Grooming and touching behaviour in captive ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta L.)

The distribution of grooming and touching behaviours was recorded in a group of captive ring-tailed lemurs. Grooming was found to be performed chiefly by older, higher ranking animals; touching (i.e., “reach out and touch” behaviour) was directed primarily by younger, low ranking animals to older, high ranking individuals. It is suggested that such touching is a submissive gesture in this species.     

Interaction between protein kinase C and regulatory ligand is enhanced by a chelatable pool of cellular zinc

At micromolar concentrations, zinc (Zn) and cadmium, but not other metals, greatly augmented binding of [3H]phorbol dibutyrate ([3H]PDBu) to protein kinase C (PKC) in cell homogenates and intact cells (in the presence of ionophore). Increased binding persisted for several hours. The heavy-metal chelating agent 1,10-phenanthroline completely reversed the increased [3H]PDBu binding in cells pretreated with 65Zn and ionophore and this was associated with a decline of about 20% in cell-associated 65Zn, suggesting that a relatively small pool of intracellular Zn acts on PKC. This may be a membrane-associated pool, since 65Zn readily bound to isolated erythrocyte inside-out membranes. Phenanthroline also partially inhibited binding of [3H]PDBu to PKC in untreated cells and extracts in a Zn-reversible manner. Therefore, cellular Zn appears to regulate the interaction of ligand with PKC. PKC bound to a Zn affinity column and was eluted by metal-chelator, confirming that Zn interacts directly with PKC.     

Effect of Light Quality (Red:Far-red Ratio) at the Apical Bud of the Main Stolon on Morphogenesis of Trifolium repens L.

A controlled environment experiment investigated whether thered:far-red (R:FR) ratio of light at the apical bud of the mainstolon could alter plant morphogenesis in clonal cuttings ofwhite clover (Trifolium repens L.) The apical bud included theapical meristem, five to six developing leaf primordia withassociated axillary bud primordia and stipules and the firstemerged folded leaf until development was greater than 0·3on the Carlson scale. Three light regimes were imposed on theapical bud by collimating light from R or FR light-emittingdiodes so that the R:FR ratio of light incident at the apicalbud was set at 0·25, 1·6 or 2·1, withoutsignificantly altering photosynthetically active radiation.The effect of these light regimes on white clover seedling growthwas also tested. At a low R:FR ratio seedling hypocotyl and cotyledon lengthswere significantly longer. However, with the cuttings, the lighttreatments did not alter node appearance rate or internode lengthof the main stolon, petiole length, area of leaves or totalshoot dry matter. There was one significant photomorphogeneticresponse in the cuttings, a delay of 0·5 of a phyllochronin the appearance of branches from axillary buds in the lowR:FR ratio treatment relative to the other treatments. Wherebranch appearance was delayed plants had fewer branches. Thisdifference could be ascribed solely to a delay in branch appearanceas there were no significant treatment effects on either theinitiation of axillary bud primordia within the apical bud,the probability of branching or on the rate of growth of branchesafter appearance. Because treatment of the apical bud inducedonly one of the many previously observed responses of whiteclover to a decrease in the R:FR ratio of light, we concludethat other plant organs must also sense the quality of incidentlight.Copyright 1994, 1999 Academic Press White clover, Trifolium repens, apical bud, light quality, red:far-red ratio, light-emitting diode, branching, axillary buds, photomorphogenesis