Characterization of the Reflective Materials and Organelles in the Bright Irides of North American Blackbirds (Icterinae)

The reflective materials in the iris stroma of bright-irised American blackbirds (Icterinae, Emberizidae) and the red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus) (Vireonidae) were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and diode-array detection. Two purines, guanine and hypoxanthine, and two pteridines, leucopterin and xanthopterin, were detected in large amounts in all bright irides. The brown iris of the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) by comparison contained only small amounts of these and additional unidentified compounds. The absolute and relative amounts of light-absorbing compounds in the iris varied somewhat among species of blackbirds with bright irides, and markedly within one species (brewer's blackbird, Euphagus cyanocephalus) between sexes and age classes that vary in eye color. Differences in the types, numbers, and sizes of pigment organelles in the irides appeared to underlie the differences in amounts of light-absorbing compounds. Guanine was the most abundant light-absorbing compound in all bright irides, accounting for about 90% of the total absorption at 250 nm. A wide range of concentrations of guanine, from 96 to 9 μg per iris, produced bright irides. The primary pigment organelles of pigment cells in bright irides were reflecting platelets, which typically appeared as open spaces on electron micrographs. In the red-eyed vireo there were in addition red pterinosome-like pigment organelles in the pigment cells on the anterior surface of the iris stroma. Guanine was present even in irides with no overt reflecting platelets.     

马蔺染色体的核型分析

<正> 马蔺(Iris ensata Thunb.)为鸢尾科多年生草本,分布于东北、华北、西北、华东和西藏,朝鲜、苏联也有。生于向阳山野、草地及草甸,也常栽于庭院中。 本品为少常用中药,“神农本草经”中列为中品,以干燥成熟种子入药,味甘、性平,具有清热利湿,消肿解毒,止血之功效。 在细胞学方面,关于马蔺的体细胞染色体数目Sharma(1970),Mehra&Sachdeva(1971)曾分别报道为2n=40和n=20,与笔者的观察结果相吻合,但Pandita     

Phenotypic plasticity and character differentiation in a subdivided population ofIris pumila (Iridaceae)

Variation patterns in phenotypic plasticity and broad sense heritability of 26 characters were examined within and among closely adjacent habitats of the bearded iris,Iris pumila. It was found thatI. pumila has considerable differentiation for phenotypic plasticity and genetic variation over short distances. An analysis of relationships between character differentiation and phenotypic plasticity suggests that they could have evolved independently. Possible mechanisms for maintaining local differentiation of the observed plastic and genetic variation are also discussed.     

Rare plant translocation between mineral islands in Biebrza Valley (northeastern Poland): effectiveness and recipient site selection

We carried out translocations of three rare plants that inhabit mineral islands in the marshy Biebrza Valley in order to create alternative populations and facilitate connectivity between existing subpopulations. The species chosen were Iris aphylla and two orchids: Cypripedium calceolus and Cephalanthera rubra. Thirty soil monoliths with vegetative orchid plants or parts of I. aphylla rhizomes were dug out and transplanted to three different sites on new mineral islands (half in 2012 and half in 2013). Prior to translocation, we measured soil moisture and pH and took phytosociological characteristics in 68 potential recipient sites for orchids and 15 for I. aphylla. Then, we monitored the number of shoots for 4 years and retrospectively conducted principal component analysis (PCA) in order to compare the similarity of donor sites and chosen recipient sites. Three years after transplantation we found new C. calceolus populations in good condition, I. aphylla populations in moderate, while C. rubra transplants emerged only in the first and second season. All newly established populations of C. calceolus and I. aphylla survived. In the case of the first species, fruiting was observed in two populations, while a marked increase in shoot number was observed in one population. The most successful C. calceolus translocation site was also the most similar to the donor sites according to PCA.     

Studies on the acetylcholinesterase (ache)-positive and -negative autonomic axons supplying smooth muscle in the normal and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)treated rat iris

Summary The adrenergic and cholinergic innervation to the rat iris has been studied at a light and electron microscopic level. Catecholamine fluorescence histochemistry showed adrenergic nerves to be present in both the dilatator and the constrictor pupillae regions. At a fine structural level the terminal innervation of the iris was studied and criteria for the differentiation between presumptive adrenergic and presumptive cholinergic axon terminals were examined. To aid this examination presumptive adrenergic axons were either labelled with the false adrenergic transmitter, 5-hydroxydopamine, or chemical sympathectomy performed using 6-hydroxydopamine. The value of using acetylcholinesterase staining as a marker for cholinergic nerve terminals was also studied.Results showed a mixed adrenergic/cholinergic innervation to the dilatator pupillae. In the constrictor pupillae an exclusively cholinergic innervation was found although adrenergic and cholinergic nerves were found supplying the blood vessels and at the dilatator-constrictor interface. These findings are discussed with regard to innervation-function relationships in the iris.     

Effect of cycloheximide on some physiological changes associated with senescence of detached flowers of Iris germanica L.

Silverthiosulphate which is a potent inhibitor of ethylene action was found to be ineffective in delaying senescence of detached flowers of Iris germanica whereas cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, effectively delayed the senescence of these flowers and extended the longevity to 6 days. However, this treatment resulted in suppression of bud opening. When cycloheximide treatment was given at progressive intervals it became less effective in inhibiting bud opening and delaying senescence. Cycloheximide treatment maintained a higher protein content in the perianth tissue of flowers compared to untreated flowers.     

Solute leakage, lipid peroxidation, and protein degradation during the senecence of Iris tepals

A colour change and inrolling of the tepal edges are the first symptoms of senescence of Iris flowers ( Iris x hollandica Tub., cv. Blue Magic). Tepals showed an increase in leakage of both ions and anthocyanins, prior to the visible senescence symptoms. Increased leakage occurred irrespective of the time at which the tepals were severed and placed in water, indicating that the senescence process is inherent in the tepal cells. Net loss of proteins in the tepal edges started after flower opening, and after two more days, when the first symptoms of senescence were observed, the protein level was only 20% of that at harvest. Cycloheximide delayed senescence and resulted in a lower rate of protein loss. Phenylmethylsulfony fluoride (PMSF), a protease inhibitor, had a similar effect on protein levels but did not affect the time to visible senescence, and also several other protease inhibitors did not affect the time to senescence.
During senescence the rate of respiration of the tepals remained unchanged and their rate of ethylene production decreaased. The rate of ethane production, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, was very low and remained unaltered. Antioxidants ( l ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, butylated hydroxytoluene, diphenylamine, propyl gallate, propyl- p -hydroxybenzoate and sodium benzoate) had no effect on the time to tepal senescence. It is concluded that tepal wilting is due to transfer of solutes from the symplast to the apoplast. Although net protein degradation occurs early during the senescence process, its inhibition is not correlated with a delay in the time to senescence. Furthermore, the results do not support the hypothesis that the increase in solute leakage is due to (free radical-mediated) peroxidation of membrane lipids. The present results are in contrast with the ethylene-regulated petal senescence of carnation, which is accompanied by lipid peroxidation.     

Distribution of faeces of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, in a new refuge

The patterns of faeces deposition in glass arenas with three groups of Blattella germanica L. during colonization of new refuges were recorded. The individual positions of more than 17,500 faeces were recorded. The average daily rate of faeces excretion per adult was 9.6 in males, 9.1 in non-gravid females and 2.7 in gravid females. Significant differences of faeces accumulation at various sites of the arena were found. In all three groups, mean density of faeces decreased in the following order: shelter, edges of arena, area around shelter, remainder of open area. The faeces were not accumulated more significantly at food and water sources than within the remainder of the open area. Low concentrations of faeces around edges were recorded with gravid females. The ratio of numbers of faeces in the shelter and those on the remainder of the arena was nearly identical in all tested groups. The rate of faeces deposition fluctuated during colonization of a new refuge. The role of faeces containing aggregation pheromone and ammonia in the ecology and behaviour of B. germanica is discussed.     

Defining the proteome of human iris,ciliary body,retinal pigment epithelium,and choroid

The iris is a fine structure that controls the amount of light that enters the eye. The ciliary body controls the shape of the lens and produces aqueous humor. The retinal pigment epithelium and choroid (RPE/choroid) are essential in supporting the retina and absorbing light energy that enters the eye. Proteins were extracted from iris, ciliary body, and RPE/choroid tissues of eyes from five individuals and fractionated using SDS‐PAGE. After in‐gel digestion, peptides were analyzed using LC‐MS/MS on an Orbitrap Elite mass spectrometer. In iris, ciliary body, and RPE/choroid, we identified 2959, 2867, and 2755 nonredundant proteins with peptide and protein false‐positive rates of <0.1% and <1%, respectively. Forty‐three unambiguous protein isoforms were identified in iris, ciliary body, and RPE/choroid. Four “missing proteins” were identified in ciliary body based on ≥2 proteotypic peptides. The mass spectrometric proteome database of the human iris, ciliary body, and RPE/choroid may serve as a valuable resource for future investigations of the eye in health and disease. The MS proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the PRIDE partner repository with the dataset identifiers PXD001424 and PXD002194.     

Effect of exposure to chlorpyrifos on the cuticular and internal lipid composition of Blattella germanica males

The results of our research on the cuticular and internal lipids of Blattella germanica males provide new information on variation in the composition of the cuticular and internal lipids of B. germanica males after exposure to the presence of the insecticide. gas chromatography and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analyses were used to identify and quantify the cuticular and internal lipid composition in males and males exposed to insecticide. There were significantly more acids having an even number of carbon atoms in the molecule, and these were also generally in higher concentrations. The following acids were in a higher concentration: C16:0 and C18:1, C18:2, C18:0. In both males and males exposed to insecticide, 24 fatty acids ranging from C6 to C22 were determined. However, there was a significantly higher content of fatty acids in the surface lipids of B. germanica males after exposure to insecticide. Our results indicate a higher content of n‐alkanes, sterols, particularly cholesterol, fatty acids, and fatty acid methyl esters in the B. germanica surface after exposure to chlorpyrifos than in males that were not exposed.