The growth,activity and distribution of the fruit tree root system

Summary The paper reviews information, much of it obtained from studies using the East Malling root observation laboratories, on the growth and development of the fruit tree root system. The production of new white root varies from year-to-year, generally being highest in the early years. As trees age, woody roots constitute an increasing fraction of total root length although the contribution made by new root growth to the total root length of established trees is also affected by soil management, being higher for trees under grass than under herbicide. Soil management also affects the balance of short (lateral) to long (extension) roots; under grass there are more lateral roots.Calculation of the rate of water uptake per unit root length needed at various times in the year to meet transpirational demand, suggests that woody roots, which recent experimental work has shown to be capable of absorbing water, must be responsible for much of total water supply.Measurements of VA mycorrhizal infection in field-grown trees indicated, for part of the season, higher per cent infection in trees grown under irrigated grass than under herbicide management. It is suggested that this, which is associated with raised leaf phosphorus levels, may be due at least partly to higher numbers of lateral roots, the root type which becomes infected. The growth and functioning of the root system under field conditions depend upon the production and integration of a range of root types.     

Modulation of locomotor activity by substance P in rats

The effects of intraperitoneally or intracerebrally (DA A-10 area) administered substance P (SP) on locomotor activity of rats were studied in an exact 12-h light/12-h dark cycle changing from dark to light at 6 a.m. SP was administered either at 11 a.m. (light phase, minimal locomotor activity) or at 7 p.m. (dark phase, maximal locomotor activity). The effects of 12.5 micrograms/kg SP intracerebral and 125 micrograms/kg SP intraperitoneal were very similar. In the light phase SP produces excitation but inhibition of locomotion in darkness. Hence, the effect of SP depends on the internal mechanisms controlling motor activity and tends to level off the spontaneous circadian oscillation. We found a long lasting SP effect during both the light and dark period. The present experiments led us to the conclusion that SP has a levelling effect on locomotor activity. Probably this effect might be explained as SP's action on the dopaminergic pathway or dopamine metabolism, because the dopamine content in neurons also has a circadian rhythm.     

Acceptor activity, isoacceptor profiles and function in protein synthesis of transfer RNAs from regenerating skeletal muscle

Transfer RNAs have been prepared from control and regenerating rat skeletal muscle. The yield of tRNA is highest during the early stages of the regeneration process (5 and 8 days following the induction of regeneration) and decreases to near control values thereafter. The amino acid acceptor activity (extent of aminoacylation) of tRNA from regenerating muscle was also found to be higher for some amino acids than the activity of control tRNA, and the maximum increase in activity was observed between 5 and 8 days following the initiation of regeneration with a decrease to control levels through 15 and 30 days. The isoacceptor pattern, determined by RPC-5 chromatography, for methionyl-tRNAs from control muscle and 5-day regenerating muscle were essentially indistinguishable, while a minor peak of prolyl-tRNA was observed in the population from 5-, 8- and 15-day regenerates which was apparently absent from the control tRNA. Lysyl-tRNAs from control muscle contain two major isoacceptors while a third isoacceptor is observed in the tRNA preparations from 5-, 8- and 15-day regenerating muscle. The relative amount of this third isoacceptor is highest in the 8-day population and decreases in amount in tRNAs from 15- and 30-day regenerates. Control muscle also contains two major glutamyl-tRNA species while a third isoacceptor can be detected in regenerates. The relative amount of this species increases during the early course of the regeneration process but is present at near control levels by 30 days following Marcaine injection. Cell-free protein synthesis using muscle polyribosomes showed that tRNAs from regenerating muscle were more effective in stimulating [³⁵S]methionine incorporation than tRNAs from control muscle.     

Histochemical studies on the morphology of the Golgi apparatus in the neurons of supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the normal and dehydrated rabbit (application of the thiamine pyrophosphatase method)

Summary Detailed histochemical studies have been conducted on the morphology of the Golgi apparatus by applying the thiamine pyrophosphatase technique (Novikoff and Goldfisher, 1961) to the neurons of supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of normal and dehydrated rabbits. The neurons in both nuclei were classified into five categories on the basis of the morphology of the Golgi apparatus. The number of cells in individual categories were counted to evaluate the percentage of each category in the whole nucleus.Neurons have many vesicles which show the tendency to form clusters. Such clusters are present also in the basal bodies. The Golgi apparatus is localized near one side of the nucleus in many neurons. The neurons indicate phasic activity of resting, anabolic and catabolic stages under normal conditions.During dehydration, the Golgi apparatus went through the three stages of network formation, the increase of the budding-off process and later on disintegration. The supraoptic nucleus reacted to the TPPase test more severely than the paraventricular nucleus, whereas the former went through the stages more slowly than the latter. The paraventricular nucleus also revealed sensitivity to osmotic stress.     

Influence of cell culture conditions on aromatase activity in human genital skin fibroblasts

Summary Because the measurement of aromatase activity in cultured human genital skin fibroblasts has been proposed as a means of studying estrogen production in men, we investigated the influence of culture conditions on aromatase activity. Genital skin fibroblasts were seeded onto culture plates at a density of 1×10⁶ cells/plate and aromatase activity was determined over a 1-mo. period. Enzyme activity rose slowly over the first 14 d but then rose rapidly to a 10-fold higher plateau by Day 28. The rise in aromatase activity was similar whether activity was normalized for protein or for DNA content. When cells were seeded at the usual density of 1×10⁶ or at 0.25×10⁶ cells/plate, aromatase activity was consistently lower during the first 2 wk in cells plated at lower density, but thereafter the levels of enzyme activity in the two groups converged. In cells plated at the lower density, the lower activity observed in the first 2 wk was associated with a lower V _max . Preincubation of cells plated at one density with conditoned medium from cells plated at the other density did not change the relatve levels of activity in the two groups. By contrast, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) receptor binding and 5α-reductase activity were similar at all time points, despite differences in plating density. In additional experiments, the culture medium was replaced daily rather than every 3rd d, and aromatase activity was assayed on Day 7. In cells fed daily, DNA and protein content were twice that of cells fed every 3rd d. By contrast, aromatase activity declined to 30% of the in the latter group. DHT and dexamethasone receptor binding and 5α-reductase activity were similar in the two groups. In summary, factors such as plating density, culture density, and frequency of media replacement dramatically influence aromatase activity in cultured human genital skin fibroblasts. Therefore, the interpretation of aromatase activity data obtained from cultured cells in relation to physiologic or pathologic states should be viewed with appropriate caution. The work was supported in part by grants R01 DK 35339 and R01 DK 00180 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, and by RR 00035 from CLINFO Systems at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.     

HAUL-OUT PATTERNS, SITE FIDELITY AND ACTIVITY BUDGETS OF MALE HOOKER'S SEA LIONS (PHOCARCTOS HOOKERI) ON THE NEW ZEALAND MAINLAND

Diurnal and seasonal haul-out patterns, site fidelity and activity budgets of individually identified Hooker's sea lions were studied for two years at Papanui Beach, Otago Peninsula, New Zealand.
Fourteen male sea lions were identified. Lengths ranged from 1.65 m–2.28 m and estimated ages from 2-11 yr. The population consisted of four sexually and socially mature (potentially breeding), eight sexually mature but socially immature and two immature males. Most haul-outs (95.6%) were by nine identifiable individuals (Residents) returning on a regular basis, suggesting a high degree of site specificity. Emigration and recruitment were low in relation to the length of the study. Daily arrivals (mean = 0844 h, SD = 1.49) and departures (mean = 1802 h, SD = 1.18) indicate nocturnal feeding. During March 1986 sea lions spent 43.8% of each day ashore (= 78% of daylight hours). Numbers of sea lions hauled out declined in both breeding seasons; in 1986/87 this was due to a decrease in haul-out frequency of resident animals. All but one of these sea lions returned after the breeding season.
Sea lions preferentially selected the middle and the extreme ends of the beach as haul-out sites. During winter use was made of the grass dunes as haul-out areas.
There were significant differences in the frequencies of behavioral activities between summer and winter; more time was allocated to resting in summer.     

Histochemical characterization of myotomal muscle in the roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.)

A histochemical study of the myotomal muscles in the roach revealed three main muscle regions: red, intermediate and white. These were distinguished on the basis of glycogen content, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), and myofibrillar ATPase (mATPase) activity. Except for the red fibre region, none of these described regions is homogeneous. The principal new findings are the toniclike fibre, the presence of a transitional zone with two fibre types, and the mosaic organization of the white fibre region. The significance of this type of myotome architecture in relation to the locomotion of the species is discussed.     

Transformation and expression of a cloned δ-endotoxin gene in bacillus thuringiensis

Abstract A shuttle vector containing the replication region of a resident plasmid of B. thuringiensis , was used to determine the conditions allowing efficient transformation of B. thuringiensis by electroporation. Using this plasmid a δ-endotoxin gene was cloned and expressed both in Escherichia coli and B. thuringiensis . It was shown that this gene was poorly expressed in the wild type situation whereas after cloning in acrystalliferous strains of B. thuringiensis large amounts of crystal protein were obtained.     

Elicitor-induced metabolic changes in cell cultures of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars resistant and susceptible to Ascochyta rabiei

Cell-suspension cultures of two chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars, resistant (ILC 3279) and susceptible (ILC 1929) to the fungus Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Lab., showed differential accumulation of the phytoalexins medicarpin and maackiain, and transient induction of related enzyme activities after application of an A. rabiei-derived elicitor. The chalcone-synthase (CHS) activity (EC 2.3.1.74) which is involved in the first part of phytoalexin biosynthesis exhibited a maximum 8–12 h after elicitation in the cells of both cultivars. Concomitant with the fivefold-higher phytoalexin accumulation, CHS activity increased twofold in the cells of the resistant cultivar. The maximum of the elicitor-induced CHS-mRNA activity was determined 4 h after onset of induction in the cultures of both cultivars, although in cells of cultivar ILC 3279 this mRNA activity was induced at a level twofold higher than that in cells of the susceptible race ILC 1929. Investigations of CHS isoenzymes by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitated in-vitro-translated protein indicated the presence of five proteins. In the cells of both cultivars only two of the isoenzymes were induced after elicitor treatment. Analysis of the total in-vitro-translated proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that the constitutively expressed patterns of mRNA activities in the cell cultures of the two cultivars were identical. After elicitation, considerably more translatable mRNAs were induced in the cells of cultivar ILC 3279. The few induced proteins, and their respective mRNA activities, which could be detected in the cells of the susceptible cultivar, all existed in the cells of the resistant cultivar, too. One highly induced protein (M_r 18 kDa) found in the cells of cultivar ILC 3279 reached its maximum mRNA activity 6 h after elicitor application. The amount of this protein was hardly increased in the cells of the susceptible cultivar. This protein appears to be excreted from the cells into the growth medium.Abbreviations CHS chalcone synthase - IEF isoelectric focussing - ILC international legume chickpea - PR-protein pathogenesis-related protein - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis Financial support by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and Fonds der Chemischen Industrie is gratefully acknowledged. The authors thank Dr. K. Hahlbrock (Max-Planck-Institut für Züchtungsforschung, Köln, FRG) for provision of antisera and the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (Aleppo, Syria) for plant material.