| Review | p. 1 |
| Crassulacean Acid Metabolism: Now and Then | p. 3 |
| A pathway to CAM via oxalate and malate in Atriplex | p. 4 |
| Sorting the phases of CAM | p. 7 |
| Biochemistry and diffusion as determinants of the [delta superscript 13]C value in CAM plants; improved understanding of water use efficiency in C[subscript 3] plants | p. 10 |
| Regulation of CAM PEPCase in the dark and light; its role in the diurnal rhythms of CAM and in C[subscript 4] plants | p. 12 |
| Malic acid compartmentation in CAM | p. 14 |
| Light use efficiency and photoinhibition in CAM plants; the role of C0[superscript 2] supply in the avoidance of photoinactivation | p. 15 |
| Recycling of respiratory C0[subscript 2] in CAM and diel variation in the engagement of cyanide insensitive respiration | p. 17 |
| Field CAMpaigns | p. 18 |
| Origins of CAM and its future prospects in a high CO[subscript 2] world | p. 21 |
| A view from over the hill | p. 22 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 25 |
| References | p. 26 |
| Genetics | p. 33 |
| Function of Genetic Material: Progressive Insight into Antimicrobial Peptides and their Transcriptional Regulation | p. 35 |
| Introduction | p. 35 |
| What are antimicrobial peptides? | p. 35 |
| Function | p. 36 |
| Mechanism of action | p. 38 |
| Classification | p. 39 |
| Structure and gene regulation of antimicrobial peptides | p. 39 |
| Plants | p. 40 |
| Antimicrobial peptides | p. 40 |
| Structure | p. 41 |
| Regulation | p. 43 |
| Insects | p. 46 |
| Mammals | p. 48 |
| Application of antimicrobial peptides | p. 49 |
| Crop protection | p. 50 |
| Food preservation | p. 51 |
| Medical application | p. 51 |
| What more is to come? | p. 52 |
| Conclusions | p. 52 |
| References | p. 53 |
| Function of Genetic Material: Assembly Factors of the Photosynthetic Machinery in Cyanobacteria | p. 57 |
| Introduction | p. 57 |
| Assembly/stability of thylakoid membrane complexes | p. 59 |
| Assembly/stability of photosystem I | p. 60 |
| Assembly/stability of photosystem II | p. 64 |
| Repair of photosystem II | p. 68 |
| Subcompartementalization of thylakoid membrane biogenesis | p. 69 |
| Conclusions and perspectives | p. 72 |
| References | p. 74 |
| Extranuclear Inheritance: Genetics and Biogenesis of Mitochondria | p. 80 |
| Introduction | p. 80 |
| Mitochondrial genomes and proteomes | p. 81 |
| Mitochondrial genomes | p. 81 |
| Inheritance of mitochondrial DNA | p. 82 |
| Mitochondrial proteomes | p. 83 |
| RNA import and stability | p. 84 |
| tRNA import | p. 84 |
| RNA stability | p. 86 |
| Protein import into plant mitochondria | p. 88 |
| Import receptor and import sequences | p. 88 |
| Dual targeting to mitochondria and plastids | p. 89 |
| Autophagic degradation of mitochondria | p. 90 |
| Summary and perspectives | p. 92 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 92 |
| References | p. 92 |
| Extranuclear Inheritance: Virus-Like DNA-Elements in Yeast | p. 98 |
| Abstract | p. 98 |
| Introduction | p. 98 |
| Occurrence | p. 99 |
| Autonomous elements | p. 100 |
| Nucleus-independent replication | p. 104 |
| Nucleus-independent transcription | p. 106 |
| Analysis of linear plasmid derived transcripts | p. 107 |
| Cytoplasmic transcription machinery | p. 108 |
| The linear plasmid encoded helicase | p. 109 |
| The capping enzyme and RNA capping | p. 110 |
| Non-autonomous elements | p. 112 |
| Elements associated with killer phenotypes | p. 113 |
| Killer plasmids encoding type I toxins | p. 114 |
| Killer plasmids encoding type II toxins | p. 116 |
| Type I and type II toxin uptake machinery | p. 117 |
| Cryptic elements | p. 120 |
| Outlook | p. 121 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 122 |
| References | p. 122 |
| Population Genetics: Evolutionary Features of Asexual Species | p. 130 |
| Introduction | p. 130 |
| Modes and origin of asexuality | p. 131 |
| Origin of polyploidy | p. 134 |
| Population genetics | p. 135 |
| Clonal diversity | p. 135 |
| Geographic parthenogenesis/apomixis | p. 136 |
| Models | p. 139 |
| Statistics | p. 142 |
| Measures of genetic diversity | p. 144 |
| Clonal diversity | p. 144 |
| Allelic and genotypic diversity | p. 144 |
| Population structures | p. 144 |
| Differences between species | p. 145 |
| Conclusions | p. 145 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 146 |
| References | p. 146 |
| Plant Breeding: Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Crop Plants and its Exploitation in Breeding | p. 151 |
| Introduction | p. 151 |
| Assessment of genetic diversity | p. 151 |
| Genetic markers | p. 152 |
| Measures of genetic association | p. 153 |
| Methods to order and display genetic variation | p. 155 |
| Diversity of crop plants as determined by evolution, domestication and breeding | p. 156 |
| Barley (Hordeum vulgare) | p. 157 |
| Evolution and history of barley | p. 157 |
| Genetic diversity in wild and cultivated barley | p. 159 |
| Oilseed rape (Brassica napus) | p. 161 |
| Evolution and history of brassicas | p. 161 |
| Rapeseed cultivation, oil quality and applications | p. 162 |
| Brassica species, wide hybridization and cytological status | p. 163 |
| Exploitation of novel genetic variation for rapeseed breeding | p. 167 |
| Conclusions | p. 170 |
| References | p. 171 |
| Plant Breeding: Antisense ODN Inhibition in in vitro spike cultures as a powerful Diagnostic Tool in Studies on Cereal Grain Development | p. 179 |
| Introduction | p. 179 |
| Antisense ODN inhibition | p. 180 |
| Antisense ODN inhibition as a technology for gene silencing | p. 181 |
| Construction of antisense ODNs | p. 181 |
| Delivery and intracellular trafficking of antisense ODNs | p. 183 |
| Antisense ODN inhibition in in vitro spike cultures as a powerful strategy in studies on cereal grain development | p. 183 |
| Conclusions and perspectives | p. 188 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 188 |
| References | p. 188 |
| Physiology | p. 191 |
| Characean Algae: Still a Valid Model System to Examine Fundamental Principles in Plants | p. 193 |
| Introduction | p. 193 |
| Chara as a model for pattern formation | p. 194 |
| Rhizoids and protonemata of the green alga Chara as unicellular model systems for gravity sensing and polarized growth | p. 195 |
| Cytoskeleton dynamics and polarized growth | p. 198 |
| Cytoskeletal basis of the gravity-sensing apparatus | p. 200 |
| Critical role of actomyosin in gravity susception | p. 202 |
| How statoliths activate gravireceptors | p. 203 |
| Calcium, cytoskeleton and gravitropic responses | p. 204 |
| Photosynthesis-dependent interactions of cortical organelles | p. 206 |
| Wound-induced cell polarization | p. 207 |
| Chara as model for Ca[superscript 2+]-mediated signal-response coupling | p. 208 |
| The genus Chara as a model for sex differentiation | p. 212 |
| Outlook | p. 214 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 215 |
| References | p. 215 |
| Receptors for the Five Classical Plant Hormones | p. 221 |
| 35 years of hunting receptors: we never got what we expected | p. 221 |
| Intracellular hormone receptors acting at the level of gene expression | p. 222 |
| Intracellular auxin perception by TIR1 and other F-box proteins | p. 222 |
| ABP1 or TIR1? | p. 223 |
| GID1, an intracellular receptor for the gibberellins | p. 224 |
| Membrane-bound receptors | p. 225 |
| Two-component receptors in ethylene signalling | p. 225 |
| ETR1 as a prototype ethylene receptor | p. 226 |
| ETR1 is reminiscent to bacterial two component signalling systems | p. 227 |
| A further two component ethylene receptors have been identified | p. 229 |
| How do two-component receptors transduce the ethylene signal? | p. 229 |
| Cytokinins are also perceived by two-component type receptors | p. 230 |
| More two-component cytokinin receptors for Arabidopsis and the rest of the plant world | p. 233 |
| How do two-component receptors transduce the cytokinin signal? | p. 234 |
| Candidates for the ABA receptor | p. 235 |
| A receptor-like kinase as a possible ABA receptor | p. 235 |
| At last: A plant G protein coupled receptor may be involved in ABA signalling | p. 236 |
| Perspective | p. 237 |
| References | p. 237 |
| Spatiotemporal Patterns and Distributed Computation-A Formal Link between C0[subscript 2] Signalling, Diffusion and Stomatal Regulation | p. 242 |
| Inorganic carbon themes and perspectives for signalling | p. 242 |
| Ci signalling to stomatal guard cells | p. 243 |
| Lateral C0[subscript 2]-diffusion in leaves | p. 245 |
| The heterobaric/homobaric leaf concept | p. 245 |
| Stomatal patchiness | p. 246 |
| Lateral gas diffusion over large distances within leaves | p. 246 |
| Lateral diffusion and Ci signalling for synchronization/desynchronization of photosynthetic activity within leaves | p. 247 |
| Heterogeneity and the role of photorespiration in leaves performing C[subscript 3] photosynthesis | p. 247 |
| Heterogeneity in leaves performing CAM | p. 248 |
| Heterogeneity during endogenous circadian rhythmicity of photosynthesis | p. 249 |
| Interpreting spatiotemporal patterns beyond explicit models | p. 250 |
| Ci signalling network | p. 253 |
| References | p. 256 |
| Plant Hemoglobins, Nitrate and Nitric Oxide: Old Players, New Games | p. 261 |
| Introduction | p. 261 |
| Properties of nsHbs | p. 263 |
| Gene and protein expression | p. 263 |
| Cellular and subcellular localization of Hbs | p. 264 |
| Oxygen affinity | p. 265 |
| Structural aspects | p. 265 |
| Reaction of nsHbs with NO | p. 266 |
| NsHb and NO in nitrate assimilation | p. 267 |
| Nitrate assimilation as a source for NO | p. 267 |
| A matter of speculation: Effects of NO on nitrate assimilation and related processes | p. 268 |
| Role of nsHbs in nitrate assimilation | p. 270 |
| NsHb and NO in anoxia tolerance | p. 272 |
| NO production under anoxia | p. 272 |
| Role of nsHbs in anoxia tolerance | p. 273 |
| NsHb and NO in plant-microbe interactions | p. 277 |
| Conclusions | p. 280 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 281 |
| References | p. 281 |
| Living in Day-Night-Cycles-Specific Diel Leaf Growth Patterns and the Circadian Control of Photomorphogenesis | p. 288 |
| Introduction | p. 288 |
| Endogenous patterns of leaf growth | p. 290 |
| Diel growth patterns in different species and light environments | p. 291 |
| Circadian clock, gene expression and diel metabolic activities | p. 295 |
| Gating of cell cycle and diel growth processes | p. 297 |
| Linking light environment with diel growth dynamics | p. 299 |
| Shade avoidance, signalling networks and the role of the circadian clock | p. 299 |
| Light signalling pathways | p. 300 |
| Cross-talk with circadian clock | p. 302 |
| Circadian gating of shade avoidance | p. 303 |
| Leaf growth dynamics in dicot plants and mechanisms of shade avoidance | p. 304 |
| Perspective | p. 307 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 307 |
| References | p. 307 |
| Ecology | p. 315 |
| Competitive Networks, Indirect Interactions, and Allelopathy: A Microbial Viewpoint on Plant Communities | p. 317 |
| Introduction | p. 317 |
| Do hierarchies or networks characterize competitive interactions in plant communities? | p. 320 |
| Do indirect interactions occur among competing plants? | p. 323 |
| Allelopathy and indirect interactions among plants | p. 325 |
| Do hierarchies in allelopathic tolerance exist? | p. 327 |
| What can we learn from microbes? | p. 329 |
| Conclusions | p. 330 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 331 |
| References | p. 331 |
| Quaternary Palaeoecology: Isotopes as Valuable Aids in Palaeoecological Research | p. 336 |
| Use of various isotope species as indicators of food consumed in the past | p. 336 |
| General difficulties in choosing appropriate samples for obtaining reliable [superscript 14]C age-data | p. 338 |
| Problems in dating palaeopedological processes | p. 341 |
| Regional patterns of [superscript 14]C-reservoir ages in oceans, lakes and rivers | p. 342 |
| Problem of constructing a generally accepted calibration curve for translating [superscript 14]C age-data into those of calendar years | p. 347 |
| Conclusion | p. 348 |
| References | p. 349 |
| Competition for Resources in Trees: Physiologigal Versus Morphological Plasticity | p. 356 |
| Abstract | p. 356 |
| Introduction | p. 357 |
| Size-asymmetric versus size-symmetric competition | p. 357 |
| Hypotheses | p. 358 |
| Background | p. 359 |
| Above-ground competition in response to resource limitation | p. 359 |
| Above-ground morphological plasticity | p. 360 |
| Above-ground physiological plasticity | p. 361 |
| Below-ground competition in response to resource limitation | p. 363 |
| Below-ground morphological plasticity | p. 364 |
| Below-ground physiological plasticity | p. 365 |
| Evidence for size-asymmetric competition below ground | p. 367 |
| Competition at high versus low resource availability | p. 368 |
| Synthesis | p. 370 |
| Morphological versus physiological responses | p. 370 |
| The whole-tree perspective: above-ground/below-ground interactions in resource competition | p. 372 |
| Conclusions | p. 373 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 375 |
| References | p. 375 |
| Explaining Variation in Fine Root Life Span | p. 382 |
| Introduction | p. 382 |
| Fine root estimation methodology | p. 383 |
| Indirect estimation | p. 383 |
| Direct estimation | p. 383 |
| Direct and indirect comparison | p. 384 |
| Predicting fine root life span | p. 385 |
| Environment | p. 390 |
| Life history/growth form | p. 392 |
| Interactions between life form and environment | p. 393 |
| Conclusions | p. 394 |
| Acknowledgements | p. 395 |
| References | p. 395 |
| Subject Index | p. 399 |
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