Genetic characterization and specific detection of beer-spoilage Lactobacillus sp. LA2 and related strains

AIMS: Lactobacillus sp. LA2 (DSM15502) and related strains (LA2 group) possess strong beer-spoilage ability. The 16S rDNA sequence of LA2 strain is virtually indistinguishable from that of L. collinoides, generally considered to be nonbeer-spoilage bacteria. The aim of this study was to identify the genetic marker to distinguish between Lactobacillus sp. LA2 group and L. collinoides and to provide a rapid means of identifying beer-spoilage strains belonging to Lactobacillus sp. LA2 group. METHODS AND RESULTS: The 16-23S rDNA intergenic spacer (ITS) regions of Lactobacillus sp. LA2 and L. collinoides JCM1123T were sequenced to identify a genetic marker to distinguish between the two groups. As a result, 300 and 500 bp ITS regions of Lactobacillus sp. LA2 were found to be almost identical with those of L. collinoides JCM1123T. Sequence comparison analysis between Lactobacillus sp. LA2 and L. collinoides JCM1123T revealed that the two contiguously located nucleotides are absent in both ITS regions of Lactobacillus sp. LA2. Based on the sequence difference, we have designed specific PCR primers with a minor modification to the primer sequence that can differentiate between beer-spoilage Lactobacillus sp. LA2 group and nonbeer-spoilage L. collinoides. CONCLUSIONS: The PCR-based method has been developed to identify Lactobacillus sp. LA2 group, providing a rapid and sensitive means of determining the beer-spoilage ability of detected bacterial strains. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The substitution of one nucleotide, located at the third position to the 3'-end in the primer sequence, enhanced the specificity of the PCR method while retaining sufficient sensitivity. The nucleotide gap identified in this study appeared to serve as a useful genetic marker that can differentiate 12 beer-spoilage Lactobacillus sp. LA2 group strains from its close relatives that exhibit no beer-spoilage ability.     

土壤干旱对元宝枫渗透调节能力的影响

采用盆栽控水法和P—V技术研究分析了不同土壤干旱(速度、程度)条件对元宝枫渗透调节能力的影响。结果表明,元宝枫具有很强的渗透调节能力．但该能力受土壤干旱的速度和程度影响,在缓慢干旱条件下,元宝枫叶片的ψw、ψ0、π100、RWC^0、ROWC^0均明显降低．其中与渗透调节能力直接相关的(π100可下调0．52MPa,ψ0下调1．51MPa。在快速干旱条件下π100和ψ0分别仅下凋0．20MPa和0．48MPa。△π100值也表明缓慢干旱条件下元宝枫渗透调节能力是快速干旱下的45倍。在缓慢干旱条件下．由轻度到中度干旱时其渗透调节能力显著增强(增加270％);由中度到严重干旱时．增加不明显(增加了24．5％)。从3种有机渗透调节物质含量与△π100值的动态变化可见,可溶性糖含量增加对渗透调节能力的贡献是第一位的．其次是Pro、游离氨基酸。     

Inbreeding and true seed in tetrasomic potato. IV. Synthetic cultivars

A true potato seed (TPS) synthetic cultivar from open pollination may broaden the genetic base in potato. A synthetic cultivar can also reduce the effect of inbreeding and maintain the productivity from generation to generation. Selected tetraploid parental genotypes, based on combining-ability tests, were chosen for isolated polycrosses to obtain tetraploid offspring. A series of experiments were undertaken to investigate the development of these TPS synthetic populations in two Peruvian locations: San Ramon, a rainfed, humid, mid-altitude environment, and La Molina, an arid, coastal environment under irrigation. Natural open-pollinated synthetics or control-mixture synthetics, involving two to six parents, had a similar tuber set but plant survival and tuber weight were higher in control synthetics including two or six parents. The results suggest that two-parent open-pollinated TPS synthetics may be a feasible option by selecting the right parents for the base population. A subsequent experiment showed that four-parent control synthetics (i.e. double crosses) were the best for tuber weight and size, followed by the two-parent control synthetics. Synthetic breeding populations could be shared with other breeders, who in cooperation with their local farmers may select promising genotypes for further cultivar release. Received: 15 December 2000 / Accepted: 4 April 2001     

Improving male mating competitiveness and survival in the field for medfly,Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) SIT programs

The success of the sterile insect technique (SIT) depends critically upon mating between released sterilized males and wild females. In Hawaii, improvements in the efficiency of sterile males were attempted on two separate fronts – mating enhancement and survival improvement. In the former, two methods have been investigated – selective breeding and aromatherapy. In the latter, flies which survived in field cages for several days were selected and bred to produce progeny with enhanced survival ability compared to control flies. Regarding mating selection, standard laboratory-reared males that successfully mated with wild females in field cages were allowed to breed. F1 offspring were inbred, then the selection procedure was repeated for four additional cycles. In the aromatherapy procedure, laboratory-reared males were exposed to ginger root oil for several hours 1 day prior to testing in field cages. Compared to controls, the selected flies improved the mating competitiveness of male flies ca. 3-fold, irradiation reduced this increase to ca. 2.5-fold. Exposing the selected, hybrid strain raised the fitness of the lab males to ca. 9-fold that of wild males. In the ongoing survival selection study, we have obtained lines in which the selected males survived ca. 2-fold better than laboratory control males over several days in an outdoor field cage, with food and water provided. The goal is to combine the traits of higher survival and mating ability into a single strain for SIT release.     

Root proliferation in perennial grasses of low and high palatability

Root proliferation of desirable (Stipa clarazii andS. tenuis) and undesirable (S.ambigua)perennial grasses was studied in semiarid rangelands of Central Argentina(40°39S, 62°54W) in 1998. On 17 September, soil coreswereremoved from the edge of the plant, metal structures lined with screen mesh(hereafter called bags) were buried in the holes, and root-free soil was placedinto these structures. Numbers of green tillers and circumference per plant hadpreviously been determined. Since plants were of unequal size among species,root length and root dry weight data are reported on a per green tiller basis.Half of the plants was defoliated to 5 cm stubble height on 17September and/or 12 October, while the other half remained undefoliated(controls). Bags were destructively harvested either 20 days after the firstdefoliation (first sampling) or 56 days after the second defoliation (secondsampling) by digging out soil very carefully around each bag. Roots were washedfrom soil, root length estimated by the line intercept method, root dry weightdetermined after oven-drying, and root length per unit root dry weightcalculated from the two measured variables. Root length and dry weight weremorethan 96% greater on defoliated and undefoliated plants ofS. clarazii than on those of S.tenuisor S. ambigua for both sampling dates. Root length perunitroot dry weight, however, was more than 43% greater (p < 0.05) inS. tenuis than in S. clarazii andS. ambigua during the second sampling. Defoliated plantshada similar root length and root dry weight than undefoliated plants in all threespecies, although plants of S. tenuis defoliated twiceshowed a greater (p < 0.05) root length than undefoliated controls. Rootlength and root dry weight were similar between sampling periods, except onundefoliated plants of S. tenuis which had a greater (p<0.05) root length and root dry weight at the first than at the second sampling.Although root length per unit root dry weight may be greater inS. tenuis than in S. clarazii andS. ambigua, greater root length and dry weight increasesinS. clarazii after defoliation appear determinant incontributing to explain its greater competitive ability and defoliationtolerance when compared with the other two species.Nomenclature of taxa followed.     

Factors influencing eating ability of old in-patients in a rehabilitation hospital in Japan

Objectives: This study was designed to determine the factors influencing eating ability of old in‐patients in a rehabilitation hospital. Design: Cross‐sectional investigation. Setting: Forty‐six in‐patients in the rehabilitation ward of Hashimoto Hospital in Kagawa Prefecture in Japan were investigated using a multi‐disciplinary approach. Main outcome measures: Age, gender, state of dentition, muscle activity of lip, cheek and tongue, biting force, salivary flow rate per a minute (SFR), masticatory ability for gummy jelly, swallowing ability, texture of meal, independency of walking (Functional Independence Measure=FIM) and ability to communicate. Results: Bivariate analysis for the relationship between surveyed items and masticatory ability (chi‐square test) identified that better masticatory ability for gummy jelly was associated with age (<85 years), gender (male), state of dentition (dentate), SFR (high), activity of lip (good), biting force (high), swallowing ability (good) and activity of communication (high). Among these items, SFR (p=0.001), gender (p=0.004), ability to communicate (p=0.005) and age (p=0.012) were found having an influence on the masticatory ability (logistic regression analysis). On the other hand, age (<85years), gender (male), SFR (high), activity of lip (good), activity of cheek (good), biting force (high), masticatory ability (good) and swallowing ability (good) had a relationship with normal texture of meal. In regression analysis, only two items, activity of lip (p=0.003) and swallowing ability (p=0.024) emerged as factors on texture of meal. Conclusions: Masticatory ability for gummy jelly was influenced by cognitive function and was excluded from the factors on the state of meal. These results suggested the limitation of evaluation using test food, so dentists should observe eating behaviour of in‐patients. In addition, dentists should pay attention to the activity of the lip and swallowing ability as well as dentition and prostheses in the rehabilitation of eating ability. As SFR was the most significant factor on masticatory ability, this emphasizes the necessity of care for dry mouth caused by side effects of multi‐medication     

Effects of Phragmites australis removal on marsh nutrient cycling

In the northeast US removal of exotic and invasive plant species is a common wetland restoration activity and the invasive common reed (Phragmites australis) is often the target of control efforts. We examined effects of reed removal on sediment nutrient pools and denitrification potential in a tidal freshwater marsh on the Connecticut River. In the first year after herbicide application and cutting of a reed stand, porewater ammonium concentrations in the removal area were about 4× higher relative to extant reed or cattail. Denitrification potentials were 50% lower than in a reference stand of reed. Denitrification activity had recovered by the second growing season after reed removal but porewater ammonium continued to accumulate. By the third growing season following reed removal, plant regrowth had occurred over approximately half the experimental plot and porewater ammonium had declined to pre-manipulation levels. Sediment organic content, moisture and porewater phosphate showed no significant response to reed removal over the four-year course of this study. Reed removal allowed regrowth of a more diverse plant community thereby achieving one of the goals of this restoration effort but patterns in ammonium accumulation and denitrification suggest a reduction in the capacity of this site to act as a sink for nitrogen.     

A simulation study of the effects of architectural constraints and resource translocation on population structure and competition in clonal plants

(1) Spatially explicit simulation of clonal plant growth is used to determine how ramet-level traits affect ramet density, spatial pattern of ramets and competitive ability of a clonal plant. The simulation model used combines elements of (i) an individual-based model of plant interactions, (ii) an architectural model of clonal plant growth, and (iii) a model of resource translocation within a set of physiologically integrated plant individuals. (2) The effects of two groups of parameters were studied: growth and resource acquisition parameters (resource accumulation, density-dependence of resource accumulation, resource translocation between ramets) and architectural rules (branching angle and probability of branching, internode length). The model was parameterised by values approximating those of clonally growing grasses as closely as possible. The basic parameter values were chosen from a short-turf grassland. Sensitivity analysis was carried out on relevant parameters around three basic points in the parameter space. Both single-species and two-species systems were studied. (3) It is shown that increasing resource acquisition and growth parameters increase ramet density, genet number and competitive ability. Translocation parameters and architectural parameters modify the effects of resource acquisition and growth, but their effect in single-species stands was smaller. (4) The simulations of species with fixed ramet sizes showed that ramet density in single-species stands cannot be used for predicting competitive ability. Increase in resource acquisition and growth parameters was correlated with an increase in equilibrium ramet density and competitive ability. Increasing branching angle, branching probability or internode length lead to an increased competitive ability, but did not affect equilibrium ramet density. Change of architectural parameters could therefore affect competitive ability independently of their effect on the final ramet density. (5) Spatial pattern both in single-species and two-species stands was also highly parameter-dependent. Changes in architectural parameters and in translocation usually lead to pronounced change in the spatial pattern; change in growth and resource acquisition parameters generally had little effect on spatial pattern.     

Genetic variation and productivity of Populus trichocarpa and its hybrids. X. Trait correlations in young black cottonwood from four river valleys in Washington

 A common-garden study of Populus trichocarpa Torr. & Gray was established in spring 1986 with 128 clones collected from sites along two mesic (Hoh and Nisqually) and two xeric (Dungeness and Yakima) river valleys in Washington. Two replicate plantations, one in Puyallup and the other in Wenatchee, Wash., were established with this material. Over 2 years data were taken on stem growth, leaf/crown characters, spring/autumn phenology, and the incidence of Melampsora occidentalis leaf rust. Combining clones from all four sources, correlation/regression analyses were used to examine clonal stability of traits between test sites and trait relationships with stem growth; broad-sense heritabilities (H ²) and genetic correlations revealed the genetic strength of these traits. At Puyallup, many leaf/crown traits predicted stem growth moderately to very well (r ²>0.50), e.g., total leaf area (TLA) to diameter gave an r ² of 0.91 and current-terminal leaf size, of 0.79. Some regressions were quadratic, suggesting a threshold level in a trait (e.g., leaf size) beyond which stem growth levels off. Upper-crown TLA was more closely related to height than TLA of the lower sylleptics, but the reverse was true for diameter. A decline in r ² values from upper to lower crown positions was sharper for correlations of TLAs with height than with diameter. Thus, leaf area allocation seems to differentially affect stem growth. When autumn leaf fall (LF) and rust incidence (R) were regressed with growth, r ² values ranged from 0.58 to 0.71, but those of spring flush (SF) were only 0.10 to 0.12. Early LF and high R, both negatively affecting growth, had a strong geographic component as it occurred mainly on lower-elevation Yakima clones. At Wenatchee, field conditions were harsher and microsites more variable, so trait/growth relationships were weaker. Genetic correlations with growth revealed similar trends as phenotypic analyses. Unlike leaf/crown traits, clonal scores of LF, SF, and R were fairly stable across the two test sites (r ²: 0.58–0.80). These traits also showed strong genetic control (H ²: 0.96–0.98). The trait/growth relationships as well as trait stability within clones have implications for selecting clonal stock in poplar culture and conservation. Received: 23 February 1998 / Accepted: 7 May 1998     

东灵山地区退化生态系统的恢复与重建实验

 在东灵山地区的三个地点进行了退化生态系统的恢复与重建实验,栽种了日本落叶松(Larix kaempferi)、华北落叶松(Larix principis-rupprechtii)、核桃楸(Juglans mandshurica)、水曲柳(Fraxinus mandshurica)等四种植物,通过五年的生长观察,实验证明日本落叶松在本区生长良好,在本地区可以作为绿化树种及用材树种,人工落叶松林新植被生态系统的引进是成功的;华北落叶松在本地区较高海拔1700m左右也可以成活,可以作为绿化树种,核桃楸和水曲柳在海拔600m左右的较干旱环境下生长较慢,核桃楸和水曲柳在干旱环境如果没有较好的抚育措施,则成活率低,作为绿化树种不可取。