COMPARATIVE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF CULTURED SPECIES OF TREBOUXIA1,2

Five species of cultured Trebouxia—T. anticipata, T. decolorans, T. erici, T. gelatinosa, and T. impressa—were examined with the electron microscope. A comparative examination of their pyrenoids revealed pyrenoglobuli associated with single pyrenoid thylakoids. The pyrenoids of T. decolorans, T. erici, and T. gelatinosa possess single thylakoids that cross or deeply penetrate the pyrenoid matrix and are often disposed in parallel arrays. T. anticipata possesses both single and double pyrenoid thylakoids within the matrix. T. impressa possesses vesiculate invaginations of thylakoid membranes into the pyrenoid matrix. The phycobiont. T. erici was examined in detail at the light and electron microscopic levels for pyrenoid alterations associated, with varied environmental regimes and with cell division. A greater amount of starch is present in cells grown in organic culture at 215 lux light intensity than in cells of similar size grown at 1075 or 3600 lux. Pyrenoglobuli are present throughout the life cycle and occur both in aplanospores and in zoospores.     

Ultrasonic absorption studies of poly-benzyl-L-aspartate in mixed solvents, in relation to the helix-cell transition

Ultrasonic absorption measurements were carried out on solutions of polybenzyl-L -aspartate (PBLA) in chloroform–dichloroacetic acid (DCA) and in 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE)–DCA, in the range 3.9–155 MHZ . The helix–coil transition of PBLA produces an increase of absorption which is larger in CHCl₃–DCA than in DCE–DCA solutions. The influence of the solvent on the excess ultrasonic absorption suggests that solvation processes may be involved in these changes of absorption. The plots of the absorption vs. the volume fraction of DCA do not show any absorption maximum. This indicates that the ultrasonic absorption is not sensitive to the helix–coil equilibrium of PBLA in the frequency range investigated. A maximum value of 10⁹ S ^?1 has been obtained for the rate constant of growth of a helix region.     

Leaf water balance during oscillation of stomatal aperture

Continuous transpiration and β-guage measurements were made on cotton plants, the stomatal apertures of which had been induced to oscillate, thus allowing a water balance to be made, and leaf potential to be measured as functions of time.     

The action of plant growth retardants on terpenoid biosynthesis

Summary The plant growth retardants (2-chloroethyl)-trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) and 2-isopropyl-4-(trimethylammoniumchloride)-5-methylphenyl-piperidine-1-carboxylate (AMO-1618) inhibit gibberellic-acid biosynthesis inFusarium moniliforme at the cyclisation of geranylgeraniol to (-)-kaurene, causing an accumulation of geranylgeraniol. The two inhibitors have no effect on the biosynthesis of ergosterol inF. moniliforme or sitosterol in barley seedlings.     

Über die Gefässe,die Faszikel und das Bindegewebe der Nerven während des Wachstums

Zusammenfassung Die Gefäße sprossen während zweier Wachstumsphasen in den Nerv ein: bei 11 cm langen Feten liegen 125 Gefäße innerhalb des N. tibialis (R. poplitea), auch bei 23 cm langen Feten finden sich etwa gleichviel Haargefäße im Endoneuralraum. Bei 39 cm langen Feten hat sich die Kapillarzahl etwa verdreifacht. Die Kapillarzahl pro Quadratmillimeter Endoneuralraum ist tabellarisch zusammengefaßt, die kritische Schichtdicke für einzelne Altersstufen errechnet worden.Bereits beim 11 cm langen Feten sind innerhalb des Nerven zarte Septen zu erkennen, aus denen sich bei 16 cm langen das Stratum lamellare perineurii entwickelt hat. Die Zahl der Lamellen vermehrt sich während des intrauterinen Lebens bis auf fünf. Das Stratum fibrosum perineurii et epineurii entwickelt sich erst beim über 35 cm langen Feten. Als erste Bindegewebsstruktur legen sich Teile des interfaszikulären Bindegewebes in Form von dreieckigen Zwickeln um die größeren Nervengefäße. Gleichzeitig runden sich die vorher eckig begrenzten Nervenfaserbündel ab. Während des intrauterinen Wachstums verdicken sich die Faszikel stetig. Allerdings schwanken Zahl und Durchmesser der Faszikel eines Nervs erheblich (Tabelle 2).Das Nervenbindegewebe nimmt während des Wachstums kontinuierlich zu (Tabelle 3). An der Umbiegungsstelle des N. tibialis sind die Faszikel vermehrt und verkleinert. Außerdem lassen sich mehr Bindegewebsanteile am Nervenquerschnitt ermitteln (Tabelle 4).In Injektionspräparaten von Nerven alter Menschen sind endoneurale Degenerationsherde (Renautsche Körperchen) aufgefunden worden. Da innerhalb der betroffenen Faszikel die Kapillarzahl um die Anzahl der Degenerationsherde vermindert ist, wird angenommen, daß diese Gebilde untergegangen und nekrobiotisch veränderten Kapillaren entsprechen.Diese Deutung wird gestützt durch Befunde an Kapillaren in der Umgebung der Degenerationsbezirke, deren Grundhäutchen verdickt und hyalinisiert sind.Im gelähmten Nerv nimmt das Bindegewebe relativ zur schrumpfenden Nervensubstanz zu.Herrn Professor Dr. Fritz Wassermann zum 80. Geburtstag in Verehrung gewidmet.     

Nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide pyrophosphatase in the growing and aging mosquito

1. The disappearance of pyridine nucleotides during incubation with mosquito homogenates proceeds through the hydrolysis of the pyrophosphate linkage of these compounds as demonstrated by the formation of NMN and AMP from NAD(+). This reaction was also demonstrated by the loss in the coenzyme functioning property of NAD(+) (yeast alcohol dehydrogenase reaction) without a concomitant loss in reactivity towards cyanide. Transglycosidase activity was not observed in the mosquito homogenates, and low concentrations of nicotinamide did not inhibit the NAD(+) splitting activity of these homogenates. These observations are all in accord with the presence in these homogenates of a NAD(+) pyrophosphatase rather than a NADase. 2. The NAD(+) pyrophosphatase is destroyed by boiling, is not heat-activated, and has a pH optimum at pH8.75. In addition to NAD(+), other dinucleotides such as NADP(+), the 3-acetylpyridine and thionicotinamide analogues of NAD(+) and the thionicotinamide analogue of NADP(+), function as substrates in the hydrolysis catalysed by the pyrophosphatase. 3. A decrease in the specific activity of NAD(+) pyrophosphatase was observed during larval development, and a barely detectable activity was found in the pupa and adult. 4. Enzyme activity per organism increased in the larva but decreased to a very low value in the pupa and adult. These results indicate that the decrease in specific activity was due to a decrease in enzyme concentration rather than an increase in amounts of protein.