Differential staining of plant chromosomes with Giemsa

Simple Giemsa staining techniques for revealing banding patterns in somatic chromosomes of plants are described. The value of the methods in the recognition of heterochromatin was demonstrated using five monocotyledonous and two dicotyledonous species. In Trillium grandiflorum the stronger Giemsa stained chromosome segments were shown to be identical with the heterochromatic regions (H-segments) revealed by cold treatment. Preferential staining of H-segments was also observed in chromosomes from three species of Fritillaria and in Scilla sibirica. Under suitable conditions the chromosomes of Vicia faba displayed a characteristic banding pattern and the bands were identified as heterochromatin. The Giemsa techniques proved to be more sensitive than Quinacrine fluorescence in revealing a longitudinal differentiation of the chromosomes of Crepis capillaris, where plants with and without B-chromosomes were examined. Again all chromosome types had their characteristic bands but there was no difference in Giemsa staining properties between the B-chromosomes and those of the standard complement.     

Die Spermiohistogenese des Süßwasser-Ostracoden Notodromas monacha O. F. Müller

Zusammenfassung Bei Notodromas monacha (Ostracoda) wird die Entwicklung der Spermatiden von der Spindelbis zur Schlauchform mit Phasenkontrast und elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Am Kern der spindelförmigen Spermatiden sind an zwei gegenüberliegenden Seiten jeweils zwei Ausstülpungen der Membran zu beobachten. Aus ihnen werden offenbar unter Beteiligung von Vesikeln des endoplasmatischen Reticulum zwei Flügelstrukturen aufgebaut. Jede Flügelstruktur besteht aus zwei Lamellen, die mit tubulären Elementen besetzt sind. An den schlauchförmigen Spermatiden läßt sich ein dicker Körper und ein dünner Faden unterscheiden. Kern, Nebenkern-Derivate und Flügelstrukturen durchziehen den Körper der Länge nach. Der Faden enthält nur noch den Kern und die Ausläufer der Flügelstrukturen. Im Bereich des freien Körperendes liegt im Kern ein als Chromatin gedeuteter Kolben. Diesem folgt in Richtung zum Fadenende ein dichter Achsenstab, der von einer Doppelmembran umhüllt ist. Im dorso-lateralen Kernraum finden sich elektronendichte Brocken unbekannter Bedeutung. Nach Beendigung des Aufbaues der Flügelstrukturen wird das endoplasmatische Reticulum samt Mikrotubuli weitgehend abgebaut. Gleichzeitig verschwindet die den Achsenstab umhüllende Doppelmembran. Die Flügelstrukturen werden als das für die Motilität der Spermien verantwortliche Organell gedeutet.

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The spermiogenesis of the fresh-water ostracod Notodromas monacha O. F. Müller

Summary The transformation of spindle-like spermatids into tubular forms in Notodromas monacha (Ostracoda) has been studied by means of phase contrast and electron microscopy. At each of two opposite sides of the nucleus of spindle-like spermatids, two extensions of the nuclear membrane arise. These extensions form two Flügelstrukturen (wing-like structures) obviously by participation of vesicles of the endoplasmic reticulum. Each Flügelstruktur consists of two lamellae, each bearing numerous tubules. The tube-like spermatids consist of a large body and a small thread. The nucleus, the Nebenkern-derivatives and the Flügelstrukturen extend through the whole body. Within the thread only the nucleus and the outermost parts of the Flügelstrukturen are found. A columnar body, supposed to be chromatin, is located within that part of the nucleus which is situated in the free end of the body. A dense axial rod extends between the columnar body and the free end of the thread. The dorso-lateral sphere of the nucleus contains electron dense particles of unknown function. As soon as the construction of the Flügelstrukturen is finished, the endoplasmic reticulum and the microtubules are reduced. Simultaneously the double-membrane surrounding the axial rod disappears. The Flügelstrukturen are interpreted as organelles responsible for the motility of the sperm.

     

Bellevalia ciliata (Cyr.) Nees (Hyacinthaceae) neu für Bulgarien

(Bellevalia ciliata was recorded in north-east Bulgaria south of the Dobrudsha, within field and steppe vegetation. Vegetation records and a distribution map are presented. Based on taxonomic studies it is proposed to combineB. ciliata, B. sarmatica (Pall.) Wor. andB. speciosa Wor. under the oldest nameB. ciliata (Cyr.) Nees.     

Prey selection of the shallow water fishPomatoschistus minutus (Gobiidae,Teleostei) in the SW Baltic

The aim of this investigation is to demonstrate the reasons of an opportunist feeder to select some components of the available food supply and to avoid others. Object of this test is the eurytopic and euryhaline sand goby,Pomatoschistus minutus (Pallas), from the Luebeck Bight. It inhabits both sand habitats as well as bottoms mixed with pebbles or continuous hard substrates. Therefore, it is often in close contact withMytilus-belts which present a very rich food supply of small crustaceans. The selectivity behaviour of sand gobies from a sand/clay ecotone was compared with that of populations from a stony pier and a sand bottom during the reproduction period. Regarding the numbers of prey organisms, crustaceans of the periphyton were generally preferred at the pier but avoided in the ecotone. The same is valid for prey organisms of the psammal which were preferred by gobies of the sand bottom but mostly avoided by populations of mixed bottoms. Analyses of size selections revealed that the preferred gammarids orJaera isopods were between 2 and 5 mm length. A balanced relation of goby biomass and utilizable food supply (predatory impact index) seems to effect positive selectivity of gammarids in theMytilus-belts or of harpacticoids in the sand bottom.     

Approximate digestibility of fibre for a graminivorous caterpillar

Final instar Persectania ewingii (Westwood) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were fed seedling Triticum aestivum L. for 2 days to determine the approximate digestibility of the cell wall and cell content fractions. Cell wall content was estimated using a micro-analytical neutral detergent fibre technique. Approximate digestibilites of neutral detergent fibre, neutral detergent solubles and dry matter were calculated for individuals and pooled samples. P. ewingii larvae digested a small but significant proportion of the fibre ingested (13–21%), higher than that previously reported for herbivorous insects. The micro-analytical and previously used macro-analytical techniques produced similar estimates of digestibility although both techniques have inherent shortcomings, the latter requiring the pooling of samplex and the former limiting the number of replicates during chemical analysis. Differences in the amount of larval frass collected during the feeding trial (corrected for consumption) explained much of the variation in digestibility values, while there were no effects of larval mass, overall consumption and total frass produced on digestibility estimates. These results confirm that plant cell contents are the major source of nutrients to larval Lepidoptera although there is some chemical disruption of the plant cell wall.     

Purification and partial characterization of a glutamyl-tRNA synthetase from the unicellular green algaScenedesmus obliquus,mutant C-2A′

The synthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid commences with the ligation of glutamate to a specific tRNA^Glu by a glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (E.C. 6.1.1.17) (Huang et al., 1984, Science 225, 1482–1484). The synthetase from the yellow pigment mutant C-2A of the unicellular green alga Scenedesmus obliquus was purified by sequential column chromatography on Sephacryl S-300, Blue Sepharose, phosphocellulose P11 and by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) on Mono Q. After denaturing sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)-gel electrophoresis the purified enzyme preparation revealed a single protein band with a molecular mass of 55 kDa, proving the apparent homogeneity of the glutamyl-tRNA synthetase. A molecular mass of 105 ± 10 kDa was determined for the native protein by chromatography on Sephadex G-150. From these data it can be concluded that the glutamyl-tRNA synthetase from S. obliquus is a homodimer. The purified protein is active within a pH range from 7.0 to 9.0 with a maximum activity at pH 8.0. Kinetics for the binding of glutamate to the tRNA, performed with highly purified enzyme preparations, showed a K _m value of 2.3 M ± 0.3 for glutamate.Abbreviations ALA 5-aminolevulinic acid - FPLC fast protein liquid chromatography - Glu glutamate - Hepes N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulfonic acid - SDS sodium dodecylsulfate - Tricine N-[2-hydroxy-1,1-bis(hydroxymethyl)ethyl]-glycine This work was supported by a grant of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. U.C. Vothknecht is grateful for a Nachwuchs-förderungsstipendium des Landes Hessen. The authors want to thank Ms. B. Böhm, J. Gade and K. Eckhardt for skillful technical assistance. The authors also want to thank Dr. C.G. Kannangara (Carlsberg Institute, Kopenhagen, Denmark) for the donation of tRNA from barley and Dr. D. Jahn (FB Biology/Microbiology, Philipps-University, Marburg, FRG) for the tRNA^Glufrom E. coli.