The Protozoan Phylum Opalozoa

ABSTRACT. The recently established protozoan phylum Opalozoa Cavalier-Smith 1991 includes all those zooflagellates with tubular mitochondrial cristae that never have cortical alveoli or rigid tubular ciliary hairs (retronemes), and also the opalinids, proteomyxids sensu stricto, and plasmodiophorids. Opalozoa totally lack plastids but usually (though not invariably) have peroxisomes. They always have well-developed Golgi dictyosomes. The trophic phase is a unicellular ciliated phagotroph except in the only intracellular parasites, the plasmodiophorids, where it is a non-phagotrophic and non-ciliated microplasmodium, and in the proteomyxids where it is an amoeboflagellate (which may sometimes be nonciliated) or a multicellular meroplasmodium. Unlike the phagotrophic Mycetozoa, opalozoans do not form aerial fruiting bodies, but encystation is common. The first detailed classification of the phylum is presented here. It is divided into four subphyla (three new), eight classes (four new, one emended), three subclasses (all new), three superorders (all new) and 22 orders of which 12 are new and one is emended. Diagnoses of these taxa are given, as well as lists of the 31 families (11 new) and 62 genera included within them. Opalozoa, which include Cercomonas and Heterornita , the commonest soil flagellates, are ecologically and evolutionarily important.     

Microbiological Synthesis of Fat: THE EFFECTS OF NITROGEN LEVEL ON THE METABOLISM OF PENICILLIUM LILACINUM THOM IN A SUCROSE MEDIUM

1. A study has been made of the relationships between the synthesesof carbohydrate, protein, and fat by Penicillium lilacinum Thomin presence of different amounts of sodium nitrate us a definedsucrose salts medium.
2. Under the defined experimental conditionsincreases in the concentrationof NO^–₂ in the medium werefollowed by increases in therates at which nitrogen and sugarwere taken up by the fungus,in the quantities assimilated,and in total and protein nitrogenin the felt. These conditionsprevailed so long as unassimilatedsugar was available.
3. Mediaof lower NO^–₃ concentration (for example, 0·32or 0·64 per cent. (w/v) NaNO^–₂;) yielded feltsricher in carbohydrate than were those grown in media of higherNO^–₂; content (0·96 or 1·28 per cent. (w/v)NaNO₃ The carbohydrate content of the felts increased graduallyuntil the sugar in the medium was exhausted; carbohydrate contentthen decreased.
4. Media of lower NO^–₃; concentration weremore conduciveto fat synthesis than those of higher NO^–₃;content.

     

Comparative physiology of field-grown tomatoes during ripening on the plant or retarded ripening in controlled atmospheres

Tomato fruits of six cultivars were harvested at three different stages of maturity or were harvested when mature-green and then stored in a modified gas atmosphere (2·5-4% O₂; 4% CO₂) for 2 months. The fresh and stored fruits were analysed for their contents of sugars, organic acids and free amino acids, while proteins were separated by discontinuous electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. In general, the low molecular weight components decreased during storage. A comparison of mature-green fruits before and after storage showed that although total protein was not decreased, a different electrophoretic pattern was obtained following controlled atmosphere (CA) storage. Thus, although controlled atmosphere storage repressed the loss of chlorophyll and synthesis of lycopene, carotenoids and xanthophylls, the biochemical parameters measured showed a controlled change towards the conditions exemplified by ripe fruits. This was not so marked in some cultivars as it was in others.     

Paramecium sonneborni n. sp., a New Member of the Paramecium aurelia Species-Complex1

ABSTRACT. From an intermittent stream in College Station, Texas, a Paramecium was isolated that did not appear to belong to any recognized species. On the basis of nuclear and whole-body morphology, it can be assigned to the Paramecium aurelia species-complex, and it can be distinguished from other members of that complex on the basis of mating-type reactivity and isoenzyme patterns. These characteristics are felt sufficient to justify a new species assignment. The new species has been named Paramecium sonneborni n. sp. in honor of the late Dr. Tracy M. Sonneborn of Indiana University.     

Water and Solute Balance in the Transition to Land

Terrestrial crabs are physiologically rather similar to theiraquatic relatives, despite their markedly different access towater and ions. They have high evaporation rates and void vitalsalts in isosmotic urine. Some of them manage to have fairlymiserly water and ion budgets, but others succeed despite profligacy.There is no single solution to the challenges of terrestriallife; each pairing of animal and environment must be seen asa system in which a unique suite of behaviors compensates forlimited physiological prowess. By exploiting temporal and spatialvariability of available microhabitats, each species assemblesa "composite habitat" in which it can balance the "debit" sidesof its water and ion budgets with the requisite "credits."     

Inhibition of Nitrate Assimilation in Roots in the Presence of Ammonium: The Moderating Influence of Potassium

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of concentrationof NH₄⁺ in nutrient solution on root assimilation of NO₃^–and to determine whether the NH₄⁺NO₃^– interaction wasmodified in the presence of K⁺. Dark-grown, detopped corn seedlings(cv. Pioneer 3369A) were exposed for 8 h to 0.15 mM Ca(NO₃)₂and varying concentrations of (NH₄)₂SO₄ in the absence or presenceof 0.15 mM K₂SO₄. The accelerated phase of NO₃^– uptakeappeared most sensitive to restriction by additions of 0.15mM (NH₄)₂SO₄. In the absence of K⁺, the restriction increasedonly slightly even when solution (NH₄)₂SO₄, was increased from0.15 mM to 12.5 mM which was accompanied by an increase of NH₄⁺in the tissue from about 7.0 to 35 µmol g^–1 fr.wt. of root. Increasing concentrations of solution NH₄⁺ progressivelyinhibited net K+ uptake. At the highest solution NH₄⁺ concentrations,there was an initial net efflux of K⁺ and no net influx occurredduring the treatment period. The severity of the NH₄)SO₄ restrictionof NO₃^– uptake was moderated considerably in the presenceof K⁺ as long as a net influx of K⁺ occurred. However, net influxof K⁺ was not associated with alteration of NH₄⁺ uptake, assimilation,or accumulation in the root tissue. The lack of correlationbetween the severity of restriction of NO₃^– uptake andendogenous NHJ suggested the restriction resulted from an effectexerted by exogenous NH₄⁺ which tended to saturate at lowersolution NHJ concentrations or by inhibitory factors generatedduring assimilation of NH₄⁺. Several mechanisms were postulatedto account for the moderating influence of K⁺. In all experiments,root NO₃^– reduction was restricted by the presence ofambient NH₄⁺. The quantitative decreases in reduction tendedto be less than decreases in NO₃^– uptake and therefore,could result from inhibition solely of uptake with subsequentlimitation in availability of substrate for the reduction process,but the possibility of a direct effect on reduction could notbe excluded.     

A Note on Scanning Electron Microscopic Assessment of Stomacher Action on Chicken Skin

Scanning electron microscopy was used in conjunction with normal microbiological procedures to evaluate the stomacher as a means of recovering bacteria from chicken skin. Stomaching removed most bacteria from the skin and viable counts of skin micro-organisms obtained by this method were not significantly different from those obtained by blending. The stomacher represents a useful alternative to blending techniques commonly used to assess contamination of poultry carcasses.