Items from the Literature

Conn, H. J. Biological Stains. 7th ed., 355 pages, 27 figures, 9 × 6 inches, hard covers. The Williams &;: Wilkins Company, Baltimore 2, Maryland. $9.00. 1961.

Electron Microscopy Reimer, L., and GADACZ, H. Zur Schichtdickenkontrolle bei der elektronenmikroskopischen Schrägbeschattungsmethode. Z. wiss. Mikr., 65, 105-17. 1961.

Dyes and Their Biological Uses Macconaill, M. A., and GURR, E. The faviolic acid group of stains in histology. Irish J. Med. Sci., 1962, 1-12. 1962.

Animal Microtechnic Berres, H. H. Zur Darstellung peripherer Nervenfasem in der Haut. Z. wiss. Mikr., 65, 63-9. 1961.

Elias H., Henning A., and ELIAS P. M. Contributions to the geometry of sectioning. V. Some methods for the study of kidney structure. Z. wiss. Mikr., 65, 70-82. 1961.

Ewen, A. B. An improved aldehyde-fuchsin staining technique for neurosecretary products in insects. Tr. Amer. Micr. Soc, 81, 94-6. 1962.

Movat, Henry Z., STEINER, JAN W., and HUHN, DIETER. The fine structure of the glomerulus in acute glomerulonephritis. Lab. Investig., 11, 117-35. 1962.

Shaver, Evelyn L. The chromosomes of the opossum, Didelphis virginiana. Canad. J. Genet. Cytol. 4, 62-8. 1962.

Microorganisms Laird, Marshall. Trichodinids and other parasitic protozoa from the intertidal zone at Nanaimo, Vancouver Island. Canad. J. Zool., 39, 833-44. 1961.

Histochemistry Burstone, M. S. New histochemical techniques for the demonstration of tissue oxidase (cytochrome oxidase). I. Hisiochem. Cytochem., 7, 112-22. 1959.

Glenner, G. G., and LILLIE, R. D. Observations on the diazotization-coupling reaction for the histochemical demonstration of tyrosine: metal chelation and formazan variants. J. Histochem. Cytochem., 7, 416-22. 1959.

Hess, R., and Pearse, A. G. E. Histochemical demonstration of uridine diphosphate glucose dehydrogenase. Experientia, 15, 317-8. 1961.

LOVE, R., and LILES, R. H. Differentiation of nucleoproteins by inactivation of protein-bound amino groups and staining with toluidine blue and ammonium molybdate. J. Histochem. Cytochem., 7, 164-81. 1959.

Zimmerman, H., and Pearse, A. G. E. Limitations in the histochemical demonstration of pyridine nucleotide-linked dehydrogenases (“nothing dehydrogenase”). J. Histochem. Cytochem. 7, 271-5. 1959.     

Teaching Concern for the Environment

Reidman, Sarah R. Biological Clocks New York: T. Y. Crowell Junior Books, 1982 120 pp. $10.50 trade, $10.89 library. Reviewed by Gilbert Wright.

Sidgwick, J. B. (revised by James Muirden) Observational Astronomy for Amateurs, 4th ed. Hillside, N.J.: Enslow Publishers, 1982 296 pp. $19.95 cloth, $5.95 paper. Reviewed by Van E. Neie.

Briggs, Asa The Power of Steam: An Illustrated History of the World's Steam Age Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1982 208 pp. $22.50 (available in paper, $10, spring 1983). Reviewed by C. Bruce Hunter.

Manners, Ian R. North Sea Oil and Environmental Planning—The United Kingdom Experience Austin: University of Texas Press, 1982 268 pp. $37.50. Reviewed by Donald Schwartz.

Frazier, Kendrick Our Turbulent Sun Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1982 198 pp. Reviewed by James W. O'Leary.

Randi, James Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns and Other Delusions Buffalo, New York: Prometheus Books, 1982 342 pp. $9.95 paper. Reviewed by R. F. Trimble.

Kircher, Harry B. and Donald L. Wallace Our Natural Resources, 5th ed. Danville, Ill.: Interstate, 1982 426 pp. $12.50. Reviewed by Rex E. Kerstetter.

Riley, Denis and Lewis Spolton World Weather and Climate, 2d ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1982 $8.95. Reviewed by Ira W. Geer.

Shih, Gene and Richard Kessel Living Images: Biological Microstructures Revealed by Scanning Electron Microscopy Boston, Mass.: Science Books International, 1982 155 pp. $24.95 cloth, $14.94 paper. Reviewed by Michael E. Somers.

Christensen, Ann and Lee Green Trash to Treasures: An Idea Book for Classroom and Media Center Materials Littleton, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, 1982 178 pp. $18.50 paper.

Selberg, Ingrid Our Changing World New York: Philomel Books, 1982 12 pp. $10.95 trade.     

On the Pollen Morphology of Some scandinavian caryophyllaceae

A total of 36 species, varieties and hybrids from nine genera of Scandinavian Caryophyllaceae with pantoporate pollen grains have been investigated. Habrosia spinuliflora, a non-Scandinavian plant with pantoporate pollen grains, has also been investigated. Diagnoses (p. 71–80) and photomicrographs (including some photopalynograms) are provided. Measurements, etc., are given in tabular form (Tab. 1, p. 68). The smallest grains were found in Gypsophila muralis (24 μ) and Habrosia spinuliflora (27 μ), the largest in Agrostemma githago (63 μ) and Stellaria palustris (60 μ). The number of apertures ranges from 31–37(–45) in Agrostemma githago, Lychnis flos-cuculi and Melandrium album to 12 in Scleranthus perennis, Gypsophila fastigiata, Dianthus deltoides and several species of Stellaria etc.

Thin sections of pollen grains in four species have been described (p. 81). Two main types of arrangement of bacula have been encountered. One type has through bacula, connecting nexine and tegillum (e.g. in Silene, Lychnis, Viscaria, etc.). In the other type the bacula are of two different lengths: some connect nexine and tegillum, others are shorter, hanging from the tegillum half-way towards the nexine (e.g. in Stellaria and Dianthus). The nexine seems to consist of a homogeneous, undifferentiated layer. Electron micrographs of pollen grains in seven species have been made (Pl. 17–20).

In Melandrium intergrading pattern types have been observed. M. viscosum has a pattern similar to that in Silene (M. viscosum should, therefore, no doubt be referred to as Silene viscosa). M. album has tetrate grains with large spinules. M. angustiflorum shows a pattern transitional between tetrate-punctitegillate and intectate-reticulate. M. noctiflorum, M. rubrum and M. apetalum have reticulate pollen grains. The hybrid M. album × rubrum has characters from both parental stocks. The pollen grains in Stellaria holostea (Pl. 13: 9–13) deviate from those in the other Stellaria species, whereas Stellaria aquatica (formerly Malachium aquaticum) shows a close morphological similarity with the other species of Stellaria (except S. holostea) It should, therefore, probably better be retained in Stellaria. A key for identification is found on p. 86.     

Tracheal submucosal gland serous cells stimulated in vitro with adrenergic and cholinergic agonists A morphometric study

Summary A morphometric analysis was made of alterations in serous cell structure induced by adrenergic and cholinergic agonists. Ferret tracheal rings were exposed for 30 min in vitro to one of the following agonists: phenylephrine, terbutaline, or methacholine (all at 10^–5 M). Controls were incubated similarly in medium containing no drugs or medium containing both the agonist and an excess of the appropriate antagonist (phentolamine, propranolol or atropine, all at 10^–4 M).Electron microscopic observation and stereological analysis of the incubated samples revealed that the volume density of serous cell granules in controls (0.30 ± 0.02, mean ± SE, n = 4) was significantly reduced by phenylephrine (0.19 ± 0.03, n = 4) and methacholine (0.17 ± 0.01, n = 4), but not by terbutaline (0.27 ± 0.04, n = 4). The presence of antagonists in the medium prevented the observed changes (phenylephrine/phentolamine: 0.29 ± 0.03, n = 3 and methacholine/atropine: 0.33 ± 0.06, n = 3). In addition, the volume density of intracellular vacuoles in controls (0.02 ± 0.005, n = 4) was increased in response to methacholine stimulation (0.12 + 0.05, n = 4), but not in response to the other agonists. This effect was blocked by atropine (0.01 ± 0.00, n = 3).We conclude that serous-cell granules are discharged by both alpha-adrenergic and cholinergic, but not beta-adrenergic stimulation. In addition, cholinergic stimulation evokes the formation of intracellular vacuoles, a possible indication of active ion and water transport.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Anita Herle and Sandra Rouse (eds). Cambridge and the Torres Strait: Centenary Essays on the 1898 Anthropological Expedition. William Hinton. Fanshen: A Documentary of Revolution in a Chinese Village. Diane Johnson. Night Skies of Aboriginal Australia: A Noctuary. Thomas M. McKenna. Muslim Rulers and Rebels: Everyday Politics and Armed Separatism in the Southern Philippines. A.M. Shah, B.S. Baviskar and E.A. Ramaswamy (eds). Social Structure and Change. Volume 5. Religion and Kinship.     

Biotechnologically relevant enzymes and proteins

The mold Aspergillus giganteus produces a basic, low molecular weight protein showing antifungal properties against economically important plant pathogens, the AFP (Antifungal Protein). In this study, we investigated the mechanisms by which AFP exerts its antifungal activity against Magnaporthe grisea. M. grisea is the causal agent of rice blast, one of the most devastating diseases of cultivated rice worldwide. AFP was purified from the extracellular medium of A. giganteus cultures. The AFP protein was found to induce membrane permeabilization in M. grisea cells. Electron microscopy studies revealed severe cellular degradation and damage of plasma membranes in AFP-treated fungal cells. AFP however failed to induce membrane permeabilization on rice or human HeLa cells. Furthermore, AFP enters the fungal cell and targets to the nucleus, as revealed by co-localization experiments of Alexa-labeled AFP with the SYTOX Green dye. Finally, AFP binds to nucleic acids, including M. grisea DNA. Our results suggest that the combination of fungal cell permeabilization, cell-penetrating ability and nucleic acid-binding activity of AFP determines its potent antifungal activity against M. grisea. These results are discussed in relation to the potential of the AFP protein to enhance crop protection against fungal diseases.     

Virus-like particles in Eimeria tenella are associated with multiple RNA segments

Total nucleic acids from sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella isolated from Changchun in China were found to contain three extrachromosomal double-stranded RNA segments (dsRNAs) of 1.4, 2.4 and 3.6 kb in sizes. These RNAs were resistant to RNase A digestion under high salt concentration (0.3 M NaCl). RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP) activity was detected in crude extracts of E. tenella sporulated oocysts containing these nucleic acid species. Virus-like particles (VLPs) were shown to have a diameter of approximately 38 nm under Electron Microscopy (EM) after purification by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. In keeping with the nomenclature generally adopted for protozoan viruses, we have named this isolate as E. tenella virus (ETV) which is the first virus isolated from E. tenella.     

Besprechungen

Book reviewed in this article: Baumann , Peter (1972): Tiere in geplanter Wildbahn. Grüsser, O.-J. , und R. Klinke ed. (1971): Zeichenerkennung durch biologische und technische Systeme (Pattern Recognition in Biological and Technical Systems). Tagungsbericht des 4. Kongresses der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kybernetik in Berlin vom 6.–9. April 1970. Hooff , J. A. R. A. M. van (1971): Aspecten van het sociale gedrag en de communicatie bij humane en hogere niet-humane Primaten (Von Sozialverhalten und Mitteilungsweisen bei Menschen und Menschenaffen). Pagès, E. (1972): Comportement aggressif et sexuel chez les Pangolins arboricoles (Manis tricuspis et M. longicaudata). (Kampf- und Fortpflanzungs-verhalten der baumbewohnenden Schuppentiere M. tricuspis und M. longicaudata). Dies. (1972): Comportement maternel et développement chez un Pangolin arboricole, M. tricuspis. (Mutterverhalten und Jugendentwicklung des Schuppentieres M. tricuspis). Papi , F., L. Fiore, V. Fiaschi und S. Benvenuti (1972): Olfaction and Homing in Pigeons (Geruchsinn und Heimfinden bei Tauben). Rowe-Rowe , D. T. (1972): The African Weasel, Poecilogale albinucha Gray. Observations on behaviour and general biology. (Beobachtungen zu Biologie und Verhalten des Weißnacken-Streifenwiesels).     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: J.M. Arthur . Aboriginal English: A Cultural Study. Diane J. Austin-Broos. Jamaica Genesis: Religion and the Politics of Moral Orders. Mick Broderick (ed.) Hibakusha Cinema: Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the Nuclear Image in Japanese Film. Linda Connor, Patsy Asch and Timothy Asch. Jero Tapakan: Balinese Healer. An Ethnographic Film Monograph. Steven Feld and Keith H. Basso (eds). Senses of Place. T. Fujitani. Splendid Monarchy: Power and Pageantry in Modern Japan. David N. Gellner, Joanna Pfaff-Czarnecka and John Whelpton (eds). Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom: The Politics of Culture in Contemporary Nepal. Akhil Gupta and James Ferguson (eds). Anthropological Locations: Boundaries and Grounds of a Field Science. Helen Hardacre. Marketing the Menacing Fetus in Japan. Marilyn Ivy. Discourses of the Vanishing: Modernity, Phantasm, Japan. Margaret Jolly. Women of the Place: Kaslom, Colonialism and Gender in Vanuatu. M.P. Levine, P.M. Nardi and J.H. Gagnon (eds). In Changing Times: Gay Men and Lesbians Encounter HIV/AIDS. Nancy C. Lutkehaus and Paul B. Roscoe (eds.) Gender Ritual: Female Initiation in Melanesia. Helen Morton. Becoming Tongan: An Ethnography of Childhood. Herbert Donald Graham Maschner. Darwinian Archaeologies Michael Southon. The Navel of the Perahu: Meaning and Values in the Maritime Trading Economy of a Butonese Village. J. M. Mageo and A. Howard (eds). Spirits in Culture, History and Mind. Virginia Watson. Anyan's Story. A New Guinea Woman in Two Worlds.     

Macvicaria taksengi n. sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae) in marine teleosts from Pinang,Malaysia

Summary A new species, Macvicaria taksengi (Opecoelidae: Plagioporinae), is described from the fishes Otolithes ruber and Sillago sihama from Pinang, Malaysia. It differs from most other members of the genus in the position of the ovary relative to the testes and the anterior position of the genital pore. A brief discussion on the Indo-West Pacific forms of the genus Macvicaria and related genera includes references to several new combinations: M. [Lebouria] isaitschikowi (Layman, 1930), M. [Plagioporus] sillagonis (Yamaguti, 1938), M. [Plagioporus] chrysophrys (Nagaty & Abdel Aal, 1969) and M. [Plagioporus (Plagioporus)] longisaccus (Fischthal & Kuntz, 1964).     

Cellular Lipid Fatty Acid Pattern Heterogeneity Between Reference and Recent Food Isolates of Listeria Monocytogenes as a Response to Cold Stress

Cells of four reference strains (Scott A, LO 28, CNL 895807 and ATCC 19115) and of five recent food isolates (A00M011, A00M018, A00M087, A00M092 and A00M123) of Listeria monocytogenes were grown until late exponential phase in Brain Heart Broth at two different temperatures (37 °C and 4 °C). Our results show that significant differences exist between the cellular lipid fatty acid profile of reference and recent food isolates. Like the reference strains, and in keeping with previous reports on the cellular lipid fatty acid profile of L. monocytogenes, the recent food isolates were characterised by the presence of ai15:0, i15:0 and ai17:0. In addition, the fatty acid ai13:0 was observed in all of the recent food isolates grown at 4 °C, whereas only two reference strains, Scott A and LO 28, showed ai13:0 in their cellular lipid fatty acid profile at 4 °C. When grown at 4 °C, the recent food isolates showed a mean aiC₁₅/aiC₁₇ ratio of 66, while reference strains were characterised by significantly lower ratios, ranging between 4.3 (ATCC 19115) and 28.9 (Scott A). These results showed that all of the recent food isolates, Scott A and LO28 strains use chain length and anteiso-branching (ai15:0) as their major response to cold temperature adaptation. However, the cold adaptation response of reference strains CNL 895807 and ATCC 19115 appears to be different.     

Conversion of lactose to methane by defined bacterial cocultures

The conversion of lactose — the main constituent of whey — to methane and carbon dioxide was studied using different defined constructed cultures, imploying strains of Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanobacterium bryantii, Escherichia coli, Acetobacterium woodii, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus plantarum. The following combinations of strains (food chains) were studied with respect to efficiency and yield of lactose conversion (methane yield in parentheses): E. coli and M. barkeri (4.5–7.6%), E. coli and M. bryantii (13.3%),E. coli, M. barkeri and M. bryantii (54%), L. casei, A. woodii and M. barkeri (93.3%). These conversions were carried out in pH controlled batch fermentations. A very efficient coculture was a combination of L. plantarum with A. woodii and M. barkeri: in chemostat cultures lactose was converted to methane and carbon dioxide with a yield of about 90%, at dilution rates of 0.27 d^-1to 0.37 d^-1.     

Positional information determines the anatomy and synaptic specificity of cockroach filiform hair afferents using independent mechanisms

Summary Mutant first instar cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) with supernumerary filiform hair sensilla on their cerci were used to study the effects of cell body position on axonal morphology and synaptic connections. The wild-type cercus has two hairs, one lateral (L) and the other medial (M), each with an underlying sensory neuron. Silver-intensified cobalt fills show that the supernumerary lateral neuron (SIN) in the mutant has the same shape of arborization as L, and electrophysiological recording shows that it forms synaptic connections with the same subset of giant interneurons (GIs) as L in the terminal ganglion: GI3 and GI6. The supernumerary medial neuron (SuM) has the same axonal morphology as M and synapses with the same GIs as does M: ipsilateral GIs 1 and 2 and contralateral GIs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. In 0.1% of approximately 8000 animals screened, a supernumerary hair arose on the cereal midline (C hair). The C neuron sends its axon to the CNS in the same branch of the cereal nerve as the L and SIN, and has a similar arborization. However, the C neuron forms synapses with the same GIs as do M and SuM. Electron microscopy of horseradish peroxidase-injected neurons was used to confirm that the C afferent forms a monosynaptic connection to GI2. It was concluded that the position of the sensory neuron cell body does control its axonal morphology and synaptic connectivity, but that these characteristics are produced by independent mechanisms.Abbreviations GI giant interneuron - L lateral - M medial - SI Space Invader - SuM supernumerary medial - C cereal midline     

Formation,regeneration, and fusion of protoplasts in aCellulomonas strain

The effect of different conditions on protoplast formation was studied in the streptomycin-resistant strainCellulomonas sp.M32Bo. The greatest efficiency (75% protoplasts) was achieved by use of 0.5M sodium succinate as osmotic stabilizer, supplemented with 20 mM MgCl₂, 200 µg/ml of lysozyme, and 0.01M EDTA at pH 7.4. Cells harvested at the midexponential growth phase were more suitable for protoplast formation than those of the stationary phase. Electron microscopy observations showed the presence of both protoplasts and spheroplasts in the treated samples, some of them still showing a rod shape. Two regeneration media were developed that showed similar regeneration frequencies (52%). StrainM32Bo was fused with a tetracycline-resistant strain (Cellulomonas sp. Sz). Segregation analysis of fusant colonies suggested the existence of a temporary diploid stage in which both parental genotypes were expressed.     

A new classification for the subgenera of the genus Acanthophthirius Perkins,with descriptions of twelve new taxa (Acarina,Trombidiformes, Myobiidae)

The myobiid genus Acanthophthirius Perkins, to date comprising four subgenera, is reviewed and divided into just two subgenera, the nominate subgenus and Myotimyobia Fain. The male genital shield and female opisthogastric sclerites, which are here considered to be part of female genitalia, are adopted as the criteria for dividing the subgenera. These structures are essentially the same in form and position in the subgenus Acanthopthirius in its revised sense, while they are both more heterogeneous in species of the redefined subgenus Myotimyobia. The subgenera Acanthophthirius Fain and Chiromyobia Fain are thought to represent species-groups in the nominate subgenus, named respectively the etheldredae and miniopteri groups. The following one new subspecies and 11 new species are described: A. (A.) womersleyi eptesicus, A. (A.) glauconycteris, A. (A.) mauritaniensis, A. (A.) philetoris, A. (A.) otonycteris, A. (A.) steatocaudatus, A. (A.) nyctophilis, A. (M.) vagus, A. (M.) longus A. (M.) baueris, A. (A.) hesperopteris (female only) and A. (M.) pixonixeos (female only). A. (M.) hanensis is synonymised with A. (M.) namurensis, and A. (M.) capacini is emended to A. (M.) capaccinii and relegated to a subspecies of A. (M.) myotis. All the known and new species are assigned to their respective subgenera and shown in a table. Incongruent host-relationships of some of the mites are clarified, although not completely solved, by the introduction of the new classification for the subgenera.     

Uranium accumulation by Pseudomonas sp. EPS-5028

Summary Pseudomonas sp. EPS-5028 was examined for the ability to accumulate uranium from solutions. The uptake of uranium by this microorganism is very rapid and is affected by pH but not by temperature, metabolic inhibitors, culture time and the presence of various cations and anions. The amount of uranium absorbed by the cells increased as the uranium concentration of the solution increased up to 55 mg uranium/g cell dry weight. Electron microscopy indicated that uranium accumulated intracellularly as needle-like fibrils. Uranium could be removed chemically from the cells, which could then be reused as a biosorbent. Offprint requests to: A. M. Marqués     

Genetic polymorphism of the sixth component of complement (C6) in mice

Immunofixation after isoelectric focusing revealed two forms of mouse C6, C6A and C6M, both of which consist of two major protein bands and one or more acidic minor bands. They were distinguishable by their different isoelectric point (pI) ranges: C6M has more acidic pI ranges (pH < 6.2) than C6A (pH < 6.3). C6A was found in common inbred mice of Mus musculus domesticus, while C6M was found in inbred and wild mice of M. m. molossinus (Japanese wild mice, an Asian subspecies). Breeding experiments showed that these two forms of C6 were controlled by a single codominant autosomal locus. We propose the designation C-6 for this locus with two alleles, C-6 ^a and C-6 ^m , which encode for C6A and C6M, respectively. Linkage analysis indicated that the locus is not closely linked to the following loci: Idh-1, agouti, Amy-1, brown, Gpd-1, Mup-1, Pgm-2, Pgm-1, albino, Hbb, Es-1, Mod-1, Sep-1, Es-3, Igh-1, beige, Es-10, Sod-1, and C-3.     

Besprechungen/Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Barnard , C. J., und H. Stephens (1981): Prey size selection by lapwings in lapwing/gull associations (Beutesuche bei Kiebitzen, die mit Möwen ver-gesellschaftet sind). Rivault , C. (1981): Rôle des facteurs sociaux sur l'expression de la rythmicité circadienne dans un groupe chez Periplaneta americana (Dictyopt.) Schöne , H., und J. Tengö (1981): Competition of males, courtship behaviour and chemical communication in the digger wasp Bembix rostrata (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae) (Wettstreit der Männchen, Balz und Duftsignale bei der Wegwespe B. Shillito Walser , E., E. Walters und P. Hague (1981): A statistical analysis of the structure of bleats from sheep of four different breeds (Unterschiede in der Klangstruktur des Blökens von vier Schafrassen: Statistische Analyse). Dücker , G., M. Horter und A. Brinkmann (1981): Untersuchungen über die Dauer kontinuierlichen Eintrageverhaltens bei Mäusen (Perseverance of retrieval behaviour in mice). De Boer , B. A. (1981): Influence of population density on the territorial, courting and spawning behaviour of male Chromis cyanea (Pomacentridae) (Einfluß der Populationsdichte auf Revier-, Balz- und Laichverhalten des Pomacentriden Ch. c.). Reinhardt , V., und A. Reinhardt (1981): Cohesive relationships in a cattle herd (Bos indicus) (Persönliche Bindungen innerhalb einer Rinderherde). Searcy , W. A., P. D. McArthur , S. S. Peters und P. Marler (1981): Response of male song and swamp sparrows to neighbour, stranger, and self songs (Antworten von Sing- und Sumpfammermännchen auf nachbarlichen, fremden und eigenen Gesang). de Waal , F. B. M., und J. A. R. A. M. van Hooff (1981): Side-directed communication and agonistic interactions in chimpanzees (An Dritte gerichtetes Verhalten in Auseinandersetzungen zwischen Schimpansen). Payne , R. B., W. L. Thompson , K. L. Fiala und L. L. Sweany (1981): Local song traditions in indigo buntings: Cultural transmission of behavior patterns across generations (Gesangstraditionen bei Indigofinken). Tasker , C. R., und J. A. Mills (1981): A functional analysis of courtship feeding in the red-billed gull, Larus novaehollandiae scopulinus (Funktions-analyse des Balzfütterns bei Weißkopf-Lachmöwen). Burger , J., und M. Gochfeld (1981): Age-related differences in piracy behaviour of four species of gulls, Larus (Altersabhängigkeit räuberischen Verhaltens bei vier Möwenarten). Conover , M. R., und D. E. Miller (1981): Elicitation of vocalizations and pecking in ring-billed gull chicks (Auslösung von Rufen und Picken bei Kücken der Kragenmöwe). Martens , J. (1981): Lautäußerungen der Baumläufer des Himalaya und zur akustischen Evolution der Gattung Certhia (Vocalizations of Tree Creepers in the Himalayas). Zusi , R. L., und D. Bridge (1981): On the slit pupil of the Black Skimmer (Rhynchops niger) (Über die schlitzförmige Pupille des Scherenschnabels). Nelson , B. (1978): The Gannet (Der Baßtölpel). King , A. S., und J. McLelland, eds. (1981): Form and function in birds, Vol. 2 (Funktionsmorphologie der Vögel, Bd. 2). Roy , M. Aaron, ed. (1980): Species identity and attachment. Fantino , E., and Ch. F. Logan (1979): The experimental analysis of behavior: A biological perspective (Experimentelle Verhaltensanalyse in biologischer Sicht).     

BacA is indispensable for successful <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mesorhizobium</Emphasis>–<Emphasis Type="Italic">Astragalus</Emphasis> symbiosis

A homologue of Sinorhizobium meliloti bacA was isolated from Mesorhizobium huakuii 7653R, which is capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen in symbiotic association with leguminous Astragalus sinicus (Chinese milk vetch). Inactivation of the bacA gene abolished the ability of M. huakuii 7653R to establish a successful symbiosis with its host plant. Simultaneously, compared with wild-type M. huakuii 7653R, the bacA mutant was more sensitive to cell envelope-disrupting agents (acidic solution, ethanol, SDS, and crystal violet). Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the very-long-chain fatty acid (27-OHC-28:0 and 29-OHC-30:0) contents of lipid A was reduced in the M. huakuii 7653R bacA mutant. Taken together, our data suggest that the cell envelope was altered in the M. huakuii 7653R bacA mutant, which might deteriorate bacterial adaption to acute environmental changes encountered in host cells and ultimately result in the failure of Mesorhizobium–legume symbiosis. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.