Sincronização do ciclo celular em meristema radicular de baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) Sinchronization of cell cycle in root meristem of baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.)

Uma das dificuldades de se conduzir estudos citogenéticos em espécies vegetais nativas do cerrado é a ocorrência de baixos índices metafásicos no meristema radicular. O incremento dos índices mitótico e metafásico em células de pontas de raiz tem sido obtido em várias espécies com a sincronização do ciclo celular por meio de hidroxiuréia (HU). Neste trabalho foram determinadas as condições ótimas para a sincronização eficiente do ciclo em células meristemáticas de raízes de baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.). Foram testadas quatro concentrações de HU (0,00; 1,25; 2,50; 5,00 e 10,00 mM), três tempos de exposição das raízes (10, 15 e 20 h) e dois tempos de recuperação do ciclo (5 e 10 h). As melhores respostas foram obtidas com exposição das raízes, de cerca de 1 cm, à solução de HU 3,5 mM, por 20 horas, com posterior recuperação do ciclo em água destilada por 5 horas. O índice de 45% de células em divisão representou um incremento de cerca de 5 vezes em relação à testemunha, ao passo que para células em metáfases, o índice de 22,6% foi cerca de 10 vezes superior. Portanto, o uso dessa estratégia mostrou-se bastante eficiente para a obtenção de grande quantidade de cromossomos para análise citogenética do baru.<br>A major difficulty in cytogenetic studies of plant species from "cerrado" is the low metaphasic index in root tip cells. Cell cycle synchronization, by using hydroxyurea (HU), has been successfully used in order to obtain high mitotic and metaphasic index in several species. The goal of this work was to optimize conditions for efficient synchronization of Dipteryx alata root tip meristematic cells. Different levels of hydroxyurea (0, 1.25, 2.50, 5.00, and 10.00 mM), periods of treatment (10, 15, and 20 h) and periods of cell cycle recovery (5 and 10 h) were tested. Best results were achieved by treating 10-mm long roots with 3.5 mM hydroxyurea, for 20 h and incubating for 5 h in distilled water. The amount of cells dividing was five folds increased, compared to that of the control treatment, reaching an index value of 45%. Whereas for metaphase cells, the index value of 23% was 10 times higher. Therefore, such strategy was efficient to obtain high chromosome amounts for cytogenetic analysis of baru

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved