Factors influencing the regeneration capacity of oilseed rape and cauliflower in transformation experiments

The efficiency ofAgrobacterium-based transformation technique in oilseed rape and cauliflower was influenced by cultivar specificity, donor plant age and explant type. Marked differences in demands for plant hormone contents in the regeneration medium were recorded already among different types of nontransformed explants. The highest regeneration capacity was recorded with stem and leaf segments isolated from one-month-old aseptically grown plants. The regeneration was markedly species-dependent. Regeneration of transformed plants from stem segments and thin layers isolated from field-grown oilseed rape plants (at the most 2% of regenerating explants) and from oilseed rape hypocotyls (0.8% of regenerating explants) and cauliflower (1.2% of explant regenerated transformed shoots) was achieved after disarmedAgrobacterium treatment. Hypersensitive reaction of explants could be prevented by using prolongedin vitro precultivation and delayed application of the selective agent.     

Ultracytochemical localization of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase in mitochondria and vacuoles ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae

The coenzyme-independent dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.3.1) linking the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway to the respiratory chain, was ultracytochemically localized by the tetrazolium method in derepressed exponential-phase cultures ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Biochemical analysis showed a considerable variation of this enzyme activity in inverse proportion to the aeration of the yeast cultures. The assay also showed that after prefixation of yeast cells with 1% glutaraldehyde at 0°C for 20 min, approximately one-half of the enzyme activity was preserved. The cytochemical reaction mixture contained dihydroorotate (2 mmol/L), thiocarbamyl nitroblue tetrazolium (0.44 mmol/L), phenazine methosulfate (0.16 mmol/L) and KCN (1.7 mmol/L) in Tris-HCl buffer (100 mmol/L) of pH 8.0. The osmicated formazan deposits featured envelopes of mitochondria and of nuclei and were prominent in the mitochondrial inclusions and in the vacuolar membranes. The latter sites of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase activity represent biosynthetic activity in yeast vacuoles, still generally assumed to function as yeast lysosomes and storage organelles. In the light of the generally observed invasions of juvenile yeast vacuoles into mitochondria, the enzymic sites observed in mitochondrial inclusion were considered as evidence of the interactions of yeast vacuoles and mitochondria. Transfer of vacuolar membranes with dihydroorotate dehydrogenase activity into mitochondrial matrix is suggested.     

The ant Lasius niger shows no relationship between task efficiency and body size variation among workers

In ants, workers of different sizes may perform various tasks, even in so-called monomorphic species with relatively low body size variation. However, it is unclear if the body size diversity of monomorphic workers correlates with task efficiency, especially in stressful contingencies. Here we tested if the body size variation of workers corresponds with its efficiency in transferring pupae. Transferring brood is a pre-set behavioral response to stress, e.g. suboptimal temperature. Here we applied a laboratory experiment simulating nest damage. The study was performed on the common garden ant (Lasius niger (Linnaeus, 1758)) – a species with no distinct worker subcastes. The efficiency of workers was measured as the latency of transferring pupae from a lit part of the experimental colony to a darkened part, while the body size diversity was expressed as the within-colony coefficient of variation in head width. We did not find any significant correlation between efficiency and body size variation. Summarizing the existing studies and the present results, we propose the hypothesis that the body size diversity of L. niger may have implications for workers’ division of labor but not for their task efficiency in a stressful contingency.     

Ontogenetic change in effectiveness of chemical defence against different predators in Oxycarenus true bugs

Many prey species change their antipredator defence during ontogeny, which may be connected to different potential predators over the life cycle of the prey. To test this hypothesis, we compared reactions of two predator taxa – spiders and birds – to larvae and adults of two invasive true bug species, Oxycarenus hyalinipennis and Oxycarenus lavaterae (Heteroptera: Oxycarenidae) with life-stage-specific chemical defence mechanisms. The reactions to larvae and adults of both true bug species strikingly differed between the two predator taxa. The spiders were deterred by the defences of adult bugs, but the larval defences were ineffective against them. By contrast, birds attacked the larvae considerably less often than the adult bugs. The results indicate a predator-specific ontogenetic change in defence effectiveness of both Oxycarenus species. The change in defence is likely linked to the life-stage-specific composition of secretions in both species: whereas secretions of larvae are dominated by unsaturated aldehydes, secretions of adults are rich in terpenoids, which probably serve dual function of defensive chemicals and pheromones. Our results highlight the variation in defence between different life stages and the importance of testing responses of different types of predators.     

Experimental evidence of size-selective harvest and environmental stochasticity effects on population demography,fluctuations and non-linearity

Theory and analyses of fisheries data sets indicate that harvesting can alter population structure and destabilise non-linear processes, which increases population fluctuations. We conducted a factorial experiment on the population dynamics of Daphnia magna in relation to size-selective harvesting and stochasticity of food supply. Harvesting and stochasticity treatments both increased population fluctuations. Timeseries analysis indicated that fluctuations in control populations were non-linear, and non-linearity increased substantially in response to harvesting. Both harvesting and stochasticity induced population juvenescence, but harvesting did so via the depletion of adults, whereas stochasticity increased the abundance of juveniles. A fitted fisheries model indicated that harvesting shifted populations towards higher reproductive rates and larger-magnitude damped oscillations that amplify demographic noise. These findings provide experimental evidence that harvesting increases the non-linearity of population fluctuations and that both harvesting and stochasticity increase population variability and juvenescence.     

Amino-modified silicate gels prepared by sol-gel processing as metal-ion sorbents

Two series of amino-modified silicate gels prepared by sol-gel processing were used to absorb Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), Mn(II) and Cr(III) from aqueous solutions. These easily prepared sorbents with various content of primary amino groups in series (A) or primary and secondary amino groups in series (AA) have reasonable stability. The gel composition, time and concentration dependence of the uptake of the metal ions by these materials were studied systematically. These materials would be further used as supports to disperse catalytically active phases by conventional wet chemical procedures. Apart from this they demonstrate potential for the preconcentration aid for transition metal analysis.     

Palaeoecological and phytosociological reconstruction of precultural vegetation in the Bílý Kříž area,the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts,Slovak Republic

A combined palynological and phytosociological methodological approach was used in the reconstruction of precultural forest vegetation in a small model area of Bílý Kí-Janík in the Moravskoslezské Beskydy mountains (northwest Slovakia). Two pollen diagrams show the predominance of Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba and Picea abies in past natural mixed forests. The present-day occurrence and distribution of forest herbs allow the differentiation of five past vegetation types with above mentioned forest climax trees covering the area before the beginning of human interference. A map of reconstructed natural vegetation is presented which can be used for revitalization of present secondary spruce plantations, heavily affected by air pollution.     

Immobilization of the cellulolytic fungus Trichoderma reesei on the polymeric sorbent - Sorfix

Summary The immobilization of T. reesei mycelium on activated polymeric sorbent was investigated with respect to the intended flow-trough cellulase production. The retention of extracellular production of cellulolytic enzymes was monitored in a packed-column recycle reactor. Some factors affecting cellulase elution pattern are described.