Development of polymorphic markers for the root pathogen Thielaviopsis basicola using ISSR‐PCR

Thielaviopsis basicola is a soil‐borne fungal pathogen affecting many important agricultural crops. Little is known regarding the population biology or origin of this pathogen. Polymorphic markers developed for Ceratocystis fimbriata, a species complex phylogenetically closely related to T. basicola, were tested and found not to be useful for T. basicola. In this study 14 primer pairs, seven of which resulted in the amplification of single polymorphic fragments in T. basicola were developed. These primers will enable further studies on this economically important pathogen, and will result in an enhanced understanding of its population structure in different parts of the world.     

Benthic–pelagic coupling in the population dynamics of the harmful cyanobacterium Microcystis

1. In eutrophic lakes, large amounts of the cyanobacterium Microcystis may overwinter in the sediment and re‐inoculate the water column in spring. 2. We monitored changes in pelagic and benthic populations of Microcystis in Lake Volkerak, The Netherlands. In addition, sedimentation rates and the rate of recruitment from the sediment were measured using traps. These data were used to model the coupling between the benthic and pelagic populations and to calculate the contribution of overwintering benthic and pelagic populations to the magnitude of the pelagic summer bloom. 3. Changes in the benthic Microcystis population showed a time lag of 3–14 weeks compared with the pelagic population. This time lag increased with lake depth. The largest amount of benthic Microcystis was found in the deepest parts of the lake. These observations suggest horizontal transport of sedimented Microcystis from shallow to deep parts of the lake. 4. Recruitment from and sedimentation to the sediment occurred throughout the year, with highest recruitment and sedimentation rates during summer. Model simulations indicate that the absence of benthic recruitment would reduce the summer bloom by 50%. 5. In spring, the total pelagic population was three to six times smaller than the total benthic population. Yet, model simulations predict that the absence of this small overwintering pelagic population would reduce the summer bloom by more than 64%. 6. Reduction of the overwintering pelagic populations, for instance by flushing, may be a useful management strategy to suppress or at least delay summer blooms of Microcystis.     

Differentiated Mouse Epithelial Cell Line with Hepatocyte Characteristics

An epithelial cell line, 3105, with an unusual growth pattern has been derived from the liver of an (NZBxNZW)F₁ mouse. When confluent, it forms a monolayer of closely packed cells interspersed with holes that do not fill in during cultivation. By electron microscopy, the line has tight and intermediate junctions as well as desmosomes typical of epithelial cells. It produces several enzymes normally present in liver including hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, glucose-6 phosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase; has cytochromes P-450 and b₅; and spontaneously releases xenotropic but not ecotropic endogenous mouse type C viruses. Inoculation of the cell line into athymic nude mice gives rise to benign cysts in 2–3 months. This mouse epithelial line with hepatocyte characteristics should be helpful to investigators as a cell model of normal liver cell differentiation.