Properties of Mitochondria Prepared by Two Different Isolation Procedures From the Cotyledons of Germinating Bean Seedlings

Mitochondria from 1-day-old bean cotyledons were isolated bya ‘slow’ isolation procedure involving a wash andby a ‘rapid’ procedure. The mitochondria isolatedby the ‘rapid’ procedure were more tightly coupledthan those isolated by the ‘slow’ procedure. Anexogenous supply of cytochrome c or NAD was shown to improvethe activity of mitochondria isolated by the ‘slow’procedure, but not those isolated by the ‘rapid’procedure. The phosphorylative abilities of the latter weremuch greater than the former and were retained for longer periods.It was found that there was a leakage of NAD out of the mitochondria.     

REAL-TIME POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR DETECTION OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AND PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA IN PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS FOR TOPICAL USE

Real-time PCR assays, based on LightCycler^TM hybridization probes technology, originally developed for detection of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in clinical samples, were adapted to pharmaceutical products for topical use. After optimization experiments, the applicability of optimized PCR assays was assessed by testing 34 different pharmaceutical products for topical use in parallel with standard microbiological protocol according to European Pharmacopoeia. To reveal any problematic substances, which might inhibit PCR reaction, pharmaceutical products with as much different dosage forms as possible and of different composition were selected. Complete concordance between PCR and standard microbiological protocol results was obtained on a wide spectrum of pharmaceutical products. The adapted PCR assays can detect 1–10 CFU of both bacteria per gram or milliliter of pharmaceutical product in 26 h (including 24-h enrichment), whereas standard microbiological methods require 5–7 days. Real-time PCR assays proved to be efficient tools for rapid screening of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa in pharmaceutical products for topical use.     

Within-island geographic variation of the dangerous Taiwanese snake, Trimeresurus stejnegeri, in relation to ecology

Multivariate analysis shows that geographic variation occurs in the scalation and body proportions of the dangerously venomous snake Tritneresurus stejnegeri , within the island of Taiwan. Canonical correlation analysis reveals a high correlation between constellations of morphological characters and ecological factors. Numerical hypothesis testing, using partial Mantel tests, provides evidence of a causal relationship with ecology. Head shape was found to be primarily associated with mean annual temperature and altitude, and head scalation with the annual range of temperature. Body scalation was found to be influenced by altitude, mean annual temperature and mean annual rainfall. Tail length is primarily associated with the range of temperature and rainfall and secondarily with the mean annual temperature and altitude. Geographic proximity was found to be less important in the explanation of the observed geographic pattern than some ecological factors, supporting the hypothesis of an ecogenetic origin of morphological variation.     

Pretreatment of Cell Suspensions as a Method to Increase the Protoplast Yield of Haplopappus gracilis

A low yield of free protoplasts was obtained when fast-growing cell suspensions of Haplopappus gracilis were treated with Driselase, an active mixture of cellulase and pectinase. If the cells in the suspension culture were pretreated by increased levels of auxin, reduced sugar concentration, addition of sulphur-containing amino acids, or by the reducing agent mercaptoethanol, protoplasts were released from a higher proportion of the cells. These pretreatments did not adversely effect division of the protoplasts.     

Topographic and ungulate regulation of soil C turnover in a temperate grassland ecosystem

A major obstacle for predicting the effects of climate and land use changes on global soil carbon (C) stores is the very limited knowledge about the long timescale dynamics of the relatively stable fraction of soil C, which represents the bulk of soil C and the primary determinant of the long‐term C balance of terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, we examined how variable topo‐edaphic conditions and herds of native migratory ungulates influenced turnover of the stable pool (total minus active fraction) of soil C in grasslands of Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Soil C properties were determined for grasslands located inside and outside long‐term ungulate exclosures established 1958–1962 at seven variable topographic positions. Active C pool sizes, estimated with soil laboratory incubations, and soil radiocarbon measures were used to parameterize a process‐based model to determine turnover of the stable C pool at the sites. Stable C turnover ranged 37–653 and 89–869 years for 0–10 and 0–20 cm soils, respectively. Among ungrazed communities, there was a trend for stable soil C turnover to slow along topographic gradients of increasing soil moisture, soil C content, and shoot biomass from hilltop to slope‐bottom positions. This was likely a result of an increasing amount of support tissue resulting in greater concentrations of lignin and cellulose as shoot biomass increased down slope. In contrast, across the grazed landscape, stable C turnover sped up from hilltop to slope‐bottom positions, which was likely a consequence of grazer effects on plant species composition along the topographic gradient. These findings indicated that despite topography playing the primary role in controlling such important site characteristics as soil moisture, soil C content, and plant production in YNP grassland, the long‐term turnover of the stable C pool was determined by herbivores. The results demonstrate the important regulatory role of herbivores in controlling the C balance of this semiarid grassland ecosystem.     

Nitrogen and Carbon Utilization in Alnus incana Fixing N2 or Supplied with NO3- at the Same Rate

The purpose of this study was (i) to evaluate biomass productionand nitrogen utilization in grey alder and (ii) to investigatecarbon utilization in alders fixing nitrogen or supplied withnitrate. Two experiments were made, each using two groups ofalders (Alnus incana (L.) Moench) growing in a climate chamber.In each experiment one group was inoculated with a local sourceof Frankia. The other group was not inoculated but receivednitrate in the same amount as the first group fixed nitrogen.Therefore, the rate of nitrate application increased duringthe experimental period. Biomass production, growth, nitrogencontent and nitrogen utilization were determined in one experiment.Growth, nitrate reductase activity, net photosynthesis and rootrespiration were measured in the second experiment. In experimentone there was no significant difference in biomass productionbetween the two groups of plants. Of the nitrate given 99% wastaken up and 1% of this uptake was excreted in an organic form.In the second experiment the plant development was similar innodulated and non-nodulated alders during the period studied.Nitrate reductase activity was found in both root- and shoot-tipsof the non-nodulated alders. At both days 24 and 30, the amountof carbon respired compared to the amount of carbon assimilatedwas similar for the nodulated alders as for the non-nodulatedalders. As nitrogen fixation increased, photosynthesis alsoincreased. Thus, there was an inter-relationship between netphotosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. Key words: Alnus-Frankia symbioses, carbon utilization, nitrogen (N₂ ) utilization     

A key to stratigraphy

Doyle, P., Bennett, M.R. & Baxter, A.N. 1994 The Key fo Earth History- An Introducrion to Stratigraphy .     

Development of the floral shoot and pre‐anthesis cleistogamy in Hydrobryopsis sessilis (Podostemaceae)

The reproductive biology of Hydrobryopsis sessilis (Podostemaceae, subfamily Podostemoideae), a reduced, threatened, aquatic angiosperm endemic to the Western Ghats of India, was examined. This is the first report on the transition from the vegetative to the reproductive phase in this plant, describing floral ontogeny, pollination and the breeding system. The cytohistological zonation of the apical meristem of the reproductive thallus is identical to that of the apical meristem of the vegetative thallus. The floral shoots do not replace vegetative shoots (i.e. the vegetative shoots never bear flowers), but form at new sites at the tip of the flattened plant body. Each floral shoot meristem is tiny, deep‐seated and concave and arises endogenously following lysigeny. The floral shoot meristem gives rise to four to six bracts in a distichous manner. The development of spathe, stamens and carpels is described. The ab initio dorsiventrality of the carpels and the occurrence of endothelium in the ovules are reported. The mature stigmas and anthers lie close to each other. The pollen germinates within undehisced anthers and the pollen tubes enter the stigmas in the unopened floral bud, leading to pre‐anthesis, complete, constitutional cleistogamy under water. The seed set is 63.2%. A significant finding is the penetration of several pollen tubes into the filaments of stamens in 16% of the flower buds, indicating a trend towards cryptic self‐fertilization. The Indian Podostemoideae appear to show a shift from xenogamy or geitonogamy or autogamy in a chasmogamous flower to complete autogamy in a cleistogamous flower. The floral modifications leading to cleistogamy in H. sessilis have been identified. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 159 , 222–236.     

The effectiveness of some mechanisms of reproductive isolation in Arum maculatum and A. italicum (Araceae)

Mechanisms of reproductive isolation were studied in two species of Arum , A. italicum and A. maculatum , growing in England and the south of France. The study focused on three potential mechanisms for reproductive isolation: the effectiveness of dichogamy as a barrier to autogamy; the ability of self and outcrossed pollen to germinate on stigmas at different stages of anthesis and to effect pollination; and postzygotic barriers to selfing. Dichogamy was found to provide a very effective barrier to within-inflorescence selfing in these species, as no seeds were produced by spontaneous self-pollination (i.e. autogamy) in any population of either species. However, the study found that geitonogamy (cross-pollination between inflorescences of a same individual or clone) was possible, as genotypes frequently produced several inflorescences and stigmas were found to be receptive to pollen from before anthesis until their contraction at the end of the female phase of flowering. Hand pollination with self pollen from clone inflorescences produced as numerous and heavy seeds as outcross pollination. In addition, the germination and growth of geitonogamously produced seed was similar to that of outcrossed seed, suggesting that this potential postzygotic barrier is absent or weak. These findings suggest that geitonogamous seed production may be unrestricted by significant pre- or postzygotic barriers. The possible advantages of geitonogamy in Arum are discussed.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 150 , 323–328.