upper semi-arid showed the best yields of essential oils and the highest contents of rotundifolone. Chemotypes within these populations could be selected for improvement programs.     

MicroID2: A Novel Biotin Ligase Enables Rapid Proximity-Dependent Proteomics

Identifying protein–protein and other proximal interactions is central to dissecting signaling and regulatory processes in cells. BioID is a proximity-dependent biotinylation method that uses an “abortive” biotin ligase to detect proximal interactions in cells in a highly reproducible manner. Recent advancements in proximity-dependent biotinylation tools have improved efficiency and timing of labeling, allowing for measurement of interactions on a cellular timescale. However, issues of size, stability, and background labeling of these constructs persist. Here we modified the structure of BioID2, derived from Aquifex aeolicus BirA, to create a smaller, highly active, biotin ligase that we named MicroID2. Truncation of the C terrminus of BioID2 and addition of mutations to alleviate blockage of biotin/ATP binding at the active site of BioID2 resulted in a smaller and highly active construct with lower background labeling. Several additional point mutations improved the function of our modified MicroID2 construct compared with BioID2 and other biotin ligases, including TurboID and miniTurbo. MicroID2 is the smallest biotin ligase reported so far (180 amino acids [AAs] for MicroID2 versus 257 AAs for miniTurbo and 338 AAs for TurboID), yet it demonstrates only slightly less labeling activity than TurboID and outperforms miniTurbo. MicroID2 also had lower background labeling than TurboID. For experiments where precise temporal control of labeling is essential, we in addition developed a MicroID2 mutant, termed lbMicroID2 (low background MicroID2), that has lower labeling efficiency but significantly reduced biotin scavenging compared with BioID2. Finally, we demonstrate utility of MicroID2 in mass spectrometry experiments by localizing MicroID2 constructs to subcellular organelles and measuring proximal interactions.     

First report of a green toad (Bufo viridis sensu lato) in the Early Pleistocene of Spain: Palaeobiogeographical and palaeoecological implications

For the first time unequivocal fossil remains of a green toad (Bufo viridis s.l.) are described in the Iberian Peninsula. The fossils come from the Cueva Victoria site, a late Early Pleistocene (ca. 1.1–1.2 Ma) karstic filling in semi-arid southeastern Spain (Murcia region). By extension, other remains from two other Early Pleistocene Spanish localities, Barranco León D (ca. 1.3 Ma) and Almenara-Casablanca 3 (ca. 1.1 Ma), are cautiously attributed to the group B. viridis. The B. viridis group was previously reported with some uncertainty to the west of its current distribution area in Western Europe (Spain and France) in the Pliocene (Bufo cf. viridis) and less probably in the Early Miocene (Bufo aff. viridis). Since no osteological differences have been established between the recently described extant species of B. viridis s.l. (e.g. Bufo balearicus, Bufo siculus, Bufo boulengeri, B. viridis sensu stricto and Bufo variabilis) no precise palaeobiogeographical relationships can be drawn for the Spanish fossils. However, the occurrence of a third species of bufonid toad during the Pleistocene in the South of the Iberian Peninsula raises some interesting ecological questions in relation to the local disappearance of the green toad, which can be hypothetically linked to the intensification of the Pleistocene glacial/interglacial climate dynamic or to probable competition with another toad, Bufo calamita.     

Hydrogen evolution by co-immobilized Chlorella vulgaris and Clostridium butyricum cells

Whole cells of Chlorella vulgaris and Clostridium butyricum were co-immobilized in 2% agar gel. NADP was suitable as an electron carrier. The rate of hydrogen evolution increased with increasing NADP concentration. The optimum conditions for hydrogen evolution were pH 7.0 and 37°C. The immobilized C. vulgaris-NADP-immobilized Cl. butyricum system continuously evolved hydrogen at a rate of 0.29–1.34 μmol/h per mg Chl for 6 days. On the other hand, the system without NADP evolved only a trace amount of hydrogen.     

The effect of L-2-amino-4-methoxy-trans-3-butenoic acid on serine hydroxymethyl transferase

The tumour growth inhibitor L-2-amino-4-methoxy-trans-3-butenoic acid (Ro07-7957) inhibits serine hydroxymethyltransferase in cytosolic extracts of Walker carcinoma non-competitively with respect to L-serine with an apparent inhibition constant similar to the K_m-value for L-serine. The kinetics of inactivation suggest that it reacts as an irreversible substrate analogue. Incubation of Walker cells with Ro07-7957 causes an increase in serine hydroxymethyltransferase activity which is most pronounced at concentration ≤LD₅₀. This increase in enzyme activity does not occur in the presence of cycloheximide. These results suggest that inhibition of serine hydroxymethyltransferase in intact cells is accompanied by an increase in enzyme biosynthesis and that the growth inhibitory property of Ro07-7957 does not involve interference with the conversion of serine to glycine.