The visual symptoms of some mineral deficiencies on chrysanthemums

Summary The visual symptoms of the deficiencies of nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, calcium, magnesium, manganese and boron on indoor chrysanthemums are described in detail and illustrated. Fifteen varieties were grown in sand cultures and their behaviour studied. The importance of varietal susceptibility and effect of season are established.     

Non-Mendelian regulation and allelic variation of methionine-rich delta-zein genes in maize

Sufficient methionine levels in the seed are critical for the supply of a balanced diet for feed and food. Currently, animal feed is supplemented with chemically synthesized methionine, which could be completely replaced with naturally synthesized methionine. However, insufficient levels of methionine are due to alleles of two genes in the maize genome that are expressed during seed development, which have a high percentage of methionine codons, ranging from 23 to 28%, while free methionine is very low. The two genes, dzs10 and dzs18, belong to the prolamin gene family that arose during the evolution of the grasses and were duplicated during a whole genome duplication event. We have found several dzs10 and dzs18 null alleles caused either by transposon insertion or frame shift mutations. Maize seeds with null mutations of both genes have a normal phenotype in contrast to other prolamin genes, explaining the accumulation of methionine deficiency in normal breeding efforts. Moreover, the trans-regulation of these genes deviates from Mendelian inheritance. One allele of the regulatory locus dzr1 is inherited in a parent-of-origin fashion, while another allele appears to prevent Mendelian segregation of the high-methionine phenotype in backcrosses. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Corrected nucleotide sequence of M13mp18 gene III.

There are seven differences between the actual nucleotide (nt) sequence of bacteriophage M13mp18 gene III and the previously reported nt sequence (which had been compiled based on the nt sequence of wild-type bacteriophage M13 gene III).     

Amygdala protein kinase C epsilon controls alcohol consumption

Alcoholism is a progressive disorder that involves the amygdala. Mice lacking protein kinase C epsilon (PKCɛ) show reduced ethanol consumption, sensitivity and reward. We therefore investigated whether PKCɛ signaling in the amygdala is involved in ethanol consumption. Local knockdown of PKCɛ in the amygdala reduced ethanol consumption and preference in a limited-access paradigm. Further, mice that are heterozygous for the PKCɛ allele consume less ethanol compared with wild-type mice in this paradigm. These mice have a >50% reduction in the abundance of PKCɛ in the amygdala compared with wild-type mice. We conclude that amygdala PKCɛ is important for ethanol consumption in mice.     

A revision of the Zenometridae (new rank) (Echinodermata, Crinoidea, Comatulidina)

Three genera of unstalked crinoids, Zenometra , Sarametra and Psathyrometra , formerly included in the subfamily Zenometrinae of the family Antedonidae, are removed and placed in a distinct family, the Zenometridae. Diagnostic features include a cavernous centrodorsal cavity, a complete basal circlet with a large central lumen and cirrus sockets with a concave fulcral bowl around the lumen. Sarametra nicobarica is synonymized under S. triserialis , which is redescribed in detail. Psathyrometra is redefined and includes only the species P. fragilis , P. congesta and P. bigradata , which are redescribed. P. erythrizon is synonymized under P. fragilis . The four other species formerly included in Psathyrometra are removed to Athrypsometra gen. n., retained in the Antedonidae. The other genera formerly included in the Zenometrinae are considered incertae sedis in the family Antedonidae pending detailed re-examination. Cladistic analysis using the antedonids, Poliometra prolixa (a former zenometrine) and Florometra serratissima , and the thalassometrid, Oceanometra annandalei , as outgroups produces the following tree: ( O. annandalei (( F. serratissima / P. prolixa )((( P. fragilis / P. congesta ) P. bigradata ) ( S. triserialis / Z. columnaris )))).     

Resolution of diaminobenzidine for the detection of horseradish peroxidase on surfaces of cultured cells

The resolution of indirect immunoperoxidase methods for localizing antigens on the surface of plasma membranes of cultured cells was tested using dissociated monolayer cultures of ciliary ganglion neurons prelabeled with cationic ferritin. Clusters of ferritin were produced on the cell surface by warming the cells to 37 degrees C after the ferritin, rabbit anti-ferritin, and goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin coupled to horseradish peroxidase had all been applied. Intense 3,3'-diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride (DAB) staining was limited to the regions immediately surrounding the ferritin clusters. The lateral spread of the DAB reaction product beyond the outer ferritin particles in each cluster averaged 54-81 nm in four experiments. A second type of increased density, coinciding with the thickness of the plasma membrane, was also seen. These stained plasma membranes extended 161-339 nm from the ferritin clusters.     

Improvement of quality control methods for augmentative releases of the fruit fly parasitoids,Diachasmimorpha longicaudata and Psyttalia fletcheri (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Criteria were established to improve quality control methods for augmentative releases of the opiine parasitoids, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) and Psyttalia fletcheri (Silvestri). These included correlating puparial weight with adult emergence and sex ratio at the Honolulu rearing facility, and determining the effect of air shipments and field releases on parasitoid emergence and subsequent mortality. There was a positive relationship between the weight of 7–10‐day‐old host puparia and percentage of emergence for both D. longicaudata and P. fletcheri. Standardization of shipping methods included placement of ice blocks in the top levels of the ice chests, prompt shipment and pick‐up of samples, and cooling of puparia before shipment to minimize metabolic heat generated in the samples, and to delay emergence of samples. Before standardization, emergence losses of up to 58% were observed for D. longicaudata and 18% for P. fletcheri. When shipping methods were standardized, emergence was no longer reduced. In addition, low emergence rates were associated with reduced flight propensity of D. longicaudata (R_s = ‐ 0.45 at Kilauea and ‐ 0.54 at Kealia). At the two release sites, 88–95% of adult D. longicaudata that did not escape the release containers were males.