Reassessing Neotropical angiosperm distribution patterns based on monographic data: a geometric interpolation approach

Monographic data rely on specimens deposited in herbaria and museums, which have been thoroughly revised by experts. However, monographic data have been rarely used to map species richness at large scale, mainly because of the difficulties caused by spatially heterogeneous sampling effort. In this paper we estimate patterns of species richness and narrow endemism, based on monographic data of 4,055 Neotropical angiosperm species. We propose a geometric interpolation method to derive species ranges at a 1° grid resolution. To this we apply an inverse distance-weighted summation scheme to derive maps of species richness and endemism. In the latter we also adjust for heterogeneous sampling effort. Finally, we test the robustness of the interpolated species ranges and derived species richness by applying the same method but using a leave-one-out-cross-validation (LOOCV). The derived map shows four distinct regions of elevated species richness: (1) Central America, (2) the Northern Andes, (3) Amazonia and (4) the Brazilian Atlantic coast (‘Mata Atlantica’). The region with the highest estimated species richness is Amazonia, with Central America following closely behind. Centers of narrow endemism are located over the entire Neotropics, several of them coinciding with regions of elevated species richness. Sampling effort has a minor influence on the interpolation of overall species richness, but it substantially influences the estimation of regions of narrow endemism. Thus, in order to improve maps of narrow endemism and resulting conservation efforts, more collection and identification activity is required.     

Pathways in the binding and uptake of ferritin by hepatocytes

The binding and uptake of rat liver ferritin by primary cultures of rat liver hepatocytes was studied in order to assess the relative importance of saturable, high-affinity pathways and nonspecific processes in the incorporation of the protein by the cells. To minimize artifacts, ferritin not subjected to heat treatment and labeled in vivo with 59Fe was used. Binding to cell membranes was estimated from incubations performed at 4 degrees C. After 2 h, when a steady state in cell-associated ferritin had been achieved, approx. 4-10(4) binding sites per cell were observed, with an affinity constant for ferritin of 1 x 10(9) M-1. At 37 degrees C, the maximal uptake from these sites was 1.3 x 10(5) ferritin molecules/cell per h. For ferritin molecules bearing an average of 2400 iron atoms, this uptake amounts to 5 x 10(6) iron atoms/cell per min. Half-maximal uptake was achieved at a ferritin concentration, or KM1, of 3 x 10(-9) M. Although uptake rates at least a thousand times greater could be achieved by binding to the much larger number of low-affinity sites, the apparent KM2 for such 'nonspecific' uptake was 4 x 10(-7) M. At ferritin concentrations up to 2 nM, at least 90% of ferritin bound and taken up by hepatocytes involves saturable, high-affinity sites, presumably true ferritin receptors.     

Expression of the core antigen gene of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Acetobacter methanolicus using broad-host-range vectors

Summary Using the broad-host-range promoter probe vector pRS201 for cloning of phage Acm1 promoters, we established a convenient vector system for expression of heterologous genes in different Gram-negative bacteria. The usefulness of this system was demonstrated by expression of the HBV core gene in Acetobacter methanolicus. Plasmids carrying the HBV core gene downstream of different Acm1-phage promoters were transferred to A. methanolicus, a new potential host for recombinant DNA expression. Using enzyme immunoassay and immunoblot techniques, the amount and composition of core antigen produced in A. methanolicus were compared with that derived from Escherichia coli. The expression of immunoreactive core antigen in A. methanolicus exceeds by sevenfold that in E. coli using an expression system with tandemly arranged promoters. Morphological observations by electron microscopy show that the HBV core gene products isolated from both hosts are assembled into regular spherical particles with a diameter of about 28 nm that are comparable to original viral nucleocapsids. Offprint requests to: R. Schröder     

Transfer and Expression of Lithoautotrophy and Denitrification in a Host Lacking These Metabolic Activities

The conjugative 450-kilobase-pair megaplasmid pHG1 from Alcaligenes eutrophus H16 was transferred to the herbicide-degrading soil bacterium A. eutrophus JMP134. This transfer was achieved by means of RP4 mobilization and a Tn5-Mob insertion provided in trans on the megaplasmid replicon. Although kanamycin-resistant transconjugants also occurred with other gram-negative species such as Rhizobium, Agrobacterium, and thiobacteria, A. eutrophus JMP134 was the only recipient which stably maintained the megaplasmid. pHG1-containing transconjugants derived from JMP134 expressed all metabolic functions associated with the plasmid: the ability to oxidize hydrogen through catalysis of two hydrogenases, to assimilate carbon dioxide via the Calvin cycle pathway, and to grow with nitrate anaerobically. All of these metabolic activities were absent in the original strain JMP134.     

Studies on the role of transferrin and endocytosis in the uptake of Fe3+ from Fe-nitrilotriacetate by mouse duodenum

Addition of iron-binding proteins (human serum transferrin, mouse serum transferrin, human lactoferrin) to the luminal fluid in tied-off segments of mouse intestine in vivo led to reduced 59Fe3+ absorption from 59Fe3+-nitrilotriacetate when compared to 59Fe3+-nitrilotriacetate alone. Assay of transferrin in luminal fluid from tied segments revealed only trace amounts of immunoreactivity. The levels of luminal transferrin are unaltered in chronic hypoxia where iron absorption is significantly enhanced. Studies in vitro revealed that NH4Cl, dansylcadavarine, para-chloromercuribenzoate and trinitrobenzenesulphonate have no effect on initial 59Fe3+ uptake rates from 59Fe3+-nitrilotriacetate, while N-ethylmaleimide (1 mM) caused a 40% inhibition. In vivo 59Fe3+ uptake was unaffected by preincubation of tied-off segments with colchicine (5 mM) for up to 2 h. These results suggest that receptor-mediated endocytosis of transferrin is not a significant mechanism in the uptake of luminal Fe3+ by mouse duodenum.     

Independence of in vitro iron absorption from mucosal transferrin content in rat jejunal and ileal segments

Isolated non blood-perfused intestinal segments from normal and iron-deficient rats were used in vitro. A modification of the luminal perfusion method according to Fisher and Parsons allowed the comparison of iron and transferrin quantities in the serosal fluid at 15 min intervals. Iron transfer in jejunal and ileal segments was directly proportional to the luminal iron concentration within a dose range of 1 to 100 mumol/l, did not show saturation characteristics and was linear over time. Jejunal segments from iron-deficient rats transferred about twice as much iron as the jejunal controls. In ileal segments there was no difference in iron transfer between iron-deficient and control rats; in both cases transfer amounted to approx. 10% of jejunal controls. An exponential correlation was found, when the decreasing transferrin content of the tissue was plotted against the cumulative water transport. Transferrin and albumin release from jejunal and ileal segments into the absorbate cumulated asymptotically, which is typical for wash-out phenomena. As iron transfer cumulated linearly while transferrin release cumulated in an asymptotic manner, the capacity of transferrin to bind iron ions is exceeded roughly 100 times by molar equivalents of iron in the last absorbate fractions. Independence of iron transfer from mucosal transferrin quantities is concluded. As the molar transferrin/albumin ratios do not show significant differences between plasma and the sequence of absorbate samples, a wash-out from the gut's interstitial space is assumed, which makes plasma the most likely origin of transferrin in the mucosa.     

Transferrin in isolated cells from rat duodenum and jejunum

Mucosal transferrin was determined as transferrin-like immunoreactivity (TLIR) by means of a 2-site immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). Scraped-off mucosal tissue as well as isolated mucosal cells from the duodenum and jejunum of normal and iron-deficient rats before and after a washing procedure were examined. In iron-deficient rats there was about twice as much TLIR in scraped-off mucosal tissue as in the untreated animals. In the duodenum and jejunum of normal and iron-deficient rats, TLIR contents of the isolated cells in the magnitude of 320-510 ng/mg dry weight were found. Washing isolated cells three times in ice-cold Hank's solution resulted in a nearly tenfold decrease of TLIR content in all groups. In contrast the cells' RNA content remained unchanged.     

Development of flower buds in thin-layer cultures of floral stalk tissue from tobacco: Role of hormones in different stages

The in vitro development of flower buds was studied on tissue explants of epidermis and subepidermal cortex from the flower stalks of Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samsun. The number of flower buds formed depended mainly on cytokinin concentration. Auxin acted as a modifier in a complex way. In early development, NAA at 1 μ M decreased the number of buds initiated and delayed bud emergence. At a later stage, auxin promoted bud outgrowth at the same concentration. Optimal results were obtained when explants were first incubated at low auxin concentration for 3–5 days and subsequently transferred to an elevated auxin level. Physiological processes that lead to flower bud initiation start very soon after the onset of incubation. This was inferred from experiments whereby explants were first cultured at an inductive cytokinin concentration and then transferred to a non-inductive hormone level.     

Untersuchungen zur Trinkwasservaccination gegen Newcastle Disease beim Birkwild (Lyrurus tetrix L., 1758)

European Journal of Wildlife Research - Bei 30 Birkhühnern wurde nach kontrolliert durchgeführter Trinkwasservaccination gegen Newcastle Disease (ND) (Erstimpfung mit Hitchner B1,...     

Behavioral adaptations for raiding in the slave-making ant,Polyergus breviceps

We studied recruitment behavior of the slavemaking ant Polyergus breviceps,which typically raids colonies of Formica gnava.The first test series demonstrated the importance of social context, by showing that recruitment was high during raiding, but virtually absent during preraid circling and during the return trip after a slave raid. The second test series showed that Formicapupae (alone or together with adults) must be present for workers of Polyegrusto recruit nestmates. The third test series demonstrated that panic alarm by raided Formicais caused by a pheromone, and we suggest that adults of Formicamay be the source of this secretion. Finally, the fourth test series showed that formic acid is lethal to adults of Formicabut has almost no adverse effect on Polyergus.This relative immunity by Polyergusmay enable them to remain organized while entering nests of Formicaduring slave raids.