Catalase formation in Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in relation to the effect of glucose and antibiotics

The developmental pattern of the catalase activity in Rhodotorulamucilaginosa, an obligate aerobe, was investigated in relationto its growth. The pattern of catalase activity does not runin a manner comparable with that of a respiratory capacity,because catalase activity takes a continual rise after the middleof the logarithmic growth, while a respiratory pattern runsa constant level during the corresponding growth phase. Additionof antimycin A to cells with a minimum catalase activity doesnot block the increase in the catalase activity. Chloramphenicoldoes not exert any recognizable effect on the catalase formationwhereas cycloheximide does create an intense inhibitory effect,regardless of addition times on the course of growth. Theseresults show that the synthesizing sites of yeast catalase aredifferent from mitochondria. ¹Present address: Department of Biology, Japan Women's University,Tokyo, Japan (Received February 18, 1970; )     

Pollination by fungus gnats in four species of the genus Mitella (Saxifragaceae)

The first example of pollination by fungus gnats in the eudicots is reported. The genus Mitella (Saxifragales) is characteristically produces minute, inconspicuous, mostly dull-coloured flowers with linear, sometimes pinnately branched, petals. To understand the function of these characteristic flowers, we studied the pollination biology of four Mitella species with different floral traits and different sexual expression: dioecious M. acerina , gynodioecious M. furusei var. subramosa , and hermaphroditic M. stylosa var. makinoi and M. integripetala. Flower-bagging experiments showed that wind pollination did not occur in the dioecious and gynodioecious species. Two years of observations of flower visitors at six study sites in Japan revealed that the principal pollinators of all four Mitella were specific species of fungus gnats (Mycetophilidae), which landed on the flowers with their long spiny legs settling on the petals. Characteristically, numerous pollen grains were attached to the fungus gnats in specific locations on the body. Although, on average, 1.3–2.6 fungus gnats visited each inflorescence per day, the fruit set of both bisexual and female flowers exceeded 63%. These results suggest that fungus gnats are highly efficient pollinators of Mitella spp., and that Mitella flowers are morphologically adapted to pollination by fungus gnats.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 144 , 449–460.     

Some properties of NAD-independent {alpha}-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase of yeast

NAD-independent, mitochondrial -glycerophosphate dehydrogenaseof baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was liberated fromcells and its nature was examined. Hydrogen acceptors, pH optimaand reaction rates with substrate and hydrogen acceptor of theenzyme were determined. A naturally occurring phenolic pigmentextracted from yeast cells was also found to function as aneffective hydrogen acceptor for the enzyme. Addition of FMNor FAD to the -glycerophosphate oxidation system largely acceleratedenzymatic activity, whereas the enzyme system was strongly blockedby SH-reagents. This suggests that the SH-group functions atan essential site. Clear-cut inhibition by antimycin A of electrontransfer to cytochrome c suggests the intermediation of cytochromeb. (Received December 13, 1968; )     

A PHENOLIC PIGMENT REACTIVE TO L-LACTATE CYTOCHROME C REDUCTASE OF YEAST

1. A phenolic pigment was extracted from baker's yeast. The pigmentis slowly autooxidizable, and rapidly oxidized with Rhus-laccaseor polyphenol oxidase and reduced by dithionite.
2. The pigmentdissolved in ethylether had an absorption peak at258 mµ,shoulders at 289 and 382 mµ and a plateauat 450–500mµ. The difference spectrum between oxidizedand reducedforms of the pigment showed a wide plateau around500 mµ.
3. The pigment supported the oxygen uptake by reconstructed enzymesystem: L-lactate, L-lactate cytochhrome c reductase and Rhuslaccaseor polyphenol oxidase. In its absence, no oxygen uptake tookplace. The pigment was replaced successfully with p-quinone,catechol and menadione, but not with ubiquinone. The sequenceof hydrogen transport can be represented: L-lactate L-lactatecytochrome c reductase "phenolic pigment" oxidase oxygen.

(Received August 11, 1967; )     

WATER PERMEABILITY OF THE CELL WALL IN NITELLA

1. A method has been developed to measure the hydraulic conductivityof the wall of the internodal cell of Nitella flexilis.
2. Therate of water penetration through the cell wall varies linearlywith the hydrostatic pressure difference between the two sidesof the wall, showing that water permeability of the cell wallremains independent of the pressure difference applied.
3. Waterpermeability of the cell wall is inversely proportionalto itsthickness It is 30µµmin^–3{dot}atm^–3when the thickness of the wall is 10 µ.
4. Water permeabilityof the cell wall is the same for inward andoutward water flow.The polar water permeability of the entiremembrane system (walland protoplasmic part) of the living celldemonstrated by KAMIYAand TAZAWA (1) is, therefore, due tothe living protoplasmicpart.
5. The ratio of the inward to outward permeability constantsofthe protoplasmic layer alone is higher than that of the entiremembrane system composed of protoplasmic layer and cell wall.

¹ Dedicated to Prof. H. TAMIYA on the occasion of his 60th birthday.The present work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid forFundamental Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education. ² Present address: Sh?in Women's College, Kobe. (Received July 21, 1962; )     

Distribution of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, along the Seto Inland Sea, western Japan: Result of surveys in 2003–2005

The distribution of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, was investigated in 65 cities or towns along the Seto Inland Sea, western Japan in 2003–2005. Our results include all available information of their distribution in Japan until 2005. Argentine ants have invaded Aichi Prefecture (Tahara‐shi), Hyogo Prefecture (Kobe‐shi), Hiroshima Prefecture (Hiroshima‐shi, Fuchu‐cho, Hatsukaichi‐shi, Ono‐cho and Otake‐shi), and Yamaguchi Prefecture (Iwakuni‐shi and Yanai‐shi). The most widespread distribution was found around Hatsukaichi‐shi including the westernmost part of Hiroshima‐shi and the easternmost of Ono‐cho.     

Cryptically dimorphic caste differences in a Neotropical, swarm-founding paper wasp genus, Parachartergus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Morphological differences in body shape between females of different reproductive conditions (in terms of insemination and ovarian development) were examined in two species of the Neotropical polistine genus Parachartergus: P. smithii and P. fraternus. The present study shows, for the first time, that non‐size‐based morphological divergence between queens and workers occurs in Parachartergus, an epiponine genus once believed to have little or no morphological caste differences. In the P. smithii colony examined, queens were significantly larger than workers in five of the eight body parts measured (head width, eye width, genal width, mesosomal length, wing length, first metasomal tergum width, and width and length of the second tergum), but the mean values of wing length and first and second tergum widths were not significantly different between them. The queen : worker size ratios tended to be greater anteriorly and smaller posteriorly, although the size ratio was greatest in second tergum length. Analysis of covariance (ancova ) with mesosomal length as covariate showed that queens had proportionally wider heads and narrower first terga than did workers. In the P. fraternus colony, size differences between queens and workers were not significant, and there was little or no difference in shape, but queens had significantly proportionally wider first terga than did workers.