OCCURRENCE OF CHOLINE ESTERS IN THE MARINE DINOFLAGELLATE AMPHIDINIUM CARTERI12

Acrylylcholine, choline O-sulfate, and a yet unidentified choline ester have been isolated from cells of Amphidinium carteri. Natural and synthetic acrylyl choline had approximately 1/4,000 the activity of acetylcholine and choline O-sulfate about 1/20,000 the activity on isolated Mercenaria mercenaria heart.     

EFFECTS OF TURBULENCE ON THE MARINE DINOFLAGELLATE GYMNODINIUM NELSONII1

Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the effects of agitation on growth, cell division, and nucleic acid dynamics of the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium nelsonii Martin. When cultures were placed on an orbital shaker at 100 rpm, cell division was prevented, cellular volume increased up to 1.5 times that of the nonperturbed cells, the form and location of the cell nucleus were modified, and the RNA and DNA concentrations per cell increased up to 10 times those of the controls. When shaking was stopped after 10 days, cells divided immediately at about 2/3 of the division rate of the unshaken populations, and all the altered parameters were restored. If the agitation continued for more than 20 days, total cell death and disintegration occurred. Several cellular types differing in size and shape were observed in the control and shaken cultures. One possible hypothesis for these results is that failure of the cell to divide results from physical disturbance of the microtubule assemblage associated with chromosome separation during mitosis. My study suggests that small-scale oceanic turbulence of sufficient intensity may inhibit growth of individual dinoflagellate cells, but immediate development of the population may continue when calm weather follows the active mixing period.     

EFFECTS OF CARBON,NITROGEN, AND ALLOPURINOL ON THE ABUNDANCE OF PARTICIPATE INCLUSIONS IN A MARINE DINOFLAGELLATE12

Nutritional factors have been identified that affect the abundance of particulate inclusions in the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii. The amount of ammonium sulfate. glucose, and glutamic acid in the medium markedly affected the number of particle-containing cysts. Particle production was directly proportional to the concentration of ammonium sulfate and glutamic acid, and inversely proportional to the amount of glucose in the medium. Allopurinol reduced particle production Strikingly. The chemical composition of the particulate inclusions, and their possible ecological significance, are discussed.     

GROWTH AND PROBABLE GAMETE FORMATION IN THE MARINE DINOFLAGELLATE CERATIUM SCHRANKII1

Growth and formation of probable gametes in clonal cultures of Ceratium schrankii Kofoid isolated from the Gulf of Naples were monitored at 15, 20 and 25°C (12:12h LD period). Sustained division rates (k) of 0.15 div d ^?1 at 15°C and elevated ones at 20°C (0.27 div d^?1) and 25°C (0.25 div d^?1) were obtained. “Gamete” formation occurred at each temperature with few “gametes” observed at 15°C, and the greatest numbers at 20° and 25°C. This process in each parent cell involved two successive divisions with the first division forming tow “pregametes” which, within a few hours, divided again to form four motile unicells. These “gametes” remained motile for at least 24 h and normally survived for no longer tahn 48 h. Depending on the initial population at the onset of “gamete” formation, the impact on Ceratium populations was to cause either a momentary pause in log growth or a reversible decline in the populaiton.     

THE EFFECT OF GROWTH ENVIRONMENT ON THE PHYSIOLOGY OF ALGAE: LIGHT INTENSITY12

Measurements were made of growth, pigmentation, photosynthesis, respiration, quinone Hill reaction, cell morphology, and structure as a function of growth light intensity for various algae. These processes showed varying degrees of dependency upon light intensity and are discussed with reference to algal classification. Eighteen algae, examples from 10 taxonomic divisions, were studied.     

A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF TANNINS ON THE GROWTH OF SULPHATE-REDUCING BACTERIA

SUMMARY: The inhibition by tannins of sulphate-reducing bacteria in pure culture has been shown to be due primarily to the establishment of an unfavourable pH. High concentrations were required to inhibit when the physico-chemical conditions were otherwise favourable.     

THECAL ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE TOXIC MARINE DINOFLAGELLATE GONYAULAX CATENELLA1

The toxic marine dinoflagellate Gonyaulax catenella Whedon & Kofoid was studied with scanning and transmission electron microscopy to describe the thecal morphology and to accurately define the taxonomic characters of the species. The closing platelet which lies in a U-shaped apical pore was revealed to be disassociable from a partly obscured apical platelet. Two previously unreported sulcal plates were charaterized and described. The entire complement of thecal plates numbered 33.     

THE EFFECT OF STRYCHNINE AND LIGHT ON PIGMENTATION IN BLEPHARISMA UNDULANS STEIN

The effect of strychnine sulfate and light on pigmentation in the ciliate protozoan Blepharisma undulans has been determined. Upon exposure of cells to strychnine, the pigment granules become loosened from their surrounding membranes. Eventually these membranes break and the granules are simultaneously released from the cell. At the cell surface, a fusion occurs between adjacent membraneless granules with the incorporation of membrane fragments. This fusion of granules and membrane fragments results in the formation of a pigmented "capsule" around the organism. After elimination of the pigment, the granule membranes remaining in the cytoplasm fuse to form apparently empty vesicles. Other cell organelles are generally undisturbed. A similar situation occurs upon exposure of cells to artificial light for 12 to 18 hr, however, the slow elimination of granules from the cells under these conditions does not result in the formation of a pigmented "capsule." The possible mechanisms of these reactions are discussed.     

亚硫酸氢钠对鱼腥藻生长的影响

在不同条件下研究了光呼吸抑制剂——亚硫酸氢钠对鱼腥藻(Anabaena)生长的影响。结果表明亚硫酸氢钠的浓度在1—10μg/ml时都提高了鱼腥藻的生物量,浓度在2.5和5.0μg/ml的效果优于其他浓度。亚硫酸氢钠提高了鱼腥藻叶绿素a的含量,但是,对蛋白质的含量没有的影响。亚硫酸氢钠用于增加鱼腥藻生物产量是有意义的。     

EFFECT OF FAR-RED ILLUMINATION DURING THE PHOTOPERIOD ON FLORAL INITIATION OF CHENOPODIUM AMARANTICOLOR

Könitz reported that far-red irradiation near the middle of the photoperiod of an inductive cycle completely inhibited flower initiation in Chenopodium amaranticolor. The present studies with C. amaranticolor and other short-day plants have not revealed any such effect of far-red treatments on flower initiation or development. Thus, since Bünning's proposal of a diurnal variation in the sensitivity of plants to far-red light is based solely on Könitz's data, it would appear to require further verification.     

THE EFFECT OF HYDROCORTISONE ON HeLa CELL GROWTH

HeLa Chessen cells have a doubling time of 18 hr when grown in MEM containing 10% calf serum and antibiotics. When hydrocortisone (1.7 μg/ml) is added to exponentially distributed cells in log growth in this medium, a new pattern of growth begins to emerge after 10–12 hr. This pattern is characterized by a transitional state lasting for about 6 hr, and then a new doubling time of about 35 hr is maintained thereafter. Hydrocortisone removes about 5% of the cells from the proliferative pool and extends the generation time of proliferating cells to about 30 hr. The extension of the generation cycle appears to occur almost entirely in late G₁. Cells grown as clones (average 6 cells/clone) prior to the addition of hydrocortisone, undergo these changes with doses as low as 0.00017 μg/ml of medium. When the average clone size is 1.5 cells per clone, the drug concentration must be 0.017 μg/ml or higher to initiate this response. The HeLa S₃ strain continues to grow with an 18-hr doubling time in the presence of hydrocortisone after a temporary delay in growth occurring between the 12th and 16th hour.     

ENHANCEMENT OF PHYTOPLANKTON GROWTH BY MARINE BACTERIA12

Investigations were conducted into the effect of 3 marine bacteria, Vibrio anguillarum #19264, V. anguillarum #19109, and Escherichia coli, on the growth of 10 phytoplakters. A disc method on agar plates was used to evaluate growth responses. Growth enhancement of all algae in the presence of V. anguillarum #19264 occurred on an enriched agar medium; the other bacteria yielded variable responses. Evidence available is consistent with the hypothesis that growth enhancement of algae is related to the release of stimulating substances through bacterial hydrolysis of the agar.