Archaeal viruses multiply: temporal screening in a solar saltern

Hypersaline environments around the world are dominated by archaea and their viruses. To date, very little is known about these viruses and their interaction with the host strains when compared to bacterial and eukaryotic viruses. We performed the first culture-dependent temporal screening of haloarchaeal viruses and their hosts in the saltern of Samut Sakhon, Thailand, during two subsequent years (2009, 2010). Altogether we obtained 36 haloarchaeal virus isolates and 36 archaeal strains, significantly increasing the number of known archaeal virus isolates. Interestingly, the morphological distribution of our temporal isolates (head-tailed, pleomorphic, and icosahedral membrane-containing viruses) was similar to the outcome of our previous spatial survey supporting the observations of a global resemblance of halophilic microorganisms and their viruses. Myoviruses represented the most abundant virus morphotype with strikingly broad host ranges. The other viral morphotypes (siphoviruses, as well as pleomorphic and icosahedral internal membrane-containing viruses) were more host-specific. We also identified a group of Halorubrum strains highly susceptible to numerous different viruses (up to 26). This high virus sensitivity, the abundance of broad host range viruses, and the maintenance of infectivity over a period of one year suggest constant interplay of halophilic microorganisms and their viruses within an extreme environment.Peer reviewe

Influence of aligning materials on dielectric behaviour of surface stabilised FLC cells

Proceedings of SPI

Evoliution of castle palaces in Lithuanian renaissance / Pilių rūmų evoliucija Lietuvos renesanso laikotarpiu

The article author examines the problem of architecture history associated with the evolution of castle palaces in the current territory of Lithuania in the Lithuanian Renaissance period. The article is based on research papers thematically close to the publication, other literature and archive documents. After prehistory review of castle palaces at a theoretical level and clarifying the conditions for their occurrence, significant development trends of castle palaces during the Renaissance period in current Lithuania territory is revealed. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, Italian, Flemish and Flanders Renaissance reached Lithuania and merged with the local tradition; in the light of the Lithuanian Renaissance castle palaces reached their prosperity period in Lithuania. Castle palaces were distinguished by the diversity of their structural and architectural forms, relatively meaningful connection between function and artistic expression and a sustainable link with the components of environment. Santrauka Nagrinėjama architektūros istorijos problema, susijusi su pilių rūmų evoliucija dabartinėje Lietuvos teritorijoje Lietuvos renesanso laikotarpiu. Remtasi darbo tematikai artima mokslinių publikacijų medžiaga ir kita literatūra, archyviniais dokumentais. Teoriniu lygmeniu apžvelgiant pilių rūmų priešistorę, ištyrus jų atsiradimo sąlygas, atskleidžiamos esminės pilių rūmų raidos tendencijos renesanso laikotarpiu dabartinėje Lietuvos teritorijoje. XVI amžiaus pradžioje italų, flamandų, Flandrijos renesansui pasiekus Lietuvą ir susiliejus su vietos lietuviškomis tradicijomis, lietuviškojo renesanso laikotarpiu pilių rūmai Lietuvoje pasiekė klestėjimo laikotarpį. Pilių rūmai pasižymėjo konstrukcijų, architektūros formų įvairumu, palyginti tikslinga funkcijos ir meninės išraiškos sąsaja, darnia jungtimi su aplinkos komponentais. Raktiniai žodžiai: pilies rūmai; paveldo apsauga; renesanso architektūra; Lietuvos architektūros istorij