Ecology of deepwater rice-fields in Bangladesh 5. Mineral composition of the rice plant and other aquatic macrophytes

The mineral composition of deepwater rice (cultivar Kartik Sail) was studied during 1986 in a field near Sonargaon, Bangladesh, which is flooded by water from R. Meghna. Samples were taken four times, once prior to flooding and three times during the flood season. On two of the latter days (10 August = end of first flood peak, 23 September = second flood peak) the study was extended to other components of the ecosystem (sediments + soil, water, other aquatic macrophytes). On 23 September, 32% of the mass of the plant was out of water, 65% in water and 3% in sediment/soil. There were marked differences between elements in their pattern of accumulation by deepwater rice through the season. In comparison with the final totals for each element, about 48% of N, but only 11% of P and 10% of Na had been accumulated by the time the floodwater had arrived. The aquatic roots doubled in mass between the times of the two flood peaks and it is suggested that much of the P taken up by the plant may reach the plant via its aquatic roots after having becoming mobilized and released to the water when sediments become anaerobic. In comparison with other parts of the plant, Na was always much higher in the stem and Zn in the basal roots.Other aquatic macrophytes (weeds) increased from 0.40% of the mass (dry weight) of deepwater rice on 10 August to 4.0% on 23 September. However their content of each element (% dry weight) was considerably higher than that in deepwater rice, so they may at times compete effectively with the rice for nutrients. During the flood period (to 23 September) weeds accumulated 16% of the N accumulated by rice during the same period.     

Relative Virulence of Meloidogyne incognita Host Races on Soybean

Sensitivity and host efficiency of susceptible (''Lee 68'', ''Coker 156'') and resistant (''Bragg'', ''Centennial'', ''Forrest'', ''Lee 74'') soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) cultivars for races of Meloidogyne incognita (Mi) were determined in greenhouse experiments. Eight Mi populations collected from the southeastern United States were utilized. All Mi races reproduced readily on Lee 68 and Lee 74 and moderately on Forrest and Bragg. Coker 156 exhibited resistance to races 1 and 2, and some race 3 populations, but was very susceptible to certain race 3 and 4 populations. Reproduction of all races was lowest on Centennial. Forrest and Centennial shoot growth was not significantly suppressed by any race. There were no distinct differences in virulence between races except for a race 3 population which reproduced readily on all cultivars, stunting their growth. Considerable variation in reproduction existed within races 1 and 3.     

Nalidixic acid-resistant mutations of the gyrB gene of Escherichia coli

Summary DNA fragments of 3.4 kb containing the gyrB gene were cloned from Escherichia coli KL-16 and from spontaneous nalidixic acid-resistant mutants. The mutations (nal-24 and nal-31) had been determined to be in the gyrB gene by transduction analysis. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the cloned DNA fragments revealed that nal-24 was a G to A transition at the first base of the 426th codon of the gyrB gene, resulting in an amino acid change from aspartic acid to asparagine, and nal-31 was an A to G transition at the first base of the 447th codon, resulting in an amino acid change from lysine to glutamic acid. This indicates that mutations in the gyrB gene are responsible for nalidixic acid resistance.     

A nonconjugative mobilizable broad host range plasmid of Acinetobacter sp. that determines HgCl2 resistance

Summary HgCl₂-resistant strains of Acinetobacter sp. obtained from the soil at the Khaidarkan mercury mine (Kirghiz SSR) were found to contain, apart from large plasmids (60 kb), a small plasmid (7.5 kb) designated pKL1. It was established by conjugative crosses and transformation that pKL1 is a broad host range mobilizable plasmid and that it carries the Hg^r determinant. The restriction map of pKL1 was constructed; the site of the Hg^r determinant and the regions essential to replication were localized. A comparison of these results with earlier data suggests that microorganisms belonging to one microbiocenosis may carry Hg^r determinants on plasmids with highly different structures and properties.Deceased on July 16, 1985     

Stomatal closure by ultraviolet radiation

The effect of ultraviolet radiation (UV) (255–325 nm) on stomatal closure was investigated on tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc) Trotter] in the presence of white light (ca 50 ·mol m⁻² s⁻¹). The action spectrum showed that UV (ca 2 ·mol m⁻² s⁻¹, half band width about 10 nm) of 285 nm or shorter wavelengths was very efficient in causing stomatal closure. The effectiveness decreased sharply towards longer wavelengths. Radiation of 313 nm or longer wavelengths was practically without effect. Increasing UV intensity increased stomatal resistance. When stronger white light (5 to 9 times stronger than the one used during irradiation) was administered, stomates re-opened rapidly irrespective of whether the UV was on or off, although a subsequent gradual closing tendency was observed when the UV was on.     

Chromosome-mediated transfer of murine alleles for hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) and ouabain resistance into human cell lines

Genetic drug-resistance markers were transferred via purified metaphase chromosomes from mouse L cells into the human fibrosarcoma line HT1080 and HeLa S3 cells. Interspecific chromosome-mediated transfer of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT; EC 2.4.2.8) from mouse L cells into HGPRT^– HT1080 cells occurred at a frequency of approximately 1×10^–7. The presence of the mouse allele for HGPRT in transferent isolates was confirmed by isoelectric focusing. Transfer of ouabain resistance from mouse L cells to HT1080 and HeLa S3 cells occurred at an average frequency of approximately 4×10^–7. Expression of the mouse trait in transferent isolates was confirmed by their ability to withstand doses of ouabain which would be lethal to spontaneous ouabain-resistant mutants of the human cells but not to mouse L cells. Ouabain-resistant transferents of human cells showed 10⁴- to >10⁵-fold enhanced drug resistance, characteristic of either wild-type or mutant alleles, respectively, from ouabain-resistant donor L cells. Unstable expression of the transferred phenotypes in the absence of selection was seen in some isolates, but expression was lost at slow rates.This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grant GM30383/21665 to RMB, Core Grants CA14051 to S. E. Luria and CA24538 to E. Mihich, and institutional predoctoral Training Grant GM07287.     

Selection studies on anthelmintic resistant and susceptible populations of Trichostrongylus colubriformis of sheep

Waller P. J., Dobson R. J., Donald A. D., Griffiths D. A. and Smith E.F. 1985. Selection studies on anthelmintic resistant and susceptible populations of Trichostrongylus colubriformis of sheep. International Journal for Parasitology15: 669–676. A T. colubriformis population (BCK), formerly resistant to benzimidazole anthelmintics, but now highly resistant to levamisole after 6 years exposure to this drug alone in the field, was passed through 12 generations in the laboratory in three separate lines exposed either to selection with thiabendazole or levamisole, or to no selection. Another population (McM) not previously exposed to these anthelmintics was treated similarly in two lines, selected with thiabendazole or not selected.Selection with thiabendazole resulted in a return of benzimidazole resistance in the BCK line which occurred faster than in the McM line, but a similar level of resistance was reached in each by the twelfth generation. Resistance ratios in both selected lines compared with the unselected McM line were less than 20: 1, and only 1.5 times the recommended dose rate of thiabendazole was required to remove more than half of the resistant population. This suggests that a polygenic vigour tolerance rather than a specific resistance had been selected.In the case of levamisole resistance, the BCK population was found to contain two distinct subpopulations, one susceptible and the other highly resistant. Resistance ratios for the highly resistant subpopulation were greater than 4000: 1, implying a specific resistance controlled by a major gene. During the 12 generations of levamisole selection, the proportion of resistant phenotypes fluctuated about an average level of 70%, suggesting that susceptibility alleles were being maintained in the population through superior heterozygote fitness. This conclusion is supported by a significant decline in levamisole resistance in the absence of levamisole selection. Moreover, thiabendazole selection hastened the reversion to levamisole suceptibility.The results provide support for the reintroduction of a benzimidazole anthelmintic to control this helminth population, and for a slow rotation in the use of drugs with different modes of action.