The Nuclear Envelope of Amoeba proteus During Mitosis as Studied With a Monoclonal Antibody Against a Membrane-Associated Protein

. The behavior of nuclear envelopes during mitosis in Amoeba proteus was studied by means of indirect immunofluo-rescence staining using a monoclonal antibody against a 220-kD membrane-associated protein of amoebae in conjunction with DAPI staining of chromatin. The antibody selectively recognized antigens on nuclear envelopes during interphase but did not react with the nuclear membranes during mitosis until after cytokinesis had been completed. Thus, it appeared that the membrane-associated protein reacting with the monoclonal antibody and normally present on the nuclear membranes was absent from fragmented nuclear membranes or nuclear membranes that were continuous but did not have the honey-comb lamina. The findings suggested that the 220-kD nuclear-membrane protein may be involved in the dissolution and reformation of the honey-comb lamina during mitosis in amoebae.     

Lysosomal Membrane Proteins of Amoeba proteus, as Studied with Monoclonal Antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies were prepared against lysosomal membrane proteins of amoebae and used to follow lysosome-phagosome fusion after induced phagocytosis. The specificity of antibodies was checked by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, immunoelectron microscopy, and localization of the antigen in subcellular fractions. The antibody-recognized proteins started to appear on the membranes of phagolysosomes about 5 min after phagocytosis as detected by indirect immunofluorescence, and the intensity of fluorescence increased for up to 1 h. Results of injection experiments in which purified antibodies had been injected into living cells and probed by indirect fluorescence indicated that the antigens were located on the cytoplasmic side of the lysosomal membranes. Lysosomes fuse with phagosomes on the one hand but not with non-fusible vesicles such as symbiosomes on the other. The results support the view that a membrane component(s) of non-fusible vesicles somehow prevents lysosomoes from fusing with them.     

Role of dominant tree species on diversity of herbivorous insect community in temperate forests

Oak (Quercus spp.) and hornbeam (Carpinus spp.) are one of dominant tree species in East Asian temperate broad leaf deciduous forests and many insect species, including more than 65% of Lepidoptera species, feed on these trees. We sampled lepidopteran caterpillars from two 0.1 ha plots in a temperate forest to investigate the role of dominant trees (oaks and hornbeams) in herbivore community. In total, we identified 738 caterpillars from 223 Lepidopteran species on 34 tree species. Most caterpillar species were from species-rich families such as Geometridae 25% (56 spp.), Noctuidae, and Tortricidae. After excluding dominant trees, plant-herbivore network analyses showed increased network specialization and nestedness and decreased generality and vulnerability. These results suggest that oaks and hornbeams support a large Lepidopteran herbivore community, and co-occurring plant species support diverse but specific herbivores. Geographical distribution and plant community are closely related to diversity of the herbivore community. Future work is needed to investigate the likelihood that specialist herbivores become relatively more abundant in the forest as oaks are succeeded by hornbeams.     

Arabidopsis ROP‐interactive CRIB motif‐containing protein 1 (RIC1) positively regulates auxin signalling and negatively regulates abscisic acid (ABA) signalling during root development

Auxin and abscisic acid (ABA) modulate numerous aspects of plant development together, mostly in opposite directions, suggesting that extensive crosstalk occurs between the signalling pathways of the two hormones. However, little is known about the nature of this crosstalk. We demonstrate that ROP‐interactive CRIB motif‐containing protein 1 (RIC1) is involved in the interaction between auxin‐ and ABA‐regulated root growth and lateral root formation. RIC1 expression is highly induced by both hormones, and expressed in the roots of young seedlings. Whereas auxin‐responsive gene induction and the effect of auxin on root growth and lateral root formation were suppressed in the ric1 knockout, ABA‐responsive gene induction and the effect of ABA on seed germination, root growth and lateral root formation were potentiated. Thus, RIC1 positively regulates auxin responses, but negatively regulates ABA responses. Together, our results suggest that RIC1 is a component of the intricate signalling network that underlies auxin and ABA crosstalk.     

Patterns of an elevational gradient affecting moths across the South Korean mountains: effects of geometric constraints,plants, and climate

We investigated elevational richness patterns of three moth groups (Erebidae, Geometridae, and Noctuidae) along four elevational gradients located on one northern and three southern mountains in South Korea, as well as the effects of plants and climatic factors on the diversity patterns of moths. Moths were collected with an ultraviolet light trap at 32 sites from May through October, 2013. Plant species richness and mean temperatures for January and June were acquired. Observed and estimated moth species richness was calculated and the diversity patterns with null models were compared. Species richness along four elevational gradients peaked at mid-elevations, whereas deviations occurred at elevations below mid-peak in the southern mountains and elevations higher than mid-peak on the northern mountain. Species richness curves of three moth groups also peaked at mid-elevations throughout South Korea. However, the species richness curves for Erebidae were positively skewed, indicating that a preference for lowlands, whereas curves of the Geometridae were negatively skewed, indicating a preference for highlands. The mid-peak diversity pattern between plants and moths on the Korean mountains showed an elevational breadth that overlapped between 800 and 900 m. Multiple regression analysis revealed that plant species richness and January mean temperature significantly influenced moth species richness and abundance. The rapid increase in mean annual temperature in the Korean peninsula and the unimodal elevational gradients of moths across the country suggest that an uphill shift in peak optimum elevation and changes in the highest peak of the curve will occur in the future.     

枳实提取物及其药效组分对ox-LDL损伤的人脐静脉内皮细胞ICAM-1表达和NO释放的影响

目的:研究枳实提取物及其药效组分橙皮苷和新橙皮苷对氧化低密度脂蛋白(oxidized low density lipoprotein,Ox-LDL)损伤的人脐静脉内皮细胞(human umbilical vein endothelial cells line,HUVEC)细胞间黏附分子-1(intercellular adhesion molecule-1,ICAM-1)表达和一氧化氮(nitric oxide,NO)释放的影响。方法:体外培养HUVEC,50μg/mL ox-LDL制造HUVEC损伤模型。以MTS染色法检测细胞毒性确定用药浓度。细胞ELISA法测定细胞表面ICAM-1的含量,试剂盒测定细胞培养上清液中NO含量。结果:①枳实提取物小于等于2 mg/mL时,橙皮苷浓度小于等于0.03125 mg/mL时,新橙皮苷浓度小于等于0.25 mg/mL时,HUVEC存活率分别大于80%。②2.0 mg/mL和1.0 mg/mL两个浓度的枳实提取物、15.625μg/mL的橙皮苷和0.2500 mg/mL新橙皮苷对ox-LDL诱导的HUVEC的ICAM-1表达有显著抑制作用。③2.0 mg/mL枳实提取物显著提高ox-LDL诱导的HUVEC和正常HUVEC培养液中的NO含量;7.813μg/mL、15.625μg/mL和31.250μg/mL 3个浓度的橙皮苷能显著提高ox-LDL诱导的HUVEC培养液中的NO含量,31.250μg/mL的橙皮苷能促进正常HUVEC的NO释放;0.2500 mg/mL和0.1250 mg/mL 2个浓度的新橙皮苷能显著提高ox-LDL诱导的HUVEC培养液中的NO含量。结论:枳实提取物及其药效组分橙皮苷、新橙皮苷能抑制ox-LDL诱导的HUVEC的ICAM-1表达,促进ox-LDL诱导的HUVEC的NO释放。     

Taxonomy of Tabanus cordiger Species Group (Diptera: Tabanidae) in Korea

ABSTRACT Horseflies of the Tabanus cordiger species group from Korea is revised taxonomically. A total of four species are arranged herein: T. divulsus sp. nov., T. fulvimedioides, T. kinoshitai and T. loukashkini. A key to discriminate species, annotated check lists of domestic records, and collection data for each species are provided.     

High Frequency of Plant Production via Somatic Embryogenesis from Callus or Cell Suspension Cultures inEleutherococcus senticosus

Hypocotyl segments ofEleutherococcus senticosuscultured on Murashigeand Skoog's (MS) medium with 4.5 µM2,4-D produced somaticembryos directly from the surface of explants without interveningcallus formation. When these somatic embryos were subculturedto the same MS medium with 4.5 µM2,4-D, friable embryogeniccalli were formed mainly from radicle tips of somatic embryos,but at a low frequency (5%). Selected embryogenic calli weremaintained on MS agar or liquid medium with 4.5 µM2,4-D.To induce somatic embryo development, embryogenic calli andcell clumps were transferred to MS medium lacking 2,4-D. Thefrequency of somatic embryo formation differed between culturetypes with 1570 embryos formed per Petri dish from callus cultureand 5514 embryos formed per flask from cell suspension cultures.Somatic embryos formed on agar medium had larger cotyledonsthan those of embryos formed in liquid medium. GA₃treatmentwas necessary to induce germination from somatic embryos. Therate of plant conversion was 97% in somatic embryos from callusculture and 76% in embryos from liquid culture. Regeneratedplantlets were successfully acclimatized in the glasshouse.Copyright1999 Annals of Botany Company Eleutherococcus senticosus, micro propagation, somatic embryogenesis.     

Trends in butterfly species richness in response to the peninsular effect in South Korea

Aim The Korean peninsula is elongated in shape and is connected to the Asian continent on the north. The peninsular effect – a decline in species density or richness as a function of distance from the mainland base (towards the distal tip) of a peninsula – was evaluated for plants and animals in different peninsulas. The aims of the present study were to describe the pattern of butterfly species diversity and to determine what factors may be responsible for this pattern along the Korean peninsula. The distribution pattern of butterfly species in South Korea before and after the Korean War was also investigated. Location South Korea (34–38° N, 126–129° E). Methods Forty‐three quadrats, each 1/2° latitude by 1/2° longitude, and three data sets – butterfly distribution data from 1938 to 1950, butterfly distribution data from 1976 to 1999, and the combined data – were analysed. The influence of four variables – latitude, longitude, area and maximum altitude – on each quadrat was investigated using multiple regression analysis. Results and conclusion The analyses revealed a marked peninsular effect: there was a significant positive correlation between butterfly species richness and latitude. Additionally, habitat diversity, expressed as maximum altitude, was significantly correlated with butterfly species richness. I conclude that both the geographical orientation and habitat diversity contribute to butterfly species diversity across South Korea. Comparison of ranges between the older and recent data sets suggests that geographical distributions of several species are dramatically reduced in size. These species may be used for future conservation activities in South Korea.