Differential Expression of Oncogenicity and Nopaline Synthesis in Intact Leaves Derived from Crown Gall Teratomas of Tobacco

The results reported in the present study demonstrate that oncogenicity and nopaline synthesis are differentially expressed under conditions in which the neoplastic state is persistently suppressed in crown gall teratoma tissues of tobacco. While an active and continued synthesis of nopaline occurs in cells present in intact teratoma-derived leaves, the reexpression of oncogenicity depends on the development of new cell divisions. It is suggested that these new cell divisions are required either (a) to reestablish positive feedback control mechanisms upon which the development of a capacity for autonomous growth of these plant tumour tissues appears to depend, or (b) to establish the pattern of metabolism concerned with cell growth and division which is then maintained in the plant tumour cells by positive feedback control mechanisms.     

A strategy to assess river restoration success

1. Elaborate restoration attempts are underway worldwide to return human‐impacted rivers to more natural conditions. Assessing the outcome of river restoration projects is vital for adaptive management, evaluating project efficiency, optimising future programmes and gaining public acceptance. An important reason why assessment is often omitted is lack of appropriate guidelines. 2. Here we present guidelines for assessing river restoration success. They are based on a total of 49 indicators and 13 specific objectives elaborated for the restoration of low‐ to mid‐order rivers in Switzerland. Most of these objectives relate to ecological attributes of rivers, but socio‐economic aspects are also considered. 3. A strategy is proposed according to which a set of indicators is selected from the total of 49 indicators to ensure that indicators match restoration objectives and measures, and that the required effort for survey and analysis of indicators is appropriate to the project budget. 4. Indicator values are determined according to methods described in detailed method sheets. Restoration success is evaluated by comparing indicator values before and after restoration measures have been undertaken. To this end, values are first standardised on a dimensionless scale ranging from 0 to 1, then averaged across different indicators for a given project objective, and finally assigned to one of five overall success categories. 5. To illustrate the application of this scheme, a case study on the Thur River, Switzerland, is presented. Seven indicators were selected to meet a total of five project objectives. The project was successful in achieving ‘provision of high recreational value’, ‘lateral connectivity’ and ‘vertical connectivity’ but failed to meet the objectives ‘morphological and hydraulic variability’ and ‘near natural abundance and diversity of fauna’. Results from this assessment allowed us to identify potential deficits and gaps in the restoration project. To gain information on the sensitivity of the assessment scheme would require a set of complementary indicators for each restoration objective.     

L'évolution parallèle des Juraphyllitidae euroboréaux et téthysiens au Pliensbachien: le rôle des contraintes internes et externes

Au Pliensbachien, un trend morphologique se developpe chez les Tragophyllocerassimpliquant un mécanisme hétérochronique (paedomorphose par néoténie) pour I'acquisition d'une morphologie suboxycône. Ce changement morphologique majeurest concomitant avecl'ingression de ces formes dans les mers de plateforme euroboréale ob la compétition inter-taxons est forte. Cette option morphofonctionnelle et évolutive, canalisée essentiellement par des contraintes externes étant amorcée, le genre va I'exploiter dans la mesure de ses possibilités (potentialités intrinsèques) en perfectionnant son oxycônie. Au contraire dans les mers téthysiennes, les Juraphyllites ne montrent pas d'évolution pour la morphologie de la coquille; celle-ci reste subplatycône durant tout le Lias moyen et il n'y a pas de changements environnementaux majeurs (milieux tamponnés). En outre la prolifération d'ornementations plus grossières, aussi bien chez les Juraphyllites que chez les Tragopbylloceras, correspond probablement à une meilleure exploitation des biomes d'Europe du NW et de la Téthys à une période bien précise qui est le Carixien moyen. Ce développement d'ornementation similaire chez des taxons partageant un héritage évolutif commun mais séparés paléogéographiquement, évoque le rôle prépondérant des contraintes internes. Ainsi l'évolution des Juraphyllites des Tragophyllocerasau Lias moyen paraît donc ètre un exemple de parallèlisme au sens strict du terme.□Évolution, hétérochronies, Juraphyllitidae, Lias, ontogenèse, Paléogéographie. A morphological trend in the Pliensbachian Tragophyllocerns involves a heterochronic process (paedomorphosis by neoteny) to acquire a suboxycone morphology. This major morphological change is concomitant with the ‘ingression’ of Tragophylloceras in the Euroboreal platform seas, where competition between taxa was strong. This functional-morphological and evolutionary option is mainly canalized by extrinsic constraints. Exploring these possibilities, Tragophylloceras then exploits and improves the oxycone option. By contrast, in the Tethyan seas, Juraphyllites shows no change in shell coiling; it stays subplatycone during all the Pliensbachian. There is no major environmental change. Moreover, the proliferation of coarser ornamentation in Juraphyllitesand Tragophylloceras probably corresponds to a better exploitation of the Euroboreal and Tethyan marine habitats during the Middle Carixian. The development of similar ornamentation in palaeogeographically separate taxa with a common evolutionary origin is mainly canalized by intrinsic constraints. The evolution of Juraphyllites and Tragophylloceras appears to be a good example of parallelism sensu stricto. □ Evolution, heterochrony, Juraphyllitidae, Lios, ontogeny, palaeogeography.     

Suppression of the Tumorous State in Crown Gall Teratomas of Tobacco A Clonal Analysis

Two types of experimental approaches designed to test the possible involvement of chimeras in the persistent but readily reversible suppression of the tumorous state and in a recovery from that state in crown gall teratomas of tobacco were investigated. These studies showed that the tumorous state was suppressed in specialized cells present in the different tissues derived from each of the three layers of the apical meristem of teratoma-derived shoots of clonal origin. Although differences existed in the exogenous requirements needed for the reestablishment of the tumorous state in the different specialized cell types present in the different tissues, all again acquired a capacity for autonomous growth when appropriately stimulated. No evidence was found for the existence of periclinal or sectoral chimeras in teratoma-derived shoots of a single cell origin. Chimerism was, however, found to exist in one noncloned teratoma-derived shoot. Analysis of more than 500 clones derived from leaf mesophyll cells of cloned teratoma shoots showed that the vast majority of them (> 99%) were tumorous, while all of the 144 seed-grown plants from these shoots had completely recovered from the tumorous state. The results of these studies suggest that (a) a teratoma shoot does not depend for its development on the presence of significant numbers, if any, of cells that had recovered from the tumorous state; (b) the tumorous state may be suppressed in even the most highly specialized cells; (c) some special mechanism exists in the meiotic process for the elimination of all or most of the foreign DNA from transformed cells.