The abundance of an invasive freshwater snail Tarebia granifera (Lamarck, 1822) in the Nseleni River,South Africa

The invasive freshwater snail Tarebia granifera (Lamarck, 1822) was first reported in South Africa in 1999 and it has become widespread across the country, with some evidence to suggest that it reduces benthic macroinvertebrate biodiversity. The current study aimed to identify the primary abiotic drivers behind abundance patterns of T. granifera, by comparing the current abundance of the snail in three different regions, and at three depths, of the highly modified Nseleni River in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Tarebia granifera was well established throughout the Nseleni River system, with an overall preference for shallow waters and seasonal temporal patterns of abundance. Although it is uncertain what the ecological impacts of the snail in this system are, its high abundances suggest that it should be controlled where possible and prevented from invading other systems in the region.     

Influence of added limestone and fertilizers upon the micro-nutrient content of forage tissue and soil

Summary Five rates of limestone and 4 rates of fertilizers were used in a split-plot design to study their effects under field conditions on Mo, Cu, B, Mn, and Zn levels in mixed forage tissue and soil, and on the forage yield. An increase in soil pH resulted in an increase in Mo and Cu content of plant tissue while B, Mn, and Zn decreased. The micro-nutrient content of the tissue increased as the harvesting season progressed. Increasing rates of applied fertilizer did not affect the micro-nutrient content of the forage tissue or soil. Liming to a pH of 5.6 and above reduced the availability of Mn and Zn in the soil. In general, the available B was low at pH values greater than 6.1. Lime did not affect the quantities of Mo and Cu in the soil. Manganese is supplied in large quantities by limestone and is not apt to be deficient in limed soil. However, addition of B and Zn may be required on the high pH soils of Eastern Canada in future. Molybdenum was adequate where the soil was limed to a pH of 6.1 or greater. The dry-matter yield of forage increased significantly with successive increases in lime up to pH 6.6 and with each increment of fertilization. Contribution No.226, Research Branch, Research Station, P.O. Box 1210, Charlottetown, P.E.I. and No.166, Experimental Farm, Nappan, N.S.     

Some glucosinolates of Farsetia aegyptia and Farsetia ramosissima

Air-dried leaves of Farsetia aegyptia and F. ramosissima have been analysed for their glucosinolates; the former was shown to contain at least six but chiefly allylglucosinolate, whilst the latter contains at least five but mainly but-3-enylglucosinolate with some 4-(methylthio)butylglucosinolate. Without the addition of extraneous thioglucosidase enzyme, both species gave predominantly nitrile degradation products of glucosinolates; but if extra enzyme were added, corresponding isothiocyanates became the major products instead. Varying the pH from the natural level for the plant also considerably affected the ratios of glucosinolate products.     

The coenzyme A-synthesizing protein complex and its proposed role in CoA biosynthesis in baker's yeast

An improved procedure is described for the recovery and purification of the coenzyme A-synthesizing protein complex (CoA-SPC) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (bakers' yeast). The molecular mass of the CoA-SPC, determined prior to and following its purification, is estimated by Sephacryl S-300 size exclusion chromatography to be between 375 000–400 000. Two previously unreported catalytic activities attributed to CoA-SPC have been identified. One of these is CoA-hydrolase activity which catalyzes the hydrolysis of CoA to form 3′,5′-ADP and 4′-phosphopantetheine, and the other is dephospho-CoA-pyrophosphorylase activity which catalyzesa reaction between 4′-phosphopantetheine and ATP to form dephospho-CoA. The dephospho-CoA then reacts with ATP, catalyzed by the dephospho-CoA-kinase. to reform CoA. This sequence of reactions, referred to as the CoA/4′-phosphopantethiene cycle, provides a mechanism by which the 4′-phosphopantetheine can be recycled to form CoA. Each turn of the cycle utilizes two mol of ATP and produces one mol of ADP, one mol of PPi, and one mol of 3′,5′-ADP. Other than the hydrolysis of CoA by CoA-SPC, the 4′-phosphopantetheine for the cycle apparently could be supplied by alternate sources. One alternate source may be the conventional pathway of CoA biosynthesis. Intact CoA-SPC has been separated into two segments. One segment is designated apo-CoA-SPC and the other segment is referred to as the 10 000–15 000 M_r subunit. The 5′-ADP-4′-pantothenic acid-synthetase, 5′-ADP-4′-pantothenylcysteine-synthetase, 5′-ADP-4′-pantothenylcysteine-decarboxylase, and CoA-hydrolase activities reside in the apo-CoA-SPC segment of CoA-SPC. Whereas the dephospho-CoA-kinase and the dephospho-CoA-pyrophosphorylase activities reside in the 10 000–15 000 M_r subunit. Thus, the 10 000–15 000 M_r subunit mimics the bifunctional enzyme complex that catalyzes the final two steps in the conventional pathway of CoA biosynthesis.     

Effects of aluminum,manganese, and lime on toxicity symptoms,nutrient composition,and yield of barley grown on a podzol soil

Summary Aluminum toxicity resulted in abnormal root development with many short thick roots and was found at pH 4.3 with or without added Al. The toxicity of Mn was found with no added Mn, and with 50 and 100 ppm added Mn at pH values ranging from 4.0 to 4.7 and appeared as dark spots on the leaves. At pH values ranging from 5.8 to 6.0, no toxicity symptoms were recorded in the absence of added Mn. Al was more detrimental to seedling development than was Mn.No kernels developed at 25 and 50 ppm added Al at pH4.1. Such toxicity was associated with Al contents of 9.6 to 28.5 g/ml of saturated extract of soil. The highest kernel yields were recorded at pH 5.8 to 6.0 and were associated with 116 to 296 ppm Mn in tissue and of less than 0.1 g/ml of Al in the saturated extract. Increased rates of Mn and Al resulted in increased concentrations of Ca, Mg, and K in the saturated extract of soil. The results indicated that Al toxicity can be eliminated by liming to soil pH values of greater than 5.5; however, Mn toxicity may occur at pH values as high as 5.8 in the presence of large quantities of Mn.Contribution no. 274, Research Branch, Research Station, P. O. Box 1210, Charlottetown, P. E. I.