THE GENETIC CONSEQUENCES OF WORKER ANT POLLINATION IN A SELF-COMPATIBLE,CLONAL ORCHID

The self-compatible orchid Microtis parviflora is pollinated by the flightless worker caste of the ant Iridomyrmex gracilis. The orchid is clonal and forms small patches, usually less than 1 m², of disconnected individual ramets. Ant pollinators visited and revisited a limited proportion of available inflorescences, and 40% of all flower visits occurred within plants promoting self-pollination. Pollen labels indicated that self-pollination accounted for 51% of the pollen transfers, although pollen carryover extended beyond 16 flowers on 2 or 3 inflorescences. The distribution of ant movements between plants was leptokurtic with a mean of 12.4 ± 14.9 cm and a maximum of 89 cm, but a high proportion of movements were within clones accentuating the level of self-pollination. However, some pollen transfers between inflorescences of unlike genotypes contributed to a low incidence (max = 8%) of outcrossing. In 12 patches examined by electrophoresis, the density varied from 11 to 61 inflorescences per m² and a maximum of only 4 genotypes were detected. Electrophoretic analysis revealed populations were highly inbred: only 23% (N = 17) of the loci were polymorphic and the mean gene diversity h, was 2.7%. Heterozygotes were observed in only one population given a mean fixation index F, of 0.982. These results reflect the combined effects of restricted ant foraging and clonality. Nevertheless, while ant foraging was restricted, some outcrossing occurred and in the absence of clonality it is likely that ant foraging would have yielded a mixed mating system similar to those reported for a wide array of insect pollinators. Given the ability of ants to generate pollen flow, the reasons for the rarity of ant pollination appear to lie elsewhere.     

Ultrastructural Study of Secondary Wall Formation in the Stem Fiber of Phyllostachys pubescens

Ultrastructural changes in secondary wall formation of Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel fiber were investigated with transmission electron microscopy. Fiber developed initially with the elongation of cells containing ribosomes, mitochondria and Golgi bodies in the dense cytoplasm. During the wall thickening, the number of rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi bodies increased apparently. There were two kinds of Golgi vesicles, together with the ones from endoplasmic reticulum formed transport vesicles. Many microtubules were arranged parallel to the long axis of the cell adjacent to the plasmalemma. Along with the further development of fiber, polylamellate structure of the secondary wall appeared, with concurrent agglutination of chromatin in the nucleus, swelling and disintegration of organelles, while cortical microtubules were still arranged neatly against the inner side of plasmalemma. Lomasomes could be observed between the wall and plasmalemma. The results indicated that the organelles, such as Golgi bodies together with small vesicles, rough endoplasmic reticulum and lomasomes, played the key role in the thickening and lignification of the secondary wall of bamboo fiber, though cortical microtubules were correlative with the process as well.     

In vivo and in vitro methylation of the elongation factor EF-Tu from Euglena gracilis chloroplast

Based on amino acid sequence similarities between the methylated elongation factor EF-Tu from Escherichia coli and the EF-Tu from Euglena gracilis chloroplast, we predicted that the latter could also be methylated in the presence of an appropriate methyltransferase. We found that, as reported for the eubacterial homologous protein, the organellar factor could be methylated in vivo and in vitro to yield monomethyllysine.     

Poly(Ethylene Oxide), a New Slowing Agent for Protozoa

SYNOPSIS The water-soluble, viscoelastic resin Polyox® (WSR 301), a poly(ethylene oxide) of high molecular weight (4 million) is introduced as a new slowing agent for protozoa. Generally, as the kinetic viscosity of the resin increased from 0.25% to 1% (w/v), the swimming velocity of Euglena gracilis, Didinium nasutum, Paramecium aurelia, Blepharisma undulans , and Prorodon platyodon decreased. The 1.0% solution had the highest viscosity and decreased velocity more effectively than 1.0% methyl cellulose and Protoslo® solutions. The Polyox solutions differed from those of methyl cellulose and Protoslo by having, in addition to viscous drag, an elastic recoil that pulled the protozoa backwards when their swimming efforts stopped. The toxicity of these slowing agents was determined using 10 P. aurelia /test slide preparation. Paramecium numbers decreased in 1.0% methyl cellulose and Protoslo to nearly zero by 24 hr; in Polyox, not only were most of these ciliates alive after 24 hr, but many survived for 96 hr and divisions occurred in 0.25% and 0.50% solutions.     

High Speed Cinemicrography of the Direct Photophobic Response of Euglena and the Mechanism of Negative Phototaxis*

SYNOPSIS. The shock reaction of Euglena gracilis strain Z to a sudden increase in light intensity (the “direct photophobic response”) was examined by high speed cinemicrography. The response is expressed as a turning reaction toward the dorsal side of the cell, after a transduction time of 0.1–0.5 sec after the onset of stimulation. Transduction times, turning rates, and flagellar beat frequencies were measured by analyzing the filmed sequences. The experimental data are consistent with a mechanism of directional homeostasis in negative phototaxis that is based upon shading of the photoreceptor by the cell's posterior end.     

野皂荚对NaCl胁迫的生理响应及耐盐性

以盆栽野皂荚2年生实生苗为材料,设置土壤NaCl含量分别为0.053%（CK）、0.15%、0.3%、0.45%和0.6%的盐胁迫处理,研究不同浓度盐处理对苗木生长、细胞膜透性、细胞保护酶活性以及Na⁺和K⁺分布格局的影响,探讨了其耐盐阈值和机理.结果表明：随着NaCl浓度增加,苗木生长量逐渐降低,盐害指数逐渐升高;野皂荚可忍耐的土壤含盐量为0.42%.随着NaCl浓度增加,叶片相对电导率、氧自由基产生速率和丙二醛(MDA)含量均逐渐增大;超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性呈先上升后下降的变化趋势,在土壤含盐量0.3%或0.45%时达到峰值;高盐胁迫下,SOD、POD和CAT活性的增强可及时清除盐胁迫产生的氧自由基,进而缓解或避免膜脂过氧化作用对组织细胞的伤害.盐胁迫下根、茎、叶的Na⁺含量均逐渐增大,且呈现根>叶>茎的分布格局;K⁺含量和K⁺/Na⁺呈下降趋势,呈现叶>根>茎的分布格局;K⁺-Na⁺选择性运输系数(S_K⁺·Na⁺)随着土壤含盐量的增加逐渐升高,且叶S_K⁺·Na⁺高于茎S_K⁺·Na⁺.野皂荚耐盐机制是根系拒盐和叶片耐盐;盐胁迫下,根系Na⁺累积能力增强可控制Na⁺向地上运输以避免盐害发生,叶片K⁺选择性吸收和累积能力的显著提高可忍耐和补偿Na⁺对组织的伤害.