Common evolutionary origin of the central portions of the Ri TL-DNA of Agrobacterium rhizogenes and the Ti T-DNAs of Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Analysis of published sequences for Ri TL-DNA (root-inducing left-hand transferred DNA) of Agrobacterium rhizogenes revealed several unsuspected structural features. First, Ri TL-DNA genes are redundant. Using redundancy as a criterion, three regions (left, middle and right) were discerned. The left one, ORFs (open reading frames) 1–7, contains no detectable redundancy. In the middle region a highly diverged gene family was detected in ORFs 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14. The right region contains an apparently recent duplication (ORF 15 =18+17). We interpret the phenomenon of redundancy, particularly in the central region that encodes the transformed phenotype, to be an adaptation that ensures function in a variety of host species. Comparison of Ri TL-DNA and Ti T-DNAs from Agrobacterium tumefaciens revealed common structures, unpredicted by previous nucleic acid hybridization studies. Ri TL-DNA ORF 8 is a diverged Ti T-DNA tms1. Both Agrobacterium genes consist of a member of the diverged gene family detected in the central part of the Ri TL-DNA, but fused to a sequence similar to iaaM of Pseudomonas savastonoi. Other members of this gene family were found scattered throughout Ti T-DNA. We argue that the central region of Ri and the part of Ti T-DNA including ORFs 5–10 evolved from a common ancestor. We present the hypothesis that the gene family encodes functions that alter developmental plasticity in higher plants.     

Kinetic and proteolytic identification of heat-induced conformational changes in the urea herbicide binding site of isolated Phaseolus vulgaris chloroplast thylakoids

Kinetic parameters of 3-(3, 4-dichlorophenyl)-1, 1-dimethyl urea (DCMU)-induced inhibition of electron transport in chloroplast thylakoids isolated from Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Oregon 1604 were determined from analysis of a convergent, parallel electrical circuit. Through this analogue, the apparent affinity of the purported binding site for DCMU (K₁) and the relative amount of DCMU-insensitive electron transport (v^max₁/v_o) were obtained using a reiterative non-linear least squares curve-fitting procedure. Exposure of thylakoids to heat caused a gradual increase in K₁ (or decrease in the affinity of the thylakoid for DCMU) with an apparent activation energy of 134 kJ mol⁻¹. Tryptic susceptibility of a protein region regulating K₁ also decreased gradually with exposure to 45°C, suggesting that the heat-induced increase in K₁ might be due to a protein conformational change. On the other hand, thylakoid exposure to 45°C resulted in a rapid (<5 min) irreversible increase in v^max_I/v_o, which was also the apparent result of a conformational change in a region of the protein which regulates this function. These results are suggestive of the existence of differential thermal sensitivities of proteins within the thylakoids and, perhaps, of different regions within a single membrane protein.     

Early growth and final yield of autumn sownVicia faba L cultivars given different forms of fertiliser N over winter

Summary Between 3 Nov. 1983 and 9 Apr. 1984, six applications of fertiliser N (ammonium, nitrate or urea) were given to four autumn sown (26 Oct. 1983)Vicia faba L cultivars, Banner Winter (BW) and Maris Beagle (MBg), cold tolerant cultivars normally sown in the autumn, and Herz Freya (HF) and Maris Bead (MBd), cold sensitive cultivars more commonly sown in the spring. The effects of additional N were determined by comparison with plants given zero-N (controls). Application of N, regardless of form, had no effect on % emergence at the first sampling (15 Dec. 1983); >90% for BW, MBg and HF, but only 40–60% for MBd. At this time the dry weight, carbon content and nitrogen content of all cultivars was approximately 20% less than that of the seed on planting. No more plants emerged after 15 Dec. 1983. Between 15 Dec. 1983 and 20 Feb. 1984, all cultivars, regardless of N treatment, showed little change in dry weight, carbon content and nitrogen content but the proportion of total plant dry weight, carbon content and nitrogen content in the cotyledons decreased while the proportions in root, stem and leaf tissue increased. On 20 Feb. 1984 there were no N effects. All cultivars but especially BW and MBg, showed progressive increases in dry weight, carbon content and nitrogen content during the period 20 Feb. 1984 to 8 May 1984. Pooled results for all four cultivars indicated that on 8 May 1984, plants given ammonium and urea had a greater dry weight, carbon content and nitrogen content than controls. At harvest (1–3 Sep. 1984), BW and MBg outyielded (g dw seed m⁻²) HF and MBd. Pooled results for all cultivars indicated that application of N regardless of form gave increased yield and an increased N concentration (mg N g⁻¹ dw) in the seed.     

A New Electrolyte Formulation for Securing High Temperature Cycling and Storage Performances of Na‐Ion Batteries

The Na‐ion battery is recognized as a possible alternative to the Li‐ion battery for applications where power and cost override energy density performance. However, the increasing instability of their electrolyte with temperature is still problematic. Thus, a central question remains how to design Na‐based electrolytes. Here, the discovery of a Na‐based electrolyte formulation is reported which enlists four additives (vinylene carbonate, succinonitrile, 1,3‐propane sultone, and sodium difluoro(oxalate)borate) in proper quantities that synergistically combine their positive attributes to enable a stable solid electrolyte interphase at both negative and positive electrodes surface at 55 °C. Moreover, the role of each additive that consists in producing specific NaF coatings, thin elastomers, sulfate‐based deposits, and so on via combined impedance and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy is rationalized. It is demonstrated that empirical electrolyte design rules previously established for Li‐ion technology together with theoretical guidance is vital in the quest for better Na‐based electrolytes that can be extended to other chemistries. Overall, this finding, which is implemented to 18 650 cells, widens the route to the rapid development of the Na‐ion technology based on Na₃V₂(PO₄)₂F₃/C chemistry.     

Effect of different larval rearing temperatures on the productivity (Ro) and morphology of the malaria vector Anopheles superpictus Grassi (Diptera: Culicidae) using geometric morphometrics

Temperature affects both the biology and morphology of mosquito vectors. Geometric morphometrics is a useful new tool for capturing and analyzing differences in shape and size in many morphological parameters, including wings. We have used this technique for capturing the differences in the wings of the malaria vector Anopheles superpictus, using cohorts reared at six different constant temperatures (15°, 20°, 25°, 27°, 30°, and 35° C) and also searched for potential correlations with the life tables of the species. We studied wing shape in both male and female adults, using 22 landmarks on the wing in relation to ecological parameters, including the development rate. The ecological zero was calculated as 9.93° C and the thermal constant as 296.34 day‐degrees. The rearing temperature affects egg, larval, and pupal development and also the total time from egg to adult. As rearing temperatures increased, longevity decreased in both sexes. In An. superpictus, R_o value and productivity correlated with the statistically significant gradual deformations in the wing shape related to size in both sexes. These deformations directly linked to differences in immature rearing temperatures. Analysis using PCA and UPGMA phenograms showed that although wings of females became narrower dorsoventrally as the temperature increased, they became broader in males. Comparisons of the wing landmarks indicated the medial part of the wing was most affected by larval rearing temperatures, showing relatively more deformations. Algorithmic values of the life tables were determined in correlation with the results of geometric morphometrics. Comparisons of centroid sizes in the cohorts showed that overall wing size became smaller in both sexes in response to higher rearing temperatures.     

Metabolic plasticity drives development during mammalian embryogenesis

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The effect of temperature on progeny allocation and short interval timing in a parasitoid wasp

Abstract The parasitoid wasp Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura sets the number of progeny allocated to its insect egg hosts according to the duration of its initial transit walk across the host surface. Although cooling the wasp reduces its walking speed, reduced temperature does not affect progeny allocation. By locally heating and cooling the wasps, the initial transit can be thermally uncoupled from the subsequent oviposition. Using this technique we show that the timing of initial transit duration is temperature-dependent. These findings suggest that short interval timing by Trichogramma differs physiologically from the temperature compensated clocks that have been described for other insects.     

The effect of temperature on reproduction in three species of cyclopoid copepods

Megacyclops viridis (Jurine), Macrocyclops albidus (Jurine), and Acanthocyclops vernalis (Fischer) were raised in the laboratory at six temperatures (5, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 20°) and fed a mixture of ciliates (Paramecium caudatum and Colpidium campylum). Data were taken on clutch size, embryonic development time, interclutch period, time to first clutch, sex ratio and longevity.Clutch size, time to first clutch, embryonic development time, interclutch period and longevity are inversely related to temperature. The ratio of males to females in a cohort is independent of temperature.