Organic matter processing by chironomid larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae)

In laboratory experiments, we used fluorescent dye markers to investigate processing of organic matter by larvae of Psectrocladius limbatellus (Holm.) (Diptera: Chironomidae). 59% of the organic matter used was incorporated into tubes, 39% was present in faecal pellets (both after 24 h), and 2% was found in the larval gut at the end of experiments. Ingested matter passed through the gut rapidly, resulting in the gut being emptied more than 20 times each day. Further 24-h experiments using dye-marked faecal pellets showed that 6% of pellets produced were re-ingested and 12% were incorporated into tubes. There was no preference for conditioned faecal pellets as food over those that had recently been egested and tubes also provided a food reserve on which larvae feed. Chironomid larvae recycle organic matter resulting in its mineralization and their ‘engineering’ has a dramatic effect on the substratum. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Single Point Mutation Controls the Cholesterol Dependence of Semliki Forest Virus Entry and Exit

Membrane fusion and budding are key steps in the life cycle of all enveloped viruses. Semliki Forest virus (SFV) is an enveloped alphavirus that requires cellular membrane cholesterol for both membrane fusion and efficient exit of progeny virus from infected cells. We selected an SFV mutant, srf-3, that was strikingly independent of cholesterol for growth. This phenotype was conferred by a single amino acid change in the E1 spike protein subunit, proline 226 to serine, that increased the cholesterol independence of both srf-3 fusion and exit. The srf-3 mutant emphasizes the relationship between the role of cholesterol in membrane fusion and virus exit, and most significantly, identifies a novel spike protein region involved in the virus cholesterol requirement.     

A revision of the akysid catfish genus Breitensteinia Steindachner with descriptions of two new species

The highly specialized akysid catfish genus Breitensteinia is revised; two new species are described. Breitensteinia cessator is described from Sumatra and western Borneo. It can be distinguished by its large, wide-set eyes and evenly scattered brown spots on the dorsal and pectoral fins. Breitensteinia hypselurus is described from western Borneo. It can be distinguished by its relatively tall neural spines on caudal vertebrae, smooth posterior edge of dorsal spine, short caudal peduncle, and fewer vertebrae. Breitensteinia insignis is sexually dimorphic.     

Crystalline Cellulose in Hydrated Primary Cell Walls of Three Monocotyledons and One Dicotyledon

The molecular ordering of cellulose, including its crystallinity,in the unlignified primary cell walls of three monocotyledons(Italian ryegrass, pineapple, and onion) and one dicotyledon(cabbage) was characterized by solid-state ¹³C NMR spectroscopy.These species were chosen because their primary cell walls havedifferent non-cellulosic polysaccharides and this may affectthe molecular ordering of cellulose. Values of the proton rotating-framerelaxation [T_1p(H)] and spin-spin relaxation [T₂(H)] time constantsshowed that the cellulose in the cell walls of all four specieswas in a crystalline rather than an amorphous state. Furthermore,a resolution enhancement procedure showed that the triclinic(I) and the monoclinic (I_rß) crystal forms of cellulosewere present in similar proportions in these cell walls. However,the calculated cross-sectional dimensions of the cellulose crystallitesvaried among the cell walls (in the range 2–3 nm): thelargest were in the Italian ryegrass, the smallest were in theonion and cabbage, and those of intermediate size were in thepineapple. The crystallite dimensions may thus be affected bythe non-cellulosic polysaccha-ride compositions of the cellwalls. ⁴Present address: Food Science Postgraduate Programme, Departmentof Chemistry, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019,Auckland, New Zealand.     

Impact of elevated CO2 on the metabolic diversity of microbial communities in N-limited grass swards

The impact of elevated atmospheric CO2 on qualitative and qua ntitative changes in rhizosphere carbon flow will have important consequences fo r nutrient cycling and storage in soil, through the effect on the activity, biom ass size and composition of soil microbial communities. We hypothesized that mic robial communities from the rhizosphere of Danthonia richardsonii, a n ative C3 Australian grass, growing at ambient and twice ambient CO2 a nd varying rates of low N application (20, 60, 180 kg N ha-1) will be different as a consequence of qualitative and quantitative change in rhizosphere carbon flow. We used the Biolog^TM system to construct sole carbon source utilisation profiles of these communities from the rhizosphere of D. richardsonii. Biolog^TM GN and MT plates, the latter to which more ecologically relevant root exudate carbon sources were added, were used to characterise the communities. Microbial communities from the rhizosphere of D. richardsonii grown for four years at twice ambient CO2 had significantly greater utilisation of all carbon sources except those with a low C:N ratio (neutral and acidic amino acids, amides, N-heterocycles, long chain aliphatic acids) than communities from plants grown at ambient CO2. This indicates a change in microbial community composition suggesting that under elevated CO2 compounds with a higher C:N ratio were exuded. Enumeration of microorganisms, using plate counts, indicated that there was a preferential stimulation of fungal growth at elevated CO2 and confirmed that bacterial metabolic activity (C utilisation rates), not population size (counts), were stimulated by additional C flow at elevated CO2. Nitrogen was an additional rate-limiting factor for microbial growth in soil and had a significant impact on the microbial response to elevated CO2. Microbial populations were higher in the rhizosphere of plants receiving the highest N application, but the communities receiving the lowest N application were most active. These results have important implications for carbon turnover and storage in soils where changes in soil microbial community structure and stimulation of the activity of microorganisms which prefer to grow on rhizodeposits may lead to a decrease in the composition of organic matter and result in an accumulation of soil carbon.     

DNA methylation levels and ethylene production in senescent,suspension-cultured pear fruit cells: Implications for epigenetic control?

Auxin‐deprived, senescent, suspension‐cultured pear ( Pyrus communis cv. Passe Crassane) fruit cells that can be stimulated to produce ethylene were employed in the search for a possible interdependence between DNA methylation levels and ethylene production. Neither short‐term stimulation of ethylene production by CuCl₂, nor longer‐term stimulation by auxin, nor the inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis had a significant effect on the cellular level of DNA methylation. However, short‐term exposure to S‐adenosylhomocysteine enhanced cellular ethylene production and long‐term exposure to azacytidine resulted in the reduction of both DNA methylation levels and stress‐induced ethylene production. These and other correlative findings, or lack thereof, are discussed in the context of ethylene physiology, DNA methylation/demethylation, and epigenetic control.     

A description of Mallomonas marsupialis nov. sp. (Synurophyceae), a new chrysophyte from Australia, with comments on the endemicity of Australian freshwater algae

Mallomonas marsupialis is described and illustrated by TEM and SEM micrographs, being found in Australia on sub-tropical Fraser Island and in cool-temperate Tasmania. Its taxonomic location within the genus Mallomonas (sect. Mallomonopsis, ser. Marsupiales) is discussed, together with its inclusion in a suite of unusual endemic algae which have been described from Australian sites largely protected from human interference.     

Evidence that humidity influences snake activity patterns: a field study of the Malayan pit viper Calloselasma rhodostoma

Multivariate statistical methods were used to elucidate which environmental factors influence the activity patterns of free-living Malayan pit vipers, Calloselasma rhodostoma. Fourteen adult snakes were implanted with miniature radiotransmitters and located a total of 887 times in 5 months. The pit vipers usually remained coiled on the ground for several consecutive days before moving at night to a new site. Partial correlation tests revealed that the frequency and distance of movements to new sites by tagged snakes were highly positively correlated with ambient relative humidity, but not with rainfall, ambient temperature or the lunar cycle. This finding was corroborated by the frequency with which active non-tagged C. rhodostoma were encountered at night, In each site, the proportion of the snakes' bodies exposed to view was positively correlated with ambient humidity, and the snakes retreated to areas with deeper undergrowth when ambient humidity was low. Overt thermoregulatory behaviour was not observed, and implanted thermosensitive transmitters revealed that the snakes were passive thermoconformers.
These findings seem lo contradict much of the current literature which shows temperature to be the dominant abiotic factor affecting reptilian activity, but most herpetologists have considered only temperate forms. Ambient temperature in our tropical study site was warm and relatively constant throughout the year (mean daily range = 24- 33°C), so the pit vipers could passively maintain body temperature within a fairly narrow range, with a daytime mean of 29.4°C. Ambient relative humidity, on the other hand, was very variable, and confining exposure and activity to periods of high ambient humidity may be necessary to avoid dehydration