Treasurer's Report for FY 2007 Prepared by Marta L. Wayne, Treasurer

Society's Total Assets as of 31 May 2008:

• Cash accounts: $454,021.82US
• Total CDs: $165,693.68 US

This year's report covers     

Treasurer's Report for Financial Year 2006

Society's total assets as of 31 May 2007:

• Cash accounts: $579,414.02.
• Total CDs: $161,183.66.

We have changed our fiscal     

Treasurer's Report for Financial Year 2004

Society's total assets as of 30 May 2005:

• Cash accounts: $281,585.39
•      

Factors controlling Flowering in the Chrysanthemum: II. DAY-LENGTH EFFECTS ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF INFLORESCENCE BUDS AND THEIR EXPERIMENTAL REVERSAL AND MODIFICATION

1. Inflorescence buds, produced by vernalized Chrysanthemum plantsin long day, cease to grow, and die at an early stage if maintainedin long day, but will produce open flowers if transferred toshort day. Dissection of such buds reveals that developmentdoes not proceed beyond the formation of the bare receptacleand no florets are initiated, while inflorescence buds producedin short day have almost completed floret initiation when theybecome macroscopically visible.
2. Inflorescence buds producedin long day can be induced to completetheir development inlong day by:
   1. removal of all lateral shoots, and
   2. by re-rootingthe inflorescenceitself, leaving only a numberof bracts onits axis.
3. Inflorescence buds produced in short day canbe inhibited fromdeveloping by
   1. transfer to long day,
   2. transferto low light intensity in shortday, and
   3. application of auxinpaste.
4. All three methods of inhibition become progressivelyless effectivewith the advancing development of the bud.
5. Thelatest stage at which development was found to have beenarrestedwas that of ovule formation.
6. Heights of plants were determinedat budding and when the flowershad started to open; markeddifferences due to length of daywere found.
7. Teratologicaleffects noted in buds, exposed for extended periodsto longday, included formation of bracts on the receptacle(the absenceof which distinguishes the subtribe Chrysantheminaeof the Compositaeto which the Chrysanthemum belongs) as wellas secondary inflorescences,petaloid stamens, &c.
8. The results are discussed in relationto known effects of auxinon vegetative growth and reproduction.

     

A HyperCard program for the identification of biological specimens

The authors with to make the following corrections to the abovepaper:

• page 64 and References: Omodeo, (1956) not (1965)
• page 68and References: Rosa, (1893) not (1981)
• Table I. Line 1. Cognetti,not Cogneni Line 20. delete (1906) Line 28. Kvavadze (1985)not (1975) Line 29. Kvavadze (1971) not (1981) Line 44.delete (1906) Line 52. delete (1906)
• page 68 in Note sectionthe address given should read ‘A.Colosimo,Departmentof Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome (La Sapienza),PiazzaleA.Moro I-00185, Rome, Italy.’

     

STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF GROWTH INHIBITING EFFECT OF LIGHT

1. A substance which inhibits indoleacetic acid (IAA)-and naphthaleneaceticacid (NAA)-induced elongation of Avena coleoptile section andIAA-induced Avena coleoptile curvature was found in an ethersoluble neutral fraction of water extract of sunflower leavesand in agar blocks containing the diffusate from young sunflowerleaves.
2. This substance also inhibits the growth of isolatedsunflowerepicotyl.
3. The R_f value (0.9) of the substance ona paper chromatogramdeveloped with ammoniacal iso-propanolindicates that it isidentical with the inhibitor reported byAUDUS et al. (1956),but not with inhibitor-ß.
4. Theinhibitor can be transported from leaf to stem, and thetransportseems to be accelerated by illuminating the leaf.
5. The auxindiffused from sunflower leaf into agar block may beidenticalwith IAA.
6. A substance, which has the same properties as theinhibitorfrom sunflower leaf, was obtained in crystalline formfrom theleaf of Jerusalem artichoke.
7. The mechanism of growthinhibition caused by this crystallinesubstance seems to involveinactivation of a sulfhydryl group.
8. The reason why the stemgrowth of sunflower seedlings is reducedby strong light isdiscussed: the amount of the inhibitor transportedfrom leafto stem is increased under strong light, and in thestem, growthinhibition is caused by a direct effect of thisinhibitor ongrowth and by its inhibiting effect on the transportof IAAfrom leaf to stem.

¹ Present address: Botanical Garden, Faculty of Science, Universityof Tokyo, Tokyo (Received February 15, 1961; )     

Studies in Stomatal Behaviour: IV. THE WATER-RELATIONS OF THE EPIDERMIS

1. It is shown that a dry external atmosphere exerts the followingeffects on stomatal movement:

1. A striking accelaration ofclosure in darkness.
2. A slight acceleration of opening in light.
3. If the water-supply to the leaf is impaired, an inabilitytomaintain full opening in the light.

Conversely, a saturatedexternal atmosphere induces sluggishness of movement and a tendencyto incomplete closure in darkness.

1. These results are consideredto support La Rue's contentionthat the epidermal water-supplyis drawn solely by lateral movementfrom the main veins, andnot from the underlying mesophyll.The stomatal phenomena themselvesdo not appear capable of anysimple explanation based on currentknowledge of guard-cellphysiology.
2. The biological significanceof these results is discussed, withparticular reference tothe problem of xeromorphic structures,for which a new interpretationis suggested.

     

Role of the epidermis in auxin-induced elongation of light-grown pea stem segments

1. Effects of auxin on elongation and cell wall properties werestudied using 5th internode segments of light-grown pea epicotyl.The results were:
2. The optimum concentration of 2,4-D for elongationinductionwas about 1 µg/ml, both for unpeeled and peeledsegments.
3. Using stress-relaxation analysis, mechanical propertiesof thecell wall were expressed by the parameters 1/₁, To andT_m. Unpeeledsegments were first treated with 2,4-D, then theepidermis waspeeled off. Parameters of the epidermal cell wallwere conspicuouslychanged by 2,4-D but those of the inner tissuewere not.
4. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide inhibited 2,4-D-inducedchangesin cell wall parameters, as well as in elongation, ofunpeeledsegments apd of the epidermis.
5. 2,4-D did not induceelongation of the isolated epidermis butpromoted that of peeledsegments. This promotion was smalleras compared with unpeeledsegments. 2,4-D did not significantlyinfluence the diffusionpressure deficit of peeled segmentsbut did increase their elasticand plastic extensibilities.
6. We conclude that auxin primarilyinduces cell wall looseningof the epidermis, most likely throughnucleic acid and proteinsynthesis.

¹ Present address: Biological Institute, Department of GeneralEducation, Nagoya City University, Mizuho-ku, Mizuho-cho, Nagoya467, Japan. (Received April 22, 1971; )     

NUTRITIONAL STUDIES OF A YEAST

The present work deals with essential growth factor requirementsof a haploid strain of Saccharamyces sp., strain 19861, whichexhibits requirements for lysine, arginine and histidine.

1. The strain requires Ca-pantothenate, biotin and thiamine inaddition to the three amino acids.
2. In a synthetic medium containingthese amino acids and the threevitamins, tryptophan could replacehistidine completely.
3. Pyridoxine, leucine, isoleucine andvaline, as a group, couldreplace thiamine in the presence ofinositol.
4. In the above substitution, leucine could be removedwhen excessivevaline was added, the optimal ratio of isoleucineto valinebeing about 1:3 in the presence of tryptophan, insteadof histidine.
5. In a isoleucine-deficient medium, flocculationoccurred in fiveor more days.

(Received March 3, 1961; )     

A Quantitative Study of Mitosis in Eudorina elegans in Culture

A list of the determinations in this work is given below:

1. Under standard conditions with a photoperiod, the generationtime is five days. The generation time is shorter in continuouslight.
2. There are temperature-dependent cleavage and mitoticgradientswithin a colony.
3. A diurnal peak of mitosis occurstwo hours before the onsetof darkness.
4. Under standard conditions(a) the mitotic index rises to a maximumof 10 per cent, twodays after inoculation; (b) the mitotictime is ten minutes;and (c) the mitotic rate is 71 cells per10³cells per hour atthe mitotic peak.

     

PRODUCTION OF YEAST VARIANTS BY AUXIN AND EFFECTS OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON THESE VARIANTS

Using diploid strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. ellipsoideus,the following facts were found:

1. Indole-3-acetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and -naphthaleneaceticacid produced stable variants differing in the cell form andin the response to the actions of auxin to elongate cells, toinduce respiration- deficient mutation and to promote sporulation.
2. The auxins also produced stable variants differing in theabilityto form spores.
3. Acetic acid had no above-menthionedactions of auxin.
4. Spore-formation and cell elongation of someof auxin-inducedvariants were controlled by auxin.

Biological significance of the auxin-induced variation is discussedand the usefulness of some of these variants as experimentalmaterial for auxin physiology in general is pointed out. (Received November 1, 1966; )     

Analysis of photosystem II using particle II preparation II. Action spectra for Hill activities and fluorescence properties of variously-treated particle II preparations

1. To test the scheme proposed in a preceding paper (2), the actionspectra for Hill activities and fluorescence properties weremeasured using variously-treated particle II preparations (P-II).
2. The action spectrum for ferricyanide photoreduction by intactP-II was characterized by two clear peaks at approximately 686nm and 648 nm, whereas that for DPIP photoreduction had onlyone peak at about 686 nm.
3. The two peaks in the action spectrumfor ferricyanide photoreductionby intact P-II were significantlyinfluenced by various treatments;Tris-treatment and antimycinA inhibition resulted in loss ofthe 686 nm-peak, whereas preilluminationtreatment and CCCPinhibition brought about the disappearanceof the 648 nm-peak.
4. Aging treatment produced a characteristiceffect. The 648 nm-peakdiminished gradually with the progressof aging, and only the686 nm-peak was observed after agingbeyond 70 hr.
5. Fluorescence properties of variously-treatedP-II were examined:Aging treatment resulted in the disappearanceof the fluorescenceof the 730 nm-component.
6. These findingsprovide further support for the idea that thetwo photoreactiortsdescribed above are involved in photosystemII of green plantphotosynthesis. Possible roles of the twophotoreactions inphotosystem II are discussed.

(Received February 28, 1973; )     

COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON GROWTH, RESPIRATION, PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND PIGMENT CONTENT IN RHODOPSEUDOMONAS PALUSTRIS

1. Comparative studies were performed on growth, photosyntheticand respiratory activities, and pigment content in Rhodopseudomonaspalustris.
2. The growth of the organism, as influenced by variousculturalconditions such as light, aerobiosis, anaerobiosisand nutritionalfactors was investigated.
3. The respiratoryactivity of the bacterium was found to be higherin dark-growncells than in cells grown in the light. The photosyntheticactivitydid not significantly depend on the growth conditionsof theculture. Cells of younger cultures were found to be moreactivethan those of older cultures, with respect both to respirationand photosynthesis.
4. The pigment content was found to be higherin the light-growncells than in the dark-grown ones. The ratiophotosyntheticactivity/bacteriochlorophyll was significantlyhigher in thelatter than in the former.
5. Light, as well asvarious nutritional factors, was found toexert a marked accelerationon pigment formation, although ithas not yet been possibleto culture cells completely lackingin photosynthetic pigmentsand accordingly in photosyntheticactivity.

¹ Present address: Division of Dermatology and Urology, TokyoMetropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Tokyo. ² Present address: Department of Biology, Saitama University,Urawa. ³ Present address: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine,Yokohama University, Yokohama. ⁴ Present address: Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry,Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo. (Received July 23, 1961; )     

A Survey of the Rates and Products of Short-term Photosynthesis in Plants of Nine Phyla

1. Short-term photosynthetic experiments using C¹⁴O₂ and paperchromatography were performed with 27 different plants representingnine phyla: Schizophyta (Schizophyceae), Euglenophyta, Chlorophyta,Charophyta, Chrysophyta, Rhodophyta, Bryophyta, Pteridophyta,and Spermatophyts.
2. There is a remarkable uniformity in thetypes of ethanol-solublecompounds which became radioactivein the entire group of plantsused. The amounts of the differentcompounds varied considerablypercentagewise among the variousplants as would be expectedbecause of their inherent metabolicdifferences and the variationsin their physiological statesinduced by experimental conditions.
3. Sucrose became radioactivein very different amounts in twomajor groupings of plants:(a) those containing only photosynthetictissue, and (b) thosecontaining non-photosynthetic tissue aswell. The amount ofradioactive sucrose in the former groupwas much lower thanthat in the latter.
4. An unidentified compound became radioactivein appreciable amountsin two of the blue-green algae, but wasradioactive in verysmall amounts or not visible at all on thechromatograms ofall other plants.

     

Generalist Herbivore Foraging and Its Role in Competitive Interactions

Whether herbivores are food limited and compete interspecificallyfor food has been debated by population/community ecologists.To examine this proposition, a mechanistic approach based uponautecological observations is employed:

1. 45 foraging studies of 20 species of generalist herbivores indicatethat the herbivores behave as energy maximizers in their dietselection, as determined by a linear programming model.
2. Theconstraints that determine the forager's energy maximizingdietcan be used to determine whether a food item should beconsumed,based upon a minimum digestibility that determinesenergy valueand a minimum item size or abundance that determinescroppingrate.
3. Population densities of a number of herbivore speciesdependupon the biomass of plants in the environment that satisfytheminimum characteristics sought by the herbivore.
4. Usingexperimental populations for several herbivore speciesthatare known to be food limited, it can be demonstrated thatthesespecies compete with each other. The competitive isoclinesarenon-linear and arise from the fractions of each forager'sfoodresources that it shares and exclusively uses, which dependupon each species' minimum food characteristics.
5. The resultsindicate that a mechanistic approach can provideconsiderableinsights into herbivore community structure. Theforaging constraintsunderlying the entire analysis may be bodysize dependent, providinga more general view.

     

"GIGANTISM" OF CHLORELLA VULGARIS I. RELATION OF GIGANTISM TO CELL GROWTH AND DIVISION

1. The sugars which induced gigantism of Chlorella cells wereglucose,fructose, galactose, mannose, xylose and arabinose.These sugarswere utilized as respiratory substrates by thealgal cells.
2. The cellular division of Chlorella was stimulatedby glucoseand galactose, but suppressed by fructose, mannose,xylose andarabinose, while all these sugars evoked gigantism.No correlationwas found between cellular division and gigantism,
3. The photosynthetic activity of giant Chlorella varied withthesorts of sugars added. It was decreased by glucose, fructoseand mannose, but was unaffected by other sugars such as galactose,xylose and arabinose.
4. The respiratory activity of giant Chlorellacells as much higherthan that of control cells.
5. The amountsof protein-N and dry weight per unit volume of giantChlorellawere much less than those of control cells.

¹ Present address: Department of Chemistry, College of GeneralEducation, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka.     

Correlation, between {beta}-galactosidase and auxin-induced elongation growth in etiolated pea stems

ß-Galactosidase, -galactosidase, ß-glucosidaseand ß-xylosidase were studied in relation to auxin-inducedelongation of etiolated pea stems. Frozen-thawed sections wereincubated in substrate solutions and individual enzyme activitywas determined. Results were as follows:

1. Only ß-galactosidase activity was remarkably enhancedby 2,4-D in the concentration range which induced remarkableelongation.
2. Auxin-induced increase in ß-galactosidaseactivityreached maximum after 1 hr treatment of the sectionwith 2,4-D(10^–5 M), and was nearly constant afterwards.
3. Auxin-enhanced ß-galactosidase activity was observedeven if auxin-induced apparent elongation was osmotically suppressedby mannitol.
4. Correlation analysis indicated that ß-galactosidaseactivity had a high positive correlation with auxin-inducedelongation and increase in lateral face area of the section,while none of the other enzyme activities did.
5. Measurementof in vivo distribution of four glycosidase activitiesin intactthird internode of the epicotyl made clear that onlyß-galactosidaseshowed maximum activity in the zonewhere endogenous elongationwas maximum.

(Received February 5, 1976; )     

ETUDE DES COMPLEXES DE PIGMENTS CHLOROPHYLLIENS D'EUGLENA GRACILIS AU COURS DE LA CROISSANCE ET A L'ETAT ADULTE

Une tude des cellules d'Euglnes et de leurs extraits prparsavec les ultra-sons, chauffs ou non chauffs (quelques heures 35), montre que:

1. le chauffage ne dtruit pas la chlorophylle de faon notable;
2. en prsence d'alcool, un agrgat de chlorophylle ayant unebanded'absorption 740–750 mµ apparait dans lesextraitsd'Euglnes ges de plus de 11 jours;
3. les jeunesEuglnes et les Euglnes ges et chauffes ne peuventformerl'agrgat absorbant aux grandes longueurs d'ondes;
4. deux outrois complexes chlorophylliens diffrents sont impliqusdansla formation des agrgats qui absorbent 740 mµ.

¹ Travail rendu possible par l'attribution d'une bourse d'tudede l'universit de Montral l'un des auteurs (DE K.) et l'octroid'une subvention de recherches (A-1196) du Conseil Nationaldes Recherches du Canada.     

Studies in Abscission: I. FACTORS AFFECTING THE INHIBITION OF ABSCISSION BY SYNTHETIC GROWTH-SUBSTANCES

1. The general method is described for experimenting on applepedicelsor petioles from which the terminal organ has beenremoved.
2. Two quantitative techniques for applying growth-substancesaregiven in detail, one employing lanolin emulsion as the carrier,the other agar gel.
3. By these methods certain factors affectingthe inhibition ofabscission by the growth-substances -naphthylaceticacid (NAA)and 2:4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid (DPOA} have beeninvestigated. A relation between concentration of the growth-substanceandpersistence of the pedicel was established which was usuallylinear. In an experiment with NAA, for instance, the relationwas represented by— Persistence in days=6·52+0·0127xconcentrationin p.p.m.
4. The acid and the sodium salt of both NAA and DPOAgave similarresults when applied in lanolin emulsion.
5. Onboth young pedicels and young shoot internodes NAA was foundto exert a ‘formative’ influence resulting in increasein diameter which was not exhibited by DPOA to the same extent.
6. At least for concentrations of either growth-substance upto100 p.p.m., these were effective only when applied distallyto the abscission zone. At 1,000 p.p.m. there was an effectof application on the proximal side of the abscission region,but it was small compared with the effect of the same concentrationapplied distally.
7. The length of the path of the growth-substancefrom the pointof application to the abscission zone affectedthe degree ofinhibition inversely, the longer the path theless the effectof a given concentration in delaying abscission.The contrastbetween these findings for pedicels, and thoseof other authorsfor petioles, is briefly discussed.
8. A criticalperiod occurs shortly after removing the leaf-bladefrom itspetiole during which the abscission process is initiated,andto be effective in inhibiting this process growth-substancemust reach the abscission zone within this period. It is notat present established whether the pedicel shows a similar modeof behaviour.
9. A working hypothesis is given to account forthe control ofabscission by natural hormones, and extensionsare describedto embrace the results of experiments with syntheticgrowth-substances.

     

LACTATE AND GLUCOSE OXIDATION SYSTEMS IN ACETOBACTER SUBOXYDANS

1. From a strain of Acetobacter suboxydans, a glucose and a lacticenzyme were obtained in cell-free states. The lactic enzymeshows as strong activity as the glucose enzyme but is more stablethan the latter toward various purification procedures: bothare sensitive to high temperature treatment. Activities of thetwo enzymes and the MICHAELIS constants of the glucose enzymewere determined under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
2. Carbon monoxide inhibits the oxygen-uptake in both glucoseandlactate oxidation. WARBURG's distribution constant for lactateoxidation is 6.7. These results suggest the participation ofan heme enzyme in the oxidation system.
3. Effects of copperreagents, narcotics and PCMB were also examined.
4. The dehydrogenaseactivities (reduction of dye) of the enzymesare more sensitiveto high temperature than the correspondingactivities in oxygen-uptake.
5. By combining a dehydrogenase preparation which has lost itsoxygen-absorbing activity through acetone treatment, with aheated extract, a partial recovery of oxygen-uptake can be realizedin lactate oxidation.
6. L-Cysteine is utilized as hydrogen donorby the bacterium. Thisoxidative reaction, unlike the oxidationof lactate, is notinhibited by surface active reagents.

(Received May 16, 1960; )