Experimental studies on a mutant gene (e) preventing the differentiation of eye and normal hypothalamus primordia in the axolotl

The phenotype of axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) homozygous for the mutant gene e (“eyeless”) is different from normal in that (1) no optic vesicles develop in $\text{e}\text{e}$ embryos, (2) $\text{e}\text{e}$ larvae from posthatching onward are darker than normal white larvae, and (3) fully grown $\text{e}\text{e}$ animals are sterile.Experiments reported here show that eyelessness in $\text{e}\text{e}$ embryos results from a direct effect of the gene on presumptive forebrain ectoderm; not on the mesoderm that induces the ectoderm to form eyes. Homotopic grafts of normal presumptive ectoderm on $\text{e}\text{e}$ blastula hosts differentiated complete eyes, but reciprocally grafted embryos were always eyeless. Similarly, grafts of either $\text{e}\text{e}$ or normal presumptive prechordal mesoderm into normal hosts gave normal eyes, but in the mutant hosts no eyes developed. Thus the e gene affects only the ectodermal component of the inductive system for eye formation.Genetically eyeless (pigmented) cells, when interspersed prior to gastrulation among genetically eyed (albino) cells in the eye preprimordium, are induced to form clones of pigmented retinal epithelium in the albino host eye.The sterility of $\text{e}\text{e}$ larvae appears also to be due to a direct effect of the e gene on the ectodermal (neural plate) primordium of the hypothalamus. Grafts of normal cells which included the hypothalamic, but not the optic or anterior pituitary primordia, always restored fertility to $\text{e}\text{e}$ recipients.The mutant pigmentation phenotype was demonstrated to be a consequence of eyelessness and, therefore, an indirect effect of the gene. The pigment pattern of normal embryos from which both optic vesicles were removed resembles that of the mutants. In addition, implantation of a single full-sized, functional eye was able to restore the normal pigmentation, but not fertility, to $\text{e}\text{e}$ recipients.     

Gut evacuation rates and ingestion rates of Eudiaptomus graciloides measured by means of the gut fluorescence method

Journal of Plankton Research, 8, 973–983, 1986 FIg. 2. Time-dependent changes in the gut content (percentageof initial ng pigment) of E. gro.ciloides at different temperaturesunder simultaneous feeding. Fig. 4. The relationship between instantaneous evacuation rateand temperature of E. graciloides. The regresston equation forfeeding animals: y = 0.0044 e(0.141 ) (r² = 0.90). For comparisonthe results of non-feeding animals are indicated with open circles.     

Hydroxylation of cinnamic acids and flavonoids during biosynthesis of anthocyanins in Petunia hybrida Hort.

The effect of hydroxylation genes on the hydroxylation of intermediates of flavonoid biosynthesis in Petunia hybrida is reported. In mutants homozygous recessive, for the gene An9, dihydroflavonols accumulate. The number of hydroxyl groups in the B-ring is determined by the hydroxylation genes Htl and Hfl. A similar effect of Htl and (probably) Hfl occurs in flavanone-accumulating mutants, homozygous recessive for the gene An3. Mutants dominant for Hfl probably accumulate a 5,7,3,4,5-pentahydroxyflavanone. The mutant W43, homozygous recessive for the gene An5, is blocked in an early flavonoid biosynthesis step. It accumulates p-coumaric acid together with caffeic acid. The hydroxylation genes Htl and Hfl, however, are also homozygous recessive, which indicates that the hydroxylation of p-coumaric acid to caffeic acid or derivatives of these compounds is not controlled by Htl. The accumulation of caffeic acid was observed in all mutants investigated so far, regardless of which hydroxylation genes were dominant or recessive. We conclude that hydroxylations involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis occur at the C15 level.Deceased     

Optimal adaptive randomized designs for clinical trials

Optimal decision-analytic designs are deterministic. Such designsare appropriately criticized in the context of clinical trialsbecause they are subject to assignment bias. On the other hand,balanced randomized designs may assign an excessive number ofpatients to a treatment arm that is performing relatively poorly.We propose a compromise between these two extremes, one thatachieves some of the good characteristics of both. We introducea constrained optimal adaptive design for a fully sequentialrandomized clinical trial with k arms and n patients. An r-designis one for which, at each allocation, each arm has probabilityat least r of being chosen, 0 r 1/k. An optimal design amongall r-designs is called r-optimal. An r₁-design is also an r₂-designif r₁ r₂. A design without constraint is the special case r = 0and a balanced randomized design is the special case r = 1/k.The optimization criterion is to maximize the expected overallutility in a Bayesian decision-analytic approach, where utilityis the sum over the utilities for individual patients over a‘patient horizon’ N. We prove analytically thatthere exists an r-optimal design such that each patient is assignedto a particular one of the arms with probability 1 – (k – 1)r,and to the remaining arms with probability r. We also show thatthe balanced design is asymptotically r-optimal for any givenr, 0 r < 1/k, as N/n  . This implies that everyr-optimal design is asymptotically optimal without constraint.Numerical computations using backward induction for k = 2arms show that, in general, this asymptotic optimality featurefor r-optimal designs can be accomplished with moderate trialsize n if the patient horizon N is large relative to n. We alsoshow that, in a trial with an r-optimal design, r < 1/2,fewer patients are assigned to an inferior arm than when followinga balanced design, even for r-optimal designs having the samestatistical power as a balanced design. We discuss extensionsto various clinical trial settings.     

DYPHORA--a dynamic model for the rate of photosynthesis of algae

Experimental data obtained from different cultures of phytoplanktonindicate that photosynthesis (P) depends on light intensity(I) in a dynamic way. Therefore, static P/I curves relatingphotosynthesis to the instantaneous light may not be adequateto describe the activity of algal cells in lakes or oceans wheremixing can cause a complex pattern of light variation. The modelDYPHORA (DYnamic model for the PHOtosynthetic Rate of Algae)describes the response of photosynthesis to light using twocharacteristic times, the response time to increasing light(_r), and the light inhibition decay time (_r). The model agreeswell with available experiments if _r is chosen between 0.5 and5 min, and _r, between 30 and 120 min. It explains the occurrenceof the well-documented afternoon depression as well as the decreaseof integrated long-term rates of photosynthesis with increasinglight. Although the presented comparison of experimental dataand model results cannot serve as a proof for DYPHORA in a strictsense, the structural relationship between P and I can neverthelesspoint out inadequacies in the common interpretation of staticP/I relationships. The model can also serve as a tool to testhypotheses regarding the selective role of mixing in the competitionbetween algal species.     

An Analysis of Seed Development in Pisum sativum II. The Effect of the r-Locus on the Growth and Development of the Seed

The r-locus is one of the few genetic loci known to affect thestorage product composition and the morphology of pea (Pisumsativum) seeds. Lines which are near-isogenic except for ther-locus have been developed to study the effects of this locuson seed development. The plant phenotypes of these lines werevery similar except for those characteristics previously attributedto the r-locus. The seed development of the two lines followedsimilar patterns until the endosperm was absorbed by the embryo.The fresh weight of the rr line then increased more rapidlydue to the overall effect of a higher rate of water uptake anda lower rate of dry weight increase of the rr embryos comparedwith embryos homozygous for the R-allele. The effect of the r-locus on the relationship between embryofresh weight and dry weight suggests that the alleles may beaffecting the osmotic regulation of the developing embryo. Pisum sativum, pea, seed development, r-locus, genetic variation, growth analysis     

Headless flies produced by mutations in the paralogous Pax6 genes eyeless and twin of eyeless

The two Pax6 gene homologs eyeless and twin of eyeless play decisive early roles in Drosophila eye development. Strong mutants of twin of eyeless or of eyeless are headless, which suggests that they are required for the development of all structures derived from eye-antennal discs. The activity of these genes is crucial at the very beginning of eye-antennal development in the primordia of eye-antennal discs when eyeless is first activated by the twin of eyeless gene product. This activation does not strictly depend on the Twin of eyeless protein, but is temperature-dependent in its absence. Twin of eyeless acts also in parallel to the eyeless gene and exerts functions that are partially redundant with those of Eyeless, while Eyeless is mainly required to prevent early cell death and promote eye development in eye-antennal discs.     

Maternal Effects of mto1 Mutation, That Causes Overaccumulation of Soluble Methionine, on the Expression of a Soybean {beta}Conglycinin Gene Promoter-GUS Fusion in Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

ß-Conglycinin, the 7S seed storage protein of soybean(Glycine max [L.] Merr.), is comprised mainly of three subunits,designated , ' and ß. Expression of the gene encodingthe ß subunit is unique because its expression hasbeen shown to be down-regulated by exogenously applied L-methioninein immature soybean cotyledon cultures in vitro. Arabidopsisthaliana strain carrying a mto1-1 mutation overaccumulates solublemethionine. By using this mutant, we analyzed the effects ofmethionine on expression of the ß subunit gene invivo. Reciprocal crosses were made between the mto1-1 mutantand a transgenic A. thaliana strain, designated SNTß3,which carries a ß-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter geneunder the control of the promoter region of the ßsubunit gene. Analysis of GUS activity in F₁ seeds indicatedthat the GUS activity was dramatically repressed when the mto1-1mutant plants were used as female parents. We constructed astrain which carries both the transgene and mto1-1 mutationin the homozygous state. Analyses of the GUS activity in seedsof this double homozygous strain indicated that the GUS activitywas repressed to 2.5% of control by introduction of the mto1-1mutation. These results indicate that the ß subunitgene promoter activity in seeds is down-regulated by maternalgenotype and suggest that soluble methionine, or its mobilemetabolite, is translocated from mother plants to repress ßsubunit gene expression in seeds. ⁵Present address: Division of Biological Sciences, GraduateSchool of Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060Japan ⁶Present address: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture,The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113 Japan     

The Relationship Between the Bulk Modulus of Elasticity of a Complex Tissue and the Mean Modulus of its Cells

A relationship has been derived mathematically between the bulkmodulus of elasticity of a leaf, E, measured by the pressurebomb technique, and the individual cellular bulk moduli, e,of the leaf tissue as measured by the pressure probe technique.A number of examples have been worked out that shows that Eunderestimates the mean value of e by less than 10 per centin most circumstances. Within 2 per cent, E equals the ‘mean’value of e weighted according to the water content change ofeach cell expressed as a fraction of the water content changeof the whole leaf when the water potential. , changes by a smallamount. An analysis of the sources of error involved in theevaluation of E by the pressure bomb technique reveals thatE can be calculated within an error of 10 per cent from valuesof and water loss, W_e; this error is about the same as theerror in e measured on individual cells by the pressure probetechnique. bulk elastic modulus, water potential isotherms, pressure bomb, pressure probe     

Inheritance of resistance to neonatal E. coli diarrhoea in the pig: examination of the genetic system

Summary Evidence is presented that a dominant allele, S, is expressed as a receptor for K88 on the brushborder surface of the pig intestinal cell. The homozygous recessive (ss) lacks this receptor. The receptor enables K88 — positive coliforms to adhere to the gut of the piglet which they must do if they are to cause neonatal diarrhoea. The homozygous recessive is thus a disease resistant animal.A possible reason for the persistence of the dominant (susceptible) gene is given.     

The conditional medaka mutation eyeless uncouples patterning and morphogenesis of the eye

In early vertebrate eye development, the retinal anlage is specified in the anterior neuroectoderm. During neurulation, the optic vesicles evaginate from the lateral wall of the prosencephalon. Here we describe the temperature-sensitive mutation eyeless in the Japanese medakafish. Marker gene analysis indicates that, whereas, specification of two retinal primordia and proximodistal patterning takes place in the mutant embryo, optic vesicle evagination does not occur and subsequent differentiation of the retinal primordia is not observed. The mutation eyeless thus uncouples patterning and morphogenesis at early steps of retinal development. Temperature-shift experiments indicate a requirement for eyeless activity prior to optic vesicle evagination. Cell transplantation shows that eyeless acts cell autonomously.     

A Reanalysis of the Kinetics of 14C Photosynthate Translocation in Morning Glory Vines

The spatial and temporal profiles of ¹⁴C photosynthate observedafter a 5 min pulse-labelling period in morning glory vinesare examined. In these experiments a peak of radioactivity appearsto travel down the stem, growing shorter and broader with timeand distance. It is possible to fit the known data reasonably well with aHorwitz reversible-loss model in which the observed changesin peak height and width are attributed to the reversible exchangeof tracer molecules between the translocating sieve tube anda stationary reservoir. The parameters that determine the spatialand temporal profiles are the input kinetics, the sap velocity,v, the ratio of the reservoir volume to sieve tube volume, ,and the permeability to radius ratio, P/r. Even when the inputkinetics are known it is possible to obtain several equallygood fits to the observed tracer profiles with different combinationsof v, , and P/r. With our present state of knowledge it is notpossible to characterize these parameters uniquely, and it isunlikely that tracer techniques alone will yield definite valuesfor v, , and P/r. Ipomoea oil Roth, morning glory, translocation profiles, Horwitz reversible-loss model, mathematical models     

Analysis and Significance of Gravity-induced Asymmetric Growth in the Grass Leaf-sheath Pulvinus

The negative gravitropic response in the grass leaf-sheath pulvinusis a consequence of cell elongation involving all cells exceptthose of the uppermost region of the upper flank of an horizontallyoriented pulvinus. The lowermost layer of cells elongate maximally,and the regions in between elongate to intermediate extents.The resulting curvatures of a responding pulvinus can be expressedmathematically by relating the angle of curvature () to theoriginal length (L₀) and the maximal length of the lower surface(L₁) and the diameter of the organ (D), using the equation, = (L₁–L₀)/D, where is in radians. The elongation response(S) of any individual cell within the pulvinus can be expressedby the equation, S = 0.5-r cos, where r is the radius of thepulvinus and is in degrees. Microscopic measurement of celllengths in different regions of the pulvinus supports the mathematicalpredictions. Indirect support is also obtained from the useof colchicine, coumarin, dichloro-benzonitrile (DCBN) and isopropylN-chlorophenyl carbamate which exaggerate the inherent asymmetryduring gravitropic response. Coumarin and DCBN also induce thickeningsin the radial walls which appear first in the statenchyma, andlater, in cells located towards the outer periphery of the pulvinus.The distribution patterns of these thickenings suggest thatthe asymmetric growth response of the pulvinus may be due toa differential and radial, centrifugal transport of growth promotorsfrom the central statenchyma region. Gravity perception, grass pulvinus     

中国部分地区柑桔木虱体内感染Wolbachia的检测及其系统发育分析

Wolbachia是一种广泛分布于节肢动物体内的共生细菌, 该共生菌经寄主卵的细胞质传播并参与多种寄主生殖活动调控, 对节肢动物的物种进化有着重要意义并可能应用于害虫的生物防治。本研究以柑桔黄龙病（Huanglongbing, HLB）的主要传播媒介——柑桔木虱Diaphorina citri为研究对象, 通过Wolbachia的16S rDNA、 细胞分裂基因（ftsZ）、 表面蛋白基因（wsp）的特异引物对来自于中国广西北海、 广西柳州、 广东深圳、 广东阳春、 福建福州5个地区的柑桔木虱进行PCR扩增, 并对扩增产物进行克隆测序, 与GenBank中相关序列进行比对分析, 建立了柑桔木虱共生Wolbachia的系统发育树。结果显示上述5个地区的柑桔木虱均存在Wolbachia感染, 通过Wolbachia的16S rDNA, ftsZ基因和wsp基因DNA序列的系统发育分析表明, 5个地区的柑桔木虱体内的Wolbachia均属于B组; 基于wsp基因的系统发育分析进一步表明5个地区的亚洲柑桔木虱体内的Wolbachia属于B组的Con亚组, 且不同地区柑桔木虱体内的Wolbachia的16S rDNA, ftsZ基因和wsp基因序列差异不明显。研究结果为认识柑桔黄龙病传播媒介昆虫的进化及其综合防治提供了重要的参考依据。     

Internode Length in Pisum: the Response of le na Scions Grafted to Na Stocks

The recessive gene na results in peas with extremely short internodes(phenotype nana). In intact plants, na prevents expression ofthe Le/le gene pair which determine the tall/dwarf difference.na blocks a step early in the gibberellin biosynthetic pathwaywhile le prevents conversion of gibberellin A₂₀ to GA₁. Whengrafted to leafy Na stocks, le na and Le na scions become phenotypicallydwarf and tall, respectively. Hence, Na stocks provide a graft-transmissiblesubstance which promotes elongation of na scions and allowsexpression of the Le/le difference. Pisum, internode length, grafting, genotype     

Genetic control of the conversion of dihydroflavonols into flavonols and anthocyanins in flowers of Petunia hybrida

Petunia hybrida mutants, homozygous recessive for one of the genes An1, An2, An6, or An9 do not show anthocyanin synthesis in in vitro complementation experiments per se (see also Kho et al. 1977). Extracts of flowers of these mutants all provoke anthocyanin synthesis in isolated petals of an an3an3 mutant. Mutants homozygous recessive for one of the genes An1, An2, An6, or An9 and homozygous recessive for F1 accumulate dihydroflavonols in comparable amounts. The synthesis of dihydromyricetin is blocked in an1an1 mutants, which indicates a regulating effect of the gene An1 on the gene Hfl. Similar mutants, but dominant for F1, accumulate flavonols (kaempferol and quercetin) instead of dihydroflavonols. Myricetin is accumulated in minor amounts and not at all in an1an1 mutant. Furthermore, the synthesis of this flavonol is not controlled by the gene F1. The synthesis of cyanidin (derivatives) is greatly reduced when flavonols are synthesized (F1 dominant). In mutants dominant for Ht1 and Hf1 and thus able to synthesize cyanidin (derivatives) and delphinidin (derivatives), predominantly delphinidin (derivatives) are synthesized. The results indicate that kaempferol (derivatives), quercetin (derivatives), and delphinidin (derivatives) are the main endproducts of flavonoid biosynthesis in Petunia hybrida.     

A fallacy in phytochrome pelletability due to in vitro instability of the phytochrome-particle association

Two fractionation procedures were used to study the phenomenonof phytochrome pelletability or binding to a particulate fractionof maize coleoptiles. Using a revised procedure, we were unableto show an increase of phytochrome pelletability during darkincubation of red irradiated plant tissue, reported by Manabeand Furuya for pea seedlings (6), and the P_fr-enhanced affinityfor P_r in R/FR irradiated tissue as reported by Quail et al.(11). However, we were able to match these reported observationsusing a procedure which we have regarded as standard. In thestandard procedure, the irradiated tissue is homogenized andthe brei permitted to incubate in the dark at 0?C before fractionationby differential centrifugation prior to measurements of phytochromepelletability. In the revised procedure this incubation is eliminatedand fractionation and measurement follow directly on tissuehomogenization. A progressive decrease of particulate phytochromewas observed during dark incubation at 0?C of the brei fromred irradiated tissue, but no substantial decrease was observedduring dark incubation of the red irradiated tissue at 0?C.The decrease was not dependent on in vitro P_frP_r reversion.In the case of R/FR irradiated tissues, phytochrome pelletabilitywas found to decrease during dark incubation of both the irradiatedtissue and its brei at 0?C. With these results and a recognitionof the tendency of phytochrome to dissociate from the particulatefraction in vitro, we have thus rationalized the results ofQuail et al. (11) and Manabe and Furuya (6). (Received August 12, 1976; )