Trail-Based Communication in Social Caterpillars of Eriogaster lanestris (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae)

Caterpillars of Eriogaster lanestris (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) mark trails as they move between feeding sites and their communal tent. They prefer new trails over aged ones. Hungry caterpillars prefer trails marked by fed caterpillars returning to the tent. Thus successful foragers direct tentmates to profitable food finds, in a manner similar to that of Malacosoma americanum. E. lanestris readily follows trails prepared from 5-cholestane-3-one, a component of the trail marker of M. americanum, when applied at a rate of 10^–10 g/cm. In choice tests, they preferred more highly concentrated over weaker trails. New trails are always established in groups, and the velocity increases from early to late caterpillars traversing a new trail.     

The Role of Tactile and Chemical Stimuli in the Formation and Maintenance of the Processions of the Social Caterpillar Hylesia lineata (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

Colonies of the social caterpillar Hylesia lineata (Lepidoptera: Satumiidae) form long, single-file, head-to-tail processions as they move between their shelters and distant feeding sites. Although investigations of other processionary species have implicated a silk trail in the processionary process, silk plays little or no role in initiating or maintaining processions in H. lineata. Studies we report here implicate both tactile stimuli and a trail pheromone in the establishment and maintenance of processions. Processionaries elicit locomotion in the individual preceding them in line by brushing their heads against prominent sulci that project from the tips of their abdomens. Caterpillars mark their pathways with a pheromone deposited by brushing the ventral surfaces of their last abdominal segments against the substrate. The persistent pheromone is soluble in hexanes and appears to be secreted from glandular setae found on the proximal regions of the anal prolegs and the venter. In Y-choice tests, caterpillars selected newer trails over older trails and stronger trails over weaker trails. They did not distinguish between trials deposited by newly fed caterpillars and those deposited by starved caterpillars. Despite the unidirectional nature of processions, there is no indication that caterpillars can determine from the trail alone the direction in which the procession advanced. The significance of these findings to the foraging ecology of the caterpillars is discussed.     

Trail Marking and Abandonment of Depleted Feeding Sites by the Caterpillars of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eutachyptera psidii</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae)

The caterpillars of Eutachytptera psidii (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) mark trails between their nest and distant feeding sites with a trail pheromone secreted from the ventral surfaces of their last abdominal segments. The threshold sensitivity to artificial trails prepared from an hexane extract of the pheromone was 0.75 × 10⁻³ caterpillar-equivalents per cm of trail. In tests of trail-specificity involving four other social species, the caterpillars responded only to trails prepared from a pheromone extract of the closely related genus Gloveria. Tests were conducted to determine the efficiency with which colonies abandon exhausted feeding sites in favor of new food finds. On their first forays after their food sources were experimentally moved from established feeding sites to new sites, 67.5 ± 3.6% of all the evening’s activity occurred on pathways leading to the previously established sites. During their next two forays, 86.3 ± 3.7% and 92.1 ± 2.0% of all activity occurred on pathways leading to the new sites. Efficient abandonment of exhausted feeding sites is attributed to the persistence of the trail pheromone, differential marking of new and old pathways and to the caterpillar’s ability to discern trail strength and to choose stronger over weaker trails at choice points.     

Host specificity of trail marking to foliage by eastern tent caterpillars, Malacosoma americanum

The recruitment trail marking behavior of eastern tent caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum Fabr.) was modified by rearing them on plants which they do not usually attack in nature. Caterpillars reared on one of two nonhosts (Prunus avium (L.) L. or Quercus coccinea Muenchh.) marked pheromone trails to foliage of their rearing plant, whereas caterpillars reared on a natural host plant (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) did not mark trails to nonhost foliage. Caterpillars preferred host to nonhost foliage, regardless of their rearing history. The degree of trail marking was correlated with suitability of foliage for larval growth. The results indicate that trail marking behavior is a response to relative rather than absolute food quality, but that preference behavior is more rigidly programmed to favor the optimal food.

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Zusammenfassung Das Rekrutierungs-Spurmarkierungsverhalten von Malacosoma americanum Fabr. wurde durch die Zucht der Raupen auf Nichtwirtspflanzen modifiziert. Die Bevorzugung der Wirtspflanze jedoch wurde nicht verändert. Das Spurmarkierungsverhalten wurde im Laboratorium quantifiziert, indem die Zahl der markierten Abschnitte eines Kartonstreifens gezählt wurde, auf dem die Raupe von einem Ende zum andern kroch. Das Präferenzverhalten wurde geprüft, indem Blattscheiben von Wirts-und Nichtwirtspflanzen an einem Ende des Kartonstreifens befestigt wurden. Die Raupen markierten Spuren zu Nichtwirtspflanzen (Prunus avium oder Quercus coccinea) nur, wenn sie darauf gezüchtet worden waren. Andererseits war die Spurmarkierung auf Wirtspflanzen (Prunus serotina) hin intensiv unabhängigig von der Art der Zucht. Ebenfalls unabhängig von der Aufzucht war die Bevorzugung von P. serotina vor Nichtwirtspflanzen in Wahlversuchen. Präferenz und Spurmarkierung waren korreliert mit der Eignung der Blätter für Raupenwachstum. Die Resultate zeigen, dass das Spurmarkierungsverhalten mehr eine Reaktion auf relative als auf absolute Futterqualität ist, dass jedoch Präferenz strenger auf optimales Futter programmiert ist.

     

Social Cues and Following Behavior in the Forest Tent Caterpillar

Colonies of the social caterpillar Malacosoma disstria Hubner (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) travel in groups following silk trails marked with pher-omone. This study examined first, the cues involved in following behavior and second, the responses to these cues at different larval stadia. Both second and fourth instar larvae discriminated between fresh and older trails, and travelled faster in the presence of trails. In addition to trail following, young caterpillars exhibited leader following, which might be particularly important in exploring unmarked territory. Indeed, second instar caterpillars were more likely to travel together when trails were absent. Fourth instar larvae exhibited greater independent locomotion in the absence of trails than did younger larvae. These findings help explain patterns of social behavior observed in forest tent caterpillar colonies in the field.     

Trail following and stowaway behaviour of the myrmecophilous staphylinid beetle,Homoeusa acuminata,during foraging trips of its hostLasius fuliginosus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Summary The behaviour of adultHomoeusa acuminata on trails of its hostLasius fuliginosus was investigated both in the field and in the laboratory. The beetles were active from May to September, accurately following the foraging trails of their hosts up to 20 metres from the nest. Most of the time, they were ignored by the ants, but if attacked they raised their abdomen as a possible appeasement or defensive behaviour. On trails the beetles most probably act as food robbers, feeding on prey collected by ants. The following method, called stowaway behaviour, was used by the beetles: when a beetle encountered an ant carrying a prey back to the nest it jumped on the prey, probably feeding on it while being transported.Laboratory experiments on circular artificial trails demonstrated thatH. acuminata follows a water extract of hindguts of the ants, the source of the trail pheromone. Both beetles and ants responded to an artificial trail of 0.03 hindgut equivalent per cm, but the mean distance followed by the beetles was about twelve times higher than that covered by the ants themselves. In contrast, experiments with solutions of the six fatty acids reported as the active components of the trail pheromone showed that the beetles did not respond at all, and that the ants only respond to the fatty acids at a very high concentration.     

Spontaneous mutations changing the raffinose metabolism ofLactobacillus plantarum

Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 grew poorly on raffinose agar plates, but large mutant colonies appeared in high frequency from a thin film of background growth. The -galactosidase and -galactosidase activities ofL. plantarum ATCC 8014 and a mutant strain were studied in static cultures and pH-controlled fermenter cultures. Both -galactosidase and -galactosidase production were inducible in the parental strain; the induction was not needed in the mutant. The -galactosidase activity of both strains was repressed by glucose but not by -methyl-D-glucoside. The mutant phenomenon might be an obstacle in connection to traditionalLactobacillus identification by means of carbohydrate fermentation.     

The sensory basis of trail following in some lepidopterous larvae: contact chemoreception

ABSTRACT. . Caterpillars of the genus Malacosoma follow trails of the chemical 5-beta-cholestane-3,24-dione, but nothing is known of how they perceive this compound, or more generally about the sensory basis of trail following in caterpillars. By selective ablations of chemosensory organs we show that, in Malacosoma , the trail chemical is perceived by the maxillary palpi. In another lepidopteran species, Yponomeuta cagnagellus , the palpi are needed to discriminate their own trails from a trail of Malacosoma. Malacosoma larvae also lose their specificity for conspecific trails when their palpi are ablated. Volatile cues evidently do not play a role in trail-following behaviour, since neither Malacosoma nor Yponomeuta can orient on a trail covered with fine nylon mesh. These data indicate that for Malacosoma , and probably also for Yponomeuta , contact chemoreception mediated by the maxillary palpi is the primary mode of pheromone perception. The evolution of receptor sensitivity to trail chemicals in caterpillars is discussed.     

Several phenotypic changes in the cell envelope of Agrobacterium tumefaciens chvB mutants are prevented by calcium limitation

The chvB gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens encodes a 235 kDa proteinaceous intermediate involved in the synthesis of -1,2-glucan. chvB mutants show a pleiotropic phenotype. Besides not to produce cyclic -1,2-glucan, chvB mutants have been reported to be avirulent, attachment-deficient, and nonmotile. In this study we report additional differences from the parent strain, probably all linked to changes in the cell envelope. This pleiotropic phenotype — except for attachment and virulence — could largely be prevented by growing chvB cells with low levels of calcium. Although a role for -1,2-glucan in osmoadaptation has been proposed, the mode of action of -1,2-glucan is not known. We speculate that in A. tumefaciens -1,2-glucan stabilizes membranes, which would be important especially in hypotonic media containing calcium.Abbreviations Cb carbenicillin - Km kanamycin - TCA trichloroacetic acid - K_av fraction of the stationary gel volume available for diffusion - LPS lipopolysaccharide - SDS-PAGE Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

Use of pheromone mimic to cause the disintegration and collapse of colonies of tent caterpillars (Malacosoma spp.)

The disruption of the trail-based communication system of eastern tent caterpillars (ETC) ( Malacosoma americanum ) and forest tent caterpillars (FTC) ( M. disstria ) by spraying host trees with a trail pheromone mimic caused the disintegration and collapse of young colonies. A 1-ppm formulation of 5β-cholestan-3-one or a control formulation was sprayed on trees either before or after eclosion of the caterpillars in the spring. For pre-eclosion trials, an average of 92% of the FTC colonies on control trees, but only 17% of colonies on treated trees consisted of viable, cohesive aggregates when survival was assessed 5–23 days post-spray. The remaining colonies had either completely disappeared or were reduced to small, disintegrated fragments. For the ETC, 100% of colonies on control trees and an average of 12% of colonies on treated trees consisted of cohesive aggregates inhabiting tents when survival was assessed 3–41 days post-spray. The remaining colonies were completely destroyed, reduced to scattered individuals, or to small, disintegrated, shelter-less fragments. For post-eclosion trials with the FTC in which colonies were sprayed during their first or second larval stadium, an average of 63% of individuals in control groups but only 7% in treatment groups were still on the sprayed trees 5–18 days post-spray. For the ETC, colonies were largely unaffected when trees were not sprayed until after the caterpillars had eclosed and established tents. For all trials, the loss of individuals on treated trees was largely attributable to the inability of dispersed and isolated first or second instar caterpillars to maintain secure purchase, causing them to fall from trees and perish. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the potential of manipulating populations of pest species by interfering with a trail-based, chemical communication system.     

β-1-3- and β-1-4-glucan synthesis by membrane fractions from the fungus Saprolegnia

The -glucan synthetase activity of the fungus Saprolegnia monoica was assayed by supplying UDP-glucose to membrane fractions of mycelial homogenate. The analysis of glucan products by hydrolysis with various -glucanases and by chromatography show that both -1-3- and -1-4-linkages are formed at high substrate concentrations. In the absence of MgCl₂, -1-3-linked glucans are mainly produced. By increasing MgCl₂ concentrations the total synthesis activity and -1-3-linkages production are reduced. At low substrate concentrations in the presence of MgCl₂, -1-4-linked glucans are the only polysaccharide synthesized. Electron microscopy of radioactive products, synthesized by original membrane fractions or by membrane fractions isolated from continuous sucrose density gradients, shows microfibrils when the assays are conducted at high substrate concentrations in the absence of MgCl₂.Abbreviations G.S. I glucan synthetase I - G.S. II glucan synthetase II - Dol. P dolichol phosphate     

Expression of the β-subunit of β-conglycinin in seeds of transgenic plants

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seeds contain the storage protein -conglycinin, encoded by a multigene family. -Conglycinin consists of three subunits; , , and . A genomic clone for a -subunit of -conglycinin has been characterized by restriction-enzyme mapping and hybrid selected in-vitro translation followed by immunoprecipitation. In order to determine the developmental regulation of this -subunit gene, its expression was studied in seeds of transgenic petunia (Petunia hybrida) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants. The -subunit expressed in seeds of petunia and tobacco was recognized by anti--conglycinin serum at a relative molecular mass of 53 000, equivalent to that of the native protein. Separation of the petunia-seed proteins by isoelectric focusing followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis showed that multiple isoelectric forms of the -subunit were produced. There was approximately a twofold variation in the accumulation of the -subunit protein in the mature seeds of transgenic petunia plants, each containing a single -subunit gene. However, the level of protein accumulation in mature seeds and the amount of -subunit mRNA in developing seeds was not correlated. Accumulation of the -subunit protein in transgenic seeds was less than the -subunit protein that accumulated in transgenic petunia seeds containing a single -subunit gene and less than the amount of the -subunit in mature soybean seeds which contain 8–13 -subunit genes. In transgenic tobacco plants, the accumulation of the -subunit protein in seeds was generally well correlated with the number of genes that were incorporated in the different transformants.Abbreviations kb kilobase - kDa kilodalton - M_r relative molecular mass - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

Metal resistance in Acinetobacter and its relation to β-lactamase production

Thirty nine clinical isolates of Acinetobacter belonging to six species were tested for resistance to 20 metal ions and their ability to produce -lactamase. Fifty two percent of the strains produced -lactamase. -Lactamase producers and non-producers were almost equally distributed in the different species. A. baumannii was the predominant biotype and was found to be most resistant to metals. Resistance to mercury was prevalent in -lactamase-producing A. baumannii only. Silver resistant strains of A. baumannii produced -lactamase. Sensitivity and resistance to copper and cadium was equally distributed between -lactamase producers and non-producers. -Lactamase-producer and -non-producer strains were uniformly sensitive to cadmium except Acinetobacter genospecies 1.     

Are active oxygen species involved in induction of β-carotene in Dunaliella bardawil?

The purpose of this work was to test whether induction of massive -carotene synthesis in the alga Dunaliella bardawil is triggered by oxygen radicals. The following results were obtained: (i) The induction of -carotene synthesis is preceded by a lag period of about 4 h during which the cells swell and photosynthesis is partially inhibited, (ii) Addition of promoters of oxygen radicals or of azide (an inhibitor of catalase and superoxide dismutase) during the induction period, under conditions which are suboptimal for massive -carotene accumulation, greatly enhances -carotene synthesis, photodegradation of chlorophyll and inhibition of photosynthesis, (iii) High irradiance, which induces massive -carotene accumulation, also induces a high catalase activity. It is suggested that photosynthetically produced oxygen radicals are involved in triggering massive -carotene accumulation in D. bardawil.     

Trail Communication During Foraging and Recruitment in the Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes santonensis De Feytaud (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)

The search for food in the French subterranean termite Reticulitermes santonensis De Feytaud is organized in part by chemical trails laid with the secretion of their abdominal sternal gland. Trail-laying and -following behavior of R. santonensis was investigated in bioassays. During foraging for food termites walk slowly (on average, 2.3 mm/s) and lay a dotted trail by dabbing the abdomen at intervals on the ground. When food is discovered they return at a quick pace (on average, 8.9 mm/s) to the nest, laying a trail for recruiting nestmates to the food source. While laying this recruitment trail the workers drag the abdomen continuously on the ground. The recruitment trail is highly attractive: it is followed within a few seconds, by more nestmates, and at a quicker pace (on average, 6.4 mm/s) than foraging trails (on average, 2.9 mm/s). The difference between foraging and recruitment trails in R. santonensis could be attributed to different quantities of trail pheromone. A caste-specific difference in trail pheromone thresholds, with workers of R. santonensis being more sensitive to trails than soldiers, was also documented: soldiers respond only to trails with a high concentration of trail pheromone.     

Cloning of Candida pelliculosa beta-glucosidase gene and its expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Summary Candida pelliculosa var. acetaetherius is a strain of yeast which can utilize cellobiose as the carbon source. From a gene library prepared from this yeast, the -glucosidase gene has been cloned in a S. cerevisiae host using a chromogenic substrate, 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl--glucoside as an indicator. It was proved by Southern analysis that the DNA fragment carrying the -glucosidase gene originated from C. pelliculosa. -Glucosidase produced by S. cerevisiae transformants was secreted into the periplasmic space. In Candida, -glucosidase was not induced by cellobiose but was derepressed by lowering the concentration of glucose. The regulation of -glucosidase synthesis in S. cerevisiae carrying the cloned -glucosidase was not clear compared with that in Candida, however, the enzyme activity in low glucose medium (0.05%) was reproducibly higher than in high glucose medium (2%). We have found the sequence that controls the expression of the -glucosidase gene negatively in S. cerevisiae.     

Unusual antiproliferative effects of transforming growth factors-β 1 andβ 2 against primary cells from human tumors

Transforming growth factors 1 and2 (TGF-1 and2), tested in a clonogenic assay against primary cells from human tumors, suppress proliferation to different extents. In nineteen of twenty-six cell cultures, proliferation was < 50% of control with factor at 0.04 or 0.4 nM. Of these, TGF- 2 was more active than TGF-1 in fourteen; and TGF-1 was more active than TGF-2 in five. In seven of the nineteen, proliferation was 0% with one or the other factor. In contrast, cisplatin was much less effective in inhibiting proliferation of some of the same cells even at 1,000 or more times the molar concentration of the factors. Surprisingly, when TGF- 1 and TGF-2 were combined at equal concentrations, the antiproliferative effect of one was cancelled or markedly inhibited by the other.     

β-Oxidation enzymes in the mitochondria of Arum and oilseed rape

-Oxidation enzymes were detected both in the mitochondria and microbodies of Arum maculatum L. spadices and Brassica napus L. seeds. It is apparent that the mitochondrial membrane barrier, which remains intact after sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation, prevents rapid access of acyl-GoA substrates to matrix oxidation tes. Thus intact mitochondria showed little -oxidation enzyme activity. Rupturing of the mitochondrial membrane allowed rapid access of acyl CoAs to matrix sites. Consequently, in ruptured mitochondria, high -oxidation enzyme activities were measured.C. Masterson thanks the Science and Engineering Research Council for the award of a postgraduate student maintenance grant. D.R. Thomas and C. Wood thank their relatives for continuing financial support. The authors also thank West Cumberland Farmers Ltd., Hexham, UK for their gift of oilseed rape seeds.     

Anti-diabetic activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-glucans and their enzymatically hydrolyzed oligosaccharides from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agaricus blazei</Emphasis>

-Glucans were prepared from Agaricus blazei Murill by repeated extraction with hot water. The average molecular weights of -glucans were 30–50 kDa by gel filtration chromatography. Oligosaccharides (AO), derived from hydrolyzing -glucans with an endo--(16)-glucanase from Bacillus megaterium, were mainly di- and tri-saccharides. Though -glucans and AO both showed anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hypertriglyceridemic, anti-hypercholesterolemic, and anti-arteriosclerotic activity indicating overall anti-diabetic activity in diabetic rats, AO had about twice the activity of -glucans with respect to anti-diabetic activity.     

A cDNA encoding vacuolar type β-d-fructofuranosidase (Osβfruct3) of rice and its expression in Pichia pastoris

A vacuolar type -d-fructofuranosidase (Osfruct3) was cloned from etiolated rice seedlings cDNA library. It encodes an open reading frame of 688 residues. The deduced amino acid sequence had 58% identity to the vacuolar type -d-fructofuranosidase of maize (Ivr1). Osfruct3 exists as a single copy per genome. Northern analyses showed that Osfruct3 undergoes organ-specific expression and is involved in the adjustment of plant responses to environmental signals and metabolizable sugars. Osfruct3 was also heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris. The recombinant proteins were confirmed to be a vacuolar type -d-fructofuranosidase.