The variability of critical species ofLotus L. in Iran and in the neighbouring countries I. the circle ofL. corniculatus L. andL. gebelia Vent.

The region of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and the neighbouring countries is important for some groups of the speciesLotus L., especially those of the circle ofL. corniculatus L. andL. gebelia Vent. The first group is represented by the speciesL. corniculatus L. with 4 subspecies (3 of which are important for this region), andL. tenuis Waldst. etKit. which here attains the eastern boundary of the continuous area of distribution, and by the eastern speciesL. krylovii Schischk. etSerg. andL. rechingeri Chrtková-?ertová. The second group is represented by the speciesL. gebelia Vent.,L. michauxianus Ser. in DC. andL. libanoticus Boiss. their areas of distribution covering mostly those regions. Most of the species show considerable variability within the species.     

Studies in the taxonomy of the Polypores II

The following genera are redefined:Albatrellus S. F. Gray,Heterobasidion Bref.,Haploporus Bond. et Sing. ex Sing.,Fomitopsis P. Karst. andRigidoporus Murrill two new subgenera are described:Polyporus subgen.Dendropolyporus Pouz. (type:Polyporus umbellatus) andRigidoporus subgen.Neooxyporus Pouz. (type:Polyporus latemarginatus); the genusOxyporus (Bourd. etGalz.)Donk is classified as a subgenus of the genusRigidoporus,Murrill and the generaBjerkandera P. Karst. andLeptoporus quél. are classified as subgenera of the genusTyromyces P. Karst. The new subfamilyAlbatrelloideae Pouz. (genera:Albatrellus andGrifola) is described and 14 new specific combinations are made. The new genusIrpicodon Pouz. (type:Irpex pendulus) is proposed.     

Flechtensystematische Studien IV. Die GattungGyalidea Lett

Im Artikel wird die ursprüngliche Gattungsdiagnose derGyalidea Lett. um die Merkmale der Pilzkomponente ergänzt. Die angenommenen verwandtschaftlichen Beziehungen derGyalidea zu der FamilieAsterothyriaceae werden diskutiert. Alle bisher festgestellten Arten mit Übersichten der revidierten Proben werden kurz beschrieben. Neue Taxa und Kombinationen:Gyalidea dodgei spec. n.,G. epiphylla spec. n.,G. mayaguezensis spec. n.,G. portoricensis spec. n.,G. fritzei (Stein) comb. n.,G. fritzei var.rivularis (Eitn.) comb. n.,G. hyalinescens (Nyl.) comb. n.,G. lecideopsis var.convarians (Nyl.) comb. n.,G. lecideopsis var.stigmatoides (Nyl.) comb. n.,G. mexicana (B. de Lesd.) comb. n. undG. subscutellaris (Vězda) comb. n.     

Differentiation of species in Gonioloboceras

The type specimen ofGonioloboceras goniolobum (Meek), rediscovered by Spath in the British Museum, is the foundation for a more accurate comparative study of this and other species ofGonioloboceras.Gonioloboceras described asG. goniolobum byElias in 1938 is differentiated asGonioloboceras schmidti, new species. Suture sets (new term) for several growth stages inG. goniolobum (Meek),G. welleriSmith,G. schmidtiElias, G.eliasiMiller &Owen, andG. asiaticumLibrovitch are assembled and used for differentiation of the species.The Kazakhstan goniatite faunule containingG. asiaticum is considered of very late Pennsylvanian age.     

Some chromosome numbers of the CzechoslovakLeguminosae

Chromosome numbers of the Czechoslovak species of the genusLotus, from various localities have been determined. The paper includes the speciesLotus uliginosus Schkuhr,L.tenuis Waldst. etKit. andL. borbásii Ujhelyi.     

Die systematische Stellung von Angustiphyllum cuneiforme n. gen. n. sp., einer eigenartigen Tetrakoralle aus dem Mitteldevon Nordspaniens

The newly found tetracoralAngustiphyllum cuneiforme n. gen. n. sp. from theGosseletia-Sandstein (Couvinium) of Candás/Prov. Oviedo (Northern Spain) is described and designed an ancestor of the so called “cuneate corals”Homalophyllum Simpson, 1900,Xenocyathellus Bassler, 1937 andHomalophyllites Easton, 1944 from the Devonian and Mississippian of North-America. Because of their undoubtful genetic relations the whole group of cuneate corals is joined to the subfamily Homalophyllidae n. subfam. within the family ZaphrentoididaeSchindewolf, 1938. Evidently the evolution developed in a progressive orthogenetic manner from the new genesAngustiphyllum (Middle Devonian) toXenocyathellus (higher Middle Devonian) andHomalophyllites (Mississippian), whileHomalophyllum (Middle Devonian) separated from this line in a early stage and thenceforth had its own evolution.     

Beiträge zur Sedimentation und fossilführung des hunsrückschiefers 14.Viriatellina fuchsi (Kutscher, 1931) im Hunsrückschiefer und im Tentaculitenknollenkalk thüringens

The new genusViriatellina Bou?ek, 1964 unites the two older species namedNovakia gemündina Runzheimer, 1932 andTentaculites fuchsi Kutscher, 1931. ThusViriatellina gemuendina (Runzheimer) is cancelled, on the other handViriatellina fuchsi (Kutscher) remains valid. RecentlyViriatellina fuchsi (Kutscher) has been found in the tentaculitiferous limestone of Thuringia.     

Über böhmische und türkische Vertreter vonAnetoceras (Ammon., Unterdevon)

The Bohemian speciesAnetoceras solitarius (Barrande 1865) is re-described, including the TurkishA. barrandei (De Verneuil 1866). The other Bohemian species areA. aff.advolvens Erben 1960 and?A. fritschi (Barrande 1877). A new speciesA. recticostatum n. sp. is described from the German Lower Devonian, and several still problematical species of the genus are discussed. Finally, the supposed phylogenetic position and the relations ofAnetoceras are pointed out. The Upper SiegenianA. hunsrueckianum Erben 1960 is regarded as most primitive coiled ammonoid and as connecting link between the bactritids, and early coiled ammonoids.Mimosphinctes Eichenberg is considered to be a descendant fromAnetoceras.     

Glacial relics in the bryoflora of the highlands Českomoravská vrchovina (Bohemian-Moravian Highlands); Their habitat and cenotaxonomic value

The paper sums up the information which the author has so far collected about the habitats and phytocenotic conditions of the glacial relics ofScorpidium scorpioides (Hedw.) Limpr.,Calliergon trifarium (Web. etMohr.)Kindb.,Paludella squarrosa (Hedw.) Brid., andMeesia triquetra (Hook. etTayl.)Aongstr. in the Highlands ?eskomoravská vrchovina (Bohemian-Moravian Highlands) in Czechoslovakia. Simultaneously, it presents a survey of the localities in which the occurrence of these species has been ascertained up to now.     

Karyo-taxonomic study of the genus<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudolysimachion</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Scrophulariaceae</Emphasis>) in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Flow cytometry was used to determine ploidy levels in the Czech and Slovak taxa of the genusPseudolysimachion (W.D.J. Koch)Opiz (=Veronica auct. p.p.,Scrophulariaceae). In total, 123 populations from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine (one locality), Austria (one locality) and Hungary (one locality) were analyzed. InP. maritimum (L.)Á. Löve etD. Löve andP. spicatum (L.)Opiz, two cytotypes were found: diploid (2n=2x=34) and tetraploid (2n=4x=68). In both species the tetraploid cytotype predominated (P. maritimum: 41 tetraploid populations out of 45;P. spicatum: 57 tetraploid populations out of 58). The two cytotypes ofP. maritimum have no taxonomic significance because ploidy level is not obviously correlated with morphology, distribution pattern or ecology. Tetraploid populations ofP. spicatum belong to two morphologically different subspecies, subsp.spicatum and subsp.fischeri Trávní?ek. The diploid cytotype (one population only) should be provisionally classified as a third subspecies ofP. spicatum, which is morphologically similar to the Asian subsp.porphyrianum (Pavlov)Trávní?ek. Only diploid plants (2n=2x=34) ofP. orchideum (Crantz)Wraber were found; all 13 populations that were analyzed belong toP. orchideum s.str. One diploid population sample ofP. spurium subsp.foliosum (Waldst. etKit.)Holub (2n=2x=34) and one tetraploid sample ofP. incanum subsp.pallens (Host)Trávní?ek (2n=4x=68) were also analyzed. In addition, three tetraploid populations of hybrid origin were investigated:P. maritimum ×P. spicatum subsp.spicatum (one population) andP. maritimum ×P. spurium subsp.foliosum (two populations). While hybrid plants ofP. maritimum ×P. spicatum arose from tetraploid parental species, plants ofP. maritimum ×P. spurium probably resulted from a cross between tetraploidP. maritimum and diploidP. spurium. The putative origin and evolutionary importance of polyploids in thePseudolysimachion are discussed.     

Glacial relics in the bryoflora of the highlands Českomoravská vrchovina (Bohemian-Moravian Highlands); Their habitat and cenotaxonomic value

The paper sums up the information which the author has so far collected about the habitats and phytocenotic conditions of the glacial relics ofScorpidium scorpioides (Hedw.) Limpr.,Calliergon trifarium (Web. etMohr.) Kindb.,Paludella squarrosa (Hedw.) Bred., andMeesia triquetra (Hook. etTayl.) Aongstr. in the Highlands ?eskomoravská vrchovina (Bohemian-Moravian Highlands) in Czechoslovakia. Simultaneously, it presents a survey of the localities in which the occurrence of these species has been ascertained up to now.     

New subfamily Proschizophoriinae of dalmanellid Brachiopds

Proschizophoria Maillieux is restudied and found to be related to the Silurian genusIdiorthis McLearn and a new genusCordatomyonia, type speciesCordatomyonia shupei, n. sp.Proschizophoria, Idiorthis, andCordatomyonia are united in the new subfamily Proschizophoriinae which is assigned to the dalmanellid family Rhipidomellidae. Rhipidomellidae and its included subfamilies Heterorthinae, Rhipidomellinae, and Proschizophoriinae are emended and newly diagnosed. A new dalmanellid genus,Megasalopina, is proposed for the Lower Devonian species“Dalmanella” elevata Williams & Breger and its allies. It is thought to have been derived from the draboviinid genusSalopina Boucot and therefore belongs to the Schizophoriidae.Dalmanellopsis Khalfin is removed from the synonymy ofLevenea and is shown to be related toSalopina.     

Characterization of aspartate kinase and homoserine dehydrogenase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Corynebacterium glutamicum</Emphasis> IWJ001 and systematic investigation of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-isoleucine biosynthesis

Previously we have characterized a threonine dehydratase mutant TD^F383V (encoded by ilvA1) and an acetohydroxy acid synthase mutant AHAS^{P176S, D426E, L575W} (encoded by ilvBN1) in Corynebacterium glutamicum IWJ001, one of the best l-isoleucine producing strains. Here, we further characterized an aspartate kinase mutant AK^A279T (encoded by lysC1) and a homoserine dehydrogenase mutant HD^G378S (encoded by hom1) in IWJ001, and analyzed the consequences of all these mutant enzymes on amino acids production in the wild type background. In vitro enzyme tests confirmed that AK^A279T is completely resistant to feed-back inhibition by l-threonine and l-lysine, and that HD^G378S is partially resistant to l-threonine with the half maximal inhibitory concentration between 12 and 14 mM. In C. glutamicum ATCC13869, expressing lysC1 alone led to exclusive l-lysine accumulation, co-expressing hom1 and thrB1 with lysC1 shifted partial carbon flux from l-lysine (decreased by 50.1 %) to l-threonine (4.85 g/L) with minor l-isoleucine and no l-homoserine accumulation, further co-expressing ilvA1 completely depleted l-threonine and strongly shifted carbon flux from l-lysine (decreased by 83.0 %) to l-isoleucine (3.53 g/L). The results demonstrated the strongly feed-back resistant TD^F383V might be the main driving force for l-isoleucine over-synthesis in this case, and the partially feed-back resistant HD^G378S might prevent the accumulation of toxic intermediates. Information exploited from such mutation-bred production strain would be useful for metabolic engineering.     

Ectopic expression of sorbitol-6-phosphate 2-dehydrogenase gene from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haloarcula marismortui</Emphasis> enhances salt tolerance in transgenic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

d-Sorbitol-6-phosphate 2-dehydrogenase (S6PDH, E.C. 1.1.1.140) catalyzes the NADH-dependent conversion of d-fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) to d-sorbitol 6-phosphate (S6P). In this work, recombination and characterization of Haloarcula marismortui d-sorbitol-6-phosphate 2-dehydrogenase are reported. Haloarcula marismortui d-sorbitol-6-phosphate 2-dehydrogenase was expressed in P. pastoris and Arabidopsis thaliana. Enzyme assay indicated that HmS6PDH catalyzes the reduction of d-fructose 6-phosphate to d-sorbitol 6-phosphate and HmS6PDH activity was enhanced by NaCl. Furthermore, transgenic A. thaliana ectopic expressing HmS6PDH accumulate more sorbitol under salt stress. These results suggest that the ectopic expression of HmS6PDH in plants can facilitate future studies regarding the engineering and breeding of salt-tolerant crops.     

Die Arten der Foraminiferen-GattungAsterigerina d'Orb. im Tertiär NW-Deutschlands

Some species ofAsterigerina are described and discerned, as they occur in different levels of the sequence from Eocene to Miocene in northwestern Germany.Asterigerina bartoniana (Dam) in the Eocene is followed byAsterigerina rotula haeringensis Lühr andAsterigerina brandhorstiana n. sp. in the Lower Oligocene (sensuBeyrich).Asterigerina gürichi gürichi (Franke), typical for the lowermost part of sequences of Upper Oligocene age, is furnished with a lectotype out ofFrankes material. This species is substituted by the subspeciesAsterigerina gürichi staeschei (Dam & Reinhold) in the Miocene. The localities of Lower Oligocene in littoral facies near Bünde (Westfalia) are mentioned and described. (Localities “Brandhorst” resp. “Hof Fahrenkamp” and newer outcrops).     

Some new taxa ofPotentilla L.

Five new species and two varieties from the sectionMultifidae are described from the Sino-Himalayan region. They are referred to the affinity ofP. multifida L. andP. griffithii Hook. f.; one of the new species is probably related toP. gerardiana Lindl. and one is intermediate between the species of the sectionsMultifidae andNiveae.     

Boreal forest dynamics in north-eastern Sweden during the last 10,000 years based on pollen analysis

A pollen record obtained from a 2.2-m sediment succession deposited in a small lake in the province of Västerbotten, north-eastern Sweden, reveals the presence of continuous forest cover since 8,500 calendar years before present (cal b.p.). Forest with abundant Pinus (pine) and Betula (birch) initially colonized the area, followed by a dominance of deciduous trees, primarily Betula, from ca. 8,000 to ca. 3,200 cal b.p. Pollen accumulation rates of Quercus (oak), Ulmus (elm) and Tilia (linden) suggest the possible local presence of these thermophilous tree species during this period. The climate gradually became colder and moister around 3,500 cal b.p. and an increased abundance of Sphagnum spores indicates paludification. Picea (spruce) became established around 3,200 cal b.p. and less than 500 years later this was the dominant tree species around the lake. The fire frequency as inferred from charcoal particles exhibits a general increase from ca. 3,000 cal b.p. with subsequent charcoal accumulation maxima at around 2,800 cal b.p., 1,700 cal b.p. and in recent time. The human influence on vegetation was significant during the last 200–300 years. Soil erosion increased substantially and fern spores amount to ca. 55% of the total pollen assemblage in the uppermost samples. These results suggest an extensive anthropogenic impact on the local forest ecosystem, with abundant logging, burning and ditching in the vicinity of the lake. Independent evidence of sub-recent human-induced environmental change is provided by historical accounts. Complementary information on catchment soil development and aquatic nutrient status was provided by records of magnetic susceptibility and elemental carbon, and nitrogen contents obtained from the same sediment core.     

General assay for enzymes in the heptose biosynthesis pathways using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The ADP-l-glycero-β-d-manno-heptose and the GDP-6-deoxy-α-d-manno-heptose biosynthesis pathways play important roles in constructing lipopolysaccharide of Gram-negative bacteria. Blocking the pathways is lethal or increases antibiotic susceptibility to pathogens. Therefore, the enzymes involved in the pathways are novel antibiotic drug targets. Here, we designed an efficient method to assay the whole enzymes in the pathways using mass spectrometry and screened 148 compounds. One promising lead is (?)-nyasol targeting d-glycero-α-d-manno-heptose-1-phosphate guanylyltransferase (HddC) included in the GDP-6-deoxy-α-d-manno-heptose biosynthesis pathway from Burkholderia pseudomallei. The inhibitory activity of the lead compound against HddC has been confirmed by blocking the system transferring the guanosine monophosphate (GMP) moiety to α-d-glucose-1-phosphate. (?)-Nyasol exhibits the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 17.6 μM. A further study is going on using (?)-nyasol derivatives to find better leads with high affinity.     

Der Jura-KrokodilierMachimosaurus H. v. Meyer

Up to nowMachimosaurus was known only from isolated teeth. Its systematic position was uncertain. Recently discovered remains ofMachimosaurus from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal allow a reconstruction of the skull. This find proves thatMachimosaurus belongs to the crocodilian family Teleosauridae. The genus comprises the only speciesMachimosaurus hugii H. v.Meyer. The speciesMachimosaurus mosae Sauvage & Liénard is based on heterogeneous material and is unmaintainable. Osteological characteristics show that the environment ofMachimosaurus was the open seas.