Green Globular Body (GGB) Induction and Differentiation in the Medicinal fern Drynaria Roosii

Background: The green globular body (GGB) of ferns is a special propagule induced in plant in vitro culture systems. Owing to its high proliferation efficiency, GGB is widely used in the in vitro propagation of important ornamental and medicinal ferns. In addition, propagation using GGB shows great development prospects in the conservation of rare or endangered ferns and the breeding of new fern varieties. However, due to the lack of systematic studies on GGB ontogenesis, the morphogenetic aspects of GGB during induction and differentiation remain unclear.Results: We characterized the response of five types of explants of Drynaria roosii to GGB inductive medium and further investigate morphological and anatomical changes of explants that developed GGBs. We found that the rhizome explants directly produced GGBs through cell proliferation of the shoot apical meristem and lateral meristem. The leaf and petiole explants produced GGBs indirectly through the proliferation of meristematic cells of somatic embryos derived from the epidermal cells of the explants. The root and gametophyte explants failed to produce GGB under our induction conditions. We further investigated the differentiation process of GGB. During GGB differentiation, shoot primordia and leaf primordia differentiate from meristematic cells on the epidermis, and the root primordia develop from an inner meristematic tissue with developing vascular tissue connecting all these primordia, which indicates the involvement of multiple organogenesis processes.Conclusions: Our results suggested that preexisting or reestablished meristematic cells were the direct source of GGB in D. roosii. Somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis were involved in GGB induction and differentiation, respectively. The comparison with other common propagules revealed that GGB in D. roosii was largely different from somatic embryos, callus, and protocorm or protocorm-like bodies.

Evolution of Feeding Shapes Swimming Kinematics of Barnacle Naupliar Larvae: A Comparison between Trophic Modes

Synopsis A central goal in evolutionary biology is connecting morphological features with ecological functions. For marine invertebrate larvae, appendage movement determines locomotion, feeding, and predator avoidance ability. Barnacle larvae are morphologically diverse, and the morphology of non-feeding lecithotrophic nauplii are distinct from those that are planktotrophic. Lecithotrophic larvae have a more globular body shape and simplified appendages when compared with planktotrophs. However, little is known about whether and how such morphological changes affect kinematics, hydrodynamics, and ecological functions. Here, we compared the nauplii kinematics and hydrodynamics of a lecithotrophic Rhizocephalan species, Polyascus planus, against that of the planktotrophic nauplii of an intertidal barnacle, Tetraclita japonica. High-speed, micro-particle image velocimetry analysis showed that the Polyascus nauplii swam faster and had higher amplitude and more synchronous appendage beating than the Tetraclita nauplii. This fast swimming was accompanied by a faster attenuation of induced flow with distance, suggesting reduced predation risk. Tetraclita nauplii had more efficient per beat cycles with less backward displacement during the recovery stroke. This “anchoring effect” resulted from the anti-phase beating of appendages. This movement, together with a high-drag body form, likely helps direct the suction flow toward the ventral food capturing area. In sum, the tradeoff between swimming speed and predation risks may have been an important factor in the evolution of the observed larval forms.

Women in Opposition: The Sociopolitical Implications of Loro Female Face-neck Jars of Middle Horizon South Coastal Peru

The production and use of Loro ceramics in the Middle Horizon (c. ad 650–1000) south coast of Peru persisted during a period of cultural conflict as the highland Wari empire annexed this region. Primarily residing in the Las Trancas valley, just beyond the locus of Wari control, the Loro developed tight ethnic bonds and seem to have maintained autonomy for the duration of the empire's presence. Loro ceramics embody the culture's development of a local identity, particularly evident in face-neck jars, one-handled vessels consisting of a modelled human head atop a globular body. With standardized facial features, a range of reductive motifs and a tendency toward female representation, Loro face-neck jars contrast markedly with similar Wari vessels depicting individuals dressed in elite male costume and bearing symbols of Wari state religion. A significant percentage of Loro face-neck jars are sexed or gendered female, an unusual occurrence in Andean visual culture. This article frames these objects within Andean constructs of gender complementarity, arguing that Loro female face-neck jars visually declared their gendered opposition to Wari, protecting their autonomy through the implicit acquiescence and complementarity of femininity.

Lanocira kroyeri Hansen (Isopoda: Corallanidae) redescrição e nova ocorrência para a Ilha Arvoredo, Santa Catarina, Brasil

Redescrição de Lanocira kroyeri Hansen, 1890 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Corallanidae) e novo registro de ocorrência para Ilha Arvoredo, litoral de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Esta espécie de Isopoda é habitante do fundo marinho, entre 6 a 8 m de profundidade, vivendo nos interstícios do corpo globular de algas calcárias vivas. Com o presente registro de ocorrência de L. kroyeri a distribuição desta espécie é ampliada para (27° 17’ S e 48° 22’ W ). ABSTRACT Redescription of Lanocira kroyeri Hansen, 1890 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Corallanidae) and a new register of occurrence at Arvoredo island, littoral of Santa Catarina, Brazil. This species of Isopod lives at marine deep, between 6 to 8 m deep, living at the interstices of a globular body of alive calcareous algae. According to the present occurrence register of L. kroyeri the distribution of this species is amplified to (27° 17’ S e 48° 22’ W ). RÉSUMÉ Rédescription de Lanocira kroyeri Hansen, 1890 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Corallanidae) et nouveau registre en l'Ilha Arvoredo, littoral de Santa Catarina, Brésil. Cette espèce de Isopoda vivre sur le fond marine, entre les profundeurs 6 et 8 m, dans les interstices de le corp globular d’algae calcarea. Avec le present registre d’ocurrence la distribution latitudinale cest amplié entre 27° 17’ S et 48° 22’ O.

Ultrastructure of Extracellular Polysaccharides Produced by Serotype c Streptococcus mutans

The ultrastructure of extracellular polysaccharides produced in colonies by two clinical isolates and that of a nitrosoguanidine-induced mutant of serotype c Streptococcus mutans with different polysaccharide-synthesizing abilities were compared electron-microscopically. A large amount of polysaccharide was produced from sucrose by colonies of typical serotype c strain MT8148R and a clinical variant MT6801R with an enhanced fructan-synthesizing ability. Transmission electron-microscopy (TEM) revealed that the polysaccharides consisted of three structural components, i.e., globular, single-stranded filamentous, and double-stranded fibrillar structures. These structures were ascribed to production of fructan, water-soluble glucan, and water-insoluble glucan, respectively. On the other hand, two kinds of structures, a globular body and an amorphous substance, were observed by scanning electron-microscopy (SEM). The former was composed of fructan, while the latter contained a mixture of water-soluble and water-insoluble glucans which formed filamentous and double-stranded fibrillar structures under TEM. Very small quantities of polysaccharides were formed in colonies of mutant NG7183, which was derived from S. mutans MT6801R. This strain was found to possess low glucan- and no fructan-synthesizing abilities. The polysaccharides produced in colonies of mutant NG7183 were composed only of filamentous and double-stranded fibrils under TEM. A small amount of amorphous substance was observed by SEM in colonies of NG7183.

Descripcion de la Larva de Elachistocleis bicolor (Valenciennes, 1838) (Anura: Microhylidae)

Nine tadpoles of Elanchistocleis bicolor from Uruguay are described and figured. Main characters are a globular body; oral disc with two ventral projecting flaps, with a medial notch, and denticulate edges; spiracle reotal in position and to the left of a midventral anal tube; and width of dorsal fin to width of ventral fin 1:1. The tadpole is similar to that of other Elachistocleis: E. ovalis and E. surinamensis. After comparisons with tadpoles of other related genera, Dermatonotus and Elachistocleis appeared to have a symplesiomorphic condition (aquatic development), while Myersiella and Synapturanus presented a synapomorphy (terrestrial development), Synapturanus also having an autapomorphic condition (vestigial fins).

On the ontogeny of the oncus in the pollen grain of Parietaria officinalis ssp. judaica (Urticaceae)

During the pollen ontogeny of Parietaria officinalis L. ssp. judaica Bég. the apertural zone and operculum are differentiated relatively early and they are well apparent when the microspores are liberated into the thecal cavity. At the late stage of the microspore the endexine becomes ample and granulose in the apertural zone, and a cavity is conspicuous between the operculum and the endexine. On the other hand a structured periplasmic space between the endexine and the plasmalemma is formed. Subsequently the structured periplasmic space becomes thin and a new material, apparently different from the structured one, is produced from the plasmalemma under the apertural zone, as a result of cytoplasmic activity. Finally, the structured periplasmic space is no longer apparent except for a very narrow portion beneath the aperture (Zwischenkörper). Beneath the Zwischenkörper the secondary material, produced by the cytoplasmic activity, becomes globular and constitutes a spherical body that is easily discerned under the transmitted light microscope and which is called the oncus in the classical optical microscopic observation of the fresh pollen grain. By histochemical reactions with periodic acid – Schiff s reagent, Sudan black, and Coomassie brillant blue we have found abundant glucosidic, lipoidal, and proteinaceous material in this globular body.