Naturalised species from the genus Conyza Less. (Asteraceae) in Croatia

In this paper, the most recent state in the distribution of the American neophytes Conyza canadensis, C. bonariensis and C. sumatrensis (Asteraceae) in Croatia is presented. Conyza canadensis is believed to be one of the most widespread introduced species in the world. It arrived in the teritory of Croatia much before the beginning of the 19th century. A great number of new localities in Dalmatia and several new localities in the continental part of Croatia were registered in this investigation. The distribution of C. bonariensis in Croatia is limited to the Adriatic littoral, from Istria in the north to Dubrovnik region in the south. Numerous new-discovered localities of C. sumatrensis in Dalmatia are presented. Since its first finding this neophyte has become well established and is now in the phase of expanding in the Croatian littoral. C sumatrensis is a new species in the Croatian flora

Dopuna vaskularnoj flori otoka Krapnja (šibenski arhipelag, Hrvatska)

The paper provides a list of 160 vascular plant taxa new for the flora of the island of Krapanj (Šibenik archipelago), the outcome of research carried out in the period 2000 to 2004. These new taxa refer mainly to indigenous and naturalised (133 taxa) and less to cultivated plants (27 taxa). Together with the 270 taxa that have been published previously this makes a total of 430 taxa of vascular flora recorded for the island of Krapanj so far. The great richness of the flora of this small island (0,36 km2) is explicable by the proximity of the mainland and diversity of habitats as well as the good population density.U radu se navodi popis od 160 svojti vaskularnih biljaka novih za floru otoka Krapnja (šibenski arhipelag) zabilježenih tijekom istraživanja provedenog u razdoblju od 2000. do 2004. Od novozabilježenih svojti, većina su autohtone i naturalizirane biljke (133 svojti) a manji dio biljke koje dolaze u uzgoju (27 svojti). Zajedno s 270 prethodno zabilježenih svojti, dosad poznata vaskularna flora otoka Krapnja obuhva}a ukupno 430 svojti. Veliko bogatstvo flore ovog malog otoka (0,36 km2) može se objasniti njegovim malom udaljenošću od kopna, velikom raznolikošću staništa te brojnošću stanovnika

Dopuna vaskularnoj flori otoka Krapnja (šibenski arhipelag, Hrvatska)

The paper provides a list of 160 vascular plant taxa new for the flora of the island of Krapanj (Šibenik archipelago), the outcome of research carried out in the period 2000 to 2004. These new taxa refer mainly to indigenous and naturalised (133 taxa) and less to cultivated plants (27 taxa). Together with the 270 taxa that have been published previously this makes a total of 430 taxa of vascular flora recorded for the island of Krapanj so far. The great richness of the flora of this small island (0,36 km2) is explicable by the proximity of the mainland and diversity of habitats as well as the good population density.U radu se navodi popis od 160 svojti vaskularnih biljaka novih za floru otoka Krapnja (šibenski arhipelag) zabilježenih tijekom istraživanja provedenog u razdoblju od 2000. do 2004. Od novozabilježenih svojti, većina su autohtone i naturalizirane biljke (133 svojti) a manji dio biljke koje dolaze u uzgoju (27 svojti). Zajedno s 270 prethodno zabilježenih svojti, dosad poznata vaskularna flora otoka Krapnja obuhva}a ukupno 430 svojti. Veliko bogatstvo flore ovog malog otoka (0,36 km2) može se objasniti njegovim malom udaljenošću od kopna, velikom raznolikošću staništa te brojnošću stanovnika

Complexes of palladium(II) and platinum(II) as synthetic proteases

Selective cleavage of proteins is a common procedure in many biochemical applications ranging from standard protein sequencing to novel methods in proteomics and bioengineering. Few enzymes and synthetic reagents are available for this important task, but new chemical reagents with improved efficiency and adjustable selectivity are highly desired. Complexes of palladium(II) and platinum(II), two chemically similar transition-metal ions, are new reagents for selective cleavage of peptides and proteins. The cleavage by Pd(II) complexes, such as [Pd(H2O)4]2+ or cis-[Pd(en)(H 2O)2]2+, consistently occurs in weakly acidic aqueous solutions at the amide bond involving the N-terminus of the residue preceding histidine and methionine residues, i.e., the X-Y bond in the sequence segments X-Y-Met-Z and X-Y-His-Z, where X, Y, and Z are any non-coordinating residues. As pH is raised to neutral, the cleavage becomes sequence-specific---only the X-Pro bond in X-Pro-Met-Z and X-Pro-His-Z sequences is cleaved because of the unique interplay between the anchoring residue and the proline residue preceding it. The cleavage by Pt(II) complexes, such as cis-[Pt(en)(H 2O)2]2+, occurs exclusively at the peptide bond involving the C-terminus of methionine residues, i.e. the Met-Z bond;In studies with peptide substrates, we explain the exceptional proteolytic selectivity of Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes by identifying the hydrolytically-active modes in which these metal ions bind to the side chains of the anchoring residues and to the polypeptide backbone. The selectivity of cleavage originates in the selectivity of the coordination---under the reaction conditions, both methionine and histidine residues can bind to the Pd(II) reagents, whereas only methionine residue can bind to the Pt(II) reagent. The mechanism of cleavage originates in the modes of coordination---the anchored metal ion can approach the scissile peptide bond and activate it toward hydrolysis. The studies with protein substrates confirmed the cleavage pattern observed with peptides, and demonstrated that the Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes are well-suited for biochemical applications. The ability of these complexes to cleave proteins at relatively few sites, with explicable selectivity and good yields, bodes well for their growing use in biochemical and bioanalytical practice

Flora Šibenika i okolice

Investigations into the flora of Šibenik and its surroundings were carried out in the period from 1996 to 2001. A total of 1075 species and subspecies of Pteridophyta and Spermatophyta was found and 676 of them are reported for the first time in this paper. The findings of 399 taxa were confirmed among the 492 previously noted, but not confirmed for 93 taxa. The results of the analysis of the flora show that Therophyta constitute a significant proportion of the flora (42.79%), as do plants of the Mediterranean floral element (37.86%) and also a significant presence of plants from the Leguminosae family (10.70%) which points to the Mediterranean character of flora of the investigated area.U razdoblju od 1996. do 2001. istraživana je flora Šibenika i okolice. Ukupno je pronađeno 1075 vrsta i podvrsta papratnjača i sjemenjača od kojih se 676 navodi prvi put u ovom radu. Od 492 prethodno zabilježene svojte potvrđen je nalaz za 399 a za 93 svojte nalaz nije potvrđen. Rezultati analize flore pokazuju dominaciju terofita (42,79%) i biljaka mediteranskog flornog elementa (37,86%) te značajnu zastupljenost biljaka iz porodice Leguminosae (10,70%) što ukazuje na mediteranski karakter flore istraživanog područja

Flora otoka Obonjana (šibenski arhipelag, Hrvatska)

Research into the vascular flora of Obonjan, a small island (0,7 km2) of the Šibenik archipelago, was carried out from 2000 to 2003. A total of 230 species and subspecies classified into 163 genera and 53 families were registered. Only three species, Conyza bonariensis, C. canadensis and C. sumatrensis had been found previously while 227 plant taxa are reported in this paper for the first time. The results of the analysis of the flora show that Therophyta (46.96%) are dominant in the flora, as are plants of the Mediterranean floral element (53.04%), indicating the Mediterranean character of the flora of the island.U razdoblju 2000.–2003. godine istraživana je vaskularna flora Obonjana, malog otoka (0,7 km2) u šibenskom arhipelagu. Pronađeno je ukupno 230 vrsta i podvrsta svrstanih u 163 roda i 53 porodice. Tri vrste su zabilježene nedavno, Conyza bonariensis, C. canadensis and C. sumatrensis, dok se 227 vrsta i podvrsta navodi po prvi put u ovom radu. Rezultati analize flore pokazuju dominaciju terofita (46,96%) i biljaka mediteranskog flornog elementa (53,04%) što ukazuje na mediteranski karakter flore istraživanog otoka