Über zwei diploide,in Südwest-Anatolien endemische Arten aus dem Komplex derVeronica cymbalaria (Scrophulariaceae)

Veronica lycica Lehm. is a distinct, diploid member of theVeronica cymbalaria group, endemic in Lycia (S.W. Anatolia). Closely related is the newV. stamatiadae M. Fischer etW. Greuter which is also diploid and seems to be restricted to the small Greek island Ro close to the South coast of Lycia. The chromosome numbers for both species are reported for the first time (2n = 18).

Untersuchungen über den PolyploidkomplexVeronica cymbalaria agg., II. — Der erste Beitrag dieser Serie:Fischer (1975).     

Ein Endemit Zyperns:Asperula cypria (Rubiaceae) und seine Verwandtschaft

Galium suberosum Sibth. etSm. belongs toAsperula sect.Thliphthisa; the taxonomic transfer and a new name are therefore necessary:Asperula cypria Ehrend. is endemic on the isle of Cyprus. Its closest affinities are withA. antalyensis Ehrend. in S.W. Anatolia.

     

Construction of a new catabolic pathway for d-fructose in Escherichia coli K12 using an l-sorbose-specific enzyme from Klebsiella pneumoniae

Starting with a fruK (formerly fpk) mutant of Escherichia coli K12 lacking d-fructose-1-phosphate kinase (E.C. 2.7.1.3.), fructose positive derivatives were isolated after introduction of the cloned gene sorE from Klebsiella pneumoniae coding for an l-sorbose-1-phosphate reductase. The new pathway was shwon to proceed from d-fructose via d-fructose-1-phosphate and d-mannitol-1-phosphate to d-fructose 6-phosphate. It involves a transport system and enzymes encoded in the fru and the mtl operons from E. coli K12 as well as in the sor operon from K. pneumoniae respectively.     

Fünf neue Arten der GattungAnthemis (Compositae) aus Iraq und Afghanistan

Five new species ofAnthemis sect.Anthemis from the Flora Iranica region are described:A. gillettii (subsect.Anthemis) from NW. Iraq and adjacent Iran is allied toA. damascena.—A. kurdica (subsect.Anthemis) also grows in Iraqi Kurdistan.—A. hamrinensis (subsect.Rascheyana; akin toA. plebeia) is distributed in the Jabal Hamrin region at the extreme outer margin of the Zagros chains.—A. kandaharica (subsect.Anthemis) andA. freitagii (subsect.Rascheyana) are distributed in Afghanistan.

Anschrift des Herausgebers: Hofrat Univ.-Prof. Dr.Karl Heinz Rechinger, Beckgasse 22, A-1130 Wien, Österreich.     

Four novel yeasts from decaying organic matter: Blastobotrys robertii sp. nov., Candida cretensis sp. nov., Candida scorzettiae sp. nov. and Candida vadensis sp. nov

Four novel yeast species are described, two from decaying mushrooms, viz. Candida cretensis and Candida vadensis, and two from rotten wood, viz. Blastobotrys robertii and Candida scorzettiae. Accession numbers for the CBS and ARS Culture Collections, and GenBank accession numbers for the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit of ribosomal DNA are: B. robertii CBS 10106^T, NRRL Y-27775, DQ839395; C. cretensis CBS 9453^T, NRRL Y-27777, AY4998861 and DQ839393; C. scorzettiae CBS 10107^T, NRRL Y-27665, DQ839394; C. vadensis CBS 9454^T, NRRL Y-27778, AY498863 and DQ839396. The GenBank accession number for the ITS region of C. cretensis is AY498862 and that for C. vadensis is AY498864. C. cretensis was the only species of the four that displayed fermentative activity. All four type strains grew on n-hexadecane. C. scorzettiae is the only one of the new species that assimilates some phenolic compounds, viz. 3-hydroxy derivatives of benzoic, phenylacetic and cinnamic acids, but not the corresponding 4-hydroxy acids. This is indicative of an operative gentisate pathway.     

Sclerorhachis leptoclada (Asteraceae-Anthemideae), eine neue Art aus dem südlichen Khorasan

A fourth species ofSclerorhachis, S. leptoclada Rech. f., has been discovered in S. Khorasan. It differs from the three known species by its tender habit, rosette leaves with few short segments, extremely reduced stem leaves, and very small heads.Sclerorhachis with its four vicarious species confined to the most arid parts of the Iranian highlands is believed to belong to the paleoxeromorphics (Rechinger 1952).

Florae Iranicae praecursores 22.     

Biotransformation of glycerol to <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-glyceric acid by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acetobacter tropicalis</Emphasis>

Bacterial strains capable of converting glycerol to glyceric acid (GA) were screened among the genera Acetobacter and Gluconacetobacter. Most of the tested Acetobacter and Gluconacetobacter strains could produce 1.8 to 9.3 g/l GA from 10% (v/v) glycerol when intact cells were used as the enzyme source. Acetobacter tropicalis NBRC16470 was the best GA producer and was therefore further investigated. Based on the results of high-performance liquid chromatography analysis and specific rotation, the enantiomeric composition of the produced GA was d-glyceric acid (d-GA). The productivity of d-GA was enhanced with the addition of both 15% (v/v) glycerol and 20 g/l yeast extract. Under these optimized conditions, A. tropicalis NBRC16470 produced 22.7 g/l d-GA from 200 g/l glycerol during 4 days of incubation in a jar fermentor.     

Four new species of the genusSporobolomyces isolated from leaves in Thailand

Thirteen undescribed strains of ballistoconidium-forming yeasts, isolated from leaves collected in the suburbs and along the southeast seacoast of Bangkok, Thailand, were divided into four different groups in the genusSporobolomyces on the basis of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and chemotaxonomical characteristics, and analyses of the sequences of 18S rDNA and internal transcribed spacer regions. DNA-DNA reassociation experiments with related species revealed that these four groups were four new distinct species.Sporobolomyces nylandii sp. nov.,S. poonsookiae sp. nov.,S. blumeae sp. nov. andS. vermiculatus sp. nov. are proposed for these strains.     

Variation and evolution inLinum tenuifolium (Linaceae)

The phenetic variation inL. tenuifolium s.l. was assessed using multivariate analyses of 27 characters found to be variable within the species. These results are discussed and interpreted in the context of the reproductive biology, chromosome number and ecological responses of the taxa. Evidence suggests that both the self-compatible and tetraploid races were derived independently from a self-incompatible, diploid type. Although no taxonomic scheme is compatible with all of the evidence presented, the study supports a recent decision to recognize four taxa at subspecific level.     

Zwergstrauchige Arten der FlechtengattungCaloplaca

The frutescent species of the lichen genusCaloplaca are usually united in sect.Thamnoma, but they do not form a natural group. They are derived from different species groups within sect.Gasparrinia from different parts of the world, presumable from species having scleroplectenchymes in cortex and medulla. The algal cells are concentrated between the scleroplectenchymatic strands in large and dense groups, from where medullary plectenchyme extends to the cortex and forms characteristic pseudocyphellae there.—Most of the species seem to be ornithocoprophilous; they grow on rocks along marine coasts where much fog is induced by cold currents.—Caloplaca cribrosa is endemic in Tasmania and New Zealand,C. regalis and the doubtfulC. ambitiosa belong to the antarctic element.C. fragillima from central Chile seems to be propagated by thallus fragments.C. coralloides andC. thamnodes are endemic to California and Baja California respectively.C. cladodes from the Rocky Mountains deviates in many characteristics from the other species i.a. by it different ontogenetic development, reduced spore septum, and cementing amyloid polysaccharides within the scleroplectenchymatic strands. The African species are characterized by their distinctly dorsiventral lobes and usually possess oil cells in some of the paraphyses.Caloplaca bonae-spei, C. fragillima andC. thamnodes are new to science.

     

Four novel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida</Emphasis> species in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida albicans</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lodderomyces elongisporus</Emphasis> clade isolated from the gut of flower beetles

Flower-visiting beetles belonging to three species of Cetoniidae were collected on three mountains near Beijing, China, and yeasts were isolated from the gut of the insects collected. Based on the 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequence analysis and phenotypic characterization, four novel anamorphic yeast species located in the Candida albicans/Lodderomyces elongisporus clade were identified from 18 of the strains isolated. The new species and type strains are designated as Candida blackwellae AS 2.3639^T (=CBS 10843^T), Candida jiufengensis AS 2.3688^T (=CBS 10846^T), Candida oxycetoniae AS 2.3656^T (=CBS 10844^T), and Candida pseudojiufengensis AS 2.3693^T (=CBS 10847^T). C. blackwellae sp. nov. was basal to the branch formed by C. albicans and C. dubliniensis with moderately strong bootstrap support. The closest relative of C. oxycetoniae was L. elongisporus. C. jiufengensis sp. nov. and C. pseudojiufengensis sp. nov. were closely related with each other and formed a branch in a subclade represented by C. parapsilosis and L. elongisporus.     

The vicarious differentiation of the alpineGalium serpylloides group (Rubiaceae), endemic to the W. Himalaya

Galium serpylloides agg. comprises a group of locally endemic, disjunct and vicarious taxa in the (sub)alpine zone of the W. Himalaya, from W to E:G. gymnopetalum, G. lahulense, G. serpylloides s. str.,G. saipalense, andG. nepalense. Four of these are new to science;G. serpylloides is newly typified. The main characters of the five species are compared and illustrated, their affinities and evolution are discussed, and a map of distribution is presented.Dedicated to Prof.K. H. Rechinger on the occasion of his 80th birthday.     

Microbial production of L -glutamate and L -glutamine by recombinant Corynebacterium glutamicum harboring Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene vgb

Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) gene vgb equipped with a native promoter Pvgb or a tac promoter Ptac was introduced into Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC14067, respectively. Ptac was proven to be more suitable for expressing VHb protein in higher concentration in both Escherichia coli and C. glutamicum strains compared with the native vgb promoter Pvgb. VHb-expressing C. glutamicum exhibited higher oxygen uptake rate and enhanced cell growth. Recombinant C. glutamicum harboring vgb gene equipped with Ptac promoter produced 23% more l-glutamate in shake-flask culture and grew to 30% more cell density and formed 22% more l-glutamate in fermentor studies compared with the wild-type strain. When a site-directed mutagenesis in which Tyr405 was replaced by a phenylalanine residue (Y405F) was performed on glutamine synthesis gene, recombinant C. glutamicum overexpressing the mutated gene glnA′ was able to produce l-glutamine effectively. Co-expression of vgb and glnA′ genes in C. glutamicum produced 17 g/l l-glutamine in shake flask culture, approximately 30% more than that produced by the recombinant harboring only glnA′ gene. In fermentor cultivation, the recombinant yielded 25% more cells and produced 40.5 g/l l-glutamine. In this study, it was clearly demonstrated that VHb significantly enhanced cell growth, l-glutamate, and l-glutamine production by recombinant C. glutamicum.     

Morphogenic response of the alginate-encapsulated axillary buds from in vitro shoot cultures of six mulberries

Axillary buds obtained from in vitro shoot cultures of six mulberries (Morus alba L., M. australis Poir., M. bombycis Koidz., M. cathyana Hemsl., M. latifolia Poir., and M. nigra L.) were encapsulated in calcium alginate hydrogel containing Murashige and Skoog (1962) nutrients (MS) and 4.4 μM benzyladenine (BA). Morphogenic response of encapsulated buds to various planting media such as MS medium + 4.4 μM BA, MS basal medium, soilrite mix + half-strength MS medium, garden soil + half-strength MS medium, soilrite mix + tap water and garden soil + tap water was evaluated. Encapsulated buds of M. alba, M. bombycis, M. latifolia and M. nigra exhibited shoot development in each of the six media tested whereas that of M. australis and M. cathyana responded only to the first four media. Analysis of variance revealed that the planting medium exhibited the greatest influence on shoot development. Of the six planting media evaluated, shoot development was highest in MS medium containing 4.4 μM BA and lowest in garden soil moistened with water. Of the six Morus species studied, one-step regeneration, i.e. both shoot and root formation, was recorded in M. alba, M. bombycis and M. latifolia. Rooted shoots were retrieved from encapsulated buds of these species on all planting media tested except the one that contained BA. Root development was significantly affected by the planting medium and the plant species with planting medium contributing the maximum amount (82%) of the total variation observed. Of the five planting media tested, the percentage of root development was highest in MS basal medium. Of the six Morus species studied, the best shoot and root development was observed in M. alba. Encapsulated buds of M. bombycis, M. latifolia and M. nigra stored for 90 days and those of M. alba, M. australis and M. cathyana for 60 days at 4 °C still regenerated shoots. Plants regenerated from the encapsulated buds were hardened off and transferred to soil. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Survey of bovine mycotic mastitis in dairy herds in the State of São Paulo,Brazil

The purpose of this study was to isolate fungi from the quarter milk of cow udders from several dairy herds and to identify the different genera and species involved in mastitis. A total of 2078 milk samples from normal, clinical and subclinical mastitis quarters from 22 dairy herds of 16 districts in the State of São Paulo, Brazil was utilized in this survey. Two hundred and fifty one (12.07%) fungi were isolated from the samples. Two hundred and eight of these (82.86%) were yeasts and 30 (11.95%) were moulds. The fungi were isolated in pure culture (24.77%) or in cultures mixed with bacteria (72.22%). The yeasts isolated were:Cryptococcus spp. (71 strains),Rhodotorula spp. (40),Candida spp. (68),Trichosporon cutaneum (21),Aureobasidium pullulans (7), andPichia ohmeri (1). Moulds classified in following genera were also isolated:Aspergillus (3),Penicillium (3),Alternaria (3),Phoma (3),Epicoccum (2), andGeotrichum (16).     

Eine neueThomsonia-Art (Araceae) aus Thailand

A new species,Thomsonia sumawongii Bogner, is described from Thailand. Relationships toTh. napalensis and betweenThomsonia, Pseudodracontium andAmorphophallus are discussed.Allopythion hookeri Schott has to be eliminated as dubious.

     

Physiological role of d-amino acid-N-acetyltransferase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: detoxification of d-amino acids

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is sensitive to d-amino acids: those corresponding to almost all proteinous l-amino acids inhibit the growth of yeast even at low concentrations (e.g. 0.1 mM). We have determined that d-amino acid-N-acetyltransferase (DNT) of the yeast is involved in the detoxification of d-amino acids on the basis of the following findings. When the DNT gene was disrupted, the resulting mutant was far less tolerant to d-amino acids than the wild type. However, when the gene was overexpressed with a vector plasmid p426Gal1 in the wild type or the mutant S. cerevisiae as a host, the recombinant yeast, which was found to show more than 100 times higher DNT activity than the wild type, was much more tolerant to d-amino acids than the wild type. We further confirmed that, upon cultivation with d-phenylalanine, N-acetyl-d-phenylalanine was accumulated in the culture but not in the wild type and hpa3Δ cells overproducing DNT cells. Thus, d-amino acids are toxic to S. cerevisiae but are detoxified with DNT by N-acetylation preceding removal from yeast cells.     

Revision ofVerbesina sect.Pseudomontanoa (Asteraceae)

Verbesina sect.Pseudomontanoa is revised. The last treatment of the group byRobinson & Greenman (1899) recognized 5 species; the present treatment recognizes 12 species, 3 of which (V. breedlovei, V. cronquistii andV. olsenii) are described as new. A key to species, phyletic diagram and distribution maps are provided.     

Construction of a Tn5 derivative encoding bioluminescence and its introduction in Pseudomonas, Agrobacterium and Rhizobium

Summary A simple method based upon the use of a Tn5 derivative, Tn5-Lux, has been devised for the introduction and stable expression of the character of bioluminescence in a variety of gram-negative bacteria. In Tn5-Lux, the luxAB genes of Vibrio harveyi encoding luciferase are inserted on a SalI-BglII fragment between the kanamycin resistance (Km^r) gene and the right insertion sequence. The transposon derivative was placed on a transposition suicide vehicle by in situ recombination with the Tn5 suicide vector pGS9, to yield pDB30. Mating between Escherichia coli WA803 (pDB30) and a strain from our laboratory, Pseudomonas sp. RB100C, gave a Km^r transfer frequency of 10^-6 per recipient, a value 10 times lower than that obtained with the original suicide vehicle pGS9. Tn5-Lux was also introduced by insertion mutagenesis in other strains of gram-negative soil bacteria. The bioluminescence marker was expressed in the presence of n-decanal, and was monitored as chemiluminescence in a liquid scintillation counter. The recorded light intensities were fairly comparable among the strains, and ranged between 0.2 to 1.8x10⁶ cpm for a cell density of 10³ colony forming units/ml. Nodules initiated by bioluminescent strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum on two different hosts were compared for intensity of the bioluminescence they produced.     

Review of the genusBembras Cuvier, 1829 (Scorpaeniformes: Bembridae) with description of three new species collected from Australia and Indonesia

The bembrid genusBembras Cuvier is reviewed. Five species,B. japonica Cuvier,B. adenensis Imamura & Knapp and three undescribed species, were assigned to the genus. Type species of the genus,Bembras japonica is redescribed on the basis of 36 specimens including the holotype, and three new species,B. macrolepis, B. longipinnis andB. megacephala, previously misidentified asB. japonicus, are also described on the basis of specimens collected from Australia and Indonesia.Bembras macrolepis differs from its congeners by having large body scales, a long pectoral fin with 17–19 rays and a dark blotch on slightly upper portion to middle of margin, 14–15 anal-fin rays, small head and orbit, and caudal fin with a broad vertical dark band near posterior margin.Bembras longipinnis is distinguished from other members of the genus by having a slightly long pectoral fin with 17–19 rays and lacking a small black blotch near tip of upper rays, caudal fin with a large dark spot most intense in lower lobe, 1–2 gill rakers on upper gill arch, 13–14 anal-fin rays, slightly elong ated head and small orbit.Bembras megacephala is characterized by the following combination of characters: caudal fin with several irregular narrow vertical dark bands, small orbit, pectoral fin with 19–20 rays and lacking a small black blotch near tip of upper rays, head elongate, 2–4 gill rakers on upper gill arch, 15 anal-fin rays and small body scales. A key separating the five species ofBembras is given.