Development of cricket sensory hairs: changes of dynamic mechanical properties

Summary Mechanical oscillation properties of cricket (Acheta domesticus) filiform hair sensilla were measured at different larval stages, as an indication of larval sensory capacities and for comparison with data in the literature on central nervous changes during development. The hairs were stimulated by airborne vibration over a frequency range of 10 to 220 Hz. Best frequency, angular displacement at best frequency, slope of angular-displacement tuning curve and phase of hair deflection relative to air particle velocity were tested for correlation with hair length, which is proportional to the age of a sensillum. The ranges found for the various oscillation parameters in early larval stages were similar to or larger than those in adults. Oscillation properties changed with both the developmental stage of the hair sensilla and that of the whole animal. Four individually identifiable hair sensilla were analysed separately; the sensory neurons of two of them are known to change synaptic properties during maturation. Angular displacement at a given stimulus intensity was maximal for all hairs after differentiation, and decreased during further development. The hairs did not show clear common changes for any of the other oscillation parameters. Yet particular changes were found for individual hairs.     

Localization of the pupil trigger in insect superposition eyes

Summary In the superposition eyes of the sphingid moth Deilephila and the neuropteran Ascalaphus, adjustment to different intensities is subserved by longitudinal migrations of screening pigment in specialized pigment cells. Using ophthalmoscopic techniques we have localized the light-sensitive trigger that controls pigment position.In both species, local illumination of a small spot anywhere within the eye glow of a dark-adapted eye evokes local light adaptation in the ommatidia whose facets receive the light. Details of the response pattern demonstrate that a distal light-sensitive trigger is located axially in the ommatidium, just beneath the crystalline cone, and extends with less sensitivity deep into the clear zone. The distal trigger in Deilephila was shown to be predominantly UV sensitive, and a UV-absorbing structure, presumably the distal trigger, was observed near the proximal tip of the crystalline cone.In Ascalaphus we also found another trigger located more proximally, which causes local pigment reaction in the ommatidia whose rhabdoms are illuminated (the centre of the eye glow). The light-sensitive trigger for this response appears to be the rhabdom itself.     

Transfer of Hessian fly resistance from rye to wheat via radiation-induced terminal and intercalary chromosomal translocations

Summary A new Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) resistance gene derived from Balbo rye and its transfer to hexaploid wheat via radiation-induced terminal and intercalary chromosomal translocations are described. Crosses between resistant Balbo rye and susceptible Suwon 92 wheat and between the F₁ amphidiploids and susceptible TAM 106 and Amigo wheats produced resistant BC₂F₃ lines that were identified by C-banding analysis as being 6RL telocentric addition lines. Comparative chromosomal analyses and resistance tests revealed that the resistance gene is located on the 6RL telocentric chromosome. X-irradiated pollen of 6RL addition plants was used to fertilize plants of susceptible wheats TAM 106, TAM 101, and Vona. After several generations of selection for resistance, new sublines were obtained that were homogeneous for resistance. Thirteen of these lines were analyzed by C-banding, and three different wheat-6RL chromosomal translocations (T) were identified. Wheat chromosomes involved in the translocations were 6B, 4B, and 4A. Almost the complete 6RL arm is present in T6BS · 6BL-6RL. Only the distal half of 6RL is present in T4BS · 4BL-6RL, which locates the resistance gene in the distal half of 6RL. Only a very small segment (ca 1.0 m) of the distal region of 6RL is present in an intercalary translocation (Ti) Ti4AS · 4AL-6RL-4AL. The 6RL segment is inserted in the intercalary region between the centromere of chromosome 4A and the large proximal C-band of 4AL. The break-points of the translocations are outside the region of the centromere, indicating that they were induced by the X-ray treatment. All three translocations are cytologically stable and can be used directly in wheat breeding programs.Cooperative investigations of the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Departments of Entomology and Plant Pathology, the Wheat Genetics Resource Center, Kansas State University, and the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Contribution No. 91-117-JDeceased     

Phenology of Acacia albida trees in Zambezi riverine woodlands

The phenology of Acacia albida trees was studied over eight years in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe. Leaf flush occurred towards the end of the rains. It was followed by flowering, with ripe fruit-fall in the late dry season. Leaf-fall occurred early in the following wet season. After seasons of low rainfall, trees were severely defoliated by caterpillars soon after leaf flush and this prompted a second flush of leaves. In these years there were also two periods of flowering and fruit production. During dry years, the proportion of trees which failed to set fruits after flowering increased, fruit production by those trees which did bear fruit was reduced and fruit-fall started earlier in the year.     

Purification and characterization of antifreeze proteins from larvae of the beetle Dendroides canadensis

Summary Four antifreeze proteins (AFPs) were purified from larvae of the beetle Dendroides canadensis. The AFPs are similar in amino acid compositions, having high contents of hydrophilic amino acids (45–55 mol%) and cysteine (16 mol% Cys). Approximately half of the Cys residues form disulfide bridges, and both the disulfide bridges and free sulfhydryls are essential for activity. The N-terminals of the AFPs are blocked. The pH optimum of the AFPs is 7.8, but major loss of activity occurred only at very high pH (12.0). The detergents SDS and Triton X-100 did not inactivate the AFPs. Circular dichroism spectra indicate the presence of both and secondary structures in the AFPs, in addition to a large random structure component.Abbreviations AFP antifreeze protein - CD circular dichroism - DTT dithiothreitol - HPLC high pressure liquid chromatography - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - PAS periodic acid Schiff - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - TFA trifluoroacetic acid     

Activation of antifreeze proteins from larvae of the beetle Dendroides canadensis

Summary Purified antifreeze proteins (AFPs) from the larvae of the beetle Dendroides canadensis do not produce the high levels of antifreeze activity seen in the hemolymph of overwintering larvae, even when the purified AFPs are assayed at very high concentrations. However, addition of certain proteins or agar (at concentrations sufficiently low that the gel state does not result) to the Dendroides AFP resulted in a 2–3-fold increase in activity. A 70-kDa protein with AFP-activating capabilities was purified from Dendroides larvae. Addition of this endogenous activator protein to a 4 mg·ml^-1 solution of AFP increased the activity of the AFPs to values comparable to those of the hemolymph of overwintering larvae. Data derived from a modified immunoblot technique demonstrate that the activators bind to the AFP, or vice versa. Formation of this association must allow the AFP to block ice crystal growth by binding to the surface of potential seed crystals in the normal fashion. However, because the AFP-activator complex is much larger than the AFP alone, the complex probably blocks a greater surface area of the crystal and is thus a more efficient antifreeze.Abbreviations AFP antifreeze protein - BSA bovine serum albumine - DEAE diethylaminoethyl - Ig immunoglubolin - LPIN lipoprotein ice nucleator - PIN protein ice nucleator - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - TH thermal hysteresis     

Differential cytotoxicity and mycotoxin content among isolates of Fusarium moniliforme

Curvularia lunata was found causing (disseminated phaeohyphomycosis among a group of Nezara viridula (Insecta:Heteroptera) parasitizing vegetable crop Vigna unguiculata. Dark lesions were seen on pronotum and abdominal sterna. Experimental lesions were produced by applying 0.1 ml of 6.2 × 10⁸cfu/ml^–1 on abdominal sterna. Histopathology revealed that almost all internal organs and tissues showed extensive damage. It is interesting to note that C. lunata exhibited predeliction for chitinous tissues and elicited cellular immune response by granulocytes (phagocytosis). This is the first report of phaeohyphomycosis of an insect, extending the disease to invertebrates.A promising research career of one of the authors (Mrs. Vinita Dubey) was cut short by untimely death. This paper is dedicated to her memory.     

Evidence for the involvement of a SchistoFLRF-amide-like peptide in the neural control of locust oviduct

Summary The presence of a SchistoFLRFamide-like peptide associated with the oviducts of Locusta migratoria has been shown using sequential reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography separation coupled with radioimmunoassay and bioassay. The peptide is present in areas of the oviduct which receive extensive innervation, with sixfold less peptide in areas that receive little innervation. Material with FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity (determined by radioimmunoassay) is also present in the oviducal nerve and VIIth abdominal ganglion.SchistoFLRFamide is a potent modulator of contraction of this visceral muscle, inhibiting or reducing the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous contractions, relaxing basal tonus, and reducing the amplitude of neurally-evoked, proctolin-induced, glutamate-induced and high potassium-induced contractions. The FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity within the oviducts which co-elutes with SchistoFLRFamide on two separations is also capable of reducing the amplitude of neurally-evoked and proctolin-induced contractions, and of inhibiting spontaneous contractions and relaxing basal tonus.The effects of SchistoFLRFamide upon this visceral muscle are not abolished by the -adrenergic receptor antagonist phentolamine and do not appear to be mediated by cyclic AMP. Thus the receptors for Schisto-FLRFamide are distinct from those of octopamine which mediate similar physiological effects but which are blocked by phentolamine and which are coupled to adenylate cyclase.The results indicate that SchistoFLRFamide, or a very similar peptide, which has previously been identified as a modulator of locust heart beat, is also associated with visceral muscle of the reproductive system, and may play a neural role in concert with octopamine, at modulating muscular activity.Abbreviations BPP Bovine pancreatic polypeptide - BSA Bovine serum albumin - EJP Excitatory junctional potential - FaRPs FMRFamide-related peptides - FLI FMRFamide-like immuno-reactivity - LMS Leucomyosuppressin - RIA Radioimmunoassay - RP-HPLC Reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography - TFA Trifluoroacetic acid     

Serotonin in the leech central nervous system: anatomical correlates and behavioral effects

Summary Stridulation of grasshoppers is controlled by hemisegmental pattern generator subunits which probably are restricted to the metathoracic ganglion complex (TG3-complex). The coordination of left and right pattern generator subunits depends on commissures of the TG3-complex (Ronacher 1989). The coordination of the stridulatory movements was studied in Chorthippus dorsatus males with partial mediosagittal incisions in the TG3-complex.Animals bearing anterior incisions in the TG3-complex, by which all commissures of the metathoracic neuromere and the first abdominal neuromere were transected, were still able to produce bilaterally coordinated species-specific stridulatory movements. Commissures of the T3- and A1-neuromere, thus, are not necessary, and the A2-, A3-commissures are sufficient for this coordination (Figs. 3, 4).Animals with partial posterior incisions, extending until A1, had deficits in their stridulation pattern; the coordination between the hindlegs was impaired though not completely lost (Fig. 6). This is discussed in view of the structure of stridulation interneurons identified in a related grasshopper species (Omocestus viridulus).These results indicate an unexpected substantial contribution of the abdominal neuromeres A2 and A3 to the control of stridulatory movements. This constitutes an interesting parallel to the flight control system of locusts where interneurons located in the first 3 abdominal neuromeres also appear to contribute to the flight pattern generator (Robertson et al. 1982).Abbreviations A1–A3 abdominal neuromeres 1–3 - T3 metathoracic neuromere - TG3-complex metathoracic ganglion complex including A1–A3     

Mutual interactions between optic lobe circadian pacemakers in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus

The coupling mechanism between the bilaterally paired optic lobe circadian pacemakers in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus was investigated by recording locomotor activity, under constant light or constant red light, after the optic nerve was unilaterally severed.