Pollen morphology of some selected plant species from Horton Plains,Sri Lanka

The pollen morphology of four species: Gaultheria leschenaultii (Ericaceae), Psychotria zeylanica (Rubiaceae), Rubus leucocarpus (Rosaceae) and Symplocos bractealis (Symplocaceae) from Horton Plains, Sri Lanka was investigated using LM and SEM. Psychotria zeylanica is endemic to Sri Lanka and the other three taxa are common in Horton Plains. Gaultheria leschenaultii has tetrads with 3-colporate, coarsely granular to granulo-rugulate pollen grains; in the polar region and at the colpus margin the exine is smooth with micro-rugulate structure. Psychotria zeylanica has 3- (or 4-) colporate, reticulate-spinulose to granular pollen grains. Rubus leucocarpus has 3-colporate, striate-perforate pollen grains and Symplocos bractealis has 3- (or 4-) colporate pollen grains with a verrucate-perforate exine. Pollen grains of these four species are very indicative of human impact and palaeoclimate.     

Antibiotics from higher fungi

Summary Peculiarities of antibiotic production by higher fungi (Hymenomycetes) are discussed, incidentally the condition for antibiotic production by Penicillium patulum is referred to.Antibacterial action of Psalliota campestris (wild variety) studied in the laboratory is fully described, it is active against Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In clinical trials in typhoid cases in our hospitals filtrates used orally and intramuscularly, are giving encouraging results.Laboratory study of antibacterial action of Marasmius campanella has been completed with a view to application to clinical trials in future.     

A comparative ultrastructural study of blood cells from nine insect orders

Summary An ultrastructual study of hemocytes from 9 different insect orders has led to the identification of 8 cell types: (1) Plasmatocytes, whose cytoplasm is filled with small dense lysosomes and large heterogeneous structures, are phagocytic cells. (2) Granulocytes, filled with uniformly electron dense granules, are involved in capsule formation. (3) Coagulocytes, which contain granules and structured globules and which possess a well developed RER, are involved in phagocytosis. (4) Spherule cells are filled with large spherical inclusions. (5) Oenocytoids are large cells with few cytoplasmic organelles. These 5 hemocyte types represent the majority of insect blood cells. (6) Prohemocytes, blastic cells which are one of the stem cells of hemocytes, are very few in number in each species investigated. (7) Thrombocytoids and (8) Prodocytes are restricted to a small number of insect species.The ultrastructural characteristics of these hemocyte types are discussed.     

Ciliates from Antarctic sea ice

Five ciliates, Chlamydonella prostomata nov. sp., Paractedoctema acruosa nov. gen., nov. sp., Urocyclon ovatum nov. gen., nov. sp., Porpostoma grassei (Corliss and Snyder 1986) and Cytharoides balechi Tuffrau 1974, collected from sea ice in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica were morphologically and taxonomically investigated. The new genus Paractedoctema is characterized as: Cyclidiidae with naked snout-like apical end and three well-developed membranelles which are multi-rowed in structure and closely apposed one to another; paroral membrane extending anteriorly to about mid-level of M1; one caudal cilium; and silverline system Cyclidium-like. Since Urocyclon Small and Lynn 1985 is a nomen nudum because no type species has been fixed, we re-establish the genus and give a revised definition: uronematids mostly with inverted pear-shaped body and subequatorially positioned cytostome; apical plate dominant; membranelle 1 highly reduced; and paroral membrane extending anteriorly to about mid-level of membrane 2. Based on this new definition, a new combination is suggested: Homalogastra cymruensis (Pérez-Uz and Hope 1997) comb. nov. (formerly Urocyclon cymruensis Pérez-Uz and Hope 1997). For the well-known genus Chlamydonella, an improved diagnosis has been given according to our observations and the data obtained: Lynchellidae without plasmatic protrusions on ventral side; several to many somatic kineties making no noticeable naked gap between left and right areas; perioral kineties continuous or slightly fragmented with leftmost rows parallel to each other, which are arched transversely; and cytopharyngeal rods (nematodesmata) toothed. Macronucleus usually dimorphic. Regarding the related genus Lynchella Kahl 1933, we suggest that the original diagnosis by Kahl should be maintained. Thus, the genus diagnosis is re-provided: Lynchellidae with plasmatic protrusions on ventral side; several to many somatic kineties making no noticeable naked gap between left and right areas; perioral kineties continuous or fragmented with some rows parallel to each other; cytopharyngeal rods toothed; macronucleus generally dimorphic. In the light of the redefinition, a new combination has been made: Chlamydonella nordica (Jankowski 1968) comb. nov. (formerly Lynchella nordica Jankowski 1968). Accepted: 10 October 1999     

Proteome Analysis of Enriched Heterocysts from Two Hydrogenase Mutants from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120

Cyanobacteria are oxygenic photosynthetic prokaryotes and play a crucial role in the Earth's carbon and nitrogen cycles. The photoautotrophic cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen in heterocysts and produce hydrogen as a byproduct through a nitrogenase. In order to improve hydrogen production, mutants from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 are constructed by inactivation of the uptake hydrogenase (ΔhupL) and the bidirectional hydrogenase (ΔhoxH) in previous studies. Here the proteomic differences of enriched heterocysts between these mutants cultured in N₂‐fixing conditions are investigated. Using a label‐free quantitative proteomics approach, a total of 2728 proteins are identified and it is found that 79 proteins are differentially expressed in the ΔhupL and 117 proteins in the ΔhoxH variant. The results provide for the first time comprehensive information on proteome regulation of the uptake hydrogenase and the bidirectional hydrogenase, as well as systematic data on the hydrogen related metabolism in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120.     

Alkaloids and triterpenes from the african toddalioideae

Stem and root barks of Araliopsis tabouensis, Diphasia klaineana and Teclea verdoorniana have been investigated. A. tabouensis yielded flindissol (I), (+)-N-methylplatydesminium ion (III) and a second furoquinoline alkaloid: D. klaineana yielded lupeol (IX). evoxanthine (XI), arborinine (X) and skimmianine (V). T. verdoorniana gave lupeol (IX) and evoxanthine (XI). A further alkaloid, designated DK/1, was isolated from both the Diphasia and Teclea species. The value, as chemotaxonomic indicators, of the alkaloids and other constituents known to occur in six African genera of the Toddalioideae has been examined and possible affinities with other rutaceous taxa are suggested.     

Fossil Homo femur from Berg Aukas,northern Namibia

The proximal half of a hominid femur was recovered from deep within a paleokarst feature at the Berg Aukas mine, northern Namibia. The femur is fully mineralized, but it is not possible to place it in geochrono logical context. It has a very large head, an exceptionally thick diaphyseal cortex, and a very low collodiaphyseal angle, which serve to differentiate it from Holocene homologues. The femur is not attributable to Australopithecus, Paranthropus, or early Homo (i.e., H. habilis sensu lato). Homo erectus femora have a relatively longer and AP flatter neck, and a shaft that exhibits less pilaster than the Berg Aukas specimen. Berg Aukas also differs from early modern femora in several features, including diaphyseal cortical thickness and the degree of subtrochanteric AP flattening. The massive diaphyseal cortex of Berg Aukas finds its closest similarity within archaic H. sapiens (e.g., Castel di Guido) and H. erectus (e.g., KNM-ER 736) samples. It has more cortical bone at midshaft than any other specimen, although relative cortical thickness and the asymmetry of its cross-sectional disposition at this level are comparable with those of other Pleistocene fem ora. The closest morphological comparisons with Berg Aukas are in archaic (i.e., Middle Pleistocene) H. sapiens and Neandertal samples. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Early Jurassic gastropods from England

Abstract: Twenty‐five gastropod taxa are reported from the Early Jurassic (Hettangian to Toarcian) of England. Of these, 14 are identified to species level, and the remaining 11 are treated in open nomenclature. One genus (Lensataphrus) and six species are introduced as new. The new species are Lensataphrus tatei, Lensataphrus tenuis, Tricarilda toddi, Cylindrobullina dorsetensis, Cylindrobullina ventricosa and Consobrinella greeni. The following new combinations are introduced: Cassianopsis hebertana (d’Orbigny, 1852) for Neritopsis hebertana; Cryptaulax abscisum (Terquem and Piette, 1868) for Cerithium abscisum; and Cylindrobullina avena (Terquem, 1855) for Striactaeonina avena. Most of the genera and some of the species are also known from Central Europe (Germany and France). Typical vetigastropod genera that are present in England and Central Europe are Colpomphalus, Costataphrus, Ooliticia, Eucycloscala and Eucycloidea. The caenogastropod genera Levipleura and Cryptaulax are present in both regions, as are the heterobranchs Tricarilda and Cylindrobullina. The heterobranch genus Consobrinella is reported from England for the first time. Gastropods seem to follow the diversity trends of other marine invertebrates during the Early Jurassic. They diversify until the Late Pliensbachian but decrease sharply in number around the Pliensbachian–Toarcian boundary. This may reflect both regional anoxia and a global mass extinction event in the Early Toarcian.     

Analysis of an SD second chromosome from a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster

The second chromosome Co-122 (Corato-122) extracted from a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster caught in Corato (Apulia) and maintained in the laboratory over the SM5 balancer chromosome, proved to carry: (1) a Segregation distorter factor, named Sd ^Co; (2) a recessive lethal mutation, termed mle-Co (maleless-Corato), which causes the lethality of only males; (3) another recessive lethal mutation, l(2)Co (lethal (2) Corato), probably arisen in the laboratory by mutation. This mutation accounts for the diminished recovery of homozygous females observed in the stock.The genetic features and the cytological analysis of the SD chromosome are reported, as well as the genetic localization of mle-Co and 1(2)Co and their cytogenetic mapping. An allelism test has ascertained that mle-Co is allelic to mle, a male-specific mutation described by Fukunaga et al., 1975. The tight linkage of mle-Co and 1(2)Co with Sd is discussed from the standpoint of population genetics.     

Toxic aspergilli from pistachio nuts

Pistachio nut samples taken during various stages of development from orchards in Iran, showed that contamination with fungi occurred mainly during the later stages of nut development. Members of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium occurred most frequently. Of the Aspergilli, the species A. niger, A. flavus and A. fischeri var. spinosus occurred most frequently, followed by A. terreus, A. tamarii and A. nidulans. Twenty-two isolates comprising 13 species were tested for toxicity to ducklings. Isolates of known toxic fungi included A. flavus, A. niger, A. parasiticus, A. ochraceus, A. versicolor, A. nidulans and A. terreus. The toxicity of A. fischeri var. spinosus is reported. Chemical analysis showed that all isolates of A. flavus and A. parasiticus produced aflatoxin B₁, the isolates of A. versicolor and A. nidulans produced sterigmatocystin while the toxic isolate of A. ochraceus did not produce ochratoxins.Toxic fungi have been shown to occur in a variety of nuts (4), (5), (11), (12), (13), (15), (18), (20), (21). Aflatoxin contamination of pistachio nuts has been reported and has in the past led to the rejection of consignments of Iranian pistachio nuts (1). In Iran, pistachio nuts are produced mainly in the south eastern provinces (Kerman & Zahedan) and to a limited extent in the Northern part (Kazvin & Damghan). In 1975 it was estimated (7) that there were some 24 million pistachio trees in Iran, of which 60% were situated in Rafsanjan, Kerman (Table 1). Economic considerations as well as the potential health hazard posed by aflatoxin-contaminated nuts, prompted the University of Isfahan to initiate a study of various aspects of the mycotoxin problem in pistachio nuts.     

Some new species and new combinations of marine red algae from the central Pacific

Six new species in five genera of Rhodophyta are described. A new combination for Polyopes hakalauensis is also proposed. These taxa were encountered while preparing a manual of marine red algae of the Hawaiian Islands. Among the Halymeniales, two blade-like species of Halymenia, H. cromwellii sp. nov. and H. stipi-tata sp. nov., are distinguished from other species by habit and anatomical differences, including the possession of a stipe by the second. Halymenia hakalauensis Tilden 1902 is transferred to Polyopes as P. hakalauensis (Tilden) Abbott, replacing P. hawaiiensis Kajimura which is considered a synonym. A new species of Prionitis, P. corymbifera sp. nov., shows a corymbose branching pattern different from the mostly pinnate to subdichotomous branching of Japanese and Californian species. In the Gigartinales, Chondracanthus okamurae Abbott is named for a specimen which Okamura included in his understanding of Gigartina (now Chondracanthus tenellus), but which has terete axes, differing from C. tenellus (Harvey) Hommersand which is com-planate throughout. Chondracanthus intermedius (Sur-ingar) Hommersand is placed in synonymy with C. tenellus. The occurrence of C. tenellus in Hawai'i is a new distribution record from Asia. Three new species are added to the Ceramiales, Ceramium tranquillum Meneses (Ceramiaceae), Dasya kristeniae sp. nov. and Dasya murrayana Abbott & Millar (Dasyaceae). Distinctive features of Ceramium tranquillum are internodes that are three to five times longer than the height of nodes, and nodes that never project beyond the diameter of the internodes, giving straight margins except when fertile. Dasya kristeniae is a diminutive epiphyte which is nearly ecorticate, with tetrasporangial stichidia that are rectangular having apices that are curved or nodding, and cystocarps that have flaring ostioles above a constricted pericarp. Dasya murrayana was earlier misidentified with Dasya iyengarii Børgesen, and re-examination of those plants show continuous cortication throughout, where cortication is almost completely lacking in D. iyengarii except near the base. Dasya murrayana has a tufted habit, with indeterminate branches about the same sizes as the main axes, the plants growing on rock, whereas plants of D. iyengarii are not tufted, with indeterminate branches attenuate, and an epiphytic habit.     

Molecular characterization of pdc2 and mapping of three pdc genes from rice

 The anaerobic fermentation pathway is thought to play an important role under flooding conditions. The pyruvate decarboxylase 2 (pdc2) gene that encodes the first enzyme of this pathway has been cloned and characterized from rice. This gene has an open reading frame that putatively encodes a 603 amino-acid-residue protein with a molecular mass of 64 kDa. pdc2 has five introns dispersed throughout the coding region, which is also true for rice pdc1. Although the length of these introns in rice pdc2 are different from those in rice pdc1, they are located in exactly the same positions based on the deduced amino-acid sequences. The temporal and spatial expression patterns of pdc1 and pdc2 show that pdc2 is induced to a higher level during the early period (1.5–12 h) of anoxia than pdc1, which is induced more after longer time periods (24–72 h) of anoxia in both shoots and roots. The map positions of the three pdc genes have also been determined. Rice pdc1 is located on chromosome 5 between BCD454A and RZ67, pdc2 is located on chromosome 3 between RZ329 and RZ313, and pdc3 is mapped on chromosome 7 distal to RG351. Received: 19 May 1998 / Accepted: 29 September 1998     

Phylogeny of wall-less green flagellates inferred from 18SrDNA sequence data

To elucidate the phylogeny of the Dunaliellales sensu Ettl. the taxon often thought to be intermediate between primitive green flagellates such as the prasinophytes and the advanced chlorophycean algae, the sequences of the nuclear-encoded small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (18SrDNA) were determined and analyzed for five green algae, including three dunaliellalean algae. Phylogenetic trees based on 18SrDNA suggest that Oltmannsiellopsis viridis (Margraves et Steele) Chihara et Inouye represents an early divergence in the Ulvophyceae/Trebouxio-phyceae/Chlorophyceae clade and has no close relationship to any other green algae, as also suggested from ultrastructural characters. We propose Oltmannsiellopsidates ord. nov. for this genus. Hafniomonas and Polytomella are included in the clade which is characterized by clockwise basal bodies (CW group). The 18SrDNA trees suggest that multiple losses of the cell wall of the flagellate cell occurred in the CW group, and that the Dunaliellales sensu Ettl has a polyphyletic nature. This study also suggests that Planophita terrestns Groover et Hof-stetter (Chaetopeltidales) and Chaetophora incras-sata (Hudson) Hazen (Chaetophorales) are distinct lineages in the Chlorophyceae.     

Estimation of Linkage and Association from Allele Transmission Data

The TDT provides a hypothesis test for the presence of linkage or association (linkage disequilibrium). However, since the TDT is a single test statistic, it cannot be used to separate association and linkage. The importance of this difficulty, following a significant TDT result, has been recently emphasized by Whittaker , Denham and Morris (2000), who alert the community to the possibility that a significant TDT may result from loose linkage and strong association, or from tight linkage and weak association. To attack this problem we start with the parametric model for family‐based allele transmission data of Sham and Curtis (1995) (or Sham (1998)) and find that the parameters in the model are not always identifiable. So we introduce a reparameterization that resolves the identifiability issues and leads to a valid likelihood ratio (LR) test for linkage. Since the linkage and association parameters are both of interest, we next introduce and apply an integrated likelihood (IL) approach to provide separate point estimates and confidence intervals for these parameters. The estimates are shown to have generally small bias and mean square error, while the confidence intervals have good average length and coverage probabilities. We compare the power of the IL approach for testing linkage and, separately association, with the TDT and LR.     

Upper Cretaceous aquatic plants from Northern Mexico

Two aquatic plant genera assignable to Decodon (Lythraceae) and Ceratophyllum (Ceratophyllaceae) are described based on reproductive structures collected from the Cerro del Pueblo Formation (late Campanian [73.5 ma]), Coahuila, Northeast Mexico. Decodon is represented by three small seeds with a pyramidal shape, rounded borders, and a concave ventral surface with a rectangular valve towards the center of the seed ventral surface. The Ceratophyllum spiny fruit has an ellipsoidal central body and two proximal long spines flanking a short pedicel opposite the stylar projection. These new reports confirm the presence of both genera in the Upper Cretaceous sediments of Northeastern Mexico, and add to our recognition of diversity within the widely distributed freshwater communities along the margin of the epicontinental sea.     

The NodI and NodJ proteins from Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium strains are similar to capsular polysaccharide secretion proteins from Gram-negative bacteria

The NodI and NodJ nodulation proteins have been described in different Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium species. The NodIJ genes belong to the nod regulon. Other genes from this regulon are involved in the biosynthesis and modification of lipo-oligosaccharide molecule(s) which are morphogénic signals when acting on legume roots. It has been proposed that the NodI and NodJ proteins belong to a bacterial inner membrane transport system of small molecules. Nucleotide sequencing of MudII PR 13 insertions in the nodulation region of the symbiotic plasmid from a Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli strain CE3 has revealed the presence of NodI and nodJ related sequences downstream of nodC. Computer nucleotide sequence analysis of the entire NodI and NodJ sequences from R. leguminosarum bv. viciae and Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains show that both proteins are similar to the KpsT and KpsM proteins from Escherichia coli Kl and K5 strains, to the BexB and BexA proteins from Haemophilis influenzae and to the CtrD and CtrC proteins from Neisseria meningitidis, respectively. Except for the NodI and NodJ proteins, all of them have been involved in the mechanism of secretion of polysaccharides in each of their harbouring species. On the basis of the similarity found, we propose that the NodI and the NodJ proteins could be involved in the export of a lipo-oligosaccharide.     

Enzymatic synthesis of (+)- and (-)-bisdechlorogeodin with sulochrin oxidase from Penicillium frequentans and Oospora sulphurea-ochracea

Sulochrin oxidase is a blue copper-containing glycoenzyme that catalyzes a stereospecific formation of bisdechlorogeodin from sulochrin. The enzyme has been isolated from Penicillium frequentans and Oospora sulphureaochracea which catalyzes the formation of (+)-form and (-)-form of bisdechlorogeodin respectively. The Penicillium enzyme has a molecular weight of 157,000 and contains 19.5% of carbohydrates. Amino acid and carbohydrate compositions are given. The enzyme has probably a dimeric structure containing 6 Cu-atoms. Apparent K _m-values of various substrates are presented. The Oospora enzyme has a molecular weight of 128,000 and except for its stereospecificity its properties are very similar to those of the Penicillium enzyme.     

Protostelids from deciduous forests: first data from southwestern Europe

The first data of Protostelids from the southwest of Europe are presented in this paper. A total of 21 species were identified from samples collected in Somiedo Biosphere Reserve (Spain). This is the highest species richness recorded to date for Europe or for a latitude this high (>40°). Seven species (Cavostelium apophysatum, Endostelium zonatum, Microglomus paxillus, Protosporangium fragile, Protostelium okumukumu, Soliformovum expulsum and Schizoplasmodiopsis micropunctata) are new records for Europe. Approximately 65 % of the microscopic protostelid species described in the world have been found in this Reserve, a fact that increases the biological value of this protected area and suggests that Spain is an excellent location to study this group. A microhabitat study has been carried out finding differences in species composition and abundance between ground litter, aerial litter, and bark substrates. Comments on the distribution and ecology of the species, as well as illustrations of some species are included.