Free Edges in Epithelial Cell Sheets Stimulate Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling

The ability of epithelia to migrate and cover wounds is essential to maintaining their functions as physical barriers. Wounding induces many cues that may affect the transition to motility, including the immediate mechanical perturbation, release of material from broken cells, new interactions with adjacent extracellular matrix, and breakdown of physical separation of ligands from their receptors. Depending on the exact nature of wounds, some cues may be present only transiently or insignificantly. In many epithelia, activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a central event in induction of motility, and we find that its continuous activation is required for progression of healing of wounds in sheets of corneal epithelial cells. Here, we examine the hypothesis that edges, which are universally and continuously present in wounds, are a cue. Using a novel culture model we find that their presence is sufficient to cause activation of the EGFR and increased motility of cells in the absence of other cues. Edges that are bordered by agarose do not induce activation of the EGFR, indicating that activation is not due to loss of any specific type of cell–cell interaction but rather due to loss of physical constraints.     

Suppression of the rotifer Polyarthra remata by the omnivorous copepod Tropocyclops extensus: predation or competition

Indirect evidence from observations in the field suggested thata common and often abundant cyclopoid copepod, Tropocyclopsextensus, despite its small size (0.5 mm) and largely algaldiet, is an important predator of the rotifer Polyarthra remata.Laboratory experiments showed that copepodids and adults, butnot nauplii, markedly suppressed the population growth of thisrotifer. The suppression could be attributed entirely to predation,rather than to exploitative competition for shared food resourcesor to interference. Mortality rates predicted from a separatefeeding-rate experiment weresufficient to account for the declinein population size observed in the Tropocyclops treatment ofculture experiments. Also, monitoring the availability of cryptomonadfood in treatments with and without Tropocyclops throughoutthese experiments showed that cryptomonad densities always remainedhigh and were just as high or significantly higher in the copepodtreatments. Furthermore, direct videographic observations ofP. remata from cultures with and without Tropocyclops demonstratedno significant differences in swimming velocity, tendency todeviate from a straight-line path, or frequency and length ofspontaneous escape responses. Per capita ingestion rates ofT. extensus on P. remata varied from 2 to 8 day^-1, were significantlyhigher for adult females than adult males or copepodids V, andincreased significantly with rotifer density. A tendency ofcopepods to have higher ingestion rates on young than adultrotifers was not significant. Copepods cultured since birthwith cryptomonads and P. remata ate significantly fewer rotifersthan those cultured only with cryptomonads; this may be explainedby a more sated condition of the former and provided no evidencefor the idea that previous experience with this rotifer mightincrease predation efficiency. The results show that T. extensusin natural communities has the potential to deplete naturalpopulations of susceptible rotifer prey. Accordingly, it mayshift the species structure of rotifer assemblages in favourof resistant species, and provide selection pressure for avoidanceresponses.     

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN PHYLOGENY AND MORPHOLOGY OF SNOWELLA SPP. AND WORONICHINIA NAEGELIANA,CYANOBACTERIA COMMONLY OCCURRING IN LAKES1

In this study, the first reported isolates of the genera Snowella and Woronichinia were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and morphological analysis. Phylogenetic studies and sequences for these genera were not available previously. By botanical criteria, the five isolated strains were identified as Snowella litoralis (Häyrén) Komárek et Hindák Snowella rosea (Snow) Elenkin and Woronichinia naegeliana (Unger) Elenkin. This study underlines the identification of freshly isolated cultures, since the Snowella strains lost the colony structure and were not identifiable after extended laboratory cultivation. In the 16S rRNA gene analysis, the Snowella strains formed a monophyletic cluster, which was most closely related to the Woronichinia strain. Thus, our results show that the morphology of the genera Snowella and Woronichinia was in congruence with their phylogeny, and their phylogeny seems to support the traditional botanical classification of these genera. Furthermore, the genera Snowella and Woronichinia occurred commonly and might occasionally be the most abundant cyanobacterial taxa in mainly oligotrophic and mesotrophic Finnish lakes. Woronichinia occurred frequently and also formed blooms in eutrophic Czech reservoirs.     

Interactions between Males of the Lizard Liolaemus tenuis: Roles of Familiarity and Memory

For territorial organisms, recognition of familiar individuals can reduce the frequency and intensity of aggressive encounters (‘dear enemy’ phenomenon), stabilize social systems, and reduce the cost of territory maintenance. Here, we investigated the behavioural events displayed during contests between familiar and unfamiliar individuals in the lizard Liolaemus tenuis (Liolaemidae), a species in which males are territorial. The behaviours recorded were attack, warning, evasion, and submission, and the latencies to the first aggressive (attack or warning) behaviour. Additionally, we assessed the ability of individuals to remember a familiar conspecific after a period without social interaction. Individual males reduced and delayed aggressive behaviour directed towards socially familiar individuals compared with unfamiliar ones. These results suggest that males distinguished between familiar and unfamiliar conspecific males and are in agreement with the ‘dear enemy’ phenomenon. Other behaviours were similar in the contests between familiar and unfamiliar individuals. Recognition of familiar conspecifics was lost after 20 d without social interactions. This may be relevant for interactions with floater males or with neighbours that lose their territory and subsequently attempt to fight for their ex‐neighbour's territory.     

Ultrastructure of Weddellomyces epicallopisma (Dothideales, Dacampiaceae, Ascomycota), especially of its ascospores]

An ultrastructural study of Weddellomyces epicallopisma (ascomata wall, asci, ascospores and vegetative hyphae), the first done on the family Dacampiaceae, confirms most of the observations made in light microscopy. Moreover it shows that ascospores are provided with an endospore (not visible in light microscope) and that the structure of the ascospore septum is more complex. The similarity of the wall structure between the ascospore and the hyphoid appendages, developed on the upper part of the ascoma, is emphasized.     

Low responsiveness of six-rowed genotypes to androgenesis in barley does not have a pleiotropic basis.

A heterozygous mutant for the two- and six-rowed character was isolated in the barley cultivar Igri through application of sodium azide to isolated microspore cultures and posterior regeneration. Six-rowed and two-rowed homozygotic plants were subsequently identified in the self-pollinated M2 progenies of the original heterozygous M1. Detailed molecular markers confirmed the isogenic nature of this recovered mutant and the original cultivar Igri. A comparative study of the anther culture response of this six-rowed induced mutant vs. diploid 'Igri' was performed to assess whether the two- or six-rowed gene influences anther culture response in barley through a pleiotropic effect or via linkage disequilibrium. No significant differences for any of the recorded variables throughout the in vitro regeneration process were detected between the 'Igri' six-rowed mutant and any of their two-rowed isogenic lines. This suggests that row-type association with anther culture response in barley cultivars is due to the effect of a tight linkage with other genes directly responsible for androgenic response.     

The presence of chlorophyll b and the estimation of phaeopigments in marine phytoplankton

A reverse-phase h.p.l.c. technique was used to estimate theconcentration of chlorophyll b in phytoplankton cultures, fecalpellets of Calanus pacificus, and suspended paniculate matterfrom the Central North Pacific, Oregon coastal waters, and DabobBay (a temperate fjord in Puget Sound, WA, USA). The purposewas to assess the distribution of this pigment in the euphoticzone and its effect on the fluorometnc estimation of phaeopigments.Analyses of natural waters confirm high chlorophyll b concentrations(median mass ratio of b:a > 0.3) at the depth of the chlorophylla maximum in tropical waters while values for temperate planktonare relatively low (median mass ratio of chl b:a = 0.05) andpatchy. Zooplankton fecal pellets showed a significant enrichmentin chlorophyll b, suggesting grazing as a mechanism to explainhigh concentrations of this pigment at the bottom of the euphoticzone. It is estimated that the presence of chlorophyll b couldcause an average overestimation of phaeopigment concentrationby the fluorometnc technique of 38% between 0 and 200 m in theCentral North Pacific. This effect is more pronounced at thelayer of chlorophyll b maximum (120–140 m). ¹Present address: Marine Biology Research Division, A-002, ScrippsInstitution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA     

Micropropagation of Calluna vulgaris cv. ‘H.E. Beale’

Axillary shoot producing cultures were obtained from microcuttings and shoot tips of Calluna vulgaris cv. H.E. Beale. For cultures derived from microcuttings the highest multiplication rate of 38 shoots (5 mm or longer) was obtained on a reduced salt medium with the addition of 0.5 mgl^-1 2-isopentenyladenine (2iP) during an 8 week subculture. For shoot tip derived cultures 0.2 mgl^-1 6-benzyladenine (BA) was the best cytokinin and led to a multiplication rate of 26 for a 6 week subculture. The addition of 1 g/l casein hydrolysate to a multiplication medium enhanced shoot proliferation in presence of 0.5 mgl^-1 BA.Despite various auxin treatments shoots formed no roots in vitro but rooted readily if transferred to a peat substrate ex vitro. A high rooting percentage (80%) was also obtained with shoots taken from the end of a multiplication phase and rooted directly. An additional subculture on low auxin containing media before transfer to peat substrate is recommended because the shoot condition can be improved in this way. A high number of rooted plantlets was produced, so the methods described will allow mass propagation.