Rapid micropreps and minipreps of Ti plasmids and binary vectors fromAgrobacterium tumefaciens

A simple and versatile procedure has been developed for the isolation of both large helper/Ti plasmids and binary vectors fromAgrobacterium tumefaciens. Using a slightly modified alkaline lysis protocol, intact plasmid can be recovered from cultures grown in standard micro-centrifuge tubes or culture tubes in sufficient yield and purity to allow for restriction analysis on ethidium bromide stained gels of the >200 kb Ti plasmid DNA. Contamination by chromosomal DNA is minimal and there is thus no need for isopycnic gradient purification. This same procedure can be combined with a high temperature treatment (37°C) and antibiotic selection to generate preparations containing binary vector DNA that are virtually free of interfering Ti plasmid DNA. Restriction patterns produced from these binary vector DNA preparations are unambiguous and therefore preliminary screening by Southern hybridization can be eliminated.     

Pattern of growth in weight of alate and apterous nymphs of the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae

Daily increase in fresh weight was recorded for apterous and alate nymphs of S. avenae at 20°C. Comparison with a control group indicated that daily disturbance and weighing of nymphs did not affect significantly their growth, developmental time or survival. The increase in fresh weight of apterous and alate virginoparae at 20°C was best described by logistic equations. Alate virginoparae were significantly heavier than apterous virginoparae at birth and throughout most of their nymphal life, but they experienced a weight loss at the final ecdysis. The relative growth rate did not remain constant, but declined during development. The decline is associated with a decline in honeydew production per unit body weight. The implications of an inconstant relative growth rate and the marked loss in weight at the adult moult in alates are discussed.

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Résumé L'enregistrement de l'augmentation quotidienne du poids frais à 20°C des larves ailées et aptères de S. avenae a montré que des perturbations quotidiennes n'affectent pas significativement la croissance, la durée du développement et la survie. Les équations logistiques décrivent plus exactement l'augmentation de poids frais des aptères et des ailés virginipares à 20°C. Les virginipares ailés étaient significativement plus lourds que les virginipares aptères à la naissance et pendant la plus grande partie de la vie larvaire, mais présentaient une perte de poids à la mue finale. Le taux de croissance relative ne restait pas constant, mais diminuait au cours du développement. La diminution était associée à une diminution de la production de miellat par unité de poids du corps. La discussion porte sur les conséquences de la variation de l'augmentation du poids relatif et de la perte marquée de poids à la mue imaginale.

     

A regression analysis of the summer population dynamics of Polyarthra vulgaris in a northern Michigan bog lake

The population dynamics of a planktonic rotifer (Polyarthra vulgaris) were examined in a brown water, acid lake in northern Michigan, U.S.A. Predation by Chaoborus punctipennis and low food (Navicula spp. and Cyclotella spp.) concentrations were the main factors limiting P. vulgaris populations of all factors examined. The data presented here support a hypothesis for zooplankton limitation by an invertebrate predator.