A Critical Assessment of the Role of Potassium and Osmolarity in Stomatal Opening

An attempt has been made to separate the osmotic effect fromthe ionic effect of KCI in stomatal responses. For this purposeisolated illuminated epidermis from species with and withoutsubsidiary cells were treated with KCI (0-250 mOs kg^–1)and with mannitol (0-250 mOs kg^–1). Since osmolarity wasmade the basis of comparison, the effect of mannitol had tobe observed immediately, before guard cell contents could haveleached into the incubation medium. When plotting aperturesagainst osmolarity sigmoid curves were obtained with KCI, butwith mannitol straight lines resulted provided that prior tostripping and incubation leaves were briefly illuminated. Whilst in lower concentrations (60 mOs kg^–1 for Viciafaba; 90 mOs kg^–1 for Zantedeschia aethiopica; 190 mOskg^–1 for Commelina communis) pores were wider in mannitolthan in KCI, in concentrations above these values the situationwas reversed. It appeared therefore that KCI had either an inhibitoryor a promoting effect. Inhibition was most pronounced when atthe beginning of incubation stomata were closed; the inhibitoryeffect on stomata without subsidiary cells occurred at low concentrations(0-60 mOs kg^–1) whereas when subsidiary cells were presentinhibition occurred at up to 190mOs kg^–1. Other experiments started with KCI solutions of 50 mOs kg^–1for Vicia faba, 85 mOs kg^–1 for Zantedeschia aethiopicaand 115 mOs kg^–1 for Commelina communism; mannitol wasadditionally used to give the progressive increases in osmolarity.Degrees of opening were then reached which with KCI alone couldonly be attained at the very highest concentrations. Starch disappearance was followed using the periodic-acid-silvertest; by using either ⁸⁶Rb or ⁴³K it was shown that ion uptakewas restricted to guard cells alone only at osmolarities exceeding200 mOs kg^–1. On the basis of these observations it was concluded that K transportdoes not represent the major mechanism of stomatal regulation. Key words: Stomata, Potassium, Osmolarity     

Host Cell Reactivation in Strains of <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. coli</Emphasis> lacking DNA Polymerase Activity <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

BACTERIAL cells can repair DNA which has been damaged by irradiation with ultraviolet light (UV). A repair process which does not depend on light is known as dark reactivation. Because the cells can repair damaged infecting DNA, as well as their own by the same mechanism the phenomenon has also been called host cell reactivation (HCR). HCR seems to consist of the following reaction steps¹: (1) endonucleolytic incision close to the UV photoproduct which most frequently is a pyrimidine dimer; (2) excision of the photoproduct as an oligonucleotide; (3) resynthesis of the removed nucleotide sequence using the opposite strand as a template; and (4) rejoining of the polynucleotide chains.     

Connection between the Synthesis of Differentiation Specific Proteins and the Capacity of Cells to Respond to Cytokinin in the Moss Funaria

The differentiation stage of the caulonema in Funaria hygrometrica protonema is distinguished from the chloronema stage by three additional protein bands (CSP) in the soluble protein fraction. During the change of caulonema to chloronema, which is induced by isolation of single filaments (regeneration), the CSP disappear. This is not the consequence of an accelerated degradation or turnover but of a gradual termination in the de novo synthesis of CSP during regeneration as demonstrated by pulse-chase experiments with l -[4,5–³H] leucine. Cytokinin inhibits the termination of the synthesis of CSP. The decrease in synthesis parallels the decrease in ability of the isolated caulonema cells to respond to cytokinin via bud formation. It is therefore concluded that the CSP are involved in the competence of caulonema cells to respond to cytokinins.     

Mandibular Gland Volatiles and Their Ontogenetic Patterns in Queen Honey Bees,Apis mellifera carnica

Extracts of mandibular glands taken from adult queens of the honey bee, Apis mellifera carnica, were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. More than 100 compounds could be identified among which oxygenated fatty acids with six, eight, 10 and 12 carbon atoms are particularly interesting since they show structural relationships to the queen substance, (E)-9-oxo-2-decenoic acid. Changes in the patterns of volatiles were followed up from emergence until the full dominant status of an egg-laying queen in a strong colony. Generally, the amount of volatiles per gland was found to increase with age. The final level of queen substance (9-ODA) content is reached at the postmating stage about 10 days after emergence. Ontogenetic patterns of concentrations were determined for those components regarded to predominantly contribute to the royal pheromone. Characteristic compositions of signals, possibly involved in the premating, mating and postmating dominance status of a honey bee queen are discussed. Copyright 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved     

The Mouse Pink-Eyed Dilution Gene: Association with Hypopigmentation in Prader-Willi and Angelman Syndromes and with Human OCA2

Mutations at the mouse pink-eyed dilution locus, p, cause hypopigmentation. We have cloned the mouse p gene cDNA and the cDNA of its human counterpart, P. The region of mouse chromosome 7 containing the p locus is syntenic with human chromosome 15q11-q13, a region associated with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and Angelman syndrome (AS), both of which involve profound imprinting effects. PWS patients lack sequences of paternal origin from 15q, whereas AS patients lack a maternal copy of an essential region from 15q. However, the critical regions for these syndromes are much smaller than the chromosomal region commonly deleted that often includes the P gene. Hypopigmentation in PWS and AS patients is correlated with deletions of one copy of the human P gene that is highly homologous with its mouse counterpart. A subset of PWS and AS patients also have OCA2. These patients lack one copy of the P gene in the context of a PWS or AS deletion, with a mutation in the remaining chromosomal homologue of the P gene. Mutations in both homologues of the P gene of OCA2 patients who do not have PWS or AS have also been detected.     

Acoustic adaptations of periodical cicadas (Hemiptera: Magicicada)

We studied the trade-off between traits that function in mate attraction and those that function in enemy avoidance by contrasting features of acoustic communication in cicadas differentially at risk to predators in the same environment. Two genera of North American cicadas were studied: Magicicada and Tibicen. Magicicada species of periodical cicadas, with 17-year life cycles, seek mates in dense aggregations of calling males that are made possible by the relative ineffectiveness of predators to control their numbers. During the breeding season, Magicicada are so abundant that they satiate their predators. From their relative freedom from predation, it is to be expected that traits for attracting mates are emphasized in Magicicada compared with the more solitary genus Tibicen , which reproduce at much lower densities. Males of solitary species are expected to sing more loudly and at low pitch because both features enhance long-distance transmission. These two features were confirmed by measurement. Magicicada septendecim appears to be the most divergent species, evolutionarily, in terms of an unusually sharply tuned sound resonating system, low resonant frequency, and quietness of its song that cannot be entirely explained by body size. These characteristics represent adaptations to the problem of communicating unambiguously to females at close range in a loud and heterogeneous sound environment. Sensitivity to predators, parasitoids, and congeneric species may also have shaped the evolution of their communication systems.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 90 , 15–24.     

Fate of airborne nitrogen in heathland ecosystems: a 15N tracer study

In the present study, we analyze the fate of airborne nitrogen in heathland ecosystems (NW Germany) by means of a ¹⁵N tracer experiment. Our objective was to quantify N sequestration and N allocation patterns in an ecosystem that is naturally limited by N, but that has been exposed to airborne N inputs exceeding critical loads for more than 3 decades. We hypothesized that the system has a tendency towards N saturation, which should be indicated by low N sequestration and high N leaching. We analyzed ¹⁵N partitioning (aboveground biomass and soil horizons) and investigated ¹⁵N leaching over 2 years following a ¹⁵N tracer pulse addition. ¹⁵N tracer recovery was 90% and 76% in the first and second year, respectively. Contrary to our expectations, more than 99% of the tracer recovered was sequestered in the biomass and soil, while leaching losses were <0.05% after 2 years. Mosses were the most important short‐term sink for ¹⁵N (64% recovery in the first year), followed by the organic layer. In the second year, the moss layer developed from a sink to a source (23% losses), and soil compartments were the most important sink (gains of 11.2% in the second year). Low ¹⁵N recovery in the current year's shoots of Calluna vulgaris (<2%) indicated minor availability of ¹⁵N tracer sequestered in the organic layer. N partitioning patterns showed that the investigated heaths still have conservative N cycling, even after several decades of high N loads. This finding is mainly attributable to the high immobilization capacities for N of podzols in soil compartments. In the long term, the podzol A‐ and B‐horizons in particular may immobilize considerable amounts of incoming N. Since N compounds of these horizons are not readily bio‐available, podzols have a high potential to withdraw airborne N from the system's N cycle.     

Volatile chemical release by bethylid wasps: identity, phylogeny, anatomy and behaviour

The structures of volatile chemicals released by parasitic wasps in the family Bethylidae are shown to correspond to the subfamily to which the species belong. Species in the Epyrinae release skatole (3-methylindole) and species in the Bethylinae release a spiroacetal (2-methyl-1,7-dioxaspiro [5.5]undecane): these compounds are chemically very different. The enantiomeric composition of the spiroacetal differs between congeneric species. Chemical release is a discrete event under the active control of both male and female wasps. Structural differences between the mandibular glands and intramandibular glands suggest the mandibular glands to be the source of released volatiles. Real-time mass spectrometry shows that the spiroacetal is released by Goniozus nephantidis females during dyadic resource contests, with release more common during more aggressive interactions. Chemical tagging with deuterium further shows that the volatile is released by the loser of an agonistic interaction and not the winner. The function of spiroacetal and skatole release by bethylids is discussed.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 94 , 837–852.