Maternal induction of larval diapause and its sensitive stage in the blow fly Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Lucilia sericata has a facultative diapause in the third larval instar after cessation of feeding. Induction of the diapause is influenced by the photoperiod and temperature conditions experienced by insects in the parental generation as well as those experienced by the larvae themselves. The sensitive stage of the parental generation for induction of diapause was examined using diapause‐averting conditions of 16 h light : 8 h darkness (LD 16:8) at 25°C and diapause‐inducing conditions of LD 12:12 at 20°C. The incidence of diapause in the progeny was predominantly determined by the conditions experienced by the parents in the adult stage. Moreover, the results of reciprocal crosses showed that only the mother's experience is involved in the induction of diapause in the progeny.     

Host discrimination modulates brood guarding behaviour and the adaptive superparasitism in the parasitoid wasp Trissolcus semistriatus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae)

Because hosts utilized by parasitoids are vulnerable to further oviposition by conspecifics, host guarding benefits female wasps. The present study aims to test whether female adults regulate brood guarding behaviour by host discrimination in a solitary parasitoid Trissolcus semistriatus by presenting an intact or parasitized host egg mass to a female adult. Virgin females without oviposition experience have host discrimination ability, which enables them to adjust the number of eggs laid in the hosts. Mating experience increases superparasitism by female adults, whereas mated females achieve a higher discrimination ability as a result of oviposition experience and show a lower superparasitism rate. As expected, females exhibit brood guard after parasitizing an intact host egg mass, whereas those females visiting a previously parasitized host egg mass, do not. Because the survival of eggs in superparasitized hosts is relatively low, regulating brood guarding behaviour by host discrimination is adaptive for female wasps.     

Photoperiodic induction of the first and the second diapause in the bean bug,Riptortus clavatus: a photoperiodic history effect

Summary In nondiapause adults raised under a long-day photoperiod, the critical daylength for diapause induction was between 13 and 14 h although some individuals did not respond to the short-day photoperiod and went on laying eggs. In postdiapause adults in which LD 1311 induced the first diapause (L13 insects), the critical daylength for diapause reinduction was between 13 and 14 h, whereas it was between 12 and 13 h in postdiapause adults in which LD 1014 induced the first diapause (L10 insects). Under LD 1311, a small proportion of L10 insects went into the second diapause after great delay as compared with L13 insects. Under LD 1014, on the other hand, L10 insects went into the second diapause more rapidly than L13 insects. Therefore, the photoperiod which had induced the first diapause affected the photoperiodic induction of the second diapause not only in the critical daylength but also in the speed of response. In Riptortus clavatus, the photoperiodic history influences the subsequent photoperiodic response even after a physiological state induced by the previous photoperiod was terminated completely.Abbreviations L13 insects postdiapause adults in which LD 1311 induced the first diapause - L10 insects postdiapause adults in which LD 1014 induced the first diapause     

Epitope expression on primate lymphocyte surface antigens

The cross-reactivity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 28 nonhuman primates was investigated with ten kinds of Leu series of monoclonal antibodies specific to human T-, natural killer/killer-, and B-cells. The chimpanzees possessed all ten epitopes examined but the orangutan lacked Leu4 and Leu7 epitopes and the gibbons lacked Leu4, Leu7, and Leu12 epitopes. In addition to the above epitopes, the Old World monkeys lacked Leu1 and Leu10 epitopes. The Leu3a/Leu2a cell ratios varied from 0 to 1.56 among the 12 macaque species and this enabled classification of these species into three groups. In the New World monkeys, Leu2a epitope was absent, whereas Leu11a epitope was detected in several species and Leu3a epitope was found only in the owl monkeys. The prosimians expressed only HLA-DR epitope.     

A stable Escherichia coli-mycobacteria shuttle vector 'pSO246' in Mycobacterium bovis BCG

Abstract The most widely used plasmid vector system in mycobacteria is based on pAL5000 from Mycobacterium fortuitum . The derivatives of the pAL5000-based shuttle vectors between Escherichia coli and mycobacteria, which we have utilized to secrete recombinant antigens, were generated. The stability of the vectors was assessed in Mycobacterium bovis BCG (BCG). The plasmid vector pSO246 was stable in BCG for at least 50 generations.     

Immunochemical characterisation and epitope mapping of a novel fimbrial protein (Pg-II fimbria) of Porphyromonas gingivalis

Abstract Mouse monoclonal antibody (mAb) Pgf-II specific for a 72-kDa major cell-surface protein (72K-CSP) derived from Porphyromonas gingivalis OMZ 409 was prepared. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that mAb Pgf-II reacted with 72K-CSP but not with 41-kDa fimbrial subunit protein (41K-fimbrilin) derived from P. gingivalis 381. Electron microscopic observation revealed that P. gingivalis OMZ 409 possessed peritrichous, thin fimbriae on their surface. Immunogold electron microscopy also demonstrated that mAb Pgf-II bound to the 72K-CSP examined with the gold particles arranged along the fibril array originating from the cell surface of the bacteria. These findings suggested that P. gingivalis 72K-CSP was identifiable as another fimbriae (termed Pg-II fimbriae) different from the fimbriae (termed Pg-I fimbriae) composed of a 41K-fimbrilin. Using multipin peptide synthesis technology, 102 sequential overlapping peptides covering the entire 514 amino-acid stretch of Pg-II fimbriae were synthesised. Seven immunodominant regions within Pg-II fimbrial protein molecule, which definitely reacted with the serum of patients with periodontal diseases, were detected.     

Enhancement factor for oxygen absorption into fermentation broth

Values of the enhancement factor for oxygen absorption into fermentation broth, i.e., the ratio of the liquid phase mass transfer coefficients for oxygen absorption for both cases with and without respiration of microorganisms were predicted theoretically on the assumption of various cell concentration distributions. Calculations indicate that in the usual case the enhancement factor is only slightly or negligibly larger than unity, even when accumulation of microorganisms at or near the gas-liquid interface is assumed. Results of experiments with sparged-stirred fermentors on oxygen absorption into fermentation broths containing resting and growing cells of Candida tropicalis confirmed the theoretical prediction. Except for extreme cases, the effect of respiration of microorganisms on k_La, values can practically be ignored.     

Identification and Dynamics of Arabidopsis Adaptor Protein-2 Complex and Its Involvement in Floral Organ Development

The adaptor protein-2 (AP-2) complex is a heterotetramer involved in clathrin-mediated endocytosis of cargo proteins from the plasma membrane in animal cells. The homologous genes of AP-2 subunits are present in the genomes of plants; however, their identities and roles in endocytic pathways are not clearly defined in plants. Here, we reveal the molecular composition of the AP-2 complex of Arabidopsis thaliana and its dynamics on the plasma membrane. We identified all of the α-, β-, σ-, and μ-subunits of the AP-2 complex and detected a weak interaction of the AP-2 complex with clathrin heavy chain. The μ-subunit protein fused to green fluorescent protein (AP2M-GFP) was localized to the plasma membrane and to the cytoplasm. Live-cell imaging using a variable-angle epifluorescence microscope revealed that AP2M-GFP transiently forms punctate structures on the plasma membrane. Homozygous ap2m mutant plants exhibited abnormal floral structures, including reduced stamen elongation and delayed anther dehiscence, which led to a failure of pollination and a subsequent reduction of fertility. Our study provides a molecular basis for understanding AP-2–dependent endocytic pathways in plants and their roles in floral organ development and plant reproduction.     

INPPO Actions and Recognition as a Driving Force for Progress in Plant Proteomics: Change of Guard,INPPO Update,and Upcoming Activities

The International Plant Proteomics Organization (INPPO) is a non‐profit organization whose members are scientists involved or interested in plant proteomics. Since the publication of the first INPPO highlights in 2012, continued progress on many of the organization's mandates/goals has been achieved. Two major events are emphasized in this second INPPO highlights. First, the change of guard at the top, passing of the baton from Dominique Job, INPPO founding President to Ganesh Kumar Agrawal as the incoming President. Ganesh K. Agrawal, along with Dominique Job and Randeep Rakwal initiated the INPPO. Second, the most recent INPPO achievements and future targets, mainly the organization of first the INPPO World Congress in 2014, tentatively planned for Hamburg (Germany), are mentioned.