Inactivation of Baceriophage T3 in Aerosols: Effect of Prehumidification on Survival After Spraying from Solutions of Salt, Peptone, and Saliva

Coliphage T₃ was inactivated by a factor of 10³ to 10⁴ within 30 min after spraying from solutions of NaCl. Addition of peptone to the spray medium protected against inactivation at high relative humidity (RH), presumably by preventing surface inactivation. Prehumidification of the sample before collection had no effect on recovery if sprayed from solutions of NaCl, with or without peptone. If only peptone was present in the spray medium, prehumidification of the aerosol sample increased the recovery by a factor of 1,000 at low RH and by a factor of 5 at high RH. In aerosols sprayed from saliva, inactivation was nearly equal to that in peptone, with an increase of recovery after prehumidification by a factor of 1,000.     

Endonuclease activity in nuclei of Physarum polycephalum. Partial purification and characterization.

An endonuclease, present in the microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum, has been partially purified from isolated nuclei by DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-75 chromatography. 1. The endonuclease produced single-strand scissions in double-stranded DNA which resulted in the generation of 5'-phosphoryl and 3'-hydroxyl termini. No activity was observed with single-stranded DNA as substrate. 2. The pH optimum was approximately 8.5. 3. Divalent cations were essential for enzyme activity. MnCl2 and MgCl2 gave maximal activity. CaCl2, ZnCl2 or CoCl2 did not activate the enzyme. 4. The endonuclease activity was highly sensitive to monovalent cations. 5. Endonuclease activity was found in two forms after gel filtration: an activity in a homogeneous peak with a molecular weight of approx. 20 000, and an activity that had a heterogeneous molecular weight and which was isolated in a complex with DNA. A possible function of the endonuclease in DNA replication is discussed.     

Evolutionary engineering of mixed-sugar utilization by a xylose-fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain

We have recently reported about a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain that, in addition to the Piromyces XylA xylose isomerase gene, overexpresses the native genes for the conversion of xylulose to glycolytic intermediates. This engineered strain (RWB 217) exhibited unprecedentedly high specific growth rates and ethanol production rates under anaerobic conditions with xylose as the sole carbon source. However, when RWB 217 was grown on glucose-xylose mixtures, a diauxic growth pattern was observed with a relatively slow consumption of xylose in the second growth phase. After prolonged cultivation in an anaerobic, xylose-limited chemostat, a culture with improved xylose uptake kinetics was obtained. This culture also exhibited improved xylose consumption in glucose-xylose mixtures. A further improvement in mixed-sugar utilization was obtained by prolonged anaerobic cultivation in automated sequencing-batch reactors on glucose-xylose mixtures. A final single-strain isolate (RWB 218) rapidly consumed glucose-xylose mixtures anaerobically, in synthetic medium, with a specific rate of xylose consumption exceeding 0.9 gg(-1)h(-1). When the kinetics of zero trans-influx of glucose and xylose of RWB 218 were compared to that of the initial strain, a twofold higher capacity (V(max)) as well as an improved K(m) for xylose was apparent in the selected strain. It is concluded that the kinetics of xylose fermentation are no longer a bottleneck in the industrial production of bioethanol with yeast.     

An ITS phylogeny of Leccinum and an analysis of the evolution of minisatellite-like sequences within ITS1

Phylogenetic relationships of the European species of Leccinum (Boletales, Boletaceae) were investigated by maximum parsimony, Bayesian and likelihood analyses of nrITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 28S sequences. The separate gene trees inferred were largely concordant, and their combined analysis indicates that several traditional sectional and species-level taxonomic schemes are artificial. In Leccinum, the nrITS region ranges in size from 694 to 1480 bp. This extreme length heterogeneity is localized to a part of the ITS1 spacer that contains a minisatellite characterized by the repeated presence of CTATTGAAAAG and CTAATAGAAAG core sequences and mutational derivatives thereof. The number of core sequences present in the minisatellite varied from 12 to 36. Intra-individual sequence variation of the minisatellite was always smaller than between different species, indicating that concerted evolution proceeds rapidly enough to retain phylogenetic signal at the infraspecific level. In contrast, the evolutionary pattern exhibited by the major ITS1 repeat types found was homoplastic when mapped onto the species lineages inferred from the combined 5.8S-ITS2 sequences. The minisatellite therefore appears not to be useful for phylogeny reconstruction at or above the species level.     

Trait‐dependent distributional shifts in fruiting of common British fungi

Despite the dramatic phenological responses of fungal fruiting to recent climate warming, it is unknown whether spatial distributions of fungi have changed and to what extent such changes are influenced by fungal traits, such as ectomycorrhizal (ECM) or saprotrophic lifestyles, spore characteristics, or fruit body size. Our overall aim was to understand how climate and fungal traits determine whether and how species‐specific fungal fruit body abundances have shifted across latitudes over time, using the UK national database of fruiting records. The data employed were recorded over 45 yr (1970–2014), and include 853 278 records of Agaricales, Boletales and Russulales, though we focus only on the most common species (with more than 3000 records each). The georeferenced observations were analysed by a Bayesian inference as a Gaussian additive model with a specification following a joint species distribution model. We used an offset, random contributions and fixed effects to isolate different potential biases from the trait‐specific interactions with latitude/climate and time. Our main aim was assessed by examination of the three‐way‐interaction of trait, predictor (latitude or climate) and time. The results show a strong trait‐specific shift in latitudinal abundance through time, as ECM species have become more abundant relative to saprotrophic species in the north. Along precipitation gradients, phenology was important, in that species with shorter fruiting seasons have declined markedly in abundance in oceanic regions, whereas species with longer seasons have become relatively more common overall. These changes in fruit body distributions are correlated with temperature and rainfall, which act directly on both saprotrophic and ECM fungi, and also indirectly on ECM fungi, through altered photosynthate allocation from their hosts. If these distributional changes reflect fungal activity, there will be important consequences for the responses of forest ecosystems to changing climate, through effects on primary production and nutrient cycling.     

Mycorrhizal responses to biochar in soil – concepts and mechanisms

Experiments suggest that biomass-derived black carbon (biochar) affects microbial populations and soil biogeochemistry. Both biochar and mycorrhizal associations, ubiquitous symbioses in terrestrial ecosystems, are potentially important in various ecosystem services provided by soils, contributing to sustainable plant production, ecosystem restoration, and soil carbon sequestration and hence mitigation of global climate change. As both biochar and mycorrhizal associations are subject to management, understanding and exploiting interactions between them could be advantageous. Here we focus on biochar effects on mycorrhizal associations. After reviewing the experimental evidence for such effects, we critically examine hypotheses pertaining to four mechanisms by which biochar could influence mycorrhizal abundance and/or functioning. These mechanisms are (in decreasing order of currently available evidence supporting them): (a) alteration of soil physico-chemical properties; (b) indirect effects on mycorrhizae through effects on other soil microbes; (c) plant–fungus signaling interference and detoxification of allelochemicals on biochar; and (d) provision of refugia from fungal grazers. We provide a roadmap for research aimed at testing these mechanistic hypotheses.     

Plant species identity surpasses species richness as a key driver of N2O emissions from grassland

Grassland ecosystems worldwide not only provide many important ecosystem services but they also function as a major source of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O), especially in response to nitrogen deposition by grazing animals. To explore the role of plants as mediators of these emissions, we tested whether and how N₂O emissions are dependent on grass species richness and/or specific grass species composition in the absence and presence of urine deposition. We hypothesized that: (i) N₂O emissions relate negatively to plant productivity; (ii) four‐species mixtures have lower emissions than monocultures (as they are expected to be more productive); (iii) emissions are lowest in combinations of species with diverging root morphology and high root biomass; and (iv) the identity of the key species that reduce N₂O emissions is dependent on urine deposition. We established monocultures and two‐ and four‐species mixtures of common grass species with diverging functional traits: Lolium perenne L. (Lp), Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (Fa), Phleum pratense L. (Php) and Poa trivialis L. (Pt), and quantified N₂O emissions for 42 days. We found no relation between plant species richness and N₂O emissions. However, N₂O emissions were significantly reduced in specific plant species combinations. In the absence of urine, plant communities of Fa+Php acted as a sink for N₂O, whereas the monocultures of these species constituted a N₂O source. With urine application Lp+Pt plant communities reduced (P < 0.001) N₂O emissions by 44% compared to monocultures of Lp. Reductions in N₂O emissions by species mixtures could be explained by total biomass productivity and by complementarity in root morphology. This study shows that plant species composition is a key component underlying N₂O emissions from grassland ecosystems. Selection of specific grass species combinations in the context of the expected nitrogen deposition regimes may therefore provide a key for mitigation of N₂O emissions.     

Fine‐scale spatiotemporal dynamics of fungal fruiting: prevalence,amplitude, range and continuity

Despite the critical importance of fungi as symbionts with plants, resources for animals, and drivers of ecosystem function, the spatiotemporal distributions of fungi remain poorly understood. The belowground life cycle of fungi makes it difficult to assess spatial patterns and dynamic processes even with recent molecular techniques. Here we offer an explicit spatiotemporal Bayesian inference of the drivers behind spatial distributions from investigation of a Swiss inventory of fungal fruit bodies. The unique inventory includes three temperate forest sites in which a total of 73 952 fungal fruit bodies were recorded systematically in a spatially explicit design between 1992 and 2006. Our motivation is to understand how broad‐scale climate factors may influence spatiotemporal dynamics of fungal fruiting within forests, and if any such effects vary between two functional groups, ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and saprotrophic fungi. For both groups we asked: 1) how consistent are the locations of fruiting patches, the sizes of patches, the quantities of fruit bodies, and of prevalence (occupancy)? 2) Do the annual spatial characteristics of fungal fruiting change systematically over time? 3) Are spatial characteristics of fungal fruiting driven by climatic variation? We found high inter‐annual continuity in fruiting for both functional groups. The saprotrophic species were characterised by small patches with variable fruit body counts. In contrast, ECM species were present in larger, but more distinctly delimited patches. The spatial characteristics of the fungal community were only indirectly influenced by climate. However, climate variability influenced overall yields and prevalence, which again links to spatial structure of fruit bodies. Both yield and prevalence were correlated with the amplitudes of occurrence and of fruit body counts, but only prevalence influenced the spatial range. Summarizing, climatic variability affects forest‐stand fungal distributions via its influence on yield (amount) and prevalence (occupancy), whereas fungal life‐history strategies dictate fine‐scale spatial characteristics.     

Fine-root trait plasticity of beech (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fagus sylvatica</Emphasis>) and spruce (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Picea abies</Emphasis>) forests on two contrasting soils

Aim

The fine roots of trees may show plastic responses to their resource environment. Several, contrasting hypotheses exist on this plasticity, but empirical evidence for these hypotheses is scattered. This study aims to enhance our understanding of tree root plasticity by examining intra-specific variation in fine-root mass and morphology, fine-root growth and decomposition, and associated mycorrhizal interactions in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) forests on soils that differ in resource availability.

Methods

We measured the mass and morphological traits of fine roots (i.e. ≤ 2 mm diameter) sampled to 50 cm depth. Fine-root growth was measured with ingrowth cores, and fine-root decomposition with litter bags. Mycorrhizal fungal biomass was determined using ingrowth mesh bags.

Results

Both tree species showed more than three times higher fine-root mass, and a ten-fold higher fine-root growth rate on sand than on clay, but no or marginal differences in overall fine-root morphology. Within the fine-root category however, beech stands had relatively more root length of their finest roots on clay than on sand. In the spruce stands, ectomycorrhizal mycelium biomass was larger on sand than on clay.

Conclusions

In temperate beech and spruce forests, fine-root mass and mycorrhizal fungal biomass, rather than fine-root morphology, are changed to ensure uptake under different soil resource conditions. Yet enhancing our mechanistic understanding of fine-root trait plasticity and how it affects tree growth requires more attention to fine-root dynamics, the functional diversity within the fine-roots, and mycorrhizal symbiosis as an important belowground uptake strategy.