Feeding Ecology of Black-headed Uacaris (Cacajao melanocephalus melanocephalus) in Pico da Neblina National Park,Brazil

From June 1994 to October 1995, I conducted a study of the feeding ecology of one group of black-headed uacaris (Cacajao melanocephalus melanocephalus) in Pico da Neblina National Park, Brazil, near the Venezuelan border (01°10N to 00°26S, 65°03W to 66°52W). Of a total of 429 feeding records, 89% corresponded to fruits from which black-headed uacaris ate ripe and unripe seeds, mesocarps and arils. Seeds were the single most important food item year-around, corresponding to 81% of the feeding records for fruits. Black-headed uacaris used 120 different plant species in 32 families as food. The 3 most important plant species in their diet, Micrandra spruceana, Eperua leucantha, and Hevea braziliensis (all trees), accounted for 38% of the feeding records for fruits. These species produced fruits that were protected by very hard green husks, were barochorous, did not have fleshy mesocarps, and were slow to mature, thus being available as unripe fruits for long periods. The second and third most important species in the diet of black uacaris, Eperua leucantha and Hevea braziliensis, were dominant in the forest: approximately 30% of trees 10 cm dbh sampled in a 2-ha botanical transect at the study site. I discuss the formation of large social groups of black-headed uacaris in Pico da Neblina National Park in light of the peculiar floristic composition of the study site.     

Postembryonic development ofParalabidocera antarctica (I. C. Thompson) (Copepoda,Calanoida) from the fast ice near Syowa Station,Antarctica

Six nauplius and five copepodid stages as well as adults ofParalabidocera antarctica (I. C. Thompson, 1898) (Copepoda:Calanoida) are described based on specimens obtained from fast ice and collected by a plankton net near Syowa Station (69°00 S, 39° 35 E), Antarctica. The adult male and female are redescribed in detail. Nauplius stages ofP. antarctica are very similar to the previously describedAcartia species. Sexual dimorphism becomes apparent from copepodid IV onwards in the morphology of antennule and leg 5. The copepodid stages of this species retain certain characteristics not only of Acartiidae but also of Pontellidae and Parapontellidae.     

Determination of the size of the Azotobacter vinelandii chromosome

The chromosome of Azotobacter vinelandii UW was digested separately with the rape cutter restriction endonucleases Swal (5-ATTTAAAT), PmeI (5GTTTAAAC) and Pacl (5-TTAATTAA) and the products were separated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The size of the chromosome was determined to be approximately 4.5 megabase pairs (Mb) based on the sum of the sizes of the restriction fragments. This is almost the same as the size of the chromosome of Escherichia coli. The inability of the undigested DNA to enter the gel has led us to infer that the chromosome is circular.     

Lactate conversion to acetate,CO2 and H2 in cell suspensions of Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Marburg): indications for the involvement of an energy driven reaction

Cell suspensions of Desulfovibrio vulgaris were found to catalyze, in the absence of sulfate, the complete conversion of 1 lactate to 1 acetate, 1 CO₂, and 2 H₂ (G₀=-8.8 kJ/mol) and of 1 pyruvate to 1 acetate, 1 CO₂, and 1 H₂ (G₀=-52 kJ/mol). Protonophores, the proton translocating ATPase inhibitor N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, and arsenate specifically inhibited H₂ formation from lactate but not from pyruvate. The results suggest that lactate oxidation to pyruvate and H₂ (G ₀=+43.2 kJ/mol) is energy driven.     

Levels of the upper forest boundary in northern Asia

On the Ural range the elevation of upper timberline changes at grade 71 m per degree of latitude in linear regression. Much lengthy cross-section—for the semi-arid regions of middle Siberia and adjacent Kazakhstan, and for the regions of eastern Siberia dominated by larch forests—exhibit parabolic regression of timberline levels upon geographic latitude. The longitudinal gradient of timberlines presumably depends on radiation balance related with the amount of precipitation. The arctic boundary of taiga in eastern Europe and Siberia lies mostly on average latitude 69° 36 E. It correlates with mean July temperature 11.2 °C, or with duration of the growing season 128 days with stable temperature of air exceeding 0°C which amounts to 876°. Daily temperatures exceeding 5° and especially 10 °C are seemingly less influential there. The value of 11.2 °C deviates by about 1 °C from the value of above 10 °C for three summer month reported by Langlet 1935, which shows the close environmental control regulating the northern and upper boundary of the northern, mostly coniferous forest on the northern hemisphere.     

Physiological factors determining formation of plastocyanin and plastidic cytochrome c-553 in Scenedesmus

Physiological conditions necessary for the formation of plastocyanin and the concurrent cessation of cytochrome c-553 formation were studied in cells of copper-deficient Scenedesmus acutus after the addition of copper. Plastocyanin is formed after a lag-phase, leaving constant the content of plastidic cytochrome c-553. Therefore, the concentration of plastocyanin per cell increases and the concentration of cytochrome c-553 decreases during growth. Formation of plastocyanin during the induction period studied is dependent on light intensity. In the dark, there is a 90% inhibition, whereas under light intensities above 50 Wm^-2, a ratio of 1.3 molecules plastocyanin per 1,000 molecules chlorophyll is attained.Plastocyanin formations is inhibited by the uncoupler carbonylcyanide-p-trifluoromethoxy phenylhydrazone (FCCP), but not by moderate concentrations of 3-[3,4-dichlorophenyl]-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), and by keeping the algae under a nitrogen atmosphere without CO₂. Concurrently, the cultures treated with FCCP show a decreased endogenous ATP level. The ATP is necessary for plastocyanin formation.Abbreviations FCCP carbonylcyanide-p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone - DCMU 3-[3,4-dichlorophenyl]-1,1-dimethylurea - pcv packed cell volume     

Sarcocystis inghami n. sp. (Sporozoa: Sarcocystidae) from the skeletal muscles of the Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana in Michigan

This report describes the newly identified Sarcocystis inghami n. sp. from the skeletal muscles of opossums (Mammalia: Didelphidae) that were collected from south central Michigan (42° 43-42° 79N, 84° 18-84°mathtype="display">6'W), USA. The new species is distinguished from all species described from North and South American opossums by the distinctive morphology of the villar protrusions on the cyst wall. Sarcocysts of S. inghami are microscopic, up to 700 m long and 110 m wide. The sarcocyst wall is up to 7 m thick, with long, stalked protrusions which average 5.5 × 1.2 m. These are constricted at the base, expanded laterally, rounded off distally and occasionally bifid. The villar protrusions have numerous microtubules without electron–dense bodies that extend from the tips into the granular layer. Bradyzoites are 10.7 × 4.3 (8––12 × 4––5) m. This is the second species of Sarcocystis sarcocyst described from the Virginia opossum in North America.     

Timing of diapause induction outside the natural distribution range of a species: an outdoor experiment with the bean bug Riptortus clavatus

The phytophagous bug Riptortus clavatus (Thunberg) (Heteroptera: Alydidae) produces two or three generations per year in Central Japan and overwinters in the adult stage. In bugs from the Kyoto population (35°00 N, 135°45 E), we studied (1) the effects of day-length on the nymphal and preoviposition periods under constant photoperiod at 20.5 °C, and (2) photoperiodic induction of adult diapause at 20.5 °C and under a combination of constant photoperiod and natural daily rhythm of temperature in the forest-steppe zone of Russia (50°38 N, 35°58 E). Then, we examined (3) the timing of diapause induction under quasi-natural conditions in the same region, far outside the species' natural geographical range. At 20.5 °C, the nymphal period in both males and females was significantly longer under regimes with shorter photophases than under those with longer photophases. The preoviposition period in females was significantly longer under the near-critical long-day regime L14:D10 than under typical long-day regimes (L15:D9, L16:D8, and L17:D7). The critical day-length for diapause induction was shorter under conditions of natural daily rhythm of temperature than those reported at constant 20, 25, and 30 °C. Under quasi-natural conditions in the forest-steppe zone, R. clavatus entered diapause in September, much later than the local populations of true bugs studied to date. This experiment showed that R. clavatus was maladapted to new environmental conditions: diapause was induced too late with the result that all or most nymphs hatched in late August or early September will die.     

Affinity of guanosine derivatives for polycytidylate revisited

Evidence is presented for complexation of guanosine 5-monophosphate 2-methylimidazolide (2-MeImpG) with polycytidylate (poly(C)) at pH 8.0 and 23°C in the presence of 1.0 M NaCl and 0.2 M MgCl₂ in water. The association of 2-McImpG with poly(C) was investigated using UV-vis spectroscopy as well as by monitoring the kinetics of the nucleophilic substitution reaction of the imidazole moiety by amines. The results of both methods are consistent with moderately strong poly(C) · 2-McImpG complexation and the spectrophotometric measurements allowed the construction of a binding isotherm with a concentration of 2-McImpG equal to 5.55 ± 0.15 mM at half occupancy. UV spectroscopy was employed to establish the binding of other guanosine derivatives on poly(C). These derivatives are guanosine 5-monophosphate (5GMP), guanosine 5monophosphate imidazolide (ImpG), and guanosine 5monophosphate morpholidate (morpG). Within experimental error these guanosine derivatives exhibit the same affinity for poly(C) as 2-McImpG.     

A new isolate of the rhodospirillum fulvum group and its photosynthetic pigments

Summary The present paper reports the isolation of an obligate phototrophic bacterium which belongs to the Rhodospirillum fulvum-group on the basis of its colour, morphology, nutritional requirements and strictly anaerobic nature. p-Aminobenzoic acid was shown to be the only growth factor required. Rhsp. fulvum synthesizes bacteriochlorophyll a as its only chlorophyllous pigments. The carotenoid composition comprises lycopene (I) and rhodopin (II) as the major components; traces of 1,2,1,2-tetrahydro-1,1-dihydroxy-lycopene (III) were also present.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird die Isolierung eines obligat phototrophen Bakteriums beschrieben, welches auf Grund seiner Farbe, Morphologie, Nährstoff-Bedürfnisse und streng anaeroben Lebensweise in die Rhodospirillum fulvum-Gruppe eingeordnet wird. Als einzigen Wachstumsfaktor benötigt der Stamm p-Aminobenzoesäure. Rhsp. fulvum bildet Bacteriochlorophyll a als einzigen chlorophyllartigen Farbstoff. Die Hauptmenge der Carotinoide besteht aus Lycopin (I) und Rhodopin (II); es sind außerdem Spuren von 1,2,12-Tetrahydro-1,1-dihydroxy-Lycopin (III) nachgewiesen.

     

Excision and transposition of two Ds transposons from the bronze mutable 4 derivative 6856 allele of Zea mays L

Summary The regulatory mutation bronze mutable 4 Derivative 6856 (bz-m4 D6856) contains a complex 6.7 kb Dissociation (Ds) element tagged with a duplication of low copy bz 3 flanking sequences (Klein et al. 1988). This creates a unique opportunity to study the transposition of a single member of the repetitive family of Ds elements. Eighteen full purple revertants (Bz alleles) of bz-m4 were characterized enzymatically and by genomic mapping. For 17 of the Bz alleles, reversion to a wild-type phenotype was caused by excision of the 6.7 kb Ds transposon. Nine of these Bz alleles retained the transposon somewhere in their genome. In this study we show that like Ac (Schwartz 1989; Dooner and Belachew 1989), the 6.7 kb Ds element can transpose within a short physical distance, both proximal and distal to its original position. Additional bz sequences have been mapped immediately distal to the mutant locus in bz-m4 D6856; genetic evidence suggests these are flanked by two additional Ds elements. The remaining Bz revertant, Bz :107, arose from excision of a more complex 13 kb Ds element.     

A New Aerobic Gram-Positive Bacterium with a Unique Ability to Degrade ortho- and para-chlorinated Biphenyls

Strain B51 capable of degrading polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) was isolated from soil contaminated with wastes from the chemical industry. Based on its morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, the strain was identified as a Microbacterium sp. Experiments with washed cells showed that strain B51 is able to degrade ortho- and para-substituted mono-, di-, and trichlorinated biphenyls (MCB, DCB, and TCB, respectively). Unlike the known PCB degraders, Microbacterium sp. B51 is able to oxidize the ortho-chlorinated ring of 2,2-DCB and 2,4-DCB and the para-chlorinated ring of 4.4-DCB. The degradation of 2,4-DCB and 4,4-DCB was associated with the accumulation of 4-chlorobenzoic acid (4-CBA) in the medium in amounts comprising 80–90% of the theoretical yield. The strain was able to utilize 2-MCB, 2,2-DCB, and their intermediate 2-CBA and to oxidize the mono(ortho)-chlorinated ring of 2,4,2-TCB and the di(ortho-para)-chlorinated ring of 2,4,4-TCB. A mixed culture of Microbacterium sp. B51 and the 4-CBA-degrading bacterium Arthrobacter sp. H5 was found to grow well on 1 g/l 2,4-DCB as the sole source of carbon and energy.     

Organellar DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and nuclear random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses of morphotypes of Gracilaria (Gracilariales,Rhodophyta) from Chile

The extreme phenotypic variability recognized among the species of Gracilaria has highlighted the need for the application of refined methods to help solve taxa identifications. In Chile, there still exists uncertainty about the exact number of Gracilaria species. Our investigations are centered on DNA analyses of morphotypes collected from different geographical locations, namely Lenga and Isla Santa María, Region VIII (36°00 S to 38°00 S), and Maullín, Region X (39°30 S to 43°40 S). These two regions of Chile are considered as areas of confluence of G. chilensis, G. verrucosa, and a species of Gracilariopsis. In this study four morphotypes, from a natural bed located in Maullín, were analyzed for RFLP of plastid DNA and the results compared with data of four morphotypes from a bed in Lenga. The DNA banding patterns from each enzyme digest were identical irrespective of morphotypes and/or locations. In an attempt to unravel the nature of the morphological differences found among Lenga and Maullín morphotypes, RAPD analyses of nuclear DNA were also performed; however, no polymorphism has been found yet. Therefore, the data of this study, as well as concurrent data from preliminary interfertility tests, suggest that all morphotypes belong to a single taxon, Gracilaria chilensis.Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas     

Macrofaunal communities on the continental shelf and slope of the southeastern Weddell Sea,Antarctica

Summary During the third leg of the European Polarstern Study (EPOS leg 3) in the austral summer season 1989, benthic macrofaunal communities were sampled from the Elephant Island area (61° southern latitude) and from Kapp Norvegia (71° southern latitude) to Halley Bay (75°30 southern latitude) using a commercial bottom trawl and an Agassiz trawl. Thirty-six trawl samples from a depth range of about 200–2,000 m were considered, with most of the samples being from the shelf and upper slope. Multivariate analysis techniques (clustering and TWIN-SPAN) discriminated between an eastern and a southern community in which parallel subgroups can be distinguished at increasing distance from the ice shelf.Data presented here were collected during the European Polarstern Study (EPOS) sponsored by the European Science Foundation     

Notiz über das Vorkommen niederer Erdphycomyceten in der Antarktis

Zusammenfassung Aus fünf antarktischen Bodenproben von 60°45, 62°14 und 63°24 südlicher Breite wurden in 92 Ansätzen drei niedere Phycomyceten herausgeködert, nämlich Rhizophydium utriculare, Rhizophydium sphaerotheca und Hyphochytrium cf. catenoides. Sie alle sind auch von Standorten mit milderem Klima bekannt und Kosmopoliten.     

Glycerol-, inositol-, and reducing end hexose-containing oligosaccharides in human urine

Ten previously unreported oligosaccharides have been purified from the urines of human subjects using a combination of gel filtration, ion exchange, and thin-layer chromatographies. Their structures were determined by direct probe mass spectrometry, methylation analysis, and proton NMR spectroscopy of the permethylated oligosaccharide alditols.On the basis of composition, the oligosaccharides could be divided into three groups. Five oligosaccharides containing glycerol were characterized as glucosyl1-1glycerol; glucosyl1-1glycerol; galactosyl1-1glycerol; glucosyl-1-1(fucosyl-1-2)glycerol and/or fucosyl-1-1(glucosyl-1-2)glycerol; and glucosyl-1-1(galactosyl-1-2)glycerol or galactosyl-1-1(glucosyl-1-2)glycerol. Four inositol-containing oligosaccharides were characterized as galactosyl1 (fucosyl1)inositol,N-acetylgalactosaminyl1 (fucosyl1)inositol, fucosyl1-2galactosyl1 (N-acetylgalactosaminyl1)inositol and fucosyl1-2galactosyl1-4-N-acetylglucosaminyl1(N-acetylgalactosaminyl1)inositol. Finally, galactosyl1-3(fucosyl1-2)galactosyl1-6galactosyl1-4(fucosyl1-3)glucose, an oligosaccharide with glucose at its reducing end, was tentatively identified. The significance and possible origins of the carbohydrate structures are discussed.     

The sea anemone genus Actinostola Verrill 1883: variability and utility of traditional taxonomic features, and a re-description of Actinostola chilensis McMurrich 1904

Species of the genus Actinostola are known for high variability of features. Anatomy, histology and cnidae of type specimens of five species from South America and Antarctica originally described as members of Actinostola and one species of Stomphia were compared to specimens of Actinostola chilensis collected during this study. None of these traditionally used features clearly distinguish the examined Actinostola species. I therefore propose new distinctive taxonomic features, including in vivo and in situ data. I provide an emended diagnosis of the genus Actinostola and a revised list of its species. I accept the synonymy of A. excelsa, A. pergamentacea and A. intermedia with A. crassicornis, and reject the synonymy of A. chilensis with A. crassicornis and A. intermedia. I re-describe A. chilensis in detail, including in situ information. Specimens of A. chilensis inhabit exposed positions of rocky substrate from 22 m depth down in south Chilean fjords between Puerto Montt (41°3535S, 72°53W) and Puyuhuapi (44°3136S; 72°326W); the most conspicuous features are its relatively large size, bright-orange colour, smooth, tough column and numerous and clearly entacmaeic tentacles.Electronic Supplementary Material  Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at The publisher regrets that during copy-editing of this article the names of the authors of species were styled incorrectly. Therefore, it was decided to publish this erratum which, due to the nature of the paper, contains the whole original article, but now with the names of species authors styled correctly.The online version of the original article can be found at     

Partial purification and properties of guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase from Drosophila melanogaster

The first enzyme (named GTP cyclohydrolase) in the pathway for the biosynthesis of pteridines has been partially purified from extracts of late pupae and young adults of Drosophila melanogaster. This enzyme catalyzes the hydrolytic removal from GTP of carbon 8 as formate and the synthesis of 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-(d-erythro-1,2,3-trihydroxypropyl)-7,8-dihydropteridine triphosphate (dihydroneopterin triphosphate). Some of the properties of the enzyme are as follows: it functions optimally at pH 7.8 and at 42 C; activity is unaffected by KCl and NaCl, but divalent cations (Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Ca²⁺) are inhibitory; the K _m for GTP is 22 m; and the molecular weight is estimated at 345,000 from gel filtration experiments. Of a number of nucleotides tested, only GDP and dGTP were used to any extent as substrate in place of GTP, and these respective compounds were used only 1.8% and 1.5% as well as GTP.This work was supported by research grants from the National Institutes of Health (AM03442) and the National Science Foundation (GB33929).     

Facile synthesis of 2′-substituted lactoses

Isopropylidenation of lactose with 2,2-dimethoxypropane in the presence ofp-toluenesulfonic acid gave two products, which were identified by¹H- and¹³C-NMR as 2,35,63,4-tri-O-isopropylidenelactose dimethyl acetal (1) and its 6-O-(2-methoxy)-isopropyl derivative (2). These products were used for the synthesis of 2-O-methyllactose (7), 2,6-di-O-methyllactose (9) and 2-O-benzyllactose (13).     

A factor-dependent sulfotransferase specific for 3′-phosphoadenosine-5′-phosphosulfate (PAPS) in the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus 6301

A sulfotransferase isolated from the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus 6301 was found to be specific for 3-phosphoadenosine-5-phosphosulfate (PAPS). The molecular weight of this transferase has been estimated on a Sephadex-G-100 column to be about 58,000. The K _m for PAPS was determined to be 20 M. The pH optimum was 8.0. The thiol dithioerythritol was needed for activity; other thiols such as glutathione, cysteine, or mercaptoethanol did not catalyze this reaction. The transferase, however, could not react directly with the thiol. A heat-stable factor was needed in this reaction. This factor was purified by conventional techniques and its molecular weight was determined on a Sephadex-G-50 column to be about 11,500. The factor showed normal Michaelis-Menten behavior toward the PAPS-sulfotransferase. It has been identified as thioredoxin. The tranferase was inhibited by 3-5-ADP and 2–5-ADP; all other adenine-containing nucleotides such as 2-AMP, 3-AMP, 5-AMP, ADP, and c-AMP did not influence this reaction.Abbreviation PAPS 3-phosphoadenosine-5-phosphosulfate