Diurnal variations in abscisic acid content and stomatal response to applied abscisic acid in leaves of irrigated and non-irrigated Arbutus unedo plants under naturally fluctuating environmental conditions

Summary Endogenous abscisic acid content (ABA) of Arbutus unedo leaves growing under natural conditions in a macchia near Sobreda, Portugal, was very high (0.25 to 2.3 g g¹ fresh weight). Highest concentrations were found during the very early morning hours and at midday. During the late morning hours and in the late afternoon ABA concentrations decreased to between one-third and one-fourth of peak values. The samples for ABA content were obtained from both irrigated ( between-10 and-25 bar) and non-irrigated plants experiencing natural water stress during the dry season ( of-50 bar). During the course of the measurement day, stomatal conductance was relatively constant and conductance of watered plants was 50 to 100% greater than that of unwatered plants. No clear correlations between ABA content and stomatal conductance and/or xylem water potential were observed. Despite large differences in water potential and differences in degree of stomatal opening, absolute concentrations of ABA were not found to differ.Small quantities (8–14 pmoles cm² leaf area) of ABA were applied to leaves of irrigated and non-irrigated Arbutus unedo plants by injection into the petiole. These extremely small ABA doses resulted in transient reductions in stomatal conductance. The effectiveness with which injected ABA closed stomata was highest during the morning and decreased substantially at midday. Increased sensitivity to injected ABA may again occur in the late afternoon but recent measurements suggest that this may depend on long-term drought experience of the plants. The characteristics of the response to injected ABA were similar in irrigated and non-irrigated plants although irrigated plants responded in general more strongly.     

Die endokrinen drüsen im embryo von Oncopeltus fasciatus Dallas (Insecta,Heteroptera)

The differentiation of the endocrine glands in the embryo of Oncopeltus fasciatus is described. The function of these glands can be correlated with the embryonic moults. The nuclei of some tissues already become polyploid in the embryo. It is discussed whether the endomitotic growth is dependent upon the function of the endocrine glands.

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Abkürzungen in den Abbildungen A Ca Anlage des Corpus allatum - A Cc Anlage des Corpus cardiacum - A Maxd Anlage der Maxillendrüse - A Meth Anhang des Mesothorax - A Mth Anhang des Metathorax - A Pl Anlage des-Pleuropodiums - A Prd Anlage der Prothoraxdriise - A Pth Anhang des Prothorax - A Spd Anlage der Speicheldrüse - Am Amnion - Ant Antenne - Ao Aorta - Blz Blutzelle - Ca Corpus allatum - Cc Corpus cardiacum - Cul Cuticulinschicht - Cut Cuticula - Des Desmosom - dl denselayer - Do Dotter - Ent Entoderm - Ep Epidermis - Epk Epidermiskern - Fk Fettkörper - fl Do verflüssigter Dotter - Hyp Hypocerebralganglion - Hz Herzschlauch - Kl Kopflappen - La Labrum - Lab Labium - M Mitteldarm mit verschiedenen Abschnitten (I, II, III und IV) - Mal Malpighisches GefäB - Max Maxille - Md Mandibel - Mes Mesoderm - Mik Mikrovilli - Ms Muskel - Mst Mittelstrang - Nbl Neuroblast - NZ Neurosekretorische Zellen - Oen Oenocyt - Oes Oesophagus - Ogl Oberschlundganglion - p Cut Procuticula - Pcz Pericardialzelle - Pi Pleuropodium - Prd Prothoraxdrüse - Pyl Pylorus - Re Rectum - Rk Riesenkern - S Schlüpfakt - Sal Salivarium - Ser Serosa - Sg Segmentgrenze - Spd Speicholdrüse (I = vorderer Lappen, II = scitlicher Lappen, III = hinterer Lappen, IV = akzessorische Drüse und V = Hylus) - Spdg Speicheldrüsengang - St Stechborste - Std Stinkdrüse - Sti Stigma - Stom Stomodaeum - Stt Stechborstentasche - tb E tubuläre Einstülpung des Prothorax - Ugl Unterschlundganglion - V Vakuole Mit Unterstutzung der Deutschen Forschüngsgemcinschaft.     

Isolation and characterization of a 3-chlorobenzoate degrading pseudomonad

A pseudomonad has been isolated from sewage, which can utilize 3-chlorobenzoic acid as a sole carbon source. In cells grown on benzoate the enzymes of the -ketoadipic acid pathway are present. Considerable enzymic activities for chlorinated substrates were found in benzoate grown cells only for the oxygenation of 3-chlorobenzoate and the dehydrogenation of 3- and 5-chloro-3,5-cyclohexadiene-1,2-diol-1-carboxylic acid. 3-Chlorobenzoate grown cells show additional high activities for the turnover of 3- and 4-chlorocatechols and chloromuconic acids.Abbreviations Used DHB (-)-3,5-cyclohexadiene-1,2-diol-1-carboxylic acid (derived from the trivial name, dihydrodihydroxybenzoate) - 3- and 5-Cl-DHB correspondingly 3- and 5-chloro-3,5-cyclohexadiene-1,2-diol-1-carboxylic acid     

The Epidemiology of Cancer in Animals

The principles of epidemiology are applicable to the study of the distribution and determinants of cancer in both human and animal populations. There are many examples of epidemiologic factors (host, environment, agent and time) related to cancer in animals. Certain host characteristics such as age, sex and breed are related to risk of developing cancer. Some environmental influences are illustrated by differences in the geographical distribution of certain types of animal cancer.Aggregations of cancer cases have been reported in herds, families and households. However, the usual distribution of cases in a population does not resemble epidemics typical of infectious diseases. Several factors (radiological, chemical, dietary, parasitic, mechanical, genetic and viral) have been identified as influences that affect the development of animal tumors.Animal species that have been domesticated live longer and consequently malignant disease develops in more of them. Cancer incidence rates now available from data compiled by an animal neoplasm registry in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, California, indicate that some of the frequent sites of cancer in man (skin, breast and the hemic and lymphatic systems) are among the most frequent sites in dogs and cats, man''s closest animal associates.     

Social competition among gynes in halictine bees: The influence of bee size and pheromones on behavior

Solitary gynes of two species of social bees, Lasioglossum (Evylaeus) malachurumand L. (E.) pauxillum(Hymenoptera: Halictidae), were observed in the field and in the laboratory during the solitary (spring) phase of their life cycles. Fighting over nests among gynes of the former species is common when nests are being provisioned and can result in serious injury or even death to one or both interactants. The payoff is occasional acquisition of a nest. In contrast, fighting was never observed in the field among gynes of L. pauxillum.Several factors determine the outcome of such fights in L. malachuram,these include relative sizes of the two opponents as well as nest ownership. Dyadic interactions in the laboratory reveal that size influences the behavioral strategies of the gynes of both species, with the larger of two individuals in a dyadic interaction being on average more aggressive. Furthermore, in a second experimental series with L. malachurum,application to the smaller gyne of synthetically derived macrocyclic lactones found in the species' Dufour's gland pheromone mixture significantly decreased the aggressive tendencies of the larger such that its behavior was no longer significantly different from that for the smaller gyne. Therefore, among gynes, aggressive pheromonal signaling, coupled with other possible signal modalities, is probably an integral part in the communication system.     

Specificity, stability, and potency of monocyclic beta-lactam inhibitors of human leucocyte elastase.

Stable, potent, highly specific, time-dependent monocyclic beta-lactam inhibitors of human leucocyte elastase (HLE) are described. The heavily substituted beta-lactams are stable under physiological conditions including in the presence of enzymes of the digestive tract. The beta-lactams were unstable in base. At pH 11.3 and 37 degrees C they were hydrolyzed with half-lives of 1.5-2 h. Hydrolysis produced characteristic products including the substituent originally at C-4 of the lactam ring, a substituted urea, and products resulting from decarboxylation of the acid after ring opening. The most potent beta-lactam displayed only 2-fold less activity versus HLE than alpha 1PI, the natural proteinaceous inhibitor. The compounds were more potent against the human and primate PMN elastases than versus either the dog or rat enzymes. Differences in the structure-activity relationships of the human versus the rat enzymes suggest significant differences between these two functionally similar enzymes. The specificity of these compounds toward HLE versus porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) is consistent with the differences in substrate specificity reported for these enzymes [Zimmerman & Ashe (1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 480, 241-245]. These differences suggest that the alkyl substitutions at C-3 of the lactam ring bind in the S1 specificity pocket of these enzymes. The dependence of the stereochemistry at C-4 suggests additional differences between HLE and PPE. Most of the compounds do not inhibit other esterases or human proteases. Weak, time-dependent inhibition of human cathepsin G and alpha-chymotrypsin by one compound suggested a binding mode to these enzymes that places the N-1 substitution in the S1 pocket.     

Storage and remobilisation of sulphur in beech trees (Fagus sylvatica)

Three-year-old beech trees were fed ³⁵S-sulphate in August 1993 via a flap in a mature leaf of an upper branch. Harvest of beech trees was performed 24 h after feeding ³⁵S-sulphate, before leaf senescence, after leaf abscission, in early winter (January 1994). in late winter (March 1994). before bud break and after bud break. Twenty-four h after feeding ³⁵S-sulphate, 0.7 ± 0.5% of the ³⁵S-radioactivity taken up was exported out of the fed leaf. When trees were analysed 2 months later, i.e., before leaf senescence, this value had increased to 22 ± 7%. The exported ³⁵S-radioactivity was located in the branch containing the fed leaf (2.8 ± 13%). in basipetal parts of the trunk (41 ± 77%) and in the main rool (21 ± 6%). Leaves and apical parts of the trunk were no sink organs for the exported sulphur. Along the tree axis the main proportion of the radiolabel was located in the wood, predominantly in the acid soluble fraction. In the bark the greater portion of the radiolabel was found in the acid insoluble fraction. In both tissues the bulk of the ³⁵S of the soluble fraction was sulphate together with small amounts of glutathione. This pattern did not change until bud break. After bud break, basipetal parts of the trunk lost part of its ³⁵S-radioactivity. Of the ³⁵S-radioactivity which had been exported out of the fed leaf during the previous autumn, 16 ± 2% remained in the trunk, whereas 47 ± 7% of the ³⁵S was found in branches, mainly in the newly developed leaves. The present results show that sulphur, mainly in the form of sulphate, is stored along the tree axis in both bark and wood of beech trees and is re-mobilised during leaf development in spring.