The chlorophyll-protein complexes of Acetabularia. A novel chlorophyll ab complex which forms oligomers

(1) Five minor chlorophyll-protein complexes were isolated from thylakoid membranes of the green alga Acetabularia by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, after SDS or octylglucoside solubilization. None of them were related to CP I (Photosystem I reaction center core) or CP II (chlorophyll $\text{a}\text{b}$ light-harvesting complex). (2) Two complexes (CPa-1 and CPa-2) contained only chlorophyll (Chl) a, with absorption maxima of 673 and 671 nm, and fluorescence emission maxima of 683 nm compared to 676 nm for CP II. The complexes had apparent molecular masses of 43–47 and 38–40 kDa, and contained a single polypeptide of 41 and 37 kDa, respectively. They each account for about 3% of the total chlorophyll. (3) Three complexes had identical spectra, with Chl $\text{a}\text{b}$ ratios of 3–4 compared to 2 for thylakoid membranes, and a pronounced shoulder around 485 nm indicating enrichment in carotenoids. One of them was the complex ‘CP 29’ (Camm, E.L. and Green, B.R. (1980) Plant Physiol. 66, 428–432) and the other two were slightly different oligomeric forms of CP 29. They could be formed from CP 29 during reelectrophoresis; but about half the complex was isolated originally in an oligomeric form. Together they account for at least 7% of the total chlorophyll. Their function is unknown.     

Evolution and selection of reproduction

The examination of the official records from Artas, Isère (North Dauphiné, France), provides nearly continuous information from 1540 to 1900. These allowed us to study the twinning during this period, to specify its importance, its evolution, and its links with diverse other characteristics of reproduction. The number of twins per 1000 births is on a general average very close to 11. It seems to decrease during the last four centuries. However, the variability is very high from one year to another or one decade to another, including the composition of twins (identical or different sex), with the result that no statistical argument allows us to reject the null hypothesis. Numerous data have been collected that support a partially genetic determinism in twinning. The number of children in families with twins is clearly higher that in other families. Age of death of the mother of twins is higher than that of the mother of single births. With the result that 'gemellity', fecundity and longevity are related. On the other hand, the perinatal and infant death rate is much higher for twins than for single births, so that the percentage of 'useful' children is very low for twins. There is therefore, at the same time, selection and counter-selection. The momentary importance of either could explain the extent of variation of the 'gemellity' rate. The compensations, at short or long time, between the two processes could explain the roughly constant rate of 'gemellity' during the last four centuries.     

机械损伤对重瓣玫瑰防御酶的诱导

为研究重瓣玫瑰（Rosa rugosa ‘plena’）的诱导抗虫性,采用机械损伤方式诱导处理重瓣玫瑰,研究机械损伤对重瓣玫瑰叶片防御酶活性的影响。结果表明,机械损伤可诱导重瓣玫瑰叶片苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)、多酚氧化酶(PPO)、过氧化物酶(POD)活性的增加,PPO、POD活性先升高后下降,PAL活性的升高持续时间较长。T3（打孔损伤,3孔/叶）处理为最适的损伤程度,诱导的PAL、PPO、POD活性分别在第7、3、5天达到最高值。因此认为,采用适度地损伤能够诱导重瓣玫瑰较高的防御酶活性,提高植株的防御能力。     

透光抚育强度对小兴安岭“栽针保阔”红松林凋落物水文效应的影响

为了揭示“栽针保阔”及透光抚育在恢复东北温带地带性顶极植被阔叶红松林过程中对凋落物层水文效应的影响规律,采用样地调查法和室内浸泡法,同步测定小兴安岭山杨-红松林、白桦-红松林和蒙古栎-红松林(冠下栽植红松25～35年)在不同透光抚育强度(对照,轻、中、强度透光抚育)下的凋落物量、凋落物持水过程、最大持水量、最大拦蓄量和有效拦蓄量。结果表明: 透光抚育对3种林型凋落物蓄积量(7.32～15.58 t·hm^-2)影响不同,使蒙古栎-红松林(各强度)、山杨-红松林(轻、中度)及白桦-红松林(强度)分别显著提高24.3%～34.6%、15.3%～19.3%和27.1%。凋落物未分解、半分解层的持水量(W)、吸水速率(V)随浸泡时间(t)变化符合W=alnt+b(R²＞0.908)、V=ktⁿ(R²≥0.999)函数关系。各透光抚育(除强度透光抚育山杨-红松林外)使3种林型凋落物层最大持水量(17.86～45.12 t·hm^-2)、最大拦蓄量(16.10～34.19 t·hm^-2)和有效拦蓄量(13.42～27.42 t·hm^-2)分别显著提高30.1%～74.8%、27.4%～83.6%和26.7%～86.0%,且改变了各林型间凋落物层有效拦蓄量的差异。透光抚育显著增强了中期“栽针保阔”红松林凋落物层的水文生态功能,蒙古栎-红松林、山杨-红松林和白桦-红松林依次采取轻、中和强度透光抚育的效果最佳。     

Both black and symbolically white: The ‘Bajan-Brit’ return migrant as post-colonial hybrid

The research presented in this article centres on an under-researched demographic group of young return migrants, namely, second-generation Barbadians, or ‘Bajan-Brits’, who have decided to ‘return’ to the birthplace of their parents. Based on 51 in-depth interviews, the essay examines the experiences of second-generation return migrants from an interpretative perspective framed within post-colonial discourse. The article first considers the Bajan-Brits and issues of race in the UK before their decision to migrate. It is then demonstrated that on ‘return’, in certain respects, these young, black English migrants occupy a liminal position of cultural, racial and economic privilege, based on their ‘symbolic’ or ‘token’ whiteness within the post-colonial context of Barbados. But this very hybridity and inbetweeness means that they also face difficulties and associated feelings of social alienation and discrimination. The ambivalent status of this transnational group of migrants serves to challenge traditional notions of Barbadian racial identity.     

The inner ear morphology of the ‘condylarthran’ Hyopsodus lepidus

We describe the bony labyrinth morphology of the Eocene ‘archaic ungulate’ Hyopsoduslepidus (Bridgerian, North America) reconstructed from micro computed tomography scan data. Comparisons with the inner ear of the Eocene early diverging artiodactyl Diacodexis and perissodactyl Xenicohippus allow refining the picture of the ancestral inner ear morphology of Euungulates. These taxa are very close morphologically and mostly differ by slight differences in their semicircular canal angulations and profile. They all present a secondary crus and a low position of the plane of the lateral semicircular canal relative to the posterior semicircular canal. These two characters, considered as ancestral features for Theria, might be symplesiomorphies of Euungulata as well. Hyopsodus and Xenicohippus share characters also observed in other basal Equoidea, which would support the close relationship between these two taxa previously proposed in the literature. A functional study of the cochlea of Hyopsodus lepidus is also realised to discuss its putative ability of using terrestrial echolocation previously proposed in the literature. The morphology of the cochlea of Hyopsodus lepidus does not indicate a specialisation to sophisticated echolocation such as observed today in microchiropteran bats. However, its estimated audible range of frequencies (208 Hz to 76.8 KHz) would be compatible with terrestrial echolocation.     

Phase relations between the circadian leaf movement rhythm and its zeitgeber within the range of entrainment in the cotton plant,Gossypium hirsutum L.

Abstract

The leaf movement rhythm of Gossypium hirsutum L. (cv. Lakshmi) could be entrained to 24 h LD cycles with different photofractions varying from 4 to 20 h such that the night peak position of the rhythm occurred during darkness. The phase angle (ψ) of the rhythm varied in a regular manner with different photoperiods of a 24 h LD cycle. Under 24 h LD cycles with different photoperiods, the leaf movement shows probable evidences for the concurrent participation of a ‘light‐on’ and ‘light‐off rhythm.     

‘Caged’ peptide nucleic acids activated by red light in a singlet oxygen mediated process

Common ‘caged’ nucleic acid binders, which can be applied for temporal and spatial control of gene expression, are activated by high energy light (<450 nm). The light of this type is damaging to cells and is strongly absorbed by cellular components. Therefore, shifting the triggering light to the visible region (>550 nm) is highly desirable. Herein we report on a cyclic peptide nucleic acid (PNA), whose backbone contains a 9,10-dialkoxy-substituted anthracene linker. The sequence of this compound was selected to be complementary to a representative microRNA (miR-92). We demonstrated that the cyclic PNA does not bind complementary nucleic acids and is, correspondingly, ‘caged’. Its uncaging can be conducted by its exposure to red light (635 nm) in the presence of pyropheophorbide-a. The latter process is mediated by singlet oxygen (¹O₂), which cleaves the 9,10-dialcoxyanthracene linker within the PNA with formation of a linear PNA, an efficient binder of the complementary ribonucleic acid. This is the first example of a red light-activated, ‘caged’ peptide nucleic acid.