Mating Type Interaction in Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale: Mating Induced Protoplast Release

Mating type interaction between heterothallic strains of Closteriumperacerosum-strigosum- littorale was studied during the conjugationprocess. When vegetative cells of opposite mating types weremixed under the nitrogen depleted mating conditions, the formationof conjugation-papilla and the release of the protoplast withinthe distended papilla from the gametangial cell were shown inboth the paired and unpaired cells. The protoplasts of pairedcells fused to form zygotes, while those of unpaired cells broke.When cells were mixed at a ratio of around 5 to 3 (mating typeplus to mating type minus), sexual activation occurred at thehighest frequency. Mixing at a ratio of 1 to 3, however, inducedthe highest frequency of disrupted cells. Mating type plus cellswere found to be broken specifically when direct contact withmating type minus cells was prevented. This disruption seemedto be mediated by a factor secreted from mating type minus cells. (Received March 20, 1981; Accepted August 18, 1981)     

Sexual Interaction in Heterothallic Strains of Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale: Partial Characterization of a Male-Specific Sexual Pheromone, Protoplast-Releasing Substance

A sexual pheromone, named the protoplast releasing substance (PRS), was formed by mating type minus cells. PRS activates mating type plus cells and results in the release and fusion of protoplasts within distended conjugation-papilla in paired cells and in the release and disruption of protoplasts in unpaired mating type plus cells. In an agar barrier system, the activation of mating type plus cells was markedly inhibited by treatment with pronase (5-10 micrograms per milliliter), proteinase (100 micrograms per milliliter), and α-mannosidase (10 micrograms per milliliter). Trypsin (10-100 micrograms per milliliter) had no effect on the activation in the agar barrier system. The results suggest that PRS is a glycoprotein with pronase-sensitive and trypsin-insensitive structure.     

Detection and Evaluation of an Inducer of a Diffusible Mating Pheromone of the Heterothallic Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale Complex

When mating-type plus cells of the Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littoralecomplex were incubated in nitrogen-deficient medium obtainedfrom a 24-h-old mixed culture of mating-type plus and mating-typeminus cells, protoplast-release-inducing activity specific formating-type minus cells was detected in the medium. When mating-typeplus cells were incubated in the medium from a culture of exclusivelymating-type minus cells, protoplast-release-inducing activitywas also detected. These results suggested the existence ofa substance, released from mating-type minus cells, that hasthe ability to make mating-type plus cells release protoplast-release-inducingprotein (PR-IP). We designated it PR-IP Inducer. The PR-IP Inducerwas constitutively released from mt^– cells in the light.The PR-IP Inducer was heat-labile and had a relative molecularweight of 10,000 on gel filtration. We suggest that the PR-IPInducer is also a pheromonal substance that plays a role inthe initial events in the sexual communication of this Closteriumcomplex. (Received April 26, 1993; Accepted July 15, 1993)     

Light Conditions for Sexual Reproduction in Heterothallic Strains of Closterium

Sexual reproduction in heterothallic strains of Closterium peracerosum-strigostan-littorale,KAS-4-29 (mating type minus) and KAS-4-30 (mating type plus),depended on a light intensity higher than 3,000 lux. Two kindsof cell division occurred in the mating medium: 1) one kindoccurred at low light intensity (less than 1,000 lux) and wasnot linked to conjugation, and 2) a sexual one occurred at highlight intensity (higher than 3,000 lux) and was linked to conjugation.3-(4-Chlorophenyl)-l,l-dimethylurea at 1 µM added at thebeginning of the mating culture completely inhibited conjugationbut not cell division. Chloramphenicol at 20 to 40 µg/mladded at the beginning of the culture inhibited conjugationcompletely and cell division partly. The drugs added after 12h of the mating culture did not inhibit the division processes.Varying light intensity after 12 h of culture did not affectsexual activity. The photosynthetic activity was highest inthe cells at the beginning of the mating culture, and then markedlydecreased. The data indicate that the early period of the matingprocess depends strictly on the light conditions. (Received March 12, 1982; Accepted November 30, 1982)     

Interconversion of Yeast Mating Types II. Restoration of Mating Ability to Sterile Mutants in Homothallic and Heterothallic Strains

The two mating types of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be interconverted in both homothallic and heterothallic strains. Previous work indicates that all yeast cells contain the information to be both a and α and that the HO gene (in homothallic strains) promotes a change in mating type by causing a change at the mating type locus itself. In both heterothallic and homothallic strains, a defective α mating type locus can be converted to a functional a locus and subsequently to a functional α locus. In contrast, action of the HO gene does not restore mating ability to a strain defective in another gene for mating which is not at the mating type locus. These observations indicate that a yeast cell contains an additional copy (or copies) of α information, and lead to the "cassette" model for mating type interconversion. In this model, HMa and hmα loci are blocs of unexpressed α regulatory information, and HMα and hma loci are blocs of unexpressed a regulatory information. These blocs are silent because they lack an essential site for expression, and become active upon insertion of this information (or a copy of the information) into the mating type locus by action of the HO gene.     

Cloning the Mating Types of the Heterothallic Fungus Podospora Anserina: Developmental Features of Haploid Transformants Carrying Both Mating Types

DNAs that encode the mating-type functions (mat+ and mat-) of the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina were cloned with the use of the mating-type A probe from Neurospora crassa. Cloning the full mat information was ascertained through gene replacement experiments. Molecular and functional analyses of haploid transformants carrying both mating types lead to several striking conclusions. Mat+ mat- strains are dual maters. However, the resident mat information is dominant to the mat information added by transformation with respect to fruiting body development and ascus production. Moreover, when dual mating mat+ mat- strains are crossed to mat+ or mat- testers, there is strong selection, after fertilization, that leads to the loss from the mat+ mat- nucleus of the mat information that matches that of the tester. Finally, the mat locus contains at least two domains, one sufficient for fertilization, the other necessary for sporulation.     

Effect of antibiotics on cell proliferation in the Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale complex (Charophyceae, Chlorophyta)

The effects of several antibiotics on the proliferation of cells of the Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale complex, a unicellular charophycean alga, were examined. When cells were cultured on solid medium containing hygromycin B and phleomycin the proliferation of cells was inhibited at low concentrations of these antibiotics, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 5.0 and 0.2 μg/mL, respectively. By contrast, kanamycin sulfate was less effective at concentrations up to 50 μg/mL. When cells were incubated in liquid medium containing hygromycin B and phleomycin, cell proliferation was severely inhibited at concentrations of 5.0 and 0.01 μg/mL, respectively. It is concluded that hygromycin B and phleomycin are highly effective for inhibiting the proliferation of C. psl. complex both on solid and in liquid medium and thus are useful for the selection of the cells transformed by selectable marker genes. Presented at the International Symposium Biology and Taxonomy of Green Algae V, Smolenice, June 26–29, 2007, Slovakia.     

痢疾杆菌不同群、型间交叉保护性试验研究

本文对痢疾杆菌不同群、型间的交叉保护作用进行了观察。试验模型为恒河猴,将其分为４组,第一、三组分别为感染过福氏１ａ和宋内菌并已康复的猴;第四组为用双价菌苗株ＦＳ（福氏２ａ和宋内）免疫的猴体,剂量依次为４×１０１０、６．５×１０１０、６×１０１０,共１６．５×１０１０活菌,第二组为空白对照。所有４组皆用福氏２ａ２５８００×１０８活菌攻击。从发病率来看,不同菌群与菌型间没有明显的交叉保护作用;从发病程度看则一组显著低于对照组,三组与对照组无显著差异,此结果表明痢疾杆菌Ｂ群内存在交叉保护作用,但较同型保护作用弱。     

Analysis of binding of biotinylated protoplast-release-inducing protein that induces release of gametic protoplasts in the Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale complex

A protoplast-release-inducing protein (PR-IP) which is released from mating-type plus (mt⁺) cells and induces the release of gametic protoplasts from matingtype minus (mt⁻) cells of Closterium was biotinylated and then used to examine the interaction of this protein with mt⁻ cells. The protoplast-release-inducing activity of PR-IP was not altered after the biotinylation. When mt⁻ cells that had been pre-cultured for 24 h were incubated with biotinylated PR-IP for 6 h in nitrogen-deficient medium that contained 1% (w/v) bovine serum albumin, and then washed with the same medium, only a 19-kDa polypeptide, the smaller subunit of PR-IP, was detected in cells by the avidin and biotinylated horseradish-peroxidase macromolecular complex system. The amount of bound 19-kDa polypeptide increased with increasing doses of PR-IP and reached a maximum at around 10 nM, reflecting the protoplast-release-inducing activity. From a Scatchard plot, the dissociation constant of the polypeptide was calculated to be 2.7 · 10⁻⁸ M. The binding of the polypeptide proceeded only after an appropriate period of pre-culture in the light, and the polypeptide was competitively displaced by non-biotinylated PR-IP. From these results, it appears that the PR-IP induces the release of protoplasts from mt⁻ cells by binding of a polypeptide of relative molecular mass 19000 to the receptor on the cell surface in a manner analogous to the binding of peptide hormones in animals.     

Expression of exogenous genes under the control of endogenous HSP70 and CAB promoters in the Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale complex

A unicellular charophyte alga, Closterium peracerosum–strigosum–littoralecomplex (C. psl. complex), has been studied in order to obtainbasic information regarding sexual reproduction in plants. Systemsfor gene introduction and transient expression were developedfor endogenous genes using phleomycin resistance (ble) and Chlamydomonasgreen fluorescent protein (cgfp) genes as selection markers.These genes have codon usage similar to that of genes in theC. psl. complex. To drive these genes strongly into C. psl.complex cells, two native promoters of the C. psl. complex genome—CpHSP70and CpCAB1—were linked to a ble::cgfp fusion gene andintroduced into the cells by particle bombardment. Following2 d of incubation, we found 500 cells expressing GFP under thecontrol of the CpHSP70 promoter, which were identified followingheat shock treatment at 42°C, and 100 cells expressing GFPunder the control of the CpCAB1 promoter, which were observedin lit conditions. In contrast, the GFP signal was only detectedin two cells when ble::cgfp under control of the cauliflowermosaic virus 35S promoter was introduced. The ble::cgfp fusionprotein was detected in the nucleus, whereas the single cgfpprotein was detected in the cytoplasm. Our results indicatethat the newly isolated native promoters of CpHSP70 and CpCAB1are useful tools for inducing exogenous gene expression underheat shock and lit conditions, respectively. In addition, thisstrategy can be used for transient assays, such as the intracellularlocalization of unknown gene products in the C. psl. complex.     

羊肚菌菌核的交配型

交配型是调控真菌子实体发育和生活史的重要因子.作为羊肚菌生活史中一个有争议的阶段,菌核与交配型的关系研究甚少.以六妹羊肚菌Morchella sextelata和梯棱羊肚菌M.importuna为研究对象,以栽培菌包内的菌核和实验室单孢交配产生的菌核为研究材料,以Morchella sp.Mes-20单孢交配产生的菌核...     

The Syngens of Paramecium bursaria: New Mating Types and Intersyngenic Mating Reactions

SYNOPSIS. Three syngens of Paramecium bursaria have been identified amongst stocks collected in Scotland. These syngens probably correspond to the previously-described syngens 4, 5 and 6; they have been so named. In all 3 syngens 8 mating types have been found. An extensive series of intersyngenic mating reactions has been discovered between stocks of syngens 4 and 5, and between stocks of syngen 2 and syngens 4 and 5.     

Condition-Dependent Effects of Mating on Longevity and Fecundity of Female Medflies: The Interplay between Nutrition and Age of Mating

Background

In various species mating exerts direct and indirect effects on female demographic traits ranging from life span shortening to behavioural shifts. A wealth of data regarding effects of nutrition on longevity and reproduction output also exists. Nonetheless, little is known regarding the interaction between the age of mating and nutrition on female fitness.

Methodology

We studied, the effects of protein deprivation and age of mating on female fitness traits, using a wild population of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly). We tested the hypotheses that (a) protein availability increases female lifespan and fecundity, (b) female longevity and egg production are independent of mating and the age of mating, and (c) female mating behaviour is independent of their age and nutritional status. Thus, we recorded the mating success and the copulation characteristics, as well as the egg production and survival of females mated at young or at old age and fed a full or a protein-deprived diet.

Results

Mating boosts egg production and reduces longevity of protein-fed females. On the contrary, mating increases the longevity of protein-deprived females. Mortality responses (negative or positive) to mating are expressed after a long lag phase. Old females are more receptive and less selective than young females regardless of the food regime.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that condition (nutritional status and age) defines the positive or negative output of mating in female medflies. These results contribute towards understanding the effects of mating, aging, resource allocation and their interactions on survival and female reproduction.     

黄毛鼠婚配制度初探:熟悉性对两性间行为的影响

为探究黄毛鼠的婚配制度,通过雌雄黄毛鼠对熟悉和陌生异性鼠的选择实验和遭遇实验,分析了熟悉性对两性间行为的影响.结果发现,选择实验中雌鼠对陌生雄鼠的关注频次比对熟悉雄鼠的更多;遭遇实验中尽管雌鼠探究和自身修饰行为、雄鼠的活动和攻击行为在遭遇熟悉或陌生异性鼠时有差异,但雌雄鼠的友好行为均无显著差异,暗示黄毛鼠是多配制,但需...     

An Electron Microscope Study of Bacteroides nodusus: Ultrastructure of Organisms from Primary Isolates and Different Colony Types

Examination of the ultrastructure of strains of Bacteroides nodosus isolated from cases of ovine foot-rot shows the organism to be highly piliated on primary culture. On subculture in the laboratory two colony types characterized by a high and low degree of piliation can be demonstrated. In agglutination tests the interaction of pili with antibody is responsible for high titre homologous agglutination. Low titre heterologous agglutination appears to be due to other surface antigens. These findings are discussed in relation to the pathogenicity of the organism.     

Differences in Attack Avoidance and Mating Success between Strains Artificially Selected for Dispersal Distance in Tribolium castaneum

Individuals of both dispersal and non-dispersal types (disperser and non-disperser) are found in a population, suggesting that each type has both costs and benefits for fitness. However, few studies have examined the trade-off between the costs and benefits for the types. Here, we artificially selected for walking distance, i.e., an indicator of dispersal ability, in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum and established strains with longer (L-strains) or shorter (S-strains) walking distances. We then compared the frequency of predation by the assassin bug Amphibolus venator and the mating frequency of the selected strains. L-strain beetles suffered higher predation risk, than did S-strain beetles. L-strain males had significantly increased mating success compared to S-strain males, but females did not show a significant difference between the strains. The current results showed the existence of a trade-off between predation avoidance and mating success associated with dispersal types at a genetic level only in males. This finding can help to explain the maintenance of variation in dispersal ability within a population.