Ultrastructural events and kinetics of microcyst germination in the myxomycete Didymium iridis

Microcysts of the myxomycete Didymium iridis were induced to excyst by transfer to 5mM potassium phosphate buffer. After 1 h in suspension, 90% of the microcysts had germinated into myxamoebae distinguishable by phase contrast microscopy and staining with Lugol's iodine. Both pH and osmolarity affected the kinetics of excystment. The rate and extent of excystment were decreased by cycloheximide but remained unaffected by actinomycin D, suggesting a requirement for protein synthesis but not RNA synthesis. Initially, the outer wall layers separated from the inner layer, which gradually expanded and loosened. The protoplast rehydrated and reverted to a vegetative morphology. Excysting cells were characterized by nucleolar inclusions, changes in the nuclear envelope and plasma membrane, appearance of ringed cisternal elements and microbodies in the cytoplasm, and formation of a densely fibrous zone adjacent to the site of emergence. Excysting populations have been classified into characteristic stages: mature, initiated, swollen, and pre-emergent microcysts.Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 2407     

Electron microscopic study of the mandibular glands of Kalotermes flavicollis Fabr. (Isoptera; Calotermitidae)

Summary The mandibular glands of Kalotermes were examined in different castes. They showed sexual dimorphism in the soldiers and primary reproductives. Moreover, in female soldiers and queens, mandibular gland cells contained numerous crystalline structures of mitochondrial origin. The role of these glands (secretion of saliva or pheromone) is discussed.

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Résumé Les glandes mandibulaires de Calotermes sont étudiées dans les différentes castes. Elles présentent un dimorphisme sexuel chez les soldats et les sexués. Après la mue imaginale, les cellules glandulaires ont toujours une activité sécrétrice. De plus, chez les soldats femelles et les reines, elles contiennent de nombreuses formations cristallines d'origine mitochondriale. Le rôle de ces glandes (sécrétion de salive ou de phéromone) est discuté.

     

Changes in the lysosome structure during the formation of zoospores inTrebouxia potteri

Summary Changes in the lysosome structures were examined by electron microscopy during the formation of zoospores inTrebouxia potteri. Lysosomes in vegetative cells were homogeneously filled with electron-dense material. At the beginning of zoospore formation, lysosomes invaginated or evaginated to take up mitochondria, ER, or cytoplasmic ground plasma. The ingested organelles became disorganized within the lysosomes. During this disruption of these organelles, the lysosomal contents became heterogeneous, suggesting a decrease in the amount of enzymes within the lysosomes. Golgi bodies and ER seemed to be involved with the disruption of the organelles, probably supplying some substances necessary for the functioning of the lysosomes. Amount of electron-dense materials decreased and, finally, only one to three small spherical aggregates remained in the lysosomes. Then the lysosomes appeared to shrink via loss of watery substances or cutting off of electron-transparent regions. After these changes in lysosome structure, nuclei started to divide successively for formation of the zoospores. The possibility is proposed that the drastic cytoplasmic changes operated by lysosomes trigger the following morphogenetic events in the formation of zoospores.Abbreviations ER endoplasmic reticulum - TGN trans Golgi network     

The fine structure of the carapace integument of Daphnia magna straus (Crustacea branchiopoda)

Summary The structure of the two integumental layers comprising the carapace of female D. magna was examined at several points through the molt cycle. The epicuticle and procuticle are simple in organisation; pore canals are absent but intracuticular fibres are present, forming complexes with invaginations of the epidermal plasma membrane similar to such complexes described in the literature for other arthropods. The epidermis consists almost entirely of cuticle-secreting cells. Secretion of the new cuticle begins when 50–67% of the instar has elapsed by which time the epidermal cells have increased in height and their nuclei have become more rounded. However, other presumed secretory phenomena observed viz. the formation of dense core vesicles by Golgi bodies, and the occurrence of these and coated vesicles near the apical plasma membrane are not restricted to any particular period during the molt cycle. This suggests that the mechanisms of cuticle secretion do not undergo marked changes in activity as they do in decapods; presumably this relative continuity is related to the much shorter molt cycle of cladocerans.The technical assistance of G.A. Bance, and the financial support provided by the National Research Council of Canada are gratefully acknowledged     

Isolation of a moderate halophilic ammonia-oxidizing bacterium,Nitrosococcus mobilis nov. sp.

An ammonia-oxidizing bacterium was isolated from a sample of brackish water (North Sea, Harbour of Husum). It is a motile large coccus 1.5–1.7 m in diameter. The extensive cytomembrane system occurring as flattened vesicles in the peripheral region of the cytoplasm and as intrusions into the center of the cytoplasm is to be emphasized as a characteristic mark of identification. The lithoauto-trophically growing bacterium turned out to be an obligate halophile. Because of its physiological and morphological properties, we assigned it to the genus Nitrosoccus and propose the name Nitrosococcus mobilis.     

Kinetics of functional and morphological changes during decoupling and recoupling induced by glycerol in isolated muscle fibres of the crayfish

Summary The development of ultrastructural changes in the T-system of isolated muscle fibres of the crayfish by the glycerol procedure is described in correlation with the dissociation of excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling as well as with recoupling of the E-C link. The sequence of events in the process of disconnection of the tubules is as follows: dilation of the T-system tubules, disconnection of the constricted tubular segments from the surface membrane and from the T-system vesicle, disappearance of the lumen and its disintegration. The decoupled state is characterised by the presence of round vesicles uniformly distributed in the entire volume of the fibre. The volume of vesicles accounts well for the residual postglycerol volume increase (15%) of the muscle fibres. Functional and structural recovery can be induced by reapplication of glycerol to fibres decoupled and vesiculated with concentrations of glycerol300mmol · l^-1 in crayfish saline. The restitution starts with the organisation of the material of the disintegrated connecting segment of the T-system tubule into small vesicles which coalesce to form the tubule from the vesicular site. At the same time the surface membrane is invaginated toward the vesicle, thus forming the tubule from the surface membrane site. Recovery starts already in the first minute after application of glycerol and is completed within approximately 15min.     

Fine structure of the ventral nerve centre and interspecific identification of individual neurons in the enigmatic Chaetognatha

The enigmatic arrow worms (Chaetognatha) are marine carnivores and among the most abundant planktonic organisms. Their phylogenetic position has been heavily debated for a long time. Most recent molecular studies still provide a diverging picture and suggest arrow worms to be some kind of basal protostomes. In an effort to understand the organization of the nervous system in this clade for a broad comparison with other Metazoa we analysed the ultrastructure of the ventral nerve centre in Spadella cephaloptera by transmission electron microscopy. We were able to identify six different types of neurons in the bilateral somata clusters by means of the cytoplasmic composition (regarding the structure of the neurite and soma including the shape and eu-/heterochromatin ratio within the nucleus) as well as the size and position of these neurons. Furthermore, our study provides new insights into the neuropil composition of the ventral nerve centre and several other fine structural features. Our second goal was to examine if individually identifiable neurons are present in the ventral nerve centres of four chaetognath species, Sagitta setosa, Sagitta enflata, Pterosagitta draco, and Spadella cephaloptera. For that purpose, we processed whole mount specimens of these species for immunolocalization of RFamide-related neuropeptides and analysed them with confocal laser-scanning microscopy. Our experiments provide evidence for the interspecific homology of individual neurons in the ventral nerve centres of these four chaetognath species suggesting that the potential to generate serially arranged neurons with individual identities is part of their ground pattern.     

Arthrobacter P 1, a fast growing versatile methylotroph with amine oxidase as a key enzyme in the metabolism of methylated amines

A facultative methylotrophic bacterium was isolated from enrichment cultures containing methylamine as the sole carbon source. It was tentatively identified as an Arthrobacter species. Extracts of cells grown on methylamine or ethylamine contained high levels of amine oxidase (E.C. 1.4.3.) activity. Glucose- or choline-grown cells lacked this enzyme. Oxidation of primary amines by the enzyme resulted in the formation of H₂O₂; as a consequence high levels of catalase were present in methylamine-and ethylamine-grown cells. The significance of catalase in vivo was demonstrated by addition of 20 mM aminotriazole (a catalase inhibitor) to exponentially growing cells. This completely blocked growth on methylamine whereas growth on glucose was hardly affected. Cytochemical studies showed that methylamine-dependent H₂O₂ production mainly occurred on invaginations of the cytoplasmic membrane. Assimilation of formaldehyde which is generated during methylamine oxidation was by the FBP variant of the RuMP cycle of formaldehyde fixation. The absence of NAD-dependent formaldehyde and formate dehydrogenases indicated the operation of a non-linear oxidation sequence for formal-dehyde via hexulose phosphate synthase. Enzyme profiles of the organism grown on various substrates suggested that the synthesis of amine oxidase, catalase and the enzymes of the RuMP cycle is not under coordinate control.     

Nuclear structure in early mouse embryos: A comparative ultrastructural and immunocytochemical study with special emphasis on the "2-cell block in vitro"

The embryos from many outbred and inbred strains of mice are arrested at the late 2-cell stage when cultured in vitro in simple culture media. This phenomenon is referred to as the "2-cell block in vitro". The ultrastructural morphology of the nuclei of the blocked embryos is not yet well described. In the present paper we documented the results of a comparative study on the nuclei of mouse embryos, both normally developing and arrested at the 2-cell stage. The blocked embryos maintain the morphological integrity of their nuclei. Main nuclear domains (nucleolus precursor bodies, interchromatin granule clusters, perichromatin granules, and perichromatin fibrils), typical for the control embryos, are observed in the blocked ones. A number and morphological characteristics of these nuclear substructures are not changed significantly in the blocked embryos. At the same time, RNA polymerase II and pre-mRNA splicing factors are redistributed in the nucleus of the blocked embryos. Although something goes to show that nuclear organization of the blocked embryos differ from that of the control, we could not reveal in the blocked embryos distinct signs of degeneration which might characterize aged or dying cells. Our data confirm a peculiar functional state of the 2-cell blocked embryos.     

Disappearence of the intracytoplasmic membranes inRhodopseudomonas sphaeroides

The photosynthetic bacterium,Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides, can be grown phototrophically (light, anaerobiosis), of chemotrophically (dark, aerobiosis). In the first case, it contains intracytoplasmic membranes with photosynthetic pigments. When shifted from phototrophy to chemotrophy these membranes disappear in an unknown fashion. In the present experiment, samples were taken for electron microscopy, cell density and bacteriochlorophyll determinations after shift from phototrophy to chemotrophy. The density of intracytoplasmic vesicles was measured on micrographs. During the first 2h growth is very slow and the ultrastructure remains unaltered. As growth resumes, the vesicles disappear at a rate which implies that they are not incorportated into the cytoplasmic membrane, nor actively digested, but remain intact and become increasingly diluted in the cytoplasm as the culture grows. The size of the vesicles was estimated to about 500 Å. The number of vesicles in phototrophically grown cells was calculated to about 575 per cell, and after 6h chemotrophic growth to about 100. The areas of the cytoplasmic and intracytoplasmic membranes are roughly calculated.Abbreviations Bchl bacteriochlorophyll - CM cytoplasmic membranes - ICM intracytoplasmic membranes