Foliage sesquiterpenes of Dacrydium cupressinum: identification,variation and biosynthesis

The major sesquiterpenes in the foliage of Dacrydium cupressinum are α-longipinene, longifolene, longibornyl acetate, caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, humulene, α- and β-selinene, β- and δ-elemene, aromadendrene and the rare 9βH-caryophyllene. Sesquiterpene levels vary greatly from tree to tree. As this variation is largely independent of environmental factors, genetic control is proposed. Longifolene and α-longipinene levels are closely correlated, as are those of caryophyllene and humulene. The biosynthetic implications of these correlations are discussed.     

Immigration of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, exhibiting various responses to density in relation to wing morphism

Considerable inherent variations in the relation between macropterous and brachypterous wing forms, and nymphal density were found in field populations of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Homoptera: Delphacidae), collected from various locations in Japan. When compared under uniform laboratory rearing conditions, most of the female populations exhibited higher ratios of macropters with increasing nymphal density, but some showed extremely high proportion of brachypters and the others were highly macropterous, over broad ranges of density. These results indicate the possibility that the planthoppers in Japan, which are known not to persist in winter, are derived from different migration sources.About ten generations of successive selection for brachyptery from a population showing usual density-dependent wing morphism generated populations similar to highly brachypterous ones mentioned above. Genetic analysis of the inheritance of wing morphism revealed that brachyptery in the females was controlled by a single pair of dominant alleles. However, in the males wing forms did not segregate so clearly in the crossing experiments. This suggests that wing morphism in N. lugens in under sex-limited inheritance.

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Einwanderung von Nilaparvata lugens mit unterscheidlicher Reaktion auf Populationsdischte bei der Flügelausbildung

Zusammenfassung In Feldpopulationen von Nilaparvata lugens Stål., welche in verschiedenen Regionen Japans gesammelt wurden, bestand in der Beziehung zwischen makropteren bzw. brachypteren Flügelformen und der Larvendichte eine beträchtliche Variation. Unter einheitlichen Zuchtbedingungen im Laboratorium stieg der Makropterenanteil bei den meisten Weibchenpopulationen mit steigender Temperatur; bei einigen Populationen hingegen war entweder der Brachypterenanteil oder der Makropterenanteil extrem hoch und zwar über weite Dichtebereiche. Dies deutet auf die Möglichkeit hin, dass die Zikade in Japan, wo sie bekanntlich nicht überwintert, jeweils aus verschiedenen Quellen einwandert.Wenn eine Population mit der üblichen dichteabhängigen Flügelausbildung 10 Generationen lang auf Brachypterie selektioniert wurde, entstanden Populationen, die den erwähnten hochbrachypteren Populationen aus dem Feld glichen. Die genetische Analyse der Vererbung der Brachypterie ergab, dass bei Weibchen ein einzelnes dominantes Allel verantwortlich ist. Bei Männchen dagegen trennten sich bei Kreuzungsexperimenten die Flügelformen nicht so klar. Dies deuted auf Unterschiede zwischen den Geschlechtern bei der Vererbung der Flügelformen.

     

Variation in larval black fly populations at three sites in a stream system over five years (Diptera:Simuliidae)

Five years of monthly samples taken from three sites in the Broad Cove River, two at lake outlets and one a kilometer downstream from an outlet were analyzed. Considerable variations in the population of each species between sites and years were observed. Fluctuations in the populations were not always consistent from site to site or between species at the same site from one year to the next. As all sites were on the same stream and within 3 km of each other with only slight altitude differences climatic factors were not a major factor producing variations observed between sites. Also the previous years population level did not appear to be directly related to the following seasons population level. Apparently localized conditions at a site were exerting a marked influence on the larval simuliid population at each site.     

Temporal variation of allele frequencies in populations of Akodon dolores (Rodentia,Cricetidae)

Summary Six population samples of the South American cricetid rodent Akodon dolores were collected at the same site at six-month intervals over a three year period. Changes in density were detected. Seven out of 18 loci analyzed by means of starch gel electrophoresis were polymorphic. Only two of these loci (Est-4 and G6pdh) showed statistically significant variation in allele frequencies following a seasonal pattern. There was no correlation between allele frequencies and population density. When animals were grouped into two classes according to body weight, a clear difference in allele distribution at the Est-4 and G6pdh loci was observed between individuals 39 g or less and those heavier than 39 g. As the first group comprises predominantly younger animals, the data indicate that changes in the age-structure of population, rather than density variations, are responsible for the cyclic pattern of allele frequencies fluctuations.     

Effect of initial size on subsequent growth and carcass characteristics of divergently selected channel catfish

Summary Two experiments were conducted simultaneously to determine (1) if fast-growing fingerlings of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, could be identified by simple visual selection of body size and (2) if initial size advantages influenced subsequent growth and carcass traits of divergently selected channel catfish. Exp. 1 included large (L), medium (M), and small (S) fingerling sizes from each of the control (C), selected upward (+) and selected downward (–) lines for body weight. Exp. 2 included all fmgerlings of the same size (25±5 g) from the 3 lines. Catfish from the L size-class, within each full-sib family in each line, were consistently heavier and longer than M and S size-classes throughout the 53-week experimental period. Fingerlings from the M size-class were also superior in growth to those from the S size-class. Catfish from the + line exceeded those from the C and –lines in body weight and total length at the conclusion of Exp. 1 but not in Exp. 2. This was attributed to the selection of equal size fmgerlings in Exp. 2 which may have excluded fingerlings with the best growth potential from the + body weight line. Results of the two experiments combined indicated that one generation of divergent selection has created genetic differences among lines of channel catfish.Supported by State and Hatch funds allocated to the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station     

Isozyme studies in provenance research of forest trees

Summary The nature and origin of the isozymes and the techniques for their detection in forest trees are briefly reviewed. The theories used to interpret the isozyme variation are summarized. Recent isozyme variation studies in provenance research are discussed in relation to known variation pattern detected by classical nursery and field tests. The populations of a tree species can be sometimes, but not always, distinguished by their isozyme patterns. For a number of species, relationships between environment of origin of the provenances and some isozyme frequencies have been statistically established. In one case (Picea sitchensis) where direct comparison between the variation pattern detected by isozymes and the genetic variation of silviculturally important traits was possible, no meaningful relationships between both patterns could be detected. Nei's genetic distances and indices of gene diversity do not appear to be useful in provenance research. The concept of genetic distance based on gene frequencies is probably not very useful in provenance research either.     

Bean lectins

Summary Seeds of forty bean cultivars having different lectin types based on two-dimensional isoelectric focusing-sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (IEF-SDS/PAGE) were analyzed for quantities of lectin, phaseolin and total protein. Significant differences were found among groups of cultivars with different lectin types for the quantity of lectin and phaseolin. Cultivars with more complex lectin types based on IEF-SDS/PAGE tended to have higher quantities of lectin and lower quantities of phaseolin than cultivars with simple lectin types. An association between lectin type and the quantity of lectin and phaseolin was found also in the seeds of F₂ plants that segregated in a Mendelian fashion for two lectin types. Seeds from plants with the complex lectin type had more lectin and less phaseolin than seeds from plants with the simple lectin type. Therefore, the genes controlling qualitative lectin variation also may influence the quantitative variation of lectin and phaseolin. The results of this study are related to other studies on the quantitative variation for seed proteins and to the possible molecular basis for variation in the quantity of lectins in beans.     

Variations in the sizes of gonads,eggs and larvae of the dace,Leuciscus leuciscus

Synopsis Prespawning female dace were examined in 7 successive years; in 6 years mean egg size (mm³) and egg number were inversely related and hence the ovary weights of equivalent-sized females were constant. Fecundity increased logarithmically with fish length, and an index of reproductive effort (ovary weight ÷ length cubed) also increased. The number of eggs per gram of ovarian tissue decreased with fish length; this was because mean egg size (mm³) increased and not because of a change in the proportion of connective tissue in the ovary. But in 1977, both egg number and mean egg size were low, although very high somatic growth had occurred in the previous, very warm, summer of 1976. Eggs from different-sized female dace were artificially fertilized, and incubated at a constant temperature. Dry weights of larvae, egg dry weights, mean egg size and larval starvation times showed linear correlations with each other and with parental (female) lengths. The progeny from the very smallest parent died several days earlier than those from the other parents. Size-related predation rates may be of more consequence than starvation death in natural populations. The optimum position of dace along the continuum between many small eggs and fewer larger eggs may vary at different levels of reproductive effort.     

Alterations in the structure of the electrical double layer adjacent to a charged membrane arising from electromagnetically induced changes in the activity of membrane bound enzymes

Electromagnetic fields of very low amplitude have been reported to influence a number of cellular functions. Many of these effects have a high degree of frequency specificity. Herein it is suggested that some of these reported results could be explained by a fieldinduced alteration in the enzymic activity of integral membrane proteins. It is shown that such a field-induced transition from an initial nonequilibrium steady-state to a final nonequilibrium steady-state can lead to an alteration in the concentration profiles of those charged species in the cell's ambient electrolyte that comprise the so-called electrical double layer. Examples of variations in the concentration profiles of those ions that react with a membrane-bound enzyme, as well as nonreacting ionic species, are given. The modulation of such effects by systematic variations in extracellular pH and ionic strength is discussed.     

Occurrence of esterified triterpenoid alcohols in the leaves of Pilosella officinarum

The mature winter leaves of Pilosella officinarum coll. Schultz and Schultz contained 29 mg esterified triterpenoid alcohols (g dry weight)⁻¹, of which over 80% was esterified with long-chain (C16-C18) fatty acids. The major fatty acids were 16:0, 18:2ω6 and 18:3ω3 and their amounts varied according to the season and stage of leaf development. In mature leaves the amount of triterpenoid alcohols esterified with long-chain fatty acids varied only slightly with the season. The changes in the fatty acid proportions in late winter-early spring, however, indicated a turnover in the esterified triterpenoid alcohol pool. In late winter after the snow had melted a 50% decrease occurred in the amount of triterpenoid alcohols esterified with short-chain fatty acids. The amount of esterified triterpenoid alcohols in immature leaves was relatively low [4 mg (g dry weight)⁻¹].
In the mature leaves esterified triterpenoid alcohols were found in globules whose appearance varied greatly according to the season. The globules were partly dissolved in late winter, and this together with the activation of respiration, suggests that the globules function as short-term energy reservoirs. Relationships between the appearance of lipid globules and the amount of esterified triterpenoid alcohols are discussed.