The Fine Structure of Secretion by Plasmodium knowlesi Merozoites during Red Cell Invasion

The secretory organelles of Plasmodium knowlesi were studied ultrastructurally to examine their mode of action during invasion. The formation of lamellar structures in merozoite rhoptries within late stage schizonts is prevented by the protease inhibitors chymostatin and leupeptin. Under normal conditions vesicles lined by 6-nm membranes are formed in rhoptries during erythrocyte invasion. Stereoscopic viewing of tilted sections shows that where the merozoite apex contacts the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) membrane during invasion, a domed elevation of the PV surface lies within the mouth of the rhoptry duct in contact with the secretory matrix. The membrane of the early invasion pit is thinner (6 nm) than the red cell membrane elsewhere, and sheets of lamellar material are frequently present on the invasion pit surface. These findings support the proposal that the rhoptry-microneme complex is capable of generating membranous material and inserting it into the red cell surface in a controlled manner to create the parasitophorous vacuole. On the basis of this model, measurements from serial sections show that the rhoptries could provide enough material to create a membrane lining the parasitophorous vacuole, and, with the contribution of the microspheres, could double it to accommodate the early ring stage of the parasite.     

Further properties of wineberry latent virus and evidence for its possible involvement in calico disease

The flexuous filamentous particles of wineberry latent virus (WLV) were found to measure 620. 12 nm and not 510. 12 nm as previously reported. Analysis of dsRNA from infected plants detected a major species of c. 5.7. 10⁶ mol. wt and minor species of lower mol. wt. Purified virus particles formed a major and a minor buoyant density component in solutions of caesium salts with densities of 1.26 and 1.25 g cm^-3 in Cs₂SO₄ and 1.30 and 1.29 g cm^-3 in CsCl. The particles contained a single nucleic acid species, presumably single stranded RNA, and a single polypeptide of estimated mol. wt 2.78. 10⁶ and 31 000 respectively. In indirect ELISA, purified particles of WLV and particles in plant sap failed to react specifically with antiserum to nine carlaviruses, 12 potexviruses, three capilloviruses or apple chlorotic leafspot closterovirus, nor was WLV found to react with several of these antisera in immunosorbent electron microscopy or immunoblots. In Marion and Olallie blackberry, WLV in mixture with raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV), but not RBDV alone, induced veinal line-pattern symptoms resembling those of calico disease reported from the USA.     

Proposal for adoption of the base of the Undulograptus austrodentatus Biozone as a global Ordovician stage and series boundary level

The base of the Undulograptus austrodentatus Biozone appears to be a synchronous event that is widely recognizable within graptolitic facies around the world. It occurs within an interval in which graptolite species ranges are now well known and in which there is a rapid turnover in the composition of graptolite faunas. This turnover reflects the rapid evolutionary radiation of the Diplograptacea simultaneously with the appearance of several distinctive pseudisograptid and glossograptid species. These events provide the basis for the recognition of two thin but widely applicable subzones; a lower Arienigraptus zhejiangensis Subzone and an upper U. sinicus Subzone. The occurrence of the lower boundary of the U. austrodentatus Biozone within a succession of first appearances also permits accurate and reliable identification of the boundary as well as assessment of stratigraphic completeness across the boundary interval in correlated sections. Diverse graptolite faunas of late Yapeenian and early Darriwilian age occur in association with the Histiodella altifrons Biozone of the North American midcontinent conodont zonation and the Paroistodus originalis and Microzarkodina parva biozones of the North Atlantic conodont zonation. They also occur in association with the shelly-fossil zonations developed for several different continents. These features of the base of the U. austrodentatus Biozone make it a suitable level for use as the boundary level for a global stage. Its stratigraphic position within the Ordovician System relative to other likely global stages as well as its coincidence with one of the major events in graptolite evolutionary history suggest that this level also may be a suitable level for the base of a global Middle Ordovician Series.Ordovician System, Ordovician stages, graptolite zonation, chronostratigraphy, international correlation. Charles E. Mitchell and Jörg Maletz, Department of Geology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260-1550, USA; 13th July, 1994; revised 22nd May, 1995.     

Distribution of the brine shrimps Parartemia zietziana Sayce and Artemia salina (L.) along a salinity and oxygen gradient in a South Australian saltfield

SUMMARY. The seasonal distribution of Parartemia zietziana and Artemia salina was studied in a South Australian saltfield. P. zietziana occurred alone at salinities from 112 to 214%‰ and A. salina occurred alone at salinities above 285%‰; the two species overlapped in the range 214 to 285%‰. Respiration experiments indicated that A. salina had a lower 'critical' oxygen concentration than P. zietziana , apparently due to the presence of haemoglobin in A. salina . This may result in an adaptive advantage at high salinity and low dissolved oxygen.     

Crossing the Tasman Sea: Inferring the introduction history of Litoria aurea and Litoria raniformis (Anura: Hylidae) from Australia into New Zealand

Abstract The amphibian fauna of New Zealand consists of three native species (Leiopelma spp.), and three Litoria species introduced from Australia in the last 140 years. We conducted a molecular phylogeographical study that aimed to identify the Australian origins of two species, Litoria aurea and Litoria raniformis. We used partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (cox1) gene from 59 specimens sampled from across the range of both species to identify the probable source populations for the New Zealand introductions, and to describe the current genetic diversity among New Zealand Litoria populations. Our genetic data suggest that L. aurea was introduced into the North Island of New Zealand from two regions in Australia, once from the northern part of coastal New South Wales and once from the southern part of coastal New South Wales. Our data indicate that L. raniformis introductions originated from the Melbourne region of southern Victoria and once established in the South Island of New Zealand, the species subsequently spread throughout both islands. In addition, we found a distinct haplotype in L. raniformis from Tasmania that strongly suggests, contrary to earlier reports, that this species was not introduced into New Zealand from Tasmania. Finally, we identified two very distinctive mitochondrial lineages of L. raniformis within the mainland Australia distribution, which may be previously unrecognized species.     

DNA Synthesis During the Early Division Cycles of Jerusalem Artichoke Callus Cultures

The pattern of DNA replication in relation to the first-divisioncycle of tissue cultures of explants from Jerusalem artichoketubers has been determined by Feulgen photometry of nuclei insections from a single experimental series. After a G₁ phaseof 25 h there is an ‘S’ phase of 14 h followed almostimmediately by mitosis which lasts for 2 h. These figures arecompared with estimated values for the same phases in the second-divisioncycle.