INHIBITORY EFFECT OF GROWTH RETARDANTS ON THE INDUCTION OF FLOWERING IN WINTER WHEAT

1. Growth retardants, CCC, Amo-1618, Phosfon-D and B-995, appliedduring seed vernalization inhibited the ear development of winterwheat. CCC applied during green plant vernalization inhibitedflowering,but it had no appreciable effect on the final stemlength. Theinhibition by CCC was reversed by foliar applicationof gibberellin.On the other hand, CCC applied after the vernalizationperiodaffected the final stem length but not flowering.
2. Theamount of endogenous gibberellin-like substance(s) was greaterin the vernalized plant than in the non-vernalized plant. Nogibberellin-like substance was detected in the CCC-treated plant.
3. Endogenous gibberellin-like substance(s), whose biosynthesisis inhibited by some growth retardants, may play a part in thevernalization process in winter wheat.

¹Present address: National Institute of Agricultural Sciences,Nishigahara, Kitaku, Tokyo     

Micromere Differentiation in the Sea Urchin Embryo: Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoretic Analysis of Newly Synthesized Proteins

A method for large-scale culture of isolated blastomeres of sea urchin embryos in spinner flasks was developed. Micromeres and meso-, macromeres isolated from sea urchin embryos at the 16-cell stage were cultured by this method and the patterns of protein synthesis by their descendants were examined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of [³⁵S] methionine-labeled proteins. Six distinct proteins with molecular weights of 140–kDa, 105–kDa, 43–kDa, 32–kDa, and 28–kDa (two components) were specifically synthesized by differentiating micromeres. Quantitative analysis of the two-dimensional gel patterns demonstrated that all these proteins, except the 32–kDa protein, appeared at the time of ingression of primary mesenchyme cells (PMC's) in vivo , several hours earlier than the onset of spicule formation. The synthesis of 32–kDa protein was paralleled to active spicule formation and the uptake of Ca²⁺. Cell-free translation products directed by poly (A)⁺ RNAs isolated from descendant cells of micromeres and meso-, macromeres were compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Several spots specific to the micromere lineage were detected. However, none of them comigrated with the proteins synthesized specifically by the cultured micromeres. The results suggest that the expression of these proteins specific to differentiating micromeres may involve post-translational modification.     

GENERAL PATTERN, 35SO4-INCORPORATION AND INTRACELLULAR LOCALIZATION OF GLYCANS IN DEVELOPING SEA URCHIN (ANTHOCIDARIS) EMBRYOS

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) prepared from sea urchin embryos ( Anthocidaris crassispina ) at various stages with or without pulse ³⁵SO₄-labelling was separated into various fractions by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose with a linear NaCl concentration gradient: fraction "P" (nonacidic) and fractions "A" through "F" (of increasing acidities). The ³⁵SO₄-radioactivity was negligible in "P" and "A", largest in "B" and "C", and decreased in the other fractions three alphabetical order. During development (hatched blastulae to gastrulae) the glycans in fractions "P" and "A" decreased in amount, whereas those in "E" and "F" increased. "E" contained heparin-like (AMPS-1) and dermatanpolysulfate-like (AMPS-2) GAG in addition to a sulfated fucogalactan-like (E₁) glycan. Another sulfated fucogalactan-like (F₁) glycan was found in "F". A sulfated polysialic acid-like (S₁) glycan was found in "C". An EDTA-extract of gastrulae gave AMPS-2, E₁ and F₁. The mitochondria-rich fraction gave AMPS-1, whereas the yolk granule-rich fraction gave S₁. Most of the other still unidentified components in "B", "C", and "D" appeared to be derived from glycoproteins and were mainly located in the crude yolk-mitochondrial and cytosol fractions.     

SYNCHRONOUS MASS-CULTURE OF CHLORELLA

A new culture apparatus was constructed to obtain large quantitiesof synchronized cells of Chlorella ellipsoidea. Two flat culturechambers made of lucid acrylate resin (each 20 liters in capacity)were placed in a water thermostat together with a bank of 17daylight fluorescent lamps, and the culture was run by the methodstarting from a homogeneous population of D_s-cells accordingto TAMIYA et al. It was demonstrated that with this apparatusone can obtain as much as 200–400 mg (dry weight) eachof algal material at 8 or 9 different stages in one cell cycle.Completely synchronized cell cycles could be repeated as manyas 10 times in one series of experiment, indicating that theapparatus can produce 2–4g (dry weight) each of algalcells of different developmental stages. (Received April 2, 1964; )     

A systematic revision of Potentilla lineata and allied species (Rosaceae) in the Himalaya and adjacent regions

IKEDA, H. & OHBA, H., 1993. A systematic revision of Potentilla lineata and allied species (Rosaceae) in the Himalaya and adjacent regions . Potentilla lineata and allied species (Rosaceae) in the Himalaya and adjacent regions are revised. Potentilla festiva Soják, P. josephiana H. Ikeda & H. Ohba, P. lineata Trev., P. fallens Card, and P. polyphylla Wall, ex Lehm. are recognized. Potentilla josephiana is a new name for P.fulgens Wall, ex Hook. var. intermedia Hook. f. Four varieties are recognized in P. polyphylla: var. polyphylla; var. himalaka H. Ikeda & H. Ohba, var. nov.; var. interrupta (Yü & Li) H. Ikeda & H. Ohba, stat. & comb, nov.; and var. barbata Lehm. A polyploid series is found in this group. Four putative hybrids between the species are also recognized.     

The Effect of Benzyladenine on Changes in Nuclease and Protease Activities in Intact Bean Leaves during Ageing

Primary leaves of intact bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were treated with benzyladenine (BA) at different stages during growth. Changes in DNase, RNase, and proteas activities in the leaves were followed. Unlike the case of various excised tissues, cytokinin raised the activities of these hydrolases in intact bean leaves. Because BA elevated the levels of DNA, RNA, and protein in intact leaves, it may stimulate both synthesis and decomposition of these cellular constituents. The hydrolase activities showed differential responses to BA according to the age at which the leaf received the hormone treatment.     

INSTABILITY OF MESSENGER AND RIBOSOMAL RNA IN A GLUE-PROTEIN MUTANT OF Bombyx mori

The mucous glands of Bombyx pupae secrete glue proteins which attach deposited eggs to the mounting sheet. A mutant of a dominant gene, named no glue (Ng) , produces nonadhesive eggs which have a low capacity for glue-protein synthesis. In the present study it was shown that the mucous glands of Ng silkworms showed rapid degradation of mRNA as well as rRNA during development; this may cause the low capacity for glue-protein synthesis in the mutant organ. In contrast, the mucous glands of normal silkworms showed a significant increase in content of RNA's until the maximum rate of glue-protein synthesis was achieved. The degradation of RNA in the Ng mucous gland was inhibited by actinomycin D injected into the body fluid. Thus it is supposed that the Ng gene codes for a presumptive controller RNA, which would be the mediator of RNA instability in the mucous glands of Ng pupae.     

Self or Non--self Recognition in Compound Ascidians

SYNOPSIS. Certain species of compound ascidians have an abilityto distinguish self colonies from non—self colonies withinthe same species. This ability, called colony specificity, ismanifested by the fusibility between colonies. The fusibilityamong colonies of Japanese Botryllus is genetically controlledby a series of multiple alleles at a single locus. The fusibilityis determined by a factor(s) in blood, so that the fusibilitycan be altered by the exchange of blood. It is suggested thatrejection, called "nonfusion" reaction, may occur from the interactionbetween blood cells and blood humoral factor(s).