‘Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense’ is the phytoplasma associated with Australian grapevine yellows, papaya dieback and Phormium yellow leaf diseases

Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA genes and the 16S/23S spacer regions of the phytoplasmas associated with Australian grapevine yellows, papaya dieback and Phormium yellow leaf diseases revealed minimal nucleotide differences between them resulting in the formation of a monophyletic group. Therefore, along with Australian grapevine yellows, the phytoplasmas associated with Phormium yellow leaf and papaya dieback should also be considered as Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense.     

猕猴桃成熟果实中脂氧合酶基因的克隆

采用ＰＣＲ扩增方法,从成熟猕猴桃果实组织中克隆到一个８２４ｂｐ的脂氧合酶（ＬＯＸ）基因片段（ｐＫＬＣ１）,该片段含有２７５个氨基酸组成的开放阅读框架,它与拟南芥菜、黄瓜、豌豆、土豆、水稻、大豆、烟草和番茄的核苷酸同源性为５９．０％～７４．６％,氨基酸同源性为６３．１％～７６．３％。Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交表明,ｐＫＬＣ１片段为一低拷贝数基因家族所编码。     

Cell-mediated and humoral immune response to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in pigs enhanced by dextran sulfate

The effect of dextran sulfate (DS), known to be cytotoxic to macrophages, on the cell-mediated and humoral immune response to nonviable Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in pigs was investigated. The cell-mediated immune response was determined by means of lymphocyte transformation a test, using uptake of [3H]thymidine in a microculture system and the humoral immune response by means of a microplate complement-fixation test. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from pigs vaccinated with nonviable M hyopneumoniae and DS incorporated substantially more [3H]thymidine than did those from pigs given Mycoplasma or DS alone. The transformation of lymphocytes from M hyopneumoniae-DS vaccinated pigs was enhanced when M hyopneumoniae cells used in the assay system were heated at 60 C for 30 minutes. Similarly prepared M flocculare and M hyorhinis cells also stimulated lymphocytes from M hyopneumoniae-DS vaccinated pigs, but not nearly as great as when M hyopneumoniae cells were used. The humoral antibody response and the cell-mediated immune response to nonviable M hyopneumoniae was markedly enhanced by DS. Pigs were vaccinated with nonviable M hyopneumoniae and/or DS 4 times and challenge exposed intratracheally with viable M hyopneumoniae. Pigs vaccinated with M hyopneumoniae and DS had less severe pneumonia than did nonvaccinated pigs.     

Microbial biomass estimations in soils from tussock grasslands by three biochemical procedures

Microbial biomass was determined by three biochemical procedures in nine topsoils from a climosequence in tussock grasslands. The pH values of the samples ranged from 4.4 to 6.2 and organic C contents from 2.5 to 20.0%. When determined by a chloroform-fumigation procedure, contents of biomass C and mineral-N (Min-N) flush ranged from 530–2780 and 59–167 μgg^?1 dry soil respectively. Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) content ranged from 2.2 to 10.7 μg g^?1 dry soil. All three estimates were significantly correlated with each other and with several soil properties, including organic C and total N contents and CO₂ production. They were not significantly correlated with any climatic factor.In spite of these significant correlations, the ratios of the biomass estimates varied appreciably in the different soils. The ratios of biomass C/Min-N flush ranged from 7.8 to 22.8 (average 12.5), biomass C/ATP from 163 to 423 (average 248) and Min-N flush/ATP from 12 to 35 (average 22). These ratios were mostly higher than those found elsewhere for Australian and English soils. The high biomass C/ATP and Min-N flush/ATP ratios did not appear to originate from inefficient extraction of “native” ATP or from the soils' P status. Based on these results, care in the use of factors for obtaining soil microbial biomass content from Min-N flush or ATP values is indicated.     

Suppressive effect of nonviable Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae on phytohemagglutinin-induced transformation of swine lymphocytes

The effect of nonviable Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae on transformation of swine peripheral blood lymphocytes by mitogen was investigated. Lymphocyte transformation was evaluated as incorporation of [3H]-thymidine, using a microculture system. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae was grown in Friis medium, inactivated with sodium azide, and washed with phosphate-buffered saline solution. Four strains of M hyopneumoniae, strain J, strain 11, and 2 low-passage isolates (1361A, 1375C), were found to suppress phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphocyte transformation. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae strains J, 11, and 1361A reduced lymphocyte transformation by about 50%, whereas strain 1375C reduced lymphocyte transformation by 98.7%. The suppressive effect was abrogated by heating M hyopneumoniae at 60 C or at higher temperatures for 30 minutes. Sonication of the heated M hyopneumoniae cells partially restored the suppressive effect.     

Influence of storage on soil microbial biomass estimated by three biochemical procedures

The effects of 28 and 56 days' storage at 25°, 4° and ?20°C on the microbial biomass content of four soils from tussock grasslands were studied by three biochemical procedures. Two of the procedures involved measurement of CO₂ and mineral-N (Min-N) production by chloroform-fumigated and unfumigated soil, and consequent estimation of biomass C and Min-N flush respectively. In the third, adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) content was determined.Patterns of CO₂ production were often influenced by storage treatment. The use of fixed incubation periods for estimating the CO₂ flush of fumigated soil and the steady rate of CO₂ production by unfumigated soil did, however, give biomass C estimates that were generally similar to those calculated from individually determined incubation periods for each treatment and soil.Biomass C values could change significantly at all storage temperatures, but generally least at ?20°C. Storage at ?20°C was also the most suitable for retaining ATP contents, whereas 4°C was best for values of Min-N flush. Values of Min-N flush after storage of soil at ?20°C decreased significantly in two of the soils but increased in another. No storage temperature was thus satisfactory for all three indices of microbial biomass. Generally, however, 4°C was adequate for short periods, and 25°C the least suitable.     

Some enzyme and respiratory activities of tropical soils from new hebrides

Activities of invertase and amylase and respiratory activities of samples of 11 soils from New Hebrides were determined. The soils mostly were under forest and were acid with medium to low C/N ratios. Invertase activities were rather low but amylase activities were similar to those found in New Zealand soils. The ratios of invertase to amylase activities were mostly low.O₂ uptakes mostly responded markedly to glucose. Most values of respiratory quotients were about 1.0. Most, but not all, dehydrogenase activities were strongly related to O₂ uptakes. On an organic C basis, these respiratory activities declined with the depths to which the soils were sampled.Biochemical activities were mostly similar in forest soils derived from basalt and from andesite. Invertase activities were lower in soils under forest than under grassland covers.All biochemical activities were correlated significantly with contents of soil moisture and organic C, less with numbers of aerobic bacteria, and negatively with soil pH. On an organic C basis, none of the biochemical activities was significantly correlated with either soil moisture content or pH.     

Integrating in situ quantitative geographic information tools and size‐specific,laboratory‐based growth zones in a dynamic river‐mouth estuary

• 1. The ultimate determination of coastal habitat suitability requires the integration of both dynamic (i.e. water mass characteristics) and stationary (structural) habitats. An approach using real‐time streamed data collection, remote sensing, and GIS modelling to compare and contrast seasonal and spatial patterns in these habitat components of the eastern and western distributaries of the lower Pascagoula River estuary is described.
• 2. Structural and dynamic habitat characteristics are described using GIS and integrated with published growth data on juvenile mullet (Mugil spp.) and spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) to reveal zones of accelerated growth. Both mullet and spot had their greatest growth when water temperature and salinity (dynamic habitat) were physiologically optimal. The lack of spatial difference in the dynamic habitat between distributaries resulted in no growth zone differences for both species.
• 3. The integration of the growth zones with the structural habitat component showed that the west distributary, with its greater availability and reduced fragmentation of main channel marsh edge, should provide a greater area of essential fish habitat than the east distributary for juvenile spot, a marsh‐edge associate. Because juvenile mullet are less associated with structural wetland habitat, growth zones and the stationary (structural) habitat were not integrated.
• 4. The approach of integrating real‐time geo‐referenced water quality data with regional fish growth‐rate data is an important step towards a quantitative understanding of the hierarchical nature and inherent variability of dynamic coastal environments. The use of this holistic approach should lead to more effective management of estuarine systems, especially in regard to potential impacts within the estuary's watershed and to its coupling with offshore environments.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A thermogravimetric study of the pyrolysis of the bark and chemically-modified bark of jack pine,pinus banksiana lamb

The pyrolysis of native jack pine bark has been studied from 200 to 340°C by thermogravimetric (TG), and isothermal weight-loss methods. The effects of particle size, solvent extraction and additions of zinc (II) and iron (III) chlorides on the pyrolysis behaviour have also been examined. The bark was characterized by infrared spectroscopy and low-temperature gas adsorption. Residues were analysed for CHN contents and structural changes which occurred on heating were examined by optical and scanning electron microscopy. The TG characteristics were not affected by solvent extraction or particle size variation while the metal chloride additions inhibited the loss of volatile materials from the bark probably by stabilizing chemical bonding in the bark components. Isothermal decomposition data were found to fit established kinetic expressions associated with inorganic decompositions. The physical mechanics of pyrolysis have been interpreted on the assumption that pyrolysis is initiated through the formation of planes of lateral strain which are sites for decomposition and which decrease in number inversely with time. It is suggested that these sites are produced by an oxidation mechanism which may be rate-controlling in the pyrolysis. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that the data fit a reaction rate compensation curve, often associated with oxidation processes but more generally with heterogeneous catalytic reactions. The compensation curve also relates the kinetic parameters found by other workers for a large variety of wood-derived materials.