scholarly journals Macroscopic and microscopic studies of the nests and the stages involved in the nesting process of Centris muralis Burmeister (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Centridini) bee in the adobe walls, in La Rioja, Argentina

Biologia ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Cilla ◽  
Guillermo Rolón

AbstractCentris (Wagenknechtia) muralis Burmeister is one of the most common bee species distributed in the xeric region of Argentina. This work describes macro-and micromorphological aspects of the nesting architecture and the stages involved in the process of nesting of C. muralis bee, in the adobe walls of Capayán ruins and recent earthen constructions in Udpinango and Villa Castelli, La Rioja, Argentina. In addition, we discuss the possible factors that may explain the high density of nests observed in the adobe walls of Capayán ruins. These constructions are settled in the northern area of the Monte desert. Our analysis showed that the nest cell walls are strengthened and waterproofed probably by the admixture of organic material to the adobe matrix. Light microscopy of thin sections of the vacated cells showed the inner layers of organic material corresponding to the cocoon, and the outer layer of 0.7 mm thick corresponding to the cell walls consisting mainly of silt and clay, fine sand grains in low rate and absence of grains of sand medium and large. The cell wall was not different in its granulometry from that in the adobe brick, thus suggesting that the cell wall was constructed probably by cementing the particles with bee secretion. The scanning micrographs showed that the cell walls and non-nesting zones exhibited abundant clay crystals in the grain distribution. Pollen from Larrea sp. was observed in high proportions in the nest contents of C. muralis in the Capayán adobe walls.

1964 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. W. Claus ◽  
L. E. Roth

The morphological features of the cell wall, plasma membrane, protoplasmic constituents, and flagella of Acetobacter suboxydans (ATCC 621) were studied by thin sectioning and negative staining. Thin sections of the cell wall demonstrate an outer membrane and an inner, more homogeneous layer. These observations are consistent with those of isolated, gram-negative cell-wall ghosts and the chemical analyses of gram-negative cell walls. Certain functional attributes of the cell-wall inner layer and the structural comparisons of gram-negative and gram-positive cell walls are considered. The plasma membrane is similar in appearance to the membrane of the cell wall and is occasionally found to be folded into the cytoplasm. Certain features of the protoplasm are described and discussed, including the diffuse states of the chromatinic material that appear to be correlated with the length of the cell and a polar differentiation in the area of expected flagellar attachment. Although the flagella appear hollow in thin sections, negative staining of isolated flagella does not substantiate this finding. Severe physical treatment occasionally produces a localized penetration into the central region of the flagellum, the diameter of which is much smaller then that expected from sections. A possible explanation of this apparent discrepancy is discussed.


1966 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Jane Carson ◽  
R. G. Eagon

Electron micrographs of thin sections of normal cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed the cell walls to be convoluted and to be composed of two distinct layers. Electron micrographs of thin sections of lysozyme-treated cells of P. aeruginosa showed (a) that the cell walls lost much of their convoluted nature; (b) that the layers of the cell walls became diffuse and less distinct; and (c) that the cell walls became separated from the protoplasts over extensive cellular areas. These results suggest that the peptidoglycan component of the unaltered cell walls of P. aeruginosa is sensitive to lysozyme. Furthermore, it appears that the peptidoglycan component is not solely responsible for the rigidity of the cell walls of Gram-negative bacteria.


Author(s):  
Lukasz Wejnerowski ◽  
Slawek Cerbin ◽  
Maria K. Wojciechowicz ◽  
Marcin K. Dziuba

<p>Recent studies have shown that the filamentous cyanobacterium <em>Aphanizomenon gracile</em> Lemmermann, strain SAG 31.79, consists of two types of filaments that differ in thickness. These two types are known to vary in resistance to <em>Daphnia</em> <em>magna</em> grazing: thin filaments (&lt;2.5 µm) are more vulnerable to grazing than the thick ones (&gt;2.5 µm). In this study, we investigated whether the difference in the vulnerability to grazing of thin and thick filaments is a result of different thickness of their cell walls, a filament stiffness determinant. We expected thick filaments to have thicker cell walls than the thin ones. Additionally, we analysed whether cell wall thickness correlates with filament thickness regardless of the filament type. A morphometric analysis of cell walls was performed using transmission electron micrographs of ultra-thin sections of the batch-cultured cyanobacterial material.  Our study revealed that the thin type of filaments had thinner cell walls than the thick filaments. Moreover, cell wall thickness was positively correlated with filament thickness. TEM (transmission electron microscopy) observations also revealed that the thin type of filaments was often at different stages of autocatalytic cell destruction, which was mainly manifested in the increase in cell vacuolization and degradation of the cytoplasm content. Based on our findings, we assume that previously reported higher resistance of thick filaments to <em>Daphnia</em> grazing results from greater stiffness and excellent physiological conditions of thick filaments. </p>


1968 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-294
Author(s):  
MARGARET J. THORNLEY ◽  
AUDREY M. GLAUERT

An electron-microscope study of thin sections and negatively stained preparations of intact cells and isolated cell walls of a bacterium which is moderately resistant to ionizing radiation, Acinetobacter strain 199A, showed that it is similar to other Gram-negative bacteria except for its mode of division and for the fine structure of some of the surface layers. During division the cells form a fairly thick septum similar to those observed in Gram-positive bacteria. An examination of the appearance and chemical composition of isolated cell walls before and after treatment with enzymes, detergents and lipid solvents revealed that three layers, each with a characteristic fine structure, are present in the cell wall: (1) an outer membrane with an array of peg-like subunits; (2) a layer of wrinkled material which is digested by proteolytic enzymes; and (3) a smooth, rigid layer, which contains the mucopeptide components of the cell wall. These observations are compared with the results of other workers for various Gram-negative bacteria. From comparisons with the structure of more radiation-sensitive strains of Acinetobacter, it appears that layer (2) may be associated with the radiation resistance of the organism.


1962 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 262-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Frank ◽  
Marcelle Lefort ◽  
H. H. Martin

Quantitative chemical analysis of isolated cell walls of Phormidium uncinatum demonstrated the presence of a mucopolymer component resembling in composition that found in the cell walls of gramnegative bacteria. Electronmicroscopical investigations showed that each cell of a filament of Phormidium is lined with a mucopolymer supporting membrane, which is responsible for the rigidity of the cell wall and which can be digested by lysozyme.Growing filaments of Phormidium, exposed to penicillin, produce well recognizable localized defects in the mucopolymer layer of their cell walls and in the corresponding layers of septa still growing. These defects appear to indicate regions of growth.Electronmicroscopical examination of thin sections of intact filaments extend and confirm the morphological observations on isolated cell walls.The demonstration in blue-green algae of a mucopolymer cell wall component closely resembling that previously found in cell walls of bacteria provides further evidence for a taxonomic relationship between the two classes of organisms.


1974 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. de Bertoldi ◽  
F. Mariotti ◽  
C. Filippi

The fine structure of three unclassified strains of Humicola and of H. grisea has been investigated. The hyphae of all the strains show septa with Woronin bodies of the ascomycetous type. The cytoplasm contains many nuclei per cell, mitochondria, ribosomes, and endoplasmic vesicles, all typical of fungal cells. Electron-microscopic studies of thin sections of mature aleuriospores reveal a thick multilayered cell wall and an accumulation, inside the spore, of β-hydroxybutyrate granules. Aleuriospores exhibit different types of cell surface; the outer wall layer of two strains is smooth, while the outer layer of the other strains is rough because of the presence of melanizing bodies on the cell wall matrix. The fine structure of phialospores and microconidia is also described. Differences in the fine structure among the strains studied are reported.


1974 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 1229-1233
Author(s):  
Carole R. Dilworth ◽  
Mervyn Franklin ◽  
Gerald N. Bance

Microscopic observation of P. pseudomallei revealed that impaired cell division occurred upon the addition of carbenicillin to early exponential phase cultures. Cells were noticeably elongated after 1 h, and continued to increase in length with time. At 6 h filaments were abundant. Spherical bodies, some of which appeared to lyse, were frequently observed along the length of these filaments. Electron microscopy of thin sections confirmed that filament formation proceeded without fission, and constrictions were absent. Replication and segregation of DNA appeared normal; and the density of ribosomes suggested that protein synthesis was not impaired. Two types of inclusion bodies, observed in the nucleoid region of the filaments, were more pronounced compared with untreated cells. It was speculated that one of the inclusions was polyphosphate. The cell walls of the filaments showed decreased electron density. These observations suggest that synthesis of components of the cell wall is impaired by carbenicillin.


IAWA Journal ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.A. Donaldson

Three-dimensional computer models were used to simulate transmission electron micrographs in order to determine the effects of changes in microfibril orientation and arrangement on the appearance of ultrastructural images based on thin sections. It is shown that the tangential fibrillar texture commonly associated with wood cell walls results not from individual microfibrils arranged in tangential lamellae but from overlapping of adjacent microfibrils irrespective of their arrangement. The tangential lamellae observed in transmission electron micrographs of wood cell walls do not necessarily reflect the underlying nanostructure of the wall. Tangential textures can occur irrespective of the arrangement of microfibrils in tangential, radial or random patterns as a direct result of the helical organisation of the cell wall. Comparison between model images and high resolution micrographs suggests that microfibrils are arranged randomly in weakly defined clusters, with perhaps varying amounts of tangential or radial organisation.


1980 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Jane Morris ◽  
N. O. Van Gylswyk

SUMMARYA selection of the hemicellulose-utilizing rumen bacteria isolated by Henning (1979) were partially characterized. These and a number of other cellulolytic organisms were incubatedin vitrowith teff (Eragrostis tef) cell walls, and the extent of solubilization and utilization by the bacteria of individual cell wall sugars was determined. Results were compared with the action of the bacteria on isolated xylan and cellulose.The cellulolytic rumen bacteria solubilized more of both cellulosic and hemicellulosic sugars in the cell wall than the non-cellulolytic organisms. Bacteria which were unable to solubilize isolated cellulose could also degrade very little of the cell wall cellulose, and this appeared to limit the amount of cell wall hemicellulose which could be attacked.There was no direct relationship between the extent of degradation of isolated xylan and solubilization of cell wall hemicellulose, but those xylanolytic organisms which produced freely diffusible enzymes (as evidenced by production of clearings in 3 % xylan-agar) were more effective in attacking the cell wall than those which did not.Examination of thin sections in the electron microscope showed no relationship between attachment of bacteria to the cell walls and ability to degrade them.


1973 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 797-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Martin ◽  
F. Uruburu ◽  
J. R. Villanueva

To study the changes in the cell wall of Penicillium notatum during germination, thin sections of resting, swollen, and germinating spores, and mycelium were compared with thin sections of the isolated cell walls. In the cell wall of resting spores four distinct layers were found. The outermost layer of the cell wall of resting spores was released during swelling and the two inner layers were extended to form the cell wall of the germ tube. The cell wall of young germ tubes had only two layers but a new electron-dense layer was formed later on the outside. Mycelial cell walls which appeared thinner than those of conidia showed three distinct layers. Large mitochondria that divide during germination were present in both resting and swollen spores. Two different types of vacuoles were found, both of which decreased in size and in number during germination. Endoplasmic reticulum was almost absent in resting spores but increased substantially during swelling.


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