Micronucleus‐Specific Bacterium Holospora elegans Irreversibly Enhances Stress Gene Expression of the Host Paramecium caudatum

ABSTRACT. The bacterium Holospora is an endonuclear symbiont of the ciliate Paramecium. Previously, we reported that paramecia bearing the macronuclear‐specific symbiont Holospora obtusa survived better than symbiont‐free paramecia, even under high temperatures unsuitable for growth. The paramecia with symbionts expressed high levels of hsp70 mRNAs even at 25 °C, a usual growth temperature. We report herein that paramecia bearing the micronuclear‐specific symbiont Holospora elegans also acquire the heat‐shock resistance. Even after the removal of the bacteria from the hosts by treatment with penicillin, the resulting aposymbiotic paramecia nevertheless maintained their heat shock‐resistant nature for over 1 yr. Like symbiotic paramecia, these aposymbiotic paramecia also expressed high levels of both hsp60 and hsp70 mRNAs even at 25 °C. Moreover, analysis by fluorescent in situ hybridization with a probe specific for Holospora 16S rRNA revealed that the 16S rRNA of H. elegans was expressed around the nucleoli of the macronucleus in the aposymbiotic cells. This result suggests the possible transfer of Holospora genomic DNA from the micronucleus into the macronucleus in symbiotic paramecia. Perhaps this exogenous DNA could trigger the aposymbiotic paramecia to induce a stress response, inducing higher expression of Hsp60 and Hsp70, and thus conferring heat‐shock resistance.     

Spatial heterogeneity of trophic pathways in the invertebrate community of a temperate bog

Summary 1. To examine spatial heterogeneity of trophic pathways on a small scale (<5 m diameter), we conducted dual stable isotope (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) analyses of invertebrate communities and their potential food sources in three patchy habitats [sphagnum lawn (SL), vascular‐plant carpet (VC) and sphagnum carpet] within a temperate bog (Mizorogaike Pond, Kyoto, Japan). 2. In total, 19 invertebrate taxa were collected from the three habitats, most of which were stenotopic, i.e. collected from a single habitat. Amongst the habitats, significant variation was observed in the isotopic signatures of dominant plant tissues and their detrital matter [benthic particulate organic matter (BPOM)], both of which were potential organic food sources for invertebrates. Site‐specific isotopic variation amongst detritivores was found in δ¹³C but not in δ¹⁵N, reflecting site‐specificity in the isotopic signatures of basal foods. The eurytopic hydrophilid beetle Helochares striatus was found in all habitats, but showed clear site variation in its isotopic signatures, suggesting that it strongly relies on foods within its own habitat. 3. The most promising potential foods for detritivores were the dead leaf stalks of a dominant plant in the VC and BPOM in the SL and carpet. An isotopic mixing model (IsoSource version 1.3.1) estimated that aquatic predators rely on unknown trophic sources with higher δ¹³C than detritus, whereas terrestrial predators forage on allochthonous as well as autochthonous prey, suggesting that the latter predators might play key roles in coupling between habitats. 4. Our stable isotope approach revealed that immobile detritivores are confined to their small patchy habitats but that heterogeneous trophic pathways can be coupled by mobile predators, stressing the importance of habitat heterogeneity and predator coupling in characterising food webs in bog ecosystems.     

太平洋日本沿岸斑点原海豚的年龄鉴定与生长

本文利用改良的石蜡包埋切片染色技术,对太平洋日本沿岸收集到的286头斑点原海豚(Stenella attenuata)的牙齿标本进行了年龄鉴定,定义了斑点原海豚的牙齿质和牙骨质生长层组(GLGs)。从年龄和生长的角度对斑点原海豚的一些种群生物学特征进行了分析,并推算了部分种群参数。斑点原海豚在约18龄时,牙齿质停止生长,牙髓腔封闭。牙齿质中计数到的GLGs最多为18层,牙骨质中计数到的最多为42层。斑点原海豚的年龄与生长在一定范围内遵循一定的幂函数关系。5—6龄以前,斑点原海豚生长迅速,雌雄生长无明显差异。8—14龄之间,雄性的生长快于雌性。雌性约17龄时达到饱和体长191cm,雄性约22龄达到饱和体长201cm[动物学报51(3)：476-485,2005]。     

Internalization of Embryonal Carcinoma Cells when Aggregated with Normal Mouse Embryos

In the present study, we examined in detail the process of forming chimeric blastocysts between B242g embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells and normal mouse embryos. Electron microscopic observations of the developing aggregates revealed that the embryonic cells spread over the surface of the EC cells, resulting in the internalization of EC cells in the aggregates. When a single blastomere of an 8-cell embryo was aggregated with EC cells, the blastomere spread over and engulfed the EC cells. These results strongly suggest that EC cells are segregated and become situated in the inside position as the development of an aggregate proceeds, and then they are incorporated into the ICM of a blastocyst.