Pattern formation of the 'Tilapia mark' in the tilapia fish, Oreochromis mossambicus

The dorsal fin of the larval and juvenile Oreochromis mossambicus exhibits a unique black spot known as the ' Tilapia mark'. We traced its development and found that it occupied a specific position in the dorsal fin bounded by rays 15 and 20. Ablation experiments carried out on the larval dorsal fin showed that this spot region constituted a developmental positional field. This positional field in the fin could regenerate and re-establish the spot pattern despite repeated perturbation. The re-establishment of spot was not simply due to fin injury since ablation of the non-spotted region of the dorsal and the tail fin did not result in aggregation of melanophores. We propose that that' Tilapia mark' is a result of positional information in operation.     

Towards greater realism in inclusive fitness models: the case of worker reproduction in insect societies

The conflicts over sex allocation and male production in insect societies have long served as an important test bed for Hamilton''s theory of inclusive fitness, but have for the most part been considered separately. Here, we develop new coevolutionary models to examine the interaction between these two conflicts and demonstrate that sex ratio and colony productivity costs of worker reproduction can lead to vastly different outcomes even in species that show no variation in their relatedness structure. Empirical data on worker-produced males in eight species of Melipona bees support the predictions from a model that takes into account the demographic details of colony growth and reproduction. Overall, these models contribute significantly to explaining behavioural variation that previous theories could not account for.     

Deme formation in scale insects: a test with the pinyon needle scale and a review of other evidence

ABSTRACT. 1. Deme formation is the transformation of a generalist population into one which is adapted to its local conditions. This adaptation has been inferred from many things but should be inferred from higher survival or fecundity of scale insects on their natal tree compared to that of immigrant scales on the same tree.
2. Transfers of the scale insect Matsucoccus acalyptus Herbert within and between infested host trees ( Pinus monophylla (Torr. & Frem.) resulted in significant differences in scale survivorship among recipient trees. Survival on individual trees was correlated across years, indicating stable differences in tree susceptibility to scale.
3. A significant natal tree colonized tree interaction was observed for late stage scale survival in one experiment but the interaction was not caused by superior survivorship of scales transferred back to the natal tree. Hence, we found no evidence of deme formation in M.acalyptus.
4. Previous studies have concluded that deme formation occurs in the black pineleaf scale based on a significant natal tree by colonized tree interaction in scale survival. We question this conclusion because the experimental design employed did not include transfers back onto the natal tree. Other indirect evidence for deme formation in scale insects is critically discussed.     

Regulation of Pattern Formation and Gene Amplification During Drosophila Oogenesis by the miR-318 microRNA

Pattern formation during epithelial development requires the coordination of multiple signaling pathways. Here, we investigate the functions of an ovary-enriched miRNA, miR-318, in epithelial development during Drosophila oogenesis. mir-318 maternal loss-of-function mutants were female-sterile and laid eggs with abnormal morphology. Removal of mir-318 disrupted the dorsal–anterior follicle cell patterning, resulting in abnormal dorsal appendages. mir-318 mutant females also produced thin and fragile eggshells due to impaired chorion gene amplification. We provide evidence that the ecdysone signaling pathway activates expression of miR-318 and that miR-318 cooperates with Tramtrack69 to control the switch from endocycling to chorion gene amplification during differentiation of the follicular epithelium. The multiple functions of miR-318 in oogenesis illustrate the importance of miRNAs in maintaining cell fate and in promoting the developmental transition in the female follicular epithelium.     

Disease and colony establishment in the dampwood termite Zootermopsis angusticollis: survival and fitness consequences of infection in primary reproductives

Pathogens have likely infl uenced life-history evolution in social insects because their nesting ecology and sociality can exacerbate the risk of disease transmission and place demands on the immune system that ultimately can impact colony survival and growth. The costs of the maintenance and induction of immune function may be particularly significant in termites, which have a nitrogen-poor diet. We examined the effect of fungal exposure on survival and reproduction during colony foundation in the dampwood termite Zootermopsis angusticollis by experimentally pairing male and female primary reproductives and exposing them to single (‘acute’) and multiple (‘serial’) dosages of conidia of the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae and recording their survival and fitness over a 560 day period. The number of eggs laid 70 days post-pairing was significantly reduced relative to controls in the serial-exposure but not the acute-exposure treatment. Reproduction thus appeared to be more resilient to a single pathogen exposure than to serial challenge to the immune system. The impact of fungal exposure was transient: all surviving colonies had similar reproductive output after 300 days post-pairing. Our results suggest that disease can have significant survival and fitness costs during the critical phase of colony foundation but that infection at this time may not necessarily impact long-term colony growth. Received 25 February 2005; revised 27 September and 20 October 2005; accepted 20 December 2005.     

Pattern formation in a spatial plant-wrack model with tide effect on the wrack

Spatial patterns are a subfield of spatial ecology, and these patterns modify the temporal dynamics and stability properties of population densities at a range of spatial scales. Localized ecological interactions can generate striking large-scale spatial patterns in ecosystems through spatial self-organization. Possible mechanisms include oscillating consumer–resource interactions, localized disturbance–recovery processes, and scale-dependent feedback. However, in this paper, our main aim is to study the effect of tide on the pattern formation of a spatial plant-wrack model. We discuss the changes of the wavelength, wave speed, and the conditions of the spatial pattern formation, according to the dispersion relation formula. Both the mathematical analysis and numerical simulations reveal that the tide has great influence on the spatial pattern. More specifically, typical traveling spatial patterns can be obtained. Our obtained results are consistent with the previous observation that wracks exhibit traveling patterns, which is useful to help us better understand the dynamics of the real ecosystems.     

Color pattern formation on the wing of the butterfly Pieris rapae. 1. Cautery induced alteration of scale color and delay of arrangement formation

Experimental approaches to color pattern formation of lepidopteran insects have been made exclusively by analyzing pattern alterations in adult wings induced by operations. We microcauterized the presumptive black region of the dorsal forewing of the butterfly Pieris rapae and analyzed not only the resultant color pattern in the adult wing but also the cell behavior in the pupal wing epidermis around the injury. Cautery induced color alterations were as follows: (i) cautery up to 49.5 h after pupation resulted in white regions appearing within the black region while later cauteries induced larger white regions; (ii) cautery between 50 and 59.5 h resulted in the white regions induced by the cauteries being dramatically decreased; (iii) cautery after 60 h resulted in white regions that had almost disappeared. The examination of the cell behavior in the pupal wing epidermis after cauteries showed that the row formation of scale precursor cells was delayed. This delayed area varied with the time of cautery, in the same manner as that in the induced white area in the adult wing ((i) – (iii) above). The relationship between scale color alteration and the developmental delay of the scale row formation is discussed.     

Pattern formation in a ts-cell-lethal mutant ofDrosophila: The range of phenotypes induced by larval heat treatments

Summary We describe the range of phenotypes caused by cell death when larvae of the heat-sensitive cell-lethal mutant,l(1)ts726 ofDrosophila, are subjected to heat treatment at different stages of development. When the treatment extends into the pupal period, certain bristles fail to develop but the disc derivatives are otherwise normal. Earlier treatments cause the replacement of sets of leg and eye-antennal markers by mirror image duplications of neighbouring sets. The results are compared in detail with those expected under a gradient model proposed earlier to account for the phenotype. It is found that although the results for the second leg are in excellent agreement with the predictions of the model, a more elaborate hypothesis is necessary to account for the eye-antennal disc data. Abnormal head patterns fall into several distinct categories, any one of which could be explained by postulating the existence of a gradient, if other categories did not also occur. The markers affected in each case belong to overlapping sets, and each category of pattern can be induced by heat treatments administered throughout the temperature-sensitive period. The statistical distribution of the data is such that only one category of pattern would be detected in a small scale experiment. The possible implications relative to pattern formation in normal development are discussed.Supported by NRC (Canada) grant number A6485 to M.A.R. and funds from the Committee for Computer Utilisation of the University of Alberta     

Polygenic analysis of pattern formation in Drosophila: Specification of campaniform sensilla positions on the wing

This study was designed to measure the degree of correlation between vein formation and the specification of campaniform sensillae positions in the wing of Drosophila melanogaster. The campaniform sensillae are sensory organs placed at various locations on the wing. Those on the third longitudinal vein (L3) were the focus of this analysis. The system of polygenic modifiers of vein length is comparatively simple, as shown in whole chromosome assays of selected lines. This variability provides a sensitive method of altering vein-forming ability and of assessing correlated changes in other parts of the vein pattern. In selection lines of veinlet, sensillae were displaced toward the base of the wing as vein length decreased by distal loss of vein material. Changes in the amount of vein were, however, not directly proportional to changes in sensillae positions. The more distal sensillae were shifted the largest amount. In the mutant tilt, in which reduced L3 vein-forming competence results in subterminal gaps, distal campaniform sensillae were almost completely eliminated. The remaining sensillae were shifted toward the base of the wing where vein formation is normal. The placement of sensillae therefore appears to be sensitive to the same underlying determinants involved in vein-forming competence.     

Relationship Between Spatial Pattern of Basal Bodies and Membrane Skeleton (Epiplasm) During the Cell Cycle of Tetrahymena: cdaA Mutant and Anti-Membrane Skeleton Immunostaining

Microtubular basal bodies and epiplasm (membrane skeleton) are the main components of the cortical skeleton of Tetrahymena. The aim of this report was to study functional interactions of basal bodies and epiplasm during the cell cycle. The cortex of Tetrahymena cells was stained with anti-epiplasm antibody. This staining produced a bright epiplasmic layer with a dark pattern of unstained microtubular structures. The fluorescence of the anti-epiplasm antibody disappeared at sites of newly formed microtubular structures, so the new basal body domains and epiplasmic layer could be followed throughout the cell cycle. Different patterns of deployment of new basal bodies were observed in early and advanced dividers. In advanced dividers the fluorescence of the epiplasmic layer diminished locally within the forming fission line where the polymerization of new basal bodies largely extincted. In wild type Tetrahymena, the completion of the micronuclear metaphase/anaphase transition was associated with a transition from the pattern of new basal body deployment and epiplasm staining of the early divider to the pattern of the advanced dividers. The signal for the fission line formation in Tetrahymena (absent in cdaA1 Tetrahymena mutationally arrested in cytokinesis) brings about 1) transition of patterns of deployment of basal bodies and epiplasmic layer on both sides of the fission line; and 2) coordination of cortical divisional morphogenesis with the micronuclear mitotic cycle.     

On the mechanochemical theory of biological pattern formation with application to vasculogenesis

We first describe the Murray-Oster mechanical theory of pattern formation, the biological basis of which is experimentally well documented. The model quantifies the interaction of cells and the extracellular matrix via the cell-generated forces. The model framework is described in quantitative detail. Vascular endothelial cells, when cultured on gelled basement membrane matrix, rapidly aggregate into clusters while deforming the matrix into a network of cord-like structures tessellating the planar culture. We apply the mechanical theory of pattern formation to this culture system and show that neither strain-biased anisotropic cell traction nor cell migration are necessary for pattern formation: isotropic, strain-stimulated cell traction is sufficient to form the observed patterns. Predictions from the model were confirmed experimentally.     

Pattern formation of leaf veins by the positive feedback regulation between auxin flow and auxin efflux carrier

The generation of vascular pattern formation in plants is an interesting process of pattern formation in organisms. It is well known that the plant hormone auxin is involved in plant vascular differentiation and that the PIN1 protein, an auxin efflux carrier, localizes to one side of the cell membrane. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the formation of leaf venation. One is the canalization hypothesis that is based on the assumption that a positive feedback regulation exists between the flow of a signal molecule and the capacity of its flow. Here, we attempted to integrate the canalization hypothesis and experimental data. We investigated models of the positive feedback regulation between the auxin flow and PIN1 localization. Model 1, with conserved PIN1 amount in each cell, can generate a branching pattern similar to that of plant leaf venation. We introduced the diffusible enhancer "e" into the model as unknown factor. The obtained patterns show a quasi-periodic distribution of auxin flow paths, when the model dynamics includes domain growth. In order to understand the early initiation process that generates an inhomogeneity from an almost homogeneous distribution, we introduced model 2, a simplified version of model 1. Model 2 can generate inhomogeneity with a parameter dependency similar to that of model 1. To analyse parameter condition required for pattern development, approximated equations are obtained from model 2. The isocline analysis of the equations without spatial structure shows that the inhomogeneous distribution occurs from an almost homogeneous distribution. This parameter condition for generating inhomogeneity is consistent with the results of models 1 and 2.     

Modulation of BMP activity in dorsal-ventral pattern formation by the chordin and ogon antagonists

We analyzed the interactions between mutations in antagonistic BMP pathway signaling components to examine the roles that the antagonists play in regulating BMP signaling activity. The dorsalized mutants swirl/bmp2b, snailhouse/bmp7, lost-a-fin/alk8, and mini fin/tolloid were each analyzed in double mutant combinations with the ventralized mutants chordino/chordin and ogon, whose molecular nature is not known. Similar to the BMP antagonist chordino, we found that the BMP ligand mutants swirl/bmp2b and snailhouse/bmp7 are also epistatic to the putative BMP pathway antagonist, ogon, excluding a class of intracellular antagonists as candidates for ogon. In ogon;mini fin double mutants, we observed a mutual suppression of the ogon and mini fin mutant phenotypes, frequently to a wild type phenotype. Thus, the Tolloid/Mini fin metalloprotease that normally cleaves and inhibits Chordin activity is dispensable, when Ogon antagonism is reduced. These results suggest that Ogon encodes a Tolloid and Chordin-independent antagonistic function. By analyzing genes whose expression is very sensitive to BMP signaling levels, we found that the absence of Ogon or Chordin antagonism did not increase the BMP activity remaining in swirl/bmp2b or hypomorphic snailhouse/bmp7 mutants. These results, together with other studies, suggest that additional molecules or mechanisms are essential in generating the presumptive gastrula BMP activity gradient that patterns the dorsal-ventral axis. Lastly we observed a striking increased penetrance of the swirl/bmp2b dominant dorsalized phenotype, when Chordin function is also absent. Loss of the BMP antagonist Chordin is expected to increase BMP signaling levels in a swirl heterozygote, but instead we observed an apparent decrease in BMP signaling levels and a loss of ventral tail tissue. As has been proposed for the fly orthologue of chordin, short gastrulation, our paradoxical results can be explained by a model whereby Chordin both antagonizes and promotes BMP activity.     

From small holes to grand narratives: the impact of taphonomy and sample size on the modernity debate in Australia and New Guinea

Our knowledge of early Australasian societies has significantly expanded in recent decades with more than 220 Pleistocene sites reported from a range of environmental zones and depositional contexts. The uniqueness of this dataset has played an increasingly important role in global debates about the origins and expression of complex behaviour among early modern human populations. Nevertheless, discussions of Pleistocene behaviour and cultural innovation are yet to adequately consider the effects of taphonomy and archaeological sampling on the nature and representativeness of the record. Here, we investigate the effects of preservation and sampling on the archaeological record of Sahul, and explore the implications for understanding early cultural diversity and complexity. We find no evidence to support the view that Pleistocene populations of Sahul lacked cognitive modernity or cultural complexity. Instead, we argue that differences in the nature of early modern human populations across the globe were more likely the consequence of differences in population size and density, interaction and historical contingency.     

ATP formation onset lag and post-illumination phosphorylation initiated with single-turnover flashes. II. Two modes of post-illumination phosphorylation driven by either delocalized or localized proton gradient coupling

Two modes of chloroplast membrane post-illumination phosphorylation were detected, using the luciferin-luciferase ATP assay, one of which was not influenced by added permeable buffer (pyridine). That finding provides a powerful new tool for studying proton-membrane interactions during energy coupling. When ADP and P_i were added to the thylakoid suspension after a train of flashes [similar to the traditional post-illumination phosphorylation protocol (termed PIP^– here)], the post-illumination ATP yield was influenced by pyridine as expected, in a manner consistent with the ATP formation, in part, being driven by protons present in the bulk inner aqueous phase, i.e., through a delocalized protonmotive force. However, when ADP and P_i were present during the flash train (referred to as PIP⁺), and ATP formation occurred during the flash train, the post-illumination ATP yield was unaffected by the presence of pyridine, consistent with the hypothesis that localized proton gradients were driving ATP formation. To test this hypothesis further, the pH and flash number dependence of the PIP^– and PIP⁺ ATP yields were measured, the results being consistent with the above hypothesis of dual compartment origins of protons driving post-illumination ATP formation.Measuring proton accumulation during the attainment of the threshold energization level when no component was allowed to form (+ valinomycin, K⁺), and testing for pyridine effects on the proton uptake, reveals that the onset of ATP formation requires the accumulation of about 60 nmol H⁺ (mg Chl)^–1. Between that level and about 110–150 nmol H⁺ (mg Chl)^–1, the accumulation appears to be absorbed by localized-domain membrane buffering groups, the protons of which do not equilibrate readily with the inner aqueous (lumen) phase. Post-illumination phosphorylation driven by the dissipation of the domain protons was not affected by pyridine (present in the lumen), even though the effective pH in the domains must have been well into the buffering range of the pyridine. That finding provides additional insight into the localized domains, namely that protons can be absorbed by endogenous low pK buffering groups, and released at a low enough pH (5.7 when the external pH was 8, 4.7 at pH 7 external) to drive significant ATP formation when no further proton production occurs due to the redox turnovers. We propose that proton accumulation beyond the 110–150 nmol (mg Chl)^–1 level spills over into the lumen, interacting with additional, lumenal endogenous buffering groups and with pyridine, and subsequent efflux of those lumenal protons can also drive ATP formation. Such a dual-compartment thylakoid model for the accumulation of protons competent to drive ATP formation would require a gating mechanism to switch the proton flux from the localized pathway into the lumen, as discussed by R. A. Dilley, S. M. Theg, and W. A. Beard (1987)Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 38, 348–389, and recently suggested by R. D. Horner and E. N. Moudrianakis (1986)J. Biol. Chem. 261, 13408–13414. The model can explain conflicting data from past work showing either localized or delocalized gradient coupling patterns.     

Macrokinetics of enzyme sorption on porous beads accompanied by complex formation with an immobilized ligand

A mathematical model has been proposed for enzyme sorption on porous beads accompanied by formation of a stable complex with an immobilized ligand. It has been experimentally verified by using the system trypsin (EC 3.2.21.4) - immobilized bovine basic polyvalent trypsin inhibitor on porous silica gel. The experimental results for kinetics of the non-specific/specific trypsin sorption on a carrier agree with the model. The value of the coefficient of trypsin diffusion in macroporous silica gel was calculated.     

尖叶拟船叶藓营养元素生殖配置格局

为了揭示尖叶拟船叶藓营养元素生殖配置规律,本文对其12种营养元素的生殖配置格局和季节动态进行了研究。其结果如下：成熟孢子体的生物量配置为6．67％;在成熟孢子体中12种营养元素的含量顺序是：C（452mg／g）〉N（35mg／g）〉K（8439．9μg／g）〉Ca（7012．9μg／g）〉P（2129．2μg／g）〉Mg（1482．9μg／g）〉Na（432．9μg／g）〉Mn（196．3μg／g）〉Fe（177．7μg／g）〉Al（174．8μg／g）〉Zn（68．1μg／g）〉Cu（19．4μg/g）;成熟孢子体中营养元素生殖配置顺序是：K（17．7％）〉P（15．1％）〉Cu（13．3％）〉N（11．6％）〉Na（10．5％）〉Mn（7．8％）〉Zn（7．5％）〉C（6．9％）〉Mg（6．8％）〉Ca（5．4％）〉Fe（1．3％）〉Al（1．2％）。     

Minor effects of bulk viscosity on lipid translational diffusion measured by the excimer formation technique

We have investigated the effect of bulk viscosity on lipid translational diffusion using the excimer formation technique. In contrast to a study by Vaz et al. (1987), performed with the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching technique, we observed only a minor decrease of less than a factor of two for pyrene labelled phosphatidylcholine in glycerinated phosphatidylcholine bilayer membranes compared to an aqueous dispersion. Even the diffusion of pyrene labelled gangliosides with an oligosaccharide head-group that protrudes from the membrane surface is not strongly restricted by the increased bulk viscosity. We conclude that the viscosity of the fluid bounding the lipid bilayers is of minor importance for the diffusion of membrane lipids.Abbreviations DPPC 1-2 dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine - DSPC 1-2 distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine - PyPC 1-acyl-2-[10(-1-pyrene)decanoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine - PyG_M1 N-12-(1-pyrene)dodecanoyl-lyso G_M1 - PyG_M2 N-12-(1-pyrene)dodecanoyl-lyso G_M2 - PyG_M3 N-12-(1-pyrene) dodecanoyl-lyso G_M3 - I_M fluorescence intensity of the monomeric pyrene probe - I_D fluorescence intensity of the excimer