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Sample records for arabidopsis cell suspension

  1. Growing Arabidopsis in vitro: cell suspensions, in vitro culture, and regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barkla, Bronwyn J; Vera-Estrella, Rosario; Pantoja, Omar

    2014-01-01

    An understanding of basic methods in Arabidopsis tissue culture is beneficial for any laboratory working on this model plant. Tissue culture refers to the aseptic growth of cells, organs, or plants in a controlled environment, in which physical, nutrient, and hormonal conditions can all be easily manipulated and monitored. The methodology facilitates the production of a large number of plants that are genetically identical over a relatively short growth period. Techniques, including callus production, cell suspension cultures, and plant regeneration, are all indispensable tools for the study of cellular biochemical and molecular processes. Plant regeneration is a key technology for successful stable plant transformation, while cell suspension cultures can be exploited for metabolite profiling and mining. In this chapter we report methods for the successful and highly efficient in vitro regeneration of plants and production of stable cell suspension lines from leaf explants of both Arabidopsis thaliana and Arabidopsis halleri.

  2. Structure and organ specificity of an anionic peroxidase from Arabidopsis thaliana cell suspension culture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ostergaard, L; Abelskov, A K; Mattsson, O

    1996-01-01

    The predominant peroxidase (pI 3.5) (E.C. 1.11.1.7) of an Arabidopsis thaliana cell suspension culture was purified and partially sequenced. Oligonucleotides were designed and a specific probe was obtained. A cDNA clone was isolated from an Arabidopsis cell suspension cDNA library and completely ...

  3. Isolation of plasmodesmata from Arabidopsis suspension culture cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grison, Magali S; Fernandez-Calvino, Lourdes; Mongrand, Sébastien; Bayer, Emmanuelle M F

    2015-01-01

    Due to their position firmly anchored within the plant cell wall, plasmodesmata (PD) are notoriously difficult to isolate from plant tissue. Yet, getting access to isolated PD represents the most straightforward strategy for the identification of their molecular components. Proteomic and lipidomic analyses of such PD fractions have provided and will continue to provide critical information on the functional and structural elements that define these membranous nano-pores. Here, we describe a two-step simple purification procedure that allows isolation of pure PD-derived membranes from Arabidopsis suspension cells. The first step of this procedure consists in isolating cell wall fragments containing intact PD while free of contamination from other cellular compartments. The second step relies on an enzymatic degradation of the wall matrix and the subsequent release of "free" PD. Isolated PD membranes provide a suitable starting material for the analysis of PD-associated proteins and lipids.

  4. Proteomic characterization of golgi membranes enriched from Arabidopsis suspension cell cultures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Sara Fasmer; Ebert, Berit; Rautengarten, Carsten

    2016-01-01

    The plant Golgi apparatus has a central role in the secretory pathway and is the principal site within the cell for the assembly and processing of macromolecules. The stacked membrane structure of the Golgi apparatus along with its interactions with the cytoskeleton and endoplasmic reticulum has...... historically made the isolation and purification of this organelle difficult. Density centrifugation has typically been used to enrich Golgi membranes from plant microsomal preparations, and aside from minor adaptations, the approach is still widely employed. Here we outline the enrichment of Golgi membranes...... from an Arabidopsis cell suspension culture that can be used to investigate the proteome of this organelle. We also provide a useful workflow for the examination of proteomic data as the result of multiple analyses. Finally, we highlight a simple technique to validate the subcellular localization...

  5. Quantitative proteome changes in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension-cultured cells in response to plant natriuretic peptides

    KAUST Repository

    Turek, Ilona; Wheeler, Janet I.; Gehring, Christoph A; Irving, Helen R.; Marondedze, Claudius

    2015-01-01

    Proteome changes in the Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cells in response to the A. thaliana plant natriuretic peptide (PNP), AtPNP-A (At2g18660) were assessed using quantitative proteomics employing tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling and tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). In this study, we characterized temporal responses of suspension-cultured cells to 1 nM and 10 pM AtPNP-A at 0, 10 and 30 min post-treatment. Both concentrations we found to yield a distinct differential proteome signature. The data shown in this article are associated with the article “Plant natriuretic peptides induce a specific set of proteins diagnostic for an adaptive response to abiotic stress” by Turek et al. (Front. Plant Sci. 5 (2014) 661) and have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD001386.

  6. Quantitative proteome changes in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension-cultured cells in response to plant natriuretic peptides

    KAUST Repository

    Turek, Ilona

    2015-06-30

    Proteome changes in the Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cells in response to the A. thaliana plant natriuretic peptide (PNP), AtPNP-A (At2g18660) were assessed using quantitative proteomics employing tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling and tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). In this study, we characterized temporal responses of suspension-cultured cells to 1 nM and 10 pM AtPNP-A at 0, 10 and 30 min post-treatment. Both concentrations we found to yield a distinct differential proteome signature. The data shown in this article are associated with the article “Plant natriuretic peptides induce a specific set of proteins diagnostic for an adaptive response to abiotic stress” by Turek et al. (Front. Plant Sci. 5 (2014) 661) and have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD001386.

  7. The age-dependent epigenetic and physiological changes in an Arabidopsis T87 cell suspension culture during long-term cultivation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kwiatkowska, Aleksandra, E-mail: A.Kwiatkows@gmail.com [Department of Botany, University of Rzeszow, Kolbuszowa (Poland); Zebrowski, Jacek [Department of Plant Physiology, University of Rzeszow, Kolbuszowa (Poland); Oklejewicz, Bernadetta [Department of Genetics, University of Rzeszow, Kolbuszowa (Poland); Czarnik, Justyna [Department of Botany, University of Rzeszow, Kolbuszowa (Poland); Halibart-Puzio, Joanna [Department of Plant Physiology, University of Rzeszow, Kolbuszowa (Poland); Wnuk, Maciej [Department of Genetics, University of Rzeszow, Kolbuszowa (Poland)

    2014-05-02

    Highlights: • A decrease in proliferation rate during long-term cultivation of Arabidopsis cells. • Age-dependent increase in senescence-associated gene expression in Arabidopsis cells. • Age-related increase in DNA methylation, H3K9me2, and H3K27me3 in Arabidopsis cells. • High potential of photosynthetic efficiency of long-term cultured Arabidopsis cells. - Abstract: Plant cell suspension cultures represent good model systems applicable for both basic research and biotechnological purposes. Nevertheless, it is widely known that a prolonged in vitro cultivation of plant cells is associated with genetic and epigenetic instabilities, which may limit the usefulness of plant lines. In this study, the age-dependent epigenetic and physiological changes in an asynchronous Arabidopsis T87 cell culture were examined. A prolonged cultivation period was found to be correlated with a decrease in the proliferation rate and a simultaneous increase in the expression of senescence-associated genes, indicating that the aging process started at the late growth phase of the culture. In addition, increases in the heterochromatin-specific epigenetic markers, i.e., global DNA methylation, H3K9 dimethylation, and H3K27 trimethylation, were observed, suggesting the onset of chromatin condensation, a hallmark of the early stages of plant senescence. Although the number of live cells decreased with an increase in the age of the culture, the remaining viable cells retained a high potential to efficiently perform photosynthesis and did not exhibit any symptoms of photosystem II damage.

  8. The age-dependent epigenetic and physiological changes in an Arabidopsis T87 cell suspension culture during long-term cultivation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwiatkowska, Aleksandra; Zebrowski, Jacek; Oklejewicz, Bernadetta; Czarnik, Justyna; Halibart-Puzio, Joanna; Wnuk, Maciej

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A decrease in proliferation rate during long-term cultivation of Arabidopsis cells. • Age-dependent increase in senescence-associated gene expression in Arabidopsis cells. • Age-related increase in DNA methylation, H3K9me2, and H3K27me3 in Arabidopsis cells. • High potential of photosynthetic efficiency of long-term cultured Arabidopsis cells. - Abstract: Plant cell suspension cultures represent good model systems applicable for both basic research and biotechnological purposes. Nevertheless, it is widely known that a prolonged in vitro cultivation of plant cells is associated with genetic and epigenetic instabilities, which may limit the usefulness of plant lines. In this study, the age-dependent epigenetic and physiological changes in an asynchronous Arabidopsis T87 cell culture were examined. A prolonged cultivation period was found to be correlated with a decrease in the proliferation rate and a simultaneous increase in the expression of senescence-associated genes, indicating that the aging process started at the late growth phase of the culture. In addition, increases in the heterochromatin-specific epigenetic markers, i.e., global DNA methylation, H3K9 dimethylation, and H3K27 trimethylation, were observed, suggesting the onset of chromatin condensation, a hallmark of the early stages of plant senescence. Although the number of live cells decreased with an increase in the age of the culture, the remaining viable cells retained a high potential to efficiently perform photosynthesis and did not exhibit any symptoms of photosystem II damage

  9. Affinity Purification and Characterization of Functional Tubulin from Cell Suspension Cultures of Arabidopsis and Tobacco1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujita, Satoshi; Uchimura, Seiichi; Noguchi, Masahiro; Demura, Taku

    2016-01-01

    Microtubules assemble into several distinct arrays that play important roles in cell division and cell morphogenesis. To decipher the mechanisms that regulate the dynamics and organization of this versatile cytoskeletal component, it is essential to establish in vitro assays that use functional tubulin. Although plant tubulin has been purified previously from protoplasts by reversible taxol-induced polymerization, a simple and efficient purification method has yet to be developed. Here, we used a Tumor Overexpressed Gene (TOG) column, in which the tubulin-binding domains of a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) TOG homolog are immobilized on resin, to isolate functional plant tubulin. We found that several hundred micrograms of pure tubulin can readily be purified from cell suspension cultures of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The tubulin purified by the TOG column showed high assembly competence, partly because of low levels of polymerization-inhibitory phosphorylation of α-tubulin. Compared with porcine brain tubulin, Arabidopsis tubulin is highly dynamic in vitro at both the plus and minus ends, exhibiting faster shrinkage rates and more frequent catastrophe events, and exhibits frequent spontaneous nucleation. Furthermore, our study shows that an internal histidine tag in α-tubulin can be used to prepare particular isotypes and specifically engineered versions of α-tubulin. In contrast to previous studies of plant tubulin, our mass spectrometry and immunoblot analyses failed to detect posttranslational modification of the isolated Arabidopsis tubulin or detected only low levels of posttranslational modification. This novel technology can be used to prepare assembly-competent, highly dynamic pure tubulin from plant cell cultures. PMID:26747285

  10. Induction of cell death by graphene in Arabidopsis thaliana (Columbia ecotype) T87 cell suspensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Begum, Parvin; Fugetsu, Bunshi

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • This study was set up to explore potential influence of graphene on T87 cells. • Fragmented nuclei, membrane damage, mitochondrial dysfunction were observed. • ROS increased, ROS are key mediators in the cell death signaling pathway. • Translocation of graphene into cells and an endocytosis-like structure was observed. • Graphene entering into the cells by endocytosis. -- Abstract: The toxicity of graphene on suspensions of Arabidopsis thaliana (Columbia ecotype) T87 cells was investigated by examining the morphology, mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen species generation (ROS), and translocation of graphene as the toxicological endpoints. The cells were grown in Jouanneau and Péaud-Lenoel (JPL) media and exposed to graphene at concentrations 0–80 mg/L. Morphological changes were observed by scanning electron microscope and the adverse effects such as fragmented nuclei, membrane damage, mitochondrial dysfunction was observed with fluorescence microscopy by staining with Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide and succinate dehydrogenase (mitochondrial bioenergetic enzyme). Analysis of intracellular ROS by 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate demonstrated that graphene induced a 3.3-fold increase in ROS, suggesting that ROS are key mediators in the cell death signaling pathway. Transmission electron microscopy verified the translocation of graphene into cells and an endocytosis-like structure was observed which suggested graphene entering into the cells by endocytosis. In conclusion, our results show that graphene induced cell death in T87 cells through mitochondrial damage mediated by ROS

  11. Zinc tolerance and accumulation in stable cell suspension cultures and in vitro regenerated plants of the emerging model plant Arabidopsis halleri (Brassicaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vera-Estrella, Rosario; Miranda-Vergara, Maria Cristina; Barkla, Bronwyn J

    2009-03-01

    Arabidopsis halleri is increasingly employed as a model plant for studying heavy metal hyperaccumulation. With the aim of providing valuable tools for studies on cellular physiology and molecular biology of metal tolerance and transport, this study reports the development of successful and highly efficient methods for the in vitro regeneration of A. halleri plants and production of stable cell suspension lines. Plants were regenerated from leaf explants of A. halleri via a three-step procedure: callus induction, somatic embryogenesis and shoot development. Efficiency of callus proliferation and regeneration depended on the initial callus induction media and was optimal in the presence of 1 mg L(-1) 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and 0.05 mg L(-1) benzylaminopurine. Subsequent shoot and root regeneration from callus initiated under these conditions reached levels of 100% efficiency. High friability of the callus supported the development of cell suspension cultures with minimal cellular aggregates. Characterization of regenerated plants and cell cultures determined that they maintained not only the zinc tolerance and requirement of the whole plant but also the ability to accumulate zinc; with plants accumulating up to 50.0 micromoles zinc g(-1) FW, and cell suspension cultures 30.9 micromoles zinc g(-1) DW. Together this work will provide the experimental basis for furthering our knowledge of A. halleri as a model heavy metal hyperaccumulating plant.

  12. Salicylic acid modulates levels of phosphoinositide dependent-phospholipase C substrates and products to remodel the Arabidopsis suspension cell transcriptome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric eRuelland

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Basal phosphoinositide-dependent phospholipase C (PI-PLC activity controls gene expression in Arabidopsis suspension cells and seedlings. PI-PLC catalyzes the production of phosphorylated inositol and diacylglycerol (DAG from phosphoinositides. It is not known how PI-PLC regulates the transcriptome although the action of DAG-kinase (DGK on DAG immediately downstream from PI-PLC is responsible for some of the regulation. We previously established a list of genes whose expression is affected in the presence of PI-PLC inhibitors. Here this list of genes was used as a signature in similarity searches of curated plant hormone response transcriptome data. The strongest correlations obtained with the inhibited PI-PLC signature were with salicylic acid (SA treatments. We confirm here that in Arabidopsis suspension cells SA treatment leads to an increase in phosphoinositides, then demonstrate that SA leads to a significant 20% decrease in phosphatidic acid, indicative of a decrease in PI-PLC products. Previous sets of microarray data were re-assessed. The SA response of one set of genes was dependent on phosphoinositides. Alterations in the levels of a second set of genes, mostly SA-repressed genes, could be related to decreases in PI-PLC products that occur in response to SA action. Together, the two groups of genes comprise at least 40% of all SA-responsive genes. Overall these two groups of genes are distinct in the functional categories of the proteins they encode, their promoter cis-elements and their regulation by DGK or phospholipase D. SA-regulated genes dependent on phosphoinositides are typical SA response genes while those with an SA response that is possibly dependent on PI-PLC products are less SA-specific. We propose a model in which SA inhibits PI-PLC activity and alters levels of PI-PLC products and substrates, thereby regulating gene expression divergently.

  13. Promoter DNA hypermethylation and gene repression in undifferentiated Arabidopsis cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Berdasco

    Full Text Available Maintaining and acquiring the pluripotent cell state in plants is critical to tissue regeneration and vegetative multiplication. Histone-based epigenetic mechanisms are important for regulating this undifferentiated state. Here we report the use of genetic and pharmacological experimental approaches to show that Arabidopsis cell suspensions and calluses specifically repress some genes as a result of promoter DNA hypermethylation. We found that promoters of the MAPK12, GSTU10 and BXL1 genes become hypermethylated in callus cells and that hypermethylation also affects the TTG1, GSTF5, SUVH8, fimbrin and CCD7 genes in cell suspensions. Promoter hypermethylation in undifferentiated cells was associated with histone hypoacetylation and primarily occurred at CpG sites. Accordingly, we found that the process specifically depends on MET1 and DRM2 methyltransferases, as demonstrated with DNA methyltransferase mutants. Our results suggest that promoter DNA methylation may be another important epigenetic mechanism for the establishment and/or maintenance of the undifferentiated state in plant cells.

  14. Metabolism of ibuprofen in higher plants: A model Arabidopsis thaliana cell suspension culture system

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Maršík, Petr; Šíša, Miroslav; Lacina, O.; Moťková, Kateřina; Langhansová, Lenka; Rezek, Jan; Vaněk, Tomáš

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 220, JAN (2017), s. 383-392 ISSN 0269-7491 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-22593S Grant - others:European Regional Development Fund(XE) CZ.2.16/3.1.00/24014 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Arabidopsis thaliana * Ibuprofen * Metabolism * Plant cells * Sequestration Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 5.099, year: 2016

  15. The vacuolar transport of aleurain-GFP and 2S albumin-GFP fusions is mediated by the same pre-vacuolar compartments in tobacco BY-2 and Arabidopsis suspension cultured cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miao, Yansong; Li, Kwun Yee; Li, Hong-Ye; Yao, Xiaoqiang; Jiang, Liwen

    2008-12-01

    Soluble proteins reach vacuoles because they contain vacuolar sorting determinants (VSDs) that are recognized by vacuolar sorting receptor (VSR) proteins. Pre-vacuolar compartments (PVCs), defined by VSRs and GFP-VSR reporters in tobacco BY-2 cells, are membrane-bound intermediate organelles that mediate protein traffic from the Golgi apparatus to the vacuole in plant cells. Multiple pathways have been demonstrated to be responsible for vacuolar transport of lytic enzymes and storage proteins to the lytic vacuole (LV) and the protein storage vacuole (PSV), respectively. However, the nature of PVCs for LV and PSV pathways remains unclear. Here, we used two fluorescent reporters, aleurain-GFP and 2S albumin-GFP, that represent traffic of lytic enzymes and storage proteins to LV and PSV, respectively, to study the PVC-mediated transport pathways via transient expression in suspension cultured cells. We demonstrated that the vacuolar transport of aleurain-GFP and 2S albumin-GFP was mediated by the same PVC populations in both tobacco BY-2 and Arabidopsis suspension cultured cells. These PVCs were defined by the seven GFP-AtVSR reporters. In wortmannin-treated cells, the vacuolated PVCs contained the mRFP-AtVSR reporter in their limiting membranes, whereas the soluble aleurain-GFP or 2S albumin-GFP remained in the lumen of the PVCs, indicating a possible in vivo relationship between receptor and cargo within PVCs.

  16. Characterization of cell suspensions from solid tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pallavicini, M.

    1985-01-01

    The desirable features of cells in suspension will necessarily be dependent upon the use for which the cells were prepared. Adequate cell yield or recovery is defined by the measurement to be performed. Retention of cellular morphology is important for microscopic identification of cell types in a heterogenous cell suspension, and may be used to determine whether the cells in suspension are representative of those in the tumor in situ. Different dispersal protocols may yield cells with different degrees of clonogenicity, as well as altered biochemical features, such as loss of cellular proteins, surface antigens, nucleotide pools, etc. The quality of the cell suspension can be judged by the degree of cell clumping and level of cellular debris, both of which impact on flow cytometric measurements and studies in which the number of cells be known accurately. Finally, if the data measured on the cells in suspension are to be extrapolated to phenomena occurring in the tumor in situ, it is desirable that the cells in suspension are representative of those in the solid tumor in vivo. This report compares characteristics of tumor cell suspensions obtained by different types of selected disaggregation methods. 33 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs

  17. The Arabidopsis GASA10 gene encodes a cell wall protein strongly expressed in developing anthers and seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trapalis, Menelaos; Li, Song Feng; Parish, Roger W

    2017-07-01

    The Arabidopsis GASA10 gene encodes a GAST1-like (Gibberellic Acid-Stimulated) protein. Reporter gene analysis identified consistent expression in anthers and seeds. In anthers expression was developmentally regulated, first appearing at stage 7 of anther development and reaching a maximum at stage 11. Strongest expression was in the tapetum and developing microspores. GASA10 expression also occurred throughout the seed and in root vasculature. GASA10 was shown to be transported to the cell wall. Using GASA1 and GASA6 as positive controls, gibberellic acid was found not to induce GASA10 expression in Arabidopsis suspension cells. Overexpression of GASA10 (35S promoter-driven) resulted in a reduction in silique elongation. GASA10 shares structural similarities to the antimicrobial peptide snakin1, however, purified GASA10 failed to influence the growth of a variety of bacterial and fungal species tested. We propose cell wall associated GASA proteins are involved in regulating the hydroxyl radical levels at specific sites in the cell wall to facilitate wall growth (regulating cell wall elongation). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Proteomic identification of S-nitrosylated proteins in Arabidopsis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindermayr, C.; Saalbach, G.; Durner, J.

    2005-01-01

    Although nitric oxide (NO) has grown into a key signaling molecule in plants during the last few years, less is known about how NO regulates different events in plants. Analyses of NO-dependent processes in animal systems have demonstrated protein S-nitrosylation of cysteine (Cys) residues...... to be one of the dominant regulation mechanisms for many animal proteins. For plants, the principle of S-nitrosylation remained to be elucidated. We generated S-nitrosothiols by treating extracts from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cell suspension cultures with the NO-donor S......-nitrosoglutathione. Furthermore, Arabidopsis plants were treated with gaseous NO to analyze whether S-nitrosylation can occur in the specific redox environment of a plant cell in vivo. S-Nitrosylated proteins were detected by a biotin switch method, converting S-nitrosylated Cys to biotinylated Cys. Biotin-labeled proteins were...

  19. Rheological characteristics of cell suspension and cell culture of Perilla frutescens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, J J; Seki, T; Kinoshita, S; Yoshida, T

    1992-12-05

    Physical properties such as viscosity, fluid dynamic behavior of cell suspension, and size distribution of cell aggregates of a plant, Perilla frustescens, cultured in a liquid medium were studied. As a result of investigations using cells harvester after 12 days of cultivation in a flask, it was found that the apparent viscosity of the cell suspension did not change with any variation of cell concentration below 5 g dry cell/L but markedly increased when the cell concentration increased over 12.8 g dry cell/L. The cell suspension exhibited the characteristics of a Bingham plastic fluid with a small yield stress. The size of cell aggregates in the range 74 to 500 mum did not influence the rheological characteristics of the cell suspension. The rheological characteristics of cultivation mixtures of P. frutescens cultivated in a flask and in a bioreactor were also investigated. The results showed that the flow characteristics of the cell culture could be described by a Bingham plastic model. At the later stage of cultivation, the apparent viscosity increased steadily, even though the biomass concentration (by dry weight) decreased, due to the increase of individual cell size. (c) 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  20. Suspension culture of pluripotent stem cells: effect of shear on stem cell fate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller, Kevin C; Rodrigues, Beatriz; zur Nieden, Nicole I

    2014-01-01

    Despite significant promise, the routine usage of suspension cell culture to manufacture stem cell-derived differentiated cells has progressed slowly. Suspension culture is an innovative way of either expanding or differentiating cells and sometimes both are combined into a single bioprocess. Its advantages over static 2D culturing include a homogeneous and controllable culture environment and producing a large quantity of cells in a fraction of time. This feature makes suspension cell culture ideal for use in stem cell research and eventually ideal in the large-scale production of differentiated cells for regenerative medicine. Because of their tremendous differentiation capacities and unlimited growth properties, pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) in particular are considered potential sources for future cell-replacement therapies. Currently, expansion of PSCs is accomplished in 2D, which only permits a limited amount of cell growth per culture flask before cells need to be passaged. However, before stem cells can be applied clinically, several aspects of their expansion, such as directed growth, but also differentiation, need to be better controlled. This review will summarize recent advantages in suspension culture of PSCs, while at the same time highlighting current challenges.

  1. Differential impact of amino acids on OXPHOS system activity following carbohydrate starvation in Arabidopsis cell suspensions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavalcanti, João Henrique F; Quinhones, Carla G S; Schertl, Peter; Brito, Danielle S; Eubel, Holger; Hildebrandt, Tatjana; Nunes-Nesi, Adriano; Braun, Hans-Peter; Araújo, Wagner L

    2017-12-01

    Plant respiration mostly depends on the activity of glycolysis and the oxidation of organic acids in the tricarboxylic acid cycle to synthesize ATP. However, during stress situations plant cells also use amino acids as alternative substrates to donate electrons through the electron-transfer flavoprotein (ETF)/ETF:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETF/ETFQO) complex to the mitochondrial electron transport chain (mETC). Given this, we investigated changes of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system in Arabidopsis thaliana cell culture under carbohydrate starvation supplied with a range of amino acids. Induction of isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase (IVDH) activity was observed under carbohydrate starvation which was associated with increased amounts of IVDH protein detected by immunoblotting. Furthermore, activities of the protein complexes of the mETC were reduced under carbohydrate starvation. We also observed that OXPHOS system activity behavior is differently affected by different amino acids and that proteins associated with amino acids catabolism are upregulated in cells following carbohydrate starvation. Collectively, our results support the contention that ETF/ETFQO is an essential pathway to donate electrons to the mETC and that amino acids are alternative substrates to maintain respiration under carbohydrate starvation. © 2017 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

  2. Comparative interactomics: analysis of arabidopsis 14-3-3 complexes reveals highly conserved 14-3-3 interactions between humans and plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Anna-Lisa; Liu, Li; McClung, Scott; Laughner, Beth; Chen, Sixue; Ferl, Robert J

    2009-04-01

    As a first step in the broad characterization of plant 14-3-3 multiprotein complexes in vivo, stringent and specific antibody affinity purification was used to capture 14-3-3s together with their interacting proteins from extracts of Arabidopsis cell suspension cultures. Approximately 120 proteins were identified as potential in vivo 14-3-3 interacting proteins by mass spectrometry of the recovered complexes. Comparison of the proteins in this data set with the 14-3-3 interacting proteins from a similar study in human embryonic kidney cell cultures revealed eight interacting proteins that likely represent reasonably abundant, fundamental 14-3-3 interaction complexes that are highly conserved across all eukaryotes. The Arabidopsis 14-3-3 interaction data set was also compared to a yeast in vivo 14-3-3 interaction data set. Four 14-3-3 interacting proteins are conserved in yeast, humans, and Arabidopsis. Comparisons of the data sets based on biochemical function revealed many additional similarities in the human and Arabidopsis data sets that represent conserved functional interactions, while also leaving many proteins uniquely identified in either Arabidopsis or human cells. In particular, the Arabidopsis interaction data set is enriched for proteins involved in metabolism.

  3. Distinct UV-B and UV-A/blue light signal transduction pathways induce chalcone synthase gene expression in Arabidopsis cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Christie, J.M.; Jenkins, G.I.

    1996-01-01

    UV and blue light control the expression of flavonoid biosynthesis genes in a range of higher plants. To investigate the signal transduction processes involved in the induction of chalcone synthase (CHS) gene expression by UV-B and UV-A/blue light, we examined the, effects of specific agonists and inhibitors of known signaling components in mammalian systems in a photomixotrophic Arabidopsis cell suspension culture. CHS expression is induced specifically by these wavelengths in the cell culture, in a manner similar to that in mature Arabidopsis leaf tissue. Both the UV-B and UV-A/blue phototransduction processes involve calcium, although the elevation of cytosolic calcium is insufficient on its own to stimulate CHS expression. The UV-A/blue light induction of CHS expression does not appear to involve calmodulin, whereas the UV-B response does; this difference indicates that the signal transduction pathways are, at least in part, distinct. We provide evidence that both pathways involve reversible protein phosphorylation and require protein synthesis. The UV-B and UV-A/blue light signaling pathways are therefore different from the phytochrome signal transduction pathway regulating CHS expression in other species

  4. Do rice suspension-cultured cells treated with abscisic acid mimic developing seeds?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuno, Koya; Fujimura, Tatsuhito

    2015-08-01

    Starch synthesis is activated in the endosperm during seed development and also in rice suspension cells cultured with abscisic acid. In the anticipation that the mechanisms of starch synthesis are similar between the endosperm and the suspension cells cultured with abscisic acid, expression of genes involved in starch synthesis was evaluated in the suspension cells after abscisic acid treatment. However, it was found that the regulatory mechanism of starch synthesis in the suspension cells cultured with abscisic acid was different from that in developing seeds. Expression analyses of genes involved in oil bodies, which accumulate in the embryo and aleurone layer, and seed storage proteins, which accumulate mainly in the endosperm, showed that the former were activated in the suspension cells cultured with abscisic acid, but the latter were not. Master regulators for embryogenesis, OsVP1 (homologue of AtABI3) and OsLFL1 (homologue of AtFUS3 or AtLFL2), were expressed in the suspension cells at levels comparable to those in the embryo. From these results, it is suggested that interactions between regulators and abscisic acid control the synthesis of phytic acid and oil bodies in the cultured cells and embryo. We suggest that the system of suspension cells cultured with abscisic acid helps to reveal the mechanisms of phytic acid and oil body synthesis in embryo.

  5. The Arabidopsis synaptotagmin SYTA regulates the cell-to-cell movement of diverse plant viruses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asako eUchiyama

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Synaptotagmins are a large gene family in animals that have been extensively characterized due to their role as calcium sensors to regulate synaptic vesicle exocytosis and endocytosis in neurons, and dense core vesicle exocytosis for hormone secretion from neuroendocrine cells. Thought to be exclusive to animals, synaptotagmins have recently been characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana, in which they comprise a five gene family. Using infectivity and leaf-based functional assays, we have shown that Arabidopsis SYTA regulates endocytosis and marks an endosomal vesicle recycling pathway to regulate movement protein-mediated trafficking of the Begomovirus Cabbage leaf curl virus (CaLCuV and the Tobamovirus Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV through plasmodesmata (Lewis and Lazarowitz, 2010. To determine whether SYTA has a central role in regulating the cell-to-cell trafficking of a wider range of diverse plant viruses, we extended our studies here to examine the role of SYTA in the cell-to-cell movement of additional plant viruses that employ different modes of movement, namely the Potyvirus Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV, the Caulimovirus Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV and the Tobamovirus Turnip vein clearing virus (TVCV, which in contrast to TMV does efficiently infect Arabidopsis. We found that both TuMV and TVCV systemic infection, and the cell-to-cell trafficking of the their movement proteins, were delayed in the Arabidopsis Col-0 syta-1 knockdown mutant. In contrast, CaMV systemic infection was not inhibited in syta-1. Our studies show that SYTA is a key regulator of plant virus intercellular movement, being necessary for the ability of diverse cell-to-cell movement proteins encoded by Begomoviruses (CaLCuV MP, Tobamoviruses (TVCV and TMV 30K protein and Potyviruses (TuMV P3N-PIPO to alter PD and thereby mediate virus cell-to-cell spread.

  6. Suspension state increases reattachment of breast cancer cells by up-regulating lamin A/C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaomei; Lv, Yonggang

    2017-12-01

    Extravasation is a rate-limiting step of tumor metastasis, for which adhesion to endothelium of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is the prerequisite. The suspension state of CTCs undergoing detachment from primary tumor is a persistent biomechanical cue, which potentially regulates the biophysical characteristics and cellular behaviors of tumor cells. In this study, breast tumor cells MDA-MB-231 in suspension culture condition were used to investigate the effect of suspension state on reattachment of CTCs. Our study demonstrated that suspension state significantly increased the adhesion ability of breast tumor cells. In addition, suspension state markedly promoted the formation of stress fibers and focal adhesions and reduced the motility in reattached breast cancer cells. Moreover, lamin A/C was reversibly accumulated at posttranscriptional level under suspension state, improving the cell stiffness of reattached breast cancer cells. Disruption of actin cytoskeleton by cytochalasin D caused lamin A/C accumulation. Conversely, decreasing actomyosin contraction by ROCK inhibitor Y27632 reduced lamin A/C level. Knocking down lamin A/C weakened the suspension-induced increase of adhesion, and also abolished the suspension-induced decrease of motility and increase of stress fibers and focal adhesion in reattaching tumor cells, suggesting a crucial role of lamin A/C. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that suspension state promoted the reattachment of breast tumor cells by up-regulating lamin A/C via cytoskeleton disruption. These findings highlight the important role of suspension state for tumor cells in tumor metastasis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Diuretics Prime Plant Immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noutoshi, Yoshiteru; Ikeda, Mika; Shirasu, Ken

    2012-01-01

    Plant activators are agrochemicals that activate the plant immune system, thereby enhancing disease resistance. Due to their prophylactic and durable effects on a wide spectrum of diseases, plant activators can provide synergistic crop protection when used in combination with traditional pest controls. Although plant activators have achieved great success in wet-rice farming practices in Asia, their use is still limited. To isolate novel plant activators applicable to other crops, we screened a chemical library using a method that can selectively identify immune-priming compounds. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of three diuretics, bumetanide, bendroflumethiazide and clopamide, as immune-priming compounds. These drugs upregulate the immunity-related cell death of Arabidopsis suspension-cultured cells induced with an avirulent strain of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato in a concentration-dependent manner. The application of these compounds to Arabidopsis plants confers disease resistance to not only the avirulent but also a virulent strain of the pathogen. Unlike salicylic acid, an endogenous phytohormone that governs disease resistance in response to biotrophic pathogens, the three diuretic compounds analyzed here do not induce PR1 or inhibit plant growth, showing potential as lead compounds in a practical application. PMID:23144763

  8. Atomic force microscopy stiffness tomography on living Arabidopsis thaliana cells reveals the mechanical properties of surface and deep cell-wall layers during growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radotić, Ksenija; Roduit, Charles; Simonović, Jasna; Hornitschek, Patricia; Fankhauser, Christian; Mutavdžić, Dragosav; Steinbach, Gabor; Dietler, Giovanni; Kasas, Sandor

    2012-08-08

    Cell-wall mechanical properties play a key role in the growth and the protection of plants. However, little is known about genuine wall mechanical properties and their growth-related dynamics at subcellular resolution and in living cells. Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) stiffness tomography to explore stiffness distribution in the cell wall of suspension-cultured Arabidopsis thaliana as a model of primary, growing cell wall. For the first time that we know of, this new imaging technique was performed on living single cells of a higher plant, permitting monitoring of the stiffness distribution in cell-wall layers as a function of the depth and its evolution during the different growth phases. The mechanical measurements were correlated with changes in the composition of the cell wall, which were revealed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In the beginning and end of cell growth, the average stiffness of the cell wall was low and the wall was mechanically homogenous, whereas in the exponential growth phase, the average wall stiffness increased, with increasing heterogeneity. In this phase, the difference between the superficial and deep wall stiffness was highest. FTIR spectra revealed a relative increase in the polysaccharide/lignin content. Copyright © 2012 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Chlorogenic acid in a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell suspension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillet; Mesnard; Fliniaux; Monti; Fliniaux

    1999-11-01

    A phenylpropanoid compound has been characterized in a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell suspension. This compound has been isolated and purified by semi-preparative reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography. Its structure has been identified by NMR spectroscopy as 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, which is chlorogenic acid (CA). The influence of culture conditions on the accumulation of this metabolite by N. plumbaginifolia cell suspensions has been studied. Darkness strongly inhibits the CA accumulation. Moreover, it has been shown that feeding experiments with caffeic acid had a deleterious effect upon the CA content. This one was not influenced by a supplementation with quinic acid.

  10. Biolistic transformation of tobacco and maize suspension cells using bacterial cells as microprojectiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasmussen, J L; Kikkert, J R; Roy, M K; Sanford, J C

    1994-01-01

    We have used both Escherichia coli cells and Agrobacterium tumefaciens cells as microprojectiles to deliver DNA into suspension-cultured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. line NT1) cells using a helium powered biolistic device. In addition, E. coli cells were used as microprojectiles for the transformation of suspension-cultured maize (Zea mays cv. Black Mexican Sweet) cells. Pretreating the bacterial cells with phenol at a concentration of 1.0%, and combining the bacterial cells with tungsten particles increased the rates of transformation. In N. tabacum, we obtained hundreds of transient transformants per bombardment, but were unable to recover any stable transformants. In Z. mays we obtained thousands of transient transformants and an average of six stable transformants per bombardment. This difference is discussed.

  11. Assessment of drug salt release from solutions, suspensions and in situ suspensions using a rotating dialysis cell

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Parshad, Henrik; Frydenvang, Karla; Liljefors, Tommy

    2003-01-01

    buffer is used as release media. Generally, the initial release of the drug salt from in situ suspensions occurred faster as compared to conventional suspensions, probably due to incomplete precipitation of the drug salt, and hence formation of supersaturated solutions where the rate of release......A rotating dialysis cell consisting of a small (10 ml) and a large compartment (1000 ml) was used to study the release of drug salt (bupivacaine 9-anthracene carboxylate) from (i). solutions, (ii). suspensions and (iii). in situ formed suspensions. Initial release experiments from suspensions...... indicated that the release of drug salt in deionized water was predominantly limited by the diffusion across the membrane whereas it is essentially dissolution rate controlled in 0.05 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.40). Thus, the in vitro model appears to have a potential in formulation screening when phosphate...

  12. Signal transduction events in aluminum-induced cell death in tomato suspension cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Iakimova, E.T.; Kapchina-Toteva, V.M.; Woltering, E.J.

    2007-01-01

    In this study, some of the signal transduction events involved in AlCl3-induced cell death in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) suspension cells were elucidated. Cells treated with 100 ¿M AlCl3 showed typical features of programmed cell death (PCD) such as nuclear and cytoplasmic condensation.

  13. Immunocytochemical characterization of the cell walls of bean cell suspensions during habituation and dehabituation to dichlobenil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Garcia-Angulo, P.; Willats, W. G. T.; Encina, A. E.

    2006-01-01

    The effects of the cellulose inhibitor dichlobenil on the cell wall composition and structure during the habituation/dehabituation process of suspension-cultured bean cells were assessed. A range of techniques were used including cell wall fractionation, sugar analysis, immunofluorescence...... and fluorochrome labelling of resin-embedded sections, and immunodot assays (IDAs) of cell wall fractions. The cell walls from bean cell suspensions with initial levels of habituation to dichlobenil had decreased levels of cellulose, but this effect lessened with increasing numbers of subcultures. All cell walls...

  14. Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from cell suspension cultures of Cucumis sativus L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chee, P P; Tricoli, D M

    1988-06-01

    A procedure for the regeneration of whole cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Poinsett 76) by embryogenesis from cell suspension cultures is described. Embryogenic callus was initiated from the primary leaves of 14-17 day old plants. Suspension cultures of embryogenic cells were grown in liquid Murashige and Skoog basal medium containing 5 uM 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 4 uM 6-benzylaminopurine. Suspension cultures were composed of a population of cells that were densely cytoplasmic and potentially embryogenic. Differentiation of embryos was enhanced by washing the suspension culture cells with MS basal medium containing 0.5% activated charcoal and twice with MS basal medium followed by liquid shake cultures in MS basal medium. Sixty to 70 percent of the embryos prewashed with activated charcoal germinated into plantlets with normal morphology. Embryos obtained from suspension cultured cells without prewashing with activated charcoal organized into plantlets with abnormal primary leaves. Morphologically normal plantlets were obtained by excising the shoot tips and transferring them to fresh medium.

  15. Induced accumulation of 20-hydroxyecdysone in cell suspension ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    2011-09-12

    Sep 12, 2011 ... This study describes the effects of culture medium, culture temperature, sucrose concentration and cholesterol feeding on cell growth and 20-hydroxyecdysone production in suspension cultures of Vitex glabrata, an important medicinal plant in Thailand. Cell growth and 20-hydroxyecdysone production.

  16. Induced accumulation of 20-hydroxyecdysone in cell suspension ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study describes the effects of culture medium, culture temperature, sucrose concentration and cholesterol feeding on cell growth and 20-hydroxyecdysone production in suspension cultures of Vitex glabrata, an important medicinal plant in Thailand. Cell growth and 20-hydroxyecdysone production were not significantly ...

  17. Stereotaxic implantation of dispersed cell suspensions into brain. A systematic appraisal of cell placement and survival

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plunkett, R.J.; Weber, R.J.; Oldfield, E.H.

    1988-01-01

    The application of several recent advances in cell biology, brain implantation, and cell-mediated tumor immunotherapy requires successful and reproducible placement of viable cell suspensions into brain. Stereotaxic implantation is being used to inject cytotoxic lymphocytes into gliomas and to replace dopaminergic cells in parkinsonian models. Systematic assessment of the factors that influence success in implantation of cell suspensions into solid tissues is needed. A model was developed for investigation of stereotaxic implantation using radiolabeled rat lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. Anesthetized rats received microliter injections of cell suspension into the right caudate nucleus. The injection volume, cell concentration, infusion rate, and needle size were varied systematically. The animals were sacrificed 1 hour after injection; the brain was removed and sectioned, and the radioactivity was counted. Three aliquots of the suspension were injected into counting tubes for control analysis. Recovery of radioactivity was expressed as the percent of mean counts per minute (cpm) in the right frontal lobe/mean cpm in the three control tubes. To assess the viability of implanted cells, the right frontal region was mechanically dissociated in media and centrifuged, and the pellet and supernatant were counted. By using small needles and slow infusion of volumes of 10 microliters or less, 85% to 90% of the radioactivity was recovered in the caudate nucleus. At least half of the implanted cells were viable. Consistent, accurate implantation of dispersed cells into brain over a range of volumes, cell concentrations, infusion rates, and needle sizes was achieved

  18. Nuclear and cellular expression data from the whole 16-cell stage Arabidopsis thaliana embryo and a cell type-specific expression atlas of the early Arabidopsis embryo

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Palovaara, J.P.J.

    2017-01-01

    SuperSeries contain expression data from the nuclei of cell types involved in patterning events, with focus on root apical stem cell formation, at 16-cell stage, early globular stage and late globular stage in the early Arabidopsis embryo (atlas). Expression data comparing nuclear and cellular RNA

  19. Identification of the arabidopsis RAM/MOR signalling network: adding new regulatory players in plant stem cell maintenance and cell polarization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zermiani, Monica; Begheldo, Maura; Nonis, Alessandro; Palme, Klaus; Mizzi, Luca; Morandini, Piero; Nonis, Alberto; Ruperti, Benedetto

    2015-01-01

    Background and Aims The RAM/MOR signalling network of eukaryotes is a conserved regulatory module involved in co-ordination of stem cell maintenance, cell differentiation and polarity establishment. To date, no such signalling network has been identified in plants. Methods Genes encoding the bona fide core components of the RAM/MOR pathway were identified in Arabidopsis thaliana (arabidopsis) by sequence similarity searches conducted with the known components from other species. The transcriptional network(s) of the arabidopsis RAM/MOR signalling pathway were identified by running in-depth in silico analyses for genes co-regulated with the core components. In situ hybridization was used to confirm tissue-specific expression of selected RAM/MOR genes. Key Results Co-expression data suggested that the arabidopsis RAM/MOR pathway may include genes involved in floral transition, by co-operating with chromatin remodelling and mRNA processing/post-transcriptional gene silencing factors, and genes involved in the regulation of pollen tube polar growth. The RAM/MOR pathway may act upstream of the ROP1 machinery, affecting pollen tube polar growth, based on the co-expression of its components with ROP-GEFs. In silico tissue-specific co-expression data and in situ hybridization experiments suggest that different components of the arabidopsis RAM/MOR are expressed in the shoot apical meristem and inflorescence meristem and may be involved in the fine-tuning of stem cell maintenance and cell differentiation. Conclusions The arabidopsis RAM/MOR pathway may be part of the signalling cascade that converges in pollen tube polarized growth and in fine-tuning stem cell maintenance, differentiation and organ polarity. PMID:26078466

  20. Suspension culture combined with chemotherapeutic agents for sorting of breast cancer stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Hai-zhi; Yi, Tong-bo; Wu, Zheng-yan

    2008-01-01

    Cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis has not been well demonstrated by the lack of the most convincing evidence concerning a single cell capable of giving rise to a tumor. The scarcity in quantity and improper approaches for isolation and purification of CSCs have become the major obstacles for great development in CSCs. Here we adopted suspension culture combined with anticancer regimens as a strategy for screening breast cancer stem cells (BrCSCs). BrCSCs could survive and be highly enriched in non-adherent suspension culture while chemotherapeutic agents could destroy most rapidly dividing cancer cells and spare relatively quiescent BrCSCs. TM40D murine breast cancer cells were cultured in serum-free medium. The expression of CD44 + CD24 - was measured by flow cytometry. Cells of passage 10 were treated in combination with anticancer agents pacilitaxel and epirubicin at different peak plasma concentrations for 24 hours, and then maintained under suspension culture. The rate of apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry with Annexin-V fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) double staining method. Selected cells in different amounts were injected subcutaneously into BALB/C mice to observe tumor formation. Cells of passage 10 in suspension culture had the highest percentage of CD44 + CD24 - (about 77 percent). A single tumor cell in 0.35 PPC could generate tumors in 3 of 20 BALB/C mice. Suspension culture combined with anticancer regimens provides an effective means of isolating, culturing and purifying BrCSCs

  1. Elimination of acute muelogenous leukemic cells from marrow and tumor suspensions in the rat with 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharkis, S.J.; Santos, G.W.; Colvin, M.

    1980-01-01

    Cell suspensions of normal rat marrow mixed with rat acute myelogenous leukemic cells were prepared and incubated in vitro with graded doses of 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4HC). The cell suspensions were injected into rats prepared with a lethal dose of total body irradiation. Animals injected with these cells survived fatal irradiation induced aplasia. In a dose related manner 4HC was able to purge tumor cells from the cell mixtures. Thus, animals given cell suspensions incubated with the lower doses of 4HC showed prolonged survived before death from leukemia and animals given cell suspensions incubated with higher doses of 4HC survival lethal irradiation without the subsequent appearance of leukemia. These studies clearly establish that tumor cells may be eliminated from normal marrow suspensions without completely destroying the pluripotent stem cells

  2. Different characteristics between menadione and menadione sodium bisulfite as redox mediator in yeast cell suspension

    OpenAIRE

    Yamashoji, Shiro

    2016-01-01

    Menadione promoted the production of active oxygen species (AOS) in both yeast cell suspension and the crude enzymes from the cells, but menadione sodium bisulfite (MSB) had little effect on the production of AOS in the cell suspension. MSB kept the stable increase in the electron transfer from intact yeast cells to anode compared to menadione, but the electron transfer promoted by MSB was inhibited in permeabilized yeast cell suspension. Menadione promoted oxidation of NAD(P)H much faster th...

  3. Cell suspension culture and mutants selection for resistance to PEG induced water stress in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Xiaodong; Lin Tingan

    1994-01-01

    Elements affecting suspension cell culture in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) were studied and a method of rapid establishment of embryogenic suspension cell lines was introduced. Effects of γ ray irradiation on the growth of suspension cells were studied, and the optimum dose of irradiation for inducing mutants from suspension cells was about 20 ∼ 60 Gy. Effects of PEG and NaCl induced water stress on the growth of suspension cells were also investigated, and the results showed that the congregants of preliminary suspension culture were more susceptible than the established suspension cell lines. With 20 Gy of γ ray irradiation on suspension cell line (JL416), six clones were obtained with 70 days of selection on medium of 15% PEG (about-11 bar). A number of regenerated plants were obtained from these clones. One clone was also gained from medium containing 20% PEG (about-15 bar). The selected mutant cell lines (JP15 and JP20) has strong resistances to high concentration of PEG and NaCl induced water stress

  4. Extraction and Characterization of Extracellular Proteins and Their Post-Translational Modifications from Arabidopsis thaliana Suspension Cell Cultures and Seedlings: A Critical Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mina Ghahremani

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Proteins secreted by plant cells into the extracellular space, consisting of the cell wall, apoplastic fluid, and rhizosphere, play crucial roles during development, nutrient acquisition, and stress acclimation. However, isolating the full range of secreted proteins has proven difficult, and new strategies are constantly evolving to increase the number of proteins that can be detected and identified. In addition, the dynamic nature of the extracellular proteome presents the further challenge of identifying and characterizing the post-translational modifications (PTMs of secreted proteins, particularly glycosylation and phosphorylation. Such PTMs are common and important regulatory modifications of proteins, playing a key role in many biological processes. This review explores the most recent methods in isolating and characterizing the plant extracellular proteome with a focus on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, highlighting the current challenges yet to be overcome. Moreover, the crucial role of protein PTMs in cell wall signalling, development, and plant responses to biotic and abiotic stress is discussed.

  5. Improved production of chlorogenic acid from cell suspension ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Chlorogenic acid is a free radical scavenger, antibacterial, anti- inflammatory, antiviral, hypoglycemic, and in addition to ... experiments, the effect of various strengths of B5 medium (1/4 .... Growth kinetics of L. macranthoides cell suspension ...

  6. Establishment and characterization of American elm cell suspension cultures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steven M. Eshita; Joseph C. Kamalay; Vicki M. Gingas; Daniel A. Yaussy

    2000-01-01

    Cell suspension cultures of Dutch elm disease (DED)-tolerant and DED-susceptible American elms clones have been established and characterized as prerequisites for contrasts of cellular responses to pathogen-derived elicitors. Characteristics of cultured elm cell growth were monitored by A700 and media conductivity. Combined cell growth data for all experiments within a...

  7. Scale-up of hydrophobin-assisted recombinant protein production in tobacco BY-2 suspension cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reuter, Lauri J; Bailey, Michael J; Joensuu, Jussi J; Ritala, Anneli

    2014-05-01

    Plant suspension cell cultures are emerging as an alternative to mammalian cells for production of complex recombinant proteins. Plant cell cultures provide low production cost, intrinsic safety and adherence to current regulations, but low yields and costly purification technology hinder their commercialization. Fungal hydrophobins have been utilized as fusion tags to improve yields and facilitate efficient low-cost purification by surfactant-based aqueous two-phase separation (ATPS) in plant, fungal and insect cells. In this work, we report the utilization of hydrophobin fusion technology in tobacco bright yellow 2 (BY-2) suspension cell platform and the establishment of pilot-scale propagation and downstream processing including first-step purification by ATPS. Green fluorescent protein-hydrophobin fusion (GFP-HFBI) induced the formation of protein bodies in tobacco suspension cells, thus encapsulating the fusion protein into discrete compartments. Cultivation of the BY-2 suspension cells was scaled up in standard stirred tank bioreactors up to 600 L production volume, with no apparent change in growth kinetics. Subsequently, ATPS was applied to selectively capture the GFP-HFBI product from crude cell lysate, resulting in threefold concentration, good purity and up to 60% recovery. The ATPS was scaled up to 20 L volume, without loss off efficiency. This study provides the first proof of concept for large-scale hydrophobin-assisted production of recombinant proteins in tobacco BY-2 cell suspensions. © 2013 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Mevastatin-induced inhibition of cell growth in avocado suspension ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Cell suspension cultures were established using soft, friable callus derived from nucellar tissue of 'Hass' avocado (Persea americana Mill.) seed from fruit harvested 190 days after full bloom. Cell cultures were maintained in liquid medium supplemented with naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), isopentenyl adenine (iP) and ...

  9. Flavonoid Production, Growth and Differentiation of Stelechocarpus burahol (Bl.) Hook. F. and Th. Cell Suspension Culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aini Habibah, Noor; Moeljopawiro, Sukarti; Dewi, Kumala; Indrianto, Ari

    2017-01-01

    Stelechocarpus burahol is a plant containing flavonoid compounds that have the potential for use as an antihyperuricemic for gout medication. This study was performed to assess flavonoid production, growth and cell differentiation of S. burahol in cell suspension culture. Mesocarp was planted in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 7.5 mg L-1 picloram for the induction of callus. Non-embryonic callus obtained was used in the formation of cell suspension cultures. Growth of cells was determined by fresh and dry weights. During the culturing, the fresh weight, dry weight and flavonoid content were determined as a result of culture status. The growth of the S. burahol cell suspension was slow, the stationary phase occurred at 30 days. The production of flavonoids was not in line with the growth of cells and the maximum production occurred on the 15th day of the log phase. The globular-shaped cells dominated the cell suspension culture at all ages. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) staining of cells derived from cell cultures aged for 36 days showed that some cells were still viable. The results show that flavonoid production, growth and cell differentiation of a S. burahol cell suspension culture differed according to the culture age.

  10. Establishment of sorghum cell suspension culture system for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2008-03-18

    Mar 18, 2008 ... Additionally, sorghum cell suspension cultures have been initiated from the friable ... proteomics technologies. The field of proteomics is .... air dried at room temperature and resuspended in 2 ml of urea buffer [9 M urea, 2 M ...

  11. A rapid chemical method for lysing Arabidopsis cells for protein analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takano Tetsuo

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Protein extraction is a frequent procedure in biological research. For preparation of plant cell extracts, plant materials usually have to be ground and homogenized to physically break the robust cell wall, but this step is laborious and time-consuming when a large number of samples are handled at once. Results We developed a chemical method for lysing Arabidopsis cells without grinding. In this method, plants are boiled for just 10 minutes in a solution containing a Ca2+ chelator and detergent. Cell extracts prepared by this method were suitable for SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analysis. This method was also applicable to genomic DNA extraction for PCR analysis. Our method was applied to many other plant species, and worked well for some of them. Conclusions Our method is rapid and economical, and allows many samples to be prepared simultaneously for protein analysis. Our method is useful not only for Arabidopsis research but also research on certain other species.

  12. An efficient method for the establishment of cell suspension cultures in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sajid, Z.A.

    2016-01-01

    Cell suspension cultures offers an In vitro system that can be used as a tool for various studies involving mutant selection, mass propagation, protoplast isolation, gene transfer and selection of cell-lines which are resistant to various biotic or abiotic stresses. Research work on the development of cell suspension cultures was carried out to establish the most efficient method in Potato (cv. Desiree). Healthy, well-proliferating tissues from different types of callus cultures (compact, friable, embryogenic or non-embryogenic) were inoculated on various media combinations, i.e., MS, MS2 or AA liquid medium containing 18.09 micro M 2, 4-D. A fixed quantity (0.5-1.0 g) of callus tissue from 60-day-old callus cultures was transferred to 10-25 ml of liquid medium in 100 ml Erlenmeyer flask. Cultures were placed on an orbital shaker and agitated at different speeds (75, 100 or 125 rpm) under 16-h photoperiod at 25 ± 2 degree C. Medium was changed after every 3 days and fractionated tissue was filtered after every 6 days through sterile mesh (100-800 micro m) to develop a cell-line by transferring resulting suspension to fresh medium under the same conditions. Results indicated that eight-week-old translucent, friable, off-white callus cultures were an excellent starting material for the initiation of homogeneous cell suspension cultures as compared to other tested sources. Of the three tested media (MS, MS2 or AA medium containing 18.09 micro M 2, 4-D), MS2 was found to be a better medium for the initiation of cell suspension cultures. Cell suspension cultures, placed in 16-h photoperiod at 25 ± 2 degree C and agitated at 120 rpm using a gyratory shaker showed excellent results. Several other factors influencing quick establishment of cell suspension cultures in this cultivar are also discussed in this communication. (author)

  13. Regulation of Floral Stem Cell Termination in Arabidopsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshiro eIto

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available In Arabidopsis, floral stem cells are maintained only at the initial stages of flower development, and they are terminated at a specific time to ensure proper development of the reproductive organs. Floral stem cell termination is a dynamic and multi-step process involving many transcription factors, chromatin remodeling factors and signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms involved in floral stem cell maintenance and termination, highlighting the interplay between transcriptional regulation and epigenetic machinery in the control of specific floral developmental genes. In addition, we discuss additional factors involved in floral stem cell regulation, with the goal of untangling the complexity of the floral stem cell regulatory network.

  14. Induction of Systemic Resistance against Aphids by Endophytic Bacillus velezensis YC7010 via Expressing PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4 in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashid, Md Harun-Or-; Khan, Ajmal; Hossain, Mohammad T; Chung, Young R

    2017-01-01

    Aphids are the most destructive insect pests. They suck the sap and transmit plant viruses, causing widespread yield loss of many crops. A multifunctional endophytic bacterial strain Bacillus velezensis YC7010 has been found to induce systemic resistance against bacterial and fungal pathogens of rice. However, its activity against insects attack and underlying cellular and molecular defense mechanisms are not elucidated yet. Here, we show that root drenching of Arabidopsis seedlings with B. velezensis YC7010 can induce systemic resistance against green peach aphid (GPA), Myzus persicae . Treatment of bacterial suspension of B. velezensis YC7010 at 2 × 10 7 CFU/ml to Arabidopsis rhizosphere induced higher accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, cell death, and callose deposition in leaves compared to untreated plants at 6 days after infestation of GPA. Salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene, and abscisic acid were not required to confer defense against GPA in Arabidopsis plants treated by B. velezensis YC7010. Bacterial treatment with B. velezensis YC7010 significantly reduced settling, feeding and reproduction of GPA on Arabidopsis leaves via strongly expressing senescence-promoting gene PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4 ( PAD4 ) while suppressing BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE1 ( BIK1 ). These results indicate that B. velezensis YC7010-induced systemic resistance to the GPA is a hypersensitive response mainly dependent on higher expression of PAD4 with suppression of BIK1 , resulting in more accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, cell death, and callose deposition in Arabidopsis .

  15. Induction of Systemic Resistance against Aphids by Endophytic Bacillus velezensis YC7010 via Expressing PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4 in Arabidopsis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashid, Md. Harun-Or-; Khan, Ajmal; Hossain, Mohammad T.; Chung, Young R.

    2017-01-01

    Aphids are the most destructive insect pests. They suck the sap and transmit plant viruses, causing widespread yield loss of many crops. A multifunctional endophytic bacterial strain Bacillus velezensis YC7010 has been found to induce systemic resistance against bacterial and fungal pathogens of rice. However, its activity against insects attack and underlying cellular and molecular defense mechanisms are not elucidated yet. Here, we show that root drenching of Arabidopsis seedlings with B. velezensis YC7010 can induce systemic resistance against green peach aphid (GPA), Myzus persicae. Treatment of bacterial suspension of B. velezensis YC7010 at 2 × 107 CFU/ml to Arabidopsis rhizosphere induced higher accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, cell death, and callose deposition in leaves compared to untreated plants at 6 days after infestation of GPA. Salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene, and abscisic acid were not required to confer defense against GPA in Arabidopsis plants treated by B. velezensis YC7010. Bacterial treatment with B. velezensis YC7010 significantly reduced settling, feeding and reproduction of GPA on Arabidopsis leaves via strongly expressing senescence-promoting gene PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4 (PAD4) while suppressing BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE1 (BIK1). These results indicate that B. velezensis YC7010-induced systemic resistance to the GPA is a hypersensitive response mainly dependent on higher expression of PAD4 with suppression of BIK1, resulting in more accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, cell death, and callose deposition in Arabidopsis. PMID:28261260

  16. Lignans from cell suspension cultures of Phyllanthus niruri, an Indonesian medicinal plant

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Elfahmi, [No Value; Batterman, S; Koulman, A; Hackl, T; Bos, R; Kayser, O; Woerdenbag, HJ; Quax, WJ

    Cell suspension cultures of Phyllanthus niruri were used to study the lignan profiles and biosynthesis. Suspension cultures yielded two lignans: the new cubebin dimethyl ether (1) and urinatetralin (2), a new lignan from P. niruri, but reported earlier from P. urinaria. This is the first report of

  17. Vascular Cell Induction Culture System Using Arabidopsis Leaves (VISUAL) Reveals the Sequential Differentiation of Sieve Element-Like Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kondo, Yuki; Nurani, Alif Meem; Saito, Chieko; Ichihashi, Yasunori; Saito, Masato; Yamazaki, Kyoko; Mitsuda, Nobutaka; Ohme-Takagi, Masaru; Fukuda, Hiroo

    2016-06-01

    Cell differentiation is a complex process involving multiple steps, from initial cell fate specification to final differentiation. Procambial/cambial cells, which act as vascular stem cells, differentiate into both xylem and phloem cells during vascular development. Recent studies have identified regulatory cascades for xylem differentiation. However, the molecular mechanism underlying phloem differentiation is largely unexplored due to technical challenges. Here, we established an ectopic induction system for phloem differentiation named Vascular Cell Induction Culture System Using Arabidopsis Leaves (VISUAL). Our results verified similarities between VISUAL-induced Arabidopsis thaliana phloem cells and in vivo sieve elements. We performed network analysis using transcriptome data with VISUAL to dissect the processes underlying phloem differentiation, eventually identifying a factor involved in the regulation of the master transcription factor gene APL Thus, our culture system opens up new avenues not only for genetic studies of phloem differentiation, but also for future investigations of multidirectional differentiation from vascular stem cells. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

  18. Development of a scalable suspension culture for cardiac differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vincent C. Chen

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available To meet the need of a large quantity of hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (CM for pre-clinical and clinical studies, a robust and scalable differentiation system for CM production is essential. With a human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC aggregate suspension culture system we established previously, we developed a matrix-free, scalable, and GMP-compliant process for directing hPSC differentiation to CM in suspension culture by modulating Wnt pathways with small molecules. By optimizing critical process parameters including: cell aggregate size, small molecule concentrations, induction timing, and agitation rate, we were able to consistently differentiate hPSCs to >90% CM purity with an average yield of 1.5 to 2 × 109 CM/L at scales up to 1 L spinner flasks. CM generated from the suspension culture displayed typical genetic, morphological, and electrophysiological cardiac cell characteristics. This suspension culture system allows seamless transition from hPSC expansion to CM differentiation in a continuous suspension culture. It not only provides a cost and labor effective scalable process for large scale CM production, but also provides a bioreactor prototype for automation of cell manufacturing, which will accelerate the advance of hPSC research towards therapeutic applications.

  19. A Novel Sugar Transporter from Dianthus spiculifolius, DsSWEET12, Affects Sugar Metabolism and Confers Osmotic and Oxidative Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Aimin; Ma, Hongping; Feng, Shuang; Gong, Shufang; Wang, Jingang

    2018-02-07

    Plant SWEETs (sugars will eventually be exported transporters) play a role in plant growth and plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present study, DsSWEET12 from Dianthus spiculifolius was identified and characterized. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that DsSWEET12 expression was induced by sucrose starvation, mannitol, and hydrogen peroxide. Colocalization experiment showed that the DsSWEET12-GFP fusion protein was localized to the plasma membrane, which was labeled with FM4-64 dye, in Arabidopsis and suspension cells of D. spiculifolius . Compared to wild type plants, transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing DsSWEET12 have longer roots and have a greater fresh weight, which depends on sucrose content. Furthermore, a relative root length analysis showed that transgenic Arabidopsis showed higher tolerance to osmotic and oxidative stresses. Finally, a sugar content analysis showed that the sucrose content in transgenic Arabidopsis was less than that in the wild type, while fructose and glucose contents were higher than those in the wild type. Taken together, our results suggest that DsSWEET12 plays an important role in seedling growth and plant response to osmotic and oxidative stress in Arabidopsis by influencing sugar metabolism.

  20. Establishment of the callus and cell suspension culture of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2009-10-05

    Oct 5, 2009 ... Full Length Research Paper. Establishment of the callus ... study provided an efficient way for E. angustifolia cell suspension culture to produce secondary metabolite. .... was also observed that in these treatments the stem.

  1. Poisson-Boltzmann theory of charged colloids: limits of the cell model for salty suspensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Denton, A R

    2010-01-01

    Thermodynamic properties of charge-stabilized colloidal suspensions and polyelectrolyte solutions are commonly modelled by implementing the mean-field Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) theory within a cell model. This approach models a bulk system by a single macroion, together with counterions and salt ions, confined to a symmetrically shaped, electroneutral cell. While easing numerical solution of the nonlinear PB equation, the cell model neglects microion-induced interactions and correlations between macroions, precluding modelling of macroion ordering phenomena. An alternative approach, which avoids the artificial constraints of cell geometry, exploits the mapping of a macroion-microion mixture onto a one-component model of pseudo-macroions governed by effective interparticle interactions. In practice, effective-interaction models are usually based on linear-screening approximations, which can accurately describe strong nonlinear screening only by incorporating an effective (renormalized) macroion charge. Combining charge renormalization and linearized PB theories, in both the cell model and an effective-interaction (cell-free) model, we compute osmotic pressures of highly charged colloids and monovalent microions, in Donnan equilibrium with a salt reservoir, over a range of concentrations. By comparing predictions with primitive model simulation data for salt-free suspensions, and with predictions from nonlinear PB theory for salty suspensions, we chart the limits of both the cell model and linear-screening approximations in modelling bulk thermodynamic properties. Up to moderately strong electrostatic couplings, the cell model proves accurate for predicting osmotic pressures of deionized (counterion-dominated) suspensions. With increasing salt concentration, however, the relative contribution of macroion interactions to the osmotic pressure grows, leading predictions from the cell and effective-interaction models to deviate. No evidence is found for a liquid

  2. Catalase and NO CATALASE ACTIVITY1 Promote Autophagy-Dependent Cell Death in Arabidopsis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hackenberg, Thomas; Juul, Trine Maxel; Auzina, Aija

    2013-01-01

    Programmed cell death often depends on generation of reactive oxygen species, which can be detoxified by antioxidative enzymes, including catalases. We previously isolated catalase-deficient mutants (cat2) in a screen for resistance to hydroxyurea-induced cell death. Here, we identify...... an Arabidopsis thaliana hydroxyurea-resistant autophagy mutant, atg2, which also shows reduced sensitivity to cell death triggered by the bacterial effector avrRpm1. To test if catalase deficiency likewise affected both hydroxyurea and avrRpm1 sensitivity, we selected mutants with extremely low catalase...... activities and showed that they carried mutations in a gene that we named NO CATALASE ACTIVITY1 (NCA1). nca1 mutants showed severely reduced activities of all three catalase isoforms in Arabidopsis, and loss of NCA1 function led to strong suppression of RPM1-triggered cell death. Basal and starvation...

  3. Mapping and characterisation of the sorghum cell suspension ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Here we reported the first secretomic study of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), a naturally drought tolerant cereal crop. In this study, we used a gel-based proteomic approach in combination with mass spectrometry to separate and identify proteins secreted into the culture medium of sorghum cell suspensions, a first step ...

  4. RIMA-dependent nuclear accumulation of IYO triggers auxin-irreversible cell differentiation in arabidopsis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Muñoz, Alfonso; Mangano, Silvina; González-García, Mary Paz; Contreras, Ramón; Sauer, Michael; Rybel, De Bert; Weijers, Dolf; Sánchez-Serrano, José Juan; Sanmartín, Maite; Rojo, Enrique

    2017-01-01

    The transcriptional regulator MINIYO (IYO) is essential and rate-limiting for initiating cell differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Moreover, IYO moves from the cytosol into the nucleus in cells at the meristem periphery, possibly triggering their differentiation. However, the genetic mechanisms

  5. Flavonoids and darkness lower PCD in senescing Vitis vinifera suspension cell cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertolini, Alberto; Petrussa, Elisa; Patui, Sonia; Zancani, Marco; Peresson, Carlo; Casolo, Valentino; Vianello, Angelo; Braidot, Enrico

    2016-10-26

    Senescence is a key developmental process occurring during the life cycle of plants that can be induced also by environmental conditions, such as starvation and/or darkness. During senescence, strict control of genes regulates ordered degradation and dismantling events, the most remarkable of which are genetically programmed cell death (PCD) and, in most cases, an upregulation of flavonoid biosynthesis in the presence of light. Flavonoids are secondary metabolites that play multiple essential roles in development, reproduction and defence of plants, partly due to their well-known antioxidant properties, which could affect also the same cell death machinery. To understand further the effect of endogenously-produced flavonoids and their interplay with different environment (light or dark) conditions, two portions (red and green) of a senescing grapevine callus were used to obtain suspension cell cultures. Red Suspension cell Cultures (RSC) and Green Suspension cell Cultures (GSC) were finally grown under either dark or light conditions for 6 days. Darkness enhanced cell death (mainly necrosis) in suspension cell culture, when compared to those grown under light condition. Furthermore, RSC with high flavonoid content showed a higher viability compared to GSC and were more protected toward PCD, in accordance to their high content in flavonoids, which might quench ROS, thus limiting the relative signalling cascade. Conversely, PCD was mainly occurring in GSC and further increased by light, as it was shown by cytochrome c release and TUNEL assays. Endogenous flavonoids were shown to be good candidates for exploiting an efficient protection against oxidative stress and PCD induction. Light seemed to be an important environmental factor able to induce PCD, especially in GSC, which lacking of flavonoids were not capable of preventing oxidative damage and signalling leading to senescence.

  6. Involvement of ethylene and lipid signalling in cadmium-induced programmed cell death in tomato suspension cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yakimova, E.T.; Kapchina-Toteva, V.M.; Laarhoven, L.J.J.; Harren, F.J.M.; Woltering, E.J.

    2006-01-01

    Cadmium-induced cell death was studied in suspension-cultured tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cells (line MsK8) treated with CdSO4. Within 24 h, cadmium treatment induced cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. Cell cultures showed recovery after 23 days which indicates the existence

  7. Enhanced Mulberroside A Production from Cell Suspension and Root Cultures of Morus alba Using Elicitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Komaikul, Jukrapun; Kitisripanya, Tharita; Tanaka, Hiroyuki; Sritularak, Boonchoo; Putalun, Waraporn

    2015-07-01

    Morus alba L. has been used in Asian traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic, anthelmintic and as a whitening agent in cosmetic products. Mulberroside A is the major active compound from M. alba root bark. In this study, cell suspension and root cultures of M. alba were established, and the effect of the elicitors on the enhancement of mulberroside A production in M. alba was investigated. The cell suspension and root cultures of M. alba were exposed to elicitors and then mulberroside A contents were determined by an indirect competitive ELISA method. High levels of mulberroside A were obtained by addition of 100 and 200 μM salicylic acid with 24 h exposure time in cell suspension cultures (37.9 ± 1.5 and 34.0 ± 4.7 mg/g dry wt., respectively). Furthermore, addition of yeast extract at 2 mg/mL with 24 h exposure time can significantly increase mulberroside A contents from both cell suspension (3.2-fold) and root cultures (6.6-fold). Mulberroside A contents from both cell suspension and root cultures after treatment with elicitors are similar or higher than those found in the intact root and root bark of several years old M. alba. These results indicate that mulberry tissue cultures using the elicitation method are interesting alternative sources for mulberroside A production.

  8. Studies on Rapidly Frozen Suspensions of Yeast Cells by Differential Thermal Analysis and Conductometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazur, Peter

    1963-01-01

    Few, if any, yeast cells survived rapid cooling to -196°C and subsequent slow warming. After rapid freezing, the suspensions absorbed latent heat of fusion between -15° and 0°C during warming, and the relation between the amount of heat absorbed and the concentration of cells was the same as that in equivalent KCl solutions, indicating that frozen suspensions behave thermally like frozen solutions. The amount of heat absorbed was such that more than 80 per cent of the intracellular solution had to be frozen. The conductometric behavior of frozen suspensions showed that cell solutes were still inside the cells and surrounded by an intact cell membrane at the time heat was being absorbed. Two models are consistent with these findings. The first assumes that intracellular freezing has taken place; the second that all freezable water has left the cells and frozen externally. The latter model is ruled out because rapidly cooled cells do not shrink by an amount equal to the volume of water that would have to be withdrawn to prevent internal freezing. PMID:13934216

  9. Involvement of ethylene and lipid signalling in cadmium-induced programmed cell death in tomato suspension cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Iakimova, E.T.; Kapchina-Toteva, V.M.; Laarhoven, L.J.; Harren, F.; Woltering, E.J.

    2006-01-01

    Cadmium-induced cell death was studied in suspension-cultured tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cells (line MsK8) treated with CdSO4. Within 24 h, cadmium treatment induced cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. Cell cultures showed recovery after 2¿3 days which indicates the existence

  10. Enrichment of unlabeled human Langerhans cells from epidermal cell suspensions by discontinuous density gradient centrifugation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Teunissen, M. B.; Wormmeester, J.; Kapsenberg, M. L.; Bos, J. D.

    1988-01-01

    In this report we introduce an alternative procedure for enrichment of human epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) from epidermal cell suspensions of normal skin. By means of discontinuous Ficoll-Metrizoate density gradient centrifugation, a fraction containing high numbers of viable, more than 80% pure

  11. Multimodal nonlinear imaging of arabidopsis thaliana root cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Bumjoon; Lee, Sung-Ho; Woo, Sooah; Park, Jong-Hyun; Lee, Myeong Min; Park, Seung-Han

    2017-07-01

    Nonlinear optical microscopy has enabled the possibility to explore inside the living organisms. It utilizes ultrashort laser pulse with long wavelength (greater than 800nm). Ultrashort pulse produces high peak power to induce nonlinear optical phenomenon such as two-photon excitation fluorescence (TPEF) and harmonic generations in the medium while maintaining relatively low average energy pre area. In plant developmental biology, confocal microscopy is widely used in plant cell imaging after the development of biological fluorescence labels in mid-1990s. However, fluorescence labeling itself affects the sample and the sample deviates from intact condition especially when labelling the entire cell. In this work, we report the dynamic images of Arabidopsis thaliana root cells. This demonstrates the multimodal nonlinear optical microscopy is an effective tool for long-term plant cell imaging.

  12. Ethylene Inhibits Cell Proliferation of the Arabidopsis Root Meristem1[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Street, Ian H.; Aman, Sitwat; Zubo, Yan; Ramzan, Aleena; Wang, Xiaomin; Shakeel, Samina N.; Kieber, Joseph J.; Schaller, G. Eric

    2015-01-01

    The root system of plants plays a critical role in plant growth and survival, with root growth being dependent on both cell proliferation and cell elongation. Multiple phytohormones interact to control root growth, including ethylene, which is primarily known for its role in controlling root cell elongation. We find that ethylene also negatively regulates cell proliferation at the root meristem of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Genetic analysis indicates that the inhibition of cell proliferation involves two pathways operating downstream of the ethylene receptors. The major pathway is the canonical ethylene signal transduction pathway that incorporates CONSTITUTIVE TRIPLE RESPONSE1, ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE2, and the ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3 family of transcription factors. The secondary pathway is a phosphorelay based on genetic analysis of receptor histidine kinase activity and mutants involving the type B response regulators. Analysis of ethylene-dependent gene expression and genetic analysis supports SHORT HYPOCOTYL2, a repressor of auxin signaling, as one mediator of the ethylene response and furthermore, indicates that SHORT HYPOCOTYL2 is a point of convergence for both ethylene and cytokinin in negatively regulating cell proliferation. Additional analysis indicates that ethylene signaling contributes but is not required for cytokinin to inhibit activity of the root meristem. These results identify key elements, along with points of cross talk with cytokinin and auxin, by which ethylene negatively regulates cell proliferation at the root apical meristem. PMID:26149574

  13. Chloroplast behaviour and interactions with other organelles in Arabidopsis thaliana pavement cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Kiah A; Wozny, Michael R; Mathur, Neeta; Jaipargas, Erica-Ashley; Mathur, Jaideep

    2018-01-29

    Chloroplasts are a characteristic feature of green plants. Mesophyll cells possess the majority of chloroplasts and it is widely believed that, with the exception of guard cells, the epidermal layer in most higher plants does not contain chloroplasts. However, recent observations on Arabidopsis thaliana have shown a population of chloroplasts in pavement cells that are smaller than mesophyll chloroplasts and have a high stroma to grana ratio. Here, using stable transgenic lines expressing fluorescent proteins targeted to the plastid stroma, plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, tonoplast, nucleus, mitochondria, peroxisomes, F-actin and microtubules, we characterize the spatiotemporal relationships between the pavement cell chloroplasts (PCCs) and their subcellular environment. Observations on the PCCs suggest a source-sink relationship between the epidermal and the mesophyll layers, and experiments with the Arabidopsis mutants glabra2 ( gl2 ) and immutans ( im ), which show altered epidermal plastid development, underscored their developmental plasticity. Our findings lay down the foundation for further investigations aimed at understanding the precise role and contributions of PCCs in plant interactions with the environment. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  14. A Novel Sugar Transporter from Dianthus spiculifolius, DsSWEET12, Affects Sugar Metabolism and Confers Osmotic and Oxidative Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aimin Zhou

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Plant SWEETs (sugars will eventually be exported transporters play a role in plant growth and plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present study, DsSWEET12 from Dianthus spiculifolius was identified and characterized. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that DsSWEET12 expression was induced by sucrose starvation, mannitol, and hydrogen peroxide. Colocalization experiment showed that the DsSWEET12-GFP fusion protein was localized to the plasma membrane, which was labeled with FM4-64 dye, in Arabidopsis and suspension cells of D. spiculifolius. Compared to wild type plants, transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing DsSWEET12 have longer roots and have a greater fresh weight, which depends on sucrose content. Furthermore, a relative root length analysis showed that transgenic Arabidopsis showed higher tolerance to osmotic and oxidative stresses. Finally, a sugar content analysis showed that the sucrose content in transgenic Arabidopsis was less than that in the wild type, while fructose and glucose contents were higher than those in the wild type. Taken together, our results suggest that DsSWEET12 plays an important role in seedling growth and plant response to osmotic and oxidative stress in Arabidopsis by influencing sugar metabolism.

  15. Human GLTP and mutant forms of ACD11 suppress cell death in the Arabidopsis acd11 mutant

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Nikolaj H T; McKinney, Lea V; Pike, Helen

    2008-01-01

    The Arabidopsis acd11 mutant exhibits runaway, programmed cell death due to the loss of a putative sphingosine transfer protein (ACD11) with homology to mammalian GLTP. We demonstrate that transgenic expression in Arabidopsis thaliana of human GLTP partially suppressed the phenotype of the acd11...

  16. Arabidopsis Pol II-Dependent in Vitro Transcription System Reveals Role of Chromatin for Light-Inducible rbcS Gene Transcription1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ido, Ayaka; Iwata, Shinya; Iwata, Yuka; Igarashi, Hisako; Hamada, Takahiro; Sonobe, Seiji; Sugiura, Masahiro; Yukawa, Yasushi

    2016-01-01

    In vitro transcription is an essential tool to study the molecular mechanisms of transcription. For over a decade, we have developed an in vitro transcription system from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)-cultured cells (BY-2), and this system supported the basic activities of the three RNA polymerases (Pol I, Pol II, and Pol III). However, it was not suitable to study photosynthetic genes, because BY-2 cells have lost their photosynthetic activity. Therefore, Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) in vitro transcription systems were developed from green and etiolated suspension cells. Sufficient in vitro Pol II activity was detected after the minor modification of the nuclear soluble extracts preparation method; removal of vacuoles from protoplasts and L-ascorbic acid supplementation in the extraction buffer were particularly effective. Surprisingly, all four Arabidopsis Rubisco small subunit (rbcS-1A, rbcS-1B, rbcS-2B, and rbcS-3B) gene members were in vitro transcribed from the naked DNA templates without any light-dependent manner. However, clear light-inducible transcriptions were observed using chromatin template of rbcS-1A gene, which was prepared with a human nucleosome assembly protein 1 (hNAP1) and HeLa histones. This suggested that a key determinant of light-dependency through the rbcS gene transcription was a higher order of DNA structure (i.e. chromatin). PMID:26662274

  17. In vitro production of azadirachtin from cell suspension cultures of ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    PRAKASH KUMAR G

    proven effective in the control of agricultural pests in an environmentally ..... Prakash G and Srivastava A K 2005 Statistical media optimization for cell growth and ... Juss. suspension cultures; Process Biochemistry 40 3795–3800. Prakash G ...

  18. A critical role for ethylene in hydrogen peroxide release during programmed cell death in tomato suspension cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jong, de A.J.; Yakimova, E.T.; Kapchina, V.M.; Woltering, E.J.

    2002-01-01

    Camptothecin, a topo isomerase-I inhibitor used in cancer therapy, induces apoptosis in animal cells. In tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) suspension cells, camptothecin induces cell death that is accompanied by the characteristic nuclear morphological changes such as chromatin condensation and

  19. The Arabidopsis Transcription Factor AtTCP15 Regulates Endoreduplication by Modulating Expression of Key Cell-cycle Genes

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Zi-Yu Li; Bin Li; Ai-Wu Dong

    2012-01-01

    Plant cells frequently undergo endoreduplication,a modified cell cycle in which genome is repeatedly replicated without cytokinesis.As the key step to achieve final size and function for cells,endoreduplication is prevalent during plant development.However,mechanisms to control the balance between endoreduplication and mitotic cell division are still poorly understood.Here,we show that the Arabidopsis TCP (CINCINNATA-like TEOSINTE BRANCHED1-CYCLOIDEA-PCF)-family transcription factor gene AtTCP15 is expressed in trichomes,as well as in rapidly dividing and vascular tissues.Expression of AtTCP15SRDX,AtTCP15 fused with a SRDX repressor domain,induces extra endoreduplication in trichomes and cotyledon cells in transgenic Arabidopsis.On the contrary,overexpression of AtTCP15 suppresses endoreduplication in trichomes and other examined cells.Misregulation of AtTCP15 affects the expression of several important genes involved in cell-cycle regulation.AtTCP15 protein binds directly to the promoter regions of CYCA2;3 and RETINOBLASTOMA-RELATED (RBR) genes,which play key roles in endoreduplication.Taken together,AtTCP15 plays an important role in regulating endoreduplication during Arabidopsis development.

  20. Diclofenac in Arabidopsis cells: Rapid formation of conjugates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Qiuguo; Ye, Qingfu; Zhang, Jianbo; Richards, Jaben; Borchardt, Dan; Gan, Jay

    2017-03-01

    Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are continuously introduced into the soil-plant system, through practices such as agronomic use of reclaimed water and biosolids containing these trace contaminants. Plants may accumulate PPCPs from soil, serving as a conduit for human exposure. Metabolism likely controls the final accumulation of PPCPs in plants, but is in general poorly understood for emerging contaminants. In this study, we used diclofenac as a model compound, and employed 14 C tracing, and time-of-flight (TOF) and triple quadruple (QqQ) mass spectrometers to unravel its metabolism pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana cells. We further validated the primary metabolites in Arabidopsis seedlings. Diclofenac was quickly taken up into A. thaliana cells. Phase I metabolism involved hydroxylation and successive oxidation and cyclization reactions. However, Phase I metabolites did not accumulate appreciably; they were instead rapidly conjugated with sulfate, glucose, and glutamic acid through Phase II metabolism. In particular, diclofenac parent was directly conjugated with glutamic acid, with acyl-glutamatyl-diclofenac accounting for >70% of the extractable metabolites after 120-h incubation. In addition, at the end of incubation, >40% of the spiked diclofenac was in the non-extractable form, suggesting extensive sequestration into cell matter. The rapid formation of non-extractable residue and dominance of diclofenac-glutamate conjugate uncover previously unknown metabolism pathways for diclofenac. In particular, the rapid conjugation of parent highlights the need to consider conjugates of emerging contaminants in higher plants, and their biological activity and human health implications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. ( Linum usitatissimum L. cv. Modran cell suspension culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandra Seta-Koselska

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Flax ( Linum usitatissimum L. is an ancient crop that is widely cultivated as a source of oil, fiber, and bioactive compounds. Flax fiber is traditionally used in textile industry, linseed oil is processed for industrial oils, paints, varnishes and bio-petroleum. Flaxseeds are also rich in α-linolenic acid and phytochemicals such as lignans. In addition to the commercial aspects, this species has been used widely and readily in biotechnological, developmental, and plant-pathogen interaction studies. Differences in the levels of endogenous hormones in various cultivars of flax significantly affected the intensity of callogenesis and determined the type and concentration of growth regulators necessary for callus production. The aim of our investigation was to optimize the culture conditions for callus formation and cell proliferation in liquid medium of the Polish cultivar of fiber flax – Modran. In the first step, 4 combinations of phytohormones in the medium were tested to obtain established callus tissue suitable for initiation of suspension culture. Next, we investigated the effect of chosen plant growth regulators on cell divisions, fresh and dry weight, and dispersal of callus cells in liquid medium. Fast growing and friable callus was obtained in a modified MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BAP and 0.1 mg/l NAA. We determined that for the initiation of cell suspension supplementation with 0.5 mg/l BAP and 0.5 mg/l NAA is optimal. The results obtained indicated that high concentration of cytokinin (BAP in liquid medium limited cell proliferation and decreased biomass formation.

  2. Regio-selective deglycosylation of icariin by cell suspension cultures of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Morus alba.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, De-Wu; Tao, Xiao-Yu; Chen, Ri-Dao; Yu, Li-Yan; Dai, Jun-Gui

    2015-01-01

    Biotransformations of icariin (1) by cell suspension cultures of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Morus alba yielded two new metabolites, icaruralins A and B (2 and 3), and one known metabolite, baohuoside I (4). Their structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. This is the first report that the cell suspension cultures of G. uralensis and M. alba possess deglycosylation functionality.

  3. Arabidopsis GRI is involved in the regulation of cell death induced by extracellular ROS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wrzaczek, Michael; Brosché, Mikael; Kollist, Hannes; Kangasjärvi, Jaakko

    2009-03-31

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have important functions in plant stress responses and development. In plants, ozone and pathogen infection induce an extracellular oxidative burst that is involved in the regulation of cell death. However, very little is known about how plants can perceive ROS and regulate the initiation and the containment of cell death. We have identified an Arabidopsis thaliana protein, GRIM REAPER (GRI), that is involved in the regulation of cell death induced by extracellular ROS. Plants with an insertion in GRI display an ozone-sensitive phenotype. GRI is an Arabidopsis ortholog of the tobacco flower-specific Stig1 gene. The GRI protein appears to be processed in leaves with a release of an N-terminal fragment of the protein. Infiltration of the N-terminal fragment of the GRI protein into leaves caused cell death in a superoxide- and salicylic acid-dependent manner. Analysis of the extracellular GRI protein yields information on how plants can initiate ROS-induced cell death during stress response and development.

  4. NMR water-proton spin-lattice relaxation time of human red blood cells and red blood cell suspensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sullivan, S.G.; Rosenthal, J.S.; Winston, A.; Stern, A.

    1988-01-01

    NMR water-proton spin-lattice relaxation times were studied as probes of water structure in human red blood cells and red blood cell suspensions. Normal saline had a relaxation time of about 3000 ms while packed red blood cells had a relaxation time of about 500 ms. The relaxation time of a red blood cell suspension at 50% hematocrit was about 750 ms showing that surface charges and polar groups of the red cell membrane effectively structure extracellular water. Incubation of red cells in hypotonic saline increases relaxation time whereas hypertonic saline decreases relaxation time. Relaxation times varied independently of mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration in a sample population. Studies with lysates and resealed membrane ghosts show that hemoglobin is very effective in lowering water-proton relaxation time whereas resealed membrane ghosts in the absence of hemoglobin are less effective than intact red cells. 9 refs.; 3 figs.; 1 table

  5. Arabidopsis FH1 Formin Affects Cotyledon Pavement Cell Shape by Modulating Cytoskeleton Dynamics

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rosero, A.; Oulehlová, Denisa; Stillerová, L.; Schiebertová, P.; Gunt, M.; Žárský, Viktor; Cvrčková, F.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 57, č. 3 (2016), s. 488-504 ISSN 0032-0781 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Arabidopsis thaliana * Confocal microscopy * Cotyledon pavement cells Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 4.760, year: 2016

  6. Loss of CDKC;2 increases both cell division and drought tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Lina; Li, Yaqiong; Xie, Qi; Wu, Yaorong

    2017-09-01

    Drought stress is one of the abiotic stresses that limit plant growth and agricultural productivity. To further understand the mechanism of drought tolerance and identify the genes involved in this process, a genetic screen for altered drought response was conducted in Arabidopsis. One mutant with enhanced drought tolerance was isolated and named Arabidopsis drought tolerance mutant 1 (atdtm1), which has larger lateral organs, prolonged growth duration, increased relative water content and a reduced leaf stomatal density compared with the wild type. The loss of AtDTM1 increases cell division during leaf development. The phenotype is caused by the loss of a T-DNA tagged gene encoding CYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASE C;2 (CDKC;2), which functions in the regulation of transcription by influencing the phosphorylation status of RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Here, we show that CDKC;2 affects the transcription of downstream genes such as cell cycle genes and genes involved in stomatal development, resulting in altered plant organ size as well as drought tolerance of the plant. These results reveal the crucial role of CDKC;2 in modulating both cell division and the drought response in Arabidopsis. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Establishment of the callus and cell suspension culture of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The objective of this work was the optimization of the conditions of callus and cell suspension culture of Elaeagnus angustifolia for the production of condensed tannins. The effects of different conditions on the callus growth and the production of condensed tannins were researched. The leaf tissue part of E. angustifolia was ...

  8. The Arabidopsis DREB2 genetic pathway is constitutively repressed by basal phosphoinositide-dependent phospholipase C coupled to diacylglycerol kinase in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nabila eDjafi

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Phosphoinositide-dependent phospholipases C (PI-PLCs are activated in response to various stimuli. They utilize substrates provided by type III-Phosphatidylinositol-4 kinases (PI4KIII to produce inositol triphosphate and diacylglycerol (DAG that is phosphorylated into phosphatidic acid (PA by DAG-kinases (DGKs. The roles of PI4KIIIs, PI-PLCs and DGKs in basal signalling are poorly understood. We investigated the control of gene expression by basal PI-PLC pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cells. A transcriptome-wide analysis allowed the identification of genes whose expression was altered by edelfosine, 30 µM wortmannin or R59022, inhibitors of PI-PLCs, PI4KIIIs and DGKs, respectively. We found that a gene responsive to one of these molecules is more likely to be similarly regulated by the other two inhibitors. The common action of these agents is to inhibit PA formation, showing that basal PI-PLCs act, in part, on gene expression through their coupling to DGKs. Amongst the genes up-regulated in presence of the inhibitors, were some DREB2 genes, in suspension cells and in seedlings. The DREB2 genes encode transcription factors with major roles in responses to environmental stresses, including dehydration. They bind to C-repeat motifs, known as Drought-Responsive Elements, that are indeed enriched in the promoters of genes up-regulated by PI-PLC pathway inhibitors. PA can also be produced by phospholipases D (PLDs. We show that the DREB2 genes that are up-regulated by PI-PLC inhibitors are positively or negatively regulated, or indifferent, to PLD basal activity. Our data show that the DREB2 genetic pathway is constitutively repressed in resting conditions and that DGK coupled to PI-PLC is active in this process, in suspension cells and seedlings. We discuss how this basal negative regulation of DREB2 genes is compatible with their stress-triggered positive regulation.

  9. Enhanced Production of Anthraquinones and Phenolic Compounds and Biological Activities in the Cell Suspension Cultures of Polygonum multiflorum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muthu Thiruvengadam

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Anthraquinones (AQs and phenolic compounds are important phytochemicals that are biosynthesized in cell suspension cultures of Polygonum multiflorum. We wanted to optimize the effects of plant growth regulators (PGRs, media, sucrose, l-glutamine, jasmonic acid (JA, and salicylic acid (SA for the production of phytochemicals and biomass accumulation in a cell suspension culture of P. multiflorum. The medium containing Murashige and Skoog (MS salts and 4% sucrose supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 0.5 mg/L thidiazuron, and 100 µM l-glutamine at 28 days of cell suspension culture was suitable for biomass accumulation and AQ production. Maximum biomass accumulation (12.5 and 12.35 g fresh mass (FM; 3 and 2.93 g dry mass (DM and AQ production (emodin 295.20 and 282 mg/g DM; physcion 421.55 and 410.25 mg/g DM were observed using 100 µM JA and SA, respectively. JA- and SA-elicited cell cultures showed several-fold higher biomass accumulation and AQ production than the control cell cultures. Furthermore, the cell suspension cultures effectively produced 23 phenolic compounds, such as flavonols and hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives. PGR-, JA-, and SA-elicited cell cultures produced a higher amount of AQs and phenolic compounds. Because of these metabolic changes, the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities were high in the PGR-, JA-, and SA-elicited cell cultures. The results showed that the elicitors (JA and SA induced the enhancement of biomass accumulation and phytochemical (AQs and phenolic compounds production as well as biological activities in the cell suspension cultures of P. multiflorum. This optimized protocol can be developed for large-scale biomass accumulation and production of phytochemicals (AQs and phenolic compounds from cell suspension cultures, and the phytochemicals can be used for various biological activities.

  10. Enhanced Production of Anthraquinones and Phenolic Compounds and Biological Activities in the Cell Suspension Cultures of Polygonum multiflorum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thiruvengadam, Muthu; Rekha, Kaliyaperumal; Rajakumar, Govindasamy; Lee, Taek-Jun; Kim, Seung-Hyun; Chung, Ill-Min

    2016-01-01

    Anthraquinones (AQs) and phenolic compounds are important phytochemicals that are biosynthesized in cell suspension cultures of Polygonum multiflorum. We wanted to optimize the effects of plant growth regulators (PGRs), media, sucrose, l-glutamine, jasmonic acid (JA), and salicylic acid (SA) for the production of phytochemicals and biomass accumulation in a cell suspension culture of P. multiflorum. The medium containing Murashige and Skoog (MS) salts and 4% sucrose supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 0.5 mg/L thidiazuron, and 100 µM l-glutamine at 28 days of cell suspension culture was suitable for biomass accumulation and AQ production. Maximum biomass accumulation (12.5 and 12.35 g fresh mass (FM); 3 and 2.93 g dry mass (DM)) and AQ production (emodin 295.20 and 282 mg/g DM; physcion 421.55 and 410.25 mg/g DM) were observed using 100 µM JA and SA, respectively. JA- and SA-elicited cell cultures showed several-fold higher biomass accumulation and AQ production than the control cell cultures. Furthermore, the cell suspension cultures effectively produced 23 phenolic compounds, such as flavonols and hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives. PGR-, JA-, and SA-elicited cell cultures produced a higher amount of AQs and phenolic compounds. Because of these metabolic changes, the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities were high in the PGR-, JA-, and SA-elicited cell cultures. The results showed that the elicitors (JA and SA) induced the enhancement of biomass accumulation and phytochemical (AQs and phenolic compounds) production as well as biological activities in the cell suspension cultures of P. multiflorum. This optimized protocol can be developed for large-scale biomass accumulation and production of phytochemicals (AQs and phenolic compounds) from cell suspension cultures, and the phytochemicals can be used for various biological activities. PMID:27854330

  11. Effect of Magnetic Nanoparticles on Tobacco BY-2 Cell Suspension Culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krystofova, Olga; Sochor, Jiri; Zitka, Ondrej; Babula, Petr; Kudrle, Vit; Adam, Vojtech; Kizek, Rene

    2012-01-01

    Nanomaterials are structures whose exceptionality is based on their large surface, which is closely connected with reactivity and modification possibilities. Due to these properties nanomaterials are used in textile industry (antibacterial textiles with silver nanoparticles), electronics (high-resolution imaging, logical circuits on the molecular level) and medicine. Medicine represents one of the most important fields of application of nanomaterials. They are investigated in connection with targeted therapy (infectious diseases, malignant diseases) or imaging (contrast agents). Nanomaterials including nanoparticles have a great application potential in the targeted transport of pharmaceuticals. However, there are some negative properties of nanoparticles, which must be carefully solved, as hydrophobic properties leading to instability in aqueous environment, and especially their possible toxicity. Data about toxicity of nanomaterials are still scarce. Due to this fact, in this work we focused on studying of the effect of magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) and modified magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) on tobacco BY-2 plant cell suspension culture. We aimed at examining the effect of NPs and MNPs on growth, proteosynthesis—total protein content, thiols—reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, phytochelatins PC2-5, glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity and antioxidant activity of BY-2 cells. Whereas the effect of NPs and MNPs on growth of cell suspension culture was only moderate, significant changes were detected in all other biochemical parameters. Significant changes in protein content, phytochelatins levels and GST activity were observed in BY-2 cells treated with MNPs nanoparticles treatment. Changes were also clearly evident in the case of application of NPs. Our results demonstrate the ability of MNPs to negatively affect metabolism and induce biosynthesis of protective compounds in a plant cell model represented by BY-2 cell suspension culture. The

  12. Autophagic components contribute to hypersensitive cell death in Arabidopsis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hofius, Daniel; Schultz-Larsen, Torsten; Joensen, Jan

    2009-01-01

    Autophagy has been implicated as a prosurvival mechanism to restrict programmed cell death (PCD) associated with the pathogen-triggered hypersensitive response (HR) during plant innate immunity. This model is based on the observation that HR lesions spread in plants with reduced autophagy gene...... expression. Here, we examined receptor-mediated HR PCD responses in autophagy-deficient Arabidopsis knockout mutants (atg), and show that infection-induced lesions are contained in atg mutants. We also provide evidence that HR cell death initiated via Toll/Interleukin-1 (TIR)-type immune receptors through...... the defense regulator EDS1 is suppressed in atg mutants. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PCD triggered by coiled-coil (CC)-type immune receptors via NDR1 is either autophagy-independent or engages autophagic components with cathepsins and other unidentified cell death mediators. Thus, autophagic cell death...

  13. Investigating uptake of water-dispersible CdSe/ZnS quantum dot nanoparticles by Arabidopsis thaliana plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Navarro, Divina A.; Bisson, Mary A.; Aga, Diana S.

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: This study highlights the importance of quantum dot (QD) structural stability in preventing phytotoxicity. Overall, there is no evidence that Arabidopsis thaliana plants can internalize intact QDs within 1–7 days of exposure, with or without humic acids. Highlights: ► Potential uptake of water-dispersible CdSe/ZnS QDs by Arabidopsis was demonstrated. ► QDs were not internalized by Arabidopsis as intact particles. ► Plants exposed to Cd-, Se-, and QD + HA suspensions experienced oxidative stress. ► An effective LC–MS method proves detection of low levels of glutathione in plants. ► Uptake of Cd and/or Se leached from QDs is of major concern. - Abstract: Interest on the environmental impacts of engineered nanomaterials has rapidly increased over the past years because it is expected that these materials will eventually be released into the environment. The present work investigates the potential root uptake of water-dispersible CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) by the model plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana. Experiments revealed that Arabidopsis exposed to QDs that are dispersed in Hoagland's solution for 1–7 days did not internalize intact QDs. Analysis of Cd and Se concentrations in roots and leaves by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry indicated that Cd and Se from QD-treated plants were not translocated into the leaves, and remained in the root system of Arabidopsis. Furthermore, fluorescence microscopy showed strong evidence that the QDs were generally on the outside surfaces of the roots, where the amount of QDs adsorbed is dependent on the stability of the QDs in suspension. Despite no evidence of nanoparticle internalization, the ratio of reduced glutathione levels (GSH) relative to the oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in plants decreased when plants were exposed to QD dispersions containing humic acids, suggesting that QDs caused oxidative stress on the plant at this condition.

  14. Impact of fluidic agitation on human pluripotent stem cells in stirred suspension culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nampe, Daniel; Joshi, Ronak; Keller, Kevin; Zur Nieden, Nicole I; Tsutsui, Hideaki

    2017-09-01

    The success of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) as a source of future cell therapies hinges, in part, on the availability of a robust and scalable culture system that can readily produce a clinically relevant number of cells and their derivatives. Stirred suspension culture has been identified as one such promising platform due to its ease of use, scalability, and widespread use in the pharmaceutical industry (e.g., CHO cell-based production of therapeutic proteins) among others. However, culture of undifferentiated hPSCs in stirred suspension is a relatively new development within the past several years, and little is known beyond empirically optimized culture parameters. In particular, detailed characterizations of different agitation rates and their influence on the propagation of hPSCs are often not reported in the literature. In the current study, we systematically investigated various agitation rates to characterize their impact on cell yield, viability, and the maintenance of pluripotency. Additionally, we closely examined the distribution of cell aggregates and how the observed culture outcomes are attributed to their size distribution. Overall, our results showed that moderate agitation maximized the propagation of hPSCs to approximately 38-fold over 7 days by keeping the cell aggregates below the critical size, beyond which the cells are impacted by the diffusion limit, while limiting cell death caused by excessive fluidic forces. Furthermore, we observed that fluidic agitation could regulate not only cell aggregation, but also expression of some key signaling proteins in hPSCs. This indicates a new possibility to guide stem cell fate determination by fluidic agitation in stirred suspension cultures. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2109-2120. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Identification of novel transcription factors regulating secondary cell wall formation in Arabidopsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hua eCassan-Wang

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The presence of lignin in secondary cell walls (SCW is a major factor preventing hydrolytic enzymes from gaining access to cellulose, thereby limiting the saccharification potential of plant biomass. To understand how lignification is regulated is a prerequisite for selecting plant biomass better adapted to bioethanol production. Because transcriptional regulation is a major mechanism controlling the expression of genes involved in lignin biosynthesis, our aim was to identify novel transcription factors dictating lignin profiles in the model plant Arabidopsis. To this end, we have developed a post-genomic approach by combining four independent in-house SCW-related transcriptome datasets obtained from (i the fiber cell wall-deficient wat1 Arabidopsis mutant, (ii Arabidopsis lines over-expressing either the master regulatory activator EgMYB2 or (iii the repressor EgMYB1 and finally (iv Arabidopsis orthologs of Eucalyptus xylem-expressed genes. This allowed us to identify 502 up- or down-regulated transcription factors. We preferentially selected those present in more than one dataset and further analyzed their in silico expression patterns as an additional selection criteria. This selection process led to 80 candidates. Notably, 16 of them were already proven to regulate SCW formation, thereby validating the overall strategy. Then, we phenotyped 43 corresponding mutant lines focusing on histological observations of xylem and interfascicular fibers. This phenotypic screen revealed six mutant lines exhibiting altered lignification patterns. Two of them (blh6 and a zinc finger transcription factor presented hypolignified SCW. Three others (myb52, myb-like TF, hb5 showed hyperlignified SCW whereas the last one (hb15 showed ectopic lignification. In addition, our meta-analyses highlighted a reservoir of new potential regulators adding to the gene network regulating SCW but also opening new avenues to ultimately improve SCW composition for biofuel

  16. Different myrosinase and idioblast distribution in Arabidopsis and Brassica napus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreasson, Erik; Jørgensen, Lise Bolt; Höglund, Anna-Stina

    2001-01-01

    Arabidopsis, Brassica napus, Myrosinase, Myrosinase Binding Protein, Glucosinolates, Myrosin Cell, Immunocytochemistry......Arabidopsis, Brassica napus, Myrosinase, Myrosinase Binding Protein, Glucosinolates, Myrosin Cell, Immunocytochemistry...

  17. Simple suspension culture system of human iPS cells maintaining their pluripotency for cardiac cell sheet engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haraguchi, Yuji; Matsuura, Katsuhisa; Shimizu, Tatsuya; Yamato, Masayuki; Okano, Teruo

    2015-12-01

    In this study, a simple three-dimensional (3D) suspension culture method for the expansion and cardiac differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) is reported. The culture methods were easily adapted from two-dimensional (2D) to 3D culture without any additional manipulations. When hiPSCs were directly applied to 3D culture from 2D in a single-cell suspension, only a few aggregated cells were observed. However, after 3 days, culture of the small hiPSC aggregates in a spinner flask at the optimal agitation rate created aggregates which were capable of cell passages from the single-cell suspension. Cell numbers increased to approximately 10-fold after 12 days of culture. The undifferentiated state of expanded hiPSCs was confirmed by flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR, and the hiPSCs differentiated into three germ layers. When the hiPSCs were subsequently cultured in a flask using cardiac differentiation medium, expression of cardiac cell-specific genes and beating cardiomyocytes were observed. Furthermore, the culture of hiPSCs on Matrigel-coated dishes with serum-free medium containing activin A, BMP4 and FGF-2 enabled it to generate robust spontaneous beating cardiomyocytes and these cells expressed several cardiac cell-related genes, including HCN4, MLC-2a and MLC-2v. This suggests that the expanded hiPSCs might maintain the potential to differentiate into several types of cardiomyocytes, including pacemakers. Moreover, when cardiac cell sheets were fabricated using differentiated cardiomyocytes, they beat spontaneously and synchronously, indicating electrically communicative tissue. This simple culture system might enable the generation of sufficient amounts of beating cardiomyocytes for use in cardiac regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. High Concentration of Melatonin Regulates Leaf Development by Suppressing Cell Proliferation and Endoreduplication in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qiannan; An, Bang; Shi, Haitao; Luo, Hongli; He, Chaozu

    2017-05-05

    N -acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine (Melatonin), as a crucial messenger in plants, functions in adjusting biological rhythms, stress tolerance, plant growth and development. Several studies have shown the retardation effect of exogenous melatonin treatment on plant growth and development. However, the in vivo role of melatonin in regulating plant leaf growth and the underlying mechanism are still unclear. In this study, we found that high concentration of melatonin suppressed leaf growth in Arabidopsis by reducing both cell size and cell number. Further kinetic analysis of the fifth leaves showed that melatonin remarkably inhibited cell division rate. Additionally, flow cytometic analysis indicated that melatonin negatively regulated endoreduplication during leaf development. Consistently, the expression analysis revealed that melatonin regulated the transcriptional levels of key genes of cell cycle and ribosome. Taken together, this study suggests that high concentration of melatonin negatively regulated the leaf growth and development in Arabidopsis , through modulation of endoreduplication and the transcripts of cell cycle and ribosomal key genes.

  19. Dynamic changes in transcriptome and cell wall composition underlying brassinosteroid-mediated lignification of switchgrass suspension cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Xiaolan; Shen, Hui; Pattathil, Sivakumar; Hahn, Michael G; Gelineo-Albersheim, Ivana; Mohnen, Debra; Pu, Yunqiao; Ragauskas, Arthur J; Chen, Xin; Chen, Fang; Dixon, Richard A

    2017-01-01

    Plant cell walls contribute the majority of plant biomass that can be used to produce transportation fuels. However, the complexity and variability in composition and structure of cell walls, particularly the presence of lignin, negatively impacts their deconstruction for bioenergy. Metabolic and genetic changes associated with secondary wall development in the biofuel crop switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ) have yet to be reported. Our previous studies have established a cell suspension system for switchgrass, in which cell wall lignification can be induced by application of brassinolide (BL). We have now collected cell wall composition and microarray-based transcriptome profiles for BL-induced and non-induced suspension cultures to provide an overview of the dynamic changes in transcriptional reprogramming during BL-induced cell wall modification. From this analysis, we have identified changes in candidate genes involved in cell wall precursor synthesis, cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin formation and ester-linkage generation. We have also identified a large number of transcription factors with expression correlated with lignin biosynthesis genes, among which are candidates for control of syringyl (S) lignin accumulation. Together, this work provides an overview of the dynamic compositional changes during brassinosteroid-induced cell wall remodeling, and identifies candidate genes for future plant genetic engineering to overcome cell wall recalcitrance.

  20. Nanometer-scale sizing accuracy of particle suspensions on an unmodified cell phone using elastic light scattering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Zachary J; Chu, Kaiqin; Wachsmann-Hogiu, Sebastian

    2012-01-01

    We report on the construction of a Fourier plane imaging system attached to a cell phone. By illuminating particle suspensions with a collimated beam from an inexpensive diode laser, angularly resolved scattering patterns are imaged by the phone's camera. Analyzing these patterns with Mie theory results in predictions of size distributions of the particles in suspension. Despite using consumer grade electronics, we extracted size distributions of sphere suspensions with better than 20 nm accuracy in determining the mean size. We also show results from milk, yeast, and blood cells. Performing these measurements on a portable device presents opportunities for field-testing of food quality, process monitoring, and medical diagnosis.

  1. A transgenic plant cell-suspension system for expression of epitopes on chimeric Bamboo mosaic virus particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthamilselvan, Thangarasu; Lee, Chin-Wei; Cho, Yu-Hsin; Wu, Feng-Chao; Hu, Chung-Chi; Liang, Yu-Chuan; Lin, Na-Sheng; Hsu, Yau-Heiu

    2016-01-01

    We describe a novel strategy to produce vaccine antigens using a plant cell-suspension culture system in lieu of the conventional bacterial or animal cell-culture systems. We generated transgenic cell-suspension cultures from Nicotiana benthamiana leaves carrying wild-type or chimeric Bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV) expression constructs encoding the viral protein 1 (VP1) epitope of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Antigens accumulated to high levels in BdT38 and BdT19 transgenic cell lines co-expressing silencing suppressor protein P38 or P19. BaMV chimeric virus particles (CVPs) were subsequently purified from the respective cell lines (1.5 and 2.1 mg CVPs/20 g fresh weight of suspended biomass, respectively), and the resulting CVPs displayed VP1 epitope on the surfaces. Guinea pigs vaccinated with purified CVPs produced humoral antibodies. This study represents an important advance in the large-scale production of immunopeptide vaccines in a cost-effective manner using a plant cell-suspension culture system. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Molecular and Genetic Analysis of Hormone-Regulated Differential Cell Elongation in Arabidopsis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ecker, Joseph R.

    2005-09-15

    We have utilized the response of Arabidopsis seedlings to the plant hormone ethylene to identify new genes involved in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis, perception, signal transduction and differential cell growth. In building a genetic framework for the action of these genes, we have developed a molecular model that has facilitated our understanding of the molecular requirements of ethylene for cell elongation processes. The ethylene response pathway in Arabidopsis appears to be primarily linear and is defined by the genes: ETR1, ETR2, ERS1, ERS2, EIN4, CTR1, EIN2, EIN3, EIN5, EIN6, and EIN. Downstream branches identified by the HLS1, EIR1, and AUX1 genes involve interactions with other hormonal (auxin) signals in the process of differential cell elongation in the hypocotyl hook. Cloning and characterization of HLS1 (and three HLL genes) and ETO1 (and ETOL genes) in my laboratory has been supported under this award. HLS1 is required for differential elongation of cells in the hypocotyl and may act in the establishment of hormone gradients. Also during the previous period, we have identified and characterized a gene that genetically acts upstream of the ethylene receptors. ETO1 encodes negative regulators of ethylene biosynthesis.

  3. Regulation of Cytoplasmic and Vacuolar Volumes by Plant Cells in Suspension Culture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Owens, Trevor; Poole, Ronald J

    1979-01-01

    Quantitative microscopical measurements have been made of the proportion of cell volume occupied by cytoplasm in a cell suspension culture derived from cotyledons of bush bean (cv. Contender). On a 7-day culture cycle, the content of cytoplasm varies from 25% at the time of transfer to 45% at the...

  4. Enhancement of Shikonin Production in Suspension Cultures of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Cells by Gamma-irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baek, Myung Hwa; Chung, Byung Yeoup; Kim, Jae Sung; An, Beyoung Chul; Lee, Young Bok

    2005-01-01

    The shikonin and several derivatives produced by the roots of Boraginacae family plants are purple compounds that have been used in several parts of the World as antimicrobial and antitumor agents in human pharmaceuticals. Shikonin has been reported as the most successful specimen of the mass production of plant secondary metabolites by cell suspension culture. Numerous studies have elucidated the regulation of production of these compounds in cell suspension cultures. It has known that ultrasonic and gamma irradiation can enhance the production of secondary metabolites. Thus, in present study, we investigate the effects of gamma-irradiation on the shikonin production and the key enzymes in the shikonin biosynthetic pathway of L. erythrorhizon cells

  5. Plant peroxisomes are degraded by starvation-induced and constitutive autophagy in tobacco BY-2 suspension-cultured cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voitsekhovskaja, Olga V; Schiermeyer, Andreas; Reumann, Sigrun

    2014-01-01

    Very recently, autophagy has been recognized as an important degradation pathway for quality control of peroxisomes in Arabidopsis plants. To further characterize the role of autophagy in plant peroxisome degradation, we generated stable transgenic suspension-cultured cell lines of heterotrophic Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Bright Yellow 2 expressing a peroxisome-targeted version of enhanced yellow fluorescent protein. Indeed, this cell line model system proved advantageous for detailed cytological analyses of autophagy stages and for quantification of cellular peroxisome pools under different culturing conditions and upon inhibitor applications. Complementary biochemical, cytological, and pharmacological analyses provided convincing evidence for peroxisome degradation by bulk autophagy during carbohydrate starvation. This degradation was slowed down by the inhibitor of autophagy, 3-methyladenine (3-MA), but the 3-MA effect ceased at advanced stages of starvation, indicating that another degradation mechanism for peroxisomes might have taken over. 3-MA also caused an increase particularly in peroxisomal proteins and cellular peroxisome numbers when applied under nutrient-rich conditions in the logarithmic growth phase, suggesting a high turnover rate for peroxisomes by basal autophagy under non-stress conditions. Together, our data demonstrate that a great fraction of the peroxisome pool is subject to extensive autophagy-mediated turnover under both nutrient starvation and optimal growth conditions. Our analyses of the cellular pool size of peroxisomes provide a new tool for quantitative investigations of the role of plant peroxisomes in reactive oxygen species metabolism.

  6. Computer Simulation Study of Collective Phenomena in Dense Suspensions of Red Blood Cells under Shear

    CERN Document Server

    Krüger, Timm

    2012-01-01

    The rheology of dense red blood cell suspensions is investigated via computer simulations based on the lattice Boltzmann, the immersed boundary, and the finite element methods. The red blood cells are treated as extended and deformable particles immersed in the ambient fluid. In the first part of the work, the numerical model and strategies for stress evaluation are discussed. In the second part, the behavior of the suspensions in simple shear flow is studied for different volume fractions, particle deformabilities, and shear rates. Shear thinning behavior is recovered. The existence of a shear-induced transition from a tumbling to a tank-treading motion is demonstrated. The transition can be parameterized by a single quantity, namely the effective capillary number. It is the ratio of the suspension stress and the characteristic particle membrane stress. At the transition point, a strong increase in the orientational order of the red blood cells and a significant decrease of the particle diffusivity are obser...

  7. Establishment of Aquilaria malaccensis Callus, cell suspension and adventitious root systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norazlina Noordin; Rusli Ibrahim

    2010-01-01

    Aquilaria malaccensis is a tropical forest tree from the family Thymelaeaceae, an endangered forest species and was listed in CITES since 1995. Locally known as Pokok Karas, this tree produces agar wood or gaharu, a highly valuable, resinous and fragrant forest product. Karas has been highly recognized for its vast medicinal values and gaharu has been widely use for perfumery, incense and religious purposes. The phyto chemical studies of agar wood showed that Sesqui terpenoid and Phenyl ethy chromone derivatives are the principal compounds that have anti allergic and anti microbe activities. Cell and organ culture systems provide large scale production of biomass and offers feasibilities for the production of secondary metabolites. This paper describes the work done for establishing reproducible systems for callus initiation and production of cell suspension cultures as well as production of adventitious roots that will later be amenable for the production of secondary metabolites of A. malaccensis. Hence, further manipulation with Methyl Jasmonate, a chemical elicitor could be done to induce secondary metabolites using callus, cell suspension and adventitious roots systems. (author)

  8. Electrical pulse – mediated enhanced delivery of silver nanoparticles into living suspension cells for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, J; Li, B; Feng, S; Chen, G; Li, Y; Huang, Z; Chen, R; Yu, Y; Huang, H; Lin, S; Li, C; Su, Y; Zeng, H

    2012-01-01

    Electrical pulse-mediated enhanced silver nanoparticles delivery is a much better method for intracellular surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) measurements of suspension cells. Robust and high-quality SERS spectra of living suspension cells were obtained based on an electroporation-SERS method, which can overcomes the shortcoming of non-uniform distribution of silver nanoparticles localized in the cell cytoplasm after electroporation and reduces the amount variance of silver nanoparticles delivered into different cells. The electroporation parameters include three 150 V (375 V/cm) electric pulses of 1, 5, and 5 ms durations respectively. Our results indicate that considerable amount of silver nanoparticles can be rapidly delivered into the human promyelocytic leukemia HL60 cells, and the satisfied SERS spectra were obtained while the viability of the treated cells was highly maintained (91.7%). The electroporation-SERS method offers great potential approach in delivering silver nanoparticles into living suspension cells, which is useful for widely biomedical applications including the real-time intracellular SERS analysis of living cells

  9. Nanometer-scale sizing accuracy of particle suspensions on an unmodified cell phone using elastic light scattering.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zachary J Smith

    Full Text Available We report on the construction of a Fourier plane imaging system attached to a cell phone. By illuminating particle suspensions with a collimated beam from an inexpensive diode laser, angularly resolved scattering patterns are imaged by the phone's camera. Analyzing these patterns with Mie theory results in predictions of size distributions of the particles in suspension. Despite using consumer grade electronics, we extracted size distributions of sphere suspensions with better than 20 nm accuracy in determining the mean size. We also show results from milk, yeast, and blood cells. Performing these measurements on a portable device presents opportunities for field-testing of food quality, process monitoring, and medical diagnosis.

  10. Chitosan mediated enhancement of hydrolysable tannin in Phyllanthus debilis Klein ex Willd via plant cell suspension culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    V, Malayaman; N, Sisubalan; R P, Senthilkumar; S, Sheik Mohamed; R, Ranjithkumar; M, Ghouse Basha

    2017-11-01

    Phyllanthus debilis Klein ex Willd. is wild medicinal plant used in the traditional system of medicine. This plant has been actively used for hepatoprotection and to cure many diseases including jaundice and so on; which leads to complete extinction of this particular species. Therefore, the chitosan mediated cost effective cell suspension method has been developed for the production of hydrolysable tannin. The hydrolysable tannins are the main therapeutically active constituents with antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties. An in vitro cell suspension culture was optimized by adding chitosan for production of hydrolysable tannin. According to the growth kinetics, a maximum biomass of 4.46±0.06g fresh cell weight and 1.33±0.04g dry cell weight were obtained from the optimal suspension medium consisted of MS medium+0.5mgL -1 BAP+1.5mgL -1 NAA. Chitosan was treated at the stationary phase which leads to the highest accumulation of hydrolysable tannin compared to the untreated control. Hydrolysable tannin was observed and compared using HPLC at the Rt of 4.91 in both chitosan treated and untreated cells. This is the first ever report where use of chitosan has been done to enhance the production of the hydrolysable tannin in P. debilis using cell suspension culture technique. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Calcium dynamics in root cells of Arabidopsis thaliana visualized with selective plane illumination microscopy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alex Costa

    Full Text Available Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM is an imaging technique particularly suited for long term in-vivo analysis of transparent specimens, able to visualize small organs or entire organisms, at cellular and eventually even subcellular resolution. Here we report the application of SPIM in Calcium imaging based on Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing the genetically encoded-FRET-based Ca(2+ probe Cameleon, in the cytosol or nucleus, were used to demonstrate that SPIM enables ratiometric fluorescence imaging at high spatial and temporal resolution, both at tissue and single cell level. The SPIM-FRET technique enabled us to follow nuclear and cytosolic Ca(2+ dynamics in Arabidopsis root tip cells, deep inside the organ, in response to different stimuli. A relevant physiological phenomenon, namely Ca(2+ signal percolation, predicted in previous studies, has been directly visualized.

  12. [Determination of Azospirillum Brasilense Cells With Bacteriophages via Electrooptical Analysis of Microbial Suspensions].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gulii, O I; Karavayeva, O A; Pavlii, S A; Sokolov, O I; Bunin, V D; Ignatov, O V

    2015-01-01

    The dependence-of changes in the electrooptical properties of Azospirillum brasilense cell suspension Sp7 during interaction with bacteriophage ΦAb-Sp7 on the number and time of interactions was studied. Incubation of cells with bacteriophage significantly changed the electrooptical signal within one minute. The selective effect of bacteriophage ΦAb on 18 strains of bacteria of the genus Azospirillum was studied: A. amazonense Ami4, A. brasilense Sp7, Cd, Sp107, Sp245, Jm6B2, Brl4, KR77, S17, S27, SR55, SR75, A. halopraeferans Au4, A. irakense KBC1, K A3, A. lipoferum Sp59b, SR65 and RG20a. We determined the limit of reliable determination of microbial cells infected with bacteriophage: - 10(4) cells/mL. The presence of foreign cell cultures of E. coli B-878 and E. coli XL-1 did not complicate the detection of A brasilense Sp7 cells with the use of bacteriophage ΦAb-Sp7. The results demonstrated that bacteriophage (ΦAb-Sp7 can be used for the detection of Azospirillum microbial cells via t electrooptical analysis of cell suspensions.

  13. Coordinated Regulations of mRNA Synthesis and Decay during Cold Acclimation in Arabidopsis Cells.

    KAUST Repository

    Arae, Toshihiro; Isai, Shiori; Sakai, Akira; Mineta, Katsuhiko; Hirai, Masami Yokota; Suzuki, Yuya; Kanaya, Shigehiko; Yamaguchi, Junji; Naito, Satoshi; Chiba, Yukako

    2017-01-01

    stress in Arabidopsis cell cultures based on genome-wide analysis. In this mRNA decay array method, mRNA half-life measurements and microarray analyses were combined. In addition, temporal changes in the integrated value of transcription rates were

  14. Molecular and Genetic Analysis of Hormone-Regulated Differential Cell Elongation in Arabidopsis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ecker, Joseph R.

    2002-12-03

    The authors have utilized the response of Arabidopsis seedlings to the plant hormone ethylene to identify new genes involved in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis, perception, signal transduction and differential cell growth. In building a genetic framework for the action of these genes, they developed a molecular model that has facilitated the understanding of the molecular requirements of ethylene for cell elongation processes. The ethylene response pathway in Arabidopsis appears to be primarily linear and is defined by the genes: ETR1, ETR2, ERS1, ERS2, EIN4, CTR1, EIN2, EIN3, EIN5 EIN6, and EIN. Downstream branches identified by the HLS1, EIR1, and AUX1 genes involve interactions with other hormonal (auxin) signals in the process of differential cell elongation in the hypocotyl hook. Cloning and characterization of HLS1 and three HLS1-LIKE genes in the laboratory has been supported under this award. HLS1 is required for differential elongation of cells in the hypocotyl and may act in the establishment of hormone gradients. Also during the award period, they have identified and begun preliminary characterization of two genes that genetically act upstream of the ethylene receptors. ETO1 and RAN1 encode negative regulators of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling respectively. Progress on the analysis of these genes along with HOOKLESS1 is described.

  15. The durative use of suspension cells and callus for volatile oil by comparative with seeds and fruits in Capparis spinosa L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongtai Yin

    Full Text Available Capparis spinosa is one of the most important eremophytes among the medicinal plants, and continued destruction of these plants poses a major threat to species survival. The development of methods to extract compounds, especially those of medicinal value, without harvesting the whole plant is an issue of considerable socioeconomic importance. On the basis of an established system for culture of suspension cells and callus in vitro, Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS was used for the volatile oil composition analyzing in seed, fruit, suspension cells and callus. Fatty acids were the major component, and the highest content of alkanes was detected in seed, with <1.0% in suspension cells and callus. Esters, olefins and heterocyclic compounds were significantly higher in fruit than in the other materials. The content of acid esters in the suspension cells and callus was significantly higher than in seed and fruit. This indicated that the suspension cells and callus could be helpful for increasing the value of volatile oil and replacing seeds and fruit partially as a source of some compounds of the volatile oil and may also produce some new medical compounds. The above results give valuable information for sustainable use of C. spinosa and provide a foundation for use of the C. spinosa suspension cells and callus as an ongoing medical resource.

  16. Biotransformation of isonitrosoacetophenone (2-keto-2-phenyl-acetaldoxime) in tobacco cell suspensions

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Madala, NE

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Nicotiana tabacum cell suspensions, 2g wet wt/ml, rapidly took up 1 mM isonitrosoacetophenone (INAP), a plant-derived stress metabolite with anti-oxidative and anti-fungal properties, producing 40-hexopyranosyloxy-30-methoxyisonitrosoacetophenone...

  17. Aggregate formation and suspension culture of human pluripotent stem cells and differentiated progeny.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hookway, Tracy A; Butts, Jessica C; Lee, Emily; Tang, Hengli; McDevitt, Todd C

    2016-05-15

    Culture of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) as in vitro multicellular aggregates has been increasingly used as a method to model early embryonic development. Three-dimensional assemblies of hPSCs facilitate interactions between cells and their microenvironment to promote morphogenesis, analogous to the multicellular organization that accompanies embryogenesis. In this paper, we describe a method for reproducibly generating and maintaining populations of homogeneous three-dimensional hPSC aggregates using forced aggregation and rotary orbital suspension culture. We propose solutions to several challenges associated with the consistent formation and extended culture of cell spheroids generated from hPSCs and their differentiated progeny. Further, we provide examples to demonstrate how aggregation can be used as a tool to select specific subpopulations of cells to create homotypic spheroids, or as a means to introduce multiple cell types to create heterotypic tissue constructs. Finally, we demonstrate that the aggregation and rotary suspension method can be used to support culture and maintenance of hPSC-derived cell populations representing each of the three germ layers, underscoring the utility of this platform for culturing many different cell types. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. The Organization Pattern of Root Border-Like Cells of Arabidopsis Is Dependent on Cell Wall Homogalacturonan12[C][W

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durand, Caroline; Vicré-Gibouin, Maïté; Follet-Gueye, Marie Laure; Duponchel, Ludovic; Moreau, Myriam; Lerouge, Patrice; Driouich, Azeddine

    2009-01-01

    Border-like cells are released by Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) root tips as organized layers of several cells that remain attached to each other rather than completely detached from each other, as is usually observed in border cells of many species. Unlike border cells, cell attachment between border-like cells is maintained after their release into the external environment. To investigate the role of cell wall polysaccharides in the attachment and organization of border-like cells, we have examined their release in several well-characterized mutants defective in the biosynthesis of xyloglucan, cellulose, or pectin. Our data show that among all mutants examined, only quasimodo mutants (qua1-1 and qua2-1), which have been characterized as producing less homogalacturonan, had an altered border-like cell phenotype as compared with the wild type. Border-like cells in both lines were released as isolated cells separated from each other, with the phenotype being much more pronounced in qua1-1 than in qua2-1. Further analysis of border-like cells in the qua1-1 mutant using immunocytochemistry and a set of anti-cell wall polysaccharide antibodies showed that the loss of the wild-type phenotype was accompanied by (1) a reduction in homogalacturonan-JIM5 epitope in the cell wall of border-like cells, confirmed by Fourier transform infrared microspectrometry, and (2) the secretion of an abundant mucilage that is enriched in xylogalacturonan and arabinogalactan-protein epitopes, in which the cells are trapped in the vicinity of the root tip. PMID:19448034

  19. Chloroplast Dysfunction Causes Multiple Defects in Cell Cycle Progression in the Arabidopsis crumpled leaf Mutant

    KAUST Repository

    Hudik, Elodie

    2014-07-18

    The majority of research on cell cycle regulation is focused on the nuclear events that govern the replication and segregation of the genome between the two daughter cells. However, eukaryotic cells contain several compartmentalized organelles with specialized functions, and coordination among these organelles is required for proper cell cycle progression, as evidenced by the isolation of several mutants in which both organelle function and overall plant development were affected. To investigate how chloroplast dysfunction affects the cell cycle, we analyzed the crumpled leaf (crl) mutant of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), which is deficient for a chloroplastic protein and displays particularly severe developmental defects. In the crl mutant, we reveal that cell cycle regulation is altered drastically and that meristematic cells prematurely enter differentiation, leading to reduced plant stature and early endoreduplication in the leaves. This response is due to the repression of several key cell cycle regulators as well as constitutive activation of stress-response genes, among them the cell cycle inhibitor SIAMESE-RELATED5. One unique feature of the crl mutant is that it produces aplastidic cells in several organs, including the root tip. By investigating the consequence of the absence of plastids on cell cycle progression, we showed that nuclear DNA replication occurs in aplastidic cells in the root tip, which opens future research prospects regarding the dialogue between plastids and the nucleus during cell cycle regulation in higher plants.

  20. Changes in the Arabidopsis thaliana Proteome Implicate cAMP in Biotic and Abiotic Stress Responses and Changes in Energy Metabolism

    KAUST Repository

    Alquraishi, May Majed; Gehring, Christoph A; Marondedze, Claudius

    2016-01-01

    The second messenger 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is increasingly recognized as having many different roles in plant responses to environmental stimuli. To gain further insights into these roles, Arabidopsis thaliana cell suspension culture was treated with 100 nM of cell permeant 8-bromo-cAMP for 5 or 10 min. Here, applying mass spectrometry and comparative proteomics, 20 proteins were identified as differentially expressed and we noted a specific bias in proteins with a role in abiotic stress, particularly cold and salinity, biotic stress as well as proteins with a role in glycolysis. These findings suggest that cAMP is sufficient to elicit specific stress responses that may in turn induce complex changes to cellular energy homeostasis.

  1. Changes in the Arabidopsis thaliana Proteome Implicate cAMP in Biotic and Abiotic Stress Responses and Changes in Energy Metabolism

    KAUST Repository

    Alquraishi, May Majed

    2016-06-01

    The second messenger 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is increasingly recognized as having many different roles in plant responses to environmental stimuli. To gain further insights into these roles, Arabidopsis thaliana cell suspension culture was treated with 100 nM of cell permeant 8-bromo-cAMP for 5 or 10 min. Here, applying mass spectrometry and comparative proteomics, 20 proteins were identified as differentially expressed and we noted a specific bias in proteins with a role in abiotic stress, particularly cold and salinity, biotic stress as well as proteins with a role in glycolysis. These findings suggest that cAMP is sufficient to elicit specific stress responses that may in turn induce complex changes to cellular energy homeostasis.

  2. Cell fate in the Arabidopsis root meristem determined by directional signalling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Berg, C; Willemsen, V; Hage, W; Weisbeek, P; Scheres, B

    1995-11-02

    Postembryonic development in plants is achieved by apical meristems. Surgical studies and clonal analysis have revealed indirectly that cells in shoot meristems have no predictable destiny and that position is likely to play a role in the acquisition of cell identity. In contrast to animal systems, there has been no direct evidence for inductive signalling in plants until now. Here we present evidence for such signalling using laser ablation of cells in the root meristem of Arabidopsis thaliana. Although these cells show rigid clonal relationships, we now demonstrate that it is positional control that is most important in the determination of cell fate. Positional signals can be perpetuated from more mature to initial cells to guide the pattern of meristem cell differentiation. This offers an alternative to the general opinion that meristems are the source of patterning information.

  3. Cell wall composition contributes to the control of transpiration efficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Yun-Kuan; Xie, Xiaodong; Lindsay, Shona E; Wang, Yi Bing; Masle, Josette; Williamson, Lisa; Leyser, Ottoline; Hetherington, Alistair M

    2010-11-01

    To identify loci in Arabidopsis involved in the control of transpirational water loss and transpiration efficiency (TE) we carried out an infrared thermal imaging-based screen. We report the identification of a new allele of the Arabidopsis CesA7 cellulose synthase locus designated AtCesA7(irx3-5) involved in the control of TE. Leaves of the AtCesA7(irx3-5) mutant are warmer than the wild type (WT). This is due to reduced stomatal pore widths brought about by guard cells that are significantly smaller than the WT. The xylem of the AtCesA7(irx3-5) mutant is also partially collapsed, and we suggest that the small guard cells in the mutant result from decreased water supply to the developing leaf. We used carbon isotope discrimination to show that TE is increased in AtCesA7(irx3-5) when compared with the WT. Our work identifies a new class of genes that affects TE and raises the possibility that other genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis will have an impact on water use efficiency. © 2010 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  4. A peroxidase-dependent apoplastic oxidative burst in cultured Arabidopsis cells functions in MAMP-elicited defense.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Jose A; Daudi, Arsalan; Finch, Paul; Butt, Vernon S; Whitelegge, Julian P; Souda, Puneet; Ausubel, Frederick M; Bolwell, G Paul

    2012-04-01

    Perception by plants of so-called microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) such as bacterial flagellin, referred to as pattern-triggered immunity, triggers a rapid transient accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We previously identified two cell wall peroxidases, PRX33 and PRX34, involved in apoplastic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Here, we describe the generation of Arabidopsis tissue culture lines in which the expression of PRX33 and PRX34 is knocked down by antisense expression of a heterologous French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) peroxidase cDNA construct. Using these tissue culture lines and two inhibitors of ROS generation, azide and diphenylene iodonium, we found that perxoxidases generate about half of the H2O2 that accumulated in response to MAMP treatment and that NADPH oxidases and other sources such as mitochondria account for the remainder of the ROS. Knockdown of PRX33/PRX34 resulted in decreased expression of several MAMP-elicited genes, including MYB51, CYP79B2, and CYP81F2. Similarly, proteomic analysis showed that knockdown of PRX33/PRX34 led to the depletion of various MAMP-elicited defense-related proteins, including the two cysteine-rich peptides PDF2.2 and PDF2.3. Knockdown of PRX33/PRX34 also led to changes in the cell wall proteome, including increases in enzymes involved in cell wall remodeling, which may reflect enhanced cell wall expansion as a consequence of reduced H2O2-mediated cell wall cross-linking. Comparative metabolite profiling of a CaCl2 extract of the PRX33/PRX34 knockdown lines showed significant changes in amino acids, aldehydes, and keto acids but not fatty acids and sugars. Overall, these data suggest that PRX33/PRX34-generated ROS production is involved in the orchestration of pattern-triggered immunity in tissue culture cells.

  5. Expression of Arabidopsis Hexokinase in Citrus Guard Cells Controls Stomatal Aperture and Reduces Transpiration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lugassi, Nitsan; Kelly, Gilor; Fidel, Lena; Yaniv, Yossi; Attia, Ziv; Levi, Asher; Alchanatis, Victor; Moshelion, Menachem; Raveh, Eran; Carmi, Nir; Granot, David

    2015-01-01

    Hexokinase (HXK) is a sugar-phosphorylating enzyme involved in sugar-sensing. It has recently been shown that HXK in guard cells mediates stomatal closure and coordinates photosynthesis with transpiration in the annual species tomato and Arabidopsis. To examine the role of HXK in the control of the stomatal movement of perennial plants, we generated citrus plants that express Arabidopsis HXK1 (AtHXK1) under KST1, a guard cell-specific promoter. The expression of KST1 in the guard cells of citrus plants has been verified using GFP as a reporter gene. The expression of AtHXK1 in the guard cells of citrus reduced stomatal conductance and transpiration with no negative effect on the rate of photosynthesis, leading to increased water-use efficiency. The effects of light intensity and humidity on stomatal behavior were examined in rooted leaves of the citrus plants. The optimal intensity of photosynthetically active radiation and lower humidity enhanced stomatal closure of AtHXK1-expressing leaves, supporting the role of sugar in the regulation of citrus stomata. These results suggest that HXK coordinates photosynthesis and transpiration and stimulates stomatal closure not only in annual species, but also in perennial species.

  6. Lectin receptor kinases participate in protein-protein interactions to mediate plasma membrane-cell wall adhesions in Arabidopsis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gouget, A.; Senchou, V.; Govers, F.; Sanson, A.; Barre, A.; Rougé, P.; Pont-Lezica, R.; Canut, H.

    2006-01-01

    Interactions between plant cell walls and plasma membranes are essential for cells to function properly, but the molecules that mediate the structural continuity between wall and membrane are unknown. Some of these interactions, which are visualized upon tissue plasmolysis in Arabidopsis

  7. Characterization of technetium(vII) reduction by cell suspensions of thermophilic bacteria and archaea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chernyh, Nikolay A; Gavrilov, Sergei N; Sorokin, Vladimir V; German, Konstantin E; Sergeant, Claire; Simonoff, Monique; Robb, Frank; Slobodkin, Alexander I

    2007-08-01

    Washed cell suspensions of the anaerobic hyperthermophilic archaea Thermococcus pacificus and Thermoproteus uzoniensis and the anaerobic thermophilic gram-positive bacteria Thermoterrabacterium ferrireducens and Tepidibacter thalassicus reduced technetium [(99)Tc(VII)], supplied as soluble pertechnetate with molecular hydrogen as an electron donor, forming highly insoluble Tc(IV)-containing grayish-black precipitate. Apart from molecular hydrogen, T. ferrireducens reduced Tc(VII) with lactate, glycerol, and yeast extract as electron donors, and T. thalassicus reduced it with peptone. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis of cell suspensions of T. ferrireducens showed the presence of Tc-containing particles attached to the surfaces of non-lysed cells. This is the first report on the reduction in Tc(VII) by thermophilic microorganisms of the domain Bacteria and by archaea of the phylum Euryarchaeota.

  8. The FRIABLE1 gene product affects cell adhesion in Arabidopsis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lutz Neumetzler

    Full Text Available Cell adhesion in plants is mediated predominantly by pectins, a group of complex cell wall associated polysaccharides. An Arabidopsis mutant, friable1 (frb1, was identified through a screen of T-DNA insertion lines that exhibited defective cell adhesion. Interestingly, the frb1 plants displayed both cell and organ dissociations and also ectopic defects in organ separation. The FRB1 gene encodes a Golgi-localized, plant specific protein with only weak sequence similarities to known proteins (DUF246. Unlike other cell adhesion deficient mutants, frb1 mutants do not have reduced levels of adhesion related cell wall polymers, such as pectins. Instead, FRB1 affects the abundance of galactose- and arabinose-containing oligosaccharides in the Golgi. Furthermore, frb1 mutants displayed alteration in pectin methylesterification, cell wall associated extensins and xyloglucan microstructure. We propose that abnormal FRB1 action has pleiotropic consequences on wall architecture, affecting both the extensin and pectin matrices, with consequent changes to the biomechanical properties of the wall and middle lamella, thereby influencing cell-cell adhesion.

  9. Experiment of amnion epithelial cell suspension liquid used for acute rabbit corneal alkali burn

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan-Yan Zhang

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To investigate the effects of amnion epithelial cell(AECsuspension liquid on the biological behavior of the rabbit's corneal epithelium, combined with the in vitro and in vivo experiments. METHODS: The rabbit's corneal epithelium were cultured in the lower chamber of transwell, and AEC suspension liquid was dropwised in the upper chamber. There was only culture medium in the upper chamber of the control group. The proliferation of rabbit's corneal epithelium was observed with CCK-8 automated colorimetry and the expression of PCNA was detected by immunocytochemistry. We used the scratch wound assay to detect the migration of corneal epithelial cell(CEC. The in vivo models were established by placing a 10mm diameter corneal trephine in the center of the cornea, within 1mol/L NaOH for 1min. We divided those into three groups: treatment group of AEC suspension liquid eye drop, AEC suspension liquid subconjunctival injection and the control group without any treatment. Using the slit-lamp biomicroscope and fluorescence staining to observe the cornea per week. After 28d we took the eyeballs with the HE staining. The expression of VEGF was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The activity of CEC with AEC treatment was much higher than the control group(PPIn vivo, the inflammation of the corneal and the CNV of the AEC group were all significantly reduced compared with the control group(PPCONCLUSION: AEC suspension liquid can promote the proliferation and migration of the rabbit's corneal epithelium. The potential of AEC suspension liquid as a therapy for acute corneal alkali burn.

  10. Redox Changes During the Cell Cycle in the Embryonic Root Meristem of Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Simone, Ambra; Hubbard, Rachel; de la Torre, Natanael Viñegra; Velappan, Yazhini; Wilson, Michael; Considine, Michael J; Soppe, Wim J J; Foyer, Christine H

    2017-12-20

    The aim of this study was to characterize redox changes in the nuclei and cytosol occurring during the mitotic cell cycle in the embryonic roots of germinating Arabidopsis seedlings, and to determine how redox cycling was modified in mutants with a decreased capacity for ascorbate synthesis. Using an in vivo reduction-oxidation (redox) reporter (roGFP2), we show that transient oxidation of the cytosol and the nuclei occurred at G1 in the synchronized dividing cells of the Arabidopsis root apical meristem, with reduction at G2 and mitosis. This redox cycle was absent from low ascorbate mutants in which nuclei were significantly more oxidized than controls. The cell cycle-dependent increase in nuclear size was impaired in the ascorbate-deficient mutants, which had fewer cells per unit area in the root proliferation zone. The transcript profile of the dry seeds and size of the imbibed seeds was strongly influenced by low ascorbate but germination, dormancy release and seed aging characteristics were unaffected. These data demonstrate the presence of a redox cycle within the plant cell cycle and that the redox state of the nuclei is an important factor in cell cycle progression. Controlled oxidation is a key feature of the early stages of the plant cell cycle. However, sustained mild oxidation restricts nuclear functions and impairs progression through the cell cycle leading to fewer cells in the root apical meristem. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 1505-1519.

  11. Induction of sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis in tobacco cell suspension cultures by fungal elicitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chappell, J.; Nable, R.

    1987-01-01

    Large amounts of the sesquiterpenoid capsidiol accumulated in the media of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv KY14) cell suspension cultures upon addition of fungal elicitor. Capsidiol accumulation was proportional to the amount of elicitor added. The accumulation of capsidiol was preceded by a transient increase in the capsidiol de novo synthesis rate as measured by the incorporation of exogenous [ 14 C]acetate. Changes in 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity, an enzyme of general isoprenoid metabolism, paralleled the changes in [ 14 C]acetate incorporation into capsidiol. Incubation of the cell cultures with mevinolin, a potent in vitro inhibitor of the tobacco HMGR enzyme activity, inhibited the elicitor-induced capsidiol accumulation in a concentration dependent manner. [ 14 C]Acetate incorporation into capsidiol was likewise inhibited by mevinolin treatment. Unexpectedly, [ 3 H] mevalonate incorporation into capsidiol was also partially inhibited by mevinolin, suggesting that mevinolin may effect secondary sites of sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis in vivo beyond HMGR. The data indicated the importance of the induced HMGR activity for capsidiol production in elicitor-treated tobacco cell suspension cultures

  12. Knockin' on pollen's door: live cell imaging of early polarization events in germinating Arabidopsis pollen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogler, Frank; Konrad, Sebastian S. A.; Sprunck, Stefanie

    2015-01-01

    Pollen tubes are an excellent system for studying the cellular dynamics and complex signaling pathways that coordinate polarized tip growth. Although several signaling mechanisms acting in the tip-growing pollen tube have been described, our knowledge on the subcellular and molecular events during pollen germination and growth site selection at the pollen plasma membrane is rather scarce. To simultaneously track germinating pollen from up to 12 genetically different plants we developed an inexpensive and easy mounting technique, suitable for every standard microscope setup. We performed high magnification live-cell imaging during Arabidopsis pollen activation, germination, and the establishment of pollen tube tip growth by using fluorescent marker lines labeling either the pollen cytoplasm, vesicles, the actin cytoskeleton or the sperm cell nuclei and membranes. Our studies revealed distinctive vesicle and F-actin polarization during pollen activation and characteristic growth kinetics during pollen germination and pollen tube formation. Initially, the germinating Arabidopsis pollen tube grows slowly and forms a uniform roundish bulge, followed by a transition phase with vesicles heavily accumulating at the growth site before switching to rapid tip growth. Furthermore, we found the two sperm cells to be transported into the pollen tube after the phase of rapid tip growth has been initiated. The method presented here is suitable to quantitatively study subcellular events during Arabidopsis pollen germination and growth, and for the detailed analysis of pollen mutants with respect to pollen polarization, bulging, or growth site selection at the pollen plasma membrane. PMID:25954283

  13. Growth and Plating of Cell Suspension Cultures of Datura Innoxia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Engvild, Kjeld Christensen

    1974-01-01

    Suspension cultures of Datura innoxia Mill, were successfully grown on a modified Murashige and Skoog medium with 2,4–D, NAA or BAP as growth substances, provided the micronutrient levels were reduced to 1/10. Normal amounts of micronutrients were toxic. Attempts to identify the toxic elements did...... not succeed. Cultures grew exponentially on a shaker at 27°C in the light. Their doubling times varied from 1.1 days on 2,4–D (10–6M) or NAA (10−5M)+ 1 g/1 casein hydrolysate to 2.7 days on BAP (3 × 10−7M) and 5.1 days on supraoptimal levels of 2,4-D (10−5M). Cultures grew on NH4+-N alone (from ammonium...... malate) or on NO3−-N alone. Dry weight yield was proportional to the amount of nitrate-N added (47 mg/mg N). Filtered suspension cultures containing single cells (plating cultures) could be grown in agar in petri dishes when NAA or 2,4-D were used as growth substances. Cells grew at densities above 500...

  14. Isolation and culture of Celosia cristata L cell suspension protoplasts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Retno Mastuti

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available Developmental competence of Celosia cristata L. cell suspension-derived protoplasts was investigated. The protoplasts were isolatedfrom 3- to 9-d old cultures in enzyme solution containing 2% (w/v Cellulase YC and 0.5% (w/v Macerozyme R-10 which was dissolvedin washing solution (0.4 M mannitol and 10 mM CaCl2 at pH 5.6 for 3 hours. The highest number of viable protoplasts was releasedfrom 5-d old culture of a homogenous cell suspension. Subsequently, three kinds of protoplast culture media were simultaneously examinedwith four kinds of concentration of gelling agent. Culturing the protoplasts on KM8p medium solidified with 1.2% agarose significantlyenhanced plating efficiency as well as microcolony formation. Afterwards, the microcalli actively proliferated into friable watery calluswhen they were subcultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.3 mg/l 2,4-D and 1.0 mg/l kinetin. Although the plant regenerationfrom the protoplasts-derived calli has not yet been obtained, the reproducible developmental step from protoplasts to callus in thisstudy may facilitate the establishment of somatic hybridization using C. cristata as one parent.

  15. Rotational magnetic pulses enhance the magnetofection efficiency in vitro in adherent and suspension cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dahmani, Ch.; Mykhaylyk, O.; Helling, Fl.; Götz, St.; Weyh, Th.; Herzog, H.-G.; Plank, Ch.

    2013-01-01

    The association of magnetic nanoparticles with gene delivery vectors in combination with the use of gradient magnetic fields (magnetofection) enables improved and synchronised gene delivery to cells. In this paper, we report a system comprising rotating permanent magnets to generate defined magnetic field pulses with frequencies from 2.66 to 133 Hz and a field amplitude of 190 or 310 mT at the location of the cells. Low-frequency pulses of 2.66–10 Hz with a magnetic flux density of 190 mT were applied to the examined cells for 30–120 s after magnetofection. These pulses resulted in a 1.5–1.9-fold enhancement in the transfection efficiency compared with magnetofection with only a static magnetic field in both adherent and suspension cells. The magnetic field amplitudes of 190 and 310 mT had similar effects on the transfection efficacy. No increase in the percentage of transgene-expressing suspension cells and no cytotoxic effects (based on the results of the MTT assay) were observed after applying alternating magnetic fields. - Highlights: ► We developed a magnetic system capable of generating defined magnetic pulses based on permanent magnets. ► The main advantage of the system is the lack of heat-induced fluctuations in the working parameters. ► Our system succeeded in enhancing the transfection of adherent human lung epithelial cells and human suspension cells. ► The enhancement in the transfection efficiency compared with static magnetic field is due to the magnetic field pulses. ► The approach could be used as a complementary method for drug targeting

  16. Generation of Neural Progenitor Spheres from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in a Suspension Bioreactor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Yuanwei; Song, Liqing; Tsai, Ang-Chen; Ma, Teng; Li, Yan

    2016-01-01

    Conventional two-dimensional (2-D) culture systems cannot provide large numbers of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and their derivatives that are demanded for commercial and clinical applications in in vitro drug screening, disease modeling, and potentially cell therapy. The technologies that support three-dimensional (3-D) suspension culture, such as a stirred bioreactor, are generally considered as promising approaches to produce the required cells. Recently, suspension bioreactors have also been used to generate mini-brain-like structure from hPSCs for disease modeling, showing the important role of bioreactor in stem cell culture. This chapter describes a detailed culture protocol for neural commitment of hPSCs into neural progenitor cell (NPC) spheres using a spinner bioreactor. The basic steps to prepare hPSCs for bioreactor inoculation are illustrated from cell thawing to cell propagation. The method for generating NPCs from hPSCs in the spinner bioreactor along with the static control is then described. The protocol in this study can be applied to the generation of NPCs from hPSCs for further neural subtype specification, 3-D neural tissue development, or potential preclinical studies or clinical applications in neurological diseases.

  17. Use of embryogenic cell suspension and meristem-tip cultures for mutation breeding of apomictic Musa species

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Novak, F.J.; Afza, R.; Duren, M. van

    1990-01-01

    Full text: Breeding by crossing is difficult for banana and plantain. The plants are heterozygous, therefore mutagenic treatment may uncover a recessive allele by mutating or deleting a corresponding dominant allele. Meristem tips were excised from in vitro growing shoots and used for mutation experiments. Induction was carried out by irradiating shoot tips with γ rays and/or by treatment of explants with ethylmethanesulfonate (EMS). Cell suspension was initiated from corm and leaf tissue excised from in vitro grown plantlets. Mutagenised cell suspensions were derived from leaf and corm tissues irradiated with 60 Co γ rays - (10 to 60 Gy, 8 Gy/min). Musa clones exhibited differences in radiosensitivity and post-irradiation recovery. Doses of 20 to 40 Gy seem suitable for mutation induction. The EMS concentration of 25 mM for 4 hours was found effective for isolated shoot tips. Considerable phenotypic variation was observed among plants regenerated from in vitro shoot tips after mutagenic treatment. Leaf and corm explants kept their morphogenic ability in embryogenic cell suspensions after irradiation up to 25 Gy. (author)

  18. Expression of Arabidopsis hexokinase in citrus guard cells controls stomatal aperture and reduces transpiration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nitsan eLugassi

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Hexokinase (HXK is a sugar-phosphorylating enzyme involved in sugar-sensing. It has recently been shown that HXK in guard cells mediates stomatal closure and coordinates photosynthesis with transpiration in the annual species tomato and Arabidopsis. To examine the role of HXK in the control of the stomatal movement of perennial plants, we generated citrus plants that express Arabidopsis HXK1 (AtHXK1 under KST1, a guard cell-specific promoter. The expression of KST1 in the guard cells of citrus plants has been verified using GFP as a reporter gene. The expression of AtHXK1 in the guard cells of citrus reduced stomatal conductance and transpiration with no negative effect on the rate of photosynthesis, leading to increased water-use efficiency. The effects of light intensity and humidity on stomatal behavior were examined in rooted leaves of the citrus plants. The optimal intensity of photosynthetically active radiation and lower humidity enhanced stomatal closure of AtHXK1-expressing leaves, supporting the role of sugar in the regulation of citrus stomata. These results suggest that HXK coordinates photosynthesis and transpiration and stimulates stomatal closure not only in annual species, but also in perennial species.

  19. High level of expression of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor in transgenic rice cell suspension culture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shin, Yun-Ji; Hong, Shin-Young; Kwon, Tae-Ho

    2003-01-01

    Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) has been previously produced in tobacco cell suspension cultures. However, the amount of hGM-CSF accumulated in the culture medium dropped quickly from its maximum of 150 microg/L at 5 d after incubation. To overcome...... of recombinant hGM-CSF in transgenic rice cell suspension culture and protease activity of this culture medium was low compared to that of tobacco culture system....

  20. SA and ROS are involved in methyl salicylate-induced programmed cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Li Juan; Chen, Wen Li

    2011-07-01

    Programmed cell death (PCD) is a genetically encoded, active process that results in the death of individual cells, tissues, or whole organs, which plays an important role in the life cycles of plants and animals. Previous studies show that methyl salicylate (MeSA) is a defense signal molecular associated with systemic acquired resistance and hypersensitive reaction; however, whether MeSA can induce PCD in plant is still unknown. The morphological changes of Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts exposed to MeSA were observed under fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and the induction of PCD was clearly distinguished by intense perinuclear chromatin margination, condensation of nuclear chromatin and DNA laddering after 3-h exposure of 100 μM MeSA. Our results also showed that salicylic acid (SA) was involved in MeSA-induced PCD by using a transgenic nahG Arabidopsis thaliana line, and the process was mediated by reactive oxygen species, which functioned with SA by making an amplification loop. Our study showed that MeSA could induce PCD in plant cell for the first time.

  1. The TCP4 transcription factor of Arabidopsis blocks cell division in yeast at G1 → S transition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aggarwal, Pooja; Padmanabhan, Bhavna; Bhat, Abhay; Sarvepalli, Kavitha; Sadhale, Parag P.; Nath, Utpal

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → TCP4 is a class II TCP transcription factor, that represses cell division in Arabidopsis. → TCP4 expression in yeast retards cell division by blocking G1 → S transition. → Genome-wide expression studies and Western analysis reveals stabilization of cell cycle inhibitor Sic1, as possible mechanism. -- Abstract: The TCP transcription factors control important aspects of plant development. Members of class I TCP proteins promote cell cycle by regulating genes directly involved in cell proliferation. In contrast, members of class II TCP proteins repress cell division. While it has been postulated that class II proteins induce differentiation signal, their exact role on cell cycle has not been studied. Here, we report that TCP4, a class II TCP protein from Arabidopsis that repress cell proliferation in developing leaves, inhibits cell division by blocking G1 → S transition in budding yeast. Cells expressing TCP4 protein with increased transcriptional activity fail to progress beyond G1 phase. By analyzing global transcriptional status of these cells, we show that expression of a number of cell cycle genes is altered. The possible mechanism of G1 → S arrest is discussed.

  2. Rapid preparation of a noncultured skin cell suspension that promotes wound healing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Cheonjae; Lee, Jungsuk; Jeong, Hyosun; Lee, Sungjun; Sohn, Taesik; Chung, Sungphil

    2017-06-01

    Autologous skin cell suspensions have been used for wound healing in patients with burns and against normal pigmentation in vitiligo. To separate cells and the extracellular matrix from skin tissue, most researchers use enzymatic digestion. Therefore, this process is difficult to perform during a routine surgical procedure. We aimed to prepare a suspension of noncultured autologous skin cells (NCSCs) using a tissue homogenizer as a new method instead of harsh biochemical reagents. The potential clinical applicability of NCSCs was analyzed using a nude-rat model of burn healing. After optimization of the homogenizer settings, cell viability ranged from 52 to 89%. Scanning electron microscopy showed evidence of keratinocyte-like cell morphology, and several growth factors, including epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor, were present in the NCSCs. The rat model revealed that NCSCs accelerated skin regeneration. NCSCs could be generated using a tissue homogenizer for enhancement of wound healing in vivo. In the NCSC group of wounds, on day 7 of epithelialization, granulation was observed, whereas on day 14, there was a significant increase in skin adnexa regeneration as compared to the control group (PBS treatment; p study suggests that the proposed process is rapid and does not require the use of biochemical agents. Thus, we recommend a combination of surgical treatment with the new therapy for a burn as an effective method.

  3. A photonic crystal hydrogel suspension array for the capture of blood cells from whole blood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bin; Cai, Yunlang; Shang, Luoran; Wang, Huan; Cheng, Yao; Rong, Fei; Gu, Zhongze; Zhao, Yuanjin

    2016-02-01

    Diagnosing hematological disorders based on the separation and detection of cells in the patient's blood is a significant challenge. We have developed a novel barcode particle-based suspension array that can simultaneously capture and detect multiple types of blood cells. The barcode particles are polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogel inverse opal microcarriers with characteristic reflection peak codes that remain stable during cell capture on their surfaces. The hydrophilic PAAm hydrogel scaffolds of the barcode particles can entrap various plasma proteins to capture different cells in the blood, with little damage to captured cells.Diagnosing hematological disorders based on the separation and detection of cells in the patient's blood is a significant challenge. We have developed a novel barcode particle-based suspension array that can simultaneously capture and detect multiple types of blood cells. The barcode particles are polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogel inverse opal microcarriers with characteristic reflection peak codes that remain stable during cell capture on their surfaces. The hydrophilic PAAm hydrogel scaffolds of the barcode particles can entrap various plasma proteins to capture different cells in the blood, with little damage to captured cells. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr06368j

  4. Jasmonic and salicylic acids enhanced phytochemical production and biological activities in cell suspension cultures of spine gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Ill-Min; Rekha, Kaliyaperumal; Rajakumar, Govindasamy; Thiruvengadam, Muthu

    2017-03-01

    In vitro cell suspension culture was established for the production of commercially valuable phytochemicals in Momordica dioica. The influence of elicitors in jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) increased their effect on phytochemical production and biomass accumulation in M. dioica. The results indicate that compared with non-elicited cultures, JA- and SA-elicited cell suspension cultures had significantly enhanced phenolic, flavonoid, and carotenoid production, as well as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities. Furthermore, elicited cultures produced 22 phenolic compounds, such as flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids, and hydroxybenzoic acids. Greater biomass production, phytochemical accumulation, and biological activity occurred in JA- than in SA-elicited cell cultures. This study is the first to successfully establish M. dioica cell suspension cultures for the production of phenolic compounds and carotenoids, as well as for biomass accumulation.

  5. Pipette tip with integrated electrodes for gene electrotransfer of cells in suspension: a feasibility study in CHO cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rebersek, Matej; Kanduser, Masa; Miklavcic, Damijan

    2011-01-01

    Gene electrotransfer is a non-viral gene delivery method that requires successful electroporation for DNA delivery into the cells. Changing the direction of the electric field during the pulse application improves the efficacy of gene delivery. In our study, we tested a pipette tip with integrated electrodes that enables changing the direction of the electric field for electroporation of cell suspension for gene electrotransfer. A new pipette tip consists of four cylindrical rod electrodes that allow the application of electric pulses in different electric field directions. The experiments were performed on cell suspension of CHO cells in phosphate buffer. Plasmid DNA encoding for green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used and the efficiency of gene electrotransfer was determined by counting cells expressing GFP 24 h after the experiment. Experimental results showed that the percentage of cells expressing GFP increased when the electric field orientation was changed during the application. The GFP expression was almost two times higher when the pulses were applied in orthogonal directions in comparison with single direction, while cell viability was not significantly affected. We can conclude that results obtained with the described pipette tip are comparable to previously published results on gene electrotransfer using similar electrode geometry and electric pulse parameters. The tested pipette tip, however, allows work with small volumes/samples and requires less cell manipulation

  6. TCS1, a Microtubule-Binding Protein, Interacts with KCBP/ZWICHEL to Regulate Trichome Cell Shape in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liangliang Chen

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available How cell shape is controlled is a fundamental question in developmental biology, but the genetic and molecular mechanisms that determine cell shape are largely unknown. Arabidopsis trichomes have been used as a good model system to investigate cell shape at the single-cell level. Here we describe the trichome cell shape 1 (tcs1 mutants with the reduced trichome branch number in Arabidopsis. TCS1 encodes a coiled-coil domain-containing protein. Pharmacological analyses and observations of microtubule dynamics show that TCS1 influences the stability of microtubules. Biochemical analyses and live-cell imaging indicate that TCS1 binds to microtubules and promotes the assembly of microtubules. Further results reveal that TCS1 physically associates with KCBP/ZWICHEL, a microtubule motor involved in the regulation of trichome branch number. Genetic analyses indicate that kcbp/zwi is epistatic to tcs1 with respect to trichome branch number. Thus, our findings define a novel genetic and molecular mechanism by which TCS1 interacts with KCBP to regulate trichome cell shape by influencing the stability of microtubules.

  7. Gene Inactivation by CRISPR-Cas9 in Nicotiana tabacum BY-2 Suspension Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mercx, Sébastien; Tollet, Jérémie; Magy, Bertrand; Navarre, Catherine; Boutry, Marc

    2016-01-01

    Plant suspension cells are interesting hosts for the heterologous production of pharmacological proteins such as antibodies. They have the advantage to facilitate the containment and the application of good manufacturing practices. Furthermore, antibodies can be secreted to the extracellular medium, which makes the purification steps much simpler. However, improvements are still to be made regarding the quality and the production yield. For instance, the inactivation of proteases and the humanization of glycosylation are both important targets which require either gene silencing or gene inactivation. To this purpose, CRISPR-Cas9 is a very promising technique which has been used recently in a series of plant species, but not yet in plant suspension cells. Here, we sought to use the CRISPR-Cas9 system for gene inactivation in Nicotiana tabacum BY-2 suspension cells. We transformed a transgenic line expressing a red fluorescent protein (mCherry) with a binary vector containing genes coding for Cas9 and three guide RNAs targeting mCherry restriction sites, as well as a bialaphos-resistant (bar) gene for selection. To demonstrate gene inactivation in the transgenic lines, the mCherry gene was PCR-amplified and analyzed by electrophoresis. Seven out of 20 transformants displayed a shortened fragment, indicating that a deletion occurred between two target sites. We also analyzed the transformants by restriction fragment length polymorphism and observed that the three targeted restriction sites were hit. DNA sequencing of the PCR fragments confirmed either deletion between two target sites or single nucleotide deletion. We therefore conclude that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used in N. tabacum BY2 cells.

  8. Knockin’ on pollen’s door: live cell imaging of early polarization events in germinating Arabidopsis pollen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank eVogler

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Pollen tubes are an excellent system for studying the cellular dynamics and complex signaling pathways that coordinate polarized tip growth. Although several signaling mechanisms acting in the tip-growing pollen tube have been described, our knowledge on the subcellular and molecular events during pollen germination and growth site selection at the pollen plasma membrane is rather scarce. To simultaneously track germinating pollen from up to 12 genetically different plants we developed an inexpensive and easy mounting technique, suitable for every standard microscope setup. We performed high magnification live-cell imaging during Arabidopsis pollen activation, germination, and the establishment of pollen tube tip growth by using fluorescent marker lines labeling either the pollen cytoplasm, vesicles, the actin cytoskeleton or the sperm cell nuclei and membranes. Our studies revealed distinctive vesicle and F-actin polarization during pollen activation and characteristic growth kinetics during pollen germination and pollen tube formation. Initially, the germinating Arabidopsis pollen tube grows slowly and forms a uniform roundish bulge, followed by a transition phase with vesicles heavily accumulating at the growth site before switching to rapid tip growth. Furthermore, we found the two sperm cells to be transported into the pollen tube after the phase of rapid tip growth has been initiated. The method presented here is suitable to quantitatively study subcellular events during Arabidopsis pollen germination and growth, and for the detailed analysis of pollen mutants with respect to pollen polarization, bulging, or growth site selection at the pollen plasma membrane.

  9. Acoustic manipulation of bacteria cells suspensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    GutiéRrez-Ramos, Salomé; Hoyos, Mauricio; Aider, Jean Luc; Ruiz, Carlos; Acoustofluidics Team Team; Soft; Bio Group Collaboration

    An acoustic contacless manipulation gives advantages in the exploration of the complex dynamics enviroment that active matter exhibits. Our works reports the control confinement and dispersion of Escherichia coliRP437-pZA3R-YFP suspensions (M9Glu-Ca) via acoustic levitation.The manipulation of the bacteria bath in a parallel plate resonator is achieved using the acoustic radiation force and the secondary radiation force. The primary radiation force generates levitation of the bacteria cells at the nodal plane of the ultrasonic standing wave generated inside the resonator. On the other side, secondary forces leads to the consolidation of stable aggregates. All the experiments were performed in the acoustic trap described, where we excite the emission plate with a continuous sinusoidal signal at a frequency in the order of MHz and a quartz slide as the reflector plate. In a typical experiment we observed that, before the input of the signal, the bacteria cells exhibit their typical run and tumble behavior and after the sound is turned on all of them displace towards the nodal plane, and instantaneously the aggregation begins in this region. CNRS French National Space Studies, CONACYT Mexico.

  10. Neuropharmacological and neuroprotective activities of some metabolites produced by cell suspension culture of Waltheria americana Linn.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mundo, Jorge; Villeda-Hernández, Juana; Herrera-Ruiz, Maribel; Gutiérrez, María Del Carmen; Arellano-García, Jesús; León-Rivera, Ismael; Perea-Arango, Irene

    2017-10-01

    Waltheria americana is a plant used in Mexican traditional medicine to treat some nervous system disorders. The aims of the present study were to isolate and determine the neuropharmacological and neurprotective activities of metabolites produced by a cell suspension culture of Waltheria americana. Submerged cultivation of W. americana cells provided biomass. A methanol-soluble extract (WAsc) was obtained from biomass. WAsc was fractionated yielding the chromatographic fractions 4WAsc-H 2 O and WAsc-CH 2 Cl 2 . For the determination of anticonvulsant activity in vivo, seizures were induced in mice by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). Neuropharmacological activities (release of gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) and neuroprotection) of chromatographic fractions were determined by in vitro histological analysis of brain sections of mice post mortem. Fraction 4WAsc-H 2 O (containing saccharides) did not produce neuronal damage, neurodegeneration, interstitial tissue edema, astrocytic activation, nor cell death. Pretreatment of animals with 4WAsc-H 2 O and WAsc-CH 2 Cl 2 from W. americana cell suspensions induced an increase in: GABA release, seizure latency, survival time, neuroprotection, and a decrease in the degree of severity of tonic/tonic-clonic convulsions, preventing PTZ-induced death of up to 100% of animals of study. Bioactive compounds produced in suspension cell culture of W. americana produce neuroprotective and neuropharmacological activities associated with the GABAergic neurotransmission system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Relations between fatty acid synthesis, pyruvate concentration and cell concentration of suspensions of isolated rat hepatocytes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beynen, A.C.; Geelen, M.J.H.

    1984-01-01

    1. 1. The cell concentration of suspensions of isolated rat hepatocytes affects both the rate of pyruvate accumulation in the incubation medium and the rate of fatty acid synthesis. 2. 2. At low cell concentrations pyruvate accumulation is directly related to the cell concentration but levels off

  12. Synergistic reduction of toluylene blue induced by acetaldehyde and menadione in yeast cell suspension: Application to determination of yeast cell activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiro Yamashoji

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Membrane permeant acetaldehyde and menadione induced the synergistic reduction of toluylene blue (TB acting as non-membrane permeant redox indicator in yeast cell suspension. NADH and acetaldehyde also induced the synergistic TB reduction in permeabilized yeast cells and phosphate buffer, but menadione had no ability to promote TB reduction. The pre-incubation of acetaldehyde inhibited the above synergistic reduction of TB in intact and permeabilized yeast cell suspension. The pre-incubation of acetaldehyde might promote NADH oxidation by alcohol dehydrogenase, because acetaldehyde decreased the intracellular NAD(PH concentration. The above facts indicate that the synergistic reduction of TB is controlled by the order of addition of menadione and acetaldehyde. The synergistic reduction of TB by menadione and acetaldehyde was proportional to viable yeast cell number from 104 to 2×106 cells/ml, and this assay was applicable to cytotoxicity test. The time required for the above assay was only 2 min.

  13. CYCP2;1 integrates genetic and nutritional information to promote meristem cell division in Arabidopsis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Peng, L.; Skylar, A.; Chang, P.L.; Bišová, Kateřina; Wu, X.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 393, č. 2 (2014), s. 160-170 ISSN 0012-1606 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR M200201205 Grant - others:NSF(US) MCB-1122213 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : cell cycle * arabidopsis * meristem Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 3.547, year: 2014

  14. Profilin-Dependent Nucleation and Assembly of Actin Filaments Controls Cell Elongation in Arabidopsis1[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Lingyan; Blanchoin, Laurent; Staiger, Christopher J.

    2016-01-01

    Actin filaments in plant cells are incredibly dynamic; they undergo incessant remodeling and assembly or disassembly within seconds. These dynamic events are choreographed by a plethora of actin-binding proteins, but the exact mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we dissect the contribution of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PROFILIN1 (PRF1), a conserved actin monomer-binding protein, to actin organization and single filament dynamics during axial cell expansion of living epidermal cells. We found that reduced PRF1 levels enhanced cell and organ growth. Surprisingly, we observed that the overall frequency of nucleation events in prf1 mutants was dramatically decreased and that a subpopulation of actin filaments that assemble at high rates was reduced. To test whether profilin cooperates with plant formin proteins to execute actin nucleation and rapid filament elongation in cells, we used a pharmacological approach. Here, we used Small Molecule Inhibitor of Formin FH2 (SMIFH2), after validating its mode of action on a plant formin in vitro, and observed a reduced nucleation frequency of actin filaments in live cells. Treatment of wild-type epidermal cells with SMIFH2 mimicked the phenotype of prf1 mutants, and the nucleation frequency in prf1-2 mutant was completely insensitive to these treatments. Our data provide compelling evidence that PRF1 coordinates the stochastic dynamic properties of actin filaments by modulating formin-mediated actin nucleation and assembly during plant cell expansion. PMID:26574597

  15. Pectin Biosynthesis Is Critical for Cell Wall Integrity and Immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bethke, Gerit; Thao, Amanda; Xiong, Guangyan; Li, Baohua; Soltis, Nicole E; Hatsugai, Noriyuki; Hillmer, Rachel A; Katagiri, Fumiaki; Kliebenstein, Daniel J; Pauly, Markus; Glazebrook, Jane

    2016-02-01

    Plant cell walls are important barriers against microbial pathogens. Cell walls of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves contain three major types of polysaccharides: cellulose, various hemicelluloses, and pectins. UDP-D-galacturonic acid, the key building block of pectins, is produced from the precursor UDP-D-glucuronic acid by the action of glucuronate 4-epimerases (GAEs). Pseudomonas syringae pv maculicola ES4326 (Pma ES4326) repressed expression of GAE1 and GAE6 in Arabidopsis, and immunity to Pma ES4326 was compromised in gae6 and gae1 gae6 mutant plants. These plants had brittle leaves and cell walls of leaves had less galacturonic acid. Resistance to specific Botrytis cinerea isolates was also compromised in gae1 gae6 double mutant plants. Although oligogalacturonide (OG)-induced immune signaling was unaltered in gae1 gae6 mutant plants, immune signaling induced by a commercial pectinase, macerozyme, was reduced. Macerozyme treatment or infection with B. cinerea released less soluble uronic acid, likely reflecting fewer OGs, from gae1 gae6 cell walls than from wild-type Col-0. Although both OGs and macerozyme-induced immunity to B. cinerea in Col-0, only OGs also induced immunity in gae1 gae6. Pectin is thus an important contributor to plant immunity, and this is due at least in part to the induction of immune responses by soluble pectin, likely OGs, that are released during plant-pathogen interactions. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

  16. Electrochemical performance of solid oxide fuel cells having electrolytes made by suspension and solution precursor plasma spraying

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marr, M.; Kuhn, J.; Metcalfe, C.; Harris, J.; Kesler, O.

    2014-01-01

    Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolytes were deposited by suspension plasma spraying (SPS) and solution precursor plasma spraying (SPPS). The electrolytes were evaluated for permeability, microstructure, and electrochemical performance. With SPS, three different suspensions were tested to explore the influence of powder size distribution and liquid properties. Electrolytes made from suspensions of a powder with d50 = 2.6 μm were more gas-tight than those made from suspensions of a powder with d50 = 0.6 μm. A peak open circuit voltage of 1.00 V was measured at 750 °C with a cell with an electrolyte made from a suspension of d50 = 2.6 μm powder. The use of a flammable suspension liquid was beneficial for improving electrolyte conductivity when using lower energy plasmas, but the choice of liquid was less important when using higher energy plasmas. With SPPS, peak electrolyte conductivities were comparable to the peak conductivities of the SPS electrolytes. However, leak rates through the SPPS electrolytes were higher than those through the electrolytes made from suspensions of d50 = 2.6 μm powder. The electrochemical test data on SPPS electrolytes are the first reported in the literature.

  17. 3D Plant Cell Architecture of Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae Using Focused Ion Beam–Scanning Electron Microscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bhawana

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Premise of the study: Focused ion beam–scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM combines the ability to sequentially mill the sample surface and obtain SEM images that can be used to create 3D renderings with micron-level resolution. We have applied FIB-SEM to study Arabidopsis cell architecture. The goal was to determine the efficacy of this technique in plant tissue and cellular studies and to demonstrate its usefulness in studying cell and organelle architecture and distribution. Methods: Seed aleurone, leaf mesophyll, stem cortex, root cortex, and petal lamina from Arabidopsis were fixed and embedded for electron microscopy using protocols developed for animal tissues and modified for use with plant cells. Each sample was sectioned using the FIB and imaged with SEM. These serial images were assembled to produce 3D renderings of each cell type. Results: Organelles such as nuclei and chloroplasts were easily identifiable, and other structures such as endoplasmic reticula, lipid bodies, and starch grains were distinguishable in each tissue. Discussion: The application of FIB-SEM produced 3D renderings of five plant cell types and offered unique views of their shapes and internal content. These results demonstrate the usefulness of FIB-SEM for organelle distribution and cell architecture studies.

  18. Effects of Selected Physicochemical Parameters on Zerumbone Production of Zingiber zerumbet Smith Cell Suspension Culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jalil, Mahanom; Annuar, Mohamad Suffian Mohamad; Tan, Boon Chin; Khalid, Norzulaani

    2015-01-01

    Zingiber zerumbet Smith is an important herb that contains bioactive phytomedicinal compound, zerumbone. To enhance cell growth and production of this useful compound, we investigated the growth conditions of cell suspension culture. Embryogenic callus generated from shoot bud was used to initiate cell suspension culture. The highest specific growth rate of cells was recorded when it was cultured in liquid Murashige and Skoog basal medium containing 3% sucrose with pH 5.7 and incubated under continuous shaking condition of 70 rpm for 16 h light and 8 h dark cycle at 24°C. Our results also revealed that the type of carbohydrate substrate, light regime, agitation speed, and incubation temperature could affect the production of zerumbone. Although the zerumbone produced in this study was not abundant compared to rhizome of Z. zerumbet, the possibility of producing zerumbone during early stage could serve as a model for subsequent improvement.

  19. Effects of Selected Physicochemical Parameters on Zerumbone Production of Zingiber zerumbet Smith Cell Suspension Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahanom Jalil

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Zingiber zerumbet Smith is an important herb that contains bioactive phytomedicinal compound, zerumbone. To enhance cell growth and production of this useful compound, we investigated the growth conditions of cell suspension culture. Embryogenic callus generated from shoot bud was used to initiate cell suspension culture. The highest specific growth rate of cells was recorded when it was cultured in liquid Murashige and Skoog basal medium containing 3% sucrose with pH 5.7 and incubated under continuous shaking condition of 70 rpm for 16 h light and 8 h dark cycle at 24°C. Our results also revealed that the type of carbohydrate substrate, light regime, agitation speed, and incubation temperature could affect the production of zerumbone. Although the zerumbone produced in this study was not abundant compared to rhizome of Z. zerumbet, the possibility of producing zerumbone during early stage could serve as a model for subsequent improvement.

  20. Effects of exogenous growth regulators on cell suspension culture of yin-hong grape (vitis vinifera l.) and establishment of the optimum medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chao, Y.; Feng, J.C.; Yan, W.Y.; Xiao, Y.; Jun, Y.Y

    2015-01-01

    Callus induced by stem of Yin-hong grape (Vitis vinifera L.) was used as materials and B5 medium as basic medium. The major growth parameters of cell suspension cultures with various levels of 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 6-Benzyl aminopurine (6-BA) were investigated to provide a basis for the optimum medium of suspension cell cultures of Yin-hong grape regarding cell number, packed cell volume (PCV), dry cell weight (DCW), cell viability, and morphology. All data were analysed by of two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results showed that the treatment of 6-BA and NAA would effect the cell growth dynamics, probably causing logarithmic phase in advance at higher levels of 6-BA. Different concentration of 6-BA and NAA had significant effects on cells number, PCV, DCW and viability (p<0.05), while no-significant effect was observed on the cells morphology. The optimum medium for suspension cell cultures of Yin-hong grape was identified as B5+1.5 mg/L6-BA+1.5 mg/LNAA+ 250 mg/L casein hydrolysate + 30 g/L sucrose. With the optimum medium, the maximum number of suspension cells after the logarithmic growth phase was 34.78 * 108 / mL, the highest cell viability reached 86.45%.; DCW reached 3.84 g/L and PCV reached 0.092 mL/mL after eight days cultivating. (author)

  1. Efficient Secretion of Recombinant Proteins from Rice Suspension-Cultured Cells Modulated by the Choice of Signal Peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Li-Fen; Tan, Chia-Chun; Yeh, Ju-Fang; Liu, Hsin-Yi; Liu, Yu-Kuo; Ho, Shin-Lon; Lu, Chung-An

    2015-01-01

    Plant-based expression systems have emerged as a competitive platform in the large-scale production of recombinant proteins. By adding a signal peptide, αAmy3sp, the desired recombinant proteins can be secreted outside transgenic rice cells, making them easy to harvest. In this work, to improve the secretion efficiency of recombinant proteins in rice expression systems, various signal peptides including αAmy3sp, CIN1sp, and 33KDsp have been fused to the N-terminus of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and introduced into rice cells to explore the efficiency of secretion of foreign proteins. 33KDsp had better efficiency than αAmy3sp and CIN1sp for the secretion of GFP from calli and suspension-cultured cells. 33KDsp was further applied for the secretion of mouse granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (mGM-CSF) from transgenic rice suspension-cultured cells; approximately 76%-92% of total rice-derived mGM-CSF (rmGM-CSF) was detected in the culture medium. The rmGM-CSF was bioactive and could stimulate the proliferation of a murine myeloblastic leukemia cell line, NSF-60. The extracellular yield of rmGM-CSF reached 31.7 mg/L. Our study indicates that 33KDsp is better at promoting the secretion of recombinant proteins in rice suspension-cultured cell systems than the commonly used αAmy3sp.

  2. Sequence and RT-PCR expression analysis of two peroxidases from Arabidopsis thaliana belonging to a novel evolutionary branch of plant peroxidases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kjaersgård, I V; Jespersen, H M; Rasmussen, S K; Welinder, K G

    1997-03-01

    ; (2) an N-glycosylation site is located right at the entrance to the heme channel. The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to identify mRNAs coding for ATP 1a/b and ATP 2a/b in germinating seeds, seedlings, roots, leaves, stems, flowers and cell suspension culture using elongation factor 1alpha (EF-1alpha) for the first time as a positive control. Both mRNAs were transcribed at levels comparable to EF-1alpha in all plant tissues investigated which were more than two days old, and in cell suspension culture. In addition, the mRNA coding for ATP 1a/b was found in two day old germinating seeds. The abundant transcription of ATP 1a/b and ATP 2a/b is in line with their many entries in dbEST, and indicates essential roles for these novel peroxidases.

  3. Reference: 170 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available rice A et al. 2005 Mar. Plant Cell 17(3):791-803. Environmental time cues, such as photocycles (light/dark) and thermocycles...h is known about entrainment of the Arabidopsis thaliana clock to photocycles, th...e determinants of thermoperception and entrainment to thermocycles are not known. The Arabidopsis PSEUDO-RES... an oscillation after entrainment to thermocycles and to reset its clock in response to cold pulses and thus

  4. Hydrogen Peroxide-induced Cell Death in Arabidopsis : Transcriptional and Mutant Analysis Reveals a Role of an Oxoglutarate-dependent Dioxygenase Gene in the Cell Death Process

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gechev, Tsanko S.; Minkov, Ivan N.; Hille, Jacques

    2005-01-01

    Hydrogen peroxide is a major regulator of plant programmed cell death (PCD) but little is known about the downstream genes from the H2O2-signaling network that mediate the cell death. To address this question, a novel system for studying H2O2-induced programmed cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana was

  5. Single-cell telomere-length quantification couples telomere length to meristem activity and stem cell development in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-García, Mary-Paz; Pavelescu, Irina; Canela, Andrés; Sevillano, Xavier; Leehy, Katherine A; Nelson, Andrew D L; Ibañes, Marta; Shippen, Dorothy E; Blasco, Maria A; Caño-Delgado, Ana I

    2015-05-12

    Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein caps that protect chromosome ends assuring cell division. Single-cell telomere quantification in animals established a critical role for telomerase in stem cells, yet, in plants, telomere-length quantification has been reported only at the organ level. Here, a quantitative analysis of telomere length of single cells in Arabidopsis root apex uncovered a heterogeneous telomere-length distribution of different cell lineages showing the longest telomeres at the stem cells. The defects in meristem and stem cell renewal observed in tert mutants demonstrate that telomere lengthening by TERT sets a replicative limit in the root meristem. Conversely, the long telomeres of the columella cells and the premature stem cell differentiation plt1,2 mutants suggest that differentiation can prevent telomere erosion. Overall, our results indicate that telomere dynamics are coupled to meristem activity and continuous growth, disclosing a critical association between telomere length, stem cell function, and the extended lifespan of plants. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Uptake and metabolism of sugars by suspension-cultured catharanthus roseus cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashihara, Hiroshi; Sagishima, Kyoko; Kubota, Kaoru

    1989-01-01

    The Uptake and metabolism of sugars by suspension-cultured Catharanthus roseus cells were investigated. Substantially all the sucrose in the culture medium was hydrolyzed to glucose and fructose before being taken up by the cells. The activity of invertase bound to cell walls, determined in situ, was high at the early stage of culture. Glucose was more easily taken up by the cells than was fructose. Tracer experiments using [U- 14 C]glucose and [U- 14 C]fructose indicated that glucose is a better precursor for respiration than fructose, while fructose is preferentially utilized for the synthesis of sucrose, especially in the early phase of cell growth. These results suggest that fructose is utilized for the synthesis of sucrose via the reaction catalyzed by sucrose synthase, prior to the phosphorylation by hexokinase or fructokinase

  7. Induction of phytic acid synthesis by abscisic acid in suspension-cultured cells of rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuno, Koya; Fujimura, Tatsuhito

    2014-03-01

    A pathway of phytic acid (PA) synthesis in plants has been revealed via investigations of low phytic acid mutants. However, the regulation of this pathway is not well understood because it is difficult to control the environments of cells in the seeds, where PA is mainly synthesized. We modified a rice suspension culture system in order to study the regulation of PA synthesis. Rice cells cultured with abscisic acid (ABA) accumulate PA at higher levels than cells cultured without ABA, and PA accumulation levels increase with ABA concentration. On the other hand, higher concentrations of sucrose or inorganic phosphorus do not affect PA accumulation. Mutations in the genes RINO1, OsMIK, OsIPK1 and OsLPA1 have each been reported to confer low phytic acid phenotypes in seeds. Each of these genes is upregulated in cells cultured with ABA. OsITPK4 and OsITPK6 are upregulated in cells cultured with ABA and in developing seeds. These results suggest that the regulation of PA synthesis is similar between developing seeds and cells in this suspension culture system. This system will be a powerful tool for elucidating the regulation of PA synthesis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Plant regeneration from haploid cell suspension-derived protoplasts of Mediterranean rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Miara).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guiderdoni, E; Chaïr, H

    1992-11-01

    More than 750 plants were regenerated from protoplasts isolated from microspore callus-derived cell suspensions of the Mediterranean japonica rice Miara, using a nurse-feeder technique and N6-based culture medium. The mean plating efficiency and the mean regeneration ability of the protocalluses were 0.5% and 49% respectively. Flow cytometric evaluation of the DNA contents of 7 month old-cell and protoplast suspensions showed that they were still haploid. Contrastingly, the DNA contents of leaf cell nuclei of the regenerated protoclones ranged from 1C to 5C including 60% 2C plants. This was consistent with the morphological type and the fertility of the mature plants. These results and the absence of chimeric plants suggest that polyploidization occurred during the early phase of protoplast culture.

  9. Xyloglucan Deficiency Disrupts Microtubule Stability and Cellulose Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis, Altering Cell Growth and Morphogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiao, Chaowen; Zhang, Tian; Zheng, Yunzhen; Cosgrove, Daniel J.; Anderson, Charles T.

    2015-11-02

    Xyloglucan constitutes most of the hemicellulose in eudicot primary cell walls and functions in cell wall structure and mechanics. Although Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) xxt1 xxt2 mutants lacking detectable xyloglucan are viable, they display growth defects that are suggestive of alterations in wall integrity. To probe the mechanisms underlying these defects, we analyzed cellulose arrangement, microtubule patterning and dynamics, microtubule- and wall-integrity-related gene expression, and cellulose biosynthesis in xxt1 xxt2 plants. We found that cellulose is highly aligned in xxt1 xxt2 cell walls, that its three-dimensional distribution is altered, and that microtubule patterning and stability are aberrant in etiolated xxt1 xxt2 hypocotyls. We also found that the expression levels of microtubule-associated genes, such as MAP70-5 and CLASP, and receptor genes, such as HERK1 and WAK1, were changed in xxt1 xxt2 plants and that cellulose synthase motility is reduced in xxt1 xxt2 cells, corresponding with a reduction in cellulose content. Our results indicate that loss of xyloglucan affects both the stability of the microtubule cytoskeleton and the production and patterning of cellulose in primary cell walls. These findings establish, to our knowledge, new links between wall integrity, cytoskeletal dynamics, and wall synthesis in the regulation of plant morphogenesis.

  10. Use of sulfate reducing cell suspension bioreactors for the treatment of SO2 rich flue gases

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lens, P.N.L.; Gastesi, R.; Lettinga, G.

    2003-01-01

    This paper describes a novel bioscrubber concept for biological flue gas desulfurization, based on the recycling of a cell suspension of sulfite/sulfate reducing bacteria between a scrubber and a sulfite/sulfate reducing hydrogen fed bioreactor. Hydrogen metabolism in sulfite/sulfate reducing cell

  11. Model-Based Analysis of Arabidopsis Leaf Epidermal Cells Reveals Distinct Division and Expansion Patterns for Pavement and Guard Cells1[W][OA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asl, Leila Kheibarshekan; Dhondt, Stijn; Boudolf, Véronique; Beemster, Gerrit T.S.; Beeckman, Tom; Inzé, Dirk; Govaerts, Willy; De Veylder, Lieven

    2011-01-01

    To efficiently capture sunlight for photosynthesis, leaves typically develop into a flat and thin structure. This development is driven by cell division and expansion, but the individual contribution of these processes is currently unknown, mainly because of the experimental difficulties to disentangle them in a developing organ, due to their tight interconnection. To circumvent this problem, we built a mathematic model that describes the possible division patterns and expansion rates for individual epidermal cells. This model was used to fit experimental data on cell numbers and sizes obtained over time intervals of 1 d throughout the development of the first leaf pair of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The parameters were obtained by a derivative-free optimization method that minimizes the differences between the predicted and experimentally observed cell size distributions. The model allowed us to calculate probabilities for a cell to divide into guard or pavement cells, the maximum size at which it can divide, and its average cell division and expansion rates at each point during the leaf developmental process. Surprisingly, average cell cycle duration remained constant throughout leaf development, whereas no evidence for a maximum cell size threshold for cell division of pavement cells was found. Furthermore, the model predicted that neighboring cells of different sizes within the epidermis expand at distinctly different relative rates, which could be verified by direct observations. We conclude that cell division seems to occur independently from the status of cell expansion, whereas the cell cycle might act as a timer rather than as a size-regulated machinery. PMID:21693673

  12. Allyl isothiocyanate affects the cell cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Signe Elisabeth Åsberg

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Isothiocyanates (ITCs are degradation products of glucosinolates present in members of the Brassicaceae family acting as herbivore repellents and antimicrobial compounds. Recent results indicate that allyl ITC (AITC has a role in defense responses such as glutathione depletion, ROS generation and stomatal closure. In this study we show that exposure to non-lethal concentrations of AITC causes a shift in the cell cycle distribution of Arabidopsis thaliana leading to accumulation of cells in S-phases and a reduced number of cells in non-replicating phases. Furthermore, transcriptional analysis revealed an AITC-induced up-regulation of the gene encoding cyclin-dependent kinase A while several genes encoding mitotic proteins were down-regulated, suggesting an inhibition of mitotic processes. Interestingly, visualization of DNA synthesis indicated that exposure to AITC reduced the rate of DNA replication. Taken together, these results indicate that non-lethal concentrations of AITC induce cells of A. thaliana to enter the cell cycle and accumulate in S-phases, presumably as a part of a defensive response. Thus, this study suggests that AITC has several roles in plant defense and add evidence to the growing data supporting a multifunctional role of glucosinolates and their degradation products in plants.

  13. Catalase and NO CATALASE ACTIVITY1 Promote Autophagy-Dependent Cell Death in Arabidopsis[C][W][OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hackenberg, Thomas; Juul, Trine; Auzina, Aija; Gwiżdż, Sonia; Małolepszy, Anna; Van Der Kelen, Katrien; Dam, Svend; Bressendorff, Simon; Lorentzen, Andrea; Roepstorff, Peter; Lehmann Nielsen, Kåre; Jørgensen, Jan-Elo; Hofius, Daniel; Breusegem, Frank Van; Petersen, Morten; Andersen, Stig Uggerhøj

    2013-01-01

    Programmed cell death often depends on generation of reactive oxygen species, which can be detoxified by antioxidative enzymes, including catalases. We previously isolated catalase-deficient mutants (cat2) in a screen for resistance to hydroxyurea-induced cell death. Here, we identify an Arabidopsis thaliana hydroxyurea-resistant autophagy mutant, atg2, which also shows reduced sensitivity to cell death triggered by the bacterial effector avrRpm1. To test if catalase deficiency likewise affected both hydroxyurea and avrRpm1 sensitivity, we selected mutants with extremely low catalase activities and showed that they carried mutations in a gene that we named NO CATALASE ACTIVITY1 (NCA1). nca1 mutants showed severely reduced activities of all three catalase isoforms in Arabidopsis, and loss of NCA1 function led to strong suppression of RPM1-triggered cell death. Basal and starvation-induced autophagy appeared normal in the nca1 and cat2 mutants. By contrast, autophagic degradation induced by avrRpm1 challenge was compromised, indicating that catalase acted upstream of immunity-triggered autophagy. The direct interaction of catalase with reactive oxygen species could allow catalase to act as a molecular link between reactive oxygen species and the promotion of autophagy-dependent cell death. PMID:24285797

  14. Arabidopsis brassinosteroid biosynthetic mutant dwarf7-1 exhibits slower rates of cell division and shoot induction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schulz Burkhard

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Plant growth depends on both cell division and cell expansion. Plant hormones, including brassinosteroids (BRs, are central to the control of these two cellular processes. Despite clear evidence that BRs regulate cell elongation, their roles in cell division have remained elusive. Results Here, we report results emphasizing the importance of BRs in cell division. An Arabidopsis BR biosynthetic mutant, dwarf7-1, displayed various characteristics attributable to slower cell division rates. We found that the DWARF4 gene which encodes for an enzyme catalyzing a rate-determining step in the BR biosynthetic pathways, is highly expressed in the actively dividing callus, suggesting that BR biosynthesis is necessary for dividing cells. Furthermore, dwf7-1 showed noticeably slower rates of callus growth and shoot induction relative to wild-type control. Flow cytometric analyses of the nuclei derived from either calli or intact roots revealed that the cell division index, which was represented as the ratio of cells at the G2/M vs. G1 phases, was smaller in dwf7-1 plants. Finally, we found that the expression levels of the genes involved in cell division and shoot induction, such as PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN2 (PCNA2 and ENHANCER OF SHOOT REGENERATION2 (ESR2, were also lower in dwf7-1 as compared with wild type. Conclusions Taken together, results of callus induction, shoot regeneration, flow cytometry, and semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis suggest that BRs play important roles in both cell division and cell differentiation in Arabidopsis.

  15. Reference: 398 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available modulate the photosynthetic potential of plant cells. Identification of genes required for light-induced chloroplast movement... is beginning to define the molecular machinery that controls these movement...s. In this work, we describe plastid movement impaired 2 (pmi2), a mutant in Arabidopsis (Arabi...dopsis thaliana) that displays attenuated chloroplast movements under intermediate and high light intensitie...s while maintaining a normal movement response under low light intensities. In wi

  16. Efficient Plastid Transformation in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Qiguo; Lutz, Kerry Ann; Maliga, Pal

    2017-09-01

    Plastid transformation is routine in tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ) but 100-fold less frequent in Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ), preventing its use in plastid biology. A recent study revealed that null mutations in ACC2 , encoding a plastid-targeted acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, cause hypersensitivity to spectinomycin. We hypothesized that plastid transformation efficiency should increase in the acc2 background, because when ACC2 is absent, fatty acid biosynthesis becomes dependent on translation of the plastid-encoded ACC β-carboxylase subunit. We bombarded ACC2 -defective Arabidopsis leaves with a vector carrying a selectable spectinomycin resistance ( aadA ) gene and gfp , encoding the green fluorescence protein GFP. Spectinomycin-resistant clones were identified as green cell clusters on a spectinomycin medium. Plastid transformation was confirmed by GFP accumulation from the second open reading frame of a polycistronic messenger RNA, which would not be translated in the cytoplasm. We obtained one to two plastid transformation events per bombarded sample in spectinomycin-hypersensitive Slavice and Columbia acc2 knockout backgrounds, an approximately 100-fold enhanced plastid transformation frequency. Slavice and Columbia are accessions in which plant regeneration is uncharacterized or difficult to obtain. A practical system for Arabidopsis plastid transformation will be obtained by creating an ACC2 null background in a regenerable Arabidopsis accession. The recognition that the duplicated ACCase in Arabidopsis is an impediment to plastid transformation provides a rational template to implement plastid transformation in related recalcitrant crops. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  17. Isolation of UV-sensitive mutants of mouse L5178Y cells by a cell suspension spotting method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shiomi, T.; Hieda-Shiomi, N.; Sato, K.

    1982-01-01

    We have isolated 56 UV-sensitive mutant clones from a mouse L51 T/t line of L5178Y cells by a cell suspension spotting method. Five mutants have also been isolated from L51 T/t and L5178Y cells by the method reported by Thompson and coworkers. We divided the mutants into two groups, highly sensitive and moderately sensitive mutants, according to their sensitivity to UV irradiation. Fifty-eight mutants were highly sensitive and three were moderately sensitive to UV. The reconstruction experiments indicate that more than 90% of highly sensitive mutants were recovered by the cell suspension spotting method. Frequencies of recovered mutants highly sensitive to UV increased with increasing dose of mutagens. Recovered mutant frequency reached 10(-2) after treatment with 1.5 micrograms/ml of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) (survival 0.2%). Eight UV-sensitive mutants were divided into four complementation groups. These mutants were 2-6 times more sensitive to UV than parental L51 T/t cells in terms of D37 (dose required to reduce survival to 37%). Four representative UV-sensitive mutants which are classified into different complementation groups were examined for their sensitivity to killing by UV, 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), mitomycin C (MMC), X-rays, and MNNG. All four classes of mutants were found to be cross-sensitive to UV, 4NQO, and MMC, but not sensitive to X-rays and MNNG

  18. Lignin monomer composition affects Arabidopsis cell-wall degradability after liquid hot water pretreatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ladisch Michael

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Lignin is embedded in the plant cell wall matrix, and impedes the enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic feedstocks. To investigate whether enzymatic digestibility of cell wall materials can be improved by altering the relative abundance of the two major lignin monomers, guaiacyl (G and syringyl (S subunits, we compared the degradability of cell wall material from wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana with a mutant line and a genetically modified line, the lignins of which are enriched in G and S subunits, respectively. Results Arabidopsis tissue containing G- and S-rich lignins had the same saccharification performance as the wild type when subjected to enzyme hydrolysis without pretreatment. After a 24-hour incubation period, less than 30% of the total glucan was hydrolyzed. By contrast, when liquid hot water (LHW pretreatment was included before enzyme hydrolysis, the S-lignin-rich tissue gave a much higher glucose yield than either the wild-type or G-lignin-rich tissue. Applying a hot-water washing step after the pretreatment did not lead to a further increase in final glucose yield, but the initial hydrolytic rate was doubled. Conclusions Our analyses using the model plant A. thaliana revealed that lignin composition affects the enzymatic digestibility of LHW pretreated plant material. Pretreatment is more effective in enhancing the saccharification of A. thaliana cell walls that contain S-rich lignin. Increasing lignin S monomer content through genetic engineering may be a promising approach to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of biomass to biofuel conversion.

  19. Microarray Expression Analyses of Arabidopsis Guard Cells and Isolation of a Recessive Abscisic Acid Hypersensitive Protein Phosphatase 2C MutantW⃞

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonhardt, Nathalie; Kwak, June M.; Robert, Nadia; Waner, David; Leonhardt, Guillaume; Schroeder, Julian I.

    2004-01-01

    Oligomer-based DNA Affymetrix GeneChips representing about one-third of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genes were used to profile global gene expression in a single cell type, guard cells, identifying 1309 guard cell–expressed genes. Highly pure preparations of guard cells and mesophyll cells were isolated in the presence of transcription inhibitors that prevented induction of stress-inducible genes during cell isolation procedures. Guard cell expression profiles were compared with those of mesophyll cells, resulting in identification of 64 transcripts expressed preferentially in guard cells. Many large gene families and gene duplications are known to exist in the Arabidopsis genome, giving rise to redundancies that greatly hamper conventional genetic and functional genomic analyses. The presented genomic scale analysis identifies redundant expression of specific isoforms belonging to large gene families at the single cell level, which provides a powerful tool for functional genomic characterization of the many signaling pathways that function in guard cells. Reverse transcription–PCR of 29 genes confirmed the reliability of GeneChip results. Statistical analyses of promoter regions of abscisic acid (ABA)–regulated genes reveal an overrepresented ABA responsive motif, which is the known ABA response element. Interestingly, expression profiling reveals ABA modulation of many known guard cell ABA signaling components at the transcript level. We further identified a highly ABA-induced protein phosphatase 2C transcript, AtP2C-HA, in guard cells. A T-DNA disruption mutation in AtP2C-HA confers ABA-hypersensitive regulation of stomatal closing and seed germination. The presented data provide a basis for cell type–specific genomic scale analyses of gene function. PMID:14973164

  20. Ascorbic acid deficiency activates cell death and disease resistance responses in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavet, Valeria; Olmos, Enrique; Kiddle, Guy; Mowla, Shaheen; Kumar, Sanjay; Antoniw, John; Alvarez, María E; Foyer, Christine H

    2005-11-01

    Programmed cell death, developmental senescence, and responses to pathogens are linked through complex genetic controls that are influenced by redox regulation. Here we show that the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) low vitamin C mutants, vtc1 and vtc2, which have between 10% and 25% of wild-type ascorbic acid, exhibit microlesions, express pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, and have enhanced basal resistance against infections caused by Pseudomonas syringae. The mutants have a delayed senescence phenotype with smaller leaf cells than the wild type at maturity. The vtc leaves have more glutathione than the wild type, with higher ratios of reduced glutathione to glutathione disulfide. Expression of green fluorescence protein (GFP) fused to the nonexpressor of PR protein 1 (GFP-NPR1) was used to detect the presence of NPR1 in the nuclei of transformed plants. Fluorescence was observed in the nuclei of 6- to 8-week-old GFP-NPR1 vtc1 plants, but not in the nuclei of transformed GFP-NPR1 wild-type plants at any developmental stage. The absence of senescence-associated gene 12 (SAG12) mRNA at the time when constitutive cell death and basal resistance were detected confirms that elaboration of innate immune responses in vtc plants does not result from activation of early senescence. Moreover, H2O2-sensitive genes are not induced at the time of systemic acquired resistance execution. These results demonstrate that ascorbic acid abundance modifies the threshold for activation of plant innate defense responses via redox mechanisms that are independent of the natural senescence program.

  1. Glutamine synthetase activity in solanaceous cell suspensions accumulating alkaloids or not. 13C NMR and enzymatic assay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mesnard, F.; Marty, D.; Monti, J.P.; Gillet-Manceau, F.; Fliniaux, M.A.

    1999-01-01

    The metabolism of labelled pyruvate followed by 13 C NMR and the measure of glutamine synthetase (GS) showed, according to previous results, a high activity of this enzyme in suspension cells of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. This activity could derive glutamate from the alkaloid synthesizing pathways. However, a recent work showed that the rate of the GS gene transcription was inversely proportional to the Gln/Glu ratio. The measures of Gln and Glu concentrations in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cells revealed that high GS activity correlates with the weak value of Gln/Glu ratio. Therefore, the hypothesis of GS dysfunction for the non-biosynthesis of alkaloids in N. plumbaginifolia suspension cells can be discarded. This conclusion is strengthened by the results obtained when using a GS inhibitor. (author)

  2. Programmed cell death induced by high levels of cytokinin in Arabidopsis cultured cells is mediated by the cytokinin receptor CRE1/AHK4

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vescovi, M.; Riefler, M.; Gessuti, M.; Novák, Ondřej; Schmülling, T.; Lo Schiavo, F.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 63, č. 7 (2012), s. 2825-2832 ISSN 0022-0957 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : Arabidopsis cultured cells * cytokinin * histidine kinase cytokinin receptors Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.242, year: 2012

  3. An extensive microarray analysis of AAL-toxin-induced cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana brings new insights into the complexity of programmed cell death in plants

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gechev, T.S.; Gadjev, I.Z.; Hille, J.

    2004-01-01

    A T-DNA knockout of the Arabidopsis homologue of the tomato disease resistance gene Asc was obtained. The asc gene renders plants sensitive to programmed cell death (PCD) triggered by the fungal AAL toxin. To obtain more insights into the nature of AAL-toxin-induced cell death and to identify genes

  4. Glycyrrhiza glabra (Linn.) and Lavandula officinalis (L.) cell suspension cultures-based biotransformation of β-artemether.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Suman; Gaur, Rashmi; Upadhyaya, Mohita; Mathur, Archana; Mathur, Ajay K; Bhakuni, Rajendra S

    2011-07-01

    The biotransformation of β-artemether (1) by cell suspension cultures of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Lavandula officinalis is reported here for the first time. The major biotransformed product appeared as a grayish-blue color spot on thin-layer chromatography (TLC) with transparent crystal-like texture. Based on its infrared (IR) and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, the product was characterized as a tetrahydrofuran (THF)-acetate derivative (2). The highest conversion efficiencies of 57 and 60% were obtained when 8-9-day-old cell suspensions of G. glabra and L. officinalis were respectively fed with 4-7 mg of compound 1 in 40 ml of medium per culture and the cells were harvested after 2-5 days of incubation. The addition of compound 1 at the beginning of the culture cycle caused severe growth depression in a dose-dependent manner, resulting in poor bioconversion efficiency of ~25% at 2-5 mg/culture dose only.

  5. MALDI-TOF MS and CE-LIF Fingerprinting of Plant Cell Wall Polysaccharide Digests as a Screening Tool for Arabidopsis Cell Wall Mutants

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Westphal, Y.; Schols, H.A.; Voragen, A.G.J.; Gruppen, H.

    2010-01-01

    Cell wall materials derived from leaves and hypocotyls of Arabidopsis mutant and wild type plants have been incubated with a mixture of pure and well-defined pectinases, hemicellulases, and cellulases. The resulting oligosaccharides have been subjected to MALDI-TOF MS and CE-LIF analysis. MALDI-TOF

  6. Cytoplasmic Acidification and Secondary Metabolite Production in Different Plant Cell Suspensions (A Comparative Study).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagendoorn, MJM.; Wagner, A. M.; Segers, G.; Van Der Plas, LHW.; Oostdam, A.; Van Walraven, H. S.

    1994-10-01

    In this study, a correlation is described between low cytoplasmic pH, measured with the fluorescent probes 2[prime],7[prime]-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-(and-6)-carboxyfluorescein (acetoxymethyl ester) and bis- [3-propyl-5-oxoisoxazol-4-yl]pentamethine oxonol, and the production of secondary metabolites for several plant cell-suspension systems. Anthraquinone production in Morinda citrifolia suspensions is negligible in the presence of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), whereas with naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) a significant accumulation is realized. NAA-grown cells showed a lower cytoplasmic pH than did 2,4-D-grown cells. Addition of 2,4-D or parachlorophenoxy acetic acid to NAA-grown cells resulted in an inhibition of anthraquinone production and an increase of the cytoplasmic pH, whereas addition of parachlorophenyl acetic acid had no effect on either parameter. Lignin production in Petunia hybrida cells could be induced by subculturing them in a medium without iron. These cells showed a lower cytoplasmic pH than control cells. Addition of Fe3+ led to a decreased lignin content and an increased cytoplasmic pH. Two cell lines of Linum flavum showed a different level of coniferin and lignin concentration in their cells. Cells that accumulated coniferin and lignin had a lower cytoplasmic pH than cells that did not accumulate these secondary metabolites. Apparently, in different species and after different kinds of treatment there is a correlation between acidification of the cytoplasm and the production of different secondary metabolites. The possible role of this acidification in secondary metabolite production is discussed.

  7. Investigation of roles for LRR-RLKs PNL1 and PNL2 in asymmetric cell division in Arabidopsis thaliana

    OpenAIRE

    Rodriguez, Maiti Celina

    2008-01-01

    Asymmetric cell division is a vital component of plant development. It enables cell differentiation and cell diversity. A key component of asymmetric cell division is cell signaling. Signals are believed to control polarization and orientation of asymmetric divisions during stomatal development. The findings of this report suggest that PNL1 and PNL2, two LRR-RLKs found in Arabidopsis and closely related to maize PAN1 LRR-RLK, are possibly involved in the signaling events occurring during the ...

  8. AtMMS21, an SMC5/6 complex subunit, is involved in stem cell niche maintenance and DNA damage responses in Arabidopsis roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Panglian; Yuan, Dongke; Liu, Ming; Li, Chunxin; Liu, Yiyang; Zhang, Shengchun; Yao, Nan; Yang, Chengwei

    2013-04-01

    Plants maintain stem cells in meristems to sustain lifelong growth; these stem cells must have effective DNA damage responses to prevent mutations that can propagate to large parts of the plant. However, the molecular links between stem cell functions and DNA damage responses remain largely unexplored. Here, we report that the small ubiquitin-related modifier E3 ligase AtMMS21 (for methyl methanesulfonate sensitivity gene21) acts to maintain the root stem cell niche by mediating DNA damage responses in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Mutation of AtMMS21 causes defects in the root stem cell niche during embryogenesis and postembryonic stages. AtMMS21 is essential for the proper expression of stem cell niche-defining transcription factors. Moreover, mms21-1 mutants are hypersensitive to DNA-damaging agents, have a constitutively increased DNA damage response, and have more DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in the roots. Also, mms21-1 mutants exhibit spontaneous cell death within the root stem cell niche, and treatment with DSB-inducing agents increases this cell death, suggesting that AtMMS21 is required to prevent DSB-induced stem cell death. We further show that AtMMS21 functions as a subunit of the STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE OF CHROMOSOMES5/6 complex, an evolutionarily conserved chromosomal ATPase required for DNA repair. These data reveal that AtMMS21 acts in DSB amelioration and stem cell niche maintenance during Arabidopsis root development.

  9. Experimental and analytical study of oxygen depletion in stirred cell suspensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whillans, D.W.; Rauth, A.M.

    1980-01-01

    The determination and maintenance of constant low but non-zero levels of oxygen is critical in the study of the radiation chemical interactions of nitroimidazoles in mammalian cells in vitro. As well, many of these chemicals have increased toxicity toward hypoxic compared to aerobic cells, although absolute hypoxia probably is not required. Both of these phenomena must be investigated in systems where significant consumption of oxygen takes place, either through radiation depletion or by cellular metabolism. In this paper an analysis has been made of the form of oxygen depletion in stirred cell suspensions with overlying gas phase, and it has been found to conform to the relationship (C[t] - C/sub infinity/) = (C[0] - C/sub infinity/) exp(-k 1 t), where C/sub infinity/ = C/sub g/ - R/k 1 . Here C[t] is the oxygen tension throughout the solution; C/sub g/, the equivalent level in the overlying gas phase; R (concentration units per sec), the depletion rate; k 1 (sec/sup -1/), a physical constant independent of oxygen concentration and depletion rate; and C/sub infinity/, the oxygen level in solution approached at long times. This relationship has been confirmed in detail using a Clark-type oxygen sensor and a high-stability amplifier design due to Koch. Since oxygen levels down to a few hundred parts per million can be determined with accuracy, it has been possible to measure precisely the oxygen levels present in our experimental systems. Implications of these results for the interpretation of data obtained in stirred cell suspension with overlying gas phase under conditions of consumption are discussed

  10. METACASPASE9 modulates autophagy to confine cell death to the target cells during Arabidopsis vascular xylem differentiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sacha Escamez

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available We uncovered that the level of autophagy in plant cells undergoing programmed cell death determines the fate of the surrounding cells. Our approach consisted of using Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures capable of differentiating into two different cell types: vascular tracheary elements (TEs that undergo programmed cell death (PCD and protoplast autolysis, and parenchymatic non-TEs that remain alive. The TE cell type displayed higher levels of autophagy when expression of the TE-specific METACASPASE9 (MC9 was reduced using RNAi (MC9-RNAi. Misregulation of autophagy in the MC9-RNAi TEs coincided with ectopic death of the non-TEs, implying the existence of an autophagy-dependent intercellular signalling from within the TEs towards the non-TEs. Viability of the non-TEs was restored when AUTOPHAGY2 (ATG2 was downregulated specifically in MC9-RNAi TEs, demonstrating the importance of autophagy in the spatial confinement of cell death. Our results suggest that other eukaryotic cells undergoing PCD might also need to tightly regulate their level of autophagy to avoid detrimental consequences for the surrounding cells.

  11. A phytochemical study of lignans in whole plants and cell suspension cultures of Anthriscus sylvestris

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koulman, A; Kubbinga, M.E.; Batterman, S; Woerdenbag, H.J.; Pras, N.; Woolley, J.G.; Quax, Wim

    2003-01-01

    In the roots of Anthriscus sylvestris 12 different lignans were detected. Arctigenin, dimethylmatairesinol, dimethylthujaplicatin, podophyllotoxin, 7-hydroxyyatein and 7-hydroxyanhydropodorhizol have not been previously reported to be present in A. sylvestris. In the cell suspension cultures, which

  12. Arabidopsis leucine-rich repeat extensin (LRX) proteins modify cell wall composition and influence plant growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Draeger, Christian; Ndinyanka Fabrice, Tohnyui; Gineau, Emilie; Mouille, Grégory; Kuhn, Benjamin M; Moller, Isabel; Abdou, Marie-Therese; Frey, Beat; Pauly, Markus; Bacic, Antony; Ringli, Christoph

    2015-06-24

    Leucine-rich repeat extensins (LRXs) are extracellular proteins consisting of an N-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain and a C-terminal extensin domain containing the typical features of this class of structural hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins (HRGPs). The LRR domain is likely to bind an interaction partner, whereas the extensin domain has an anchoring function to insolubilize the protein in the cell wall. Based on the analysis of the root hair-expressed LRX1 and LRX2 of Arabidopsis thaliana, LRX proteins are important for cell wall development. The importance of LRX proteins in non-root hair cells and on the structural changes induced by mutations in LRX genes remains elusive. The LRX gene family of Arabidopsis consists of eleven members, of which LRX3, LRX4, and LRX5 are expressed in aerial organs, such as leaves and stem. The importance of these LRX genes for plant development and particularly cell wall formation was investigated. Synergistic effects of mutations with gradually more severe growth retardation phenotypes in double and triple mutants suggest a similar function of the three genes. Analysis of cell wall composition revealed a number of changes to cell wall polysaccharides in the mutants. LRX3, LRX4, and LRX5, and most likely LRX proteins in general, are important for cell wall development. Due to the complexity of changes in cell wall structures in the lrx mutants, the exact function of LRX proteins remains to be determined. The increasingly strong growth-defect phenotypes in double and triple mutants suggests that the LRX proteins have similar functions and that they are important for proper plant development.

  13. Reflection coefficients of permeant molecules in human red cell suspensions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owen, J D; Eyring, E M

    1975-08-01

    The Staverman reflection coefficient, sigma for several permeant molecules was determined in human red cell suspensions with a Durrum stopped-flow spectrophotometer. This procedure was first used with dog, cat, and beef red cells and with human red cells. The stopped-flow technique used was similar to the rapid-flow method used by those who originally reported sigma measurements in human red cells for molecules which rapidly penetrate the red cell membrane. The sigma values we obtained agreed with those previously reported for most of the slow penetrants, except malonamide, but disagreed with all the sigma values previously reported for the rapid penetrants. We were unable to calculate an "equivalent pore radius" with our sigma data. The advantages of our equipment and our experimental procedure are discussed. Our sigma data suggest that sigma is indirectly proportional to the log of the nonelectrolyte permeability coefficient, omega. Since a similar trend has been previously shown for log omega and molar volume of the permeant molecules, a correlatioo was shown between sigma and molar volume suggesting the membrane acts as a sieve.

  14. Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of the Response to Zinc, Magnesium, and Calcium Deficiency in Specific Cell Types of Arabidopsis Roots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoichiro Fukao

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The proteome profiles of specific cell types have recently been investigated using techniques such as fluorescence activated cell sorting and laser capture microdissection. However, quantitative proteomic analysis of specific cell types has not yet been performed. In this study, to investigate the response of the proteome to zinc, magnesium, and calcium deficiency in specific cell types of Arabidopsis thaliana roots, we performed isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics using GFP-expressing protoplasts collected by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Protoplasts were collected from the pGL2-GFPer and pMGP-GFPer marker lines for epidermis or inner cell lines (pericycle, endodermis, and cortex, respectively. To increase the number of proteins identified, iTRAQ-labeled peptides were separated into 24 fractions by OFFGFEL electrophoresis prior to high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry analysis. Overall, 1039 and 737 proteins were identified and quantified in the epidermal and inner cell lines, respectively. Interestingly, the expression of many proteins was decreased in the epidermis by mineral deficiency, although a weaker effect was observed in inner cell lines such as the pericycle, endodermis, and cortex. Here, we report for the first time the quantitative proteomics of specific cell types in Arabidopsis roots.

  15. Optimizing the transient transfection process of HEK-293 suspension cells for protein production by nucleotide ratio monitoring

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Los Milagros Bassani Molinas, Maria; Beer, Christiane; Hesse, F

    2014-01-01

    Large scale, transient gene expression (TGE) is highly dependent of the physiological status of a cell line. Therefore, intracellular nucleotide pools and ratios were used for identifying and monitoring the optimal status of a suspension cell line used for TGE. The transfection efficiency upon po...

  16. An Arabidopsis kinase cascade influences auxin-responsive cell expansion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enders, Tara A; Frick, Elizabeth M; Strader, Lucia C

    2017-10-01

    Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MPK) cascades are conserved mechanisms of signal transduction across eukaryotes. Despite the importance of MPK proteins in signaling events, specific roles for many Arabidopsis MPK proteins remain unknown. Multiple studies have suggested roles for MPK signaling in a variety of auxin-related processes. To identify MPK proteins with roles in auxin response, we screened mpk insertional alleles and identified mpk1-1 as a mutant that displays hypersensitivity in auxin-responsive cell expansion assays. Further, mutants defective in the upstream MAP kinase kinase MKK3 also display hypersensitivity in auxin-responsive cell expansion assays, suggesting that this MPK cascade affects auxin-influenced cell expansion. We found that MPK1 interacts with and phosphorylates ROP BINDING PROTEIN KINASE 1 (RBK1), a protein kinase that interacts with members of the Rho-like GTPases from Plants (ROP) small GTPase family. Similar to mpk1-1 and mkk3-1 mutants, rbk1 insertional mutants display auxin hypersensitivity, consistent with a possible role for RBK1 downstream of MPK1 in influencing auxin-responsive cell expansion. We found that RBK1 directly phosphorylates ROP4 and ROP6, supporting the possibility that RBK1 effects on auxin-responsive cell expansion are mediated through phosphorylation-dependent modulation of ROP activity. Our data suggest a MKK3 • MPK1 • RBK1 phosphorylation cascade that may provide a dynamic module for altering cell expansion. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Effects of oligosaccharides from endophytic Fusarium oxysporum Dzf17 on activities of defense-related enzymes in Dioscorea zingiberensis suspension cell and seedling cultures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peiqin Li

    2014-07-01

    Conclusions: Both EOS and WOS significantly increased the activities of PAL, PPO and POD in the suspension cell and seedling cultures of D. zingiberensis. The results suggested that the oligosaccharides from the endophytic fungus F. oxysporum Dzf17 may be related to the activation and enhancement of the defensive mechanisms of D. zingiberensis suspension cell and seedling cultures.

  18. Phagocytosis in phosphate chromium (III) suspensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cruz-Arencibia, Jorge; Fano Machín, Yoiz; Cruz-Morales, Ahmed; Tamayo Fuente, Radamés; Morín-Zorrilla, José

    2015-01-01

    Phagocytosis in vivo and in vitro of a suspension of chromic phosphate (III) labeled with 51 Cr and 32 P is studied. The radioactive particles dispersed in a media of 2 % gelatin in acetate buffer pH 4-4.5 have a predominant size of 0.8 μm and 5 μm. According with biodistribution experiments in rats after 30 minutes near the 80 % of radioactivity is registered in the liver, probably associated with phagocytosis of the particles by liver Kupffer cells. Is also showed that the suspension particles are phagocytized in vitro by mouse peritoneal macrophages. This facts indicate that the studied suspension have appropriate characteristics to be used in radiosynoviorthesis according to the principal action mechanism described for this procedure, particles phagocytosis by cells present in the inflamed synovium. (author)

  19. Subcellular and supracellular mechanical stress prescribes cytoskeleton behavior in Arabidopsis cotyledon pavement cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampathkumar, Arun; Krupinski, Pawel; Wightman, Raymond; Milani, Pascale; Berquand, Alexandre; Boudaoud, Arezki; Hamant, Olivier; Jönsson, Henrik; Meyerowitz, Elliot M

    2014-01-01

    Although it is a central question in biology, how cell shape controls intracellular dynamics largely remains an open question. Here, we show that the shape of Arabidopsis pavement cells creates a stress pattern that controls microtubule orientation, which then guides cell wall reinforcement. Live-imaging, combined with modeling of cell mechanics, shows that microtubules align along the maximal tensile stress direction within the cells, and atomic force microscopy demonstrates that this leads to reinforcement of the cell wall parallel to the microtubules. This feedback loop is regulated: cell-shape derived stresses could be overridden by imposed tissue level stresses, showing how competition between subcellular and supracellular cues control microtubule behavior. Furthermore, at the microtubule level, we identified an amplification mechanism in which mechanical stress promotes the microtubule response to stress by increasing severing activity. These multiscale feedbacks likely contribute to the robustness of microtubule behavior in plant epidermis. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01967.001 PMID:24740969

  20. Functional Analysis of Cellulose and Xyloglucan in the Walls of Stomatal Guard Cells of Arabidopsis1[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rui, Yue; Anderson, Charles T.

    2016-01-01

    Stomatal guard cells are pairs of specialized epidermal cells that control water and CO2 exchange between the plant and the environment. To fulfill the functions of stomatal opening and closure that are driven by changes in turgor pressure, guard cell walls must be both strong and flexible, but how the structure and dynamics of guard cell walls enable stomatal function remains poorly understood. To address this question, we applied cell biological and genetic analyses to investigate guard cell walls and their relationship to stomatal function in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Using live-cell spinning disk confocal microscopy, we measured the motility of cellulose synthase (CESA)-containing complexes labeled by green fluorescent protein (GFP)-CESA3 and observed a reduced proportion of GFP-CESA3 particles colocalizing with microtubules upon stomatal closure. Imaging cellulose organization in guard cells revealed a relatively uniform distribution of cellulose in the open state and a more fibrillar pattern in the closed state, indicating that cellulose microfibrils undergo dynamic reorganization during stomatal movements. In cesa3je5 mutants defective in cellulose synthesis and xxt1 xxt2 mutants lacking the hemicellulose xyloglucan, stomatal apertures, changes in guard cell length, and cellulose reorganization were aberrant during fusicoccin-induced stomatal opening or abscisic acid-induced stomatal closure, indicating that sufficient cellulose and xyloglucan are required for normal guard cell dynamics. Together, these results provide new insights into how guard cell walls allow stomata to function as responsive mediators of gas exchange at the plant surface. PMID:26729799

  1. Conserved CDC20 cell cycle functions are carried out by two of the five isoforms in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoltán Kevei

    Full Text Available The CDC20 and Cdh1/CCS52 proteins are substrate determinants and activators of the Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C E3 ubiquitin ligase and as such they control the mitotic cell cycle by targeting the degradation of various cell cycle regulators. In yeasts and animals the main CDC20 function is the destruction of securin and mitotic cyclins. Plants have multiple CDC20 gene copies whose functions have not been explored yet. In Arabidopsis thaliana there are five CDC20 isoforms and here we aimed at defining their contribution to cell cycle regulation, substrate selectivity and plant development.Studying the gene structure and phylogeny of plant CDC20s, the expression of the five AtCDC20 gene copies and their interactions with the APC/C subunit APC10, the CCS52 proteins, components of the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC and mitotic cyclin substrates, conserved CDC20 functions could be assigned for AtCDC20.1 and AtCDC20.2. The other three intron-less genes were silent and specific for Arabidopsis. We show that AtCDC20.1 and AtCDC20.2 are components of the MCC and interact with mitotic cyclins with unexpected specificity. AtCDC20.1 and AtCDC20.2 are expressed in meristems, organ primordia and AtCDC20.1 also in pollen grains and developing seeds. Knocking down both genes simultaneously by RNAi resulted in severe delay in plant development and male sterility. In these lines, the meristem size was reduced while the cell size and ploidy levels were unaffected indicating that the lower cell number and likely slowdown of the cell cycle are the cause of reduced plant growth.The intron-containing CDC20 gene copies provide conserved and redundant functions for cell cycle progression in plants and are required for meristem maintenance, plant growth and male gametophyte formation. The Arabidopsis-specific intron-less genes are possibly "retrogenes" and have hitherto undefined functions or are pseudogenes.

  2. Characterization of Ni-YSZ anodes for solid oxide fuel cells fabricated by suspension plasma spraying with axial feedstock injection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metcalfe, Craig; Kuhn, Joel; Kesler, Olivera

    2013-12-01

    Composite Ni-Y0.15Zr0.85O1.925 anodes were fabricated by axial-injection suspension plasma spraying in open atmosphere conditions. The composition of the anode is controllable by adjustment of the plasma gas composition, stand-off distance, and suspension feed rate. The total porosity is controllable through the addition of carbon black to the suspension as a sacrificial pore-forming material as well as by adjustment of the suspension feed rate. The size of the NiO particles in suspension affects both the composition and total porosity, with larger NiO particles leading to increased Ni content and porosity in the deposited coatings. The surface roughness increases with a decrease of the in-flight droplet momentum, which results from both smaller NiO particles in suspension and the addition of low density pore-forming materials. A solid oxide fuel cell was fabricated with both electrodes and electrolyte fabricated by axial-injection plasma spraying. Peak power densities of 0.718 W cm-2 and 1.13 W cm-2 at 750 °C and 850 °C, respectively, were achieved.

  3. Multidimensional fluorescence microscopy of multiple organelles in Arabidopsis seedlings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morales Andrea

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The isolation of green fluorescent protein (GFP and the development of spectral variants over the past decade have begun to reveal the dynamic nature of protein trafficking and organelle motility. In planta analyses of this dynamic process have typically been limited to only two organelles or proteins at a time in only a few cell types. Results We generated a transgenic Arabidopsis plant that contains four spectrally different fluorescent proteins. Nuclei, plastids, mitochondria and plasma membranes were genetically tagged with cyan, red, yellow and green fluorescent proteins, respectively. In addition, methods to track nuclei, mitochondria and chloroplasts and quantify the interaction between these organelles at a submicron resolution were developed. These analyzes revealed that N-ethylmaleimide disrupts nuclear-mitochondrial but not nuclear-plastids interactions in root epidermal cells of live Arabidopsis seedlings. Conclusion We developed a tool and associated methods for analyzing the complex dynamic of organelle-organelle interactions in real time in planta. Homozygous transgenic Arabidopsis (Kaleidocell is available through Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center.

  4. Bottlenecks in the generation and maintenance of morphogenic banana cell suspensions and plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis therefrom

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Schoofs, H.; Panis, B.; Strosse, H.; Mosqueda, A. M.; Torres, J. L.; Roux, N.; Doležel, Jaroslav; Swennen, R.

    2001-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 2 (2001), s. 3-7 ISSN 0989-8972 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ME 376 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5038910 Keywords : banana cell suspensions * plant regeneration Subject RIV: EA - Cell Biology

  5. Enhancement effect of shikonin in cell suspension culture and transfermanant culture by radiation application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jae Sung; Lee, Young Keun; Chung, Byung Yeoup; Lee, Young Bok; Hwang Hye Yeon

    2004-10-01

    The cell lines 679, 679-29 and 622-46 of L. erythrorhizon could be selected on LS agar medium for the production shikonin in cell suspension culture. The shikonin was increased moderately in suspension culture of cell line 622-46 in LS liquid medium containing BA 2 mg·L -1 and IAA 0.2 mg·L -1 in the dark, and was increased by adding 1 μM Cu 2+ and 100 μM methyl jasmonate The accumulation of shikonin in the liquid medium was increased significantly by 2 Gy irradiation to callus of cell line 622-46 and culture in LS liquid medium containing BA 2 mg·L -1 and IAA 0.2 mg·L -1 in the dark and shikonin in cell debris was higher by 16 Gy irradiation. The activity of p-hydroxybenzoate geranyltransferase was increased by irradiation of 2 Gy and 16 Gy of γ radiation. Seedling hypocotyles of L. erythrorhizon were infected with Agrogacterium rhizogenes strain 15834 harboring a binary vector with an intron bearing the GUS (β-glucuronidase) gene driven by cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promotor as well as the HPT (hygromycin phosphotransferase) gene as the selection marker. Hairy roots isolated were hygromycin resistant and had integrated GUS gene in DNA. The root tip grown on M-9 medium showed normal pigment production pattern in border cells and root hairs

  6. Expression of a highly basic peroxidase gene in NaCl-adapted tomato cell suspensions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medina, M I; Botella, M A; Quesada, M A; Valpuesta, V

    1997-05-05

    A tomato peroxidase gene, TPX2, that is only weakly expressed in the roots of young tomato seedlings is highly expressed in tomato suspension cells adapted to high external NaCl concentration. The protein encoded by this gene, with an isolectric point value of approximately 9.6, is found in the culture medium of the growing cells. Our data suggest that the expression of TPX2 in the salt-adapted cells is not the result of the elicitation imposed by the in vitro culture or the presence of high NaCl concentration in the medium.

  7. Simulation of Fungal-Mediated Cell Death by Fumonisin B1 and Selection of Fumonisin B1–Resistant (fbr) Arabidopsis Mutants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stone, Julie M.; Heard, Jacqueline E.; Asai, Tsuneaki; Ausubel, Frederick M.

    2000-01-01

    Fumonisin B1 (FB1), a programmed cell death–eliciting toxin produced by the necrotrophic fungal plant pathogen Fusarium moniliforme, was used to simulate pathogen infection in Arabidopsis. Plants infiltrated with 10 μM FB1 and seedlings transferred to agar media containing 1 μM FB1 develop lesions reminiscent of the hypersensitive response, including generation of reactive oxygen intermediates, deposition of phenolic compounds and callose, accumulation of phytoalexin, and expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes. Arabidopsis FB1-resistant (fbr) mutants were selected directly by sowing seeds on agar containing 1 μM FB1, on which wild-type seedlings fail to develop. Two mutants chosen for further analyses, fbr1 and fbr2, had altered PR gene expression in response to FB1. fbr1 and fbr2 do not exhibit differential resistance to the avirulent bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv maculicola (ES4326) expressing the avirulence gene avrRpt2 but do display enhanced resistance to a virulent isogenic strain that lacks the avirulence gene. Our results demonstrate the utility of FB1 for high-throughput isolation of Arabidopsis defense-related mutants and suggest that pathogen-elicited programmed cell death of host cells may be an important feature of compatible plant–pathogen interactions. PMID:11041878

  8. Arabidopsis thaliana plants lacking the ARP2/3 complex show defects in cell wall assembly and auxin distribution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pratap Sahi, Vaidurya; Cifrová, Petra; García-González, Judith; Kotannal Baby, Innu; Mouillé, Gregory; Gineau, Emilie; Müller, Karel; Baluška, František; Soukup, Aleš; Petrášek, Jan; Schwarzerová, Katerina

    2017-12-25

    The cytoskeleton plays an important role in the synthesis of plant cell walls. Both microtubules and actin cytoskeleton are known to be involved in the morphogenesis of plant cells through their role in cell wall building. The role of ARP2/3-nucleated actin cytoskeleton in the morphogenesis of cotyledon pavement cells has been described before. Seedlings of Arabidopsis mutants lacking a functional ARP2/3 complex display specific cell wall-associated defects. In three independent Arabidopsis mutant lines lacking subunits of the ARP2/3 complex, phenotypes associated with the loss of the complex were analysed throughout plant development. Organ size and anatomy, cell wall composition, and auxin distribution were investigated. ARP2/3-related phenotype is associated with changes in cell wall composition, and the phenotype is manifested especially in mature tissues. Cell walls of mature plants contain less cellulose and a higher amount of homogalacturonan, and display changes in cell wall lignification. Vascular bundles of mutant inflorescence stems show a changed pattern of AUX1-YFP expression. Plants lacking a functional ARP2/3 complex have decreased basipetal auxin transport. The results suggest that the ARP2/3 complex has a morphogenetic function related to cell wall synthesis and auxin transport. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. A population balance equation model of aggregation dynamics in Taxus suspension cell cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolewe, Martin E; Roberts, Susan C; Henson, Michael A

    2012-02-01

    The nature of plant cells to grow as multicellular aggregates in suspension culture has profound effects on bioprocess performance. Recent advances in the measurement of plant cell aggregate size allow for routine process monitoring of this property. We have exploited this capability to develop a conceptual model to describe changes in the aggregate size distribution that are observed over the course of a Taxus cell suspension batch culture. We utilized the population balance equation framework to describe plant cell aggregates as a particulate system, accounting for the relevant phenomenological processes underlying aggregation, such as growth and breakage. We compared model predictions to experimental data to select appropriate kernel functions, and found that larger aggregates had a higher breakage rate, biomass was partitioned asymmetrically following a breakage event, and aggregates grew exponentially. Our model was then validated against several datasets with different initial aggregate size distributions and was able to quantitatively predict changes in total biomass and mean aggregate size, as well as actual size distributions. We proposed a breakage mechanism where a fraction of biomass was lost upon each breakage event, and demonstrated that even though smaller aggregates have been shown to produce more paclitaxel, an optimum breakage rate was predicted for maximum paclitaxel accumulation. We believe this is the first model to use a segregated, corpuscular approach to describe changes in the size distribution of plant cell aggregates, and represents an important first step in the design of rational strategies to control aggregation and optimize process performance. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Ultrasound Characterization of Microbead and Cell Suspensions by Speed of Sound Measurements of Neutrally Buoyant Samples

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cushing, Kevin W.; Garofalo, Fabio; Magnusson, Cecilia

    2017-01-01

    . The density of the microparticles is determined by using a neutrally buoyant selection process that involves centrifuging of microparticles suspended in different density solutions, CsCl for microbeads and Percoll for cells. The speed of sound at 3 MHz in the neutrally buoyant suspensions is measured...... and fixed cells, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, DU-145 prostate cancer cells, MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and LU-HNSCC-25 head and-neck squamous carcinoma cells in phosphate buffered saline. The results show agreement with published data obtained by other methods....

  11. Comparison of mesencephalic free-floating tissue culture grafts and cell suspension grafts in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meyer, Morten; Widmer, H R; Wagner, B

    1998-01-01

    days in culture or directly as dissociated cell suspensions, and compared with regard to neuronal survival and ability to normalize rotational behavior in adult rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions. Other lesioned rats received injections of cell-free medium and served as controls...... of grafted dopaminergic neurons and to correlate that with the behavioral effects. Additional cultures and acutely prepared explants were also fixed and stored for histological investigation in order to estimate the loss of dopaminergic neurons in culture and after transplantation. Similar behavioral...... improvements in terms of significant reductions in amphetamine-induced rotations were observed in rats grafted with FFRT cultures (127%) and rats grafted with cell suspensions (122%), while control animals showed no normalization of rotational behavior. At 84 days after transplantation, there were similar...

  12. Arabidopsis EST1/SMG7-like protein is a novel regulator of meiotic cell cycle progression

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Riehs, N.; Akimcheva, S.; Bulánková, P.; Idol, R.; Široký, Jiří; Shippen, D.; Schweizer, D.; Říha, K.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 274, č. 1 (2007), s. 71 ISSN 1742-464X. [32nd FEBS Congress - Molecular Machines. 07.07.2007-12.07.2007, Vienna] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA522/06/0380 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50040507; CEZ:AV0Z50040702 Keywords : meiosis * Arabidopsis * cell cycle Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics

  13. Regulatory Proteolysis in Arabidopsis-Pathogen Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pogány, Miklós; Dankó, Tamás; Kámán-Tóth, Evelin; Schwarczinger, Ildikó; Bozsó, Zoltán

    2015-09-24

    Approximately two and a half percent of protein coding genes in Arabidopsis encode enzymes with known or putative proteolytic activity. Proteases possess not only common housekeeping functions by recycling nonfunctional proteins. By irreversibly cleaving other proteins, they regulate crucial developmental processes and control responses to environmental changes. Regulatory proteolysis is also indispensable in interactions between plants and their microbial pathogens. Proteolytic cleavage is simultaneously used both by plant cells, to recognize and inactivate invading pathogens, and by microbes, to overcome the immune system of the plant and successfully colonize host cells. In this review, we present available results on the group of proteases in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana whose functions in microbial pathogenesis were confirmed. Pathogen-derived proteolytic factors are also discussed when they are involved in the cleavage of host metabolites. Considering the wealth of review papers available in the field of the ubiquitin-26S proteasome system results on the ubiquitin cascade are not presented. Arabidopsis and its pathogens are conferred with abundant sets of proteases. This review compiles a list of those that are apparently involved in an interaction between the plant and its pathogens, also presenting their molecular partners when available.

  14. Regulation of Arabidopsis Early Anther Development by Putative Cell-Cell Signaling Molecules and Transcriptional Regulators

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Yu-Jin Sun; Carey LH Hord; Chang-Bin Chen; Hong Ma

    2007-01-01

    Anther development in flowering plants involves the formation of several cell types, including the tapetal and pollen mother cells. The use of genetic and molecular tools has led to the identification and characterization of genes that are critical for normal cell division and differentiation in Arabidopsis early anther development. We review here several recent studies on these genes, including the demonstration that the putative receptor protein kinases BAM1 and BAM2 together play essential roles in the control of early cell division and differentiation. In addition, we discuss the hypothesis that BAM1/2 may form a positive-negative feedback regulatory loop with a previously identified key regulator, SPOROCYTELESS (also called NOZZLE),to control the balance between sporogenous and somatic cell types in the anther. Furthermore, we summarize the isolation and functional analysis of the DYSFUNCTIONAL TAPETUM1 (DYT1) gene in promoting proper tapetal cell differentiation. Our finding that DYT1 encodes a putative transcription factor of the bHLH family, as well as relevant expression analyses, strongly supports a model that DYT1 serves as a critical link between upstream factors and downstream target genes that are critical for normal tapetum development and function. These studies, together with other recently published works, indicate that cell-cell communication and transcriptional control are key processes essential for cell fate specification in anther development.

  15. Functional and Structural Characterization of a Receptor-Like Kinase Involved in Germination and Cell Expansion in Arabidopsis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Zhen; Liang, Shan; Song, Wen; Lin, Guangzhong; Wang, Weiguang; Zhang, Heqiao; Han, Zhifu; Chai, Jijie

    2017-01-01

    Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs) are widespread in different plant species and play important roles in growth and development. Germination inhibition is vital for the completion of seed maturation and cell expansion is a fundamental cellular process driving plant growth. Here, we report genetic and structural characterizations of a functionally uncharacterized LRR-RLK, named GRACE (Germination Repression and Cell Expansion receptor-like kinase). Overexpression of GRACE in Arabidopsis exhibited delayed germination, enlarged cotyledons, rosette leaves and stubbier petioles. Conversely, these phenotypes were reversed in the T-DNA insertion knock-down mutant grace-1 plants. A crystal structure of the extracellular domain of GRACE (GRACE-LRR) determined at the resolution of 3.0 Å revealed that GRACE-LRR assumed a right-handed super-helical structure with an island domain (ID). Structural comparison showed that structure of the ID in GRACE-LRR is strikingly different from those observed in other LRR-RLKs. This structural observation implies that GRACE might perceive a new ligand for signaling. Collectively, our data support roles of GRACE in repressing seed germination and promoting cell expansion of Arabidopsis, presumably by perception of unknown ligand(s). PMID:29213277

  16. Arabidopsis thaliana glucuronosyltransferase in family GT14

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dilokpimol, Adiphol; Geshi, Naomi

    2014-01-01

    Arabinogalactan proteins are abundant cell-surface proteoglycans in plants and are involved in many cellular processes including somatic embryogenesis, cell-cell interactions, and cell elongation. We reported a glucuronosyltransferase encoded by Arabidopsis AtGlcAT14A, which catalyzes an addition...

  17. Convection in a colloidal suspension in a closed horizontal cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smorodin, B. L.; Cherepanov, I. N.

    2015-01-01

    The experimentally detected [1] oscillatory regimes of convection in a colloidal suspension of nanoparticles with a large anomalous thermal diffusivity in a closed horizontal cell heated from below have been simulated numerically. The concentration inhomogeneity near the vertical cavity boundaries arising from the interaction of thermal-diffusion separation and convective mixing has been proven to serve as a source of oscillatory regimes (traveling waves). The dependence of the Rayleigh number at the boundary of existence of the traveling-wave regime on the aspect ratio of the closed cavity has been established. The spatial characteristics of the emerging traveling waves have been determined

  18. Isolation of a strong Arabidopsis guard cell promoter and its potential as a research tool

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yingzhen; Costa, Alex; Leonhardt, Nathalie; Siegel, Robert S; Schroeder, Julian I

    2008-01-01

    Background A common limitation in guard cell signaling research is that it is difficult to obtain consistent high expression of transgenes of interest in Arabidopsis guard cells using known guard cell promoters or the constitutive 35S cauliflower mosaic virus promoter. An additional drawback of the 35S promoter is that ectopically expressing a gene throughout the organism could cause pleiotropic effects. To improve available methods for targeted gene expression in guard cells, we isolated strong guard cell promoter candidates based on new guard cell-specific microarray analyses of 23,000 genes that are made available together with this report. Results A promoter, pGC1(At1g22690), drove strong and relatively specific reporter gene expression in guard cells including GUS (beta-glucuronidase) and yellow cameleon YC3.60 (GFP-based calcium FRET reporter). Reporter gene expression was weaker in immature guard cells. The expression of YC3.60 was sufficiently strong to image intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in guard cells of intact plants and resolved spontaneous calcium transients in guard cells. The GC1 promoter also mediated strong reporter expression in clustered stomata in the stomatal development mutant too-many-mouths (tmm). Furthermore, the same promoter::reporter constructs also drove guard cell specific reporter expression in tobacco, illustrating the potential of this promoter as a method for high level expression in guard cells. A serial deletion of the promoter defined a guard cell expression promoter region. In addition, anti-sense repression using pGC1 was powerful for reducing specific GFP gene expression in guard cells while expression in leaf epidermal cells was not repressed, demonstrating strong cell-type preferential gene repression. Conclusion The pGC1 promoter described here drives strong reporter expression in guard cells of Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. It provides a potent research tool for targeted guard cell expression or gene silencing. It is also

  19. Predominance of membrane damage in yeast cells in suspension with monochromatic 163-nm vacuum ultraviolet light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ito, T.; Ito, A.

    1980-01-01

    Effects of monochromatic 163-nm ultraviolet light on aqueous suspensions of yeast cells were studied under N 2 and O 2 bubbling conditions. This is a continuation of previous attempts at using a bromine resonance lamp immersed in cell suspension as a means of treating cells with water radicals (163-nm photons decompose water molecules into H atoms and OH' radicals). We found that inactivation occurred only under O 2 bubbling. Genetic changes were induced, but this was attributed to the effects of far-uv components which contaminate the emission. A characteristic feature of the vacuum uv inactivation was a decrease in survival when cells were held in liquid after irradiation. The presence of p-nitrosodimethylaniline (a known OH' scavenger) during irradiation prevented the O 2 -dependent enhancement of inactivation. Cells irradiated under N 2 bubbling showed no such enhancement. Thus, the fast access of oxygen is a necessary condition for fixing initial damage. Initial damage of this type seems to be amplified during subsequent incubation, causing further killing. Cells irradiated under N 2 bubbling were not, however, free of damage, since dye permeability across the cell membrane of irradiated samples increased markedly with both N 2 and O 2 as tested by photodynamic induction of genetic changes using normally unpenetrable dye as a sensitizer. Spectrophotometric evidence for the presence of toluidine blue in the irradiated cells are also presented

  20. A pharmacological study of Arabidopsis cell fusion between the persistent synergid and endosperm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motomura, Kazuki; Kawashima, Tomokazu; Berger, Frédéric; Kinoshita, Tetsu; Higashiyama, Tetsuya; Maruyama, Daisuke

    2018-01-29

    Cell fusion is a pivotal process in fertilization and multinucleate cell formation. A plant cell is ubiquitously surrounded by a hard cell wall, and very few cell fusions have been observed except for gamete fusions. We recently reported that the fertilized central cell (the endosperm) absorbs the persistent synergid, a highly differentiated cell necessary for pollen tube attraction. The synergid-endosperm fusion (SE fusion) appears to eliminate the persistent synergid from fertilized ovule in Arabidopsis thaliana Here, we analyzed the effects of various inhibitors on SE fusion in an in vitro culture system. Different from other cell fusions, neither disruption of actin polymerization nor protein secretion impaired SE fusion. However, transcriptional and translational inhibitors decreased the SE fusion success rate and also inhibited endosperm division. Failures of SE fusion and endosperm nuclear proliferation were also induced by roscovitine, an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK). These data indicate unique aspects of SE fusion such as independence of filamentous actin support and the importance of CDK-mediated mitotic control. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  1. Unexpected features of exponentially growing Tobacco Bright Yellow-2 cell suspension culture in relation to excreted extracellular polysaccharides and cell wall composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Issawi, Mohammad; Muhieddine, Mohammad; Girard, Celine; Sol, Vincent; Riou, Catherine

    2017-10-01

    This article presents a new insight about TBY-2 cells; from extracellular polysaccharides secretion to cell wall composition during cell suspension culture. In the medium of cells taken 2 days after dilution (end of lag phase), a two unit pH decrease from 5.38 to 3.45 was observed and linked to a high uronic acid (UA) amount secretion (47.8%) while, in 4 and 7 day-old spent media, pH increased and UA amounts decreased 35.6 and 42.3% UA, respectively. To attain deeper knowledge of the putative link between extracellular polysaccharide excretion and cell wall composition, we determined cell wall UA and neutral sugar composition of cells from D2 to D12 cultures. While cell walls from D2 and D3 cells contained a large amount of uronic acid (twice as much as the other analysed cell walls), similar amounts of neutral sugar were detected in cells from lag to end of exponential phase cells suggesting an enriched pectin network in young cultures. Indeed, monosaccharide composition analysis leads to an estimated percentage of pectins of 56% for D3 cell wall against 45% D7 cell walls indicating that the cells at the mid-exponential growth phase re-organized their cell wall linked to a decrease in secreted UA that finally led to a stabilization of the spent medium pH to 5.4. In conclusion, TBY-2 cell suspension from lag to stationary phase showed cell wall remodeling that could be of interest in drug interaction and internalization study.

  2. Characterization of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells in suspension

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Introduction Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) are a heterogeneous population of postnatal precursor cells with the capacity of adhering to culture dishes generating colony-forming unit-fibroblasts (CFU-F). Here we identify a new subset of BMMSCs that fail to adhere to plastic culture dishes and remain in culture suspension (S-BMMSCs). Methods To catch S-BMMSCs, we used BMMSCs-produced extracellular cell matrix (ECM)-coated dishes. Isolated S-BMMSCs were analyzed by in vitro stem cell analysis approaches, including flow cytometry, inductive multiple differentiation, western blot and in vivo implantation to assess the bone regeneration ability of S-BMMSCs. Furthermore, we performed systemic S-BMMSCs transplantation to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-like MRL/lpr mice. Results S-BMMSCs are capable of adhering to ECM-coated dishes and showing mesenchymal stem cell characteristics with distinction from hematopoietic cells as evidenced by co-expression of CD73 or Oct-4 with CD34, forming a single colony cluster on ECM, and failure to differentiate into hematopoietic cell lineage. Moreover, we found that culture-expanded S-BMMSCs exhibited significantly increased immunomodulatory capacities in vitro and an efficacious treatment for SLE-like MRL/lpr mice by rebalancing regulatory T cells (Tregs) and T helper 17 cells (Th17) through high NO production. Conclusions These data suggest that it is feasible to improve immunotherapy by identifying a new subset BMMSCs. PMID:23083975

  3. Gibberellic Acid-Stimulated Arabidopsis6 Serves as an Integrator of Gibberellin, Abscisic Acid, and Glucose Signaling during Seed Germination in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Chunmei; Xu, Hao; Ye, Siting; Wang, Shiyi; Li, Lingfei; Zhang, Shengchun; Wang, Xiaojing

    2015-11-01

    The DELLA protein REPRESSOR OF ga1-3-LIKE2 (RGL2) plays an important role in seed germination under different conditions through a number of transcription factors. However, the functions of the structural genes associated with RGL2-regulated germination are less defined. Here, we report the role of an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cell wall-localized protein, Gibberellic Acid-Stimulated Arabidopsis6 (AtGASA6), in functionally linking RGL2 and a cell wall loosening expansin protein (Arabidopsis expansin A1 [AtEXPA1]), resulting in the control of embryonic axis elongation and seed germination. AtGASA6-overexpressing seeds showed precocious germination, whereas transfer DNA and RNA interference mutant seeds displayed delayed seed germination under abscisic acid, paclobutrazol, and glucose (Glc) stress conditions. The differences in germination rates resulted from corresponding variation in cell elongation in the hypocotyl-radicle transition region of the embryonic axis. AtGASA6 was down-regulated by RGL2, GLUCOSE INSENSITIVE2, and ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE5 genes, and loss of AtGASA6 expression in the gasa6 mutant reversed the insensitivity shown by the rgl2 mutant to paclobutrazol and the gin2 mutant to Glc-induced stress, suggesting that it is involved in regulating both the gibberellin and Glc signaling pathways. Furthermore, it was found that the promotion of seed germination and length of embryonic axis by AtGASA6 resulted from a promotion of cell elongation at the embryonic axis mediated by AtEXPA1. Taken together, the data indicate that AtGASA6 links RGL2 and AtEXPA1 functions and plays a role as an integrator of gibberellin, abscisic acid, and Glc signaling, resulting in the regulation of seed germination through a promotion of cell elongation. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  4. Reassessing the role of phospholipase D in the Arabidopsis wounding response

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bargmann, Bastiaan O.R.; Laxalt, Ana M.; Riet, Bas ter; Testerink, Christa; Merquiol, Emmanuelle; Mosblech, Alina; Leon Reyes, H.A.; Pieterse, C.M.J.; Haring, Michel A.; Heilmann, Ingo; Bartels, Dorothea; Munnik, Teun

    2009-01-01

    Plants respond to wounding by means of a multitude of reactions, with the purpose of stifling herbivore assault. Phospholipase D (PLD) has previously been implicated in the wounding response. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) AtPLDa1 has been proposed to be activated in intact cells, and the

  5. Enhanced production of phenolic acids in cell suspension culture of Salvia leriifolia Benth. using growth regulators and sucrose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modarres, Masoomeh; Esmaeilzadeh Bahabadi, Sedigheh; Taghavizadeh Yazdi, Mohammad Ehsan

    2018-04-01

    Salvia leriifolia Benth. (Lamiaceae) is an endangered medicinal plant with hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Many of the beneficial effects of Salvia spp. are attributed to the phenolic compounds. In the present study, an efficient procedure has been developed for establishment of cell suspension culture of S. leriifolia as a strategy to obtain an in vitro phenolic acids producing cell line for the first time. The effect of growth regulators and various concentrations of sucrose have been analyzed, to optimize biomass growth and phenolic acids production. The callus used for this purpose was obtained from leaves of 15-day-old in vitro seedlings, on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with different hormone balances including benzylaminopurine (BAP) and indole butyric acid (IBA); 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and kinetin (KIN); naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and BAP. Modified MS medium supplemented with 5 mg/L BAP and 5 mg/L NAA was the optimal condition for callus formation with the highest induction rate (100%), the best callus growth and the highest phenolic acids content. No callus induction was observed in combinations of IBA and BAP. Cell suspension cultures were established by transferring 0.5 g of callus to 30 mL liquid MS medium supplemented with 5 mg/L BAP and 5 mg/L NAA. Dynamics of phenolic acids production has been investigated during the growth cycle of the suspension cultures. The maximum content of caffeic acid and salvianolic acid B were observed on the 15th day of the cultivation cycle while the highest amount of rosmarinic acid was observed on the first day. In response to various sucrose concentrations, cell cultures with 40 g/L sucrose not only produced the highest dry biomass but also the highest induction of caffeic acid and salvianolic acid B. The highest amount of rosmarinic acid was observed in media containing 50 g/L sucrose. These prepared cell suspension cultures provided a useful

  6. Biochemical precursor effects on the fatty acid production in cell suspension cultures of Theobroma cacao L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parra, O; Gallego, A M; Urrea, A; Rojas, L F; Correa, C; Atehortúa, L

    2017-02-01

    Cocoa butter (CB) is composed of 96% palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic fatty acids that are responsible for the hardness, texture and fusion properties of chocolate. Through in vitro plant cell culture it is possible to modify CB lipid profiles and to study the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway on a subcellular level, evaluating fundamental aspects to enhance in vitro fatty acid production in a specific and controlled way. In this research, culture media was supplemented with acetate, biotin, pyruvate, bicarbonate and glycerol at three different concentrations and the effects on the biomass production (g/L), cell viability, and fatty acids profile and production was evaluated in in vitro cell suspensions culture. It was found that biotin stimulated fatty acid synthesis without altering cell viability and cell growth. It was also evident a change in the lipid profile of cell suspensions, increasing middle and long chain fatty acids proportion, which are unusual to those reported in seeds; thus implying that it is possible to modify lipid profiles according to the treatment used. According to the results of sucrose gradients and enzyme assays performed, it is proposed that cacao cells probably use the pentose phosphate pathway, mitochondria being the key organelle in the carbon flux for the synthesis of reductant power and fatty acid precursors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  7. Gravity-regulated gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sederoff, Heike; Brown, Christopher S.; Heber, Steffen; Kajla, Jyoti D.; Kumar, Sandeep; Lomax, Terri L.; Wheeler, Benjamin; Yalamanchili, Roopa

    Plant growth and development is regulated by changes in environmental signals. Plants sense environmental changes and respond to them by modifying gene expression programs to ad-just cell growth, differentiation, and metabolism. Functional expression of genes comprises many different processes including transcription, translation, post-transcriptional and post-translational modifications, as well as the degradation of RNA and proteins. Recently, it was discovered that small RNAs (sRNA, 18-24 nucleotides long), which are heritable and systemic, are key elements in regulating gene expression in response to biotic and abiotic changes. Sev-eral different classes of sRNAs have been identified that are part of a non-cell autonomous and phloem-mobile network of regulators affecting transcript stability, translational kinetics, and DNA methylation patterns responsible for heritable transcriptional silencing (epigenetics). Our research has focused on gene expression changes in response to gravistimulation of Arabidopsis roots. Using high-throughput technologies including microarrays and 454 sequencing, we iden-tified rapid changes in transcript abundance of genes as well as differential expression of small RNA in Arabidopsis root apices after minutes of reorientation. Some of the differentially regu-lated transcripts are encoded by genes that are important for the bending response. Functional mutants of those genes respond faster to reorientation than the respective wild type plants, indicating that these proteins are repressors of differential cell elongation. We compared the gravity responsive sRNAs to the changes in transcript abundances of their putative targets and identified several potential miRNA: target pairs. Currently, we are using mutant and transgenic Arabidopsis plants to characterize the function of those miRNAs and their putative targets in gravitropic and phototropic responses in Arabidopsis.

  8. Transient gibberellin application promotes Arabidopsis thaliana hypocotyl cell elongation without maintaining transverse orientation of microtubules on the outer tangential wall of epidermal cells

    KAUST Repository

    Sauret-Güeto, Susanna

    2011-11-25

    The phytohormone gibberellin (GA) promotes plant growth by stimulating cellular expansion. Whilst it is known that GA acts by opposing the growth-repressing effects of DELLA proteins, it is not known how these events promote cellular expansion. Here we present a time-lapse analysis of the effects of a single pulse of GA on the growth of Arabidopsis hypocotyls. Our analyses permit kinetic resolution of the transient growth effects of GA on expanding cells. We show that pulsed application of GA to the relatively slowly growing cells of the unexpanded light-grown Arabidopsis hypocotyl results in a transient burst of anisotropic cellular growth. This burst, and the subsequent restoration of initial cellular elongation rates, occurred respectively following the degradation and subsequent reappearance of a GFP-tagged DELLA (GFP-RGA). In addition, we used a GFP-tagged α-tubulin 6 (GFP-TUA6) to visualise the behaviour of microtubules (MTs) on the outer tangential wall (OTW) of epidermal cells. In contrast to some current hypotheses concerning the effect of GA on MTs, we show that the GA-induced boost of hypocotyl cell elongation rate is not dependent upon the maintenance of transverse orientation of the OTW MTs. This confirms that transverse alignment of outer face MTs is not necessary to maintain rapid elongation rates of light-grown hypocotyls. Together with future studies on MT dynamics in other faces of epidermal cells and in cells deeper within the hypocotyl, our observations advance understanding of the mechanisms by which GA promotes plant cell and organ growth. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  9. Visualisation of microtubules and actin filaments in fixed BY-2 suspension cells using an optimised whole mount immunolabelling protocol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Szechynska-Hebda, M.; Wedzony, M.; Dubas, E.; Kieft, H.; Lammeren, van A.A.M.

    2006-01-01

    Excellent visualisation of microtubules and actin filaments was obtained in fixed tobacco BY-2 suspension cells after optimising a protocol for whole mount immunolabelling. The procedure is based on modification of fixation, cell wall digestion, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) treatment, post fixation,

  10. Comparison of Cuminaldehyde Contents from Cell Suspension Cultures and Seeds of [Bunium persicum (Boiss. B. Fedtsch.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara KHOSRAVINIA

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The cell suspension culture and seed samples of Bunium persicum were extracted by supercritical fluid, hydrodistillation and solvent methods and analyzed by Gas Chromatography. In this study to compare the different methods of extractions, cuminaldehyde was targeted as one of the Black zira essential oil constitute. For callus induction the germinated seeds were cultured as explants on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid and 0.5 mg/l kinetin (treatment A as well as 2 mg/l ?-naphthalene acetic acid and 0.5 mg/l 6-benzyl aminopurine (treatment B and followed by cells suspension cultures establishment for the first time. The results of cell culture showed that cells from treatment B have a growth rate higher than A. All extracts were dissolved in 1 ml hexane and analyzed by Gas Chromatography. According to the Gas Chromatography analysis, cuminaldehyde was not detected in the supercritical fluid samples, while it was present in hydrodistillation and solvent extract. Cuminaldehyde percentage in cell and seed solvent extracts was 4.65% and 18.61% respectively. Gas Chromatography results also showed that no cuminaldehyde is present in media extracts, means no cuminaldehyde has been secreted into the medium.

  11. Polarized localization and borate-dependent degradation of the Arabidopsis borate transporter BOR1 in tobacco BY-2 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamauchi, Noboru; Gosho, Tadashi; Asatuma, Satoru; Toyooka, Kiminori; Fujiwara, Toru; Matsuoka, Ken

    2013-01-01

    In Arabidopsis the borate transporter BOR1, which is located in the plasma membrane, is degraded in the presence of excess boron by an endocytosis-mediated mechanism. A similar mechanism was suggested in rice as excess boron decreased rice borate transporter levels, although in this case whether the decrease was dependent on an increase in degradation or a decrease in protein synthesis was not elucidated. To address whether the borate-dependent degradation mechanism is conserved among plant cells, we analyzed the fate of GFP-tagged BOR1 (BOR1-GFP) in transformed tobacco BY-2 cells. Cells expressing BOR1-GFP displayed GFP fluorescence at the plasma membrane, especially at the membrane between two attached cells. The plasma membrane signal was abolished when cells were incubated in medium with a high concentration of borate (3 to 5 mM). This decrease in BOR1-GFP signal was mediated by a specific degradation of the protein after internalization by endocytosis from the plasma membrane. Pharmacological analysis indicated that the decrease in BOR1-GFP largely depends on the increase in degradation rate and that the degradation was mediated by a tyrosine-motif and the actin cytoskeleton. Tyr mutants of BOR1-GFP, which has been shown to inhibit borate-dependent degradation in Arabidopsis root cells, did not show borate-dependent endocytosis in tobacco BY-2 cells. These findings indicate that the borate-dependent degradation machinery of the borate transporter is conserved among plant species.

  12. Abscisic Acid–Responsive Guard Cell Metabolomes of Arabidopsis Wild-Type and gpa1 G-Protein Mutants[C][W

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Xiaofen; Wang, Rui-Sheng; Zhu, Mengmeng; Jeon, Byeong Wook; Albert, Reka; Chen, Sixue; Assmann, Sarah M.

    2013-01-01

    Individual metabolites have been implicated in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling in guard cells, but a metabolite profile of this specialized cell type is lacking. We used liquid chromatography–multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry for targeted analysis of 85 signaling-related metabolites in Arabidopsis thaliana guard cell protoplasts over a time course of ABA treatment. The analysis utilized ∼350 million guard cell protoplasts from ∼30,000 plants of the Arabidopsis Columbia accession (Col) wild type and the heterotrimeric G-protein α subunit mutant, gpa1, which has ABA-hyposensitive stomata. These metabolomes revealed coordinated regulation of signaling metabolites in unrelated biochemical pathways. Metabolites clustered into different temporal modules in Col versus gpa1, with fewer metabolites showing ABA-altered profiles in gpa1. Ca2+-mobilizing agents sphingosine-1-phosphate and cyclic adenosine diphosphate ribose exhibited weaker ABA-stimulated increases in gpa1. Hormone metabolites were responsive to ABA, with generally greater responsiveness in Col than in gpa1. Most hormones also showed different ABA responses in guard cell versus mesophyll cell metabolomes. These findings suggest that ABA functions upstream to regulate other hormones, and are also consistent with G proteins modulating multiple hormonal signaling pathways. In particular, indole-3-acetic acid levels declined after ABA treatment in Col but not gpa1 guard cells. Consistent with this observation, the auxin antagonist α-(phenyl ethyl-2-one)-indole-3-acetic acid enhanced ABA-regulated stomatal movement and restored partial ABA sensitivity to gpa1. PMID:24368793

  13. Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Functional Endothelial Cells in Scalable Suspension Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruth Olmer

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Endothelial cells (ECs are involved in a variety of cellular responses. As multifunctional components of vascular structures, endothelial (progenitor cells have been utilized in cellular therapies and are required as an important cellular component of engineered tissue constructs and in vitro disease models. Although primary ECs from different sources are readily isolated and expanded, cell quantity and quality in terms of functionality and karyotype stability is limited. ECs derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs represent an alternative and potentially superior cell source, but traditional culture approaches and 2D differentiation protocols hardly allow for production of large cell numbers. Aiming at the production of ECs, we have developed a robust approach for efficient endothelial differentiation of hiPSCs in scalable suspension culture. The established protocol results in relevant numbers of ECs for regenerative approaches and industrial applications that show in vitro proliferation capacity and a high degree of chromosomal stability. : In this article, U. Martin and colleagues show the generation of hiPSC endothelial cells in scalable cultures in up to 100 mL culture volume. The generated ECs show in vitro proliferation capacity and a high degree of chromosomal stability after in vitro expansion. The established protocol allows to generate hiPSC-derived ECs in relevant numbers for regenerative approaches. Keywords: hiPSC differentiation, endothelial cells, scalable culture

  14. Metabolic cycles in primary metabolism of cell suspensions of Daucus carota L. analysed by C-NMR

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Krook, J.

    1999-01-01

    In the work described in this thesis, uptake and conversion of sugar by cells of batch-grown suspensions of Daucus carota L. were studied. Invasive techniques (measurements of enzyme activities and sugar and starch levels) and non-invasive techniques (

  15. Production of Monascus pigments as extracellular crystals by cell suspension culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Fengling; Liu, Lujie; Huang, Yaolin; Zhang, Xuehong; Wang, Zhilong

    2018-01-01

    It is generally accepted that Monascus pigments are predominantly cell-bound, including both intracellular and surface-bound pigments. This long-term misconception was corrected in the present work. Production of extracellular crystal pigments by submerged culture of Monascus sp. was confirmed by microscopic observation and collection of Monascus pigments from extracellular broth by direct membrane filtration. Following up the new fact, the bioactivity of mycelia as whole-cell biocatalyst for biosynthesis and biodegradation of Monascus pigments had been detailedly examined in both an aqueous solution and a nonionic surfactant micelle aqueous solution. Based on those experimental results, cell suspension culture in an aqueous medium was developed as a novel strategy for accumulation of high concentration of Monascus pigments. Thus, glucose feeding during submerged culture in the aqueous medium was carried out successfully and high orange Monascus pigments concentration of near 4 g/L was achieved.

  16. Gene expression analysis of WRKY transcription factors in Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures during a parabolic flight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babbick, Maren; Barjaktarović, Žarko; Hampp, Ruediger

    Plants sense gravity by specialized cells (statocytes) and adjust growth and development accordingly. It has, however, also been shown that plant cells which are not part of specialized tissues are also able to sense gravitational forces. Therefore we used undifferentiated, homogeneous cell cultures of Arabidopsis thaliana (cv. Columbia) in order to identify early alterations in gene expression as a response to altered gravitational field strengths. In this contribution we report on cell cultures exposed to parabolic flights (approximately 20 sec of microgravity). For this short-term exposure study, we specifically checked for genes at the beginning of signal transduction chains, such as those coding for transcription factors (TFs). TFs are small proteins that regulate expression of their target genes by binding to specific promoter sequences. Our main focus were members of the so-called WRKY TF family. WRKY TFs are known to be involved in various physiological processes like senescence and pathogen defense. By quantifying transcriptional changes of these genes by real-time RT-PCR, we wanted to find out, how gene expression is affected by both hyperand microgravity conditions during a parabolic flight. For this purpose Arabidopsis thaliana callus cultures were metabolically quenched by the injection of RNAlater at the end of the microgravity-phase of each parabola. The data we present will show how fast changes in amounts of transcripts will occur, and to what degree the expression profiles are comparable with data obtained from exposures to hypergravity and simulated microgravity.

  17. Quantitative expression analysis of selected transcription factors in pavement, basal and trichome cells of mature leaves from Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schliep, Martin; Ebert, Berit; Simon-Rosin, Ulrike; Zoeller, Daniela; Fisahn, Joachim

    2010-05-01

    Gene expression levels of several transcription factors from Arabidopsis thaliana that were described previously to be involved in leaf development and trichome formation were analysed in trichome, basal and pavement cells of mature leaves. Single cell samples of these three cells types were collected by glass micro-capillaries. Real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR was used to analyse expression patterns of the following transcription factors: MYB23, MYB55, AtHB1, FILAMENTOUS FLOWER (FIL)/YABBY1 (YAB1), TRIPTYCHON (TRY) and CAPRICE (CPC). A difference in the expression patterns of TRY and CPC was revealed. Contrary to the CPC expression pattern, no transcripts of TRY could be detected in pavement cells. FIL/YAB1 was exclusively expressed in trichome cells. AtHB1 was highly expressed throughout all three cell types. MYB55 was higher expressed in basal cells than in trichome and pavement cells. MYB23 showed a pattern of low expression in pavement cells, medium in basal cells and high expression in trichomes. Expression patterns obtained by single cell sampling and real-time RT-PCR were compared to promoter GUS fusions of the selected transcription factors. Therefore, we regenerated two transgenic Arabidopsis lines that expressed the GUS reporter gene under control of the promoters of MYB55 and YAB1. In conclusion, despite their function in leaf morphogenesis, all six transcription factors were detected in mature leaves. Furthermore, single cell sampling and promoter GUS staining patterns demonstrated the predominant presence of MYB55 in basal cells as compared to pavement cells and trichomes.

  18. Changes in cell wall properties coincide with overexpression of extensin fusion proteins in suspension cultured tobacco cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Li; Pu, Yunqiao; Pattathil, Sivakumar; Avci, Utku; Qian, Jin; Arter, Allison; Chen, Liwei; Hahn, Michael G; Ragauskas, Arthur J; Kieliszewski, Marcia J

    2014-01-01

    Extensins are one subfamily of the cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins, containing characteristic SerHyp4 glycosylation motifs and intermolecular cross-linking motifs such as the TyrXaaTyr sequence. Extensins are believed to form a cross-linked network in the plant cell wall through the tyrosine-derivatives isodityrosine, pulcherosine, and di-isodityrosine. Overexpression of three synthetic genes encoding different elastin-arabinogalactan protein-extensin hybrids in tobacco suspension cultured cells yielded novel cross-linking glycoproteins that shared features of the extensins, arabinogalactan proteins and elastin. The cell wall properties of the three transgenic cell lines were all changed, but in different ways. One transgenic cell line showed decreased cellulose crystallinity and increased wall xyloglucan content; the second transgenic cell line contained dramatically increased hydration capacity and notably increased cell wall biomass, increased di-isodityrosine, and increased protein content; the third transgenic cell line displayed wall phenotypes similar to wild type cells, except changed xyloglucan epitope extractability. These data indicate that overexpression of modified extensins may be a route to engineer plants for bioenergy and biomaterial production.

  19. Acyl chains of phospholipase D transphosphatidylation products in Arabidopsis cells: a study using multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dominique Rainteau

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Phospholipases D (PLD are major components of signalling pathways in plant responses to some stresses and hormones. The product of PLD activity is phosphatidic acid (PA. PAs with different acyl chains do not have the same protein targets, so to understand the signalling role of PLD it is essential to analyze the composition of its PA products in the presence and absence of an elicitor. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Potential PLD substrates and products were studied in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cells treated with or without the hormone salicylic acid (SA. As PA can be produced by enzymes other than PLD, we analyzed phosphatidylbutanol (PBut, which is specifically produced by PLD in the presence of n-butanol. The acyl chain compositions of PBut and the major glycerophospholipids were determined by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM mass spectrometry. PBut profiles of untreated cells or cells treated with SA show an over-representation of 160/18:2- and 16:0/18:3-species compared to those of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine either from bulk lipid extracts or from purified membrane fractions. When microsomal PLDs were used in in vitro assays, the resulting PBut profile matched exactly that of the substrate provided. Therefore there is a mismatch between the acyl chain compositions of putative substrates and the in vivo products of PLDs that is unlikely to reflect any selectivity of PLDs for the acyl chains of substrates. CONCLUSIONS: MRM mass spectrometry is a reliable technique to analyze PLD products. Our results suggest that PLD action in response to SA is not due to the production of a stress-specific molecular species, but that the level of PLD products per se is important. The over-representation of 160/18:2- and 16:0/18:3-species in PLD products when compared to putative substrates might be related to a regulatory role of the heterogeneous distribution of glycerophospholipids in membrane sub-domains.

  20. Dynamics of vegetative cytoplasm during generative cell formation and pollen maturation in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuang, A.; Musgrave, M. E.

    1996-01-01

    Ultrastructural changes of pollen cytoplasm during generative cell formation and pollen maturation in Arabidopsis thaliana were studied. The pollen cytoplasm develops a complicated ultrastructure and changes dramatically during these stages. Lipid droplets increase after generative cell formation and their organization and distribution change with the developmental stage. Starch grains in amyloplasts increase in number and size during generative and sperm cell formation and decrease at pollen maturity. The shape and membrane system of mitochondria change only slightly. Dictyosomes become very prominent, and numerous associated vesicles are observed during and after sperm cell formation. Endoplasmic reticulum appears extensively as stacks during sperm cell formation. Free and polyribosomes are abundant in the cytoplasm at all developmental stages although they appear denser at certain stages and in some areas. In mature pollen, all organelles are randomly distributed throughout the vegetative cytoplasm and numerous small particles appear. Organization and distribution of storage substances and appearance of these small particles during generative and sperm cell formation and pollen maturation are discussed.

  1. Arabidopsis annexin1 mediates the radical-activated plasma membrane Ca²+- and K+-permeable conductance in root cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laohavisit, Anuphon; Shang, Zhonglin; Rubio, Lourdes; Cuin, Tracey A; Véry, Anne-Aliénor; Wang, Aihua; Mortimer, Jennifer C; Macpherson, Neil; Coxon, Katy M; Battey, Nicholas H; Brownlee, Colin; Park, Ohkmae K; Sentenac, Hervé; Shabala, Sergey; Webb, Alex A R; Davies, Julia M

    2012-04-01

    Plant cell growth and stress signaling require Ca²⁺ influx through plasma membrane transport proteins that are regulated by reactive oxygen species. In root cell growth, adaptation to salinity stress, and stomatal closure, such proteins operate downstream of the plasma membrane NADPH oxidases that produce extracellular superoxide anion, a reactive oxygen species that is readily converted to extracellular hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals, OH•. In root cells, extracellular OH• activates a plasma membrane Ca²⁺-permeable conductance that permits Ca²⁺ influx. In Arabidopsis thaliana, distribution of this conductance resembles that of annexin1 (ANN1). Annexins are membrane binding proteins that can form Ca²⁺-permeable conductances in vitro. Here, the Arabidopsis loss-of-function mutant for annexin1 (Atann1) was found to lack the root hair and epidermal OH•-activated Ca²⁺- and K⁺-permeable conductance. This manifests in both impaired root cell growth and ability to elevate root cell cytosolic free Ca²⁺ in response to OH•. An OH•-activated Ca²⁺ conductance is reconstituted by recombinant ANN1 in planar lipid bilayers. ANN1 therefore presents as a novel Ca²⁺-permeable transporter providing a molecular link between reactive oxygen species and cytosolic Ca²⁺ in plants.

  2. Arabidopsis VARIEGATED 3 encodes a chloroplasttargeted, zinc-finger protein required for chloroplast and palisade cell development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Næsted, Henrik; Holm, A.; Jenkins, T.

    2004-01-01

    The stable, recessive Arabidopsis variegated 3 (var3) mutant exhibits a variegated phenotype due to somatic areas lacking or containing developmentally retarded chloroplasts and greatly reduced numbers of palisade cells. The VAR3 gene, isolated by transposon tagging, encodes the 85.9 kDa VAR3...... that pigment profiles are qualitatively similar in wild type and var3, although var3 accumulates lower levels of chlorophylls and carotenoids. These results indicate that VAR3 is a part of a protein complex required for normal chloroplast and palisade cell development....

  3. Rotary orbital suspension culture of embryonic stem cell-derived neural stem/progenitor cells: impact of hydrodynamic culture on aggregate yield, morphology and cell phenotype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laundos, Tiago L; Silva, Joana; Assunção, Marisa; Quelhas, Pedro; Monteiro, Cátia; Oliveira, Carla; Oliveira, Maria J; Pêgo, Ana P; Amaral, Isabel F

    2017-08-01

    Embryonic stem (ES)-derived neural stem/progenitor cells (ES-NSPCs) constitute a promising cell source for application in cell therapies for the treatment of central nervous system disorders. In this study, a rotary orbital hydrodynamic culture system was applied to single-cell suspensions of ES-NSPCs, to obtain homogeneously-sized ES-NSPC cellular aggregates (neurospheres). Hydrodynamic culture allowed the formation of ES-NSPC neurospheres with a narrower size distribution than statically cultured neurospheres, increasing orbital speeds leading to smaller-sized neurospheres and higher neurosphere yield. Neurospheres formed under hydrodynamic conditions (72 h at 55 rpm) showed higher cell compaction and comparable percentages of viable, dead, apoptotic and proliferative cells. Further characterization of cellular aggregates provided new insights into the effect of hydrodynamic shear on ES-NSPC behaviour. Rotary neurospheres exhibited reduced protein levels of N-cadherin and β-catenin, and higher deposition of laminin (without impacting fibronectin deposition), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity and percentage of neuronal cells. In line with the increased MMP-2 activity levels found, hydrodynamically-cultured neurospheres showed higher outward migration on laminin. Moreover, when cultured in a 3D fibrin hydrogel, rotary neurospheres generated an increased percentage of neuronal cells. In conclusion, the application of a constant orbital speed to single-cell suspensions of ES-NSPCs, besides allowing the formation of homogeneously-sized neurospheres, promoted ES-NSPC differentiation and outward migration, possibly by influencing the expression of cell-cell adhesion molecules and the secretion of proteases/extracellular matrix proteins. These findings are important when establishing the culture conditions needed to obtain uniformly-sized ES-NSPC aggregates, either for use in regenerative therapies or in in vitro platforms for biomaterial development or

  4. Restricted cell elongation in Arabidopsis hypocotyls is associated with a reduced average pectin esterification level.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Derbyshire, Paul; McCann, Maureen C; Roberts, Keith

    2007-06-17

    Cell elongation is mainly limited by the extensibility of the cell wall. Dicotyledonous primary (growing) cell walls contain cellulose, xyloglucan, pectin and proteins, but little is known about how each polymer class contributes to the cell wall mechanical properties that control extensibility. We present evidence that the degree of pectin methyl-esterification (DE%) limits cell growth, and that a minimum level of about 60% DE is required for normal cell elongation in Arabidopsis hypocotyls. When the average DE% falls below this level, as in two gibberellic acid (GA) mutants ga1-3 and gai, and plants expressing pectin methyl-esterase (PME1) from Aspergillus aculeatus, then hypocotyl elongation is reduced. Low average levels of pectin DE% are associated with reduced cell elongation, implicating PMEs, the enzymes that regulate DE%, in the cell elongation process and in responses to GA. At high average DE% other components of the cell wall limit GA-induced growth.

  5. Restricted cell elongation in Arabidopsis hypocotyls is associated with a reduced average pectin esterification level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Derbyshire Paul

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cell elongation is mainly limited by the extensibility of the cell wall. Dicotyledonous primary (growing cell walls contain cellulose, xyloglucan, pectin and proteins, but little is known about how each polymer class contributes to the cell wall mechanical properties that control extensibility. Results We present evidence that the degree of pectin methyl-esterification (DE% limits cell growth, and that a minimum level of about 60% DE is required for normal cell elongation in Arabidopsis hypocotyls. When the average DE% falls below this level, as in two gibberellic acid (GA mutants ga1-3 and gai, and plants expressing pectin methyl-esterase (PME1 from Aspergillus aculeatus, then hypocotyl elongation is reduced. Conclusion Low average levels of pectin DE% are associated with reduced cell elongation, implicating PMEs, the enzymes that regulate DE%, in the cell elongation process and in responses to GA. At high average DE% other components of the cell wall limit GA-induced growth.

  6. Multi-element bioimaging of Arabidopsis thaliana roots

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Persson, Daniel Olof; Chen, Anle; Aarts, Mark G.M.

    2016-01-01

    Better understanding of root function is central for the development of plants with more efficient nutrient uptake and translocation. We here present a method for multielement bioimaging at the cellular level in roots of the genetic model system Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Using conventio......Better understanding of root function is central for the development of plants with more efficient nutrient uptake and translocation. We here present a method for multielement bioimaging at the cellular level in roots of the genetic model system Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Using...... omics techniques. To demonstrate the potential of the method, we analyzed a mutant of Arabidopsis unable to synthesize the metal chelator nicotianamine. The mutant accumulated substantially more zinc and manganese than the wild type in the tissues surrounding the vascular cylinder. For iron, the images...... looked completely different, with iron bound mainly in the epidermis of the wild-type plants but confined to the cortical cell walls of the mutant. The method offers the power of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to be fully employed, thereby providing a basis for detailed studies of ion...

  7. Isolation of a strong Arabidopsis guard cell promoter and its potential as a research tool

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siegel Robert S

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A common limitation in guard cell signaling research is that it is difficult to obtain consistent high expression of transgenes of interest in Arabidopsis guard cells using known guard cell promoters or the constitutive 35S cauliflower mosaic virus promoter. An additional drawback of the 35S promoter is that ectopically expressing a gene throughout the organism could cause pleiotropic effects. To improve available methods for targeted gene expression in guard cells, we isolated strong guard cell promoter candidates based on new guard cell-specific microarray analyses of 23,000 genes that are made available together with this report. Results A promoter, pGC1(At1g22690, drove strong and relatively specific reporter gene expression in guard cells including GUS (beta-glucuronidase and yellow cameleon YC3.60 (GFP-based calcium FRET reporter. Reporter gene expression was weaker in immature guard cells. The expression of YC3.60 was sufficiently strong to image intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in guard cells of intact plants and resolved spontaneous calcium transients in guard cells. The GC1 promoter also mediated strong reporter expression in clustered stomata in the stomatal development mutant too-many-mouths (tmm. Furthermore, the same promoter::reporter constructs also drove guard cell specific reporter expression in tobacco, illustrating the potential of this promoter as a method for high level expression in guard cells. A serial deletion of the promoter defined a guard cell expression promoter region. In addition, anti-sense repression using pGC1 was powerful for reducing specific GFP gene expression in guard cells while expression in leaf epidermal cells was not repressed, demonstrating strong cell-type preferential gene repression. Conclusion The pGC1 promoter described here drives strong reporter expression in guard cells of Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. It provides a potent research tool for targeted guard cell expression or

  8. Reconstitution of a secondary cell wall in a secondary cell wall-deficient Arabidopsis mutant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakamoto, Shingo; Mitsuda, Nobutaka

    2015-02-01

    The secondary cell wall constitutes a rigid frame of cells in plant tissues where rigidity is required. Deposition of the secondary cell wall in fiber cells contributes to the production of wood in woody plants. The secondary cell wall is assembled through co-operative activities of many enzymes, and their gene expression is precisely regulated by a pyramidal cascade of transcription factors. Deposition of a transmuted secondary cell wall in empty fiber cells by expressing selected gene(s) in this cascade has not been attempted previously. In this proof-of-concept study, we expressed chimeric activators of 24 transcription factors that are preferentially expressed in the stem, in empty fiber cells of the Arabidopsis nst1-1 nst3-1 double mutant, which lacks a secondary cell wall in fiber cells, under the control of the NST3 promoter. The chimeric activators of MYB46, SND2 and ANAC075, as well as NST3, reconstituted a secondary cell wall with different characteristics from those of the wild type in terms of its composition. The transgenic lines expressing the SND2 or ANAC075 chimeric activator showed increased glucose and xylose, and lower lignin content, whereas the transgenic line expressing the MYB46 chimeric activator showed increased mannose content. The expression profile of downstream genes in each transgenic line was also different from that of the wild type. This study proposed a new screening strategy to identify factors of secondary wall formation and also suggested the potential of the artificially reconstituted secondary cell walls as a novel raw material for production of bioethanol and other chemicals. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists.

  9. Evaluation of treatment response to autologous transplantation of noncultured melanocyte/keratinocyte cell suspension in patients with stable vitiligo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos, Mariana Gontijo; Ramos, Daniel Gontijo; Ramos, Camila Gontijo

    2017-01-01

    Vitiligo is a chronic disease characterized by the appearance of achromic macules caused by melanocyte destruction. Surgical treatments with melanocyte transplantation can be used for stable vitiligo cases. To evaluate treatment response to the autologous transplantation of noncultured epidermal cell suspension in patients with stable vitiligo. Case series study in patients with stable vitiligo submitted to noncultured epidermal cell suspension transplantation and evaluated at least once, between 3 and 6 months after the procedure, to observe repigmentation and possible adverse effects. The maximum follow-up period for some patients was 24 months. Of the 20 patients who underwent 24 procedures, 25% showed an excellent rate of repigmentation, 50% good repigmentation, 15% regular, and 10% poor response. The best results were observed in face and neck lesions, while the worst in extremity lesions (88% and 33% of satisfactory responses, respectively). Patients with segmental vitiligo had a better response (84%) compared to non-segmental ones (63%). As side effects were observed hyperpigmentation of the treated area and the appearance of Koebner phenomenon in the donor area. Some limitations of the study included the small number of patients, a subjective evaluation, and the lack of long-term follow-up on the results. CONCLUSION: Noncultured epidermal cell suspension transplantation is efficient and well tolerated for stable vitiligo treatment, especially for segmental vitiligo on the face and neck.

  10. ARABIDOPSIS HOMOLOG of TRITHORAX1 (ATX1) is required for cell production, patterning, and morphogenesis in root development

    OpenAIRE

    Napsucialy-Mendivil, Selene; Alvarez-Venegas, Raúl; Shishkova, Svetlana; Dubrovsky, Joseph G.

    2014-01-01

    ARABIDOPSIS HOMOLOG of TRITHORAX1 (ATX1/SDG27), a known regulator of flower development, encodes a H3K4histone methyltransferase that maintains a number of genes in an active state. In this study, the role of ATX1 in root development was evaluated. The loss-of-function mutant atx1-1 was impaired in primary root growth. The data suggest that ATX1 controls root growth by regulating cell cycle duration, cell production, and the transition from cell proliferation in the root apical meristem (RAM)...

  11. Effect of substrate and cathode parameters on the properties of suspension plasma sprayed solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Waldbillig, D.; Tang, Z.; Burgess, A. [British Columbia Univ., Vancouver, BC (Canada); Kesler, O. [Toronto Univ., ON (Canada)

    2008-07-01

    An axial injection suspension plasma spray system has been used to produce layers of fully stabilized yttriastabilized zirconia (YSZ) that could be used as solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolytes. Suspension plasma spraying is a promising technique for the rapid production of coatings with fine microstructures and controlled porosity without requiring a post-deposition heat treatment. This new manufacturing technique to produce SOFC active layers requires the build up of a number of different plasma sprayed SOFC functional layers (cathode, electrolyte and anode) sequentially on top of each other. To understand the influence of the substrate and previouslydeposited coating layers on subsequent coating layer properties, YSZ layers were deposited on top of plasma sprayed composite lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM)/YSZ cathode layers that were first deposited on porous ferritic stainless steel substrates. Three layer half cells consisting of the porous steel substrate, composite cathode, and suspension plasma sprayed electrolyte layer were then characterized. A systematic study was performed in order to investigate the effect of parameters such as substrate and cathode layer roughness, substrate surface pore size, and cathode microstructure and thickness on electrolyte deposition efficiency, cathode and electrolyte permeability, and layer microstructure. (orig.)

  12. Atkinesin-13A Modulates Cell-Wall Synthesis and Cell Expansion in Arabidopsis thaliana via the THESEUS1 Pathway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujikura, Ushio; Elsaesser, Lore; Breuninger, Holger; Sánchez-Rodríguez, Clara; Ivakov, Alexander; Laux, Thomas; Findlay, Kim; Persson, Staffan; Lenhard, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Growth of plant organs relies on cell proliferation and expansion. While an increasingly detailed picture about the control of cell proliferation is emerging, our knowledge about the control of cell expansion remains more limited. We demonstrate here that the internal-motor kinesin AtKINESIN-13A (AtKIN13A) limits cell expansion and cell size in Arabidopsis thaliana, with loss-of-function atkin13a mutants forming larger petals with larger cells. The homolog, AtKINESIN-13B, also affects cell expansion and double mutants display growth, gametophytic and early embryonic defects, indicating a redundant role of the two genes. AtKIN13A is known to depolymerize microtubules and influence Golgi motility and distribution. Consistent with this function, AtKIN13A interacts genetically with ANGUSTIFOLIA, encoding a regulator of Golgi dynamics. Reduced AtKIN13A activity alters cell wall structure as assessed by Fourier-transformed infrared-spectroscopy and triggers signalling via the THESEUS1-dependent cell-wall integrity pathway, which in turn promotes the excess cell expansion in the atkin13a mutant. Thus, our results indicate that the intracellular activity of AtKIN13A regulates cell expansion and wall architecture via THESEUS1, providing a compelling case of interplay between cell wall integrity sensing and expansion. PMID:25232944

  13. Arabidopsis ATP A2 peroxidase. Expression and high-resolution structure of a plant peroxidase with implications for lignification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ostergaard, L; Teilum, K; Mirza, O

    2000-01-01

    Lignins are phenolic biopolymers synthesized by terrestrial, vascular plants for mechanical support and in response to pathogen attack. Peroxidases have been proposed to catalyse the dehydrogenative polymerization of monolignols into lignins, although no specific isoenzyme has been shown...... to be involved in lignin biosynthesis. Recently we isolated an extracellular anionic peroxidase, ATP A2, from rapidly lignifying Arabidopsis cell suspension culture and cloned its cDNA. Here we show that the Atp A2 promoter directs GUS reporter gene expression in lignified tissues of transgenic plants. Moreover......-coumaryl and coniferyl alcohols are preferred by ATP A2, while the oxidation of sinapyl alcohol will be sterically hindered in ATP A2 as well as in all other plant peroxidases due to an overlap with the conserved Pro-139. We suggest ATP A2 is involved in a complex regulation of the covalent cross-linking in the plant...

  14. High-level production of human interleukin-10 fusions in tobacco cell suspension cultures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaldis, Angelo; Ahmad, Adil; Reid, Alexandra; McGarvey, Brian; Brandle, Jim; Ma, Shengwu; Jevnikar, Anthony; Kohalmi, Susanne E; Menassa, Rima

    2013-01-01

    The production of pharmaceutical proteins in plants has made much progress in recent years with the development of transient expression systems, transplastomic technology and humanizing glycosylation patterns in plants. However, the first therapeutic proteins approved for administration to humans and animals were made in plant cell suspensions for reasons of containment, rapid scale-up and lack of toxic contaminants. In this study, we have investigated the production of human interleukin-10 (IL-10) in tobacco BY-2 cell suspension and evaluated the effect of an elastin-like polypeptide tag (ELP) and a green fluorescent protein (GFP) tag on IL-10 accumulation. We report the highest accumulation levels of hIL-10 obtained with any stable plant expression system using the ELP fusion strategy. Although IL-10-ELP has cytokine activity, its activity is reduced compared to unfused IL-10, likely caused by interference of ELP with folding of IL-10. Green fluorescent protein has no effect on IL-10 accumulation, but examining the trafficking of IL-10-GFP over the cell culture cycle revealed fluorescence in the vacuole during the stationary phase of the culture growth cycle. Analysis of isolated vacuoles indicated that GFP alone is found in vacuoles, while the full-size fusion remains in the whole-cell extract. This indicates that GFP is cleaved off prior to its trafficking to the vacuole. On the other hand, IL-10-GFP-ELP remains mostly in the ER and accumulates to high levels. Protein bodies were observed at the end of the culture cycle and are thought to arise as a consequence of high levels of accumulation in the ER. PMID:23297698

  15. Variable-angle total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy of intact cells of Arabidopsis thaliana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim Myung K

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM is a powerful tool for observing fluorescently labeled molecules on the plasma membrane surface of animal cells. However, the utility of TIRFM in plant cell studies has been limited by the fact that plants have cell walls, thick peripheral layers surrounding the plasma membrane. Recently, a new technique known as variable-angle epifluorescence microscopy (VAEM was developed to circumvent this problem. However, the lack of a detailed analysis of the optical principles underlying VAEM has limited its applications in plant-cell biology. Results Here, we present theoretical and experimental evidence supporting the use of variable-angle TIRFM in observations of intact plant cells. We show that when total internal reflection occurs at the cell wall/cytosol interface with an appropriate angle of incidence, an evanescent wave field of constant depth is produced inside the cytosol. Results of experimental TIRFM observations of the dynamic behaviors of phototropin 1 (a membrane receptor protein and clathrin light chain (a vesicle coat protein support our theoretical analysis. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that variable-angle TIRFM is appropriate for quantitative live imaging of cells in intact tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana.

  16. Elicitation of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) cell suspension culture for enhancement of inulin production and altered degree of polymerisation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Chunquan; Zhou, Dong; Wang, Haitao; Han, Dongming; Wang, Yang; Yan, Xiufeng

    2017-01-01

    Plant cell suspension cultures have emerged as a potential source of secondary metabolites for food additives and pharmaceuticals. In this study inulin accumulation and its degree of polymerisation (DP) in the treated cells in the same medium were investigated after treatment with six types of elicitors. An in vitro cell suspension culture of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) was optimised by adding an extra nitrogen source. According to the growth kinetics, a maximum biomass of 5.48 g L -1 was obtained from the optimal cell suspension medium consisted of Murashige and Skoog basic medium (MS) + 1.0 mg L -1 α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) + 1.0 mg L -1 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) + 0.5 mg L -1 proline + 1.0 mg L -1 glutamine. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA, 250 µmol L -1 ) treatment for 15 days led to the highest levels of inulin (2955.27 ± 9.81 mg L -1 compared to control of 1217.46 ± 0.26 mg L -1 ). The elicited effect of five elicitors to the suspension cells of Jerusalem artichoke is as follows: AgNO 3 (Ag, 10 µmol L -1 ), salicylic acid (SA, 75 µmol L -1 ), chitosan (KJT, 40 mg L -1 ), Trichoderma viride (Tv, 90 mg L -1 ), yeast extract (YE, 0.25 mg L -1 ), and the corresponding content of inulin is increased by 2.05-, 1.93-, 1.76-, 1.44- and 1.18-fold compared to control, respectively. The obvious effect on the percentage of lower DP in inulin was observed in cells treated with 40 mg L -1 KJT, 0.25 mg L -1 YE and 10 µmol L -1 Ag. Among the six types of elicitors, the descending order of inulin content is MeJA > Ag > SA > KJT > Tv > YE. For the purpose inulin with lower DP and its application to prebiotic food, three elicitors, including KJT, YE and Ag, can be used for the elicitation. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. Identification of genes involved in the ACC-mediated control of root cell elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Markakis Marios

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Along the root axis of Arabidopsis thaliana, cells pass through different developmental stages. In the apical meristem repeated cycles of division increase the numbers of cells. Upon leaving the meristem, these cells pass the transition zone where they are physiologically and mechanically prepared to undergo subsequent rapid elongation. During the process of elongation epidermal cells increase their length by 300% in a couple of hours. When elongation ceases, the cells acquire their final size, shape and functions (in the differentiation zone. Ethylene administered as its precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC is capable of inhibiting elongation in a concentration-dependent way. Using a microarray analysis, genes and/or processes involved in this elongation arrest are identified. Results Using a CATMA-microarray analysis performed on control and 3h ACC-treated roots, 240 differentially expressed genes were identified. Quantitative Real-Time RT-PCR analysis of the 10 most up and down regulated genes combined with literature search confirmed the accurateness of the analysis. This revealed that inhibition of cell elongation is, at least partly, caused by restricting the events that under normal growth conditions initiate elongation and by increasing the processes that normally stop cellular elongation at the end of the elongation/onset of differentiation zone. Conclusions ACC interferes with cell elongation in the Arabidopsis thaliana roots by inhibiting cells from entering the elongation process and by immediately stimulating the formation of cross-links in cell wall components, diminishing the remaining elongation capacity. From the analysis of the differentially expressed genes, it becomes clear that many genes identified in this response, are also involved in several other kind of stress responses. This suggests that many responses originate from individual elicitors, but that somewhere in the downstream

  18. Analysis of plastid number, size, and distribution in Arabidopsis plants by light and fluorescence microscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pyke, Kevin

    2011-01-01

    Methods are described which allow one to observe chloroplasts in mesophyll cells from leaves of Arabidopsis, determine their number per cell, measure their area, and determine a value for chloroplast coverage inside mesophyll cells. Non-green plastids can also be imaged either by using staining, or by exploiting fluorescent proteins targeted to the plastid in non-green parts of the plant, such as the roots, in transgenic Arabidopsis.

  19. Co-localisation studies of Arabidopsis SR splicing factors reveal different types of speckles in plant cell nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lorkovic, Zdravko J.; Hilscher, Julia; Barta, Andrea

    2008-01-01

    SR proteins are multidomain splicing factors which are important for spliceosome assembly and for regulation of alternative splicing. In mammalian nuclei these proteins localise to speckles from where they are recruited to transcription sites. By using fluorescent protein fusion technology and different experimental approaches it has been shown that Arabidopsis SR proteins, in addition to diffuse nucleoplasmic staining, localise into an irregular nucleoplasmic network resembling speckles in mammalian cells. As Arabidopsis SR proteins fall into seven conserved sub-families we investigated co-localisation of members of the different sub-families in transiently transformed tobacco protoplast. Here we demonstrate the new finding that members of different SR protein sub-families localise into distinct populations of nuclear speckles with no, partial or complete co-localisation. This is particularly interesting as we also show that these proteins do interact in a yeast two-hybrid assay as well as in pull-down and in co-immunopreciptiation assays. Our data raise the interesting possibility that SR proteins are partitioned into distinct populations of nuclear speckles to allow a more specific recruitment to the transcription/pre-mRNA processing sites of particular genes depending on cell type and developmental stage

  20. Divergent regulation of Arabidopsis SAUR genes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mourik, van Hilda; Dijk, van Aalt D.J.; Stortenbeker, Niek; Angenent, Gerco C.; Bemer, Marian

    2017-01-01

    Background: Small Auxin-Upregulated RNA (SAUR) genes encode growth regulators that induce cell elongation. Arabidopsis contains more than 70 SAUR genes, of which the growth-promoting function has been unveiled in seedlings, while their role in other tissues remained largely unknown. Here, we

  1. Reference: 359 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 359 http://metadb.riken.jp/db/SciNetS_ria224i/cria224u4ria224u16531491i Cnops Gerda...leaf development in Arabidopsis thaliana. 4 852-66 16531491 2006 Apr The Plant cell Azmi Abdelkrim|Cnops Gerda

  2. The importance of Arabidopsis glutathione peroxidase 8 for protecting Arabidopsis plant and E. coli cells against oxidative stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaber, Ahmed

    2014-01-01

    Glutathione peroxidases (GPXs) are major family of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes. Recently, database analysis of the Arabidopsis genome revealed a new open-reading frame, thus increasing the total number of AtGPX gene family to eight (AtGPX1-8). The effect of plant hormones like; i. e. salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid (ABA), indoleacetic acid (IAA), and mannitol on the expression of the genes confirm that the AtGPX genes family is regulated by multiple signaling pathways. The survival rate of AtGPX8 knockout plants (KO8) was significantly decreased under heat stress compared with the wild type. Moreover, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein oxidation was significantly increased in the KO8 plant cells under heat stress. Results indicating that the deficiency of AtGPX8 accelerates the progression of oxidative stress in KO8 plants. On the other hand, the overexpression of AtGPX8 in E. coli cells enhance the growth of the recombinant enzyme on media supplemented with 0.2 mM cumene hydroperoxide, 0.3 mM H 2O 2 or 600 mM NaCl.

  3. Transcript Profiling Identifies NAC-Domain Genes Involved in Regulating Wall Ingrowth Deposition in Phloem Parenchyma Transfer Cells of Arabidopsis thaliana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuzhou Wu

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Transfer cells (TCs play important roles in facilitating enhanced rates of nutrient transport at key apoplasmic/symplasmic junctions along the nutrient acquisition and transport pathways in plants. TCs achieve this capacity by developing elaborate wall ingrowth networks which serve to increase plasma membrane surface area thus increasing the cell's surface area-to-volume ratio to achieve increased flux of nutrients across the plasma membrane. Phloem parenchyma (PP cells of Arabidopsis leaf veins trans-differentiate to become PP TCs which likely function in a two-step phloem loading mechanism by facilitating unloading of photoassimilates into the apoplasm for subsequent energy-dependent uptake into the sieve element/companion cell (SE/CC complex. We are using PP TCs in Arabidopsis as a genetic model to identify transcription factors involved in coordinating deposition of the wall ingrowth network. Confocal imaging of pseudo-Schiff propidium iodide-stained tissue revealed different profiles of temporal development of wall ingrowth deposition across maturing cotyledons and juvenile leaves, and a basipetal gradient of deposition across mature adult leaves. RNA-Seq analysis was undertaken to identify differentially expressed genes common to these three different profiles of wall ingrowth deposition. This analysis identified 68 transcription factors up-regulated two-fold or more in at least two of the three experimental comparisons, with six of these transcription factors belonging to Clade III of the NAC-domain family. Phenotypic analysis of these NAC genes using insertional mutants revealed significant reductions in levels of wall ingrowth deposition, particularly in a double mutant of NAC056 and NAC018, as well as compromised sucrose-dependent root growth, indicating impaired capacity for phloem loading. Collectively, these results support the proposition that Clade III members of the NAC-domain family in Arabidopsis play important roles in

  4. Arabidopsis phyllotaxis is controlled by the methyl-esterification status of cell-wall pectins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peaucelle, Alexis; Louvet, Romain; Johansen, Jorunn N; Höfte, Herman; Laufs, Patrick; Pelloux, Jérome; Mouille, Grégory

    2008-12-23

    Plant organs are produced from meristems in a characteristic pattern. This pattern, referred to as phyllotaxis, is thought to be generated by local gradients of an information molecule, auxin. Some studies propose a key role for the mechanical properties of the cell walls in the control of organ outgrowth. A major cell-wall component is the linear alpha-1-4-linked D-GalAp pectic polysaccharide homogalacturonan (HG), which plays a key role in cell-to-cell cohesion. HG is deposited in the cell wall in a highly (70%-80%) methyl-esterified form and is subsequently de-methyl-esterified by pectin methyl-esterases (PME, EC 3.1.1.11). PME activity is itself regulated by endogenous PME inhibitor (PMEI) proteins. PME action modulates cell-wall-matrix properties and plays a role in the control of cell growth. Here, we show that the formation of flower primordia in the Arabidopsis shoot apical meristem is accompanied by the de-methyl-esterification of pectic polysaccharides in the cell walls. In addition, experimental perturbation of the methyl-esterification status of pectins within the meristem dramatically alters the phyllotactic pattern. These results demonstrate that regulated de-methyl-esterification of pectins is a key event in the outgrowth of primordia and possibly also in phyllotactic patterning.

  5. The Arabidopsis cytosolic proteome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ito, Jun; Parsons, Harriet Tempé; Heazlewood, Joshua L.

    2014-01-01

    compartments. However, a detailed study of enriched cytosolic fractions from Arabidopsis cell culture has been performed only recently, with over 1,000 proteins reproducibly identified by mass spectrometry. The number of proteins allocated to the cytosol nearly doubles to 1,802 if a series of targeted...

  6. Administrative license suspension: Does length of suspension matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fell, James C; Scherer, Michael

    2017-08-18

    Administrative license revocation (ALR) laws, which provide that the license of a driver with a blood alcohol concentration at or over the illegal limit is subject to an immediate suspension by the state department of motor vehicles, are an example of a traffic law in which the sanction rapidly follows the offense. The power of ALR laws has been attributed to how swiftly the sanction is applied, but does the length of suspension matter? Our objectives were to (a) determine the relationship of the ALR suspension length to the prevalence of drinking drivers relative to sober drivers in fatal crashes and (b) estimate the extent to which the relationship is associated to the general deterrent effect compared to the specific deterrent effect of the law. Data comparing the impact of ALR law implementation and ALR law suspension periods were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques on the ratio of drinking drivers to nondrinking drivers in fatal crashes from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). States with an ALR law with a short suspension period (1-30 days) had a significantly lower drinking driver ratio than states with no ALR law. States with a suspension period of 91-180 days had significantly lower ratios than states with shorter suspension periods, while the three states with suspension lengths of 181 days or longer had significantly lower ratios than states with shorter suspension periods. The implementation of any ALR law was associated with a 13.1% decrease in the drinking/nondrinking driver fatal crash ratio but only a 1.8% decrease in the intoxicated/nonintoxicated fatal crash ratio. The ALR laws and suspension lengths had a significant general deterrent effect, but no specific deterrent effect. States might want to keep (or adopt) ALR laws for their general deterrent effects and pursue alternatives for specific deterrent effects. States with short ALR suspension periods should consider lengthening them to 91 days or longer.

  7. AHP2, AHP3, and AHP5 act downstream of CKI1 in Arabidopsis female gametophyte development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhenning; Yuan, Li; Song, Xiaoya; Yu, Xiaolin; Sundaresan, Venkatesan

    2017-06-15

    Histidine phosphotransfer proteins (HPs) are key elements of the two-component signaling system, which act as a shuttle to transfer phosphorylation signals from histidine kinases (HKs) to response regulators (RRs). CYTOKININ INDEPENDENT 1 (CKI1), a key regulator of central cell specification in the Arabidopsis female gametophyte, activates the cytokinin signaling pathway through the Arabidopsis histidine phosphotransfer proteins (AHPs). There are five HP genes in Arabidopsis, AHP1-AHP5, but it remains unknown which AHP genes act downstream of CKI1 in Arabidopsis female gametophyte development. Promoter activity analysis of AHP1-AHP5 in embryo sacs revealed AHP1, AHP2, AHP3, and AHP5 expression in the central cell. Phenotypic studies of various combinations of ahp mutants showed that triple mutations in AHP2, AHP3, and AHP5 resulted in defective embryo sac development. Using cell-specific single and double markers in the female gametophyte, the ahp2-2 ahp3 ahp5-2/+ triple mutant ovules showed loss of central cell and antipodal cell fates and gain of egg cell or synergid cell attributes, resembling the cki1 mutant phenotypes. These data suggest that AHP2, AHP3, and AHP5 are the major factors acting downstream of CKI1 in the two-component cytokinin signaling pathway to promote Arabidopsis female gametophyte development. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  8. Arabidopsis thaliana Somatic Embryogenesis Receptor Kinase 1 protein is present in sporophytic and gametophytic cells and undergoes endocytosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kwaaitaal, Mark Adrianus Cornelis J; de Vries, S C; Russinova, E

    2005-01-01

    Arabidopsis thaliana plants expressing AtSERK1 fused to yellow-fluorescent protein were generated. Fluorescence was detected predominantly at the cell periphery, most likely the plasma membrane, of cells in ovules, embryo sacs, anthers, and embryos and in seedlings. The AtSERK1 protein was detected...... in diverse cell types including the epidermis and the vascular bundles. In some cells, fluorescent receptors were seen in small vesicle-like compartments. After application of the fungal toxin Brefeldin A, the fluorescent receptors were rapidly internalized in the root meristem and root vascular tissue. We...... conclude that the AtSERK1 receptor functions in a common signalling pathway employed in both sporophytic and gametophytic cells....

  9. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene targeting in Arabidopsis using sequential transformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miki, Daisuke; Zhang, Wenxin; Zeng, Wenjie; Feng, Zhengyan; Zhu, Jian-Kang

    2018-05-17

    Homologous recombination-based gene targeting is a powerful tool for precise genome modification and has been widely used in organisms ranging from yeast to higher organisms such as Drosophila and mouse. However, gene targeting in higher plants, including the most widely used model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, remains challenging. Here we report a sequential transformation method for gene targeting in Arabidopsis. We find that parental lines expressing the bacterial endonuclease Cas9 from the egg cell- and early embryo-specific DD45 gene promoter can improve the frequency of single-guide RNA-targeted gene knock-ins and sequence replacements via homologous recombination at several endogenous sites in the Arabidopsis genome. These heritable gene targeting can be identified by regular PCR. Our approach enables routine and fine manipulation of the Arabidopsis genome.

  10. Effect of amino acid substitution of CAPRICE on cell-to-cell movement ability in Arabidopsis root epidermis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tominaga-Wada, Rumi; Wada, Takuji

    2018-03-01

    An R3-type MYB transcription factor, CAPRICE (CPC), is known to promote root hair cell differentiation in Arabidopsis root epidermis. The CPC protein moves from non-hair cells to the neighboring cells, and acts as an inducer of root hair formation. In contrast, we previously showed that the CPC homolog, ENHANCER OF TRY AND CPC1 (ETC1), does not move between the root epidermal cells. To clarify the critical difference in the cell-to-cell movement ability of CPC and ETC1 proteins, we generated five different chimeras of CPC and ETC1. As expected, four of the five chimeric proteins with substitution of CPC amino acids with those of ETC1 induced many root hair and no-trichome phenotype, like CPC. These chimeric proteins essentially maintained the cell-to-cell movement ability of CPC. However, one chimeric protein in which ETC1 was sandwiched between the CPC-specific movement motifs of S1 and S2 did not induce ectopic root hair formation. This chimeric protein did not move between the cells. These results indicate that the maintenance of not only the S1 and S2 motifs but also the precise structure of CPC protein might be necessary for the cell-to-cell movement of CPC. Our results should help in further unraveling of the roles of these MYB transcription factors in root hair formation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Increased root hair density by loss of WRKY6 in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Markus G. Stetter

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Root hairs are unicellular elongations of certain rhizodermal cells that improve the uptake of sparingly soluble and immobile soil nutrients. Among different Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes, root hair density, length and the local acclimation to low inorganic phosphate (Pi differs considerably, when analyzed on split agar plates. Here, genome-wide association fine mapping identified significant single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with the increased root hair density in the absence of local phosphate on chromosome 1. A loss-of-functionmutant of the candidate transcription factor gene WRKY6, which is involved in the acclimation of plants to low phosphorus, had increased root hair density. This is partially explained by a reduced cortical cell diameter in wrky6-3, reducing the rhizodermal cell numbers adjacent to the cortical cells. As a consequence, rhizodermal cells in positions that are in contact with two cortical cells are found more often, leading to higher hair density. Distinct cortical cell diameters and epidermal cell lengths distinguish other Arabidopsis accessions with distinct root hair density and −Pi response from diploid Col-0, while tetraploid Col-0 had generally larger root cell sizes, which explain longer hairs. A distinct radial root morphology within Arabidopsis accessions and wrky6-3explains some, but not all, differences in the root hair acclimation to –Pi.

  12. Increased podophyllotoxin production in Podophyllum hexandrum cell suspension cultures after feeding coniferyl alcohol as a β-cyclodextrin complex

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Woerdenbag, H.J.; Van Uden, W.; Frijlink, H.W.; Lerk, C.F.; Pras, N.; Malingre, T.M.

    1990-01-01

    Cell suspension cultures, derived from roots of Podophyllum hexandrum Royle (Berberidaceae), accumulate podophyllotoxin. In this study the use of β-cyclodextrin in feeding the poorly water-soluble precursor coniferyl alcohol to these cultures is described. By complexation with β-cyclodextrin, a

  13. Increased podophyllotoxin production in Podophyllum hexandrum cell suspension cultures after feeding coniferyl alcohol as a β-cyclodextrin complex

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Woerdenbag, H J; van Uden, W; Frijlink, H W; Lerk, C F; Pras, N; Malingré, T M

    Cell suspension cultures, derived from roots of Podophyllum hexandrum Royle (Berberidaceae), accumulate podophyllotoxin. In this study the use of β-cyclodextrin in feeding the poorly water-soluble precursor coniferyl alcohol to these cultures is described. By complexation with β-cyclodextrin, a

  14. Characterization of metal-supported axial injection plasma sprayed solid oxide fuel cells with aqueous suspension plasma sprayed electrolyte layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waldbillig, D.; Kesler, O.

    A method for manufacturing metal-supported SOFCs with atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) is presented, making use of aqueous suspension feedstock for the electrolyte layer and dry powder feedstock for the anode and cathode layers. The cathode layer was deposited first directly onto a metal support, in order to minimize contact resistance, and to allow the introduction of added porosity. The electrolyte layers produced by suspension plasma spraying (SPS) were characterized in terms of thickness, permeability, and microstructure, and the impact of substrate morphology on electrolyte properties was investigated. Fuel cells produced by APS were electrochemically tested at temperatures ranging from 650 to 750 °C. The substrate morphology had little effect on open circuit voltage, but substrates with finer porosity resulted in lower kinetic losses in the fuel cell polarization.

  15. Characterization of metal-supported axial injection plasma sprayed solid oxide fuel cells with aqueous suspension plasma sprayed electrolyte layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Waldbillig, D. [University of British Columbia, Department of Materials Engineering, 309-6350 Stores Road, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Kesler, O. [University of Toronto, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, 5 King' s College Road, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

    2009-06-15

    A method for manufacturing metal-supported SOFCs with atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) is presented, making use of aqueous suspension feedstock for the electrolyte layer and dry powder feedstock for the anode and cathode layers. The cathode layer was deposited first directly onto a metal support, in order to minimize contact resistance, and to allow the introduction of added porosity. The electrolyte layers produced by suspension plasma spraying (SPS) were characterized in terms of thickness, permeability, and microstructure, and the impact of substrate morphology on electrolyte properties was investigated. Fuel cells produced by APS were electrochemically tested at temperatures ranging from 650 to 750 C. The substrate morphology had little effect on open circuit voltage, but substrates with finer porosity resulted in lower kinetic losses in the fuel cell polarization. (author)

  16. Iron induction of ferritin synthesis in soybean cell suspensions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proudhon, D; Briat, J F; Lescure, A M

    1989-06-01

    In animal cells specialized for iron storage, iron-induced accumulation of ferritin is known to result from a shift of stored mRNA from the ribonucleoprotein fraction to polysomes. Previous reports with bean leaves suggested that in plants iron induction of ferritin synthesis would result from a regulation at the transcriptional level (F van der Mark, F Bienfait, H van der Ende [1983] Biochem Biophys Res Commun 115:463-469). Soybean (Glycine max, cv Mandarin) cell suspension cultures have been used here to support these findings. Ferritin induction is obtained by addition of Fe-citrate to the culture medium. A good correlation is found between cellular iron content and the amount of ferritin accumulation. This protein accumulation corresponds to an increase of in vitro translatable ferritin mRNA. Addition of 4 micrograms actinomycin D per milliliter to the cultures inhibits completely in vivo RNA synthesis, whereas protein synthesis was poorly affected, at least for 24 hours. During the same time, this concentration of actinomycin D strongly inhibits the iron-induced synthesis of ferritin. These results show that in soybean cell cultures, the mechanism of regulation of ferritin synthesis in response to iron does not result from recruitment of preexisting mRNA. They confirm that in plant systems, ferritin synthesis results from increased transcription of the corresponding genes.

  17. Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins are required for cell wall synthesis and morphogenesis in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillmor, C Stewart; Lukowitz, Wolfgang; Brininstool, Ginger; Sedbrook, John C; Hamann, Thorsten; Poindexter, Patricia; Somerville, Chris

    2005-04-01

    Mutations at five loci named PEANUT1-5 (PNT) were identified in a genetic screen for radially swollen embryo mutants. pnt1 cell walls showed decreased crystalline cellulose, increased pectins, and irregular and ectopic deposition of pectins, xyloglucans, and callose. Furthermore, pnt1 pollen is less viable than the wild type, and pnt1 embryos were delayed in morphogenesis and showed defects in shoot and root meristems. The PNT1 gene encodes the Arabidopsis thaliana homolog of mammalian PIG-M, an endoplasmic reticulum-localized mannosyltransferase that is required for synthesis of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. All five pnt mutants showed strongly reduced accumulation of GPI-anchored proteins, suggesting that they all have defects in GPI anchor synthesis. Although the mutants are seedling lethal, pnt1 cells are able to proliferate for a limited time as undifferentiated callus and do not show the massive deposition of ectopic cell wall material seen in pnt1 embryos. The different phenotype of pnt1 cells in embryos and callus suggest a differential requirement for GPI-anchored proteins in cell wall synthesis in these two tissues and points to the importance of GPI anchoring in coordinated multicellular growth.

  18. Isolation of Nuclei and Nucleoli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pendle, Alison F; Shaw, Peter J

    2017-01-01

    Here we describe methods for producing nuclei from Arabidopsis suspension cultures or root tips of Arabidopsis, wheat, or pea. These methods could be adapted for other species and cell types. The resulting nuclei can be further purified for use in biochemical or proteomic studies, or can be used for microscopy. We also describe how the nuclei can be used to obtain a preparation of nucleoli.

  19. Fracture in Kaolinite clay suspensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosgodagan Acharige, Sebastien; Jerolmack, Douglas J.; Arratia, Paulo E.

    2017-11-01

    Clay minerals are involved in many natural (landslides, river channels) and industrial processes (ceramics, cosmetics, oil recovery). They are plate shaped charged colloids and exhibit different flow properties than simpler colloids when suspended in a liquid such as thixotropy and shear-banding. kaolinite platelets are non-swelling, meaning that the stacks formed by the platelets do not have water layers, and thus the suspension does not have a sol-gel transition. However, it has been shown that kaolinite suspensions possesses a non-zero yield stress even at low concentrations, indicating that the particles arrange themselves in a structure through attractive interactions. Here, we experimentally investigate the sedimentation of kaolinite suspensions in a Hele-Shaw cell. The sedimentation of these dilute suspensions can display solid behavior like fracture, revealed in cross-polarized light, which is linked to the failure of the weakly-bonded structure (typical yield stress 10-2 Pa). By changing the interaction potential of the particles (by sonication or introducing salts), we show through these sedimentation experiments, how the fracture pattern can be avoided. Research was sponsored by the Army Research Laboratory and was accomplished under Grant Number 569074.

  20. Effect of nickel on the organization of actin filaments in Arabidopsis thaliana primary root cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goryunova, I.I.; Krasilenko, Yu.A.; Emets, A.I.; Blyum, Ya.B.

    2016-01-01

    The influence of one of the most toxic heavy metals - nickel (Ni 2+ ) - on the organization of actin filaments (microfilaments) of different types of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) root cells is studied in living cells by the laser scanning microscopy. To visualize microfilaments, the A. thaliana line expressing chimeric gene gfp-fabd2 was used. Ni 2+ leads to a significant inhibition of the growth of the main root and disturbs its morphology, causing the swelling of epidermal cells and inducing a large number of abnormally long root hairs. For the first time, it has been shown that Ni 2+ disturbs the organization of actin filaments in cells, leading to morphological changes of a root as the main organ, being the first exposed to the intoxication by soil pollutants. It is found that the most sensitive to its action are actin filaments of epidermal cells of all growth zones of A. thaliana root

  1. The Hidden Geometries of the Arabidopsis thaliana Epidermis

    KAUST Repository

    Staff, Lee; Hurd, Patricia; Reale, Lara; Seoighe, Cathal; Rockwood, Alyn; Gehring, Christoph A

    2012-01-01

    The quest for the discovery of mathematical principles that underlie biological phenomena is ancient and ongoing. We present a geometric analysis of the complex interdigitated pavement cells in the Arabidopsis thaliana (Col.) adaxial epidermis

  2. Zoospore exudates from Phytophthora nicotianae affect immune responses in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Ping; McDowell, John M; Hong, Chuanxue

    2017-01-01

    Zoospore exudates play important roles in promoting zoospore communication, homing and germination during plant infection by Phytophthora. However, it is not clear whether exudates affect plant immunity. Zoospore-free fluid (ZFF) and zoospores of P. nicotianae were investigated comparatively for effects on resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0 and mutants that affect signaling mediated by salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA): eds16 (enhanced disease susceptibility16), pad4 (phytoalexin deficient4), and npr1 (nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes1). Col-0 attracted more zoospores and had severe tissue damage when flooded with a zoospore suspension in ZFF. Mutants treated with ZFF alone developed disease symptoms similar to those inoculated with zoospores and requirements of EDS16 and PAD4 for plant responses to zoospores and the exudates was apparent. Zoospore and ZFFs also induced expression of the PR1 and PDF1.2 marker genes for defense regulated by SA and JA, respectively. However, ZFF affected more JA defense signaling, down regulating PR1 when SA signaling or synthesis is deficient, which may be responsible for Arabidopsis mutant plants more susceptible to infection by high concentration of P. nicotianae zoospores. These results suggest that zoospore exudates can function as virulence factors and inducers of plant immune responses during plant infection by Phytophthora.

  3. Fluctuations of the transcription factor ATML1 generate the pattern of giant cells in the Arabidopsis sepal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Heather M; Teles, José; Formosa-Jordan, Pau; Refahi, Yassin; San-Bento, Rita; Ingram, Gwyneth; Jönsson, Henrik; Locke, James C W; Roeder, Adrienne H K

    2017-01-01

    Multicellular development produces patterns of specialized cell types. Yet, it is often unclear how individual cells within a field of identical cells initiate the patterning process. Using live imaging, quantitative image analyses and modeling, we show that during Arabidopsis thaliana sepal development, fluctuations in the concentration of the transcription factor ATML1 pattern a field of identical epidermal cells to differentiate into giant cells interspersed between smaller cells. We find that ATML1 is expressed in all epidermal cells. However, its level fluctuates in each of these cells. If ATML1 levels surpass a threshold during the G2 phase of the cell cycle, the cell will likely enter a state of endoreduplication and become giant. Otherwise, the cell divides. Our results demonstrate a fluctuation-driven patterning mechanism for how cell fate decisions can be initiated through a random yet tightly regulated process. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.19131.001 PMID:28145865

  4. Identifying the transition to the maturation zone in three ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cajero Sánchez, Wendy; García-Ponce, Berenice; Sánchez, María de la Paz; Álvarez-Buylla, Elena R; Garay-Arroyo, Adriana

    2018-01-01

    The Arabidopsis thaliana (hereafter Arabidopsis) root has become a useful model for studying how organ morphogenesis emerge from the coordination and balance of cell proliferation and differentiation, as both processes may be observed and quantified in the root at different stages of development. Hence, being able to objectively identify and delimit the different stages of root development has been very important. Up to now, three different zones along the longitudinal axis of the primary root of Arabidopsis, have been identified: the root apical meristematic zone (RAM) with two domains [the proliferative (PD) and the transition domain (TD)], the elongation zone (EZ) and the maturation zone (MZ). We previously reported a method to quantify the length of the cells of the meristematic and the elongation zone, as well as the boundaries or transitions between the root domains along the growing part of the Arabidopsis root. In this study, we provide a more accurate criterion to identify the MZ. Traditionally, the transition between the EZ to the MZ has been established by the emergence of the first root-hair bulge in the epidermis, because this emergence coincides with cell maturation in this cell type. But we have found here that after the emergence of the first root-hair bulge some cells continue to elongate and we have confirmed this in three different Arabidopsis ecotypes. We established the limit between the EZ and the MZ by looking for the closest cortical cell with a longer length than the average cell length of 10 cells after the cortical cell closest to the epidermal cell with the first root-hair bulge in these three ecotypes. In Col-0 and Ws this cell is four cells above the one with the root hair bulge and, in the Ler ecotype, this cell is five cells above. To unambiguously identifying the site at which cells stop elongating and attain their final length and fate at the MZ, we propose to calculate the length of completely elongated cortical cells counting 10

  5. Signal transduction in artichoke [Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek] callus and cell suspension cultures under nutritional stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lattanzio, Vincenzo; Caretto, Sofia; Linsalata, Vito; Colella, Giovanni; Mita, Giovanni

    2018-06-01

    Stimulated production of secondary phenolic metabolites and proline was studied by using cell cultures of artichoke [Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek] submitted to nutritional stress. Artichoke cell cultures accumulated phenolic secondary metabolites in a pattern similar to that seen in artichoke leaves and heads (capitula). This paper shows that both callus and cell suspension cultures under nutritional stress accumulated phenolic compounds and proline, at the same time their biomass production was negatively affected by nutrient deficiency. The results obtained strongly suggest that plant tissues respond to nutrient deprivation by a defensive costly mechanism, which determines the establishment of a mechanism of trade-off between growth and adaptive response. Furthermore, the results of this research suggest that perception of abiotic stress and increased phenolic metabolites are linked by a sequence of biochemical processes that also involves the intracellular free proline and the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway. The main conclusion of this paper is that, once calli and cell suspension cultures respond to nutrient deficiency, in acclimated cells the establishment of a negative correlation between primary metabolism (growth) and secondary metabolism (defence compounds) is observed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. Cellulose-Pectin Spatial Contacts Are Inherent to Never-Dried Arabidopsis Primary Cell Walls: Evidence from Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance1[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tuo; Park, Yong Bum; Hong, Mei

    2015-01-01

    The structural role of pectins in plant primary cell walls is not yet well understood because of the complex and disordered nature of the cell wall polymers. We recently introduced multidimensional solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to characterize the spatial proximities of wall polysaccharides. The data showed extensive cross peaks between pectins and cellulose in the primary wall of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), indicating subnanometer contacts between the two polysaccharides. This result was unexpected because stable pectin-cellulose interactions are not predicted by in vitro binding assays and prevailing cell wall models. To investigate whether the spatial contacts that give rise to the cross peaks are artifacts of sample preparation, we now compare never-dried Arabidopsis primary walls with dehydrated and rehydrated samples. One-dimensional 13C spectra, two-dimensional 13C-13C correlation spectra, water-polysaccharide correlation spectra, and dynamics data all indicate that the structure, mobility, and intermolecular contacts of the polysaccharides are indistinguishable between never-dried and rehydrated walls. Moreover, a partially depectinated cell wall in which 40% of homogalacturonan is extracted retains cellulose-pectin cross peaks, indicating that the cellulose-pectin contacts are not due to molecular crowding. The cross peaks are observed both at −20°C and at ambient temperature, thus ruling out freezing as a cause of spatial contacts. These results indicate that rhamnogalacturonan I and a portion of homogalacturonan have significant interactions with cellulose microfibrils in the native primary wall. This pectin-cellulose association may be formed during wall biosynthesis and may involve pectin entrapment in or between cellulose microfibrils, which cannot be mimicked by in vitro binding assays. PMID:26036615

  7. Suspension Matrices for Improved Schwann-Cell Survival after Implantation into the Injured Rat Spinal Cord

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Vivek; Joseph, Gravil; Patel, Amit; Patel, Samik; Bustin, Devin; Mawson, David; Tuesta, Luis M.; Puentes, Rocio; Ghosh, Mousumi

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Trauma to the spinal cord produces endogenously irreversible tissue and functional loss, requiring the application of therapeutic approaches to achieve meaningful restoration. Cellular strategies, in particular Schwann-cell implantation, have shown promise in overcoming many of the obstacles facing successful repair of the injured spinal cord. Here, we show that the implantation of Schwann cells as cell suspensions with in-situ gelling laminin:collagen matrices after spinal-cord contusion significantly enhances long-term cell survival but not proliferation, as well as improves graft vascularization and the degree of axonal in-growth over the standard implantation vehicle, minimal media. The use of a matrix to suspend cells prior to implantation should be an important consideration for achieving improved survival and effectiveness of cellular therapies for future clinical application. PMID:20144012

  8. Transient GFP expression in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia suspension cells: the role of gene silencing, cell death and T-DNA loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weld, R; Heinemann, J; Eady, C

    2001-03-01

    The transient nature of T-DNA expression was studied with a gfp reporter gene transferred to Nicotiana plumbaginifolia suspension cells from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Individual GFP-expressing protoplasts were isolated after 4 days' co-cultivation. The protoplasts were cultured without selection and 4 weeks later the surviving proto-calluses were again screened for GFP expression. Of the proto-calluses initially expressing GFP, 50% had lost detectable GFP activity during the first 4 weeks of culture. Multiple T-DNA copies of the gfp gene were detected in 10 of 17 proto-calluses lacking visible GFP activity. The remaining 7 cell lines contained no gfp sequences. Our results confirm that transiently expressed T-DNAs can be lost during growth of somatic cells and demonstrate that transiently expressing cells frequently integrate multiple T-DNAs that become silenced. In cells competent for DNA uptake, cell death and gene silencing were more important barriers to the recovery of stably expressing transformants than lack of T-DNA integration.

  9. The Simbox Experiment with Arabidopsis Thaliana Cell Cultures: Hardware-Tests and First Resutls from the German-Chinese satellite Mission Shenzhou 8

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fengler, Svenja; Neef, Maren; Ecke, Margret; Hampp, Ruediger

    2013-02-01

    The Simbox experiment was the first joint German-Chinese space project. In this context Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures were exposed to microgravity for a 17-day period. To carry out a successful space mission, diverse hardware tests were performed in advance. Due to the limited oxygen supply inside the hardware units, cells were fixed after 5 days under microgravity conditions. As a control, samples were exposed in an on-board 1g reference centrifuge. To investigate the space effect, a ground-based study was performed with the same hardware and identical experimental procedures. As we were able to obtain high quality RNA from the RNAlater quenched samples, we used the Affymetrix Arabidopsis genome array for a transcriptome analysis. Our experiment aimed at the identification of plant genes that were differentially expressed after long-term exposure to microgravity. Pair-wise comparison of flight samples with 1g controls revealed the largest differences between space 1g and ground 1g controls.

  10. FRIENDLY regulates mitochondrial distribution, fusion, and quality control in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Zawily, Amr M; Schwarzländer, Markus; Finkemeier, Iris; Johnston, Iain G; Benamar, Abdelilah; Cao, Yongguo; Gissot, Clémence; Meyer, Andreas J; Wilson, Ken; Datla, Raju; Macherel, David; Jones, Nick S; Logan, David C

    2014-10-01

    Mitochondria are defining components of most eukaryotes. However, higher plant mitochondria differ biochemically, morphologically, and dynamically from those in other eukaryotes. FRIENDLY, a member of the CLUSTERED MITOCHONDRIA superfamily, is conserved among eukaryotes and is required for correct distribution of mitochondria within the cell. We sought to understand how disruption of FRIENDLY function in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leads to mitochondrial clustering and the effects of this aberrant chondriome on cell and whole-plant physiology. We present evidence for a role of FRIENDLY in mediating intermitochondrial association, which is a necessary prelude to mitochondrial fusion. We demonstrate that disruption of mitochondrial association, motility, and chondriome structure in friendly affects mitochondrial quality control and leads to mitochondrial stress, cell death, and strong growth phenotypes. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  11. Engineering of red cells of Arabidopsis thaliana and comparative genome-wide gene expression analysis of red cells versus wild-type cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Ming-Zhu; Xie, De-Yu

    2011-04-01

    We report metabolic engineering of Arabidopsis red cells and genome-wide gene expression analysis associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis and other metabolic pathways between red cells and wild-type (WT) cells. Red cells of A. thaliana were engineered for the first time from the leaves of production of anthocyanin pigment 1-Dominant (pap1-D). These red cells produced seven anthocyanin molecules including a new one that was characterized by LC-MS analysis. Wild-type cells established as a control did not produce anthocyanins. A genome-wide microarray analysis revealed that nearly 66 and 65% of genes in the genome were expressed in the red cells and wild-type cells, respectively. In comparison with the WT cells, 3.2% of expressed genes in the red cells were differentially expressed. The expression levels of 14 genes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of anthocyanin were significantly higher in the red cells than in the WT cells. Microarray and RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that the TTG1-GL3/TT8-PAP1 complex regulated the biosynthesis of anthocyanins. Furthermore, most of the genes with significant differential expression levels in the red cells versus the WT cells were characterized with diverse biochemical functions, many of which were mapped to different metabolic pathways (e.g., ribosomal protein biosynthesis, photosynthesis, glycolysis, glyoxylate metabolism, and plant secondary metabolisms) or organelles (e.g., chloroplast). We suggest that the difference in gene expression profiles between the two cell lines likely results from cell types, the overexpression of PAP1, and the high metabolic flux toward anthocyanins.

  12. Identification of proteins interacting with Arabidopsis ACD11

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Nikolaj H T; Joensen, Jan; McKinney, Lea V

    2009-01-01

    The Arabidopsis ACD11 gene encodes a sphingosine transfer protein and was identified by the accelerated cell death phenotype of the loss of function acd11 mutant, which exhibits heightened expression of genes involved in the disease resistance hypersensitive response (HR). We used ACD11 as bait...... in a yeast two-hybrid screen of an Arabidopsis cDNA library to identify ACD11 interacting proteins. One interactor identified is a protein of unknown function with an RNA recognition motif (RRM) designated BPA1 (binding partner of ACD11). Co-immunoprecipitation experiments confirmed the ACD11-BPA1...

  13. Reference: 223 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 223 http://metadb.riken.jp/db/SciNetS_ria224i/cria224u4ria224u15923347i Dohmann Es... cause the cop/det/fus mutant phenotype in Arabidopsis. 7 1967-78 15923347 2005 Jul The Plant cell Dohmann Esther M N|Kuhnle Carola|Schwechheimer Claus

  14. High-resolution confocal imaging of wall ingrowth deposition in plant transfer cells: Semi-quantitative analysis of phloem parenchyma transfer cell development in leaf minor veins of Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Suong T T; McCurdy, David W

    2015-04-23

    Transfer cells (TCs) are trans-differentiated versions of existing cell types designed to facilitate enhanced membrane transport of nutrients at symplasmic/apoplasmic interfaces. This transport capacity is conferred by intricate wall ingrowths deposited secondarily on the inner face of the primary cell wall, hence promoting the potential trans-membrane flux of solutes and consequently assigning TCs as having key roles in plant growth and productivity. However, TCs are typically positioned deep within tissues and have been studied mostly by electron microscopy. Recent advances in fluorophore labelling of plant cell walls using a modified pseudo-Schiff-propidium iodide (mPS-PI) staining procedure in combination with high-resolution confocal microscopy have allowed visualization of cellular details of individual tissue layers in whole mounts, hence enabling study of tissue and cellular architecture without the need for tissue sectioning. Here we apply a simplified version of the mPS-PI procedure for confocal imaging of cellulose-enriched wall ingrowths in vascular TCs at the whole tissue level. The simplified mPS-PI staining procedure produced high-resolution three-dimensional images of individual cell types in vascular bundles and, importantly, wall ingrowths in phloem parenchyma (PP) TCs in minor veins of Arabidopsis leaves and companion cell TCs in pea. More efficient staining of tissues was obtained by replacing complex clearing procedures with a simple post-fixation bleaching step. We used this modified procedure to survey the presence of PP TCs in other tissues of Arabidopsis including cotyledons, cauline leaves and sepals. This high-resolution imaging enabled us to classify different stages of wall ingrowth development in Arabidopsis leaves, hence enabling semi-quantitative assessment of the extent of wall ingrowth deposition in PP TCs at the whole leaf level. Finally, we conducted a defoliation experiment as an example of using this approach to statistically

  15. Suspension culture process for H9N2 avian influenza virus (strain Re-2).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Honglin; Guo, Suying; Li, Zhenguang; Xu, Xiaoqin; Shao, Zexiang; Song, Guicai

    2017-10-01

    H9N2 avian influenza virus has caused huge economic loss for the Chinese poultry industry since it was first identified. Vaccination is frequently used as a control method for the disease. Meanwhile suspension culture has become an important tool for the development of influenza vaccines. To optimize the suspension culture conditions for the avian influenza H9N2 virus (Re-2 strain) in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells, we studied the culture conditions for cell growth and proliferation parameters for H9N2 virus replication. MDCK cells were successfully cultured in suspension, from a small scale to industrial levels of production, with passage time and initial cell density being optimized. The influence of pH on the culture process in the reactor has been discussed and the process parameters for industrial production were explored via amplification of the 650L reactor. Subsequently, we cultivated cells at high cell density and harvested high amounts of virus, reaching 10log2 (1:1024). Furthermore an animal experiment was conducted to detect antibody. Compared to the chicken embryo virus vaccine, virus cultured from MDCK suspension cells can produce a higher amount of antibodies. The suspension culture process is simple and cost efficient, thus providing a solid foundation for the realization of large-scale avian influenza vaccine production.

  16. Enhanced Toxic Metal Accumulation in Engineered Bacterial Cells Expressing Arabidopsis thaliana Phytochelatin Synthase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sauge-Merle, Sandrine; Cuiné, Stéphan; Carrier, Patrick; Lecomte-Pradines, Catherine; Luu, Doan-Trung; Peltier, Gilles

    2003-01-01

    Phytochelatins (PCs) are metal-binding cysteine-rich peptides, enzymatically synthesized in plants and yeasts from glutathione in response to heavy metal stress by PC synthase (EC 2.3.2.15). In an attempt to increase the ability of bacterial cells to accumulate heavy metals, the Arabidopsis thaliana gene encoding PC synthase (AtPCS) was expressed in Escherichia coli. A marked accumulation of PCs was observed in vivo together with a decrease in the glutathione cellular content. When bacterial cells expressing AtPCS were placed in the presence of heavy metals such as cadmium or the metalloid arsenic, cellular metal contents were increased 20- and 50-fold, respectively. We discuss the possibility of using genes of the PC biosynthetic pathway to design bacterial strains or higher plants with increased abilities to accumulate toxic metals, and also arsenic, for use in bioremediation and/or phytoremediation processes. PMID:12514032

  17. Convective flows of colloidal suspension in an inclined closed cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smorodin, Boris; Ishutov, Sergey [Department of Physics of Phase Transitions, Perm State University, Perm (Russian Federation); Cherepanov, Ivan, E-mail: bsmorodin@yandex.ru [Department of Radio Electronics and Information Security, Perm State University, Perm (Russian Federation)

    2016-12-15

    The nonlinear spatiotemporal evolution of convective flows is numerically investigated in the case of colloidal suspension filling an inclined closed cell heated from below. The bifurcation diagram (the dependency of the Nusselt number on the Rayleigh number) is obtained. The characteristics of the wave and steady patterns are investigated depending on heat intensity. The travelling wave changing travel direction and the non-regular oscillatory flow are found to be stable solutions within a certain interval of the Rayleigh number. Temporal Fourier decomposition is used together with other diagnostic tools to analyse the complex bifurcation and spatiotemporal properties caused by the interplay of the gravity-induced gradient of concentration and convective mixing of the fluid. It is shown that a more complex flow structure exists at a lower heating intensity (Rayleigh number). (paper)

  18. Proteomics investigation of endogenous S-nitrosylation in Arabidopsis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fares, Abasse; Rossignol, Michel; Peltier, Jean-Benoît

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: ► Identification and quantification of nitrosothiols. ► A first dataset of endogenously nitrosylated cysteines in Arabidopsis cells. ► Nitrosothiols display apolar motifs not located in close vicinity of cysteines. ► Salt stress alters the endogenous nitrosylation of specific cysteines in Arabidopsis. -- Abstract: S-Nitrosylation emerges as an important protein modification in many processes. However, most data were obtained at the protein level after addition of a NO donor, particularly in plants where information about the cysteines nitrosylated in these proteins is scarce. An adapted work-flow, combining the classical biotin switch method and labeling with isotope-coded affinity tags (ICAT), is proposed. Without addition of NO donor, a total of 53 endogenous nitrosocysteines was identified in Arabidopsis cells, in proteins belonging to all cell territories, including membranes, and covering a large panel of functions. This first repertoire of nitrosothiols in plants enabled also preliminary structural description. Three apolar motifs, not located in close vicinity of cysteines and accounting for half the dataset, were detected and are proposed to complement nitrosylation prediction algorithms, poorly trained with plant data to date. Analysis of changes induced by a brief salt stress showed that NaCl modified the nitrosylation level of a small proportion of endogenously nitrosylated proteins and did not concern all nitrosothiols in these proteins. The possible role of some NO targets in the response to salt stress was discussed.

  19. Modulated differential photoacoustic cell to study the gelatinization in a starch-water suspension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villada, J. A.; Herrera, W.; Espinosa-Arbeláez, D. G.; Mosquera, J. C.; Rodríguez-García, M. E.

    2014-06-01

    In this paper the design and implementation of a novel Differential Photoacoustic Cell (DPC) system is presented. The system was used to study the thermo optic transition in water-starch suspension called gelatinization. The melting temperature of Gallium was used to calibrate the temperature of the system. Both temperature values for starch gelatinization and gallium melting were agreed with those obtained using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that this system is suitable to study other thermal processes in food or any thermal transition at low temperature.

  20. Modulated differential photoacoustic cell to study the gelatinization in a starch-water suspension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. A. Villada

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper the design and implementation of a novel Differential Photoacoustic Cell (DPC system is presented. The system was used to study the thermo optic transition in water-starch suspension called gelatinization. The melting temperature of Gallium was used to calibrate the temperature of the system. Both temperature values for starch gelatinization and gallium melting were agreed with those obtained using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC. The results show that this system is suitable to study other thermal processes in food or any thermal transition at low temperature.

  1. Live imaging of companion cells and sieve elements in Arabidopsis leaves.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thibaud Cayla

    Full Text Available The phloem is a complex tissue composed of highly specialized cells with unique subcellular structures and a compact organization that is challenging to study in vivo at cellular resolution. We used confocal scanning laser microscopy and subcellular fluorescent markers in companion cells and sieve elements, for live imaging of the phloem in Arabidopsis leaves. This approach provided a simple framework for identifying phloem cell types unambiguously. It highlighted the compactness of the meshed network of organelles within companion cells. By contrast, within the sieve elements, unknown bodies were observed in association with the PP2-A1:GFP, GFP:RTM1 and RTM2:GFP markers at the cell periphery. The phloem lectin PP2-A1:GFP marker was found in the parietal ground matrix. Its location differed from that of the P-protein filaments, which were visualized with SEOR1:GFP and SEOR2:GFP. PP2-A1:GFP surrounded two types of bodies, one of which was identified as mitochondria. This location suggested that it was embedded within the sieve element clamps, specific structures that may fix the organelles to each another or to the plasma membrane in the sieve tubes. GFP:RTM1 was associated with a class of larger bodies, potentially corresponding to plastids. PP2-A1:GFP was soluble in the cytosol of immature sieve elements. The changes in its subcellular localization during differentiation provide an in vivo blueprint for monitoring this process. The subcellular features obtained with these companion cell and sieve element markers can be used as landmarks for exploring the organization and dynamics of phloem cells in vivo.

  2. Clumping of labeled leukocyte suspension. A simple measure for avoiding it

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goedemans, W.T.; Hardeman, M.R.; State Univ., Amsterdam

    1988-01-01

    Leukocytes in mixed suspensions can clump together, resulting in cell clusters which are responsible for false positive hot spots in lungs of patients, in the case of abscess localization studies using 111 In labeled leukocytes. Addition of extra ACD (acid-citrate-dextrose) in those labeled leukocyte suspensions prevented cell clumping and avoided occurrence of focal radioactivity accumulation in lungs. The acidification did not interfere in leukocyte migration under agar. (author)

  3. Transient transfection of serum-free suspension HEK 293 cell culture for efficient production of human rFVIII

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Hemophilia A is a bleeding disorder caused by deficiency in coagulation factor VIII. Recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) is an alternative to plasma-derived FVIII for the treatment of hemophilia A. However, commercial manufacturing of rFVIII products is inefficient and costly and is associated to high prices and product shortage, even in economically privileged countries. This situation may be solved by adopting more efficient production methods. Here, we evaluated the potential of transient transfection in producing rFVIII in serum-free suspension HEK 293 cell cultures and investigated the effects of different DNA concentration (0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 μg/106 cells) and repeated transfections done at 34° and 37°C. Results We observed a decrease in cell growth when high DNA concentrations were used, but no significant differences in transfection efficiency and in the biological activity of the rFVIII were noticed. The best condition for rFVIII production was obtained with repeated transfections at 34°C using 0.4 μg DNA/106 cells through which almost 50 IU of active rFVIII was produced six days post-transfection. Conclusion Serum-free suspension transient transfection is thus a viable option for high-yield-rFVIII production. Work is in progress to further optimize the process and validate its scalability. PMID:22115125

  4. Stable lentiviral transformation of CHO cells for the expression of the hemagglutinin H5 of avian influenza virus in suspension culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alaín González Pose

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Avian influenza virus H5N1 has caused extensive damage worldwide among poultry and humans. Effective expression systems are needed for the production of viral proteins required for monitoring this devastating disease. The present study deals with the establishment of a stable expression system for the hemagglutinin H5 (HAH5 of avian influenza virus using CHO cells in suspension culture transduced with a recombinant lentiviral vector. The synthetic gene coding the HAH5 protein was inserted in a lentiviral vector with the aim of performing a stable transduction of CHO cells. After the selection of recombinant clones, the one with the highest expression level was adapted to suspension culture and the HAH5 protein was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography from the culture supernatant. There were no significant differences when this protein, purified or direct from the culture supernatant of CHO or SiHa cells, was utilized in an immunologic assay using positive and negative sera as reference. It was also demonstrated that the HAH5 protein in its purified form is able to bind anti-HAH5 antibodies generated with proper and non-proper folded proteins. The results demonstrate that the CHO cell line stably transduced with a lentiviral vector coding the sequence of the HAH5 protein and cultured in suspension can be a suitable expression system to obtain this protein for diagnostic purpose in a consistent and reliable manner.

  5. MAPK phosphatase AP2C3 induces ectopic proliferation of epidermal cells leading to stomata development in Arabidopsis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julija Umbrasaite

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available In plant post-embryonic epidermis mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK signaling promotes differentiation of pavement cells and inhibits initiation of stomata. Stomata are cells specialized to modulate gas exchange and water loss. Arabidopsis MAPKs MPK3 and MPK6 are at the core of the signaling cascade; however, it is not well understood how the activity of these pleiotropic MAPKs is constrained spatially so that pavement cell differentiation is promoted only outside the stomata lineage. Here we identified a PP2C-type phosphatase termed AP2C3 (Arabidopsis protein phosphatase 2C that is expressed distinctively during stomata development as well as interacts and inactivates MPK3, MPK4 and MPK6. AP2C3 co-localizes with MAPKs within the nucleus and this localization depends on its N-terminal extension. We show that other closely related phosphatases AP2C2 and AP2C4 are also MAPK phosphatases acting on MPK6, but have a distinct expression pattern from AP2C3. In accordance with this, only AP2C3 ectopic expression is able to stimulate cell proliferation leading to excess stomata development. This function of AP2C3 relies on the domains required for MAPK docking and intracellular localization. Concomitantly, the constitutive and inducible AP2C3 expression deregulates E2F-RB pathway, promotes the abundance and activity of CDKA, as well as changes of CDKB1;1 forms. We suggest that AP2C3 downregulates the MAPK signaling activity to help maintain the balance between differentiation of stomata and pavement cells.

  6. Analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence reveals stage specific patterns of chloroplast-containing cells during Arabidopsis embryogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    RICARDO I TEJOS

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The basic body plan of a plant is established early in embryogenesis when cells differentiate, giving rise to the apical and basal regions of the embryo. Using chlorophyll fluorescence as a marker for chloroplasts, we have detected specific patterns of chloroplast-containing cells at specific stages of embryogenesis. Non-randomly distributed chloroplast-containing cells are seen as early as the globular stage of embryogenesis in Arabidopsis. In the heart stage of embryogenesis, chloroplast containing cells are detected in epidermal cells as well as a central region of the heart stage embryo, forming a triangular septum of chloroplast-containing cells that divides the embryo into three equal sectors. Torpedo stage embryos have chloroplast-containing epidermal cells and a central band of chloroplast-containing cells in the cortex layer, just below the shoot apical meristem. In the walking-stick stage of embryogenesis, chloroplasts are present in the epidermal, cortex and endodermal cells. The chloroplasts appear reduced or absent from the provascular and columella cells of walking-stick stage embryos. These results suggest that there is a tight regulation of plastid differentiation during embryogenesis that generates specific patterns of chloroplast-containing cells in specific cell layers at specific stages of embryogenesis.

  7. Biosynthesis of phenolic compounds inVitis vinifera cell suspension cultures: Study on hydroxycinnamoyl CoA:ligase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lotfy, S; Lofty, S; Fleuriet, A; Ramos, T; Macheix, J J

    1989-02-01

    In cell suspensions cultures from grape berry pulp (Vitis vinifera cv. Gamay fréaux)hydroxycinnamoyl CoA ligase (CoAL) displayed maximum activity (100 %) forp-coumaric acid and then, in decreasing order, for ferulic acid (81.3 %) and caffeic acid (60.4 %). No activity was detected with sinapic and cinnamic acids. The changes in CoAL activity during the growth cycle of the culture displayed two peaks : the highest (6 h after subculturing) was linked with a strong increase in protein caused by dilution ; the second was weaker and occurred on the 7th day of culture.Grape cell suspension accumulated mainly peonidin (Pn) and cyanidin (Cy) glucosides (Pn 3-glucoside, Cy 3-glucoside, Pn 3-acetylglucoside, Pn 3-caffeylglucoside, Pn 3-p-coumarylglucoside, and Cy 3-p-coumarylglucoside). Maximum accumulation of anthocyanins was associated with the exponential growth phase of the culture and might be the result of the substantial increase in CoAL activity resulting from the effect of dilution. The second enzyme activity peak was probably oriented towards the acylation of anthocyanins since the percentage of acylated forms increased with time after subculturing.

  8. Red blood cell (RBC) suspensions in confined microflows: Pressure-flow relationship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stauber, Hagit; Waisman, Dan; Korin, Netanel; Sznitman, Josué

    2017-10-01

    Microfluidic-based assays have become increasingly popular to explore microcirculation in vitro. In these experiments, blood is resuspended to a desired haematocrit level in a buffer solution, where frequent choices for preparing RBC suspensions comprise notably Dextran and physiological buffer. Yet, the rational for selecting one buffer versus another is often ill-defined and lacks detailed quantification, including ensuing changes in RBC flow characteristics. Here, we revisit RBC suspensions in microflows and attempt to quantify systematically some of the differences emanating between buffers. We measure bulk flow rate (Q) of RBC suspensions, using PBS- and Dextran-40, as a function of the applied pressure drop (ΔP) for two hematocrits (∼0% and 23%). Two distinct microfluidic designs of varying dimensions are employed: a straight channel larger than and a network array similar to the size of individual RBCs. Using the resulting pressure-flow curves, we extract the equivalent hydrodynamic resistances and estimate the relative viscosities. These efforts are a first step in rigorously quantifying the influence of the 'background' buffer on RBC flows within microfluidic devices and thereby underline the importance of purposefully selecting buffer suspensions for microfluidic in vitro assays. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Multi-omics analysis identifies genes mediating the extension of cell walls in the Arabidopsis thaliana root elongation zone

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wilson, Michael H; Holman, Tara J; Sørensen, Iben

    2015-01-01

    Plant cell wall composition is important for regulating growth rates, especially in roots. However, neither analyses of cell wall composition nor transcriptomes on their own can comprehensively reveal which genes and processes are mediating growth and cell elongation rates. This study reveals...... the benefits of carrying out multiple analyses in combination. Sections of roots from five anatomically and functionally defined zones in Arabidopsis thaliana were prepared and divided into three biological replicates. We used glycan microarrays and antibodies to identify the major classes of glycans......)cellular localization of many epitopes. Extensins were localized in epidermal and cortex cell walls, while AGP glycans were specific to different tissues from root-hair cells to the stele. The transcriptome analysis found several gene families peaking in the REZ. These included a large family of peroxidases (which...

  10. Reference: 241 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 241 http://metadb.riken.jp/db/SciNetS_ria224i/cria224u4ria224u16024589i Calderon-V...development of Arabidopsis thaliana. 9 2473-85 16024589 2005 Sep The Plant cell Bevan Mike|Calderon-Villalobos Luz I A|Dohmann Esther M N|Kuhnle Carola|Li Hanbing|Schwechheimer Claus

  11. Reference: 295 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 295 http://metadb.riken.jp/db/SciNetS_ria224i/cria224u4ria224u16284313i Fujita Yas...ng that enhances drought stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. 12 3470-88 16284313 200...5 Dec The Plant cell Fujita Miki|Fujita Yasunari|Hiratsu Keiichiro|Maruyama Kyonoshin|Ohme-Takagi Masaru|Par

  12. Reference: 749 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available former mutant had decreased electron transport rates, a lower DeltapH gradient across the grana membranes, r...the PSII particles of these plants were organized in unusual two-dimensional arrays in the grana membranes. ...d the electron transport rate in grana membranes of Arabidopsis. 4 1012-28 18381925 2008 Apr The Plant cell

  13. GLABROUS INFLORESCENCE STEMS (GIS) is required for trichome branching through gibberellic acid signaling in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Lijun; Zhou, Zhongjing; Su, Sha; Yan, An; Gan, Yinbo

    2012-02-01

    Cell differentiation generally corresponds to the cell cycle, typically forming a non-dividing cell with a unique differentiated morphology, and Arabidopsis trichome is an excellent model system to study all aspects of cell differentiation. Although gibberellic acid is reported to be involved in trichome branching in Arabidopsis, the mechanism for such signaling is unclear. Here, we demonstrated that GLABROUS INFLORESCENCE STEMS (GIS) is required for the control of trichome branching through gibberellic acid signaling. The phenotypes of a loss-of-function gis mutant and an overexpressor showed that GIS acted as a repressor to control trichome branching. Our results also show that GIS is not required for cell endoreduplication, and our molecular and genetic study results have shown that GIS functions downstream of the key regulator of trichome branching, STICHEL (STI), to control trichome branching through the endoreduplication-independent pathway. Furthermore, our results also suggest that GIS controls trichome branching in Arabidopsis through two different pathways and acts either upstream or downstream of the negative regulator of gibbellic acid signaling SPINDLY (SPY).

  14. Arabidopsis CPR5 regulates ethylene signaling via molecular association with the ETR1 receptor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Feifei; Wang, Lijuan; Qiao, Longfei; Chen, Jiacai; Pappa, Maria Belen; Pei, Haixia; Zhang, Tao; Chang, Caren; Dong, Chun-Hai

    2017-11-01

    The plant hormone ethylene plays various functions in plant growth, development and response to environmental stress. Ethylene is perceived by membrane-bound ethylene receptors, and among the homologous receptors in Arabidopsis, the ETR1 ethylene receptor plays a major role. The present study provides evidence demonstrating that Arabidopsis CPR5 functions as a novel ETR1 receptor-interacting protein in regulating ethylene response and signaling. Yeast split ubiquitin assays and bi-fluorescence complementation studies in plant cells indicated that CPR5 directly interacts with the ETR1 receptor. Genetic analyses indicated that mutant alleles of cpr5 can suppress ethylene insensitivity in both etr1-1 and etr1-2, but not in other dominant ethylene receptor mutants. Overexpression of Arabidopsis CPR5 either in transgenic Arabidopsis plants, or ectopically in tobacco, significantly enhanced ethylene sensitivity. These findings indicate that CPR5 plays a critical role in regulating ethylene signaling. CPR5 is localized to endomembrane structures and the nucleus, and is involved in various regulatory pathways, including pathogenesis, leaf senescence, and spontaneous cell death. This study provides evidence for a novel regulatory function played by CPR5 in the ethylene receptor signaling pathway in Arabidopsis. © 2017 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

  15. Arabidopsis VARIEGATED 3 encodes a chloroplast-targeted, zinc-finger protein required for chloroplast and palisade cell development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Næsted, Henrik; Holm, Agnethe; Jenkins, Tom

    2004-01-01

    The stable, recessive Arabidopsis variegated 3 (var3) mutant exhibits a variegated phenotype due to somatic areas lacking or containing developmentally retarded chloroplasts and greatly reduced numbers of palisade cells. The VAR3 gene, isolated by transposon tagging, encodes the 85.9 kDa VAR3...... that pigment profiles are qualitatively similar in wild type and var3, although var3 accumulates lower levels of chlorophylls and carotenoids. These results indicate that VAR3 is a part of a protein complex required for normal chloroplast and palisade cell development....

  16. Particle Suspension Mechanisms - Supplemental Material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dillon, M B

    2011-03-03

    This supplemental material provides a brief introduction to particle suspension mechanisms that cause exfoliated skin cells to become and remain airborne. The material presented here provides additional context to the primary manuscript and serves as background for designing possible future studies to assess the impact of skin cells as a source of infectious aerosols. This introduction is not intended to be comprehensive and interested readers are encouraged to consult the references cited.

  17. Source of cytotoxicity in a colloidal silver nanoparticle suspension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatipoglu, Manolya Kukut; Keleştemur, Seda; Altunbek, Mine; Culha, Mustafa

    2015-05-15

    Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are increasingly used in a variety of applications because of their potential antimicrobial activity and their plasmonic and conductivity properties. In this study, we investigated the source of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production on human dermal fibroblast and human lung cancer (A549) cell lines upon exposure to AgNP colloidal suspensions prepared with the simplest and most commonly used Lee–Meisel method with a variety of reaction times and the concentrations of the reducing agent. The AgNPs synthesized with shorter reaction times were more cytotoxic and genotoxic due to the presence of a few nanometer-sized AgNP seeds. The suspensions prepared with an increased citrate concentration were not cytotoxic, but they induced more ROS generation on A549 cells due to the high citrate concentration. The genotoxicity of the suspension decreased significantly at the higher citrate concentrations. The analysis of both transmission electron microscopy images from the dried droplet areas of the colloidal suspensions and toxicity data indicated that the AgNP seeds were the major source of toxicity. The completion of the nucleation step and the formation of larger AgNPs effectively decreased the toxicity.

  18. Plant cells without detectable plastids are generated in the crumpled leaf mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yuling; Asano, Tomoya; Fujiwara, Makoto T; Yoshida, Shigeo; Machida, Yasunori; Yoshioka, Yasushi

    2009-05-01

    Plastids are maintained in cells by proliferating prior to cell division and being partitioned to each daughter cell during cell division. It is unclear, however, whether cells without plastids are generated when plastid division is suppressed. The crumpled leaf (crl) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana is a plastid division mutant that displays severe abnormalities in plastid division and plant development. We show that the crl mutant contains cells lacking detectable plastids; this situation probably results from an unequal partitioning of plastids to each daughter cell. Our results suggest that crl has a partial defect in plastid expansion, which is suggested to be important in the partitioning of plastids to daughter cells when plastid division is suppressed. The absence of cells without detectable plastids in the accumulation and replication of chloroplasts 6 (arc6) mutant, another plastid division mutant of A. thaliana having no significant defects in plant morphology, suggests that the generation of cells without detectable plastids is one of the causes of the developmental abnormalities seen in crl plants. We also demonstrate that plastids with trace or undetectable amounts of chlorophyll are generated from enlarged plastids by a non-binary fission mode of plastid replication in both crl and arc6.

  19. Zoospore exudates from Phytophthora nicotianae affect immune responses in Arabidopsis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ping Kong

    Full Text Available Zoospore exudates play important roles in promoting zoospore communication, homing and germination during plant infection by Phytophthora. However, it is not clear whether exudates affect plant immunity. Zoospore-free fluid (ZFF and zoospores of P. nicotianae were investigated comparatively for effects on resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0 and mutants that affect signaling mediated by salicylic acid (SA and jasmonic acid (JA: eds16 (enhanced disease susceptibility16, pad4 (phytoalexin deficient4, and npr1 (nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes1. Col-0 attracted more zoospores and had severe tissue damage when flooded with a zoospore suspension in ZFF. Mutants treated with ZFF alone developed disease symptoms similar to those inoculated with zoospores and requirements of EDS16 and PAD4 for plant responses to zoospores and the exudates was apparent. Zoospore and ZFFs also induced expression of the PR1 and PDF1.2 marker genes for defense regulated by SA and JA, respectively. However, ZFF affected more JA defense signaling, down regulating PR1 when SA signaling or synthesis is deficient, which may be responsible for Arabidopsis mutant plants more susceptible to infection by high concentration of P. nicotianae zoospores. These results suggest that zoospore exudates can function as virulence factors and inducers of plant immune responses during plant infection by Phytophthora.

  20. In Vitro Evaluation of the Link Between Cell Activation State and Its Rheological Impact on the Microscale Flow of Neutrophil Suspensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akenhead, Michael L.; Horrall, Nolan M.; Rowe, Dylan; Sethu, Palaniappan; Shin, Hainsworth Y.

    2015-01-01

    Activated neutrophils have been reported to affect peripheral resistance, for example, by plugging capillaries or adhering to the microvasculature. In vivo and ex vivo data indicate that activated neutrophils circulating in the blood also influence peripheral resistance. We used viscometry and microvascular mimics for in vitro corroboration. The rheological impact of differentiated neutrophil-like HL-60 promyelocytes (dHL60s) or human neutrophil suspensions stimulated with 10 nM fMet-Leu-Phe (fMLP) was quantified using a cone-plate rheometer (450 s−1 shear rate). To evaluate their impact on microscale flow resistance, we used 10-μm Isopore® membranes to model capillaries as well as single 200 × 50 μm microchannels and networks of twenty 20 × 50 μm microfluidic channels to mimic noncapillary microvasculature. Stimulation of dHL60 and neutrophil populations significantly altered their flow behavior as evidenced by their impact on suspension viscosity. Notably, hematocrit abrogated the impact of leukocyte activation on blood cell suspension viscosity. In micropore filters, activated cell suspensions enhanced flow resistance. This effect was further enhanced by the presence of erythrocytes. The resistance of our noncapillary microvascular mimics to flow of activated neutrophil suspensions was significantly increased only with hematocrit. Notably, it was elevated to a higher extent within the micronetwork chambers compared to the single-channel chambers. Collectively, our findings provide supportive evidence that activated neutrophils passing through the microcirculation may alter hemodynamic resistance due to their altered rheology in the noncapillary microvasculature. This effect is another way neutrophil activation due to chronic inflammation may, at least in part, contribute to the elevated hemodynamic resistance associated with cardiovascular diseases (e.g., hypertension and hypercholesterolemia). PMID:26065495

  1. In Vitro Evaluation of the Link Between Cell Activation State and Its Rheological Impact on the Microscale Flow of Neutrophil Suspensions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akenhead, Michael L; Horrall, Nolan M; Rowe, Dylan; Sethu, Palaniappan; Shin, Hainsworth Y

    2015-09-01

    Activated neutrophils have been reported to affect peripheral resistance, for example, by plugging capillaries or adhering to the microvasculature. In vivo and ex vivo data indicate that activated neutrophils circulating in the blood also influence peripheral resistance. We used viscometry and microvascular mimics for in vitro corroboration. The rheological impact of differentiated neutrophil-like HL-60 promyelocytes (dHL60s) or human neutrophil suspensions stimulated with 10 nM fMet-Leu-Phe (fMLP) was quantified using a cone-plate rheometer (450 s(-1) shear rate). To evaluate their impact on microscale flow resistance, we used 10-μm Isopore® membranes to model capillaries as well as single 200 × 50 μm microchannels and networks of twenty 20 × 50 μm microfluidic channels to mimic noncapillary microvasculature. Stimulation of dHL60 and neutrophil populations significantly altered their flow behavior as evidenced by their impact on suspension viscosity. Notably, hematocrit abrogated the impact of leukocyte activation on blood cell suspension viscosity. In micropore filters, activated cell suspensions enhanced flow resistance. This effect was further enhanced by the presence of erythrocytes. The resistance of our noncapillary microvascular mimics to flow of activated neutrophil suspensions was significantly increased only with hematocrit. Notably, it was elevated to a higher extent within the micronetwork chambers compared to the single-channel chambers. Collectively, our findings provide supportive evidence that activated neutrophils passing through the microcirculation may alter hemodynamic resistance due to their altered rheology in the noncapillary microvasculature. This effect is another way neutrophil activation due to chronic inflammation may, at least in part, contribute to the elevated hemodynamic resistance associated with cardiovascular diseases (e.g., hypertension and hypercholesterolemia).

  2. Simulated microgravity, Mars gravity, and 2g hypergravity affect cell cycle regulation, ribosome biogenesis, and epigenetics in Arabidopsis cell cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamal, Khaled Y; Herranz, Raúl; van Loon, Jack J W A; Medina, F Javier

    2018-04-23

    Gravity is the only component of Earth environment that remained constant throughout the entire process of biological evolution. However, it is still unclear how gravity affects plant growth and development. In this study, an in vitro cell culture of Arabidopsis thaliana was exposed to different altered gravity conditions, namely simulated reduced gravity (simulated microgravity, simulated Mars gravity) and hypergravity (2g), to study changes in cell proliferation, cell growth, and epigenetics. The effects after 3, 14, and 24-hours of exposure were evaluated. The most relevant alterations were found in the 24-hour treatment, being more significant for simulated reduced gravity than hypergravity. Cell proliferation and growth were uncoupled under simulated reduced gravity, similarly, as found in meristematic cells from seedlings grown in real or simulated microgravity. The distribution of cell cycle phases was changed, as well as the levels and gene transcription of the tested cell cycle regulators. Ribosome biogenesis was decreased, according to levels and gene transcription of nucleolar proteins and the number of inactive nucleoli. Furthermore, we found alterations in the epigenetic modifications of chromatin. These results show that altered gravity effects include a serious disturbance of cell proliferation and growth, which are cellular functions essential for normal plant development.

  3. Reprogramming of enteroendocrine K cells to pancreatic β-cells through the combined expression of Nkx6.1 and Neurogenin3, and reaggregation in suspension culture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Esder; Ryu, Gyeong Ryul; Moon, Sung-Dae; Ko, Seung-Hyun; Ahn, Yu-Bae; Song, Ki-Ho, E-mail: kihos@catholic.ac.kr

    2014-01-17

    Highlights: •K cells were selected from STC-1 cells, a heterogeneous enteroendocrine cell line. •K cells did not express Nkx6.1 and Neurogenin3. •Combined expression of Nkx6.1 and Neurogenin3 reprogrammed K cells to β-cells. •Reprogramming of K cells to β-cells was not complete. -- Abstract: Recent studies have demonstrated that adult cells such as pancreatic exocrine cells can be converted to pancreatic β-cells in a process called cell reprogramming. Enteroendocrine cells and β-cells share similar pathways of differentiation during embryonic development. Notably, enteroendocrine K cells express many of the key proteins found in β-cells. Thus, K cells could be reprogrammed to β-cells under certain conditions. However, there is no clear evidence on whether these cells convert to β-cells. K cells were selected from STC-1 cells, an enteroendocrine cell line expressing multiple hormones. K cells were found to express many genes of transcription factors crucial for islet development and differentiation except for Nkx6.1 and Neurogenin3. A K cell clone stably expressing Nkx6.1 (Nkx6.1{sup +}-K cells) was established. Induction of Neurogenin3 expression in Nkx6.1{sup +}-K cells, by either treatment with a γ-secretase inhibitor or infection with a recombinant adenovirus expressing Neurogenin3, led to a significant increase in Insulin1 mRNA expression. After infection with the adenovirus expressing Neurogenin3 and reaggregation in suspension culture, about 50% of Nkx6.1{sup +}-K cells expressed insulin as determined by immunostaining. The intracellular insulin content was increased markedly. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of insulin granules. However, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was defective, and there was no glucose lowering effect after transplantation of these cells in diabetic mice. In conclusion, we demonstrated that K cells could be reprogrammed partially to β-cells through the combined expression of Nkx6.1 and Neurogenin3, and

  4. Reprogramming of enteroendocrine K cells to pancreatic β-cells through the combined expression of Nkx6.1 and Neurogenin3, and reaggregation in suspension culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Esder; Ryu, Gyeong Ryul; Moon, Sung-Dae; Ko, Seung-Hyun; Ahn, Yu-Bae; Song, Ki-Ho

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: •K cells were selected from STC-1 cells, a heterogeneous enteroendocrine cell line. •K cells did not express Nkx6.1 and Neurogenin3. •Combined expression of Nkx6.1 and Neurogenin3 reprogrammed K cells to β-cells. •Reprogramming of K cells to β-cells was not complete. -- Abstract: Recent studies have demonstrated that adult cells such as pancreatic exocrine cells can be converted to pancreatic β-cells in a process called cell reprogramming. Enteroendocrine cells and β-cells share similar pathways of differentiation during embryonic development. Notably, enteroendocrine K cells express many of the key proteins found in β-cells. Thus, K cells could be reprogrammed to β-cells under certain conditions. However, there is no clear evidence on whether these cells convert to β-cells. K cells were selected from STC-1 cells, an enteroendocrine cell line expressing multiple hormones. K cells were found to express many genes of transcription factors crucial for islet development and differentiation except for Nkx6.1 and Neurogenin3. A K cell clone stably expressing Nkx6.1 (Nkx6.1 + -K cells) was established. Induction of Neurogenin3 expression in Nkx6.1 + -K cells, by either treatment with a γ-secretase inhibitor or infection with a recombinant adenovirus expressing Neurogenin3, led to a significant increase in Insulin1 mRNA expression. After infection with the adenovirus expressing Neurogenin3 and reaggregation in suspension culture, about 50% of Nkx6.1 + -K cells expressed insulin as determined by immunostaining. The intracellular insulin content was increased markedly. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of insulin granules. However, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was defective, and there was no glucose lowering effect after transplantation of these cells in diabetic mice. In conclusion, we demonstrated that K cells could be reprogrammed partially to β-cells through the combined expression of Nkx6.1 and Neurogenin3, and reaggregation

  5. Electrodialytic Remediation of Different Heavy Metal-Polluted Soils in Suspension

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Jensen, Pernille Erland; Kirkelund, Gunvor Marie

    2013-01-01

    Electrokinetic remediation of heavy metal-polluted soil faces different challenges in relation to implementation. One challenge is to cope with the nonlinear and transient geochemical changes in the soil and another is to increase the remediation rate. Both these challenges are met when treating...... the soil in a suspension in an electrodialytic cell. The soil suspension is stirred and uniform during treatment. Previously, it has been shown that a faster remediation can be obtained when remediating a stirred soil suspension compared to a stationary water saturated soil (all other parameters the same...

  6. Solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes produced via very low pressure suspension plasma spray and electrophoretic deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleetwood, James D.

    Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are a promising element of comprehensive energy policies due to their direct mechanism for converting the oxidization of fuel, such as hydrogen, into electrical energy. Both very low pressure plasma spray and electrophoretic deposition allow working with high melting temperature SOFC suspension based feedstock on complex surfaces, such as in non-planar SOFC designs. Dense, thin electrolytes of ideal composition for SOFCs can be fabricated with each of these processes, while compositional control is achieved with dissolved dopant compounds that are incorporated into the coating during deposition. In the work reported, sub-micron 8 mole % Y2O3-ZrO2 (YSZ) and gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC), powders, including those in suspension with scandium-nitrate dopants, were deposited on NiO-YSZ anodes, via very low pressure suspension plasma spray (VLPSPS) at Sandia National Laboratories' Thermal Spray Research Laboratory and electrophoretic deposition (EPD) at Purdue University. Plasma spray was carried out in a chamber held at 320 - 1300 Pa, with the plasma composed of argon, hydrogen, and helium. EPD was characterized utilizing constant current deposition at 10 mm electrode separation, with deposits sintered from 1300 -- 1500 °C for 2 hours. The role of suspension constituents in EPD was analyzed based on a parametric study of powder loading, powder specific surface area, polyvinyl butyral (PVB) content, polyethyleneimine (PEI) content, and acetic acid content. Increasing PVB content and reduction of particle specific surface area were found to eliminate the formation of cracks when drying. PEI and acetic acid content were used to control suspension stability and the adhesion of deposits. Additionally, EPD was used to fabricate YSZ/GDC bilayer electrolyte systems. The resultant YSZ electrolytes were 2-27 microns thick and up to 97% dense. Electrolyte performance as part of a SOFC system with screen printed LSCF cathodes was evaluated with peak

  7. Arabidopsis Lectin Receptor Kinases LecRK-IX.1 and LecRK-IX.2 Are Functional Analogs in Regulating Phytophthora Resistance and Plant Cell Death.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yan; Cordewener, Jan H G; America, Antoine H P; Shan, Weixing; Bouwmeester, Klaas; Govers, Francine

    2015-09-01

    L-type lectin receptor kinases (LecRK) are potential immune receptors. Here, we characterized two closely-related Arabidopsis LecRK, LecRK-IX.1 and LecRK-IX.2, of which T-DNA insertion mutants showed compromised resistance to Phytophthora brassicae and Phytophthora capsici, with double mutants showing additive susceptibility. Overexpression of LecRK-IX.1 or LecRK-IX.2 in Arabidopsis and transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana increased Phytophthora resistance but also induced cell death. Phytophthora resistance required both the lectin domain and kinase activity, but for cell death, the lectin domain was not needed. Silencing of the two closely related mitogen-activated protein kinase genes NbSIPK and NbNTF4 in N. benthamiana completely abolished LecRK-IX.1-induced cell death but not Phytophthora resistance. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of protein complexes coimmunoprecipitated in planta with LecRK-IX.1 or LecRK-IX.2 as bait, resulted in the identification of the N. benthamiana ABC transporter NbPDR1 as a potential interactor of both LecRK. The closest homolog of NbPDR1 in Arabidopsis is ABCG40, and coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that ABCG40 associates with LecRK-IX.1 and LecRK-IX.2 in planta. Similar to the LecRK mutants, ABCG40 mutants showed compromised Phytophthora resistance. This study shows that LecRK-IX.1 and LecRK-IX.2 are Phytophthora resistance components that function independent of each other and independent of the cell-death phenotype. They both interact with the same ABC transporter, suggesting that they exploit similar signal transduction pathways.

  8. Exogenous auxin alleviates cadmium toxicity in Arabidopsis thaliana by stimulating synthesis of hemicellulose 1 and increasing the cadmium fixation capacity of root cell walls

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Xiao Fang [Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Wang, Zhi Wei [Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Dong, Fang; Lei, Gui Jie [State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Shi, Yuan Zhi [The Key Laboratory of Tea Chemical Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture, Yunqi Road 1, Hangzhou 310008 (China); Li, Gui Xin, E-mail: guixinli@zju.edu.cn [College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Zheng, Shao Jian [Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China)

    2013-12-15

    Highlights: • Cd reduces endogenous auxin levels in Arabidopsis. • Exogenous applied auxin NAA increases Cd accumulation in the roots but decreases in the shoots. • NAA increases cell wall hemicellulose 1 content. • Hemicellulose 1 retains Cd and makes it difficult to be translocated to shoots. • NAA rescues Cd-induced chlorosis. -- Abstract: Auxin is involved in not only plant physiological and developmental processes but also plant responses to abiotic stresses. In this study, cadmium (Cd{sup 2+}) stress decreased the endogenous auxin level, whereas exogenous auxin (α-naphthaleneacetic acid, NAA, a permeable auxin analog) reduced shoot Cd{sup 2+} concentration and rescued Cd{sup 2+}-induced chlorosis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Under Cd{sup 2+} stress conditions, NAA increased Cd{sup 2+} retention in the roots and most Cd{sup 2+} in the roots was fixed in hemicellulose 1 of the cell wall. NAA treatment did not affect pectin content and its binding capacity for Cd{sup 2+}, whereas it significantly increased the content of hemicellulose 1 and the amount of Cd{sup 2+} retained in it. There were highly significant correlations between Cd{sup 2+} concentrations in the root, cell wall and hemicellulose 1 when the plants were subjected to Cd{sup 2+} or NAA + Cd{sup 2+} treatment for 1 to 7 d, suggesting that the increase in hemicellulose 1 contributes greatly to the fixation of Cd{sup 2+} in the cell wall. Taken together, these results demonstrate that auxin-induced alleviation of Cd{sup 2+} toxicity in Arabidopsis is mediated through increasing hemicellulose 1 content and Cd{sup 2+} fixation in the root, thus reducing the translocation of Cd{sup 2+} from roots to shoots.

  9. Exogenous auxin alleviates cadmium toxicity in Arabidopsis thaliana by stimulating synthesis of hemicellulose 1 and increasing the cadmium fixation capacity of root cell walls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Xiao Fang; Wang, Zhi Wei; Dong, Fang; Lei, Gui Jie; Shi, Yuan Zhi; Li, Gui Xin; Zheng, Shao Jian

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Cd reduces endogenous auxin levels in Arabidopsis. • Exogenous applied auxin NAA increases Cd accumulation in the roots but decreases in the shoots. • NAA increases cell wall hemicellulose 1 content. • Hemicellulose 1 retains Cd and makes it difficult to be translocated to shoots. • NAA rescues Cd-induced chlorosis. -- Abstract: Auxin is involved in not only plant physiological and developmental processes but also plant responses to abiotic stresses. In this study, cadmium (Cd 2+ ) stress decreased the endogenous auxin level, whereas exogenous auxin (α-naphthaleneacetic acid, NAA, a permeable auxin analog) reduced shoot Cd 2+ concentration and rescued Cd 2+ -induced chlorosis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Under Cd 2+ stress conditions, NAA increased Cd 2+ retention in the roots and most Cd 2+ in the roots was fixed in hemicellulose 1 of the cell wall. NAA treatment did not affect pectin content and its binding capacity for Cd 2+ , whereas it significantly increased the content of hemicellulose 1 and the amount of Cd 2+ retained in it. There were highly significant correlations between Cd 2+ concentrations in the root, cell wall and hemicellulose 1 when the plants were subjected to Cd 2+ or NAA + Cd 2+ treatment for 1 to 7 d, suggesting that the increase in hemicellulose 1 contributes greatly to the fixation of Cd 2+ in the cell wall. Taken together, these results demonstrate that auxin-induced alleviation of Cd 2+ toxicity in Arabidopsis is mediated through increasing hemicellulose 1 content and Cd 2+ fixation in the root, thus reducing the translocation of Cd 2+ from roots to shoots

  10. Isoferritins in rat Kupffer cells, hepatocytes, and extrahepatic macrophages. Biosynthesis in cell suspensions and cultures in response to iron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doolittle, R.L.; Richter, G.W.

    1981-01-01

    Cultures of Kupffer cells and of hepatocytes, prepared from single rat livers, synthesized ferritin protein equally efficiently. In culture but not in suspension, both sorts of cells responded significantly to stimulation with iron by increased ferritin synthesis. As determined by isoelectric focusing, the isoferritin profiles of newly synthesized 14 -labeled Kupffer cell and hepatocyte ferritin were identical, each having three bands. However, unlabeled ferritin, extracted from nonparenchymal liver cells (mainly Kupffer and endothelial cells) of iron-loaded rats, contained an acidic isoferritin that was not present in hepatocyte ferritin. Investigation of ferritin synthesis in cultured peritoneal and alveolar macrophages yielded similar results. The isofocusing profile of newly synthesized peritoneal macrophage ferritin was indistinguishable from the profile of fresh Kupffer cell or hepatocyte ferritin. Thus, the three isoferritins common to Kupffer cells, hepatocytes, and extrahepatic macrophages are neither cell- nor tissue-specific. However, modifications on intracellular storage may affect the isofocusing properties. The findings, although consistent with the LnH24-n subunit model of ferritin protein, indicate identical restrictive genomic control of the H:L ratios in these sorts of cells. Further, they make it probable that Kupffer cell ferritin iron, originating by endogenous synthesis, is the principal source of Kupffer cell hemosiderin iron

  11. Combining laser-assisted microdissection (LAM) and RNA-seq allows to perform a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of epidermal cells of Arabidopsis embryo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakai, Kaori; Taconnat, Ludivine; Borrega, Nero; Yansouni, Jennifer; Brunaud, Véronique; Paysant-Le Roux, Christine; Delannoy, Etienne; Martin Magniette, Marie-Laure; Lepiniec, Loïc; Faure, Jean Denis; Balzergue, Sandrine; Dubreucq, Bertrand

    2018-01-01

    Genome-wide characterization of tissue- or cell-specific gene expression is a recurrent bottleneck in biology. We have developed a sensitive approach based on ultra-low RNA sequencing coupled to laser assisted microdissection for analyzing different tissues of the small Arabidopsis embryo. We first characterized the number of genes detected according to the quantity of tissue yield and total RNA extracted. Our results revealed that as low as 0.02 mm 2 of tissue and 50 pg of total RNA can be used without compromising the number of genes detected. The optimised protocol was used to compare the epidermal versus mesophyll cell transcriptomes of cotyledons at the torpedo-shaped stage of embryo development. The approach was validated by the recovery of well-known epidermal genes such AtML1 or AtPDF2 and genes involved in flavonoid and cuticular waxes pathways. Moreover, the interest and sensitivity of this approach were highlighted by the characterization of several transcription factors preferentially expressed in epidermal cells. This technical advance unlocks some current limitations of transcriptomic analyses and allows to investigate further and efficiently new biological questions for which only a very small amounts of cells need to be isolated. For instance, it paves the way to increasing the spatial accuracy of regulatory networks in developing small embryo of Arabidopsis or other plant tissues.

  12. Evaluation of analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant and anti-coagulant properties of Lactuca sativa (CV. Grand Rapids) plant tissues and cell suspension in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail, Hammad; Mirza, Bushra

    2015-06-27

    Lactuca sativa (lettuce) has been traditionally used for relieving pain, inflammation, stomach problems including indigestion and lack of appetite. Moreover, the therapeutic significance of L. sativa includes its anticonvulsant, sedative-hypnotic and antioxidant properties. In the present study, the MC (methanol and chloroform; 1:1) and aqueous extracts of seed and leaf along with cell suspension exudate were prepared. These extracts were explored for their analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant and anticoagulant effects by hot plate analgesic assay; carrageenan induced hind paw edema test, forced swimming test and capillary method for blood clotting respectively in a rat model. The results were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Turkey multiple comparison test. Interestingly, the extracts and the cell suspension exudate showed dual inhibition by reducing pain and inflammation. The results indicated that the aqueous extracts of leaf exhibited highest analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities followed by leaf MC, cell suspension exudate, seed aqueous and seed MC extracts. The current findings show that aqueous and MC extracts of seed have the least immobility time in the forced swimming test, which could act as an anti-depressant on the central nervous system. The leaf extracts and cell suspension exudate also expressed moderate anti-depressant activities. In anticoagulant assay, the coagulation time of aspirin (positive control) and MC extract of leaf was comparable, suggesting strong anti-coagulant effect. Additionally, no abnormal behavior or lethality was observed in any animal tested. Taken together, L. sativa can potentially act as a strong herbal drug due to its multiple pharmaceutical effects and is therefore of interest in drug discovery and development of formulations.

  13. Glutamine synthetase activity in solanaceous cell suspensions accumulating alkaloids or not. {sup 13}C NMR and enzymatic assay; Activite de la glutamine synthetase dans des suspensions cellulaires de solanacees productrices ou non d'alcaloides. RMN du {sup 13}C et dosage enzymatique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mesnard, F.; Marty, D.; Monti, J.P. [Faculte de Pharmacie, 80 - Amiens (France). Laboratoire de Biophysique, Groupe de Recherche des Biomolecules: micro-environnement et Metabolisme; Gillet-Manceau, F.; Fliniaux, M.A. [Faculte de Pharmacie, 80 - Amiens (France). Laboratoire de Phytotechnologie

    1999-09-01

    The metabolism of labelled pyruvate followed by {sup 13}C NMR and the measure of glutamine synthetase (GS) showed, according to previous results, a high activity of this enzyme in suspension cells of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. This activity could derive glutamate from the alkaloidsynthesizing pathways. However, a recent work showed that the rate of the GS gene transcription was inversely proportional to the Gln/Glu ratio. The measures of Gln and Glu concentrations in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cells revealed that high GS activity correlates with the weak value of Gln/Glu ratio. Therefore, the hypothesis of GS dysfunction for the non-biosynthesis of alkaloids in N. plumbaginifolia suspension cells can be discarded. This conclusion is strengthened by the results obtained when using a GS inhibitor. (author)

  14. Revealing structure and assembly cues for Arabidopsis root-inhabiting bacterial microbiota.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulgarelli, Davide; Rott, Matthias; Schlaeppi, Klaus; Ver Loren van Themaat, Emiel; Ahmadinejad, Nahal; Assenza, Federica; Rauf, Philipp; Huettel, Bruno; Reinhardt, Richard; Schmelzer, Elmon; Peplies, Joerg; Gloeckner, Frank Oliver; Amann, Rudolf; Eickhorst, Thilo; Schulze-Lefert, Paul

    2012-08-02

    The plant root defines the interface between a multicellular eukaryote and soil, one of the richest microbial ecosystems on Earth. Notably, soil bacteria are able to multiply inside roots as benign endophytes and modulate plant growth and development, with implications ranging from enhanced crop productivity to phytoremediation. Endophytic colonization represents an apparent paradox of plant innate immunity because plant cells can detect an array of microbe-associated molecular patterns (also known as MAMPs) to initiate immune responses to terminate microbial multiplication. Several studies attempted to describe the structure of bacterial root endophytes; however, different sampling protocols and low-resolution profiling methods make it difficult to infer general principles. Here we describe methodology to characterize and compare soil- and root-inhabiting bacterial communities, which reveals not only a function for metabolically active plant cells but also for inert cell-wall features in the selection of soil bacteria for host colonization. We show that the roots of Arabidopsis thaliana, grown in different natural soils under controlled environmental conditions, are preferentially colonized by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria, and each bacterial phylum is represented by a dominating class or family. Soil type defines the composition of root-inhabiting bacterial communities and host genotype determines their ribotype profiles to a limited extent. The identification of soil-type-specific members within the root-inhabiting assemblies supports our conclusion that these represent soil-derived root endophytes. Surprisingly, plant cell-wall features of other tested plant species seem to provide a sufficient cue for the assembly of approximately 40% of the Arabidopsis bacterial root-inhabiting microbiota, with a bias for Betaproteobacteria. Thus, this root sub-community may not be Arabidopsis-specific but saprophytic bacteria that would naturally be found

  15. Cell wall targeted in planta iron accumulation enhances biomass conversion and seed iron concentration in Arabidopsis and rice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Haibing [Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion Of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio), Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Wei, Hui [Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Ma, Guojie [Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion Of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio), Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Antunes, Mauricio S. [Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion Of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio), Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Vogt, Stefan [X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL USA; Cox, Joseph [Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion Of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio), Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Zhang, Xiao [Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Liu, Xiping [Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion Of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio), Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Bu, Lintao [National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Gleber, S. Charlotte [X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL USA; Carpita, Nicholas C. [Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Makowski, Lee [Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston MA USA; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston MA USA; Himmel, Michael E. [Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Tucker, Melvin P. [X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL USA; McCann, Maureen C. [Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion Of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio), Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Murphy, Angus S. [Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion Of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio), Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park MD USA; Peer, Wendy A. [Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion Of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio), Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN USA; Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park MD USA; Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park MD USA

    2016-04-07

    Conversion of nongrain biomass into liquid fuel is a sustainable approach to energy demands as global population increases. Previously, we showed that iron can act as a catalyst to enhance the degradation of lignocellulosic biomass for biofuel production. However, direct addition of iron catalysts to biomass pretreatment is diffusion-limited, would increase the cost and complexity of biorefinery unit operations and may have deleterious environmental impacts. Here, we show a new strategy for in planta accumulation of iron throughout the volume of the cell wall where iron acts as a catalyst in the deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass. We engineered CBM-IBP fusion polypeptides composed of a carbohydrate-binding module family 11 (CBM11) and an iron-binding peptide (IBP) for secretion into Arabidopsis and rice cell walls. CBM-IBP transformed Arabidopsis and rice plants show significant increases in iron accumulation and biomass conversion compared to respective controls. Further, CBM-IBP rice shows a 35% increase in seed iron concentration and a 40% increase in seed yield in greenhouse experiments. CBM-IBP rice potentially could be used to address iron deficiency, the most common and widespread nutritional disorder according to the World Health Organization.

  16. Three sesquiterpene compounds biosynthesised from artemisinic acid using suspension-cultured cells of Averrhoa carambola (Oxalidaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Li; Zhu, Jianhua; Song, Liyan; Shi, Xiaojian; Li, Xingyi; Yu, Rongmin

    2012-01-01

    A new sesquiterpene glycoside, artemisinic acid 3-β-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3, 31.24%) and other two biotransformation products, 3-β-hydroxyartemisinic acid (2, 36.69%) and 3-β-hydroxyartemisinic acid β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (4, 7.03%), were biosynthesised after artemisinic acid (1) was administered to the cultured cells of Averrhoa carambola. The three biotransformation products were obtained for the first time by using the suspension-cultured cells of A. carambola as a new biocatalyst system, and their structures were identified on the basis of the physico-chemical properties, NMR and mass spectral analyses. The results indicate that the cultured cells of A. carambola have the abilities to hydroxylate and glycosylate sesquiterpene compounds in a regio- and stereoselective manner. Furthermore, the anti-tumour activity of compounds 3 and 4 was evaluated against K562 and HeLa cell lines. Compound 4 showed strong activity against HeLa cell line, with the IC₅₀ value of 0.56 µmol mL⁻¹.

  17. Rapid and dynamic subcellular reorganization following mechanical stimulation of Arabidopsis epidermal cells mimics responses to fungal and oomycete attack

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takemoto Daigo

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Plant cells respond to the presence of potential fungal or oomycete pathogens by mounting a basal defence response that involves aggregation of cytoplasm, reorganization of cytoskeletal, endomembrane and other cell components and development of cell wall appositions beneath the infection site. This response is induced by non-adapted, avirulent and virulent pathogens alike, and in the majority of cases achieves penetration resistance against the microorganism on the plant surface. To explore the nature of signals that trigger this subcellular response and to determine the timing of its induction, we have monitored the reorganization of GFP-tagged actin, microtubules, endoplasmic reticulum (ER and peroxisomes in Arabidopsis plants – after touching the epidermal surface with a microneedle. Results Within 3 to 5 minutes of touching the surface of Arabidopsis cotyledon epidermal cells with fine glass or tungsten needles, actin microfilaments, ER and peroxisomes began to accumulate beneath the point of contact with the needle. Formation of a dense patch of actin was followed by focusing of actin cables on the site of contact. Touching the cell surface induced localized depolymerization of microtubules to form a microtubule-depleted zone surrounding a dense patch of GFP-tubulin beneath the needle tip. The concentration of actin, GFP-tubulin, ER and peroxisomes remained focused on the contact site as the needle moved across the cell surface and quickly dispersed when the needle was removed. Conclusion Our results show that plant cells can detect the gentle pressure of a microneedle on the epidermal cell surface and respond by reorganizing subcellular components in a manner similar to that induced during attack by potential fungal or oomycete pathogens. The results of our study indicate that during plant-pathogen interactions, the basal defence response may be induced by the plant's perception of the physical force exerted by the

  18. Autoimmunity in Arabidopsis acd11 Is Mediated by Epigenetic Regulation of an Immune Receptor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Palma, K.; Thorgrimsen, S.; Malinovsky, F.G.

    2010-01-01

    Certain pathogens deliver effectors into plant cells to modify host protein targets and thereby suppress immunity. These target modifications can be detected by intracellular immune receptors, or Resistance (R) proteins, that trigger strong immune responses including localized host cell death....... The accelerated cell death 11 (acd11) "lesion mimic" mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana exhibits autoimmune phenotypes such as constitutive defense responses and cell death without pathogen perception. ACD11 encodes a putative sphingosine transfer protein, but its precise role during these processes is unknown......, and that cell death in other lesion mimic mutants may also be caused by inappropriate activation of R genes. Moreover, SDG8 is required for basal and R protein-mediated pathogen resistance in Arabidopsis, revealing the importance of chromatin remodeling as a key process in plant innate immunity....

  19. Arabidopsis FH1 Formin Affects Cotyledon Pavement Cell Shape by Modulating Cytoskeleton Dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosero, Amparo; Oulehlová, Denisa; Stillerová, Lenka; Schiebertová, Petra; Grunt, Michal; Žárský, Viktor; Cvrčková, Fatima

    2016-03-01

    Plant cell morphogenesis involves concerted rearrangements of microtubules and actin microfilaments. We previously reported that FH1, the main Arabidopsis thaliana housekeeping Class I membrane-anchored formin, contributes to actin dynamics and microtubule stability in rhizodermis cells. Here we examine the effects of mutations affecting FH1 (At3g25500) on cell morphogenesis and above-ground organ development in seedlings, as well as on cytoskeletal organization and dynamics, using a combination of confocal and variable angle epifluorescence microscopy with a pharmacological approach. Homozygous fh1 mutants exhibited cotyledon epinasty and had larger cotyledon pavement cells with more pronounced lobes than the wild type. The pavement cell shape alterations were enhanced by expression of the fluorescent microtubule marker GFP-microtubule-associated protein 4 (MAP4). Mutant cotyledon pavement cells exhibited reduced density and increased stability of microfilament bundles, as well as enhanced dynamics of microtubules. Analogous results were also obtained upon treatments with the formin inhibitor SMIFH2 (small molecule inhibitor of formin homology 2 domains). Pavement cell shape in wild-type (wt) and fh1 plants in some situations exhibited a differential response towards anti-cytoskeletal drugs, especially the microtubule disruptor oryzalin. Our observations indicate that FH1 participates in the control of microtubule dynamics, possibly via its effects on actin, subsequently influencing cell morphogenesis and macroscopic organ development. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Bio-inactivation of human malignant cells through highly responsive diluted colloidal suspension of functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ferreira, Roberta V. [Federal Center of Technological Education of Minas Gerais, Department of Materials (Brazil); Silva-Caldeira, Priscila P. [Federal Center of Technological Education of Minas Gerais, Department of Chemistry (Brazil); Pereira-Maia, Elene C.; Fabris, José D.; Cavalcante, Luis Carlos D. [Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Department of Chemistry – ICEx (Brazil); Ardisson, José D. [Nuclear Technology Development Center (CDTN) (Brazil); Domingues, Rosana Z., E-mail: rosanazd@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: rosanazd@ufmg.br [Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Department of Chemistry – ICEx (Brazil)

    2016-04-15

    Magnetic fluids, more specifically aqueous colloidal suspensions containing certain magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), have recently been gaining special interest due to their potential use in clinical treatments of cancerous formations in mammalians. The technological application arises mainly from their hyperthermic behavior, which means that the nanoparticles dissipate heat upon being exposed to an alternating magnetic field (AMF). If the temperature is raised to slightly above 43 °C, cancer cells are functionally inactivated or killed; however, normal cells tend to survive under those same conditions, entirely maintaining their bioactivity. Recent in vitro studies have revealed that under simultaneous exposure to an AMF and magnetic nanoparticles, certain lines of cancer cells are bio-inactivated even without experiencing a significant temperature increase. This non-thermal effect is cell specific, indicating that MNPs, under alternating magnetic fields, may effectively kill cancer cells under conditions that were previously thought to be implausible, considering that the temperature does not increase more than 5 °C, which is also true in cases for which the concentration of MNPs is too low. To experimentally test for this effect, this study focused on the feasibility of inducing K562 cell death using an AMF and aqueous suspensions containing very low concentrations of MNPs. The assay was designed for a ferrofluid containing magnetite nanoparticles, which were obtained through the co-precipitation method and were functionalized with citric acid; the particles had an average diameter of 10 ± 2 nm and a mean hydrodynamic diameter of approximately 40 nm. Experiments were first performed to test for the ability of the ferrofluid to release heat under an AMF. The results show that for concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 1.0 × 10{sup 3} mg L{sup −1}, the maximum temperature increase was actually less than 2 °C. However, the in vitro test results from K

  1. Wall ingrowth deposition in phloem parenchyma transfer cells in Arabidopsis: Heteroblastic variations and a potential role in pathogen defence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Suong T T; McCurdy, David W

    2017-06-03

    Transfer cell (TCs) develop unique wall ingrowth networks which amplify plasma membrane surface area and thus maximize nutrient transporter density at key anatomic sites for nutrient exchange within plants and their external environment. These sites fall into 4 main groups corresponding to 4 categories of trans-membrane flux: absorption/secretion of solutes from or to the external environment, and absorption/secretion of solutes from or to internal, extra-cytoplasmic compartments. Research on TC biology over recent decades has demonstrated correlations between wall ingrowth deposition in TCs and enhanced transport capacity in many major agricultural species such as pea, fava bean, cotton and maize. Consequently, there is general consensus that the existence of wall ingrowth morphology implies an augmentation in membrane transport capacity. However, this may not be entirely applicable for phloem parenchyma (PP) TCs in Arabidopsis. Our recent survey of PP TC abundance and distribution in Arabidopsis veins indicated that PP TC development reflects heteroblastic status. A consequence of this observation is the suggestion that PP TCs, or at least wall ingrowth deposition in these cells, potentially act as a physical barrier to defend access of invading pathogens to sugar-rich sieve elements rather than solely in facilitating the export of photoassimilate from collection phloem in leaves.

  2. Reference: 584 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ing in Arabidopsis thaliana shoot and root stem cell organizers. 7137 811-4 17429400 2007 Apr Nature Hashimo...nda K et al. 2007 Apr. Nature 446(7137):811-4. Throughout the lifespan of a plant, which in some cases can l... 584 http://metadb.riken.jp/db/SciNetS_ria224i/cria224u4ria224u17429400i Sarkar Ana

  3. A simple route to prepare stable hydroxyapatite nanoparticles suspension

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han Yingchao; Wang Xinyu; Li Shipu

    2009-01-01

    A simple ultrasound assisted precipitation method with addition of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) is proposed to prepare stable hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles suspension from the mixture of Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 solution and Ca(OH) 2 solution. The product was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, TEM, HRTEM and particle size, and zeta potential analyzer. TEM observation shows that the suspension is composed of 10-20 nm x 20-50 nm short rod-like and 10-30 nm similar spherical HAP nanoparticles. The number-averaged particle size of stable suspension is about 30 nm between 11.6 and 110.5 nm and the zeta potential is -60.9 mV. The increase of stability of HAP nanoparticles suspension mainly depends on the electrostatic effect and steric effect of GAGs. The HAP nanoparticles can be easily transported into the cancer cells and exhibit good potential as gene or drug carrier system.

  4. Enhanced resveratrol production in Vitis vinifera cell suspension cultures by heavy metals without loss of cell viability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Zhenzhen; Kastell, Anja; Speiser, Claire; Smetanska, Iryna

    2013-09-01

    The effects of heavy metal ions (Co(2+), Ag(+), Cd(2+)) on cell viability and secondary metabolite production, particularly anthocyanins and phenolic acids in Vitis vinifera cell suspension cultures, were investigated. Of these, Co at all three used concentrations (5.0, 25, and 50 μM), Ag, and Cd at low concentration (5.0 μM) were most effective to stimulate the phenolic acid production, increasing the 3-O-glucosyl-resveratrol up to 1.6-fold of the control level (250.5 versus 152.4 μmol/g), 4 h after the treatments. Meanwhile, the elicitors at effective concentrations did not suppress cell growth, while the cell viability maintained. In contrast, Ag and Cd at high concentrations (25 and 50 μM) remarkably reduced the cell viability, decreasing the cell viability up to about 15 % of the control level, 24 h after the treatments. The heavy metal ions did not affect the anthocyanin production. These observations show how, in a single system, different groups of secondary products can show distinct differences in their responses to potential elicitors. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, peroxidase activity, medium pH value, and conductivity were only slightly elevated by the heavy metal ions. The results suggest that some of the secondary metabolites production was stimulated by the used elicitors, but there was not a stress response of the cells.

  5. Involvement of YODA and mitogen activated protein kinase 6 in Arabidopsis post-embryogenic root development through auxin up-regulation and cell division plane orientation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Smékalová, V.; Luptovčiak, I.; Komis, G.; Šamajová, O.; Ovečka, M.; Doskočilová, A.; Takáč, T.; Vadovič, P.; Novák, Ondřej; Pechan, T.; Ziemann, A.; Košútová, P.; Šamaj, J.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 203, č. 4 (2014), s. 1175-1193 ISSN 0028-646X R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1204 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Arabidopsis * cell division plane * MAP65-1 Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 7.672, year: 2014

  6. Differential effects of carbohydrates on arabidopsis pollen germination

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hirsche, J.; Fernández, J. M. G.; Stabentheiner, E.; Großkinsky, D.K.; Roitsch, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 58, č. 4 (2017), s. 691-701 ISSN 0032-0781 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1415 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : Arabidopsis thaliana * Carbohydrates * Metabolic regulation * Pollen germination * Signaling * Structure-function relationship Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Cell biology Impact factor: 4.760, year: 2016

  7. Cell wall accumulation of fluorescent proteins derived from a trans-Golgi cisternal membrane marker and paramural bodies in interdigitated Arabidopsis leaf epidermal cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akita, Kae; Kobayashi, Megumi; Sato, Mayuko; Kutsuna, Natsumaro; Ueda, Takashi; Toyooka, Kiminori; Nagata, Noriko; Hasezawa, Seiichiro; Higaki, Takumi

    2017-01-01

    In most dicotyledonous plants, leaf epidermal pavement cells develop jigsaw puzzle-like shapes during cell expansion. The rapid growth and complicated cell shape of pavement cells is suggested to be achieved by targeted exocytosis that is coordinated with cytoskeletal rearrangement to provide plasma membrane and/or cell wall materials for lobe development during their morphogenesis. Therefore, visualization of membrane trafficking in leaf pavement cells should contribute an understanding of the mechanism of plant cell morphogenesis. To reveal membrane trafficking in pavement cells, we observed monomeric red fluorescent protein-tagged rat sialyl transferases, which are markers of trans-Golgi cisternal membranes, in the leaf epidermis of Arabidopsis thaliana. Quantitative fluorescence imaging techniques and immunoelectron microscopic observations revealed that accumulation of the red fluorescent protein occurred mostly in the curved regions of pavement cell borders and guard cell ends during leaf expansion. Transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that apoplastic vesicular membrane structures called paramural bodies were more frequent beneath the curved cell wall regions of interdigitated pavement cells and guard cell ends in young leaf epidermis. In addition, pharmacological studies showed that perturbations in membrane trafficking resulted in simple cell shapes. These results suggested possible heterogeneity of the curved regions of plasma membranes, implying a relationship with pavement cell morphogenesis.

  8. Sulfinylated Azadecalins act as functional mimics of a pollen germination stimulant in Arabidopsis pistils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Yuan; Wysocki, Ronald J; Somogyi, Arpad; Feinstein, Yelena; Franco, Jessica Y; Tsukamoto, Tatsuya; Dunatunga, Damayanthi; Levy, Clara; Smith, Steven; Simpson, Robert; Gang, David; Johnson, Mark A; Palanivelu, Ravishankar

    2011-01-01

    SUMMARY Polarized cell elongation is triggered by small molecule cues during development of diverse organisms. During plant reproduction, pollen interactions with the stigma result in the polar outgrowth of a pollen tube, which delivers sperm cells to the female gametophyte to effect double fertilization. In many plants, pistils stimulate pollen germination. However, in Arabidopsis, the effect of pistils on pollen germination and the pistil factors that stimulate pollen germination remain poorly characterized. Here, we demonstrate that stigma, style, and ovules in Arabidopsis pistils stimulate pollen germination. We isolated an Arabidopsis pistil extract fraction that stimulates Arabidopsis pollen germination, and employed ultrahigh resolution ESI FT-ICR and MS/MS techniques to accurately determine the mass (202.126 daltons) of a compound that is specifically present in this pistil extract fraction. Using the molecular formula (C10H19NOS) and tandem mass spectral fragmentation patterns of the m/z (mass to charge ratio) 202.126 ion, we postulated chemical structures, devised protocols, synthesized N-Methanesulfinyl 1- and 2-azadecalins that are close structural mimics of the m/z 202.126 ion, and showed that they are sufficient to stimulate Arabidopsis pollen germination in vitro (30 µM stimulated ~50% germination) and elicit accession-specific response. Although N-Methanesulfinyl 2-azadecalin stimulated pollen germination in three species of Lineage I of Brassicaceae, it did not induce a germination response in Sisymbrium irio (Lineage II of Brassicaceae) and tobacco, indicating that activity of the compound is not random. Our results show that Arabidopsis pistils promote germination by producing azadecalin-like molecules to ensure rapid fertilization by the appropriate pollen. PMID:21801250

  9. Expression Profiling during Arabidopsis/Downy Mildew Interaction Reveals a Highly-Expressed Effector That Attenuates Responses to Salicylic Acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asai, Shuta; Caillaud, Marie-Cécile; Furzer, Oliver J.; Ishaque, Naveed; Wirthmueller, Lennart; Fabro, Georgina; Shirasu, Ken; Jones, Jonathan D. G.

    2014-01-01

    Plants have evolved strong innate immunity mechanisms, but successful pathogens evade or suppress plant immunity via effectors delivered into the plant cell. Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa) causes downy mildew on Arabidopsis thaliana, and a genome sequence is available for isolate Emoy2. Here, we exploit the availability of genome sequences for Hpa and Arabidopsis to measure gene-expression changes in both Hpa and Arabidopsis simultaneously during infection. Using a high-throughput cDNA tag sequencing method, we reveal expression patterns of Hpa predicted effectors and Arabidopsis genes in compatible and incompatible interactions, and promoter elements associated with Hpa genes expressed during infection. By resequencing Hpa isolate Waco9, we found it evades Arabidopsis resistance gene RPP1 through deletion of the cognate recognized effector ATR1. Arabidopsis salicylic acid (SA)-responsive genes including PR1 were activated not only at early time points in the incompatible interaction but also at late time points in the compatible interaction. By histochemical analysis, we found that Hpa suppresses SA-inducible PR1 expression, specifically in the haustoriated cells into which host-translocated effectors are delivered, but not in non-haustoriated adjacent cells. Finally, we found a highly-expressed Hpa effector candidate that suppresses responsiveness to SA. As this approach can be easily applied to host-pathogen interactions for which both host and pathogen genome sequences are available, this work opens the door towards transcriptome studies in infection biology that should help unravel pathogen infection strategies and the mechanisms by which host defense responses are overcome. PMID:25329884

  10. Expression profiling during arabidopsis/downy mildew interaction reveals a highly-expressed effector that attenuates responses to salicylic acid.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuta Asai

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Plants have evolved strong innate immunity mechanisms, but successful pathogens evade or suppress plant immunity via effectors delivered into the plant cell. Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa causes downy mildew on Arabidopsis thaliana, and a genome sequence is available for isolate Emoy2. Here, we exploit the availability of genome sequences for Hpa and Arabidopsis to measure gene-expression changes in both Hpa and Arabidopsis simultaneously during infection. Using a high-throughput cDNA tag sequencing method, we reveal expression patterns of Hpa predicted effectors and Arabidopsis genes in compatible and incompatible interactions, and promoter elements associated with Hpa genes expressed during infection. By resequencing Hpa isolate Waco9, we found it evades Arabidopsis resistance gene RPP1 through deletion of the cognate recognized effector ATR1. Arabidopsis salicylic acid (SA-responsive genes including PR1 were activated not only at early time points in the incompatible interaction but also at late time points in the compatible interaction. By histochemical analysis, we found that Hpa suppresses SA-inducible PR1 expression, specifically in the haustoriated cells into which host-translocated effectors are delivered, but not in non-haustoriated adjacent cells. Finally, we found a highly-expressed Hpa effector candidate that suppresses responsiveness to SA. As this approach can be easily applied to host-pathogen interactions for which both host and pathogen genome sequences are available, this work opens the door towards transcriptome studies in infection biology that should help unravel pathogen infection strategies and the mechanisms by which host defense responses are overcome.

  11. PNL1 and PNL2 : Arabidopsis homologs of maize PAN1

    OpenAIRE

    Clark, Lauren Gail

    2010-01-01

    PNL1 and PNL2 are the closest Arabidopsis relatives of maize pan1. pan1 and the PNL family of 11 genes encode leucine-rich repeat, receptor-like kinases, however none of these putative kinases is predicted to have actual kinase function, due to one or more amino acid substitutions in residues necessary for kinase function. Because PAN1 plays a role in subsidiary cell formation in maize, it is hypothesized that PNL1 and PNL2 are involved in stomatal formation in Arabidopsis. YFP fusions of the...

  12. COBRA encodes a putative GPI-anchored protein, which is polarly localized and necessary for oriented cell expansion in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schindelman, G; Morikami, A; Jung, J; Baskin, T I; Carpita, N C; Derbyshire, P; McCann, M C; Benfey, P N

    2001-05-01

    To control organ shape, plant cells expand differentially. The organization of the cellulose microfibrils in the cell wall is a key determinant of differential expansion. Mutations in the COBRA (COB) gene of Arabidopsis, known to affect the orientation of cell expansion in the root, are reported here to reduce the amount of crystalline cellulose in cell walls in the root growth zone. The COB gene, identified by map-based cloning, contains a sequence motif found in proteins that are anchored to the extracellular surface of the plasma membrane through a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) linkage. In animal cells, this lipid linkage is known to confer polar localization to proteins. The COB protein was detected predominately on the longitudinal sides of root cells in the zone of rapid elongation. Moreover, COB RNA levels are dramatically upregulated in cells entering the zone of rapid elongation. Based on these results, models are proposed for the role of COB as a regulator of oriented cell expansion.

  13. The cell wall-localized atypical β-1,3 glucanase ZERZAUST controls tissue morphogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaddepalli, Prasad; Fulton, Lynette; Wieland, Jennifer; Wassmer, Katrin; Schaeffer, Milena; Ranf, Stefanie; Schneitz, Kay

    2017-06-15

    Orchestration of cellular behavior in plant organogenesis requires integration of intercellular communication and cell wall dynamics. The underlying signaling mechanisms are poorly understood. Tissue morphogenesis in Arabidopsis depends on the receptor-like kinase STRUBBELIG. Mutations in ZERZAUST were previously shown to result in a strubbelig -like mutant phenotype. Here, we report on the molecular identification and functional characterization of ZERZAUST We show that ZERZAUST encodes a putative GPI-anchored β-1,3 glucanase suggested to degrade the cell wall polymer callose. However, a combination of in vitro , cell biological and genetic experiments indicate that ZERZAUST is not involved in the regulation of callose accumulation. Nonetheless, Fourier-transformed infrared-spectroscopy revealed that zerzaust mutants show defects in cell wall composition. Furthermore, the results indicate that ZERZAUST represents a mobile apoplastic protein, and that its carbohydrate-binding module family 43 domain is required for proper subcellular localization and function whereas its GPI anchor is dispensable. Our collective data reveal that the atypical β-1,3 glucanase ZERZAUST acts in a non-cell-autonomous manner and is required for cell wall organization during tissue morphogenesis. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  14. KIRA1 and ORESARA1 terminate flower receptivity by promoting cell death in the stigma of Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Zhen; Daneva, Anna; Salanenka, Yuliya; Van Durme, Matthias; Huysmans, Marlies; Lin, Zongcheng; De Winter, Freya; Vanneste, Steffen; Karimi, Mansour; Van de Velde, Jan; Vandepoele, Klaas; Van de Walle, Davy; Dewettinck, Koen; Lambrecht, Bart N; Nowack, Moritz K

    2018-05-28

    Flowers have a species-specific functional life span that determines the time window in which pollination, fertilization and seed set can occur. The stigma tissue plays a key role in flower receptivity by intercepting pollen and initiating pollen tube growth toward the ovary. In this article, we show that a developmentally controlled cell death programme terminates the functional life span of stigma cells in Arabidopsis. We identified the leaf senescence regulator ORESARA1 (also known as ANAC092) and the previously uncharacterized KIRA1 (also known as ANAC074) as partially redundant transcription factors that modulate stigma longevity by controlling the expression of programmed cell death-associated genes. KIRA1 expression is sufficient to induce cell death and terminate floral receptivity, whereas lack of both KIRA1 and ORESARA1 substantially increases stigma life span. Surprisingly, the extension of stigma longevity is accompanied by only a moderate extension of flower receptivity, suggesting that additional processes participate in the control of the flower's receptive life span.

  15. Detection of anthraquinones and identification of 1,4-naphthohydroquinone in cell suspension cultures of Rudgea jasminoides (Cham.) Müll. Arg. (Rubiaceae)

    OpenAIRE

    Oliveira, Marisa de Cacia; Negri, Giusepina; Salatino, Antônio; Braga, Márcia Regina

    2007-01-01

    In Rubiaceae, anthraquinones and naphthoquinones are secondary metabolites characteristic of the subfamily Rubioideae, in which Rudgea jasminoides is included. Thin-layer chromatography using specific solvent systems and spray reagents indicated the presence of anthraquinones constitutively produced by cell suspension cultures of R. jasminoides. GC/MS analysis detected 1,4-naphthohydroquinone as a product of biosynthesis only after elicitation of the cells with yeast extract (Saccharomyces ce...

  16. Arabidopsis R-SNARE proteins VAMP721 and VAMP722 are required for cell plate formation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liang Zhang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cell plate formation during plant cytokinesis is facilitated by SNARE complex-mediated vesicle fusion at the cell-division plane. However, our knowledge regarding R-SNARE components of membrane fusion machinery for cell plate formation remains quite limited. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report the in vivo function of Arabidopsis VAMP721 and VAMP722, two closely sequence-related R-SNAREs, in cell plate formation. Double homozygous vamp721vamp722 mutant seedlings showed lethal dwarf phenotypes and were characterized by rudimentary roots, cotyledons and hypocotyls. Furthermore, cell wall stubs and incomplete cytokinesis were frequently observed in vamp721vamp722 seedlings. Confocal images revealed that green fluorescent protein-tagged VAMP721 and VAMP722 were preferentially localized to the expanding cell plates in dividing cells. Drug treatments and co-localization analyses demonstrated that punctuate organelles labeled with VAMP721 and VAMP722 represented early endosomes overlapped with VHA-a1-labeled TGN, which were distinct from Golgi stacks and prevacuolar compartments. In addition, protein traffic to the plasma membrane, but not to the vacuole, was severely disrupted in vamp721vamp722 seedlings by subcellular localization of marker proteins. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: These observations suggest that VAMP721 and VAMP722 are involved in secretory trafficking to the plasma membrane via TGN/early endosomal compartment, which contributes substantially to cell plate formation during plant cytokinesis.

  17. Protein profiling of single epidermal cell types from Arabidopsis thaliana using surface-enhanced laser desorption and ionization technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebert, Berit; Melle, Christian; Lieckfeldt, Elke; Zöller, Daniela; von Eggeling, Ferdinand; Fisahn, Joachim

    2008-08-25

    Here, we describe a novel approach for investigating differential protein expression within three epidermal cell types. In particular, 3000 single pavement, basal, and trichome cells from leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana were harvested by glass micro-capillaries. Subsequently, these single cell samples were joined to form pools of 100 individual cells and analyzed using the ProteinChip technology; SELDI: surface-enhanced laser desorption and ionization. As a result, numerous protein signals that were differentially expressed in the three epidermal cell types could be detected. One of these proteins was characterized by tryptical digestion and subsequent identification via tandem quadrupole-time of flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometry. Down regulation of this sequenced small subunit precursor of ribulose-1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase(C) oxygenase(O) (RuBisCo) in trichome and basal cells indicates the sink status of these cell types that are located on the surface of A. thaliana source leaves. Based on the obtained protein profiles, we suggest a close functional relationship between basal and trichome cells at the protein level.

  18. A role for arabinogalactan-proteins in plant cell expansion: evidence from studies on the interaction of ß-glucosyl Yariv reagent with seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Willats, William George Tycho; Knox, J.P.

    1996-01-01

    Seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana were germinated and grown in medium containing ß-glucosyl Yariv reagent (ßGlcY), a synthetic phenyl glycoside that interacts specifically with arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs), a class of plant cell surface proteoglycans. The effect of ßGlcY on the seedlings...

  19. ROS enhancement by silicon nanoparticles in X-ray irradiated aqueous suspensions and in glioma C6 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    David Gara, Pedro M.; Garabano, Natalia I.; Llansola Portoles, Manuel J.; Moreno, M. Sergio; Dodat, Diego; Casas, Oscar R.; Gonzalez, Mónica C.; Kotler, Mónica L.

    2012-01-01

    The capability of silicon nanoparticles to increase the yield of reactive species upon 4 MeV X-ray irradiation of aqueous suspensions and C6 glioma cell cultures was investigated. ROS generation was detected and quantified using several specific probes. The particles were characterized by FTIR, XPS, TEM, DLS, luminescence, and adsorption spectroscopy before and after irradiation to evaluate the effect of high energy radiation on their structure. The total concentration of O 2 •− /HO 2 • , HO • , and H 2 O 2 generated upon 4-MeV X-ray irradiation of 6.4 μM silicon nanoparticle aqueous suspensions were on the order of 10 μM per Gy, ten times higher than that obtained in similar experiments but in the absence of particles. Cytotoxic 1 O 2 was generated only in irradiation experiments containing the particles. The particle surface became oxidized to SiO 2 and the luminescence yield reduced with the irradiation dose. Changes in the surface morphology did not affect, within the experimental error, the yields of ROS generated per Gy. X-ray irradiation of glioma C6 cell cultures with incorporated silicon nanoparticles showed a marked production of ROS proportional to the radiation dose received. In the absence of nanoparticles, the cells showed no irradiation-enhanced ROS generation. The obtained results indicate that silicon nanoparticles of 1 O 2 upon X-ray irradiation opens novel approaches in the design of therapy strategies.

  20. POLYGALACTURONASE INVOLVED IN EXPANSION1 functions in cell elongation and flower development in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Chaowen; Somerville, Chris; Anderson, Charles T

    2014-03-01

    Pectins are acidic carbohydrates that comprise a significant fraction of the primary walls of eudicotyledonous plant cells. They influence wall porosity and extensibility, thus controlling cell and organ growth during plant development. The regulated degradation of pectins is required for many cell separation events in plants, but the role of pectin degradation in cell expansion is poorly defined. Using an activation tag screen designed to isolate genes involved in wall expansion, we identified a gene encoding a putative polygalacturonase that, when overexpressed, resulted in enhanced hypocotyl elongation in etiolated Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. We named this gene POLYGALACTURONASE INVOLVED IN EXPANSION1 (PGX1). Plants lacking PGX1 display reduced hypocotyl elongation that is complemented by transgenic PGX1 expression. PGX1 is expressed in expanding tissues throughout development, including seedlings, roots, leaves, and flowers. PGX1-GFP (green fluorescent protein) localizes to the apoplast, and heterologously expressed PGX1 displays in vitro polygalacturonase activity, supporting a function for this protein in apoplastic pectin degradation. Plants either overexpressing or lacking PGX1 display alterations in total polygalacturonase activity, pectin molecular mass, and wall composition and also display higher proportions of flowers with extra petals, suggesting PGX1's involvement in floral organ patterning. These results reveal new roles for polygalacturonases in plant development.

  1. Differential Growth in Periclinal and Anticlinal Walls during Lobe Formation in Arabidopsis Cotyledon Pavement Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Deborah A.; Law, Andrew M.K.; Overall, Robyn L.

    2015-01-01

    Lobe development in the epidermal pavement cells of Arabidopsis thaliana cotyledons and leaves is thought to take place via tip-like growth on the concave side of lobes driven by localized concentrations of actin filaments and associated proteins, with a predicted role for cortical microtubules in establishing the direction of restricted growth at the convex side. We used homologous landmarks fixed to the outer walls of pavement cells and thin-plate spline analysis to demonstrate that lobes form by differential growth of both the anticlinal and periclinal walls. Most lobes formed within the first 24 h of the cotyledons unfurling, during the period of rapid cell expansion. Cortical microtubules adjacent to the periclinal wall were persistently enriched at the convex side of lobes during development where growth was anisotropic and were less concentrated or absent at the concave side where growth was promoted. Alternating microtubule-enriched and microtubule-free zones at the periclinal wall in neighboring cells predicted sites of new lobes. There was no particular arrangement of cortical actin filaments that could predict where lobes would form. However, drug studies demonstrate that both filamentous actin and microtubules are required for lobe formation. PMID:26296967

  2. A WUSCHEL-Independent Stem Cell Specification Pathway Is Repressed by PHB, PHV and CNA in Arabidopsis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chunghee; Clark, Steven E.

    2015-01-01

    The homeostatic maintenance of stem cells that carry out continuous organogenesis at the shoot meristem is crucial for plant development. Key known factors act to signal between the stem cells and an underlying group of cells thought to act as the stem cell niche. In Arabidopsis thaliana the homeodomain transcription factor WUSCHEL (WUS) is essential for stem cell initiation and maintenance at shoot and flower meristems. Recent data suggest that the WUS protein may move from the niche cells directly into the stem cells to maintain stem cell identity. Here we provide evidence for a second, previously unknown, pathway for stem cell specification at shoot and flower meristems that bypasses the requirement for WUS. We demonstrate that this novel stem cell specification pathway is normally repressed by the activity of the HD-zip III transcription factors PHABULOSA (PHB), PHAVOLUTA (PHV) and CORONA (CNA). When de-repressed, this second stem cell pathway leads to an accumulation of stem cells and an enlargement of the stem cell niche. When de-repressed in a wus mutant background, this second stem cell pathway leads to functional meristems with largely normal cell layering and meristem morphology, activation of WUS cis regulatory elements, and extensive, but not indeterminate, organogenesis. Thus, WUS is largely dispensable for stem cell specification and meristem function, suggesting a set of key stem cell specification factors, competitively regulated by WUS and PHB/PHV/CNA, remain unidentified. PMID:26011610

  3. Strigolactones suppress adventitious rooting in Arabidopsis and pea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasmussen, Amanda; Mason, Michael Glenn; De Cuyper, Carolien; Brewer, Philip B; Herold, Silvia; Agusti, Javier; Geelen, Danny; Greb, Thomas; Goormachtig, Sofie; Beeckman, Tom; Beveridge, Christine Anne

    2012-04-01

    Adventitious root formation is essential for the propagation of many commercially important plant species and involves the formation of roots from nonroot tissues such as stems or leaves. Here, we demonstrate that the plant hormone strigolactone suppresses adventitious root formation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and pea (Pisum sativum). Strigolactone-deficient and response mutants of both species have enhanced adventitious rooting. CYCLIN B1 expression, an early marker for the initiation of adventitious root primordia in Arabidopsis, is enhanced in more axillary growth2 (max2), a strigolactone response mutant, suggesting that strigolactones restrain the number of adventitious roots by inhibiting the very first formative divisions of the founder cells. Strigolactones and cytokinins appear to act independently to suppress adventitious rooting, as cytokinin mutants are strigolactone responsive and strigolactone mutants are cytokinin responsive. In contrast, the interaction between the strigolactone and auxin signaling pathways in regulating adventitious rooting appears to be more complex. Strigolactone can at least partially revert the stimulatory effect of auxin on adventitious rooting, and auxin can further increase the number of adventitious roots in max mutants. We present a model depicting the interaction of strigolactones, cytokinins, and auxin in regulating adventitious root formation.

  4. Biosynthesis of 14C-phytoene from tomato cell suspension cultures (Lycopersicon esculentum) for utilization in prostate cancer cell culture studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Jessica K; Rogers, Randy B; Lila, Mary Ann; Erdman, John W

    2006-02-08

    This work describes the development and utilization of a plant cell culture production approach to biosynthesize and radiolabel phytoene and phytofluene for prostate cancer cell culture studies. The herbicide norflurazon was added to established cell suspension cultures of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. VFNT cherry), to induce the biosynthesis and accumulation of the lycopene precursors, phytoene and phytofluene, in their natural isomeric forms (15-cis-phytoene and two cis-phytofluene isomers). Norflurazon concentrations, solvent carrier type and concentration, and duration of culture exposure to norflurazon were screened to optimize phytoene and phytofluene synthesis. Maximum yields of both phytoene and phytofluene were achieved after 7 days of treatment with 0.03 mg norflurazon/40 mL fresh medium, provided in 0.07% solvent carrier. Introduction of 14C-sucrose to the tomato cell culture medium enabled the production of 14C-labeled phytoene for subsequent prostate tumor cell uptake studies. In DU 145 prostate tumor cells, it was determined that 15-cis-phytoene and an oxidized product of phytoene were taken up and partially metabolized by the cells. The ability to biosynthesize, radiolabel, and isolate these carotenoids from tomato cell cultures is a novel, valuable methodology for further in vitro and in vivo investigations into the roles of phytoene and phytofluene in cancer chemoprevention.

  5. Biochemical properties of the matrix metalloproteinase NtMMP1 from Nicotiana tabacum cv. BY-2 suspension cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandal, Manoj K; Fischer, Rainer; Schillberg, Stefan; Schiermeyer, Andreas

    2010-09-01

    A zinc-dependent matrix metalloproteinase (NtMMP1) found in the plasma membrane of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Bright Yellow 2 (BY-2) suspension cells is thought to be responsible for the degradation of recombinant proteins secreted into the culture supernatant. We have characterized the proteolytic activity of NtMMP1 by expressing a recombinant derivative lacking the C-terminal transmembrane domain in yeast. After purifying the protein by affinity chromatography, its autocatalytic activity was analyzed using monoclonal antibodies raised against its N-terminal and C-terminal portions. Both the unprocessed and processed forms of NtMMP1 displayed caseinolytic activity and N-terminal sequencing identified an autocatalytic cleavage site within the sequence motif HFSFFP, which is similar to the corresponding sequences of the human matrix metalloproteinases stromelysin-1 (MMP-3) and stromelysin-2 (MMP-10). Unlike all other matrix metalloproteinases investigated so far, NtMMP1 contains a disulfide bond within its propeptide thus rendering the proenzyme catalytically active. Kinetic analysis of NtMMP1 with a synthetic substrate revealed a K(m) of 10.55 +/- 0.9 microM, a k(cat) of 0.6 +/- 0.01 s(-1) and maximum activity at pH 7.5. We found that NtMMP1 degrades Desmodus rotundus salivary plasminogen activator alpha 1 (DSPAalpha1), a biopharmaceutical protein, that has proven difficult to produce in tobacco BY-2 cells. This provides a likely explanation for the frequent instability of secreted recombinant biopharmaceuticals produced in plant suspension cell cultures. Our data suggest new avenues that can be explored to improve the production of pharmaceutical proteins in plants and plant cells.

  6. Differential growth of pavement cells of Arabidopsis thaliana leaf epidermis as revealed by microbead labeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elsner, Joanna; Lipowczan, Marcin; Kwiatkowska, Dorota

    2018-02-01

    In numerous vascular plants, pavement cells of the leaf epidermis are shaped like a jigsaw-puzzle piece. Knowledge about the subcellular pattern of growth that accompanies morphogenesis of such a complex shape is crucial for studies of the role of the cytoskeleton, cell wall and phytohormones in plant cell development. Because the detailed growth pattern of the anticlinal and periclinal cell walls remains unknown, our aim was to measure pavement cell growth at a subcellular resolution. Using fluorescent microbeads applied to the surface of the adaxial leaf epidermis of Arabidopsis thaliana as landmarks for growth computation, we directly assessed the growth rates for the outer periclinal and anticlinal cell walls at a subcellular scale. We observed complementary tendencies in the growth pattern of the outer periclinal and anticlinal cell walls. Central portions of periclinal walls were characterized by relatively slow growth, while growth of the other wall portions was heterogeneous. Local growth of the periclinal walls accompanying lobe development after initiation was relatively fast and anisotropic, with maximal extension usually in the direction along the lobe axis. This growth pattern of the periclinal walls was complemented by the extension of the anticlinal walls, which was faster on the lobe sides than at the tips. Growth of the anticlinal and outer periclinal walls of leaf pavement cells is heterogeneous. The growth of the lobes resembles cell elongation via diffuse growth rather than tip growth. © 2018 Botanical Society of America.

  7. Wheat TaSP gene improves salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Xiaoli; Cui, Weina; Liang, Wenji; Huang, Zhanjing

    2015-12-01

    A novel salt-induced gene with unknown functions was cloned through analysis of gene expression profile of a salt-tolerant wheat mutant RH8706-49 under salt stress. The gene was named Triticum aestivum salt-related protein (TaSP) and deposited in GenBank (Accession No. KF307326). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results showed that TaSP expression was induced under salt, abscisic acid (ABA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) stresses. Subcellular localization revealed that TaSP was mainly localized in cell membrane. Overexpression of TaSP in Arabidopsis could improve salt tolerance of 35S::TaSP transgenic Arabidopsis. 35S::TaSP transgenic Arabidopsis lines after salt stress presented better physiological indexes than the control group. In the non-invasive micro-test (NMT), an evident Na(+) excretion was observed at the root tip of salt-stressed 35S::TaSP transgenic Arabidopsis. TaSP promoter was cloned, and its beta-glucuronidase (GUS) activities before and after ABA, salt, cold, heat, and salicylic acid (SA) stresses were determined. Full-length TaSP promoter contained ABA and salt response elements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  8. Post-translational Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana Proteins in Response to Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate Treatment

    KAUST Repository

    Parrott, Brian

    2011-12-12

    The introduction of mass spectrometry techniques to the field of biology has made possible the exploration of the proteome as a whole system as opposed to prior techniques, such as anti-body based assays or yeast two-hybrid studies, which were strictly limited to the study of a few proteins at a time. This practice has allowed for a systems biology approach of exploring the proteome, with the possibility of viewing entire pathways over increments of time. In this study, the effect of treating Arabidopsis thaliana suspension culture cells with 3’,5’-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which is a native second messenger, was examined. Samples were collected at four time points and proteins were extracted and enriched for both oxidation and phosphorylation before analysis via mass spectrometry. Preliminary results suggest a tendency towards an increased number of phosphorylated proteins as a result of cGMP treatment. The data also showed a sharp increase in methionine oxidation in response to the treatment, occurring within the first ten minutes. This finding suggests that cGMP may utilize methionine oxidation as a mechanism of signal transduction. As such, this study corroborates a growing body of evidence supporting the inclusion of methionine oxidation in intracellular signaling pathways.

  9. In vitro production of azadirachtin from cell suspension cultures of Azadirachta indica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sujanya, S; Devi, B Poornasri; Sai, Isha

    2008-03-01

    The present study aimed to elucidate the effect of nutritional alteration on biomass content and azadirachtin production in cell suspensions of the elite neem variety crida-8. Variations in total nitrogen availability in the medium in terms of different ratios of nitrate: ammonium showed that the ratio 4:1 revealed a profound effect, leading to a 1.5-fold increase in the total extracellular azadirachtin production (5.59 mg/l) over the standard MS medium. Reduction in sucrose (15 mg/l) in the medium exhibited a reduction in biomass and absence of azadirachtin, whereas total phosphate reduction raised intracellular azadirachtin production (6.98 mg/l). An altered medium with a nitrate: ammonium ratio of 4:1 coupled with complete elimination of phosphate enhanced biomass by 36% (59.36 g/l).

  10. Antifungal Effect of Arabidopsis SGT1 Proteins via Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Seong-Cheol; Cheong, Mi Sun; Kim, Eun-Ji; Kim, Jin Hyo; Chi, Yong Hun; Jang, Mi-Kyeong

    2017-09-27

    The highly conserved SGT1 (suppressor of the G2 alleles of skp1) proteins from Arabidopsis are known to contribute to plant resistance to pathogens. While SGT1 proteins respond to fungal pathogens, their antifungal activity is not reported and the mechanism for this inhibition is not well understood. Therefore, recombinant Arabidopsis SGT1 proteins were cloned, expressed, and purified to evaluate their antifungal activity, resulting in their potent inhibition of pathogen growth. Dye-labeled proteins are localized to the cytosol of Candida albicans cells without the disruption of the cell membrane. Moreover, we showed that entry of the proteins into C. albicans cells resulted in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell death via altered mitochondrial potential. Morphological changes of C. albicans cells in the presence of proteins were visualized by scanning electron microscopy. Our data suggest that AtSGT1 proteins play a critical role in plant resistance to pathogenic fungal infection and they can be classified to a new plant antifungal protein.

  11. Xyloglucan biosynthesis by Golgi membranes from suspension-cultured sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    White, A.R.; Xin, Yi

    1990-01-01

    Xyloglucan is a major hemicellulose polysaccharide in plant cell walls. Biosynthesis of such cell wall polysaccharides is closely linked to the process of plant cell growth and development. Xyloglucan polysaccharides consist of a β-1,4 glucan backbone synthesized by xyloglucan synthase and sidechains of xylose, galactose, and fucose added by other transferase enzymes. Most plant Golgi and plasma membranes also contain glucan synthases I ampersand II, which make β-1,4 and β-1,3 glucans, respectively. All of these enzymes have very similar activities. Cell walls on suspension-cultured cells from Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore maple) were enzymatically softened prior to cell disruption by passing through a 30 μm nylon screen. Cell membranes from homogenates were separated by ultracentrifugation on top-loaded or flotation sucrose density gradients. Samples were collected by gradient fractionation and assayed for membrane markers and xyloglucan and glucan synthase activities. Standard marker assays (cyt. c reductase for eR, IDPase ampersand UDPase for Golgi, and eosin 5'-malelmide binding for plasma membrane) showed partial separation of these three membrane types. Golgi and plasma membrane markers overlapped in most gradients. Incorporation of 14 C-labeled sugars from UDP-glucose and UDP-xylose was used to detect xyloglucan synthase, glucan synthases I ampersand II, and xylosyl transferase in Golgi membrane fractions. These activities overlapped, although distinct peaks of xyloglucan synthase and xylosyl transferase were found. Ca ++ had a stimulatory effect on glucan synthases I ampersand II, while Mn ++ had an inhibitory effect on glucan synthase I in the presence of Ca ++ . The similarity of these various synthase activities demonstrates the need for careful structural characterization of newly synthesized polysaccharides

  12. A zeta potential value determines the aggregate's size of penta-substituted [60]fullerene derivatives in aqueous suspension whereas positive charge is required for toxicity against bacterial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deryabin, Dmitry G; Efremova, Ludmila V; Vasilchenko, Alexey S; Saidakova, Evgeniya V; Sizova, Elena A; Troshin, Pavel A; Zhilenkov, Alexander V; Khakina, Ekaterina A; Khakina, Ekaterina E

    2015-08-08

    The cause-effect relationships between physicochemical properties of amphiphilic [60]fullerene derivatives and their toxicity against bacterial cells have not yet been clarified. In this study, we report how the differences in the chemical structure of organic addends in 10 originally synthesized penta-substituted [60]fullerene derivatives modulate their zeta potential and aggregate's size in salt-free and salt-added aqueous suspensions as well as how these physicochemical characteristics affect the bioenergetics of freshwater Escherichia coli and marine Photobacterium phosphoreum bacteria. Dynamic light scattering, laser Doppler micro-electrophoresis, agarose gel electrophoresis, atomic force microscopy, and bioluminescence inhibition assay were used to characterize the fullerene aggregation behavior in aqueous solution and their interaction with the bacterial cell surface, following zeta potential changes and toxic effects. Dynamic light scattering results indicated the formation of self-assembled [60]fullerene aggregates in aqueous suspensions. The measurement of the zeta potential of the particles revealed that they have different surface charges. The relationship between these physicochemical characteristics was presented as an exponential regression that correctly described the dependence of the aggregate's size of penta-substituted [60]fullerene derivatives in salt-free aqueous suspension from zeta potential value. The prevalence of DLVO-related effects was shown in salt-added aqueous suspension that decreased zeta potential values and affected the aggregation of [60]fullerene derivatives expressed differently for individual compounds. A bioluminescence inhibition assay demonstrated that the toxic effect of [60]fullerene derivatives against E. coli cells was strictly determined by their positive zeta potential charge value being weakened against P. phosphoreum cells in an aquatic system of high salinity. Atomic force microscopy data suggested that the

  13. Hydropneumatic suspension systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bauer, Wolfgang

    2011-07-01

    Hydropneumatic suspensions systems combine the excellent properties of gas springs with the favourable damping properties of hydraulic fluids. The advantages of these systems are particularly appropriate for automotive applications, such as passenger cars, trucks and agricultural equipment. In this book, Dr. Bauer provides an extensive overview of hydropneumatic suspension systems. Starting with a comparison of different types of suspension systems, the author subsequently describes the theoretical background associated with spring and damping characteristics of hydropneumatic systems and furthermore explains the design of the most important system components. Additionally he gives an overview of level control systems and various special functions. Finally the technology is illustrated by design examples and the outlook for future hydropneumatic suspensions is discussed. (orig.)

  14. Cell suspension method to improve green spot in in-vitro culture of jarak pagar (Jatropha curcas L ) mutant lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ita Dwimahyani

    2007-01-01

    Jatropha curcas has a high potential as an alternative energy source, since it can produce natural oil which could be processed into fuel replacing fossil energy. Increasing demand of biodiesel has resulted in increasing demand for high quality of Jatropha germplasm. Cell suspension method is expected to assure the production of a homogeneous germplasm of Jatropha. A laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness cell suspension method in of Jatropha curcas cotyledon. The explant used in this experiment was Jatropha curcas seed mutant line (JH-38) which has superiority in plant height, early maturity and unseasonable fruiting. Two kinds of in-vitro medium were used for callus induction, i.e. medium A (MS + 2,4-D 2.0 mg/l + BAP 0.5 mg/l + malt extract 0.1 g + agar 8.0 g/l) and medium B (MS + 2,4-D 3.0 mg/l + BAP 0,5 mg/l + malt extract 0,1 g + agar 8.0 g/l). The same medium composition without agar was used for cell generating, and medium ECS (MS + glutamine 0.5 g + casein hydrolysate 0.5 g + IAA 0.5 mg/l + BAP 3.0 mg/l + agar 8.0 g/l for cell growth. Results of the experiment showed that the optimum growth of calli was obtained by explant JH-38/3 in medium A. The growth level of embryonic cell ranged from 0 to 130 %. The optimum percentage green spot is shown by JH-38/1 explant in medium A. (author)

  15. Suspension chemistry and electrophoretic deposition of zirconia electrolyte on conducting and non-conducting substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, Debasish; Basu, Rajendra N.

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Stable suspension of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) obtained in isopropanol medium. • Suspension chemistry and process parameters for electrophoretic deposition optimized. • Deposited film quality changed with iodine and water (dispersants) concentration. • Dense YSZ film (∼5 μm) fabricated onto non-conducting porous NiO-YSZ anode substrate. - Abstract: Suspensions of 8 mol% yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) particulates in isopropanol medium are prepared using acetylacetone, iodine and water as dispersants. The effect of dispersants concentration on suspension stability, particle size distribution, electrical conductivity and pH of the suspensions are studied in detail to optimize the suspension chemistry. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) has been conducted to produce thin and dense YSZ electrolyte films. Deposition kinetics have been studied in depth and good quality films on conducting substrate are obtained at an applied voltage of 15 V for 3 min. YSZ films are also fabricated on non-conducting NiO-YSZ anode substrate using a steel plate on the reverse side of the substrate. Upon co-firing at 1400 °C for 6 h a dense YSZ film of thickness ∼5 μm is obtained. Such a half cell (anode + electrolyte) can be used to fabricate a solid oxide fuel cell on applying a suitable cathode layer

  16. Stochastic gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araújo, Ilka Schultheiß; Pietsch, Jessica Magdalena; Keizer, Emma Mathilde; Greese, Bettina; Balkunde, Rachappa; Fleck, Christian; Hülskamp, Martin

    2017-12-14

    Although plant development is highly reproducible, some stochasticity exists. This developmental stochasticity may be caused by noisy gene expression. Here we analyze the fluctuation of protein expression in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using the photoconvertible KikGR marker, we show that the protein expressions of individual cells fluctuate over time. A dual reporter system was used to study extrinsic and intrinsic noise of marker gene expression. We report that extrinsic noise is higher than intrinsic noise and that extrinsic noise in stomata is clearly lower in comparison to several other tissues/cell types. Finally, we show that cells are coupled with respect to stochastic protein expression in young leaves, hypocotyls and roots but not in mature leaves. Our data indicate that stochasticity of gene expression can vary between tissues/cell types and that it can be coupled in a non-cell-autonomous manner.

  17. Load-cell based characterization system for a "Violin-Mode" shadow-sensor in advanced LIGO suspensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lockerbie, N. A.; Tokmakov, K. V.

    2016-07-01

    The background to this work was a prototype shadow sensor, which was designed for retro-fitting to an advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) test-mass/mirror suspension, in which 40 kg test-mass/mirrors are each suspended by four approximately 600 mm long by 0.4 mm diameter fused-silica suspension fibres. The shadow sensor comprised a LED source of Near InfraRed (NIR) radiation and a rectangular silicon photodiode detector, which, together, were to bracket the fibre under test. The aim was to detect transverse Violin-Mode resonances in the suspension fibres. Part of the testing procedure involved tensioning a silica fibre sample and translating it transversely through the illuminating NIR beam, so as to measure the DC responsivity of the detection system to fibre displacement. However, an equally important part of the procedure, reported here, was to keep the fibre under test stationary within the beam, whilst trying to detect low-level AC Violin-Mode resonances excited on the fibre, in order to confirm the primary function of the sensor. Therefore, a tensioning system, incorporating a load-cell readout, was built into the test fibre's holder. The fibre then was excited by a signal generator, audio power amplifier, and distant loudspeaker, and clear resonances were detected. A theory for the expected fundamental resonant frequency as a function of fibre tension was developed and is reported here, and this theory was found to match closely with the detected resonant frequencies as they varied with tension. Consequently, the resonances seen were identified as being proper Violin-Mode fundamental resonances of the fibre, and the operation of the Violin-Mode detection system was validated.

  18. In vitro transformation of pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum (L). R ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The plasmids pULGU1 and pEmuGN were introduced by biolistics in embryogenic cell suspensions of pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum. The plasmid pULGU1 contained the mutant acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene of Arabidopsis thaliana, responsible for resistance to the chlorsulfuron herbicide. The plasmid pEmuGN ...

  19. Continuous-time modeling of cell fate determination in Arabidopsis flowers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angenent Gerco C

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The genetic control of floral organ specification is currently being investigated by various approaches, both experimentally and through modeling. Models and simulations have mostly involved boolean or related methods, and so far a quantitative, continuous-time approach has not been explored. Results We propose an ordinary differential equation (ODE model that describes the gene expression dynamics of a gene regulatory network that controls floral organ formation in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In this model, the dimerization of MADS-box transcription factors is incorporated explicitly. The unknown parameters are estimated from (known experimental expression data. The model is validated by simulation studies of known mutant plants. Conclusions The proposed model gives realistic predictions with respect to independent mutation data. A simulation study is carried out to predict the effects of a new type of mutation that has so far not been made in Arabidopsis, but that could be used as a severe test of the validity of the model. According to our predictions, the role of dimers is surprisingly important. Moreover, the functional loss of any dimer leads to one or more phenotypic alterations.

  20. Particle interactions in concentrated suspensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mondy, L.A.; Graham, A.L.; Abbott, J.R.; Brenner, H.

    1993-01-01

    An overview is presented of research that focuses on slow flows of suspensions in which colloidal and inertial effects are negligibly small. The authors describe nuclear magnetic resonance imaging experiments to quantitatively measure particle migration occurring in concentrated suspensions undergoing a flow with a nonuniform shear rate. These experiments address the issue of how the flow field affects the microstructure of suspensions. In order to understand the local viscosity in a suspension with such a flow-induced, spatially varying concentration, one must know how the viscosity of a homogeneous suspension depends on such variables as solids concentration and particle orientation. The authors suggest the technique of falling ball viscometry, using small balls, as a method to determine the effective viscosity of a suspension without affecting the original microstructure significantly. They also describe data from experiments in which the detailed fluctuations of a falling ball's velocity indicate the noncontinuum nature of the suspension and may lead to more insights into the effects of suspension microstructure on macroscopic properties. Finally, they briefly describe other experiments that can be performed in quiescent suspensions (in contrast to the use of conventional shear rotational viscometers) in order to learn more about boundary effects in concentrated suspensions

  1. Self-powered suspension criterion and energy regeneration implementation scheme of motor-driven active suspension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Shuai; Sun, Weichao

    2017-09-01

    Active suspension systems have advantages on mitigating the effects of vehicle vibration caused by road roughness, which are one of the most important component parts in influencing the performances of vehicles. However, high amount of energy consumption restricts the application of active suspension systems. From the point of energy saving, this paper presents a self-powered criterion of the active suspension system to judge whether a motor-driven suspension can be self-powered or not, and then a motor parameter condition is developed as a reference to design a self-powered suspension. An energy regeneration implementation scheme is subsequently proposed to make the active suspension which has the potential to be self-powered achieve energy-saving target in the real application. In this implementation scheme, operating electric circuits are designed based on different working status of the actuator and power source and it is realizable to accumulate energy from road vibration and supply energy to the actuator by switching corresponding electric circuits. To apply the self-powered suspension criterion and energy regeneration implementation scheme, an active suspension system is designed with a constrained H∞ controller and calculation results indicate that it has the capability to be self-powered. Simulation results show that the performances of the self-powered active suspension are nearly the same as those of the active suspension with an external energy source and can achieve energy regeneration at the same time.

  2. A plasmodesmata-associated beta-1,3-glucanase in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levy, Amit; Erlanger, Michael; Rosenthal, Michal; Epel, Bernard L

    2007-02-01

    Plasmodesmal conductivity is regulated in part by callose turnover, which is hypothesized to be determined by beta-1,3-glucan synthase versus glucanase activities. A proteomic analysis of an Arabidopsis thaliana plasmodesmata (Pd)-rich fraction identified a beta-1,3-glucanase as present in this fraction. The protein encoded by the putative plasmodesmal associated protein (ppap) gene, termed AtBG_ppap, had previously been found to be a post-translationally modified glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) lipid-anchored protein. When fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) and expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) or Nicotiana benthamiana epidermal cells, this protein displays fluorescence patterns in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane system, along the cell periphery and in a punctate pattern that co-localizes with aniline blue-stained callose present around the Pd. Plasma membrane localization was verified by co-localization of AtBG_ppap:GFP together with a plasma membrane marker N-[3-triethylammoniumpropyl]-4-[p-diethylaminophenylhexatrienyl] pyridinium dibromide (FM4-64) in plasmolysed cells. In Arabidopsis T-DNA insertion mutants that do not transcribe AtBG_ppap, functional studies showed that GFP cell-to-cell movement between epidermal cells is reduced, and the conductivity coefficient of Pd is lower. Measurements of callose levels around Pd after wounding revealed that callose accumulation in the mutant plants was higher. Taken together, we suggest that AtBG_ppap is a Pd-associated membrane protein involved in plasmodesmal callose degradation, and functions in the gating of Pd.

  3. iTRAQ Mitoproteome Analysis Reveals Mechanisms of Programmed Cell Death in Arabidopsis thaliana Induced by Ochratoxin A

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Wang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Ochratoxin A (OTA is one of the most common and dangerous mycotoxins in the world. Previous work indicated that OTA could elicit spontaneous HR-like lesions formation Arabidopsis thaliana, reactive oxygen species (ROS play an important role in OTA toxicity, and their major endogenous source is mitochondria. However, there has been no evidence as to whether OTA induces directly PCD in plants until now. In this study, the presence of OTA in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves triggered accelerated respiration, increased production of mitochondrial ROS, the opening of ROS-dependent mitochondrial permeability transition pores and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential as well as the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. There were 42 and 43 significantly differentially expressed proteins identified in response to exposure to OTA for 8 and 24 h, respectively, according to iTRAQ analysis. These proteins were mainly involved in perturbation of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, interfering with ATP synthesis and inducing PCD. Digital gene expression data at transcriptional level was consistent with the cell death induced by OTA being PCD. These results indicated that mitochondrial dysfunction was a prerequisite for OTA-induced PCD and the initiation and execution of PCD via a mitochondrial-mediated pathway.

  4. Changes in phytochelatins and their biosynthetic intermediates in red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) cell suspension cultures under cadmium and zinc stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    P. Thangavel; Stephanie Long; Rakesh Minocha

    2007-01-01

    Cell suspension cultures of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) were selected to study the effects of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) on phytochelatins (PCs) and related metabolites after 24 h exposure. The PC2 and its precursor, γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-EC) increased two to fourfold with Cd concentrations ranging from 12...

  5. Evaluation of cell wall preparations for proteomics: a new procedure for purifying cell walls from Arabidopsis hypocotyls

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Canut Hervé

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The ultimate goal of proteomic analysis of a cell compartment should be the exhaustive identification of resident proteins; excluding proteins from other cell compartments. Reaching such a goal closely depends on the reliability of the isolation procedure for the cell compartment of interest. Plant cell walls possess specific difficulties: (i the lack of a surrounding membrane may result in the loss of cell wall proteins (CWP during the isolation procedure, (ii polysaccharide networks of cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectins form potential traps for contaminants such as intracellular proteins. Several reported procedures to isolate cell walls for proteomic analyses led to the isolation of a high proportion (more than 50% of predicted intracellular proteins. Since isolated cell walls should hold secreted proteins, one can imagine alternative procedures to prepare cell walls containing a lower proportion of contaminant proteins. Results The rationales of several published procedures to isolate cell walls for proteomics were analyzed, with regard to the bioinformatic-predicted subcellular localization of the identified proteins. Critical steps were revealed: (i homogenization in low ionic strength acid buffer to retain CWP, (ii purification through increasing density cushions, (iii extensive washes with a low ionic strength acid buffer to retain CWP while removing as many cytosolic proteins as possible, and (iv absence of detergents. A new procedure was developed to prepare cell walls from etiolated hypocotyls of Arabidopsis thaliana. After salt extraction, a high proportion of proteins predicted to be secreted was released (73%, belonging to the same functional classes as proteins identified using previously described protocols. Finally, removal of intracellular proteins was obtained using detergents, but their amount represented less than 3% in mass of the total protein extract, based on protein quantification. Conclusion The

  6. Golgi apparatus-localized synaptotagmin 2 is required for unconventional secretion in Arabidopsis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haiyan Zhang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Most secretory proteins contain signal peptides that direct their sorting to the ER and secreted via the conventional ER/Golgi transport pathway, while some signal-peptide-lacking proteins have been shown to export through ER/Golgi independent secretory pathways. Hygromycin B is an aminoglycoside antibiotic produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus that is active against both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The hygromycin phosphotransferase (HYG(R can phosphorylate and inactivate the hygromycin B, and has been widely used as a positive selective marker in the construction of transgenic plants. However, the localization and trafficking of HYG(R in plant cells remain unknown. Synaptotagmins (SYTs are involved in controlling vesicle endocytosis and exocytosis as calcium sensors in animal cells, while their functions in plant cells are largely unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We found Arabidopsis synaptotagmin SYT2 was localized on the Golgi apparatus by immunofluorescence and immunogold labeling. Surprisingly, co-expression of SYT2 and HYG(R caused hypersensitivity of the transgenic Arabidopsis plants to hygromycin B. HYG(R, which lacks a signal sequence, was present in the cytoplasm as well as in the extracellular space in HYG(R-GFP transgenic Arabidopsis plants and its secretion is not sensitive to brefeldin A treatment, suggesting it is not secreted via the conventional secretory pathway. Furthermore, we found that HYG(R-GFP was truncated at carboxyl terminus of HYG(R shortly after its synthesis, and the cells deficient SYT2 failed to efficiently truncate HYG(R-GFP,resulting in HYG(R-GFP accumulated in prevacuoles/vacuoles, indicating that SYT2 was involved in HYG(R-GFP trafficking and secretion. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings reveal for the first time that SYT2 is localized on the Golgi apparatus and regulates HYG(R-GFP secretion via the unconventional protein transport from the cytosol to the extracelluar matrix in

  7. Differential Growth in Periclinal and Anticlinal Walls during Lobe Formation in Arabidopsis Cotyledon Pavement Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armour, William J; Barton, Deborah A; Law, Andrew M K; Overall, Robyn L

    2015-09-01

    Lobe development in the epidermal pavement cells of Arabidopsis thaliana cotyledons and leaves is thought to take place via tip-like growth on the concave side of lobes driven by localized concentrations of actin filaments and associated proteins, with a predicted role for cortical microtubules in establishing the direction of restricted growth at the convex side. We used homologous landmarks fixed to the outer walls of pavement cells and thin-plate spline analysis to demonstrate that lobes form by differential growth of both the anticlinal and periclinal walls. Most lobes formed within the first 24 h of the cotyledons unfurling, during the period of rapid cell expansion. Cortical microtubules adjacent to the periclinal wall were persistently enriched at the convex side of lobes during development where growth was anisotropic and were less concentrated or absent at the concave side where growth was promoted. Alternating microtubule-enriched and microtubule-free zones at the periclinal wall in neighboring cells predicted sites of new lobes. There was no particular arrangement of cortical actin filaments that could predict where lobes would form. However, drug studies demonstrate that both filamentous actin and microtubules are required for lobe formation. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

  8. Homologous Recombination Defective Arabidopsis Mutants Exhibit Enhanced Sensitivity to Abscisic Acid.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sujit Roy

    Full Text Available Abscisic acid (ABA acts as an important plant hormone in regulating various aspects of plant growth and developmental processes particularly under abiotic stress conditions. An increased ABA level in plant cells inhibits DNA replication and cell division, causing plant growth retardation. In this study, we have investigated the effects of ABA on the growth responses of some major loss-of-function mutants of DNA double-stand break (DSB repair genes in Arabidopsis during seed germination and early stages of seedling growth for understanding the role of ABA in the induction of genome instability in plants. A comparative analysis of ABA sensitivity of wild-type Arabidopsis and the knockout mutant lines related to DSB sensors, including atatm, atatr, the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ pathway genes, and mutants related to homologous recombination (HR pathway genes showed relatively enhanced sensitivity of atatr and HR-related mutants to ABA treatment. The expression levels of HR-related genes were increased in wild-type Arabidopsis (Col-0 during seed germination and early stages of seedling growth. Immunoblotting experiments detected phosphorylation of histone H2AX in wild-type (Col-0 and DSB repair gene mutants after ABA treatment, indicating the activation of DNA damage response due to ABA treatment. Analyses of DSB repair kinetics using comet assay under neutral condition have revealed comparatively slower DSB repair activity in HR mutants. Overall, our results have provided comprehensive information on the possible effect of ABA on DNA repair machinery in plants and also indicated potential functional involvement of HR pathway in repairing ABA induced DNA damage in Arabidopsis.

  9. COBRA-LIKE2, a member of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored COBRA-LIKE family, plays a role in cellulose deposition in arabidopsis seed coat mucilage secretory cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Tov, Daniela; Abraham, Yael; Stav, Shira; Thompson, Kevin; Loraine, Ann; Elbaum, Rivka; de Souza, Amancio; Pauly, Markus; Kieber, Joseph J; Harpaz-Saad, Smadar

    2015-03-01

    Differentiation of the maternally derived seed coat epidermal cells into mucilage secretory cells is a common adaptation in angiosperms. Recent studies identified cellulose as an important component of seed mucilage in various species. Cellulose is deposited as a set of rays that radiate from the seed upon mucilage extrusion, serving to anchor the pectic component of seed mucilage to the seed surface. Using transcriptome data encompassing the course of seed development, we identified COBRA-LIKE2 (COBL2), a member of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored COBRA-LIKE gene family in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), as coexpressed with other genes involved in cellulose deposition in mucilage secretory cells. Disruption of the COBL2 gene results in substantial reduction in the rays of cellulose present in seed mucilage, along with an increased solubility of the pectic component of the mucilage. Light birefringence demonstrates a substantial decrease in crystalline cellulose deposition into the cellulosic rays of the cobl2 mutants. Moreover, crystalline cellulose deposition into the radial cell walls and the columella appears substantially compromised, as demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy and in situ quantification of light birefringence. Overall, the cobl2 mutants display about 40% reduction in whole-seed crystalline cellulose content compared with the wild type. These data establish that COBL2 plays a role in the deposition of crystalline cellulose into various secondary cell wall structures during seed coat epidermal cell differentiation. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  10. The effects of low frequency electrical stimulation on satellite cell activity in rat skeletal muscle during hindlimb suspension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Hong-Yu

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The ability of skeletal muscle to grow and regenerate is dependent on resident stem cells called satellite cells. It has been shown that chronic hindlimb unloading downregulates the satellite cell activity. This study investigated the role of low-frequency electrical stimulation on satellite cell activity during a 28 d hindlimb suspension in rats. Results Mechanical unloading resulted in a 44% reduction in the myofiber cross-sectional area as well as a 29% and 34% reduction in the number of myonuclei and myonuclear domains, respectively, in the soleus muscles (P vs the weight-bearing control. The number of quiescent (M-cadherin+, proliferating (BrdU+ and myoD+, and differentiated (myogenin+ satellite cells was also reduced by 48-57% compared to the weight-bearing animals (P P Conclusion This study shows that electrical stimulation partially attenuated the decrease in muscle size and satellite cells during hindlimb unloading. The causal relationship between satellite cell activation and electrical stimulation remain to be established.

  11. Inhibition of Cycloartenol Synthase (CAS) Function in Tobacco BY-2 Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gas-Pascual, Elisabet; Simonovik, Biljana; Schaller, Hubert; Bach, Thomas J

    2015-08-01

    Tobacco BY-2 cell suspensions are our preferred model for studying isoprenoid biosynthesis pathways, due to their easy genetic transformation and the efficient absorption of metabolic precursors, intermediates, and/or inhibitors. Using this model system, we have analyzed the effects of chemical and genetic blockage of cycloartenol synthase (CAS, EC 5.4.99.8), an oxidosqualene cyclase that catalyzes the first committed step in the sterol pathway of plants. BY-2 cells were treated with RO 48-8071, a potent inhibitor of oxidosqualene cyclization. Short-term treatments (24 h) resulted in accumulation of oxidosqualene with no changes in the final sterol products. Interestingly, long-term treatments (6 days) induced down-regulation in gene expression not only of CAS but also of the SMT2 gene coding sterol methyltransferase 2 (EC 2.1.1.41). This explains some of the increase in 24-methyl sterols at the expense of the 24-ethyl sterols stigmasterol and sitosterol. In our alternative strategy, CAS gene expression was partially blocked by using an inducible artificial microRNA. The limited effectiveness of this approach might be explained by some dependence of the machinery for RNAi formation on an operating MVA/sterol pathway. For comparison we checked the effect of RO 48-8071 on a green cell suspension of Arabidopsis and on seedlings, containing a small spectrum of triterpenes besides phytosterols. Triterpenes remained essentially unaffected, but phytosterol accumulation was clearly diminished.

  12. An auxin transport independent pathway is involved in phosphate stress-induced root architectural alterations in Arabidopsis. Identification of BIG as a mediator of auxin in pericycle cell activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Bucio, José; Hernández-Abreu, Esmeralda; Sánchez-Calderón, Lenin; Pérez-Torres, Anahí; Rampey, Rebekah A; Bartel, Bonnie; Herrera-Estrella, Luis

    2005-02-01

    Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants display a number of root developmental responses to low phosphate availability, including primary root growth inhibition, greater formation of lateral roots, and increased root hair elongation. To gain insight into the regulatory mechanisms by which phosphorus (P) availability alters postembryonic root development, we performed a mutant screen to identify genetic determinants involved in the response to P deprivation. Three low phosphate-resistant root lines (lpr1-1 to lpr1-3) were isolated because of their reduced lateral root formation in low P conditions. Genetic and molecular analyses revealed that all lpr1 mutants were allelic to BIG, which is required for normal auxin transport in Arabidopsis. Detailed characterization of lateral root primordia (LRP) development in wild-type and lpr1 mutants revealed that BIG is required for pericycle cell activation to form LRP in both high (1 mm) and low (1 microm) P conditions, but not for the low P-induced alterations in primary root growth, lateral root emergence, and root hair elongation. Exogenously supplied auxin restored normal lateral root formation in lpr1 mutants in the two P treatments. Treatment of wild-type Arabidopsis seedlings with brefeldin A, a fungal metabolite that blocks auxin transport, phenocopies the root developmental alterations observed in lpr1 mutants in both high and low P conditions, suggesting that BIG participates in vesicular targeting of auxin transporters. Taken together, our results show that auxin transport and BIG function have fundamental roles in pericycle cell activation to form LRP and promote root hair elongation. The mechanism that activates root system architectural alterations in response to P deprivation, however, seems to be independent of auxin transport and BIG.

  13. Sticking to cellulose: exploiting Arabidopsis seed coat mucilage to understand cellulose biosynthesis and cell wall polysaccharide interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, Jonathan S; North, Helen M

    2017-05-01

    The cell wall defines the shape of cells and ultimately plant architecture. It provides mechanical resistance to osmotic pressure while still being malleable and allowing cells to grow and divide. These properties are determined by the different components of the wall and the interactions between them. The major components of the cell wall are the polysaccharides cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin. Cellulose biosynthesis has been extensively studied in Arabidopsis hypocotyls, and more recently in the mucilage-producing epidermal cells of the seed coat. The latter has emerged as an excellent system to study cellulose biosynthesis and the interactions between cellulose and other cell wall polymers. Here we review some of the major advances in our understanding of cellulose biosynthesis in the seed coat, and how mucilage has aided our understanding of the interactions between cellulose and other cell wall components required for wall cohesion. Recently, 10 genes involved in cellulose or hemicellulose biosynthesis in mucilage have been identified. These discoveries have helped to demonstrate that xylan side-chains on rhamnogalacturonan I act to link this pectin directly to cellulose. We also examine other factors that, either directly or indirectly, influence cellulose organization or crystallization in mucilage. © 2017 INRA. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

  14. Three pectin methylesterase inhibitors protect cell wall integrity for arabidopsis immunity to Botrytis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lionetti, Vincenzo; Fabri, Eleonora; Caroli, Monica De

    2017-01-01

    to the control plants. A higher stimulation of the fungal oxalic acid biosynthetic pathway also can contribute to the higher susceptibility of pmei mutants. The lack of PMEI expression does not affect hemicellulose strengthening, callose deposition, and the synthesis of structural defense proteins, proposed...... is posttranscriptionally regulated by endogenous protein inhibitors (PMEIs). Here, AtPMEI10, AtPMEI11, and AtPMEI12 are identified as functional PMEIs induced in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) during B. cinerea infection. AtPMEI expression is strictly regulated by jasmonic acid and ethylene signaling, while only At...

  15. UV-B inhibition of hypocotyl growth in etiolated Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings is a consequence of cell cycle arrest initiated by photodimer accumulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biever, Jessica J.; Brinkman, Doug; Gardner, Gary

    2014-01-01

    Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an important constituent of sunlight that determines plant morphology and growth. It induces photomorphogenic responses but also causes damage to DNA. Arabidopsis mutants of the endonucleases that function in nucleotide excision repair, xpf-3 and uvr1-1, showed hypersensitivity to UV-B (280–320nm) in terms of inhibition of hypocotyl growth. SOG1 is a transcription factor that functions in the DNA damage signalling response after γ-irradiation. xpf mutants that carry the sog1-1 mutation showed hypocotyl growth inhibition after UV-B irradiation similar to the wild type. A DNA replication inhibitor, hydroxyurea (HU), also inhibited hypocotyl growth in etiolated seedlings, but xpf-3 was not hypersensitive to HU. UV-B irradiation induced accumulation of the G2/M-specific cell cycle reporter construct CYCB1;1-GUS in wild-type Arabidopsis seedlings that was consistent with the expected accumulation of photodimers and coincided with the time course of hypocotyl growth inhibition after UV-B treatment. Etiolated mutants of UVR8, a recently described UV-B photoreceptor gene, irradiated with UV-B showed inhibition of hypocotyl growth that was not different from that of the wild type, but they lacked UV-B-specific expression of chalcone synthase (CHS), as expected from previous reports. CHS expression after UV-B irradiation was not different in xpf-3 compared with the wild type, nor was it altered after HU treatment. These results suggest that hypocotyl growth inhibition by UV-B light in etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings, a photomorphogenic response, is dictated by signals originating from UV-B absorption by DNA that lead to cell cycle arrest. This process occurs distinct from UVR8 and its signalling pathway responsible for CHS induction. PMID:24591052

  16. Performance Testing of Suspension Plasma Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings Produced with Varied Suspension Parameters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicholas Curry

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Suspension plasma spraying has become an emerging technology for the production of thermal barrier coatings for the gas turbine industry. Presently, though commercial systems for coating production are available, coatings remain in the development stage. Suitable suspension parameters for coating production remain an outstanding question and the influence of suspension properties on the final coatings is not well known. For this study, a number of suspensions were produced with varied solid loadings, powder size distributions and solvents. Suspensions were sprayed onto superalloy substrates coated with high velocity air fuel (HVAF -sprayed bond coats. Plasma spray parameters were selected to generate columnar structures based on previous experiments and were maintained at constant to discover the influence of the suspension behavior on coating microstructures. Testing of the produced thermal barrier coating (TBC systems has included thermal cyclic fatigue testing and thermal conductivity analysis. Pore size distribution has been characterized by mercury infiltration porosimetry. Results show a strong influence of suspension viscosity and surface tension on the microstructure of the produced coatings.

  17. Estrogen response of MCF-7 cells grown on diverse substrates and in suspension culture: promotion of morphological heterogeneity, modulation of progestin receptor induction; cell-substrate interactions on collagen gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pourreau-Schneider, N; Berthois, Y; Mittre, H; Charpin, C; Jacquemier, J; Martin, P M

    1984-12-01

    In this study we observed the incidence of hormone sensitivity in the response of MCF-7 cells to estrogen stimulation when the cells were cultured in different contact environments (hydrophilic plastic, bovine corneal extracellular matrix, type I collagen and in suspension culture). The major purpose was to describe the influence of cell to cell and cell to substrate contacts on the morphological response to estrogen treatment. However, other parameters including growth and induction of progestin receptor were also explored, keeping in mind that the MCF-7 cell line, although representative of normal mammary epithelium in that it contains a similar hormone receptivity, was selected in vitro from a metastatic population in a pleural effusion. Although substrate conditions did not modify growth enhancement by estrogens, progestin receptor levels were significantly higher in three-dimensional spheroid cultures in which cell to cell contacts were optimal due to elimination of basal contact. A careful morphological survey of large surfaces lead to an objective opinion of the overall effect of the hormone treatment on the non-cloned cell line in which a marked heterogeneity in the response of individual cells was observed. In terms of morphofunctional differentiation, the edification of acini with dense microvillus coating was best in suspension culture. When sections were made perpendicular to the plane of cultures on collagen gel rafts two other phenomena were noted: decrease in intercellular junctions, resulting in reduced cell to cell cohesion, and accumulation biodegradation products in the collagen lattice. This suggested a hormone-mediated interaction between the metastatic cells and the fibrillar substrate, collagen I, one of the major constituents of tissue stroma. This estrogen response might be related to the metastatic phenotype and must be distinct from their hormone sensitivity in terms of growth and differentiation since hormone receptivity is generally

  18. Investigating high-concentration monoclonal antibody powder suspension in nonaqueous suspension vehicles for subcutaneous injection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowen, Mayumi; Armstrong, Nick; Maa, Yuh-Fun

    2012-12-01

    Developing high-concentration monoclonal antibody (mAb) liquid formulations for subcutaneous (s.c.) administration is challenging because increased viscosity makes injection difficult. To overcome this obstacle, we investigated a nonaqueous powder suspension approach. Three IgG1 mAbs were spray dried and suspended at different concentrations in Miglyol® 840, benzyl benzoate, or ethyl lactate. Suspensions were characterized for viscosity, particle size, and syringeability; physical stability was visually inspected. Suspensions generally outperformed liquid solutions for injectability despite higher viscosity at the same mAb concentrations. Powder formulations and properties had little effect on viscosity or injectability. Ethyl lactate suspensions had lowest viscosity (Miglyol® 840 improved overall performance in high mAb concentration suspensions. This study demonstrated the viability of high mAb concentration (>300 mg/mL) in suspension formulations for s.c. administration. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Kinome profiling of Arabidopsis using arrays of kinase consensus substrates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pieterse Corné MJ

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Kinome profiling aims at the parallel analysis of kinase activities in a cell. Novel developed arrays containing consensus substrates for kinases are used to assess those kinase activities. The arrays described in this paper were already used to determine kinase activities in mammalian systems, but since substrates from many organisms are present we decided to test these arrays for the determination of kinase activities in the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. Results Kinome profiling using Arabidopsis cell extracts resulted in the labelling of many consensus peptides by kinases from the plant, indicating the usefulness of this kinome profiling tool for plants. Method development showed that fresh and frozen plant material could be used to make cell lysates containing active kinases. Dilution of the plant extract increased the signal to noise ratio and non-radioactive ATP enhances full development of spot intensities. Upon infection of Arabidopsis with an avirulent strain of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, we could detect differential kinase activities by measuring phosphorylation of consensus peptides. Conclusion We show that kinome profiling on arrays with consensus substrates can be used to monitor kinase activities in plants. In a case study we show that upon infection with avirulent P. syringae differential kinase activities can be found. The PepChip can for example be used to purify (unknown kinases that play a role in P. syringae infection. This paper shows that kinome profiling using arrays of consensus peptides is a valuable new tool to study signal-transduction in plants. It complements the available methods for genomics and proteomics research.

  20. Four-Wheel Vehicle Suspension System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bickler, Donald B.

    1990-01-01

    Four-wheel suspension system uses simple system of levers with no compliant components to provide three-point suspension of chassis of vehicle while maintaining four-point contact with uneven terrain. Provides stability against tipping of four-point rectangular base, without rocking contact to which rigid four-wheel frame susceptible. Similar to six-wheel suspension system described in "Articulated Suspension Without Springs" (NPO-17354).

  1. Suspension trauma; Le traumatisme de suspension

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trudel, S. [Le Centre de sante et de services sociaux du rocher Perce, Chandler, PQ (Canada)

    2010-07-01

    This presentation discussed the precautions that should be taken to avoid falls from wind turbines or transmission towers. Suspension trauma was explained by a medical doctor in terms of physiology and the body's normal circulation and the elements that disturb normal physiology when in suspension. The trauma occurs following a fall, which carries the risk of 1or more disorders, such as massive hemorrhage, high cardiac pulse, and constriction of blood vessels. Nausea, vertigo, cardiac arrhythmia and sweating occur 15 to 20 minutes following the fall. The presentation emphasized the importance of having qualified personnel at the site and wearing proper harnesses and equipment that supports the neck. figs.

  2. Growth platform-dependent and -independent phenotypic and metabolic responses of Arabidopsis and its halophytic relative, Eutrema salsugineum, to salt stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazachkova, Yana; Batushansky, Albert; Cisneros, Aroldo; Tel-Zur, Noemi; Fait, Aaron; Barak, Simon

    2013-07-01

    Comparative studies of the stress-tolerant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) halophytic relative, Eutrema salsugineum, have proven a fruitful approach to understanding natural stress tolerance. Here, we performed comparative phenotyping of Arabidopsis and E. salsugineum vegetative development under control and salt-stress conditions, and then compared the metabolic responses of the two species on different growth platforms in a defined leaf developmental stage. Our results reveal both growth platform-dependent and -independent phenotypes and metabolic responses. Leaf emergence was affected in a similar way in both species grown in vitro but the effects observed in Arabidopsis occurred at higher salt concentrations in E. salsugineum. No differences in leaf emergence were observed on soil. A new effect of a salt-mediated reduction in E. salsugineum leaf area was unmasked. On soil, leaf area reduction in E. salsugineum was mainly due to a fall in cell number, whereas both cell number and cell size contributed to the decrease in Arabidopsis leaf area. Common growth platform-independent leaf metabolic signatures such as high raffinose and malate, and low fumarate contents that could reflect core stress tolerance mechanisms, as well as growth platform-dependent metabolic responses were identified. In particular, the in vitro growth platform led to repression of accumulation of many metabolites including sugars, sugar phosphates, and amino acids in E. salsugineum compared with the soil system where these same metabolites accumulated to higher levels in E. salsugineum than in Arabidopsis. The observation that E. salsugineum maintains salt tolerance despite growth platform-specific phenotypes and metabolic responses suggests a considerable degree of phenotypic and metabolic adaptive plasticity in this extremophile.

  3. Evaluation of ferromagnetic fluids and suspensions for the site-specific radiofrequency-induced hyperthermia of MX11 sarcoma cells in vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brusentsov, Nikolai A.; Gogosov, V.V.; Brusentsova, T.N.; Sergeev, A.V.; Jurchenko, N.Y.; Kuznetsov, Anatoly A.; Kuznetsov, Oleg A. E-mail: oleg@louisiana.edu; Shumakov, L.I

    2001-07-01

    Seventeen different ferromagnetic fluids and suspensions were prepared and evaluated for application in radiofrequency-induced hyperthermia. Specific power absorption rates were measured at 0.88 MHz to range from 0 to 240 W per gram of iron for different preparations. Survival of MX11 cells mixed with ferrofluids and subjected to radiofrequency was much lower than with RF without ferrofluid or ferrofluid alone.

  4. Evaluation of ferromagnetic fluids and suspensions for the site-specific radiofrequency-induced hyperthermia of MX11 sarcoma cells in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brusentsov, Nikolai A.; Gogosov, V.V.; Brusentsova, T.N.; Sergeev, A.V.; Jurchenko, N.Y.; Kuznetsov, Anatoly A.; Kuznetsov, Oleg A.; Shumakov, L.I.

    2001-01-01

    Seventeen different ferromagnetic fluids and suspensions were prepared and evaluated for application in radiofrequency-induced hyperthermia. Specific power absorption rates were measured at 0.88 MHz to range from 0 to 240 W per gram of iron for different preparations. Survival of MX11 cells mixed with ferrofluids and subjected to radiofrequency was much lower than with RF without ferrofluid or ferrofluid alone

  5. Inhibition of protease activity by antisense RNA improves recombinant protein production in Nicotiana tabacum cv. Bright Yellow 2 (BY-2) suspension cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandal, Manoj K; Fischer, Rainer; Schillberg, Stefan; Schiermeyer, Andreas

    2014-08-01

    Recombinant proteins produced in plant suspension cultures are often degraded by endogenous plant proteases when secreted into the medium, resulting in low yields. To generate protease-deficient tobacco BY-2 cell lines and to retrieve the sequence information, we cloned four different protease cDNAs from tobacco BY-2 cells (NtAP, NtCP, NtMMP1, and NtSP), which represent the major catalytic classes. The simultaneous expression of antisense RNAs against these endogenous proteases led to the establishment of cell lines with reduced levels of endogenous protease expression and activity at late stages of the cultivation cycle. One of the cell lines showing reduced proteolytic activity in the culture medium was selected for the expression of the recombinant full-length IgG1(κ) antibody 2F5, recognizing the gp41 surface protein of HIV-1. This cell line showed significantly reduced degradation of the 2F5 heavy chain, resulting in four-fold higher accumulation of the intact antibody heavy chain when compared to transformed wild type cells expressing the same antibody. N-terminal sequencing data revealed that the antibody has two cleavage sites within the CDR-H3 and one site at the end of the H4-framework region. These cleavage sites are found to be vulnerable to serine proteases. The data provide a basis for further improvement of plant cells for the production of recombinant proteins in plant cell suspension cultures. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. GDP-D-mannose epimerase regulates male gametophyte development, plant growth and leaf senescence in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Tiancong; Liu, Zhipeng; Fan, Meng; Chen, Yan; Tian, Haixia; Wu, Dewei; Gao, Hua; Ren, Chunmei; Song, Susheng; Xie, Daoxin

    2017-09-04

    Plant GDP-D-mannose epimerase (GME) converts GDP-D-mannose to GDP-L-galactose, a precursor of both L-ascorbate (vitamin C) and cell wall polysaccharides. However, the genetic functions of GME in Arabidopsis are unclear. In this study, we found that mutations in Arabidopsis GME affect pollen germination, pollen tube elongation, and transmission and development of the male gametophyte through analysis of the heterozygous GME/gme plants and the homozygous gme plants. Arabidopsis gme mutants also exhibit severe growth defects and early leaf senescence. Surprisingly, the defects in male gametophyte in the gme plants are not restored by L-ascorbate, boric acid or GDP-L-galactose, though boric acid rescues the growth defects of the mutants, indicating that GME may regulate male gametophyte development independent of L-ascorbate and GDP-L-galactose. These results reveal key roles for Arabidopsis GME in reproductive development, vegetative growth and leaf senescence, and suggest that GME regulates plant growth and controls male gametophyte development in different manners.

  7. Biomek Cell Workstation: A Variable System for Automated Cell Cultivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann, R; Severitt, J C; Roddelkopf, T; Junginger, S; Thurow, K

    2016-06-01

    Automated cell cultivation is an important tool for simplifying routine laboratory work. Automated methods are independent of skill levels and daily constitution of laboratory staff in combination with a constant quality and performance of the methods. The Biomek Cell Workstation was configured as a flexible and compatible system. The modified Biomek Cell Workstation enables the cultivation of adherent and suspension cells. Until now, no commercially available systems enabled the automated handling of both types of cells in one system. In particular, the automated cultivation of suspension cells in this form has not been published. The cell counts and viabilities were nonsignificantly decreased for cells cultivated in AutoFlasks in automated handling. The proliferation of manual and automated bioscreening by the WST-1 assay showed a nonsignificant lower proliferation of automatically disseminated cells associated with a mostly lower standard error. The disseminated suspension cell lines showed different pronounced proliferations in descending order, starting with Jurkat cells followed by SEM, Molt4, and RS4 cells having the lowest proliferation. In this respect, we successfully disseminated and screened suspension cells in an automated way. The automated cultivation and dissemination of a variety of suspension cells can replace the manual method. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

  8. Development of an optimized tetracycline-inducible expression system to increase the accumulation of interleukin-10 in tobacco BY-2 suspension cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bortesi, Luisa; Rademacher, Thomas; Schiermeyer, Andreas; Schuster, Flora; Pezzotti, Mario; Schillberg, Stefan

    2012-07-11

    Plant cell suspension cultures can be used for the production of valuable pharmaceutical and industrial proteins. When the recombinant protein is secreted into the culture medium, restricting expression to a defined growth phase can improve both the quality and quantity of the recovered product by minimizing proteolytic activity. Temporal restriction is also useful for recombinant proteins whose constitutive expression affects cell growth and viability, such as viral interleukin-10 (vIL-10). We have developed a novel, tetracycline-inducible system suitable for tobacco BY-2 suspension cells which increases the yields of vIL-10. The new system is based on a binary vector that is easier to handle than conventional vectors, contains an enhanced inducible promoter and 5'-UTR to improve yields, and incorporates a constitutively-expressed visible marker gene to allow the rapid and straightforward selection of the most promising transformed clones. Stable transformation of BY-2 cells with this vector, without extensive optimization of the induction conditions, led to a 3.5 fold increase in vIL-10 levels compared to constitutive expression in the same host. We have developed an effective and straightforward molecular farming platform technology that improves both the quality and the quantity of recombinant proteins produced in plant cells, particularly those whose constitutive expression has a negative impact on plant growth and development. Although we tested the platform using vIL-10 produced in BY-2 cells, it can be applied to other host/product combinations and is also useful for basic research requiring strictly controlled transgene expression.

  9. Rheological properties of hydrate suspensions in asphaltenic crude oils; Proprietes rheologiques de suspensions d'hydrate dans des bruts asphalteniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marques de Toledo Camargo, R.

    2001-03-01

    The development of offshore oil exploitation under increasing water depths has forced oil companies to increase their understanding of gas hydrate formation and transportation in multiphase flow lines in which a liquid hydrocarbon phase is present. This work deals with the flow behaviour of hydrate suspensions in which a liquid hydrocarbon is the continuous phase. Three different liquid hydrocarbons are used: an asphaltenic crude oil, a condensate completely free of asphaltenes and a mixture between the asphaltenic oil and heptane. The rheological characterisation of hydrate suspensions is the main tool employed. Two original experimental devices are used: a PVT cell adapted to operate as a Couette type rheometer and a semi-industrial flow loop. Hydrate suspensions using the asphaltenic oil showed shear-thinning behaviour and thixotropy. This behaviour is typically found in flocculated systems, in which the particles attract each other forming flocs of aggregated particles at low shear rates. The suspensions using the condensate showed Newtonian behaviour. Their relative viscosities were high, which suggests that an aggregation process between hydrate particles takes. place during hydrate formation. Finally, hydrate suspensions using the mixture asphaltenic oil-heptane showed shear-thinning behaviour, thixotropy and high relative viscosity. From these results it can be inferred that, after the achievement of the hydrate formation process, the attractive forces between hydrate particles are weak. making unlikely pipeline obstruction by an aggregation process. Nevertheless, during the hydrate formation, these attractive forces can be sufficiently high. It seems that the hydrate surface wettability is an important parameter in this phenomena. (author)

  10. Non-linear dielectric spectroscopy of microbiological suspensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Treo, Ernesto F; Felice, Carmelo J

    2009-01-01

    Background Non-linear dielectric spectroscopy (NLDS) of microorganism was characterized by the generation of harmonics in the polarization current when a microorganism suspension was exposed to a sinusoidal electric field. The biological nonlinear response initially described was not well verified by other authors and the results were susceptible to ambiguous interpretation. In this paper NLDS was performed to yeast suspension in tripolar and tetrapolar configuration with a recently developed analyzer. Methods Tripolar analysis was carried out by applying sinusoidal voltages up to 1 V at the electrode interface. Tetrapolar analysis was carried on with sinusoidal field strengths from 0.1 V cm-1 to 70 V cm-1. Both analyses were performed within a frequency range from 1 Hz through 100 Hz. The harmonic amplitudes were Fourier-analyzed and expressed in dB. The third harmonic, as reported previously, was investigated. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) was used to test the effect of inhibitor an activator of the plasma membrane enzyme in the measured response. Results No significant non-linearities were observed in tetrapolar analysis, and no observable changes occurred when inhibitor and activator were added to the suspension. Statistical analysis confirmed these results. When a pure sinus voltage was applied to an electrode-yeast suspension interface, variations higher than 25 dB for the 3rd harmonic were observed. Variation higher than 20 dB in the 3rd harmonics has also been found when adding an inhibitor or activator of the membrane-bounded enzymes. These variations did not occur when the suspension was boiled. Discussion The lack of result in tetrapolar cells suggest that there is no, if any, harmonic generation in microbiological bulk suspension. The non-linear response observed was originated in the electrode-electrolyte interface. The frequency and voltage windows observed in previous tetrapolar analysis were repeated in the tripolar measurements, but maximum were not

  11. Non-linear dielectric spectroscopy of microbiological suspensions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felice Carmelo J

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Non-linear dielectric spectroscopy (NLDS of microorganism was characterized by the generation of harmonics in the polarization current when a microorganism suspension was exposed to a sinusoidal electric field. The biological nonlinear response initially described was not well verified by other authors and the results were susceptible to ambiguous interpretation. In this paper NLDS was performed to yeast suspension in tripolar and tetrapolar configuration with a recently developed analyzer. Methods Tripolar analysis was carried out by applying sinusoidal voltages up to 1 V at the electrode interface. Tetrapolar analysis was carried on with sinusoidal field strengths from 0.1 V cm-1 to 70 V cm-1. Both analyses were performed within a frequency range from 1 Hz through 100 Hz. The harmonic amplitudes were Fourier-analyzed and expressed in dB. The third harmonic, as reported previously, was investigated. Statistical analysis (ANOVA was used to test the effect of inhibitor an activator of the plasma membrane enzyme in the measured response. Results No significant non-linearities were observed in tetrapolar analysis, and no observable changes occurred when inhibitor and activator were added to the suspension. Statistical analysis confirmed these results. When a pure sinus voltage was applied to an electrode-yeast suspension interface, variations higher than 25 dB for the 3rd harmonic were observed. Variation higher than 20 dB in the 3rd harmonics has also been found when adding an inhibitor or activator of the membrane-bounded enzymes. These variations did not occur when the suspension was boiled. Discussion The lack of result in tetrapolar cells suggest that there is no, if any, harmonic generation in microbiological bulk suspension. The non-linear response observed was originated in the electrode-electrolyte interface. The frequency and voltage windows observed in previous tetrapolar analysis were repeated in the tripolar

  12. ROS enhancement by silicon nanoparticles in X-ray irradiated aqueous suspensions and in glioma C6 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    David Gara, Pedro M. [CITOMA, Fundacion Avanzar, Instituto de Terapia Radiante S.A., CIO La Plata (Argentina); Garabano, Natalia I. [University of Buenos Aires, Departamento de Quimica Biologica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, UBA (Argentina); Llansola Portoles, Manuel J. [UNLP, INIFTA, Departamento de Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas (Argentina); Moreno, M. Sergio [Centro Atomico Bariloche (Argentina); Dodat, Diego; Casas, Oscar R. [CITOMA, Fundacion Avanzar, Instituto de Terapia Radiante S.A., CIO La Plata (Argentina); Gonzalez, Monica C., E-mail: gonzalez@inifta.unlp.edu.ar [UNLP, INIFTA, Departamento de Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas (Argentina); Kotler, Monica L., E-mail: kotler@qb.fcen.uba.ar [University of Buenos Aires, Departamento de Quimica Biologica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, UBA (Argentina)

    2012-03-15

    The capability of silicon nanoparticles to increase the yield of reactive species upon 4 MeV X-ray irradiation of aqueous suspensions and C6 glioma cell cultures was investigated. ROS generation was detected and quantified using several specific probes. The particles were characterized by FTIR, XPS, TEM, DLS, luminescence, and adsorption spectroscopy before and after irradiation to evaluate the effect of high energy radiation on their structure. The total concentration of O{sub 2}{sup Bullet -}/HO{sub 2}{sup Bullet}, HO{sup Bullet}, and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} generated upon 4-MeV X-ray irradiation of 6.4 {mu}M silicon nanoparticle aqueous suspensions were on the order of 10 {mu}M per Gy, ten times higher than that obtained in similar experiments but in the absence of particles. Cytotoxic {sup 1}O{sub 2} was generated only in irradiation experiments containing the particles. The particle surface became oxidized to SiO{sub 2} and the luminescence yield reduced with the irradiation dose. Changes in the surface morphology did not affect, within the experimental error, the yields of ROS generated per Gy. X-ray irradiation of glioma C6 cell cultures with incorporated silicon nanoparticles showed a marked production of ROS proportional to the radiation dose received. In the absence of nanoparticles, the cells showed no irradiation-enhanced ROS generation. The obtained results indicate that silicon nanoparticles of <5 nm size have the potential to be used as radiosensitizers for improving the outcomes of cancer radiotherapy. Their capability of producing {sup 1}O{sub 2} upon X-ray irradiation opens novel approaches in the design of therapy strategies.

  13. AtLa1 protein initiates IRES-dependent translation of WUSCHEL mRNA and regulates the stem cell homeostasis of Arabidopsis in response to environmental hazards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Yuchao; Rao, Shaofei; Chang, Beibei; Wang, Xiaoshuang; Zhang, Kaidian; Hou, Xueliang; Zhu, Xueyi; Wu, Haijun; Tian, Zhaoxia; Zhao, Zhong; Yang, Chengwei; Huang, Tao

    2015-10-01

    Plant stem cells are hypersensitive to environmental hazards throughout their life cycle, but the mechanism by which plants safeguard stem cell homeostasis in response to environmental hazards is largely unknown. The homeodomain transcription factor WUSCHEL (WUS) protein maintains the stem cell pool in the shoot apical meristem of Arabidopsis. Here, we demonstrate that the translation of WUS mRNA is directed by an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) located in the 5'-untranslated region. The AtLa1 protein, an RNA-binding factor, binds to the 5'-untranslated region and initiates the IRES-dependent translation of WUS mRNA. Knockdown of AtLa1 expression represses the WUS IRES-dependent translation and leads to the arrest of growth and development. The AtLa1 protein is mainly located in the nucleoplasm. However, environmental hazards promote the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic translocation of the AtLa1 protein, which further enhances the IRES-dependent translation of WUS mRNA. Genetic evidence indicates that the WUS protein increases the tolerance of the shoot apical meristem to environmental hazards. Based on these results, we conclude that the stem cell niche in Arabidopsis copes with environmental hazards by enhancing the IRES-dependent translation of WUS mRNA under the control of the AtLa1 protein. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Load-cell based characterization system for a “Violin-Mode” shadow-sensor in advanced LIGO suspensions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lockerbie, N. A.; Tokmakov, K. V. [SUPA (Scottish Universities Physics Alliance) Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0NG (United Kingdom)

    2016-07-15

    The background to this work was a prototype shadow sensor, which was designed for retro-fitting to an advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) test-mass/mirror suspension, in which 40 kg test-mass/mirrors are each suspended by four approximately 600 mm long by 0.4 mm diameter fused-silica suspension fibres. The shadow sensor comprised a LED source of Near InfraRed (NIR) radiation and a rectangular silicon photodiode detector, which, together, were to bracket the fibre under test. The aim was to detect transverse Violin-Mode resonances in the suspension fibres. Part of the testing procedure involved tensioning a silica fibre sample and translating it transversely through the illuminating NIR beam, so as to measure the DC responsivity of the detection system to fibre displacement. However, an equally important part of the procedure, reported here, was to keep the fibre under test stationary within the beam, whilst trying to detect low-level AC Violin-Mode resonances excited on the fibre, in order to confirm the primary function of the sensor. Therefore, a tensioning system, incorporating a load-cell readout, was built into the test fibre’s holder. The fibre then was excited by a signal generator, audio power amplifier, and distant loudspeaker, and clear resonances were detected. A theory for the expected fundamental resonant frequency as a function of fibre tension was developed and is reported here, and this theory was found to match closely with the detected resonant frequencies as they varied with tension. Consequently, the resonances seen were identified as being proper Violin-Mode fundamental resonances of the fibre, and the operation of the Violin-Mode detection system was validated.

  15. Load-cell based characterization system for a “Violin-Mode” shadow-sensor in advanced LIGO suspensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lockerbie, N. A.; Tokmakov, K. V.

    2016-01-01

    The background to this work was a prototype shadow sensor, which was designed for retro-fitting to an advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) test-mass/mirror suspension, in which 40 kg test-mass/mirrors are each suspended by four approximately 600 mm long by 0.4 mm diameter fused-silica suspension fibres. The shadow sensor comprised a LED source of Near InfraRed (NIR) radiation and a rectangular silicon photodiode detector, which, together, were to bracket the fibre under test. The aim was to detect transverse Violin-Mode resonances in the suspension fibres. Part of the testing procedure involved tensioning a silica fibre sample and translating it transversely through the illuminating NIR beam, so as to measure the DC responsivity of the detection system to fibre displacement. However, an equally important part of the procedure, reported here, was to keep the fibre under test stationary within the beam, whilst trying to detect low-level AC Violin-Mode resonances excited on the fibre, in order to confirm the primary function of the sensor. Therefore, a tensioning system, incorporating a load-cell readout, was built into the test fibre’s holder. The fibre then was excited by a signal generator, audio power amplifier, and distant loudspeaker, and clear resonances were detected. A theory for the expected fundamental resonant frequency as a function of fibre tension was developed and is reported here, and this theory was found to match closely with the detected resonant frequencies as they varied with tension. Consequently, the resonances seen were identified as being proper Violin-Mode fundamental resonances of the fibre, and the operation of the Violin-Mode detection system was validated.

  16. The Arabidopsis thaliana Cyclic-Nucleotide-Dependent Response – a Quantitative Proteomic and Phosphoproteomic Analysis

    KAUST Repository

    Alqurashi, May M.

    2013-11-01

    Protein phosphorylation governs many regulatory pathways and an increasing number of kinases, proteins that transfer phosphate groups, are in turn activated by cyclic nucleotides. One of the cyclic nucleotides, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), has been shown to be a second messenger in abiotic and biotic stress responses. However, little is known about the precise role of cAMP in plants and in the down-stream activation of kinases, and hence cAMP-dependent phosphorylation. To increase our understanding of the role of cAMP, proteomic and phosphoproteomic profiles of Arabidopsis thaliana suspension culture cells were analyzed before and after treatment of cells with two different concentrations of 8-Bromo-cAMP (1 µM and 100 nM) and over a time-course of one hour. A comparative quantitative analysis was undertaken using two- dimensional gel electrophoresis and the Delta 2D software (DECODON) followed by protein spot identification by tandem mass spectrometry combined with Mascot and Scaffold. Differentially expressed proteins and regulated phosphoproteins were categorized according to their biological function using bioinformatics tools. The results revealed that the treatment with 1 µM and 100 nM 8-Bromo-cAMP was sufficient to induce specific concentration- and time-dependent changes at the proteome and phosphoproteome levels. In particular, different phosphorylation patterns were observed overtime preferentially affecting proteins in a number of functional categories, notably phosphatases, proteins that remove phosphate groups. This suggests that cAMP both transiently activates and deactivates proteins through specific phosphorylation events and provides new insight into biological mechanisms and functions at the systems level.

  17. An early nodulin-like protein accumulates in the sieve element plasma membrane of Arabidopsis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Khan, Junaid A.; Wang, Qi; Sjölund, Richard D.

    2007-01-01

    Membrane proteins within the sieve element-companion cell complex have essential roles in the physiological functioning of the phloem. The monoclonal antibody line RS6, selected from hybridomas raised against sieve elements isolated from California shield leaf (Streptanthus tortuosus; Brassicaceae...... was revealed by reverse transcription-PCR of Arabidopsis leaf RNA using degenerate primers to be an early nodulin (ENOD)-like protein that is encoded by the expressed gene At3g20570. Arabidopsis ENOD-like proteins are encoded by a multigene family composed of several types of structurally related phytocyanins...... from the precursor protein, resulting in a mature peptide of approximately 15 kD that is attached to the sieve element plasma membrane via a carboxy-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol membrane anchor. Many of the Arabidopsis ENOD-like proteins accumulate in gametophytic tissues, whereas in both...

  18. Identification of a seed coat-specific promoter fragment from the Arabidopsis MUCILAGE-MODIFIED4 gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dean, Gillian H; Jin, Zhaoqing; Shi, Lin; Esfandiari, Elahe; McGee, Robert; Nabata, Kylie; Lee, Tiffany; Kunst, Ljerka; Western, Tamara L; Haughn, George W

    2017-09-01

    The Arabidopsis seed coat-specific promoter fragment described is an important tool for basic and applied research in Brassicaceae species. During differentiation, the epidermal cells of the Arabidopsis seed coat produce and secrete large quantities of mucilage. On hydration of mature seeds, this mucilage becomes easily accessible as it is extruded to form a tightly attached halo at the seed surface. Mucilage is composed mainly of pectin, and also contains the key cell wall components cellulose, hemicellulose, and proteins, making it a valuable model for studying numerous aspects of cell wall biology. Seed coat-specific promoters are an important tool that can be used to assess the effects of expressing biosynthetic enzymes and diverse cell wall-modifying proteins on mucilage structure and function. Additionally, they can be used for production of easily accessible recombinant proteins of commercial interest. The MUCILAGE-MODIFIED4 (MUM4) gene is expressed in a wide variety of plant tissues and is strongly up-regulated in the seed coat during mucilage synthesis, implying the presence of a seed coat-specific region in its promoter. Promoter deletion analysis facilitated isolation of a 308 base pair sequence (MUM4 0.3Pro ) that directs reporter gene expression in the seed coat cells of both Arabidopsis and Camelina sativa, and is regulated by the same transcription factor cascade as endogenous MUM4. Therefore, MUM4 0.3Pro is a promoter fragment that serves as a new tool for seed coat biology research.

  19. Functional analysis of the Hikeshi-like protein and its interaction with HSP70 in Arabidopsis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koizumi, Shinya; Ohama, Naohiko; Mizoi, Junya [Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657 (Japan); Shinozaki, Kazuo [RIKEN Plant Science Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045 (Japan); Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Kazuko, E-mail: akys@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657 (Japan)

    2014-07-18

    Highlights: • HKL, a Hikeshi homologous gene is identified in Arabidopsis. • HKL interacts with two HSP70 isoforms and regulates the subcellular localization of HSC70-1. • The two HSP70 translocate into nucleus in response to heat stress. • Overexpression of HKL confers thermotolerance in transgenic plants. - Abstract: Heat shock proteins (HSPs) refold damaged proteins and are an essential component of the heat shock response. Previously, the 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) has been reported to translocate into the nucleus in a heat-dependent manner in many organisms. In humans, the heat-induced translocation of HSP70 requires the nuclear carrier protein Hikeshi. In the Arabidopsis genome, only one gene encodes a protein with high homology to Hikeshi, and we named this homolog Hikeshi-like (HKL) protein. In this study, we show that two Arabidopsis HSP70 isoforms accumulate in the nucleus in response to heat shock and that HKL interacts with these HSP70s. Our histochemical analysis revealed that HKL is predominantly expressed in meristematic tissues, suggesting the potential importance of HKL during cell division in Arabidopsis. In addition, we show that HKL regulates HSP70 localization, and HKL overexpression conferred thermotolerance to transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Our results suggest that HKL plays a positive role in the thermotolerance of Arabidopsis plants and cooperatively interacts with HSP70.

  20. Stem Cell Heterogeneity of Mononucleated Cells from Murine Peripheral Blood: Molecular Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Dain Yazid

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of this paper was to determine the heterogeneity of primary isolated mononucleated cells that originated from the peripheral blood system by observing molecular markers. The isolated cells were cultured in complete medium for 4 to 7 days prior to the separation of different cell types, that is, adherent and suspension. Following a total culture time of 14 days, adherent cells activated the Cd105 gene while suspension cells activated the Sca-1 gene. Both progenitor markers, Cbfa-1 and Ostf-1, were inactivated in both suspension and adherent cells after 14-day culture compared to cells cultured 3 days in designated differentiation medium. In conclusion, molecular analyses showed that primary mononucleated cells are heterogeneous, consisting of hematopoietic stem cells (suspension and mesenchymal stem cells (adherent while both cells contained no progenitor cells.

  1. Suspension, a Wake-Up Call: Rural Educators' Attitudes toward Suspension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henderson, Joan; Friedland, Billie

    Data from the West Virginia Department of Education reveals that from September 1991 to January 1992, school districts reported 18,915 out-of-school suspensions involving 12,997 students. In 1995, the West Virginia State Legislature enacted the Safe Schools Act, which specifically mandates suspension for no less than 12 consecutive months for…

  2. Reference: 387 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Michael F et al. 2006 Jul. Plant Physiol. 141(3):957-65. Karyogamy, or nuclear fusion, is essential for sex...ual reproduction. In angiosperms, karyogamy occurs three times: twice during double fertilization of the egg...e two polar nuclei fuse to form the diploid central cell nucleus. The molecular mechanisms controlling karyoga...etected during megagametogenesis. nfd1 is also affected in karyogamy during double fertilization. Using tran...odes the Arabidopsis RPL21M protein and is required for karyogamy during female g

  3. Arabidopsis ketoacyl-CoA synthase 16 (KCS16) forms C36 /C38 acyl precursors for leaf trichome and pavement surface wax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hegebarth, Daniela; Buschhaus, Christopher; Joubès, Jérôme; Thoraval, Didier; Bird, David; Jetter, Reinhard

    2017-09-01

    The aliphatic waxes sealing plant surfaces against environmental stress are generated by fatty acid elongase complexes, each containing a β-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (KCS) enzyme that catalyses a crucial condensation forming a new C─C bond to extend the carbon backbone. The relatively high abundance of C 35 and C 37 alkanes derived from C 36 and C 38 acyl-CoAs in Arabidopsis leaf trichomes (relative to other epidermis cells) suggests differences in the elongation machineries of different epidermis cell types, possibly involving KCS16, a condensing enzyme expressed preferentially in trichomes. Here, KCS16 was found expressed primarily in Arabidopsis rosette leaves, flowers and siliques, and the corresponding protein was localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. The cuticular waxes on young leaves and isolated leaf trichomes of ksc16 loss-of-function mutants were depleted of C 35 and C 37 alkanes and alkenes, whereas expression of Arabidopsis KCS16 in yeast and ectopic overexpression in Arabidopsis resulted in accumulation of C 36 and C 38 fatty acid products. Taken together, our results show that KCS16 is the sole enzyme catalysing the elongation of C 34 to C 38 acyl-CoAs in Arabidopsis leaf trichomes and that it contributes to the formation of extra-long compounds in adjacent pavement cells. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Cyclic programmed cell death stimulates hormone signaling and root development in Arabidopsis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Xuan, Wei; Band, Leah R.; Kumpf, Robert P.; Rybel, De Bert

    2016-01-01

    The plant root cap, surrounding the very tip of the growing root, perceives and transmits environmental signals to the inner root tissues. In Arabidopsis thaliana, auxin released by the root cap contributes to the regular spacing of lateral organs along the primary root axis. Here, we show that

  5. Involvement of Arabidopsis Hexokinase1 in Cell Death Mediated by Myo -Inositol Accumulation

    KAUST Repository

    Bruggeman, Quentin

    2015-06-05

    Programmed cell death (PCD) is essential for several aspects of plant life, including development and stress responses. We recently identified the mips1 mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana, which is deficient for the enzyme catalyzing the limiting step of myo-inositol (MI) synthesis. One of the most striking features of mips1 is the light-dependent formation of lesions on leaves due to salicylic acid (SA)-dependent PCD. Here, we identified a suppressor of PCD by screening for mutations that abolish the mips1 cell death phenotype. Our screen identified the hxk1 mutant, mutated in the gene encoding the hexokinase1 (HXK1) enzyme that catalyzes sugar phosphorylation and acts as a genuine glucose sensor. We show that HXK1 is required for lesion formation in mips1 due to alterations in MI content, via SA-dependant signaling. Using two catalytically inactive HXK1 mutants, we also show that hexokinase catalytic activity is necessary for the establishment of lesions in mips1. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses revealed a restoration of the MI content in mips1 hxk1 that it is due to the activity of the MIPS2 isoform, while MIPS3 is not involved. Our work defines a pathway of HXK1-mediated cell death in plants and demonstrates that two MIPS enzymes act cooperatively under a particular metabolic status, highlighting a novel checkpoint of MI homeostasis in plants. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

  6. Shear thinning and shear thickening of a confined suspension of vesicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nait Ouhra, A.; Farutin, A.; Aouane, O.; Ez-Zahraouy, H.; Benyoussef, A.; Misbah, C.

    2018-01-01

    Widely regarded as an interesting model system for studying flow properties of blood, vesicles are closed membranes of phospholipids that mimic the cytoplasmic membranes of red blood cells. In this study we analyze the rheology of a suspension of vesicles in a confined geometry: the suspension, bound by two planar rigid walls on each side, is subject to a shear flow. Flow properties are then analyzed as a function of shear rate γ ˙, the concentration of the suspension ϕ , and the viscosity contrast λ =ηin/ηout , where ηin and ηout are the fluid viscosities of the inner and outer fluids, respectively. We find that the apparent (or effective viscosity) of the suspension exhibits both shear thinning (decreasing viscosity with shear rate) or shear thickening (increasing viscosity with shear rate) in the same concentration range. The shear thinning or thickening behaviors appear as subtle phenomena, dependant on viscosity contrast λ . We provide physical arguments on the origins of these behaviors.

  7. Design of a suspension system and determining suspension parameters of a medium downforce small Formula type car

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Biswal Sadjyot

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The focus of the paper is on designing a suspension system for a medium downforce small Formula type race car. The paper not only focusses on step by step design for a double wishbone type suspension but will also show the use and role of kinematics software in determining the optimized suspension of the car. The paper will also focus on the use of tire data in determining suspension parameters and the design of the double wishbone suspension. Various parameters, their design importance and the process to optimize them according to suspension design goals will be covered. The easiest and best ways to change the suspension parameters to get the best results will also be covered.

  8. Reference: 783 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available xpression of the Arabidopsis 10-kilodalton acyl-coenzyme A-binding protein ACBP6 en...phospholipid metabolism in Arabidopsis, including the possibility of ACBP6 in the cytosolic trafficking of phosphatidylcholine. Overe

  9. Toward stable genetic engineering of human o-glycosylation in plants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yang, Zhang; Bennett, Eric Paul; Jørgensen, Bodil

    2012-01-01

    Glycosylation is the most abundant and complex posttranslational modification to be considered for recombinant production of therapeutic proteins. Mucin-type (N-acetylgalactosamine [GalNAc]-type) O-glycosylation is found in eumetazoan cells but absent in plants and yeast, making these cell types...... an obvious choice for de novo engineering of this O-glycosylation pathway. We previously showed that transient implementation of O-glycosylation capacity in plants requires introduction of the synthesis of the donor substrate UDP-GalNAc and one or more polypeptide GalNAc-transferases for incorporating Gal......NAc residues into proteins. Here, we have stably engineered O-glycosylation capacity in two plant cell systems, soil-grown Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Bright Yellow-2 suspension culture cells. Efficient GalNAc O-glycosylation of two stably coexpressed substrate O...

  10. Statolith sedimentation kinetics and force transduction to the cortical endoplasmic reticulum in gravity-sensing Arabidopsis columella cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leitz, Guenther; Kang, Byung-Ho; Schoenwaelder, Monica E A; Staehelin, L Andrew

    2009-03-01

    The starch statolith hypothesis of gravity sensing in plants postulates that the sedimentation of statoliths in specialized statocytes (columella cells) provides the means for converting the gravitational potential energy into a biochemical signal. We have analyzed the sedimentation kinetics of statoliths in the central S2 columella cells of Arabidopsis thaliana. The statoliths can form compact aggregates with gap sizes between statoliths approaching sedimentation phase, the statoliths tend to move at a distance to the cortical endoplasmic reticulum (ER) boundary and interact only transiently with the ER. Statoliths moved by laser tweezers against the ER boundary experience an elastic lift force upon release from the optical trap. High-resolution electron tomography analysis of statolith-to-ER contact sites indicate that the weight of statoliths is sufficient to locally deform the ER membranes that can potentially activate mechanosensitive ion channels. We suggest that in root columella cells, the transduction of the kinetic energy of sedimenting statoliths into a biochemical signal involves a combination of statolith-driven motion of the cytosol, statolith-induced deformation of the ER membranes, and a rapid release of kinetic energy from the ER during reorientation to activate mechanosensitive sites within the central columella cells.

  11. Early Effects of Altered Gravity Environments on Plant Cell Growth and Cell Proliferation: Characterization of Morphofunctional Nucleolar Types in an Arabidopsis Cell Culture System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Manzano, Ana I.; Herranz, Raúl; Manzano, Aránzazu [Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid (Spain); Loon, Jack J. W. A. van [Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Oral Pathology, Dutch Experiment Support Center, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam (Netherlands); ESA-ESTEC, TEC-MMG, Noordwijk (Netherlands); Medina, F. Javier, E-mail: fjmedina@cib.csic.es [Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid (Spain)

    2016-02-05

    Changes in the cell growth rate of an in vitro cellular system in Arabidopsis thaliana induced by short exposure to an altered gravity environment have been estimated by a novel approach. The method consisted of defining three structural nucleolar types which are easy and reliable indicators of the ribosome biogenesis activity and, consequently, of protein biosynthesis, a parameter strictly correlated to cell growth in this cellular system. The relative abundance of each nucleolar type was statistically assessed in different conditions of gravity. Samples exposed to simulated microgravity for 200 min showed a significant decrease in nucleolar activity compared to 1g controls, whereas samples exposed to hypergravity (2g) for the same period showed nucleolar activity slightly increased. These effects could be considered as an early cellular response to the environmental alteration, given the short duration of the treatment. The functional significance of the structural data was validated by a combination of several different well-known parameters, using microscopical, flow cytometry, qPCR, and proteomic approaches, which showed that the decreased cell growth rate was decoupled from an increased cell proliferation rate under simulated microgravity, and the opposite trend was observed under hypergravity. Actually, not all parameters tested showed the same quantitative changes, indicating that the response to the environmental alteration is time-dependent. These results are in agreement with previous observations in root meristematic cells and they show the ability of plant cells to produce a response to gravity changes, independently of their integration into plant organs.

  12. Localization of the CAPRICE-ENHANCER OF TRY AND CPC1 chimera protein in Arabidopsis root epidermis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tominaga-Wada, Rumi; Kurata, Tetsuya; Wada, Takuji

    2017-09-01

    The CAPRICE (CPC) encodes an R3-type MYB transcription factor, which promotes root-hair differentiation. Previously, we showed that the CPC protein moves from the non-hair cell to the neighboring cell and induces root-hair differentiation in Arabidopsis. In addition, we proposed two cell-to-cell movement signal sequences, S1 and S2, in CPC. However, an S1:2xGFP:S2 chimera protein did not move between root epidermal cells. Here, we show that the S1 and S2 sequences do not confer cell-to-cell movement or nuclear localization ability to a GFP protein. The ENHANCER OF TRY AND CPC1 (ETC1) gene encodes the CPC homolog R3 MYB; this protein does not possess cell-to-cell movement ability or the S1 sequence. To elucidate whether the S1 sequence can induce cell-to-cell movement ability in ETC1, CPCp:S1:ETC1:2xGFP was constructed and introduced into Arabidopsis. Our results indicate that the addition of the S1 sequence was not sufficient for ETC1 to acquire cell-to-cell movement ability.

  13. Trichoderma-Induced Acidification Is an Early Trigger for Changes in Arabidopsis Root Growth and Determines Fungal Phytostimulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelagio-Flores, Ramón; Esparza-Reynoso, Saraí; Garnica-Vergara, Amira; López-Bucio, José; Herrera-Estrella, Alfredo

    2017-01-01

    Trichoderma spp. are common rhizosphere inhabitants widely used as biological control agents and their role as plant growth promoting fungi has been established. Although soil pH influences several fungal and plant functional traits such as growth and nutrition, little is known about its influence in rhizospheric or mutualistic interactions. The role of pH in the Trichoderma–Arabidopsis interaction was studied by determining primary root growth and lateral root formation, root meristem status and cell viability, quiescent center (QC) integrity, and auxin inducible gene expression. Primary root growth phenotypes in wild type seedlings and STOP1 mutants allowed identification of a putative root pH sensing pathway likely operating in plant–fungus recognition. Acidification by Trichoderma induced auxin redistribution within Arabidopsis columella root cap cells, causing root tip bending and growth inhibition. Root growth stoppage correlated with decreased cell division and with the loss of QC integrity and cell viability, which were reversed by buffering the medium. In addition, stop1, an Arabidopsis mutant sensitive to low pH, was oversensitive to T. atroviride primary root growth repression, providing genetic evidence that a pH root sensing mechanism reprograms root architecture during the interaction. Our results indicate that root sensing of pH mediates the interaction of Trichoderma with plants. PMID:28567051

  14. Arabidopsis dynamin-related protein 1A polymers bind, but do not tubulate, liposomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Backues, Steven K.; Bednarek, Sebastian Y.

    2010-01-01

    The Arabidopsis dynamin-related protein 1A (AtDRP1A) is involved in endocytosis and cell plate maturation in Arabidopsis. Unlike dynamin, AtDRP1A does not have any recognized membrane binding or protein-protein interaction domains. We report that GTPase active AtDRP1A purified from Escherichia coli as a fusion to maltose binding protein forms homopolymers visible by negative staining electron microscopy. These polymers interact with protein-free liposomes whose lipid composition mimics that of the inner leaflet of the Arabidopsis plasma membrane, suggesting that lipid-binding may play a role in AtDRP1A function. However, AtDRP1A polymers do not appear to assemble and disassemble in a dynamic fashion and do not have the ability to tubulate liposomes in vitro, suggesting that additional factors or modifications are necessary for AtDRP1A's in vivo function.

  15. A temperature-sensitive allele of a putative mRNA splicing helicase down-regulates many cell wall genes and causes radial swelling in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howles, Paul A; Gebbie, Leigh K; Collings, David A; Varsani, Arvind; Broad, Ronan C; Ohms, Stephen; Birch, Rosemary J; Cork, Ann H; Arioli, Tony; Williamson, Richard E

    2016-05-01

    The putative RNA helicase encoded by the Arabidopsis gene At1g32490 is a homolog of the yeast splicing RNA helicases Prp2 and Prp22. We isolated a temperature-sensitive allele (rsw12) of the gene in a screen for root radial swelling mutants. Plants containing this allele grown at the restrictive temperature showed weak radial swelling, were stunted with reduced root elongation, and contained reduced levels of cellulose. The role of the protein was further explored by microarray analysis. By using both fold change cutoffs and a weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) to investigate coexpression of genes, we found that the radial swelling phenotype was not linked to genes usually associated with primary cell wall biosynthesis. Instead, the mutation has strong effects on expression of secondary cell wall related genes. Many genes potentially associated with secondary walls were present in the most significant WGCNA module, as were genes coding for arabinogalactans and proteins with GPI anchors. The proportion of up-regulated genes that possess introns in rsw12 was above that expected if splicing was unrelated to the activity of the RNA helicase, suggesting that the helicase does indeed play a role in splicing in Arabidopsis. The phenotype may be due to a change in the expression of one or more genes coding for cell wall proteins.

  16. Unidirectional Movement of Cellulose Synthase Complexes in Arabidopsis Seed Coat Epidermal Cells Deposit Cellulose Involved in Mucilage Extrusion, Adherence, and Ray Formation1[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Patricia; Young, Robin; DeBolt, Seth

    2015-01-01

    CELLULOSE SYNTHASE5 (CESA5) synthesizes cellulose necessary for seed mucilage adherence to seed coat epidermal cells of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The involvement of additional CESA proteins in this process and details concerning the manner in which cellulose is deposited in the mucilage pocket are unknown. Here, we show that both CESA3 and CESA10 are highly expressed in this cell type at the time of mucilage synthesis and localize to the plasma membrane adjacent to the mucilage pocket. The isoxaben resistant1-1 and isoxaben resistant1-2 mutants affecting CESA3 show defects consistent with altered mucilage cellulose biosynthesis. CESA3 can interact with CESA5 in vitro, and green fluorescent protein-tagged CESA5, CESA3, and CESA10 proteins move in a linear, unidirectional fashion around the cytoplasmic column of the cell, parallel with the surface of the seed, in a pattern similar to that of cortical microtubules. Consistent with this movement, cytological evidence suggests that the mucilage is coiled around the columella and unwinds during mucilage extrusion to form a linear ray. Mutations in CESA5 and CESA3 affect the speed of mucilage extrusion and mucilage adherence. These findings imply that cellulose fibrils are synthesized in an ordered helical array around the columella, providing a distinct structure to the mucilage that is important for both mucilage extrusion and adherence. PMID:25926481

  17. The influences of Hygromycin B on growth of Arabidopsis thaliana ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this article, growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana seedling cotyledon and leaf were evidently affected by Hygromycin B. As compared to the control, cotyledon of seedling on Murashige and Skoog (MS) with Hygromycin B was very small and its leaf was not formed. Along with increase in culture time, cells in the ...

  18. Reference: 774 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available an essential gene, the disruption of which causes embryonic lethality. Plants carrying a hypomorphic smg7 mu...e progression from anaphase to telophase in the second meiotic division in Arabidopsis. Arabidopsis SMG7 is

  19. Embryonic origin of the Arabidopsis primary root and root meristem initials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scheres, B.J.G.; Wolkenfelt, H.; Willemsen, V.; Terlouw, M.; Lawson, E.; Dean, C.; Weisbeek, P.

    1994-01-01

    The embryonic origin of the Arabidopsis root and hypocotyl region has been investigated using histological techniques and clonal analysis. Our data reveal the pattern of cell division in the embryo giving rise to the various initials within the root promeristem. A small region of the root at its

  20. NMR quantification of diffusional exchange in cell suspensions with relaxation rate differences between intra and extracellular compartments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eriksson, Stefanie; Elbing, Karin; Söderman, Olle; Lindkvist-Petersson, Karin; Topgaard, Daniel; Lasič, Samo

    2017-01-01

    Water transport across cell membranes can be measured non-invasively with diffusion NMR. We present a method to quantify the intracellular lifetime of water in cell suspensions with short transverse relaxation times, T2, and also circumvent the confounding effect of different T2 values in the intra- and extracellular compartments. Filter exchange spectroscopy (FEXSY) is specifically sensitive to exchange between compartments with different apparent diffusivities. Our investigation shows that FEXSY could yield significantly biased results if differences in T2 are not accounted for. To mitigate this problem, we propose combining FEXSY with diffusion-relaxation correlation experiment, which can quantify differences in T2 values in compartments with different diffusivities. Our analysis uses a joint constrained fitting of the two datasets and considers the effects of diffusion, relaxation and exchange in both experiments. The method is demonstrated on yeast cells with and without human aquaporins.

  1. PARVUS affects aluminium sensitivity by modulating the structure of glucuronoxylan in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiao Fang; Wan, Jiang Xue; Wu, Qi; Zhao, Xu Sheng; Zheng, Shao Jian; Shen, Ren Fang

    2017-09-01

    Glucuronoxylan (GX), an important component of hemicellulose in the cell wall, appears to affect aluminium (Al) sensitivity in plants. To investigate the role of GX in cell-wall-localized xylan, we examined the Arabidopsis thaliana parvus mutant in detail. This mutant lacks α-D-glucuronic acid (GlcA) side chains in GX and has greater resistance to Al stress than wild-type (WT) plants. The parvus mutant accumulated lower levels of Al in its roots and cell walls than WT despite having cell wall pectin content and pectin methylesterase (PME) activity similar to those of WT. Our results suggest that the altered properties of hemicellulose in the mutant contribute to its decreased Al accumulation. Although we observed almost no differences in hemicellulose content between parvus and WT under control conditions, less Al was retained in parvus hemicellulose than in WT. This observation is consistent with the finding that GlcA substitutions in WT GX, but not mutant GX, were increased under Al stress. Taken together, these results suggest that the modulation of GlcA levels in GX affects Al resistance by influencing the Al binding capacity of the root cell wall in Arabidopsis. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Similarities between Reproductive and Immune Pistil Transcriptomes of Arabidopsis Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mondragón-Palomino, Mariana; John-Arputharaj, Ajay; Pallmann, Maria; Dresselhaus, Thomas

    2017-07-01

    Independent lines of evidence suggest that members from ancient and polymorphic gene families such as defensins and receptor-like kinases mediate intercellular communication during both the immune response and reproduction. Here, we report a large-scale analysis to investigate the extent of overlap between these processes by comparing differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the pistil transcriptomes of Arabidopsis thaliana and Arabidopsis halleri during self-pollination and interspecific pollination and during infection with Fusarium graminearum In both Arabidopsis species, the largest number of DEGs was identified in infected pistils, where genes encoding regulators of cell division and development were most frequently down-regulated. Comparison of DEGs between infection and various pollination conditions showed that up to 79% of down-regulated genes are shared between conditions and include especially defensin-like genes. Interspecific pollination of A. thaliana significantly up-regulated thionins and defensins. The significant overrepresentation of similar groups of DEGs in the transcriptomes of reproductive and immune responses of the pistil makes it a prime system in which to study the consequences of plant-pathogen interactions on fertility and the evolution of intercellular communication in pollination. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  3. Reference: 453 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ctor. We demonstrate that this protein functions as a transcriptional repressor in vivo. The express...ion of all members of the CYCLINA2 (CYCA2) family was reduced in an ILP1 overexpressing l...ine, and the mouse (Mus musculus) homolog of ILP1 repressed cyclin A2 expression in mouse NIH3T3 cells. T-DN...A insertion mutants of ILP1 showed reduced polyploidy and upregulated all CYCA2 express...ion. Furthermore, loss of CYCA2;1 expression induces an increase in polyploidy in Arabidopsis. We demo

  4. Action of peracetic acid on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in suspension or settled on stainless steel surfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kunigk Leo

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available The efficiency of a commercial peracetic acid sanitizer on destruction of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was evaluated using two distinct methods. The first method is the AOAC suspension test and the second is a method proposed by one of the authors in which the microbial cells are settled on a stainless steel surface and then treated with the sanitizer. The results showed that when in suspension S. aureus was more resistant to the sanitizer than E. coli. When S. aureus was settled on the stainless steel surface, the contact time between the sanitizer and the microorganisms to attain a 6.5 log reduction in the number of viable cells was three times greater than when the cells were in suspension.

  5. Null mutants of individual RABA genes impact the proportion of different cell wall components in stem tissue of Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Lunn

    Full Text Available In Arabidopsis, and other plants, the RABA GTPases (orthologous to the Rab11a of mammals have expanded in number and diversity and have been shown to belong to eight sub clades, some of which have been implicated in controlling vesicles that traffic cell wall polymers and enzymes that synthesise or modify them to the cell wall. In order to investigate this, we have investigated whether T-DNA insertion knockouts of individual RABA genes belonging to different sub clades, impact on the composition of the plant cell wall. Single gene knockouts of the RABA1, RABA2 and RABA4 sub clades primarily affected the percentage composition of pectin, cellulose and hemicellulose within the cell wall, respectively, despite having no obvious phenotype in the whole plant. We hypothesise that vesicles carrying specific types of cargoes from the Golgi to the cell surface may be regulated by particular sub types of RABA proteins, a finding that could have wider implications for how trafficking systems work and could be a useful tool in cell wall research and other fields of plant biology.

  6. Increased sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis and an apparent decrease in sterol biosynthesis in elicitor-treated tobacco cell suspension cultures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voegeli, U.; Bhatt, P.N.; Chappell, J.

    1987-01-01

    Addition of fungel elicitor prepared from Phytophthora parasitica to tobacco cell suspension cultures leads to an increased production of the phytoalexin capsidiol. Capsidiol is a sesquiterpenoid which is most likely synthesized from farnesylpyrophosphat (FPP) by a bicyclic cyclase reaction. Because FPP is also a substrate for squalene synthetase and therefore a precursor of sterol biosynthesis, the question arises whether or not the accumulation of capsidiol in elicitor-treated cells occurs at the expense of sterol biosynthesis. ( 14 C]-acetate was given to elicitor-treated and control (no treatment) cell cultures and incorporation into sterols and capsidiol determined. No labeled capsidiol was detected in control cells. In elicitor-treated cells about 12-15% of the radioactivity taken up by the cells was incorporated into capsidiol. In contrast, control cells incorporated 4 times more radioactivity into sterols than elicitor-treated cells. Similar results were obtained using ( 3 H)-mevalonate as a precursor of capsidiol and sterol biosynthesis. Likely explanations for the apparently decline in sterol biosynthesis in elicitor-treated cells include: (1) inhibition of squalene synthetase; (2) induction of capsidiol synthesizing enzymes; and (3) metabolic channeling of FPP into capsidiol versus sterols. These possibilities will be discussed further together with other results

  7. Brownian Dynamics of a Suspension of Particles with Constrained Voronoi Cell Volumes

    KAUST Repository

    Singh, John P.; Walsh, Stuart D. C.; Koch, Donald L.

    2015-01-01

    © 2015 American Chemical Society. Solvent-free polymer-grafted nanoparticle fluids consist of inorganic core particles fluidized by polymers tethered to their surfaces. The attachment of the suspending fluid to the particle surface creates a strong penalty for local variations in the fluid volume surrounding the particles. As a model of such a suspension we perform Brownian dynamics of an equilibrium system consisting of hard spheres which experience a many-particle potential proportional to the variance of the Voronoi volumes surrounding each particle (E = α(Vi-V0)2). The coefficient of proportionality α can be varied such that pure hard sphere dynamics is recovered as α → 0, while an incompressible array of hairy particles is obtained as α →. As α is increased the distribution of Voronoi volumes becomes narrower, the mean coordination number of the particle increases and the variance in the number of nearest neighbors decreases. The nearest neighbor peaks in the pair distribution function are suppressed and shifted to larger radial separations as the constraint acts to maintain relatively uniform interstitial regions. The structure factor of the model suspension satisfies S(k=0) → 0 as α → in accordance with expectation for a single component (particle plus tethered fluid) incompressible system. The tracer diffusivity of the particles is reduced by the volume constraint and goes to zero at φ 0.52, indicating an earlier glass transition than has been observed in hard sphere suspensions. The total pressure of the suspension grows in proportion to (αkBT)1/2 as the strength of the volume-constraint potential grows. This stress arises primarily from the interparticle potential forces, while the hard-sphere collisional contribution to the stress is suppressed by the volume constraint.

  8. Brownian Dynamics of a Suspension of Particles with Constrained Voronoi Cell Volumes

    KAUST Repository

    Singh, John P.

    2015-06-23

    © 2015 American Chemical Society. Solvent-free polymer-grafted nanoparticle fluids consist of inorganic core particles fluidized by polymers tethered to their surfaces. The attachment of the suspending fluid to the particle surface creates a strong penalty for local variations in the fluid volume surrounding the particles. As a model of such a suspension we perform Brownian dynamics of an equilibrium system consisting of hard spheres which experience a many-particle potential proportional to the variance of the Voronoi volumes surrounding each particle (E = α(Vi-V0)2). The coefficient of proportionality α can be varied such that pure hard sphere dynamics is recovered as α → 0, while an incompressible array of hairy particles is obtained as α →. As α is increased the distribution of Voronoi volumes becomes narrower, the mean coordination number of the particle increases and the variance in the number of nearest neighbors decreases. The nearest neighbor peaks in the pair distribution function are suppressed and shifted to larger radial separations as the constraint acts to maintain relatively uniform interstitial regions. The structure factor of the model suspension satisfies S(k=0) → 0 as α → in accordance with expectation for a single component (particle plus tethered fluid) incompressible system. The tracer diffusivity of the particles is reduced by the volume constraint and goes to zero at φ 0.52, indicating an earlier glass transition than has been observed in hard sphere suspensions. The total pressure of the suspension grows in proportion to (αkBT)1/2 as the strength of the volume-constraint potential grows. This stress arises primarily from the interparticle potential forces, while the hard-sphere collisional contribution to the stress is suppressed by the volume constraint.

  9. Unravelling the potential of a new uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (UPRT) from Arabidopsis thaliana in sensitizing HeLa cells towards 5-fluorouracil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanan, Sharmila; Sanpui, Pallab; Sahoo, Lingaraj; Ghosh, Siddhartha Sankar

    2016-10-01

    In silico studies with uracil phosphoribosyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtUPRT) revealed its lower binding energies for uracil and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as compared to those of bacterial UPRT indicating the prospective of AtUPRT in gene therapy implications. Hence, AtUPRT was cloned and stably expressed in cervical cancer cells (HeLa) to investigate the effect of prodrug 5-FU on these transfected cancer cells. The treatment of AtUPRT-expressing HeLa (HeLa-UPP) cells with 5-FU for 72h resulted in significant decrease in cell viability. Moreover, 5-FU was observed to induce apoptosis and perturb mitochondrial membrane potential in HeLa-UPP cells. While cell cycle analysis revealed significant S-phase arrest as a result of 5-FU treatment in HeLa-UPP cells, quantitative gene expression analysis demonstrated simultaneous upregulation of important cell cycle related genes, cyclin D1 and p21. The survival fractions of non-transfected, vector-transfected and AtUPRT-transfected HeLa cells, following 5-FU treatment, were calculated to be 0.425, 0.366 and 0.227, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Reference: 255 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ases, AtIPK1 and AtIPK2beta, for the later steps of phytate synthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Coincident disruption...olyphosphate kinases in phosphate signaling biology. Generation of phytate-free seeds in Arabidopsis through disruption

  11. A mutation in a coproporphyrinogen III oxidase gene confers growth inhibition, enhanced powdery mildew resistance and powdery mildew-induced cell death in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Chuan-yu; Wu, Guang-heng; Xing, Jin; Li, Wen-qi; Tang, Ding-zhong; Cui, Bai-ming

    2013-05-01

    A gene encoding a coproporphyrinogen III oxidase mediates disease resistance in plants by the salicylic acid pathway. A number of genes that regulate powdery mildew resistance have been identified in Arabidopsis, such as ENHANCED DISEASE RESISTANCE 1 to 3 (EDR1 to 3). To further study the molecular interactions between the powdery mildew pathogen and Arabidopsis, we isolated and characterized a mutant that exhibited enhanced resistance to powdery mildew. The mutant also showed dramatic powdery mildew-induced cell death as well as growth defects and early senescence in the absence of pathogens. We identified the affected gene by map-based cloning and found that the gene encodes a coproporphyrinogen III oxidase, a key enzyme in the tetrapyrrole biosynthesis pathway, previously known as LESION INITIATION 2 (LIN2). Therefore, we designated the mutant lin2-2. Further studies revealed that the lin2-2 mutant also displayed enhanced resistance to Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (H.a.) Noco2. Genetic analysis showed that the lin2-2-mediated disease resistance and spontaneous cell death were dependent on PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4 (PAD4), SALICYLIC ACID INDUCTION-DEFICIENT 2 (SID2), and NONEXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES 1 (NPR1), which are all involved in salicylic acid signaling. Furthermore, the relative expression levels of defense-related genes were induced after powdery mildew infection in the lin2-2 mutant. These data indicated that LIN2 plays an important role in cell death control and defense responses in plants.

  12. The RNA-binding protein repertoire of Arabidopsis thaliana

    KAUST Repository

    Marondedze, Claudius

    2016-07-11

    RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have essential roles in determining the fate of RNA from synthesis to decay and have been studied on a protein-by-protein basis, or computationally based on a number of well-characterised RNA-binding domains. Recently, high-throughput methods enabled the capture of mammalian RNA-binding proteomes. To gain insight into the role of Arabidopsis thaliana RBPs at the systems level, we have employed interactome capture techniques using cells from different ecotypes grown in cultures and leaves. In vivo UV-crosslinking of RNA to RBPs, oligo(dT) capture and mass spectrometry yielded 1,145 different proteins including 550 RBPs that either belong to the functional category ‘RNA-binding’, have known RNA-binding domains or have orthologs identified in mammals, C. elegans, or S. cerevisiae in addition to 595 novel candidate RBPs. We noted specific subsets of RBPs in cultured cells and leaves and a comparison of Arabidopsis, mammalian, C. elegans, and S. cerevisiae RBPs reveals a common set of proteins with a role in intermediate metabolism, as well as distinct differences suggesting that RBPs are also species and tissue specific. This study provides a foundation for studies that will advance our understanding of the biological significance of RBPs in plant developmental and stimulus specific responses.

  13. Redox Impact on Starch Biosynthetic Enzymes in Arabidopsis thaliana

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skryhan, Katsiaryna

    Summary The thesis provides new insight into the influence of the plant cell redox state on the transient starch metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana with a focus on starch biosynthetic enzymes. Two main hypotheses forms the basis of this thesis: 1) photosynthesis and starch metabolism are coordina......Summary The thesis provides new insight into the influence of the plant cell redox state on the transient starch metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana with a focus on starch biosynthetic enzymes. Two main hypotheses forms the basis of this thesis: 1) photosynthesis and starch metabolism...... are coordinated by the redox state of the cell via post-translational modification of the starch metabolic enzymes containing redox active cysteine residues and these cysteine residues became cross-linked upon oxidation providing a conformational change leading to activity loss; 2) cysteine residues...... of chloroplast enzymes can play a role not only in enzyme activity and redox sensitivity but also in protein folding and stability upon oxidation. Several redox sensitive enzymes identified in this study can serve as potential targets to control the carbon flux to and from starch during the day and night...

  14. Characterization of transmembrane auxin transport in Arabidopsis suspension-cultured cells

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Seifertová, Daniela; Skůpa, Petr; Rychtář, J.; Laňková, Martina; Pařezová, Markéta; Dobrev, Petre; Hoyerová, Klára; Petrášek, Jan; Zažímalová, Eva

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 171, č. 6 (2014), s. 429-437 ISSN 0176-1617 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP305/11/0797 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Auxin influx * Auxin efflux * Auxin metabolic profiling Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.557, year: 2014

  15. Comparison of mesencephalic free-floating tissue culture grafts and cell suspension grafts in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meyer, Morten; Widmer, H R; Wagner, B

    1998-01-01

    of grafted dopaminergic neurons and to correlate that with the behavioral effects. Additional cultures and acutely prepared explants were also fixed and stored for histological investigation in order to estimate the loss of dopaminergic neurons in culture and after transplantation. Similar behavioral...... numbers of TH-immunoreactive (TH-ir) neurons in grafts of cultured tissue (775 +/- 98, mean +/- SEM) and grafts of fresh, dissociated cell suspension (806 +/- 105, mean +/- SEM). Cell counts in fresh explants, 7-day-old cultures, and grafted cultures revealed a 68.2% loss of TH-ir cells 7 days after......Ventral mesencephalon (VM) of fetal rat and human origin grown as free-floating roller-tube (FFRT) cultures can survive subsequent grafting to the adult rat striatum. To further explore the functional efficacy of such grafts, embryonic day 13 ventral mesencephalic tissue was grafted either after 7...

  16. Arabidopsis female gametophyte gene expression map reveals similarities between plant and animal gametes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wuest, Samuel E; Vijverberg, Kitty; Schmidt, Anja; Weiss, Manuel; Gheyselinck, Jacqueline; Lohr, Miriam; Wellmer, Frank; Rahnenführer, Jörg; von Mering, Christian; Grossniklaus, Ueli

    2010-03-23

    The development of multicellular organisms is controlled by differential gene expression whereby cells adopt distinct fates. A spatially resolved view of gene expression allows the elucidation of transcriptional networks that are linked to cellular identity and function. The haploid female gametophyte of flowering plants is a highly reduced organism: at maturity, it often consists of as few as three cell types derived from a common precursor [1, 2]. However, because of its inaccessibility and small size, we know little about the molecular basis of cell specification and differentiation in the female gametophyte. Here we report expression profiles of all cell types in the mature Arabidopsis female gametophyte. Differentially expressed posttranscriptional regulatory modules and metabolic pathways characterize the distinct cell types. Several transcription factor families are overrepresented in the female gametophyte in comparison to other plant tissues, e.g., type I MADS domain, RWP-RK, and reproductive meristem transcription factors. PAZ/Piwi-domain encoding genes are upregulated in the egg, indicating a role of epigenetic regulation through small RNA pathways-a feature paralleled in the germline of animals [3]. A comparison of human and Arabidopsis egg cells for enrichment of functional groups identified several similarities that may represent a consequence of coevolution or ancestral gametic features. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Interaction and rheology of vesicle suspensions in confined shear flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Zaiyi; Farutin, Alexander; Thiébaud, Marine; Misbah, Chaouqi

    2017-10-01

    Dynamics and rheology of a confined suspension of vesicles (a model for red blood cells) are studied numerically in two dimensions by using an immersed boundary lattice Boltzmann method. We pay particular attention to the link between the spatiotemporal organization and the rheology of the suspension. Besides confinement, we analyze the effect of concentration of the suspension, ϕ (defined as the area fraction occupied by the vesicles in the simulation domain), as well as the viscosity contrast λ (defined as the ratio between the viscosity of the fluid inside the vesicles, ηint, and that of the suspending fluid, ηext). The hydrodynamic interaction between two vesicles is shown to play a key role in determining the spatial organization. For λ =1 , the pair of vesicles settles into an equilibrium state with constant interdistance, which is regulated by the confinement. The equilibrium interdistance increases with the gap between walls, following a linear relationship. However, no stable equilibrium interdistance between two tumbling vesicles is observed for λ =10 . A quite ordered suspension is observed concomitant with the existence of an equilibrium interdistance between a vesicle pair. However, a disordered suspension prevails when no pair equilibrium interdistance exists, as occurs for tumbling vesicles. We then analyze the rheology, focusing on the effective viscosity, denoted as η , as well as on normalized viscosity, defined as [η ] =(η -ηext) /(ηextϕ ) . Ordering of the suspension is accompanied by a nonmonotonic behavior of [η ] with ϕ , while η exhibits plateaus. The nonmonotonic behavior of [η ] is suppressed when a disordered pattern prevails.

  18. Intracellular localization of Arabidopsis sulfurtransferases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, Michael; Dietrich, Christof; Nowak, Katharina; Sierralta, Walter D; Papenbrock, Jutta

    2004-06-01

    Sulfurtransferases (Str) comprise a group of enzymes widely distributed in archaea, eubacteria, and eukaryota which catalyze the transfer of a sulfur atom from suitable sulfur donors to nucleophilic sulfur acceptors. In all organisms analyzed to date, small gene families encoding Str proteins have been identified. The gene products were localized to different compartments of the cells. Our interest concerns the localization of Str proteins encoded in the nuclear genome of Arabidopsis. Computer-based prediction methods revealed localization in different compartments of the cell for six putative AtStrs. Several methods were used to determine the localization of the AtStr proteins experimentally. For AtStr1, a mitochondrial localization was demonstrated by immunodetection in the proteome of isolated mitochondria resolved by one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and subsequent blotting. The respective mature AtStr1 protein was identified by mass spectrometry sequencing. The same result was obtained by transient expression of fusion constructs with the green fluorescent protein in Arabidopsis protoplasts, whereas AtStr2 was exclusively localized to the cytoplasm by this method. Three members of the single-domain AtStr were localized in the chloroplasts as demonstrated by transient expression of green fluorescent protein fusions in protoplasts and stomata, whereas the single-domain AtStr18 was shown to be cytoplasmic. The remarkable subcellular distribution of AtStr15 was additionally analyzed by transmission electron immunomicroscopy using a monospecific antibody against green fluorescent protein, indicating an attachment to the thylakoid membrane. The knowledge of the intracellular localization of the members of this multiprotein family will help elucidate their specific functions in the organism.

  19. Plant-specific Histone Deacetylases HDT½ Regulate GIBBERELLIN 2-OXIDASE 2 Expression to Control Arabidopsis Root Meristem Cell Number

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Huchen

    2017-08-31

    Root growth is modulated by environmental factors and depends on cell production in the root meristem (RM). New cells in the meristem are generated by stem cells and transit-amplifying cells, which together determine RM cell number. Transcription factors and chromatin-remodelling factors have been implicated in regulating the switch from stem cells to transit-amplifying cells. Here we show that two Arabidopsis thaliana paralogs encoding plant-specific histone deacetylases, HDT1 and HDT2, regulate a second switch from transit-amplifying cells to expanding cells. Knockdown of HDT½ (hdt1,2i) results in an earlier switch and causes a reduced RM cell number. Our data show that HDT½ negatively regulate the acetylation level of the C19-GIBBERELLIN 2-OXIDASE 2 (GA2ox2) locus and repress the expression of GA2ox2 in the RM and elongation zone. Overexpression of GA2ox2 in the RM phenocopies the hdt1,2i phenotype. Conversely, knockout of GA2ox2 partially rescues the root growth defect of hdt1,2i. These results suggest that by repressing the expression of GA2ox2, HDT½ likely fine-tune gibberellin metabolism and they are crucial for regulating the switch from cell division to expansion to determine RM cell number. We propose that HDT½ function as part of a mechanism that modulates root growth in response to environmental factors.

  20. Spatiotemporal relationships between growth and microtubule orientation as revealed in living root cells of Arabidopsis thaliana transformed with green-fluorescent-protein gene construct GFP-MBD

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granger, C. L.; Cyr, R. J.

    2001-01-01

    Arabidopsis thaliana plants were transformed with GFP-MBD (J. Marc et al., Plant Cell 10: 1927-1939, 1998) under the control of a constitutive (35S) or copper-inducible promoter. GFP-specific fluorescence distributions, levels, and persistence were determined and found to vary with age, tissue type, transgenic line, and individual plant. With the exception of an increased frequency of abnormal roots of 35S GFP-MBD plants grown on kanamycin-containing media, expression of GFP-MBD does not appear to affect plant phenotype. The number of leaves, branches, bolts, and siliques as well as overall height, leaf size, and seed set are similar between wild-type and transgenic plants as is the rate of root growth. Thus, we conclude that the transgenic plants can serve as a living model system in which the dynamic behavior of microtubules can be visualized. Confocal microscopy was used to simultaneously monitor growth and microtubule behavior within individual cells as they passed through the elongation zone of the Arabidopsis root. Generally, microtubules reoriented from transverse to oblique or longitudinal orientations as growth declined. Microtubule reorientation initiated at the ends of the cell did not necessarily occur simultaneously in adjacent neighboring cells and did not involve complete disintegration and repolymerization of microtubule arrays. Although growth rates correlated with microtubule reorientation, the two processes were not tightly coupled in terms of their temporal relationships, suggesting that other factor(s) may be involved in regulating both events. Additionally, microtubule orientation was more defined in cells whose growth was accelerating and less stringent in cells whose growth was decelerating, indicating that microtubule-orienting factor(s) may be sensitive to growth acceleration, rather than growth per se.

  1. Observation of antioxidant activity of leaves, callus and suspension ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    GREGORY

    2011-12-16

    Dec 16, 2011 ... Antioxidant activity and phenolic compound was found in Justicia gendarussa via total phenolic content (TPC) and α,α-diphenyl-β-pycrilhydrazil hydrate (DPPH) radical scavenging assays. The assays were applied on aqueous and methanolic extracts of leaves, callus culture and cell suspension culture.

  2. Study on therapy of 188Re labelled stannic sulfur suspension in nude mice bearing human colon tumor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Huiyuan; Wu Yuanfang; Dong Mo

    2003-01-01

    The effect of therapy, tissue distribution and stability are studied in nude mice bearing human colon tumor after injections of 188 Re labelled stannic sulfur suspension. The tissues are observed with electric microscope. The results show that 188 Re labelled stannic sulfur suspension is stabilized in the tumor and its inhibitive effects on human colon tumor cells are obvious. 188 Re labelled stannic sulfur suspension is a potential radiopharmaceuticals for therapy of human tumor

  3. Purification and characterization of an iron-induced ferritin from soybean (Glycine max) cell suspensions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lescure, A M; Massenet, O; Briat, J F

    1990-11-15

    Ferric citrate induces ferritin synthesis and accumulation in soybean (Glycine max) cell suspension cultures [Proudhon, Briat & Lescure (1989) Plant Physiol. 90, 586-590]. This iron-induced ferritin has been purified from cells grown for 72 h in the presence of either 100 microM- or 500 microM-ferric citrate. It has a molecular mass of about 600 kDa and is built up from a 28 kDa subunit which is recognized by antibodies raised against pea (Pisum sativum) seed ferritin and it has the same N-terminal sequence as this latter, except for residue number 3, which is alanine in pea seed ferritin instead of valine in iron-induced soybean cell ferritin. It contains an average of 1800 atoms of iron per molecule whatever the ferric citrate concentration used to induce its synthesis. It is shown that the presence of 100 microM- or 500 microM-ferric citrate in the culture medium leads respectively to an 11- and 28-fold increase in the total intracellular iron concentration and to a 30- and 60-fold increase in the ferritin concentration. However, the percentage of iron stored in the mineral core of ferritin remains constant whatever the ferric citrate concentration used and represents only 5-6% of cellular iron.

  4. Recombinant protein expression for structural biology in HEK 293F suspension cells: a novel and accessible approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Portolano, Nicola; Watson, Peter J; Fairall, Louise; Millard, Christopher J; Milano, Charles P; Song, Yun; Cowley, Shaun M; Schwabe, John W R

    2014-10-16

    The expression and purification of large amounts of recombinant protein complexes is an essential requirement for structural biology studies. For over two decades, prokaryotic expression systems such as E. coli have dominated the scientific literature over costly and less efficient eukaryotic cell lines. Despite the clear advantage in terms of yields and costs of expressing recombinant proteins in bacteria, the absence of specific co-factors, chaperones and post-translational modifications may cause loss of function, mis-folding and can disrupt protein-protein interactions of certain eukaryotic multi-subunit complexes, surface receptors and secreted proteins. The use of mammalian cell expression systems can address these drawbacks since they provide a eukaryotic expression environment. However, low protein yields and high costs of such methods have until recently limited their use for structural biology. Here we describe a simple and accessible method for expressing and purifying milligram quantities of protein by performing transient transfections of suspension grown HEK (Human Embryonic Kidney) 293 F cells.

  5. AMIODARONE INDUCES THE SYNTHESIS OF HSPS IN SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE AND ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA CELLS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pyatrikas D.V.

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Many biotic and abiotic stresses cause an increase of cytosolic Ca2+ level in cells. Calcium is one of the most important second messengers, regulating many various activities in the cell and was known to affect expression of stress activated genes. Mild heat shock induces the expression of heat shock proteins (Hsps which protect cell from drastic heat shock exposure. There are some literature data permitting to suggest that transient elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ level in plant cells is important for activation of Hsps expression. On the other hand mitochondria are known to regulate the intracellular calcium and reactive oxygen species signaling. It has been shown recently that mild heat shock induces hyperpolarization of inner mitochondrial membrane in plant and yeast cells and this event is critically important for activation of Hsps expression. To reveal the relationship between mitochondrial activity, intracellular calcium homeostasis and Hsps expression an antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone (AMD have been used. AMD is known to cause transient increase of cytosolic Ca2+ level in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Obtained results have showed that AMD treatment induced the synthesis of Hsp104p in S. cerevisiae cells and Hsp101p in A. thaliana cell culture. Induction of Hsp104p synthesis leads to enhanced yeast capability to survive lethal heat shock exposure. Development of S. cerevisiae thermotolerance depended significantly on the presence of Hsp104p. Elevation of Hsp104p level in the result of AMD treatment was shown to be governed by activity of Msn2p and Msn4p transcription factors. Deletion of the MSN2 and MSN4 genes abrogated the AMD ability to induce Hsp104p synthesis. Mild heat shock and AMD treatment induced the hyperpolarization of the inner mitochondrial membrane in yeast and Arabidopsis cells which accompanied by HSP synthesis and development of thermotolerance. It was suggested that increase of cytosolic Ca2+ level after AMD treatment

  6. Enhanced accumulation of phytosterols and phenolic compounds in cyclodextrin-elicited cell suspension culture of Daucus carota.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miras-Moreno, Begoña; Almagro, Lorena; Pedreño, M A; Sabater-Jara, Ana Belén

    2016-09-01

    In this work, suspension-cultured cells of Daucus carota were used to evaluate the effect of β-cyclodextrins on the production of isoprenoid and phenolic compounds. The results showed that the phytosterols and phenolic compounds were accumulated in the extracellular medium (15100μgL(-1) and 477.46μgL(-1), respectively) in the presence of cyclodextrins. Unlike the phytosterol and phenolic compound content, β-carotene (1138.03μgL(-1)), lutein (25949.54μgL(-1)) and α-tocopherol (8063.82μgL(-1)) chlorophyll a (1625.13μgL(-1)) and b (9.958 (9958.33μgL(-1)) were mainly accumulated inside the cells. Therefore, cyclodextrins were able to induce the cytosolic mevalonate pathway, increasing the biosynthesis of phytosterols and phenolic compounds, and accumulate them outside the cells. However, in the absence of these cyclic oligosaccharidic elicitors, carrot cells mainly accumulated carotenoids through the methylerythritol 4-phosphate pathway. Therefore, the use of cyclodextrins would allow the extracellular accumulation of both phytosterols and phenolic compounds by diverting the carbon flux towards the cytosolic mevalonate/phenylpropanoid pathway. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Expression profiling and functional analysis reveals that TOR is a key player in regulating photosynthesis and phytohormone signaling pathways in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Pan; Xiong, Fangjie; Que, Yumei; Wang, Kai; Yu, Lihua; Li, Zhengguo; Ren, Maozhi

    2015-01-01

    Target of rapamycin (TOR) acts as a master regulator to control cell growth by integrating nutrient, energy, and growth factors in all eukaryotic species. TOR plays an evolutionarily conserved role in regulating the transcription of genes associated with anabolic and catabolic processes in Arabidopsis, but little is known about the functions of TOR in photosynthesis and phytohormone signaling, which are unique features of plants. In this study, AZD8055 (AZD) was screened as the strongest active-site TOR inhibitor (asTORi) in Arabidopsis compared with TORIN1 and KU63794 (KU). Gene expression profiles were evaluated using RNA-seq after treating Arabidopsis seedlings with AZD. More than three-fold differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in AZD-treated plants relative to rapamycin-treated plants in previous studies. Most of the DEGs and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways involved in cell wall elongation, ribosome biogenesis, and cell autophagy were common to both AZD- and rapamycin-treated samples, but AZD displayed much broader and more efficient inhibition of TOR compared with rapamycin. Importantly, the suppression of TOR by AZD resulted in remodeling of the expression profile of the genes associated with photosynthesis and various phytohormones, indicating that TOR plays a crucial role in modulating photosynthesis and phytohormone signaling in Arabidopsis. These newly identified DEGs expand the understanding of TOR signaling in plants. This study elucidates the novel functions of TOR in photosynthesis and phytohormone signaling and provides a platform to study the downstream targets of TOR in Arabidopsis.

  8. Functional analysis of the cellulose synthase-like genes CSLD1, CSLD2 and CSLD4 in tip-growing arabidopsis cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bernal Giraldo, Adriana Jimena; Yoo, Cheol-Min; Mutwil, Marek

    2008-01-01

    A reverse genetic approach was used to investigate the functions of three members of the cellulose synthase superfamily in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), CELLULOSE SYNTHASE-LIKE D1 (CSLD1), CSLD2, and CSLD4. CSLD2 is required for normal root hair growth but has a different role from that pre......A reverse genetic approach was used to investigate the functions of three members of the cellulose synthase superfamily in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), CELLULOSE SYNTHASE-LIKE D1 (CSLD1), CSLD2, and CSLD4. CSLD2 is required for normal root hair growth but has a different role from...... for insertions in these genes were partially rescued by reduced temperature growth. However, this was not the case for a double mutant homozygous for insertions in both CSLD2 and CSLD3, suggesting that there may be partial redundancy in the functions of these genes. Mutants in CSLD1 and CSLD4 had a defect...

  9. COBRA-LIKE2, a Member of the Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-Anchored COBRA-LIKE Family, Plays a Role in Cellulose Deposition in Arabidopsis Seed Coat Mucilage Secretory Cells1,2[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Tov, Daniela; Abraham, Yael; Stav, Shira; Thompson, Kevin; Loraine, Ann; Elbaum, Rivka; de Souza, Amancio; Pauly, Markus; Kieber, Joseph J.; Harpaz-Saad, Smadar

    2015-01-01

    Differentiation of the maternally derived seed coat epidermal cells into mucilage secretory cells is a common adaptation in angiosperms. Recent studies identified cellulose as an important component of seed mucilage in various species. Cellulose is deposited as a set of rays that radiate from the seed upon mucilage extrusion, serving to anchor the pectic component of seed mucilage to the seed surface. Using transcriptome data encompassing the course of seed development, we identified COBRA-LIKE2 (COBL2), a member of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored COBRA-LIKE gene family in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), as coexpressed with other genes involved in cellulose deposition in mucilage secretory cells. Disruption of the COBL2 gene results in substantial reduction in the rays of cellulose present in seed mucilage, along with an increased solubility of the pectic component of the mucilage. Light birefringence demonstrates a substantial decrease in crystalline cellulose deposition into the cellulosic rays of the cobl2 mutants. Moreover, crystalline cellulose deposition into the radial cell walls and the columella appears substantially compromised, as demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy and in situ quantification of light birefringence. Overall, the cobl2 mutants display about 40% reduction in whole-seed crystalline cellulose content compared with the wild type. These data establish that COBL2 plays a role in the deposition of crystalline cellulose into various secondary cell wall structures during seed coat epidermal cell differentiation. PMID:25583925

  10. DNA mismatch repair related gene expression as potential biomarkers to assess cadmium exposure in Arabidopsis seedlings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Wan; Zhou Qixing; Li Peijun; Gao Hairong; Han, Y.P.; Li, X.J.; Yang, Y.S.; Li Yanzhi

    2009-01-01

    In the current study, Arabidopsis seedlings were hydroponically grown on MS media containing cadmium (Cd) of 0-2.0 mg L -1 for 60 h of treatment. Gene expression profiles were used to relate exposure to Cd with some altered biological responses and/or specific growth effects. RT-PCR analysis was used to quantitate mRNA expression for seven genes known to be involved in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system and cell division. Results indicated that Cd concentrations of 0.25-2.0 mg L -1 cause increased total soluble protein levels in shoots of Arabidopsis seedlings in an inverted U-shaped dose-response manner. Exposure to 0.25 and 0.5 mg L -1 of Cd dramatically induced expression of four genes (i.e. proliferating cell nuclear antigen 2 (atPCNA 2), MutL1 homolog (atMLH1), MutS 2 homolog (atMSH2) and atMSH3) and five genes (i.e. atPCNA1,2, atMLH1 and atMSH2,7), respectively, in shoots of Arabidopsis seedlings; Exposure to 1.0 mg L -1 of Cd significantly elevated expression of only two genes (atMSH6,7), but caused prominent inhibition in expression of three genes (atPCNA2, atMLH1 and atMSH3) in shoots of Arabidopsis seedlings. The expression alterations of the above genes were independent of any biological effects such as survival, fresh weight and chlorophyll level of shoots. However, shoots of Arabidopsis seedlings exposed to 2.0 mg L -1 of Cd exhibited statistically prominent repression in expression of these seven genes, and showed incipient reduction of fresh weight and chlorophyll level. This research provides data concerning sensitivity of expression profiles of atMLH1, atMSH2,3,6,7 and atPCNA1,2 genes in Arabidopsis seedlings to Cd exposure, as well as the potential use of these gene expression patterns as representative molecular biomarkers indicative of Cd exposure and related biological effects.

  11. Serum Proteins Enhance Dispersion Stability and Influence the Cytotoxicity and Dosimetry of ZnO Nanoparticles in Suspension and Adherent Cancer Cell Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anders, Catherine B.; Chess, Jordan J.; Wingett, Denise G.; Punnoose, Alex

    2015-11-01

    Agglomeration and sedimentation of nanoparticles (NPs) within biological solutions is a major limitation in their use in many downstream applications. It has been proposed that serum proteins associate with the NP surface to form a protein corona that limits agglomeration and sedimentation. Here, we investigate the effect of fetal bovine serum (FBS) proteins on the dispersion stability, dosimetry, and NP-induced cytotoxicity of cationic zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) synthesized via forced hydrolysis with a core size of 10 nm. Two different in vitro cell culture models, suspension and adherent, were evaluated by comparing a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) nZnO dispersion (nZnO/PBS) and an FBS-stabilized PBS nZnO dispersion (nZnO - FBS/PBS). Surface interactions of FBS on nZnO were analyzed via spectroscopic and optical techniques. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the adsorption of negatively charged protein components on the cationic nZnO surface through the disappearance of surfaced-adsorbed carboxyl functional groups and the subsequent detection of vibrational modes associated with the protein backbone of FBS-associated proteins. Further confirmation of these interactions was noted in the isoelectric point shift of the nZnO from the characteristic pH of 9.5 to a pH of 6.1. In nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions, the FBS reduced agglomeration and sedimentation behaviors to impart long-term improvements (>24 h) to the nZnO dispersion stability. Furthermore, mathematical dosimetry models indicate that nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions had consistent NP deposition patterns over time unlike unstable nZnO/PBS dispersions. In suspension cell models, the stable nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in a ~33 % increase in the NP-induced cytotoxicity for both Jurkat leukemic and Hut-78 lymphoma cancer cells. In contrast, the nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in 49 and 71 % reductions in the cytotoxicity observed towards the adherent breast (T-47D) and prostate

  12. Serum Proteins Enhance Dispersion Stability and Influence the Cytotoxicity and Dosimetry of ZnO Nanoparticles in Suspension and Adherent Cancer Cell Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anders, Catherine B; Chess, Jordan J; Wingett, Denise G; Punnoose, Alex

    2015-12-01

    Agglomeration and sedimentation of nanoparticles (NPs) within biological solutions is a major limitation in their use in many downstream applications. It has been proposed that serum proteins associate with the NP surface to form a protein corona that limits agglomeration and sedimentation. Here, we investigate the effect of fetal bovine serum (FBS) proteins on the dispersion stability, dosimetry, and NP-induced cytotoxicity of cationic zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) synthesized via forced hydrolysis with a core size of 10 nm. Two different in vitro cell culture models, suspension and adherent, were evaluated by comparing a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) nZnO dispersion (nZnO/PBS) and an FBS-stabilized PBS nZnO dispersion (nZnO - FBS/PBS). Surface interactions of FBS on nZnO were analyzed via spectroscopic and optical techniques. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the adsorption of negatively charged protein components on the cationic nZnO surface through the disappearance of surfaced-adsorbed carboxyl functional groups and the subsequent detection of vibrational modes associated with the protein backbone of FBS-associated proteins. Further confirmation of these interactions was noted in the isoelectric point shift of the nZnO from the characteristic pH of 9.5 to a pH of 6.1. In nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions, the FBS reduced agglomeration and sedimentation behaviors to impart long-term improvements (>24 h) to the nZnO dispersion stability. Furthermore, mathematical dosimetry models indicate that nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions had consistent NP deposition patterns over time unlike unstable nZnO/PBS dispersions. In suspension cell models, the stable nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in a ~33 % increase in the NP-induced cytotoxicity for both Jurkat leukemic and Hut-78 lymphoma cancer cells. In contrast, the nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in 49 and 71 % reductions in the cytotoxicity observed towards the adherent breast (T-47D) and prostate

  13. Characterization and enzymatic properties of protein kinase ACR4 from Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yu; Liu, Xuehe; Xu, Ziyan; Yang, Hui; Li, Jixi

    2017-07-22

    Serine/threonine-protein kinase-like protein ARABIDOPSIS CRINKLY4 (ACR4), a transmembrane protein of Arabidopsis thaliana, plays important roles in cell division and differentiation. Although accumulating studies shed light on the function of ACR4, the structure and catalytic mechanism of ACR4 remain to be elucidated. Here, we report the purification and enzymatic properties of the intracellular kinase domain (residues 464-799) of ACR4 (ACR4 IKD ). Through Ni-affinity chromatography and gel filter chromatography methods, we successfully obtain high-purity ACR4 IKD protein from Escherichia coli. Dynamic light scattering and gel-filtration methods reveal that ACR4 IKD distributes with high homogeneity and exists as a monomer in solution. In addition, the ACR4 IKD protein has typical kinase activity with myelin basic protein (MBP) as the substrate. Our study may lay the foundation for structure determination of ACR4 IKD and further functional research, for example, screening significant substrates of ACR4 in Arabidopsis thaliana. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Interactions between co-expressed Arabidopsis sucrose transporters in the split-ubiquitin system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lalonde Sylvie

    2003-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Arabidopsis genome contains nine sucrose transporter paralogs falling into three clades: SUT1-like, SUT2 and SUT4. The carriers differ in their kinetic properties. Many transport proteins are known to exist as oligomers. The yeast-based split ubiquitin system can be used to analyze the ability of membrane proteins to interact. Results Promoter-GUS fusions were used to analyze the cellular expression of the three transporter genes in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. All three fusion genes are co-expressed in companion cells. Protein-protein interactions between Arabidopsis sucrose transporters were tested using the split ubiquitin system. Three paralogous sucrose transporters are capable of interacting as either homo- or heteromers. The interactions are specific, since a potassium channel and a glucose transporter did not show interaction with sucrose transporters. Also the biosynthetic and metabolizing enzymes, sucrose phosphate phosphatase and sucrose synthase, which were found to be at least in part bound to the plasma membrane, did not specifically interact with sucrose transporters. Conclusions The split-ubiquitin system provides a powerful tool to detect potential interactions between plant membrane proteins by heterologous expression in yeast, and can be used to screen for interactions with membrane proteins as baits. Like other membrane proteins, the Arabidopsis sucrose transporters are able to form oligomers. The biochemical approaches are required to confirm the in planta interaction.

  15. Polarized localization and borate-dependent degradation of the Arabidopsis borate transporter BOR1 in tobacco BY-2 cells [v1; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/kv

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noboru Yamauchi

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available In Arabidopsis the borate transporter BOR1, which is located in the plasma membrane, is degraded in the presence of excess boron by an endocytosis-mediated mechanism. A similar mechanism was suggested in rice as excess boron decreased rice borate transporter levels, although in this case whether the decrease was dependent on an increase in degradation or a decrease in protein synthesis was not elucidated. To address whether the borate-dependent degradation mechanism is conserved among plant cells, we analyzed the fate of GFP-tagged BOR1 (BOR1-GFP in transformed tobacco BY-2 cells. Cells expressing BOR1-GFP displayed GFP fluorescence at the plasma membrane, especially at the membrane between two attached cells. The plasma membrane signal was abolished when cells were incubated in medium with a high concentration of borate (3 to 5 mM. This decrease in BOR1-GFP signal was mediated by a specific degradation of the protein after internalization by endocytosis from the plasma membrane. Pharmacological analysis indicated that the decrease in BOR1-GFP largely depends on the increase in degradation rate and that the degradation was mediated by a tyrosine-motif and the actin cytoskeleton. Tyr mutants of BOR1-GFP, which has been shown to inhibit borate-dependent degradation in Arabidopsis root cells, did not show borate-dependent endocytosis in tobacco BY-2 cells. These findings indicate that the borate-dependent degradation machinery of the borate transporter is conserved among plant species.

  16. PDV2 has a dosage effect on chloroplast division in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Ning; Sun, Qingqing; Li, Yiqiong; Mu, Yajuan; Hu, Jinglei; Feng, Yue; Liu, Xiaomin; Gao, Hongbo

    2017-03-01

    PDV2 has a dosage effect on chloroplast division in Arabidopsis thaliana , but this effect may vary in different plants. Chloroplasts have to be divided as plants grow to maintain an optimized number in the cell. Chloroplasts are divided by protein complexes across the double membranes from the stroma side to the cytosolic side. PDV2 is a chloroplast division protein on the chloroplast outer membrane. It recruits the dynamin-related GTPase ARC5 to the division site. The C-terminus of PDV2 and the C-terminus of ARC6 interact in the intermembrane space, which is important for the localization of PDV2. Previously, it was shown that overexpression of PDV2 can increase the division of chloroplasts in Arabidopsis and moss, so the authors concluded that PDV2 determines the rate of chloroplast division in land plants. PDV2 was also shown to inhibit the GTPase activity of ARC5 by in vitro experiment. These results look to be contradictory. Here, we identified a null allele of PDV2 in Arabidopsis and studied plants with different levels of PDV2. Our results suggested that the chloroplast division phenotype in Arabidopsis is sensitive to the level of PDV2, while this is not the case for ARC6. The level of PDV2 protein is reduced sharply in fast-growing leaves, while the level of ARC6 is not. The levels of PDV2 and ARC6 in several other plant species at different developmental stages were also investigated. The results indicated that their expression pattern varies in different species. Thus, PDV2 is an important positive factor of chloroplast division with an apparent dosage effect in Arabidopsis, but this effect for different chloroplast division proteins in different plants may vary.

  17. Control of DEMETER DNA demethylase gene transcription in male and female gamete companion cells in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jin-Sup; Frost, Jennifer M; Park, Kyunghyuk; Ohr, Hyonhwa; Park, Guen Tae; Kim, Seohyun; Eom, Hyunjoo; Lee, Ilha; Brooks, Janie S; Fischer, Robert L; Choi, Yeonhee

    2017-02-21

    The DEMETER (DME) DNA glycosylase initiates active DNA demethylation via the base-excision repair pathway and is vital for reproduction in Arabidopsis thaliana DME-mediated DNA demethylation is preferentially targeted to small, AT-rich, and nucleosome-depleted euchromatic transposable elements, influencing expression of adjacent genes and leading to imprinting in the endosperm. In the female gametophyte, DME expression and subsequent genome-wide DNA demethylation are confined to the companion cell of the egg, the central cell. Here, we show that, in the male gametophyte, DME expression is limited to the companion cell of sperm, the vegetative cell, and to a narrow window of time: immediately after separation of the companion cell lineage from the germline. We define transcriptional regulatory elements of DME using reporter genes, showing that a small region, which surprisingly lies within the DME gene, controls its expression in male and female companion cells. DME expression from this minimal promoter is sufficient to rescue seed abortion and the aberrant DNA methylome associated with the null dme-2 mutation. Within this minimal promoter, we found short, conserved enhancer sequences necessary for the transcriptional activities of DME and combined predicted binding motifs with published transcription factor binding coordinates to produce a list of candidate upstream pathway members in the genetic circuitry controlling DNA demethylation in gamete companion cells. These data show how DNA demethylation is regulated to facilitate endosperm gene imprinting and potential transgenerational epigenetic regulation, without subjecting the germline to potentially deleterious transposable element demethylation.

  18. A multidirectional non-cell autonomous control and a genetic interaction restricting tobacco etch virus susceptibility in Arabidopsis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suresh Gopalan

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Viruses constitute a major class of pathogens that infect a variety of hosts. Understanding the intricacies of signaling during host-virus interactions should aid in designing disease prevention strategies and in understanding mechanistic aspects of host and pathogen signaling machinery.An Arabidopsis mutant, B149, impaired in susceptibility to Tobacco etch virus (TEV, a positive strand RNA virus of picoRNA family, was identified using a high-throughput genetic screen and a counterselection scheme. The defects include initiation of infection foci, rate of cell-to-cell movement and long distance movement.The defect in infectivity is conferred by a recessive locus. Molecular genetic analysis and complementation analysis with three alleles of a previously published mutant lsp1 (loss of susceptibility to potyviruses indicate a genetic interaction conferring haploinsufficiency between the B149 locus and certain alleles of lsp1 resulting in impaired host susceptibility. The pattern of restriction of TEV foci on leaves at or near the boundaries of certain cell types and leaf boundaries suggest dysregulation of a multidirectional non-cell autonomous regulatory mechanism. Understanding the nature of this multidirectional signal and the molecular genetic mechanism conferring it should potentially reveal a novel arsenal in the cellular machinery.

  19. Endogenous TasiRNAs mediate non-cell autonomous effects on gene regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca Schwab

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Different classes of small RNAs (sRNAs refine the expression of numerous genes in higher eukaryotes by directing protein partners to complementary nucleic acids, where they mediate gene silencing. Plants encode a unique class of sRNAs, called trans-acting small interfering RNAs (tasiRNAs, which post-transcriptionally regulate protein-coding transcripts, as do microRNAs (miRNAs, and both sRNA classes control development through their targets. TasiRNA biogenesis requires multiple components of the siRNA pathway and also miRNAs. But while 21mer siRNAs originating from transgenes can mediate silencing across several cell layers, miRNA action seems spatially restricted to the producing or closely surrounding cells. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have previously described the isolation of a genetrap reporter line for TAS3a, the major locus producing AUXIN RESPONS FACTOR (ARF-regulating tasiRNAs in the Arabidopsis shoot. Its activity is limited to the adaxial (upper side of leaf primordia, thus spatially isolated from ARF-activities, which are located in the abaxial (lower side. We show here by in situ hybridization and reporter fusions that the silencing activities of ARF-regulating tasiRNAs are indeed manifested non-cell autonomously to spatially control ARF activities. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Endogenous tasiRNAs are thus mediators of a mobile developmental signal and might provide effective gene silencing at a distance beyond the reach of most miRNAs.

  20. Regulation of planar growth by the Arabidopsis AGC protein kinase UNICORN.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enugutti, Balaji; Kirchhelle, Charlotte; Oelschner, Maxi; Torres Ruiz, Ramón Angel; Schliebner, Ivo; Leister, Dario; Schneitz, Kay

    2012-09-11

    The spatial coordination of growth is of central importance for the regulation of plant tissue architecture. Individual layers, such as the epidermis, are clonally propagated and structurally maintained by symmetric cell divisions that are oriented along the plane of the layer. The developmental control of this process is poorly understood. The simple cellular basis and sheet-like structure of Arabidopsis integuments make them an attractive model system to address planar growth. Here we report on the characterization of the Arabidopsis UNICORN (UCN) gene. Analysis of ucn integuments reveals localized distortion of planar growth, eventually resulting in an ectopic multicellular protrusion. In addition, ucn mutants exhibit ectopic growth in filaments and petals, as well as aberrant embryogenesis. We further show that UCN encodes an active AGC VIII kinase. Genetic, biochemical, and cell biological data suggest that UCN suppresses ectopic growth in integuments by directly repressing the KANADI transcription factor ABERRANT TESTA SHAPE. Our findings indicate that UCN represents a unique plant growth regulator that maintains planar growth of integuments by repressing a developmental regulator involved in the control of early integument growth and polarity.

  1. Controlling active cabin suspensions in commercial vehicles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Evers, W.J.E.; Besselink, I.J.M.; Teerhuis, A.P.; Knaap, van der A.C.M.; Nijmeijer, H.

    2009-01-01

    The field of automotive suspensions is changing. Semi-active and active suspensions are starting to become viable options for vehicle designers. Suspension design for commercial vehicles is especially interesting given its potential. An active cabin suspension for a heavy-duty truck is considered,

  2. Collection of apoplastic fluids from Arabidopsis thaliana leaves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Svend Roesen; Nour-Eldin, Hussam Hassan; Halkier, Barbara Ann

    2016-01-01

    The leaf apoplast comprises the extracellular continuum outside cell membranes. A broad range of processes take place in the apoplast, including intercellular signaling, metabolite transport, and plant-microbe interactions. To study these processes, it is essential to analyze the metabolite conte...... in apoplastic fluids. Due to the fragile nature of leaf tissues, it is a challenge to obtain apoplastic fluids from leaves. Here, methods to collect apoplastic washing fluid and guttation fluid from Arabidopsis thaliana leaves are described....

  3. Cuticle ultrastructure, cuticular lipid composition, and gene expression in hypoxia-stressed Arabidopsis stems and leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hyojin; Choi, Dongsu; Suh, Mi Chung

    2017-06-01

    An increased permeability of the cuticle is closely associated with downregulation of genes involved in cuticular lipid synthesis in hypoxia-stressed Arabidopsis and may allow plants to cope with oxygen deficiency. The hydrophobic cuticle layer consisting of cutin polyester and cuticular wax is the first barrier to protect the aerial parts of land plants from environmental stresses. In the present study, we investigated the role of cuticle membrane in Arabidopsis responses to oxygen deficiency. TEM analysis showed that the epidermal cells of hypoxia-treated Arabidopsis stems and leaves possessed a thinner electron-translucent cuticle proper and a more electron-dense cuticular layer. A reduction in epicuticular wax crystal deposition was observed in SEM images of hypoxia-treated Arabidopsis stem compared with normoxic control. Cuticular transpiration was more rapid in hypoxia-stressed leaves than in normoxic control. Total wax and cutin loads decreased by approximately 6-12 and 12-22%, respectively, and the levels of C29 alkanes, secondary alcohols, and ketones, C16:0 ω-hydroxy fatty acids, and C18:2 dicarboxylic acids were also prominently reduced in hypoxia-stressed Arabidopsis leaves and/or stems relative to normoxic control. Genome-wide transcriptome and quantitative RT-PCR analyses revealed that the expression of several genes involved in the biosynthesis and transport of cuticular waxes and cutin monomers were downregulated more than fourfold, but no significant alterations were detected in the transcript levels of fatty acid biosynthetic genes, BCCP2, PDH-E1α, and ENR1 in hypoxia-treated Arabidopsis stems and leaves compared with normoxic control. Taken together, an increased permeability of the cuticle is closely associated with downregulation of genes involved in cuticular lipid synthesis in hypoxia-stressed Arabidopsis. The present study elucidates one of the cuticle-related adaptive responses that may allow plants to cope with low oxygen levels.

  4. Arabidopsis SEIPIN Proteins Modulate Triacylglycerol Accumulation and Influence Lipid Droplet Proliferation[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    The lipodystrophy protein SEIPIN is important for lipid droplet (LD) biogenesis in human and yeast cells. In contrast with the single SEIPIN genes in humans and yeast, there are three SEIPIN homologs in Arabidopsis thaliana, designated SEIPIN1, SEIPIN2, and SEIPIN3. Essentially nothing is known about the functions of SEIPIN homologs in plants. Here, a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) SEIPIN deletion mutant strain and a plant (Nicotiana benthamiana) transient expression system were used to test the ability of Arabidopsis SEIPINs to influence LD morphology. In both species, expression of SEIPIN1 promoted accumulation of large-sized lipid droplets, while expression of SEIPIN2 and especially SEIPIN3 promoted small LDs. Arabidopsis SEIPINs increased triacylglycerol levels and altered composition. In tobacco, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized SEIPINs reorganized the normal, reticulated ER structure into discrete ER domains that colocalized with LDs. N-terminal deletions and swapping experiments of SEIPIN1 and 3 revealed that this region of SEIPIN determines LD size. Ectopic overexpression of SEIPIN1 in Arabidopsis resulted in increased numbers of large LDs in leaves, as well as in seeds, and increased seed oil content by up to 10% over wild-type seeds. By contrast, RNAi suppression of SEIPIN1 resulted in smaller seeds and, as a consequence, a reduction in the amount of oil per seed compared with the wild type. Overall, our results indicate that Arabidopsis SEIPINs are part of a conserved LD biogenesis machinery in eukaryotes and that in plants these proteins may have evolved specialized roles in the storage of neutral lipids by differentially modulating the number and sizes of lipid droplets. PMID:26362606

  5. Suspensions with reduced violin string modes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, B H; Ju, L; Blair, D G

    2006-01-01

    We discuss the possibility of significantly reducing the number and Q-factor of violin string modes in the mirror suspension. Simulations of a bar-flexure suspension and an orthogonal ribbon have shown a reduction in the number of violin string modes when compared to a normal ribbon suspension. By calculating the expected suspension thermal noise, we find that the orthogonal ribbon provides a promising suspension alternative. A lower number of violin modes oscillating in the direction of the laser and a reduction in violin mode peak values of at least 23dB can be achieved with a slight increase in thermal noise above 40Hz

  6. Suspensions with reduced violin string modes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, B H; Ju, L; Blair, D G [School of Physics, University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA (Australia)

    2006-03-02

    We discuss the possibility of significantly reducing the number and Q-factor of violin string modes in the mirror suspension. Simulations of a bar-flexure suspension and an orthogonal ribbon have shown a reduction in the number of violin string modes when compared to a normal ribbon suspension. By calculating the expected suspension thermal noise, we find that the orthogonal ribbon provides a promising suspension alternative. A lower number of violin modes oscillating in the direction of the laser and a reduction in violin mode peak values of at least 23dB can be achieved with a slight increase in thermal noise above 40Hz.

  7. REDUCED CHLOROPLAST COVERAGE genes from Arabidopsis thaliana help to establish the size of the chloroplast compartment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larkin, Robert M; Stefano, Giovanni; Ruckle, Michael E; Stavoe, Andrea K; Sinkler, Christopher A; Brandizzi, Federica; Malmstrom, Carolyn M; Osteryoung, Katherine W

    2016-02-23

    Eukaryotic cells require mechanisms to establish the proportion of cellular volume devoted to particular organelles. These mechanisms are poorly understood. From a screen for plastid-to-nucleus signaling mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana, we cloned a mutant allele of a gene that encodes a protein of unknown function that is homologous to two other Arabidopsis genes of unknown function and to FRIENDLY, which was previously shown to promote the normal distribution of mitochondria in Arabidopsis. In contrast to FRIENDLY, these three homologs of FRIENDLY are found only in photosynthetic organisms. Based on these data, we proposed that FRIENDLY expanded into a small gene family to help regulate the energy metabolism of cells that contain both mitochondria and chloroplasts. Indeed, we found that knocking out these genes caused a number of chloroplast phenotypes, including a reduction in the proportion of cellular volume devoted to chloroplasts to 50% of wild type. Thus, we refer to these genes as REDUCED CHLOROPLAST COVERAGE (REC). The size of the chloroplast compartment was reduced most in rec1 mutants. The REC1 protein accumulated in the cytosol and the nucleus. REC1 was excluded from the nucleus when plants were treated with amitrole, which inhibits cell expansion and chloroplast function. We conclude that REC1 is an extraplastidic protein that helps to establish the size of the chloroplast compartment, and that signals derived from cell expansion or chloroplasts may regulate REC1.

  8. Allocation of Heme is Differentially Regulated by Ferrochelatase Isoforms in Arabidopsis Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nino Asuela Espinas

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Heme is involved in various biological processes as a cofactor of hemoproteins located in various organelles. In plant cells, heme is synthesized by two isoforms of plastid-localized ferrochelatase, FC1 and FC2. In this study, by characterizing Arabidopsis T-DNA insertional mutants, we showed that the allocation of heme is differentially regulated by ferrochelatase isoforms in plant cells. Analyses of weak (fc1-1 and null (fc1-2 mutants suggest that FC1-producing heme is required for initial growth of seedling development. In contrast, weak (fc2-1 and null (fc2-2 mutants of FC2 showed pale green leaves and retarded growth, indicating that FC2-producing heme is necessary for chloroplast development. During the initial growth stage, FC2 deficiency caused reduction of plastid cytochromes. In addition, although FC2 deficiency marginally affected the assembly of photosynthetic reaction center complexes, it caused relatively larger but insufficient light-harvesting antenna to reaction centers, resulting in lower efficiency of photosynthesis. In the later vegetative growth, however, fc2-2 recovered photosynthetic growth, showing that FC1-producing heme may complement the FC2 deficiency. On the other hand, reduced level of cytochromes in microsomal fraction was discovered in fc1-1, suggesting that FC1-producing heme is mainly allocated to extraplastidic organelles. Furthermore, the expression of FC1 is induced by the treatment of an elicitor flg22 while that of FC2 was reduced, and fc1-1 abolished the flg22-dependent induction of FC1 expression and peroxidase activity. Consequently, our results clarified that FC2 produces heme for the photosynthetic machinery in the chloroplast, while FC1 is the housekeeping enzyme providing heme cofactor to the entire cell. In addition, FC1 can partly complement FC2 deficiency and is also involved in defense against stressful conditions.

  9. Reference: 657 [Arabidopsis Phenome Database[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available wth retardation. Double knockout atphb3 atphb4 plants were not viable, but transgenic lines overexpressing AtPHB3 or AtPHB...livier et al. 2007 Dec. Plant J. 52(5):850-64. The Arabidopsis thaliana genome expresses five evolutionarily... conserved prohibitin (PHB) genes that are divided into type-I (AtPHB3 and AtPHB4) and type-II (AtPHB1, AtPHB2 and AtPHB...6) classes, based on their phylogenetic relationships with yeast PHB1 and PHB...2, respectively. Yeast and animal PHBs are reported to have diverse roles in the cell cycle, mitocho

  10. [Formation of protodioscin and deltoside isomers in suspension cultures of Nepal yam (Dioscorea deltoidea Wall.) cells].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khandy, M T; Titova, M V; Konstantinova, S V; Kochkin, D V; Ivanov, I M; Nosov, A M

    2016-01-01

    Changes in the content of the furostanol glycosides protodioscin and deltoside, particularly that of the (25S)-isomers of the glycosides, during suspension cultivation of different lines of Nepal yam (Dioscorea deltoidea Wall.) cells of the strain IFR-DM-0.5 has been investigated. The composition of furostanol glycosides has been characterized, and the dynamics of the accumulation of individual glycosides during lengthy subcultivation of cells maintained in flasks or in a barbotage bioreactor has been analyzed. A positive correlation between the growth and accumulation of substances that belonged to the class of furostanol glycosides has been demonstrated for cultured dioscorea cells, whereas the content of some of the individual glycosides varied considerably between the lines of the strain, cultures maintained under different conditions, and even between cells in different phases of the growth cycle. The increased content of (25R)-forms of the glycosides (protodioscin and deltoside) was correlated with a decrease in the cellular growth rate, whereas an increase in culture growth intensity occurred concomitantly to an increase of the amount of (25S)-isomers. This may be indicative of the specific stimulatory effect of (25S)-glycosides, but not the (25R)-forms, on cell proliferation in vitro. Thus, the concentration of (25S)-forms may increase due to the autoselection of cells capable of intensive division during prolonged cultivation.

  11. Arabidopsis: an adequate model for dicot root systems?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard W Zobel

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The Arabidopsis root system is frequently considered to have only three classes of root: primary, lateral, and adventitious. Research with other plant species has suggested up to 8 different developmental/functional classes of root for a given plant root system. If Arabidopsis has only three classes of root, it may not be an adequate model for eudicot plant root systems. Recent research, however, can be interpreted to suggest that pre-flowering Arabidopsis does have at least five (5 of these classes of root. This then suggests that Arabidopsis root research can be considered an adequate model for eudicot plant root systems.

  12. Arabidopsis NATA1 Acetylates Putrescine and Decreases Defense-Related Hydrogen Peroxide Accumulation1[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preuss, Aileen S.

    2016-01-01

    Biosynthesis of the polyamines putrescine, spermidine, and spermine is induced in response to pathogen infection of plants. Putrescine, which is produced from Arg, serves as a metabolic precursor for longer polyamines, including spermidine and spermine. Polyamine acetylation, which has important regulatory functions in mammalian cells, has been observed in several plant species. Here we show that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) N-ACETYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY1 (NATA1) catalyzes acetylation of putrescine to N-acetylputrescine and thereby competes with spermidine synthase for a common substrate. NATA1 expression is strongly induced by the plant defense signaling molecule jasmonic acid and coronatine, an effector molecule produced by DC3000, a Pseudomonas syringae strain that initiates a virulent infection in Arabidopsis ecotype Columbia-0. DC3000 growth is reduced in nata1 mutant Arabidopsis, suggesting a role for NATA1-mediated putrescine acetylation in suppressing antimicrobial defenses. During infection by P. syringae and other plant pathogens, polyamine oxidases use spermidine and spermine as substrates for the production of defense-related H2O2. Compared to wild-type Columbia-0 Arabidopsis, the response of nata1mutants to P. syringae infection includes reduced accumulation of acetylputrescine, greater abundance of nonacetylated polyamines, elevated H2O2 production by polyamine oxidases, and higher expression of genes related to pathogen defense. Together, these results are consistent with a model whereby P. syringae growth is improved in a targeted manner through coronatine-induced putrescine acetylation by NATA1. PMID:27208290

  13. Experimental data and theoretical predictions for the rate of electrophoretic clarification of colloidal suspensions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johnson, T.J.; Davis, E.J.

    2000-05-01

    An experimental and theoretical investigation of the electrophoretic clarification rate of colloidal suspensions was conducted. The suspensions included a coal-washing effluent and a model system of TiO{sub 2} particles. A parametric study of TiO{sub 2} suspensions was performed to validate and analysis of the electrophoretic motion of the clarification front formed between a clear zone and the suspension. To measure the electric field strength needed in the prediction of the location of the front, a moveable probe and salt bridge were connected to a reference electrode. Using the measured electric field strengths, it was found that the numerical solution to the unit cell electrophoresis model agrees with the measured clarification rates. For suspensions with moderately thick electric double layers and high particle volume fractions the deviations from classical Smoluchowski theory are substantial, and the numerical analysis is in somewhat better agreement with the data than a prior solution of the problem. The numerical model reduces to the predictions of previous theories as the thickness of the electric double layer decreases, and it is in good agreement with the clarification rate measured for a coal-washing effluent suspension with thin electric double layers.

  14. Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferl, Robert; Paul, Anna-Lisa

    2009-01-01

    The Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System (TAGES) investigation is one in a pair of investigations that use the Advanced Biological Research System (ABRS) facility. TAGES uses Arabidopsis thaliana, thale cress, with sensor promoter-reporter gene constructs that render the plants as biomonitors (an organism used to determine the quality of the surrounding environment) of their environment using real-time nondestructive Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) imagery and traditional postflight analyses.

  15. Effect of suspension characteristics on in-flight particle properties and coating microstructures achieved by suspension plasma spray

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aubignat, E.; Planche, M. P.; Allimant, A.; Billières, D.; Girardot, L.; Bailly, Y.; Montavon, G.

    2014-11-01

    This paper focuses on the influence of suspension properties on the manufacturing of coatings by suspension plasma spraying (SPS). For this purpose, alumina suspensions were formulated with two different liquid phases: water and ethanol. Suspensions were atomized with a twin-fluid nozzle and injected in an atmospheric plasma jet. Suspension injection was optimized thanks to shadowgraphy observations and drop size distribution measurements performed by laser diffraction. In-flight particle velocities were evaluated by particle image velocimetry. In addition, splats were collected on glass substrates, with the same conditions as the ones used during the spray process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and profilometry analyses were then performed to observe the splat morphology and thus to get information on plasma / suspension interactions, such as particle agglomeration. Finally, coatings were manufactured, characterized by SEM and compared to each other.

  16. Proteomic identification of early salicylate- and flg22-responsive redox-sensitive proteins in Arabidopsis

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Peng; Zhang, Huoming; Yu, Boying; Xiong, Liming; Xia, Yiji

    2015-01-01

    in Arabidopsis cells during the early response to salicylate or flg22, two defense pathway elicitors that are known to disturb cellular redox homeostasis. Among the salicylate- and/or flg22-responsive redox-sensitive proteins are those involved in transcriptional

  17. Arabidopsis N-MYC DOWNREGULATED-LIKE1, a positive regulator of auxin transport in a G protein-mediated pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mudgil, Yashwanti; Uhrig, Joachm F; Zhou, Jiping; Temple, Brenda; Jiang, Kun; Jones, Alan M

    2009-11-01

    Root architecture results from coordinated cell division and expansion in spatially distinct cells of the root and is established and maintained by gradients of auxin and nutrients such as sugars. Auxin is transported acropetally through the root within the central stele and then, upon reaching the root apex, auxin is transported basipetally through the outer cortical and epidermal cells. The two Gbetagamma dimers of the Arabidopsis thaliana heterotrimeric G protein complex are differentially localized to the central and cortical tissues of the Arabidopsis roots. A null mutation in either the single beta (AGB1) or the two gamma (AGG1 and AGG2) subunits confers phenotypes that disrupt the proper architecture of Arabidopsis roots and are consistent with altered auxin transport. Here, we describe an evolutionarily conserved interaction between AGB1/AGG dimers and a protein designated N-MYC DOWNREGULATED-LIKE1 (NDL1). The Arabidopsis genome encodes two homologs of NDL1 (NDL2 and NDL3), which also interact with AGB1/AGG1 and AGB1/AGG2 dimers. We show that NDL proteins act in a signaling pathway that modulates root auxin transport and auxin gradients in part by affecting the levels of at least two auxin transport facilitators. Reduction of NDL family gene expression and overexpression of NDL1 alter root architecture, auxin transport, and auxin maxima. AGB1, auxin, and sugars are required for NDL1 protein stability in regions of the root where auxin gradients are established; thus, the signaling mechanism contains feedback loops.

  18. Cytotoxicity of Labruscol, a New Resveratrol Dimer Produced by Grapevine Cell Suspensions, on Human Skin Melanoma Cancer Cell Line HT-144

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laetitia Nivelle

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available A new resveratrol dimer (1 called labruscol, has been purified by centrifugal partition chromatography of a crude ethyl acetate stilbene extract obtained from elicited grapevine cell suspensions of Vitis labrusca L. cultured in a 14-liter stirred bioreactor. One dimensional (1D and two dimensional (2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR analyses including 1H, 13C, heteronuclear single-quantum correlation (HSQC, heteronuclear multiple bond correlation (HMBC, and correlation spectroscopy (COSY as well as high-resolution electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS were used to characterize this compound and to unambiguously identify it as a new stilbene dimer, though its relative stereochemistry remained unsolved. Labruscol was recovered as a pure compound (>93% in sufficient amounts (41 mg to allow assessment of its biological activity (cell viability, cell invasion and apoptotic activity on two different cell lines, including one human skin melanoma cancer cell line HT-144 and a healthy human dermal fibroblast (HDF line. This compound induced almost 100% of cell viability inhibition in the cancer line at a dose of 100 μM within 72 h of treatment. However, at all tested concentrations and treatment times, resveratrol displayed an inhibition of the cancer line viability higher than that of labruscol in the presence of fetal bovine serum. Both compounds also showed differential activities on healthy and cancer cell lines. Finally, labruscol at a concentration of 1.2 μM was shown to reduce cell invasion by 40%, although no similar activity was observed with resveratrol. The cytotoxic activity of this newly-identified dimer is discussed.

  19. Adjustment of a rapid method for quantification of Fusarium spp. spore suspensions in plant pathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caligiore-Gei, Pablo F; Valdez, Jorge G

    2015-01-01

    The use of a Neubauer chamber is a broadly employed method when cell suspensions need to be quantified. However, this technique may take a long time and needs trained personnel. Spectrophotometry has proved to be a rapid, simple and accurate method to estimate the concentration of spore suspensions of isolates of the genus Fusarium. In this work we present a linear formula to relate absorbance measurements at 530nm with the number of microconidia/ml in a suspension. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  20. Chemical compatibility and properties of suspension plasma-sprayed SrTiO3-based anodes for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shan-Lin; Li, Cheng-Xin; Li, Chang-Jiu

    2014-10-01

    La-doped strontium titanate (LST) is a promising, redox-stable perovskite material for direct hydrocarbon oxidation anodes in intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). In this study, nano-sized LST and Sm-doped ceria (SDC) powders are produced by the sol-gel and glycine-nitrate processes, respectively. The chemical compatibility between LST and electrolyte materials is studied. A LST-SDC composite anode is prepared by suspension plasma spraying (SPS). The effects of annealing conditions on the phase structure, microstructure, and chemical stability of the LST-SDC composite anode are investigated. The results indicate that the suspension plasma-sprayed LST-SDC anode has the same phase structure as the original powders. LST exhibits a good chemical compatibility with SDC and Mg/Sr-doped lanthanum gallate (LSGM). The anode has a porosity of ∼40% with a finely porous structure that provides high gas permeability and a long three-phase boundary for the anode reaction. Single cells assembled with the LST-SDC anode, La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3 electrolyte, and La0.8Sr0.2CoO3-SDC cathode show a good performance at 650-800 °C. The annealing reduces the impedances due to the enhancement in the bonding between the particles in the anode and interface of anode and LSGM electrolyte, thus improving the output performance of the cell.