The p24 family and selective transport processes at the ER—Golgi interface

The secretory pathway is of vital importance for eukaryotic cells and has a pivotal role in the synthesis, sorting, processing and secretion of a large variety of bioactive molecules involved in intercellular communication. One of the key processes in the secretory pathway concerns the transport of cargo proteins from the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) to the Golgi. Type‐I transmembrane proteins of ～24 kDa are abundantly present in the membranes of the early secretory pathway, and bind the COPI and COPII coat complexes that cover vesicles travelling between the membranes. These p24 proteins are thought to play an important role in the selective transport processes at the ER—Golgi interface, although their exact functioning is still obscure. One model proposes that p24 proteins couple cargo selection in the lumen with vesicle coat recruitment in the cytosol. Alternatively, p24 proteins may furnish subcompartments of the secretory pathway with the correct subsets of machinery proteins. Here we review the current knowledge of the p24 proteins and the various roles proposed for the p24 family members.     

The life-cycle of the asexual ostracod Darwinula stevensoni (Brady & Robertson, 1870) (Crustacea,Ostracoda) in a temporate pond

The life-cycle of the ancient asexual ostracod Darwinula stevensoni was studied during 1 year in a eutrophic pond in Belgium. The reproductive period of this species started in March and was effectively completed by September of the same year. All changes in population structure took place during the spring and summer months and a rapid turnover of the instars was observed. The life-cycle of Darwinula stevensoni appears to take one year or less in Belgium and this is considerably shorter than the 4 years which had been reported previously from subarctic populations. The difference to the present study is most likely temperature-related. Maximal densities of D. stevensoni were observed in June and July and attained 10⁵ ind. m^–2. During winter, densities were lower with a mean of 10⁴ ind. m^–2. Consequently, the calculated population size of each month was high throughout the year. Together with the low mutation rate, such a large population size could effectively counteract the stochastic loss of mutation-free genotypes as predicted by Muller's ratchet. D. stevensoni is a brooder; the maximum number of embryos and juvenile instars (up to third stage) found within a single female was 11.     

Tonnacypris glacialis (Ostracoda, Cyprididae): taxonomic position, (palaeo-) ecology, and zoogeography

Abstract. The freshwater ostracod Tonnacypris glacialis (Sars, 1890) is reported from the European Pleistocene for the first time. The historical allocation of the species is discussed, and the species composition and characteristics of Tonnacypris Diebel & Pietrzeniuk (1975) and its phylozoogeography are considered. The significance of T. glacialis is reviewed, particularly from the viewpoint of the possible implications of parthenogenesis (and occasional-male production) for the Quaternary history of the genus, and for the use of the species in palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. It is suggested that the Pleistocene fossil occurrence of T. glacialis in modern temperature latitudes is a robust indicator of mean summer temperatures of 6°C.