Electron transport and chloroplast ultrastructure of a chlorophyll deficient mutant of wheat

A non-lethal chlorophyll deficient mutation was induced by use of the chemical mutagen ethyl methanesulfonate. Chloroplasts from the control and mutant plants were found to be very similar ultrastructurally. Thylakoid membrane volume was only slightly greater in plastids from the control as compared with plastids from the mutant. The chlorophyll content of the mutant was reduced by over 60%. This decrease in chlorophyll was not accompanied by a similar decrease in electron transport. Uncoupled electron transport rate based on a unit chlorophyll basis was nearly twice as great for mutant chloroplasts as for control plastids. However, electron transport rate based on a unit membrane volume was similar in mutant and control plants. At high irradiance the relative quantum requirement of the control and mutant was similar when expressed on membrane volume.     

Ultrastructure of the biflagellate spermatozoon of tomopteris helgolandica greef, 1879 (annelida,polychaeta)

The spermatozoon of the polychaete Tomopteris helgolandica is of an aberrant type with two flagella, each measuring about 40μm. The nucleus is roughly conical and weakly bent. At the anterior end it is rounded and covered only by the nuclear and plasma membranes. Membraneous, electron-dense structures are applied laterally to the nucleus. These structures may have a helical arrangement. The middle piece contains about ten mitochondria, two centrioles, and two centriolar satellite complexes. The centriolar regions are connected with the posterior part of the nucleus. The axonemes of the two tail flagella lack the usual central complex with central tubules, radial spokes, or related structures. No arms seem to be present on the A tubules of the doublets. In the middle piece the tail flagella are surrounded by invaginations of the plasma membrane forming flagellar canals. The sperm has a bilateral symmetry whereas the primitive sperm has a radial symmetry. The occurrence of two tail flagella in this spermatozoon has no phylogenetical connection with biflagellate spermatozoa in other animal groups. A series of mutations has resulted in the development of two flagella emerging from the two centrioles, the lack of a central complex in the axoneme, and the lack of a typical acrosome. In the Polychaeta, sperm structure is generally more related to function that to phylogenetics. During swimming the spermatozoon of Tomopteris rotates around its longitudinal axis.     

Preparation of human hepatocytes for primary culture

Summary A method based on the use of a neutral bacterial protease was employed for the preparation of isolated human hepatocytes from surgical biopsy specimens. Cells maintained in primary culture developed ultrastructural features characteristic of human hepatocytes in vivo. They retained the ability to bind insulin; binding kinetics were similar to those of other species. The hepatocytes responded to physiological concentrations of insulin by an increase in glycogen synthesis.     

Plastiden-Metamorphose und Pigmentgehalt in Kalluskulturen von Ruta graveolens L.

Die Ultrastruktur der Piastiden und der Pigmentgehalt in Kalluskulturen von Ruta graveolens L. wurden unter verschiedenen Kulturbedingungen untersucht. Die Entwicklung der Piastiden in Dauerlichtkulturen und in acht Wochen im Licht gewachsenen und dann verdunkelten Kalli entspricht einer Amyloplasten-Chloroplasten-Chromoplasten-Metamorphose. Dabei zeichnen sich die Chloroplasten grüner Kalli durch eine ungewöhnlich langgestreckte, äußere Form aus. In den Dauerdunkelkulturen werden keine Etioplasten, sondern zunächst wie in den Lichtkulturen Amyloplasten gebildet, aus denen sich verschieden gestaltete Leukoplasten entwickeln. Bei Belichtung der Dunkelkulturen findet eine Leukoplasten-Chloroplasten-Metamorphose statt. In bestimmten Entwicklungsstadien treten in den Piastiden kristallähnliche Körper auf. Grüne Kalli aus Lichtkulturen besitzen die typischen Pigmente grüner Blätter, allerdings in sehr geringer Menge. Kalli der Dauerdunkelkulturen bilden keine Chlorophylle und nur wenig Carotinoide, vor allem Neoxanthin und Violaxanthin. Während des Ergrünens belichteter Kalli aus ursprünglichen Dunkelkulturen nehmen der Chlorophyll- und Carotinoidgehalt der Kalli stark zu. Dabei bildete sich im Laufe mehrerer Wochen nach unterschiedlich intensiver Synthese der einzelnen Pigmente die Gesamtpigmentgarnitur der Lichtkulturen aus. Während der Alterung der Kalli im Licht und im Dunkeln nehmen die Chlorophyll- und Carotinoidgehalte der Kalli stark ab. Unser Dank gilt für anregende Diskussion und für Mithilfe bei der Untersuchung am Elektronenmikroskop Herrn Dr. O. Grundler sowie für ausgezeichnete technische Mitarbeit Frau A. Peschke , Frau M. Nöth und Frau A. Krüger. Der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft sind wir für Sachbeihilfen und der Universität Würzburg für ein Forschungsstipendium (an R. K.) zu Dank verpflichtet.     

PROGRAMMED CELL DEATH IN THE HONEY-BEE (APIS MELLIFERA L.) LARVAE MIDGUT

The histochemical and cytochemical localization of acid phosphatase has been used in an attempt to map the sites of cellular lysis and death. Reaction product was found both in the brush border of the midgut epithelium and in the basal membrane. Vacuolar acid phosphatase activity was found in the regenerative epithelial cells. Extra-cisternal reaction product was associated with the endoplasmic reticulum which was dilated in lysed areas of the cytoplasm. Free acid and alkaline phosphatase activity was found in the basal area of the midgut epithelial cells and the former also occurred in the haemocoel. In the tracheoblastic cells only vacuolar acid phosphatase activity was seen. Chromatin aggregates were distributed throughout the nucleus and the nuclear envelope showed some infolding. Certain mature epithelial cells proved positive for anti-histone associated DNA fragmentation indicative of programmed cell death.     

Exceptional preservation in Lower Devonian coalified fossils from the Welsh Borderland: a new genus based on reniform sporangia lacking thickened borders

Reniform sporangia, comprising two equal valves and containing retusoid spores, recovered from Lower Old Red Sandstone strata of Devonian age (micrornatus-newportensis Spore Biozone: lower Gedinnian lower Lochkovian) on North Brown Clee Hill in the Welsh Borderland are placed in Resilitheca salopensis gen. et sp. nov. Conventional compression fossils from Targrove, Ludlow of fertile axes showing isotomous branching with limited overtopping are considered conspecific because the terminal reniform sporangia contain the same spores. Spore ultrastructure is described using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Sections show faint traces of lamellae. Particles associated with spores and sporangium wall are compared with the globules of pteridophytes and Ubisch bodies of angiosperms, and related to the development of the sporangium. The new plants are compared with Cooksonia caledonica Edwards known only from impressions, and with Renalia Gensel showing far more pronounced pseudomonopodial branching.     

Freezing behavior of xylem ray parenchyma cells in softwood species with differences in the organization of cell walls

Summary By cryo-scanning electron microscopy we examined the effects of the organization of the cell walls of xylem ray parenchyma cells on freezing behavior, namely, the capacity for supercooling and extracellular freezing, in various softwood species. Distinct differences in organization of the cell wall were associated with differences in freezing behavior. Xylem ray parenchyma cells with thin, unlignified primary walls in the entire region (all cells inSciadopitys verticillata and immature cells inPinus densiflora) or in most of the region (mature cells inP. densiflora and all cells inP. pariflora var.pentaphylla) responded to freezing conditions by extracellular freezing, whereas xylem ray parenchyma cells with thick, lignified primary walls (all cells inCrytomeria japonica) or secondary walls (all cells inLarix leptolepis) in most regions responded to freezing by supercooling. The freezing behavior of xylem ray parenchyma cells inL. leptolepis changed seasonally from supercooling in summer to extracellular freezing in winter, even though no detectable changes in the organization of cell walls were apparent. These results in the examined softwood species indicate that freezing behavior of xylem ray parenchyma cells changes in parallel not only with clear differences in the organization of cell walls but also with subtle sub-electron-microscopic differences, probably, in the structure of the cell wall.     

Differential development of plastids during microspore embryogenesis in barley

Summary In order to understand and limit albino plantlet formation during pollen embryogenesis in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Igri), plastid feature was followed during pollen embryogenesis under two anther culture conditions and compared to plastid development in the zygotic embryo. The first condition was characterized by cold pretreatment and maltose in the induction medium. Both embryos and calli were then obtained. During pollen embryo development, up to 30% of plastids had abnormal features. Disruptions mainly affected the plastid size, the feature of plastid envelopes, thylakoid and granum organization, as well as starch accumulation. In pollen calli, superficial cells had meristematic features. Up to 50% of plastids exhibited the above mentioned abnormalities. Internal cells were highly vacuolated with amyloplast-like plastids; envelopes had normal features but no internal membrane was detected. Pollen embryo-derived plantlets had a green-to-albino ratio (G/A) being equal to 1.0, whereas calli-derived embryos only formed albino plantlets. The second condition was characterized by mannitol pretreatment and the presence of both maltose and mannitol in the induction medium. No callus was formed but most of microspore-derived structures developed haploid embryos and then the green plantlets (200 plantlets per 100 responding anthers, G/A=9.4). In this case, plastid development in zygotic and pollen embryos were similar and almost no albino plantlets were formed.     

Pollen Morphology and Generic Phylogenetic Relationships in Ophiopogonoideae (Liliaceae)

In the present work, pollen grains of 3 species of Liriope, 24 species of Ophiopogon and 2 species of Peliosanthes were examined under scanning electron microscope, Among them 4 species were also observed under transmission electron microscope. The observation (Table 3)shows that Liriope and Ophiopogon distinctly differ from Peliosanthes in the exine ornamentation and structure, They may be divided into two types: 1. Rugulate-perforate, ektexine with perforate tectum in Liriope and Ophiopogon. 2. Verrucate, Verracae unequal in size, ektexine intectate in Peliosanthes. Pollen morphology shows the close affinity between Liriope and Ophiopogon, but they are very far from Peliosanthes. The correlation between pollen and gross morphology in Liriope, Ophiopogon and Peliosanthes are stated and their evolutionaly trends are discussed in this paper. The pollen characters support the placement of Liriope and Ophiopogon in one tribe—Ophiopogoneae, and Peliosanthes in another tribe—Peliosantheae. Peliosanthes is more advancedthan Liriope and Ophiopogon.     

Ultrastructural Study of Mesophyll Cells During Their Dediff erentiation in Stevia rebaudiana

Authors deal with the changs of cell ultrastructure ,nucleic acid and soluble protein contents as well as peroxidase activity during mesophyll cell dedifferentiation of leaf explant of stevia rebaudiaha Bertoni. Electron microscopic observations indicated that the mature mesophyll cells had returning to meristematic cells had to go through three main phases: (1)Initiation phase :The main characteristics of cells in this phase were cytoplasmic expansion, stretching out of cytoplasmic filaments to cell centre and appearance of the protein bodies in vacuoles. (2)Medial evolving phase :The main characteristics of cells in this phase were formation of cytoplasmic bridges ;the chloroplasts were dedifferentiated to proplastids and the nuclei started to move toward centre . (3)Finishing and dividing phase :During this phase cell dedifferentiation had finished and cell division was about to start. The main characteristics of cells in this phase were the appearance of meristematic state ; the nuclei, sometimes irregularly shaped, occupied a major proportion of the cell ; the nucleoli were vaculated and the nucleopores increased in number and size. Biochemic analyses showed that the contents of the total nucleic acids , RNA and the soluble proteins as well as the peroxidase activity gradully increased during formation of meristematic cell aggregates and then reduced. However, the change of DNA contents was not obvious.