Development and dehiscence of the cephalothecoid peridium in Aporothielavia leptoderma shows it belongs in Chaetomidium

The development of the cephalothecoid peridium of Aporothielavia leptoderma was examined using light and electron microscopy. Early stages in ascoma initiation were consistent with previous reports for other species in the Chaetomiaceae. However, as young cleistothecia increased in size, clusters of peridial cells in the outer textura angularis elongated in a radial pattern around a central cell or cell cluster to form rosettes of relatively thick-walled segments that marked the central areas of incipient cephalothecoid plates. The external flank along median portions of the radial cells became thin walled and swelled outwards so that each plate became concave and was separated from adjacent plates by a more or less circular to polygonal ridge of knuckle-shaped swellings. When dry, mature peridia split apart along some of the ridges demarcating individual plates but an internal mechanism for liberating ascospores from the confines of the ascoma was not observed. Physical disturbance of mature cleistothecia by beetles, when enclosed together in a Petri dish, shattered the peridia, liberating the ascospores. Smaller insects were unable to cause disarticulation of the cephalothecoid plates. Because of the presence of an apical germ pore in the ascospores and morphological similarity to Chaetomidium arxii, the new combination Chaetomidium leptoderma (syn. Thielavia leptoderma) comb. nov. is proposed.     

Enhancement of sporulation in species of Bipolaris, Curvularia, Drechslera, and Exserohilum by growth on cellulose-containing substrates

Nine species of Bipolaris, Curvularia, Drechslera, and Exserohilum were compared for sporulation on agar media and for enhancement of sporulation by growth on four cellulose-containing substrates (index card, filter paper, cheesecloth, cotton fabric). On two natural and one synthetic agar media, sporulation varied from profuse to nonexistent among three isolates of each species. Growth of all species on cellulose substrates resulted in large and significant increases in sporulation. Growth on index card pieces often provided the greatest increases, but no single substrate was superior for all species, and significant substrate × isolate interactions were observed within species. Overlay of filter paper onto whole colonies in agar plates resulted in 2 to 18-fold increases in sporulation for eight of nine species and production of spores in sufficient quantity for most experimental purposes. Overlay of soil dilution plates with filter paper to promote sporulation of colonies enabled detection of B. spicifera, B. hawaiiensis, C. lunata, and E. rostratum at relatively low population levels (≤1.3 × 10³ colony-forming units per gram of soil) in samples of a naturally infested soil. Results indicate that enhancement of sporulation by growth of species of Bipolaris, Curvularia, Drechslera, and Exserohilum on cellulose substrates may facilitate (i) their identification in culture, (ii) production of spores at relatively high concentrations, and (iii) detection and enumeration of these fungi in soil.     

Molecular Identification of Aeromonas and Coliform Bacteria Isolated on m Endo Media from Lake Erie Waters

Summary Bacteria from recreational waters collected from two Lake Erie beaches in Dunkirk, New York were plated onto m Endo LES media. The 16S rRNA gene was then amplified from coliform and non-coliform bacteria using the polymerase chain reaction. The PCR products were characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. A total of 8 RFLP groups were identified from the analysis of 920 samples and selected PCR products from each group were sequenced. The DNA sequence analysis indicated that more than half of the bacteria identified as coliforms on the m Endo plates belonged to the genus Aeromonas from the family Aeromonadaceae. Most of the remaining coliforms were from the Enterobacteriaceae. The data indicate that m Endo agar plates allow the growth of non-coliform bacteria, especially Aeromonas species.     

中国鹿角兰属(兰科)植物新资料

报道了中国兰科(Orchidaceae)鹿角兰属(Pomatocalpa)一新记录种——纹瓣鹿角兰［P. tonkinense (Gagnep.) Seidenf.］,凭证标本保存于广西植物研究所标本馆(IBK)。纹瓣鹿角兰的花序疏生多数花,萼片、花瓣均具2条紫色条纹,中萼片及花瓣远长于侧萼片,与中国原记录的2种鹿角属植物容易区分。该研究提供了新记录种的形态描述、中国鹿角兰属植物图版及分种检索表。     

Rhizosphere and root surface fungi of some heath plants and the role of Dark Sterile forms

Many different species of fungi have been isolated from the root region of heath plants. In the absence of rapidly growing species,Dark Sterile forms predominated in culture plates. It is suggested that these have an important ecological role in the soil-root interface. AsDS forms do not appear in culture plates easily any floristic list of fungi from the root surface not mentioningDS forms must be accepted with caution. Attention is drawn to the fact that these are truly root-inhabiting fungi possessing some parasitic or mycorrhizal propensities.     

四种番荔枝科(Annonaceae)植物导管分子及其穿孔板的比较观察

番荔枝科是被子植物基部类群,木兰目中最大的一个科。为了解暗罗属(Polyalthia)的海南暗罗(Polyalthia laui)、假鹰爪属(Desmos)的假鹰爪(Desmos chinensis)、紫玉盘属(Uvaria)的山椒子(Uvaria grandiflora)、瓜馥木属Fissistigma)的瓜馥木(Fissistigma oldhamii)四个种的导管与穿孔板的形态学特征,该研究利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对其导管分子及穿孔板形态进行观察,首次展示了这4属4种的导管分子与穿孔板的形态特征,并对其导管的长度与直径进行了分析与比较。结果表明:这四个种导管分子端壁均为单穿孔板,部分穿孔板具尾,不同种在导管与穿孔板形态上具有明显的差异;长度与直径的统计学分析显示其种间差异极显著,导管长度与直径的相关性分析显示其没有相关性。综合导管的形态学特征与统计学分析结果,该研究认为在这四个种中,假鹰爪的导管分子直径与长度变化幅度都不大,长度较短,直径最大,穿孔板平截,不具尾或具小尾,其导管分子处于较高的演化水平。     

造礁石珊瑚共生虫黄藻离体培养方法的优化

【目的】开发一种高效地从造礁石珊瑚中分离、培养共生虫黄藻的技术方法,为珊瑚共生虫黄藻藻种资源储备和生理功能研究积累基础。【方法】首先采用微孔滤网过滤法和密度梯度离心法从造礁石珊瑚组织中直接分离或富集共生虫黄藻细胞,然后用改良的L1培养基在96孔板上对所得细胞进行离体培养,最后进行单细胞分离、培养和(或)平板划线培养获得单克隆虫黄藻细胞系。对所得虫黄藻单克隆藻株进行聚合酶链式反应-限制性内切酶片段长度多态性(polymerase chainreaction-restrictionfragmentlengthpolymorphism,PCR-RFLP)分析,结合内转录间隔区2(internal transcribed spacer2,ITS2)和大亚基(large subunit,LSU)测序进行物种鉴定及系统发育分析。【结果】采用上述方法从涠洲岛的霜鹿角珊瑚(Acropora pruinose)和西沙群岛的丛生盔形珊瑚(Galaxea fascicularis)及柔枝鹿角珊瑚(Acropora tenuis)中分离、培养得到3个虫黄藻株系,编号分别为AP21C1、GF21D1和AT21A...     

中国万代兰属(兰科)一新记录种——双色万代兰

该文报道了在中国西藏林芝地区墨脱县发现的中国兰科(Orchidaceae)万代兰属(Vanda W. Jones ex R. Br.)一新记录种——双色万代兰(Vanda bicolor Griff.)。双色万代兰与白柱万代兰(V. brunnea Rchb. f.)的形态较近似,但前者唇瓣中裂片正面粉色或黄绿色,不具纹,先端稍开裂,易与后者相区别。同时还描述了该新记录种的形态特征,并提供了彩色图版。该研究为兰科植物的研究提供了基础,对丰富我国兰科植物物种多样性具有一定意义。     

鹅掌楸属(木兰科)次生木质部导管穿孔板的比较研究

利用扫描电子显微镜对鹅掌楸属仅存的2个自然种鹅掌楸和北美鹅掌楸的次生木质部导管穿孔板特征进行了详细的研究。结果显示,鹅掌楸属的2个种均以梯状穿孔板为主,同时存在网状-梯状混合穿孔板。鹅掌楸和北美鹅掌楸的导管穿孔板具有明显差异:(1)鹅掌楸具网状穿孔板,而北美鹅掌楸没有观察到;(2)北美鹅掌楸具单穿孔板,而鹅掌楸在该实验中未发现;(3)北美鹅掌楸具有横隔较粗的梯状穿孔板且横隔数目较多;(4)鹅掌楸的导管穿孔板多数横隔较少;(5)北美鹅掌楸的穿孔板倾斜角度较大;(6)北美鹅掌楸具麻黄式穿孔板的存在,且有纹孔膜残留存在。研究认为,北美鹅掌楸导管分子穿孔板分化较鹅掌楸更为剧烈。     

Unique Colony Housing the Coexisting Escherichia coli and Dictyostelium discoideum

Two well-characterized and phylogenetically diverse species, Escherichiacoli and Dictyostelium discoideum, were used as the modelorganisms. When the two species were mixed and allowed to grow onminimal agar plates at 22 ^°C, instead of the predator Dictyostelium exterminating E.coli, the two species remarkablyachieved a state of stable coexistence in about two weeks. In addition, theemerged colonies housing the coexisting species have a mucoidal naturethat is distinctive from its origin. The simplicity of the system and the shorttime span for the two species to develop the coexistence state, that isproven stable and reproducible on laboratory conditions, hence, providesa new model system for the study of symbiosis, particularly with referenceto the initial stages.     

Dominant fungi in the rhizosphere of established tea bushes and their interaction with the dominant bacteria under in situ conditions

Species of Penicillium and Trichoderma were found to dominate the rhizosphere of established tea bushes in a detailed study conducted from various tea growing locations in India. Penicillium erythromellis, P. janthinellum, P. raistrickii, Trichoderma pseudokoningii and T. koningii were found to be closely associated with tea roots. While seasonal fluctuation was observed in the case of Penicillium spp., the population of Trichoderma spp. showed less variation during the year. Both species were sensitive to low temperatures. In general, fungi associated with the tea rhizosphere were found to prefer a mesophillic temperature range (15 °C to 35 °C). The dominant species of Penicillium and Trichoderma also exhibited tolerance to lower temperatures, i.e., 5 to 10 °C on agar plates. Most fungi were able to grow in a wide range of pH (4 to 12). Lowering of soil pH in the rhizosphere of tea bushes was positively correlated with the age of the bush and may have affected the development of a specific microbial community in the rhizosphere.The populations of Penicillium and Trichoderma species were inversely correlated with the populations of two most dominant rhizosphere bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and B. mycoides. Both Bacillus species have been shown to have antagonistic activity against these two fungi under in vitro conditions. The present study demonstrates the existence of a similar antagonism under in situ conditions in the rhizosphere of established tea bushes.     

Phylogenetic relationships of JapaneseAster (Asteraceae, Astereae) sensu lato based on chloroplast-DNA restriction site mutations

RFLPs of cpDNA were examined for 18 species ofAster, six species ofKalimeris, two species ofMiyamayomena and one species and one variety ofHeteropappus from Japan, using 16 restriction endonucleases. Approximately 275 restriction sites were surveyed, and a total of 74 restriction site mutations was detected, and 31 of these were phylogenetically informative. Sixteen most parsimonious trees constructed from Wagner parsimony analysis indicated the polyphyly ofKalimeris andMiyamayomena sensu Kitamura;K. miqueliana belongs to a different clade from the remaining species ofKalimeris, and two species ofMiyamayomena did not make a single clade. This result suggests that the shortening or loss of pappus have happened parallelly in different evolutionary lineages. We must be careful to assess the pappus character in taxonomy and phylogeny, and it is desirable to examine their phylogenetic relationships using a molecular data.     

Inhibition of some mycotoxigenic fungi by iturin A,a peptidolipid produced by Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis produces peptidolipid compounds of the iturin group that have been shown to have antifungal properties, but not all fungal species are sensitive to these compounds. In this study, the activity of iturin A, produced by B. subtilis strain B-3, was tested. Paper disks impregnated with various concentrations of iturin A were placed on agar plates seeded with conidia of toxigenic species of Fusarium, Gerlacia, Penicillium or Aspergillus. Most isolates were inhibited at iturin A concentrations as low as 4 g/disk. Penicillium italicum, P. vindicatum, A. ochraceus and A. versicolor were most strongly inhibited by the iturin whereas P. citrinum and A. parasiticus were least sensitive to iturin A.Mention of a trademark or proprietary product does not constitute a guarantee or warranty by the US Department of Agriculture and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable.     

Automated multiple development method for determination of glycerol produced by wine yeasts

A rapid and efficient analytical method for the determination of glycerol in wines is described. This method utilizes high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) plates coupled with an automated multiple development system with an elution gradient based on acetonitrile–acetone–hexane on silica gel layers. The absence of clean-up procedures, sometimes only centrifugation, makes this method suitable also for the large-scale control of alcoholic beverages. In particular the capacity of different wine yeast species (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Kloeckera apiculata and Saccharomycodes ludwigii) to produce glycerol was determined. Generally, the strains of S. cerevisiae produced elevated amounts of glycerol together with Z. bailii, whereas K. apiculata strains formed the lowest amounts of glycerol, exhibiting also a great strain variability.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis>-Mediated Transformation of Common Bermudagrass (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cynodon dactylon</Emphasis>)

Common bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon, is a widely used warm-season turf and forage species in the temperate and tropical regions of the world. We have been able to transform the species using Agrobacterium-mediated approach. In seven experiments reported here, a total of 67 plates of calluses and suspensions were infected with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains, and nine hygromycin B resistant calluses were obtained after selection. Among them two green independent transgenic plants were recovered. The plants growing in pots looked relatively compact at the beginning, but the ploidy level of the plants, as determined by nuclear DNA content, was not altered.     

Molecular phylogeny of the genus Stereocaulon (Stereocaulaceae, lichenized ascomycetes)

In the present study phylogenetic relationships of the genus Stereocaulon (lichenized ascomycetes) were examined using DNA sequences from the ITS1–5.8 S–ITS2 rDNA gene cluster and from the protein-coding β-tubulin gene. In addition to the fruticose species traditionally classified in Stereocaulon, representatives of the crustose species that have recently been transferred to the genus were included. Muhria, a monotypic genus that is morphologically similar to Stereocaulon, differing only in apothecia ontogeny, was also incorporated. The analyses included 101 specimens from the ingroup representing 49 taxa. Sequences from both DNA regions were analysed simultaneously using direct optimization under the parsimony optimality criterion. The results support the inclusion of the crustose species and Muhria in Stereocaulon, while the current infrageneric classification is not supported. As Muhria is securely nested within Stereocaulon the new combination Stereocaulon urceolatum comb. nov. (syn. Muhria urceolata) is made. Further, species concepts need to be re-examined, as some species do not appear as monophyletic entities in the phylogeny.     

Wood anatomy ofTrimeniaceae

Four collections of three species ofTrimenia and one collection ofPiptocalyx were studied; early-formed and later-formed wood was analyzed for oneTrimenia. Liquid-preserved material permitted analysis of mucilage and starch storage in wood ofT. neocaledonica andP. moorei. BecausePiptocalyx is scandent whereasTrimenia is arborescent, wood differences relative to evolution of a climbing habit could be examined.Piptocalyx contrasts withTrimenia in having wider vessels, more numerous per mm², resulting in a conductive area five times greater per unit area than that of theTrimenia woods averaged.Piptocalyx has appreciably fewer bars per perforation plate and thus much greater conductive area per perforation plate than have the species ofTrimenia. Rays inPiptocalyx are much taller and wider than those ofTrimenia. Wood ofTrimeniaceae is highly primitive in its scalariform perforation plates, scalariform lateral wall pitting on vessels, relatively long vessels elements, and heterocellular rays. Imperforate tracheary elements are septate nucleate fibertracheids (or even libriform fibers) rather than tracheids, but loss of borders on pits (and thus lowered conductive function of the imperforate tracheary elements) can be explained by the development of these elements into starchstoring cells. Some fiber-tracheids inT. neocaledonica are enlarged mucilagecontaining cells. Details of vessel structure inTrimeniaceae are similar to those ofMonimiaceae (s. s.), but similarity to some other lauralean (annonalean) families may be found: in mucilage presence,Trimeniaceae resembleLauraceae rather thanMonimiaceae. Wood ofTrimeniaceae may be regarded as highly mesomorphic, corresponding to the moist habitats in which all of the species occur.     

Phylogenetic investigations of Sordariaceae based on multiple gene sequences and morphology

The family Sordariaceae incorporates a number of fungi that are excellent model organisms for various biological, biochemical, ecological, genetic and evolutionary studies. To determine the evolutionary relationships within this group and their respective phylogenetic placements, multiple-gene sequences (partial nuclear 28S ribosomal DNA, nuclear ITS ribosomal DNA and partial nuclear β-tubulin) were analysed using maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses. Analyses of different gene datasets were performed individually and then combined to generate phylogenies. We report that Sordariaceae, with the exclusion Apodus and Diplogelasinospora, is a monophyletic group. Apodus and Diplogelasinospora are related to Lasiosphaeriaceae. Multiple gene analyses suggest that the spore sheath is not a phylogenetically significant character to segregate Asordaria from Sordaria. Smooth-spored Sordaria species (including so-called Asordaria species) constitute a natural group. Asordaria is therefore congeneric with Sordaria. Anixiella species nested among Gelasinospora species, providing further evidence that non-ostiolate ascomata have evolved from ostiolate ascomata on several independent occasions. This study agrees with previous studies that show heterothallic Neurospora species to be monophyletic, but that homothallic ones may have a multiple origins. Although Gelasinospora and Neurospora are closely related and not resolved as monophyletic groups, there is insufficient evidence to place currently accepted Gelasinospora and Neurospora species into the same genus.     

The effects of spatial habitat structure on population variability of freshwater snails

Experiments were conducted to examine the effects of a habitat's spatial structure on population variability in two species of freshwater snails (Physa acuta and Austropeplea ollula). To alter the spatial structure of the habitat, vinyl chloride plates were hung in experimental tanks, providing three types of spatial structure: Complex structure, Simple structure and Control (no structure). In Experiment 1, the average number of individuals in a tank did not differ among the three types of structure 2 months after the introduction of the snails, but the variability of the number of individuals in the Complex structure tanks was lowest, whereas the variability in the Control tanks was highest. In Experiment 2, in addition to the spatial structure of the habitat, three types of species interaction were designed as experimental treatments: only P. acuta was introduced into the tanks (P. acuta tanks), only A. ollula was introduced into the tanks (A. ollulatanks) and both P. acuta and A. ollula were introduced into the tanks (two-species tanks). For the P. acuta tanks, the variability of the number of P. acuta individuals in the Complex structure tanks was lowest, and the variability in the Control tanks was highest when the effect of the number of individuals in a tank was subtracted. For the A. ollula tanks and the two-species tanks, there were no significant differences in the variability of the population size among the different treatments of spatial structure. The spatial distribution of P. acuta was more uniform than the distribution of A. ollula on the plates of complex structure. Our results indicate that the spatial structure of the habitat influences the variability of population size (the variance of the number of individuals in different populations during the earlier period after the introduction of the snails), but the effects depend on the spatial behavior of individuals and the interaction with other species.     

Settlement, early growth and survival of Haliotis rubra in response to different algal species

Five diatom species were isolated from settlementplates at Southern Ocean Mariculture, Victoria,Australia (Navicula sp., Naviculajeffreyi, Cylindrotheca closterium, Cocconeis sp., Amphora sp.) and tested insettlement experiments with Haliotis rubralarvae. Settlement was very low on single speciesdiatom films and varied between 1%–6%. Depending onthe species combination larvae preferred to settle onfilms with mixed diatom species than single speciesfilms. The highest settlement was achieved with amixed film of Navicula sp. and Amphora sp.Five and ten-day-old germlings of Sporolithondurum induced settlement of the abalone Haliotisrubra. However, the settlement rate was significantlylower on germlings than on the whole thallus of thealga. Germlings inoculated with the diatom Navicula sp. induced higher settlement than films ofthe diatom species alone. High settlement of up to52% was also achieved with germlings of the greenalga Ulvella lens. Settlement was reduced onU. lens squares inoculated with the diatom Navicula sp. but higher than on films of the diatomalone. The settlement rate was higher if plates withU. lens were previously grazed by juvenileabalone.Post-larval growth rates were higher on monospecificdiatom films than on U. lens or on S.durum. The best growth rate was obtained with Navicula sp. U. lens and S. durum areboth good settlement inducers, but are notsufficient to support rapid growth of young H.rubra post-larvae. Survival was low on U. lensand on the diatom C. closterium. We suggest thatcommercial nursery plates seeded with U. lenswill result in high and consistent settlement, whilean inoculum with Navicula sp. will ensuresufficient food for rapid growth of the post-larvae.