Metabolic Activity of the Trench Fever Rickettsia, Rickettsia quintana

A study of the metabolic activity of Rickettsia quintana was carried out by conventional Warburg and radioisotope techniques with intact cells harvested while growing in the fluid counterpart of the medium of Vinson and Fuller. Like other rickettsiae, R. quintana did not utilize glucose, but did metabolize glutamate and glutamine. Unlike typhus rickettsiae, R. quintana did not require a diluent high in K⁺ for metabolic activity, and it utilized glutamine more efficiently than glutamate. In typical experiments, this microorganism produced 1.6 to 2.0 μmoles of CO₂ from glutamine per mg of rickettsial protein per hr at 37 C, while consuming 1.5 to 1.7 μmoles of O₂. R. quintana also utilized, in descending order, succinate, α-ketoglutarate, glutamate, pyruvate, and citrate; the first-named substrate was utilized more rapidly than glutamine. R. quintana, like typhus rickettsiae, has a glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase because aspartate was isolated, by means of thin-layer chromatography, as one of the end products of the utilization of glutamine. When the microorganisms were incubated with glutamine-¹⁴C and unlabeled intermediates of the citric acid cycle, labeled dicarboxylic acids of the cycle were recovered. Labeled tricarboxylic acids, however, were not recovered, possibly because of cellular impermeability to the corresponding unlabeled intermediates. In the case of cis-aconitate, it was shown that this substrate interfered with the uptake of glutamine. These observations are believed to provide convincing evidence that glutamine is utilized through the citric acid cycle and that R. quintana, with the differences noted, resembles other rickettsiae.     

Role of Erythrocytes and Serum in the Nutrition of Rickettsia quintana

Rickettsia quintana grew readily on blood-agar base when the following conditions and supplements were supplied: (i) aerobic conditions; (ii) increased CO(2) tension; (iii) crystalline hemoglobin or hemin, but not protoporphyrin; and (iv) a colloidal "detoxifying agent," such as starch or charcoal. Serum was not required nor did it enhance growth when all of the aforementioned components were supplied.     

Embryology ofMalaxis saprophyta,with comments on the systematic position ofMalaxis (Orchidaceae)

InMalaxis saprophyta, anther wall development corresponds to the Monocotyledonous type. The uninucleate tapetum is of secretory type and the endothecium develops U- and V-shaped thickenings on the inner tangential and radial walls. Cytokinesis is simultaneous; tetrahedral, isobilateral and T-shaped tetrads are formed which are compactly aggregated in pollinia. At anthesis the microspore tetrads are 2-celled. The ovule is anatropous, bitegmic and both integuments are dermal in origin. A single hypodermal cell develops directly into a megaspore mother cell. Embryo sac development is predominantly monosporic and less often bisporic. Irrespective of the type of development, the mature embryo sac is 6-nucleate. Although double fertilization occurs, the primary endosperm nucleus degenerates. Embryogeny is of the Onagrad type. The mature embryo lacks differentiation into cotyledon, plumule and radicle. The reticulate seed coat is formed entirely by the outer layer of outer integument. There are three sterile and three fertile valves in the ovary. Although initially parenchymatous, the entire three sterile valves in the ovary and the upper half of the three fertile valves become sclerified after fertilization. The embryological characters support the disputed systematic position ofMalaxis within subtribeMalaxidinae ofEpidendreae.     

Nutritional Studies of Rickettsia quintana: Nature of the Hematin Requirement

Rickettsia quintana grew in a liquid medium consisting of a brain-heart infusion base supplemented with starch and hematin. The growth requirement for hematin could not be substituted by compounds of known catalytic activity for H(2)O(2), viz., catalase, potassium pyruvate, or charcoal, or by the reducing compounds sodium sulfite and sodium thioglycollate. R. quintana was catalase-negative, but no H(2)O(2) production could be demonstrated by the catalase-aminotriazole technique. A minimum inoculum giving 10(5) cells/ml was required to initiate growth. The generation time at 33 C was 10 hr. The temperature range for growth was 28 to 37 C. Growth was enhanced when succinate or glutamate was added as energy source.     

The systematic position of Antirrhea and Caerois, with comments on the classification of the Nymphalidae (Lepidoptera)

Based on a Wagner tree analysis of ninety-two characters (eighty-five larval, one egg, six adult), the nymphalid butterfly genera Antirrhea and Caerois are demonstrated to be the closest relatives of the genus Morpho . Accordingly, Antirrhea and Caerois are formally transferred from the Satyrinae to the Morphinae. Without these two genera, the Morphinae ( sensu Ehrlich) is at best a paraphyletic group. During the study, fourteen nymphalid genera were treated as potential outgroups. The analysis suggests that many currently accepted higher taxa within the Nymphalidae are probably untenable: the Satyrinae and Nymphalinae ( sensu Ehrlich) are both probably polyphyletic; the Biinae ( sensu Miller) must be abandoned, being polyphyletic; the Charaxidae ( sensu Rydon), although probably monophyletic, appear to form a group subordinate to part of the 'Satyrinae'; and Apatura does not cluster with the 'Nymphalinae', but appears to form the sister-group of the 'Satyrinae' (less Antirrhea and Caerois ) plus the Charaxinae. Re-analyses of reduced data sets, in which potentially homoplasious larval head-horn and adult wing venational characters were eliminated, leaves these conclusions essentially unaltered. The authors suggest that a solution to the seemingly intractable problem posed by nymphalid higher classification can be sought by the application of cladistic analysis to a large data set gathered from all developmental stages, with special emphasis on detailed comparative larval morphology.     

Propagation and Growth Cycle of Rickettsia quintana in a New Liquid Medium

The growth cycle of Rickettsia quintana was studied for the first time in liquid culture. Growth of the microorganism in a transparent broth medium was made possible by the finding that fetal calf serum (FCS), but not calf serum (CS), satisfied the requirement of R. quintana (Fuller strain) for red blood cell lysate. The three constituents of the medium, other than FCS, were autoclavable. The growth cycle was characterized by a lag phase of approximately 24 hr, an exponential growth phase of 72 hr, and a doubling time of approximately 4.5 hr. In FCS medium, titers increased 10(5)-fold over starting titers and reached a peak after 5 days of greater than 10(8) colony-forming-units (CFU)/ml. Optical density readings at 520 nm (OD(520)) served as useful estimates of the titers only during the last 30 hr of exponential growth. Before this time, titers were below 3 x 10(7) CFU/ml and could not be detected at OD(520). The growth-promoting activity of FCS appeared to be a normal serum component widely distributed among fetal calves. FCS from five commercial suppliers supported growth of R. quintana. The active factor(s) was: (i) non-dialyzable, (ii) resistant to heating at 56 C for 30 min, and (iii) partially inactivated at 100 C in 2 min and completely lost at 100 C in 10 min. The results emphasize the presence of erythrocyte and serum factors other than hemoglobin which stimulate the growth of R. quintana.     

Morphology of the nasal capsule of Heloderma suspectum with comments on the systematic position of helodermatids (Squamata: Helodermatidae)

A serially sectioned embryonic head of Heloderma suspectum formed the basis for a three-dimensional reconstruction of the cartilaginous nasal capsule and its membrane bones. Further, the soft parts of the nasal capsule were analysed microscopically. The embryonic nasal capsule is described and compared to the morphological conditions in other lizards, especially the varanids, which many recent authors believe to be their closest relatives.
The results support the close affinities between the helodermatids and the varanids. Both groups have a well developed recessus lateralis in a cartilaginous capsule, entered by the nasal concha. Further, in both groups a fragmentation of the cartilago paraseptalis occurs in a comparable location and form. Heloderma has no double lacrimal duct, in contrast to previous accounts, but the two canaliculi at the origin of the duct fuse noteworthy far ahead (in other squamates they fuse in front of the bulbus oculi). In the varanids the two branches of the lacrimal duct remain separate and open separately.
Some unique features of Heloderma are presented as well, above all the presence of a second concha.     

A new species of Dicranocentrus (Collembola,Entomobryidae) from China with comments on the systematic position of the genus

Dicranocentrus liuae sp. n. is described from the northern subtropical region of China. The new species is most similar to D. wangi Ma & Chen, 2007, but differs from it in the relatively shorter Ant. V, the 1+1 central macrochaetae on Abd. III, the number of chaetae on tenaculum, and the absence of dental spines. The systematic position of Dicranocentrus is also discussed. Present evidence, particularly S-chaetotaxy, indicates that the genus is closer to Heteromurus than to the unscaled species of Orchesella and Orchesellides.     

Wood and stem anatomy of Lardizabalaceae, with comments on the vining habit, ecology and systematics

CARLQUIST, S., 1984. Wood and stem anatomy of Lardizabalaceae, with comments on the vining habit, ecology and systematics. Qualitative and quantitative data, based mostly upon liquid-preserved specimens, are presented for Akebia, Roquila, Decaisnea, Holbodia, Lardizabala, Sinofranchetia and Stauntonia . Because Decaisnea is a shrub whereas the other genera are vines, anatomical differences attributable to the scandent habit can be considered. These include exceptionally wide vessels, a high proportion of vessels to tracheids (or other imperforate trdcheary elements) as seen in transection, simple perforation plates, multiseriate rays which are wide and tall, and pith which is partly or wholly sclerenchymatous. With respect to ecology, two features are discussed: spirals in narrower vessels may relate to adaptation to freezing in the species of colder areas, and crystalliferous sclereids seem adapted in morphology and position to deterrence of phytophagous insects or herbivores. The wood may provide mechanisms for maintaining conduction even if wider vessels are deactivated temporarily by formation of air embolisms. Wood and stem anatomy of Lardizabalaceae compare closely to those of Berberidaceae and of Clematis (Ranunculaceae), as well as to other families of Berberidales. Decaisnea is more primitive than these in having consistently sralariform perforation plates and in having scalariform pitting on lateral walls of vessels. A tentative listing of anatomical features which may correspond to generic limits is given.     

分子系统学在真菌分类命名中的应用与进展

真菌分子系统学以分子生物学、遗传学和生物信息学为手段,以分子水平对真菌进行种属识别,与传统的表型分类系统相比,更为可靠、高效,极大地推动了真菌分类学的发展。因此,真菌分类学正处于一个划时代的转变时期,即由表型分类向基因型分类的转变,以形态学为基础的种属概念向以分子系统学为基础的种属概念转变。综合论述了分子系统学在真菌分类和命名中的应用,并介绍近年来真菌分类和命名方面的变化和进展,供国内科研和临床工作者参考。     

Polymorphism in the Ostertagiinae Lopez-Neyra, 1947 and comments on the systematics of these nematodes

A list of 19 polymorphic species of the generaOstertagia, Orloffia, Teladorsagia, Marshallagia andSpiculopteragia is presented. The morphs of the polymorphic species in question have identical females and show similarities in some male features, e.g. the structure of the oesophagus, the synlophe and the shape of the rays of the copulatory bursa. However, they differ by characters which are recognised as generic features, e.g. the structure of spicules, gulbernaculum and genital cone. The presence or lack of minor morphs is a generic feature in the Ostertagiinae. Each polymorphic genus has a defined type of minor morph.     

New finds of hesperornithids in the European Russia,with comments on the systematics of Eurasian Hesperornithidae

New remains of Hesperornithidae are described from several Late Cretaceous (Campanian) localities of the Lower Volga Region (European Russia). New specimens from Rychkovo and Karaykino localities cannot be referred to as Hesperornis rossicus Nessov et Yarkov, 1993 and likely represent a new undescribed species. Bones from Rychkovo belonged to immature individuals with an incompletely formed tarsometatarsus, which is comparable in size to those of adults known from Karyakino. A tarsometatarsus from the Malaya Rybka locality belongs to a smaller hesperornithiform species and represents the first avian record in this locality. An even smaller hesperornithiform from the Bereslavka locality resembles Asiahesperornis bazhanovi Nessov et Prizemlin, 1991. We discuss the systematics of Eurasian hesperornithiforms. We adhere to the validity of Hesperornis rossicus and doubt of the assignment to this species of Swedish materials. Asiahesperornis bazhanovi is undoubtedly a separate valid taxon of hesperornithiforms, but the generic name Asiahesperornis Nessov et Prizemlin, 1991 may be a junior synonym of Parahesperornis Martin, 1984.     

On the head morphology of Grylloblattodea (Insecta) and the systematic position of the order,with a new nomenclature for the head muscles of Dicondylia

External and internal head structures of adults of Galloisiana yuasai (Grylloblattodea) are described. The results are compared with conditions found in representatives of other lower neopteran lineages, notably in Austrophasma and Karoophasma (both Mantophasmatodea). Sutures and ridges of the head capsule are discussed. A new nomenclature for head muscles is presented for the entire Dicondylia (= Zygentoma + Pterygota). Galloisiana (like its sister taxon Grylloblatta) is mostly characterized by plesiomorphic features, such as the largely unspecialized orthopteroid mouthparts, the multisegmented filiform antennae, the presence of trabeculae tentorii, the absence of muscles associated with the antennal ampullae, the presence of musculus stipitalis transversalis (0mx11) and the presence of musculus tentoriofrontalis anterior (0te2). Autapomorphies of Grylloblattodea are: (i) compound eyes composed of only 60 ommatidia or less; (ii) a lacinia with a proximal tooth; (iii) a rounded submentum; (iv) loss of musculus craniohypopharyngealis (0hy3); and (v) loss of musculus labroepipharyngealis (0lb5). The phylogenetic evaluation of 104 characters of the head yields a branching pattern with Grylloblattodea as a sister group of Mantophasmatodea in clade Xenonomia. Putative synapomorphies of both taxa are: (i) a distinct angle (more than 60°) between the submentum and the mentum; (ii) posteriorly oriented labial palpi; (iii) a flat and lobe‐like hypopharynx with a suspensorium far ventrad of the anatomical mouth opening; (iv) loss of musculus tentorioparaglossalis (0la6); and (v) a connection between the antennal ampulla and the supraoesophageal ganglion containing nuclei. Xenonomia is placed in a clade with the two dictyopteran terminals. Another monophyletic group is Embioptera + Phasmatodea. Most branches of the single tree obtained in our analysis are weakly supported. The results clearly show that more data and a much broader taxon sampling are required to clarify the phylogenetic interrelationships of the lower neopteran orders. However, our results narrow down the spectrum of possible solutions, and represent a starting point for future phylogenetic analyses, with an extensive concatenated dataset.