Studies on the Genus Hamatophyton

This paper mainly focuses on the investigation of the rich sporangia and unite growing vegetative branch material in Tizikou Formation, Liujiachang sulphanilamide mine and confirms that sporangia of Hamatophyton is Sphenophyllostachys Seward, 1898. In view of the above, it is considered that Hamatophyton is in fact Sphenophyllostachys Seward, Hamatophyton Verticillatum Gu et Zhi which orinally decided before should be changed to S. verticillatus (Gu et Zhi) comb. nov. It represents the plant combination of South China as late Devenian. The flora is named as S. verticillatus-Lepidodendropsis hirmeri combination. This paper describes also two new species of Sphenophyllostachys Seward.     

Characterisation of a new species of Pythium isolated from a wheat field in northern France and its antagonism towards Botrytis cinerea causing the grey mould disease of the grapevine

A new species, Pythium bifurcatum, isolated from soil samples taken from a wheat field in Lille in northern France is described here. The oomycete occurred thrice out of 50 samples. The type specimen is F-91, which is a slow-growing saprophyte living on vegetable debris and which can be recognised by its antheridial as well as oogonial characteristics, which are different from other known species of Pythium. When grown together with Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of the grey mould disease of the grapevine, Pythium bifurcatum shows a pronounced antagonism and suppresses its growth. Morphological features of this new species, its antagonism to B. cinerea, the sequences of the ITS region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA, and its comparison with related species are discussed in this article.     

Effects of Paenibacillus nematophilus on the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis megidis

The insect parasitic nematodes Heterorhabditis spp. are mutualistically associated with entomopathogenic bacteria, Photorhabdus spp. A novel association has been detected between H. megidis isolate EU17 and the endospore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus nematophilus. P. nematophilus sporangia adhere to infective juveniles (IJs) of H. megidis and develop in insect hosts along with the nematodes and their symbiont. We tested the effects of P. nematophilus on H. megidis. The yield and quality (size, energy reserves, and storage survival) of IJs were not affected by co-culture in insects with P. nematophilus. Dispersal of IJs in sand and on agar was inhibited by adhering P. nematophilus sporangia: fewer than 2% of IJs with P. nematophilus sporangia reached the bottom of a sand column, compared to 30% of the control treatment. Sporangia significantly reduced infectivity of H. megidis for wax moth larvae in sand, but not in a close contact (filter paper) assay. The results suggest that P. nematophilus may reduce the transmission potential of H. megidis through impeding the motility of IJs.     

Changes in membrane glycoproteins during fruit-body formation inPhysarum polycephalum

Sporangia formation ofPhysarum polycephalum was induced by starvation and illumination, and the morphogenic process during the differentiation was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Plasma membranes were prepared from these differentiating plasmodia and the membrane proteins were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Many glycoproteins appeared during the fruit-body formation. Of these a protein of apparent molecular mass of 66 kD was prominent in sporangia forming stage which showed a high affinity to RCA lectin. Inhibition of the glycosylation and processing of these glycoproteins resulted in the prevention of fruit-body formation suggesting that the synthesis of these membrane components is a prerequisite process for the sporangia formation in the slime mold.     

Sporangial structure inPhytophthora is disrupted after high pressure freezing

Summary The effects of high pressure on the ultrastructure of sporangia ofPhytophthora cinnamomi andP. palmivora have been examined by comparing sporangia frozen in a Balzers hyperbaric freezer or pressurized in a French pressure cell with sporangia plunge frozen at ambient pressure. Both freeze fixation methods provided excellent preservation of most cell structures, but one organelle type seen in plunge frozen material, the large peripheral vesicle (LPV), was not observed in high pressure frozen sporangia. Instead, these sporangia contained large irregularly shaped structures which exhibit the patterns of spatial distribution and, forP. cinnamomi, the monoclonal antibody binding characteristic of LPVs. These findings suggest that some factor of the hyperbaric freezing process causes LPVs to be degraded. Sporangia ofP. cinnamomi that had been pressurized in a French pressure cell also exhibited large structures with the spatial distribution and monoclonal antibody binding characteristic of LPVs. The apparent expansion of LPVs that follows from both pressurizing treatments causes considerable passive disruption of sporangial structure. This is the first report of a major disturbance of cell structure from use of the Balzers hyperbaric freezer, and reflects the lability, noted in previous work, of LPVs inPhytophthora.     

New Observations on Drepanophycus spinaeformis from the Lower Devonian of Guizhou,China

Drepanophycus spinaeformis Goeppert is a plant of world-wide distribution in the Lower Devonian. Although this species has been reported from numerous localities, it is far from being understood well, because the fertile material is rare. Observation on specimens from the Danlin Formation of Guizhou showed that the sporangia were borne on short stalks attached laterally to the axes near the leaf axil, nearly sphaeroid, and smaller than Rayner’ kidney sporangia. Howerer, other character, e. g. banded nutritive axis bearing spiral drepanoid leaves, perforated tracheid wall, are the same as those described by Rayner. We agree with Rayner in raising Drepanophycales to the status of class, Drepanophycopsida, parallel with Zosterophyllopsida and Lycopsida. The systematic position of Drepanophycopsida is in between Zosterophyllopsida and Lycopsida. The class includes one order, one family and three genera (Drepanophycus, Baragwanathia and Asteroxylon).The fertile parts of the plant are reported for the first time in China.     

Approach to the early sporangial development in angiosperms considering meiosis control and cellular differentiation

 Applying current data on cell differentia- tion and meiosis control to the early sporangial development in angiosperms, a strict relationship between cell lineage and its differentiation fate is rejected. An evaluation of cytological features indicative of a meiotic (sporogenous) fate discards the sterilization phenomenon and introduces the premeiotic cellular differentiation (PCD) concept. The early sporangial development comprises 5 basic steps and 4 cellular stages, where PCD and meiosis extension and gradient are related to mechanisms of spore mother cell selection. Concepts here discussed explain the exceptions to the normal early sporangial development and allow a precise definition of archesporium and archespore. PCD and meiotic extension and gradient recover more information of the early sporangial development, distinguishing different developmental patterns leading to the same final result and retaining slight developmental differences. However, there are no early developmental characteristics distinctive of andro- or gynosporangia. Therefore, the heterosporic condition is not related to early developmental changes. Received January 5, 2001 Accepted August 29, 2001     

Phylogeny of the genus Pythium and description of new genera

Phylogeny of the genus Pythium is analyzed based on sequences of the large subunit ribosomal DNA D1/D2 region and cytochrome oxidase II gene region of Pythium isolates and comprehensive species of related taxa belonging to the Oomycetes. The phylogenetic trees show that the genus Pythium is a highly divergent group and divided into five well- or moderately supported monophyletic clades. Each clade is characterized by sporangial morphology such as globose, ovoid, elongated, or filamentous shapes. Based on phylogeny and morphology, the genus Pythium (s. str.) is emended, and four new genera, Ovatisporangium, Globisporangium, Elongisporangium, and Pilasporangium, are described and segregated from Pythium s. lato.