The groupers (Epinephelidae family) are demersal species that a vulnerable resource due to increasing fishing pressure around Reunion Island. Five of among the main exploited by commercial and recreational fisheries La Réunion Island: blacktip grouper ( Epinephelus fasciatus; Forsskål 1775), oblique-banded radiatus ; Day 1868), golden hind Cephalopholis aurantia , Valenciennes 1828), white-edge...

Five Spirochaeta aurantia chemotaxis mutants were isolated. One mutant (the che-101 mutant) never reversed, one (the che-200 mutant) flexed predominantly, two (the che-300 and che-400-1 mutants) exhibited elevated reversal frequencies, and one (the che-400 mutant) exhibited chemotactically unstimulated behavior similar to that of the wild-type strain. The che-101 and che-400 mutants were essent...

W-315was shownto be an "intermediate" strain among the genera Gluconobacter, Pseudomonas and Acetobacter6\ Since strain W-3 1 5 had characteristics similar to Gluconobacter, except for the absence of ubiquinone10 (Q10), we tentatively identified strain W-315as a Gluconobacter sp. Recently, we reexamined the generic placement of strain W-315 utilizing the additional data found in the new edition...

Viscous threads that form the prey capture spiral of araneoid orb-webs retain insects that strike the web, giving a spider more time to locate and subdue them. The viscoelastic glycoprotein glue responsible for this adhesion forms the core of regularly spaced aqueous droplets, which are supported by protein axial fibers. Glycoprotein extensibility both facilitates the recruitment of adhesion fr...

The empoascine genus Ficiana Ghauri is reviewed based on specimens from China. One new Ficiana species, Ficiana aurantia sp. n. is described from Guangxi in south China. An identification key to all species in this genus is provided. The morphological characters of Ficiana and related genera in this tribe are discussed.

Each of the droplets that form an orb-weaving spider’s viscous capture thread are composed of a viscoelastic glycoprotein glue core that is surrounded by an aqueous layer and supported by a pair of protein axial fibers. Low molecular weight organic and inorganic compounds within the aqueous layer confer droplet hygroscopicity, thereby maintaining the glycoprotein’s adhesion and extensibility an...

The effects of valinomycin and nigericin on sugar chemotaxis in Spirochaeta aurantia were investigated by using a quantitative capillary assay, and the fluorescent cation, 3,3'-dipropyl-2,2'-thiodicarbocyanine iodide was used as a probe to study effects of chemoattractants on membrane potential. Addition of a chemoattractant, D-xylose, to cells in either potassium or sodium phosphate buffer res...

Serum cholinesterase (ChE) (E.C. 3.1.1.8) is a glycoprotein which has 36 potential sites of asparagine-N-linked sugar chains. The structures of oligosaccharides released from ChE on hydrazinolysis were studied by serial lectin affinity column chromatography, exoglycosidase digestion, and methylation analysis. Seventy-three % of the sugar chains occurred as biantennary oligosaccharides and the r...