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Sample records for reduviidae em nicotiana

  1. The role of Nicotiana gluca Graham (paraguayan herbs) as an adjuvant in immunomodulation of Newcastle disease vaccine for broilers Estudo da ação de Nicotiana glauca Graham (erva paraguaia) como coadjuvante em vacina contra a doença de Newcastle em frangos de corte

    OpenAIRE

    Fabiane Pereira Gentilini; Telmo Vidor; Rogério Freitag; Marcos Antônio Anciuti; Caren Gularte Quincozes; Marlete Brum Cleff; Geferson Fischer; Carlos Eduardo Nogueira

    2008-01-01

    The <em>Nicotiana glaucaem> is a native plant species from Argentina, but found all over South América, being used against headaches, rheumatism, injuries, ulcers, and so on. Researchers have considered it as having immunomodulation effect. This study was conducted to investigate the use of a aqueous extract of <em>Nicotiana glauca em>Graham as an immunomodulator (adjuvant) of a Newcastle disease vaccine.. A total of 56 broilers were distributed into 4 ...

  2. The role of Nicotiana gluca Graham (paraguayan herbs as an adjuvant in immunomodulation of Newcastle disease vaccine for broilers Estudo da ação de Nicotiana glauca Graham (erva paraguaia como coadjuvante em vacina contra a doença de Newcastle em frangos de corte

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    Fabiane Pereira Gentilini

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available The <em>Nicotiana glaucaem> is a native plant species from Argentina, but found all over South América, being used against headaches, rheumatism, injuries, ulcers, and so on. Researchers have considered it as having immunomodulation effect. This study was conducted to investigate the use of a aqueous extract of <em>Nicotiana glauca em>Graham as an immunomodulator (adjuvant of a Newcastle disease vaccine.. A total of 56 broilers were distributed into 4 experimental groups. Each one of them received 3 dosages of this vaccine with or without the addition of different concentrations of the extract Using hemmoaglutination inhibition techniques , the results have shown differences (P<0.05 in the third sera collection. An increase in the antibody titer with the inclusion of 5 mg/dosage of the extract (Treatment 3 as compared to 1 mg/dosage (Treatment 2 and 10 mg/dosage of the extract (Treatment 4 was observed, However, birds from Treatment 3 did not differ (P> 0.05 from Treatment 1. These results indicated that further investigations are required, including the use of cytotoxicity tests in vitro, to evaluate the immunomodulation effect of this extract.

     

    KEY WORDS: Immunomodulation effect, <em>Nicotiana glaucaem> Graham, vaccine.

    A <em>Nicotiana glaucaem> Graham é uma espécie nativa da Argentina, bem distribuída na América do Sul, sendo empregada, popularmente, contra dores de cabeça, dores reumáticas, cicatrização de feridas e úlceras, entre outros. Pesquisas têm avaliado a sua ação na potencialização da resposta imune. Assim, com este estudo, buscou-se avaliar a ação de um extrato aquoso de <em>Nicotiana glauca em>Graham como coadjuvante imunológico em uma vacina contra a doença de Newcastle (DNC. Utilizaram-se 56 frangos de corte, distribuídos em quatro grupos experimentais, que receberam tr

  3. Efeito de extratos de plantas do Cerrado em Dipetalogaster maxima (Uhler (Hemiptera, Reduviidae Effect of Cerrado plant extracts on Dipetalogaster maxima (Uhler (Hemiptera, Reduviidae

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    André A. M. Coelho

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available A transmissão da doença de Chagas ocorre, principalmente, por meio de fezes de hemípteros hematófagos (Triatominae, os quais ingerem o Trypanosoma cruzi ao se alimentarem do sangue de pessoas ou outros mamíferos infectados. Para o controle dos triatomíneos, os piretróides são os principais inseticidas utilizados. Entretanto, algumas populações de insetos demonstraram resistência a determinados piretróides, indicando a necessidade do desenvolvimento de novos inseticidas eficazes no controle desses vetores. Assim, foi avaliada a atividade inseticida de 83 extratos vegetais, pertencentes a 35 espécies diferentes, em ninfas do primeiro estádio de Dipetalogaster maxima (Uhler, 1894 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae, triatomíneo encontrado no México. Para o teste tópico, foram aplicados 50 ìg de cada extrato nos tergitos abdominais de dez ninfas, em duplicata. Como controles, foram utilizados insetos tratados com etanol, acetona ou sem nenhum tipo de tratamento. Os triatomíneos foram observados durante 28 dias. Nenhum extrato apresentou atividade inseticida significativa, entretanto, o extrato hexânico do fruto e o etanólico da casca do caule de Simarouba versicolor (Simaroubaceae inibiram a taxa de ecdise em D. maxima (40% e 25%, respectivamente. Sugere-se que estes extratos sejam quimicamente investigados e monitorados por ensaios biológicos a fim de determinar os componentes, para que estes possam ser utilizados como modelos moleculares ou como compostos biorracionais nos programas de controle de insetos.Chagas disease, also known as American Trypanosomiasis, is chiefly transmitted by faeces of haematophagous bugs (Triatominae that ingested Trypanosoma cruzi from blood of infected people or other mammals. Pyrethroids have been the main insecticides used against these insects. However, some populations of insects have shown significant levels of resistance to several pyrethroids, indicating the need of new insecticides for the control of

  4. Geological Changes of the Americas and their Influence on the Diversification of the Neotropical Kissing Bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Justi, Silvia A; Galvão, Cleber; Schrago, Carlos G

    2016-04-01

    The family Reduviidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), or assassin bugs, is among the most diverse families of the true bugs, with more than 6,000 species. The subfamily Triatominae (kissing bugs) is noteworthy not simply because it is the only subfamily of the Reduviidae whose members feed on vertebrate blood but particularly because all 147 known members of the subfamily are potential Chagas disease vectors. Due to the epidemiological relevance of these species and the lack of an efficient treatment and vaccine for Chagas disease, it is more common to find evolutionary studies focusing on the most relevant vectors than it is to find studies aiming to understand the evolution of the group as a whole. We present the first comprehensive phylogenetic study aiming to understand the events that led to the diversification of the Triatominae. We gathered the most diverse samples of Reduviidae and Triatominae (a total of 229 Reduviidae samples, including 70 Triatominae species) and reconstructed a robust dated phylogeny with several fossil (Reduviidae and Triatominae) calibrations. Based on this information, the possible role of geological events in several of the major cladogenetic events within Triatominae was tested for the first time. We were able to not only correlate the geological changes in the Neotropics with Triatominae evolution but also add to an old discussion: Triatominae monophyly vs. paraphyly. We found that most of the diversification events observed within the Rhodniini and Triatomini tribes are closely linked to the climatic and geological changes caused by the Andean uplift in South America and that variations in sea levels in North America also played a role in the diversification of the species of Triatoma in that region.

  5. Mutability of the self-incompatibility locus and identification of the S-bearing chromosome in Nicotiana alata

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gastel, A.J.G. van.

    1976-01-01

    γ rays, X rays, fast neutrons and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) were used for inducing mutations at the self-incompatibility locus of Nicotiana alata. Chronic gamma irradiation and EMS treatment neither induced self-compatability mutations nor led to changes from one S allele to another. X rays and fast neutrons induced many self-compatibility mutations, but did not generate new self-incompatibility alleles. (Auth.)

  6. Cinco especies nuevas de Pselliopus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae: Harpactorini para México Five new species of Pselliopus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae from Mexico

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    Harry Brailovsky

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Se describen 5 especies nuevas de Pselliopus Bergroth (Reduviidae: Harpactorinae recolectadas en México (Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora y Tamaulipas y en los Estados Unidos de América (Arizona. Pselliopus karlenae Hussey se registra por primera vez para la República Mexicana. Se ilustran caracteres diagnósticos del pronoto, del borde posterior del segmento abdominal VII, de la cápsula genital del macho (pigóforo y parámeros. Se incluye una clave para la identificación de las especies basada principalmente en los genitales masculinos.Five new species of Pselliopus Bergroth (Reduviidae: Harpactorinae from Mexico (Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco,Michoacán, Nayarit, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora and Tamaulipas and from the United States of America (Arizona are described. Pselliopus karlenae Hussey is a new record for Mexico. Diagnostic taxonomic characters of pronotum, posterior border of abdominal segment VII, male genital capsule (pygophore and parameres are illustrated. An identification key based mainly on the male genitalia is included.

  7. Cladistics and biogeography of the assassin bug genus Rasahus Amyot & Serville (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Peiratinae)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Morrone, J.J.; Coscarón, M. del C.

    1998-01-01

    The assassin bug genus Rasahus Amyot & Serville (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Peiratinae) comprises 26 Neotropical species. A cladistic analysis of the genus was carried out using 63 characters from external morphology, body vestiture, and male and female genitalia, with the species considered as

  8. Triatoma ryckmani (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in the epiphyte Tillandsia xerographica (Bromeliaceae) in the semiarid region of Guatemala.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marroquín, Ricardo; Monroy, Carlota; Jaenson, Thomas G T

    2004-05-01

    For the first time, the reduviid bug Triatoma ryckmani Zeledón and Ponce (Hemiptera; Reduviidae) was recorded to inhabit the epiphyte Tillandsia xerographica Rohweder (Bromeliaceae) in the semiarid region of Guatemala. These bromeliads grow mainly in drought-resistant trees with rough bark such as Pereskia lychnidiflora (Cactaceae). In our study site, we investigated 30 T. xerographica, and 53 specimens of T. ryckmani were found. Most T. ryckmani (68.5%) were unfed. Ants (Formicidae) were the predominant (92.2%) insect taxon in T. xerographica. Other insects such as Blattidae (3.0%), Reduviidae (T. ryckmani: 2.5%), Blaberidae (2.2%), Gryllidae (0.1%), and Acrididae (0.1%) were recorded in the bromeliads. T. xerographica is illegally commercialized without previous inspection. This may cause accidental introduction of T. ryckmani to houses and to other countries.

  9. An overview on the ecology of Triatominae (Hemiptera:Reduviidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galvão, Cleber; Justi, Silvia A

    2015-11-01

    Chagas disease, the American trypanosomiasis, is an important neglected tropical illness caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) and transmitted by insects of the subfamily Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Here we provide an overview on the current knowledge about Triatominae ecology, its association with human, T. cruzi infection and the immediate consequences of habitat fragmentation. We also discuss the geographic distribution of the species and the importance of predicting their distributions to control programs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Levantamento da fauna de Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae em ambiente domiciliar e infecção natural por Trypanosomatidae no Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul Survey of Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae fauna in domestic environments and natural infection by Trypanosomatidae in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul

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    Paulo Silva de Almeida

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Entre 2000 a 2004, foi realizado levantamento da fauna de Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae e exame de infecção natural por Trypanosomatidae, no Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul. Um total de 13.671 espécimes foram capturados. Na análise faunística das espécies capturadas, Triatoma sordida foi caracterizada como muito abundante, muito freqüente, constante e dominante. Os índices de infecção natural para Trypanosoma cruzi apresentaram os valores de 3,2% para Panstrongylus geniculatus, 0,6% para Rhodnius neglectus e 0,1% para Triatoma sordida, apesar do Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul apresentar-se livre da transmissão vetorial endêmica.Between 2000 and 2004, a survey of Triatominae fauna (Hemiptera: Reduviidae and examination of natural infection caused by Trypanosomatidae in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, was conducted. A total of 13,671 specimens were collected. Through fauna analysis on the insects that were caught, Triatoma sordida was characterized as very abundant, very frequent, constant and dominant. The rates of natural infection with Trypanosoma cruzi were 3.2% for Panstrongylus geniculatus, 0.6% for Rhodnius neglectus and 0.1% for Triatoma sordida. Nevertheless, the State of Mato Grosso do Sul is free from endemic vector transmission.

  11. Predation of Apiomerus pilipes (Fabricius (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorinae, Apiomerini over Meliponinae bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, in the State of Amazonas, Brazil

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    Alexandre Coletto da Silva

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available The present work shows the occurrence of an intense predatory activity on adults working Meliponinae bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, by Apiomerus pilipes (Fabricius, 1787 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorinae, Apiomerini at a meliponary in the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA, Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil.O presente trabalho registra a ocorrência de intensa atividade predatória de Apiomerus pilipes (Fabricius, 1787 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorini, Apiomerini sobre operárias adultas de meliponíneos (Hymenoptera, Apidae, no meliponário experimental do Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA, Manaus, Estado do Amazonas, Brasil. O meliponário se encontra num fragmento de vegetação secundária no próprio INPA.

  12. Management of chili pepper root rot and wilt (caused by <em>Phytophthora nicotianae>) by grafting onto resistant rootstock

    OpenAIRE

    Mourad SAADOUN; Mohamed Bechir ALLAGUI

    2013-01-01

    Root rot and plant wilting caused by Phytophthora nicotianae is a severe disease of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in open fields and under greenhouse production in Tunisia. Chili pepper grafting for disease manage- ment is attracting increased interest in recent years. Using the tube grafting technique, different compatible scion/rootstock combinations were obtained with the wild-type pepper SCM334 and the local chili pepper cultivars ‘Beldi’ and ‘Baker’. SCM334 was resistant to P. nicoti...

  13. Manduca sexta recognition and resistance among allopolyploid Nicotiana host plants

    OpenAIRE

    Lou, Yonggen; Baldwin, Ian T.

    2003-01-01

    Allopolyploid speciation occurs instantly when the genomes of different species combine to produce self-fertile offspring and has played a central role in the evolution of higher plants, but its consequences for adaptive responses are unknown. We compare herbivore-recognition and -resistance responses of the diploid species and putative ancestral parent Nicotiana attenuata with those of the two derived allopolyploid species Nicotiana clevelandii and Nicotiana bigelovii. Manduca sexta larvae a...

  14. Genomes and virulence difference between two physiological races of Phytophthora nicotianae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hui; Ma, Xiao; Yu, Haiqin; Fang, Dunhuang; Li, Yongping; Wang, Xiao; Wang, Wen; Dong, Yang; Xiao, Bingguang

    2016-01-01

    Black shank is a severe plant disease caused by the soil-borne pathogen Phytophthora nicotianae. Two physiological races of P. nicotianae, races 0 and 1, are predominantly observed in cultivated tobacco fields around the world. Race 0 has been reported to be more aggressive, having a shorter incubation period, and causing worse root rot symptoms, while race 1 causes more severe necrosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the difference in virulence between race 0 and 1 remain elusive. We assembled and annotated the genomes of P. nicotianae races 0 and 1, which were obtained by a combination of PacBio single-molecular real-time sequencing and second-generation sequencing (both HiSeq and MiSeq platforms). Gene family analysis revealed a highly expanded ATP-binding cassette transporter gene family in P. nicotianae. Specifically, more RxLR effector genes were found in the genome of race 0 than in that of race 1. In addition, RxLR effector genes were found to be mainly distributed in gene-sparse, repeat-rich regions of the P. nicotianae genome. These results provide not only high quality reference genomes of P. nicotianae, but also insights into the infection mechanisms of P. nicotianae and its co-evolution with the host plant. They also reveal insights into the difference in virulence between the two physiological races.

  15. Flight Muscle Dimorphism and Heterogeneity in Flight Initiation of Field-Collected Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

    OpenAIRE

    Gurevitz, Juan M.; Kitron, Uriel; Gürtler, Ricardo E.

    2007-01-01

    Recent experiments demonstrated that most field-collected Triatoma infestans (Klug) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) adults from northern Argentina either never initiated flight or did so repeatedly in both sexes. This pattern could not be explained by sex, adult age, weight, weight-to-length ratio (W/L), or chance. We examined whether bugs that never initiated flight possessed developed flight muscles, and whether flight muscle mass relative to total body mass (FMR) was related to the probability of ...

  16. Fungal flora of the digestive tract of Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae from Argentina Flora fúngica de tractos digestivos en Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae en Argentina

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    G. A. Marti

    Full Text Available A survey of the fungal microbiota of the digestive tract of Triatoma infestans (Klug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae adults was carried out. Insects captured in the field from different provinces in Argentina, as well as individuals reared in artificial colonies, were used for dissection. Axenic cultures of the fungal species were identified and were deposited with mycological collections at La Plata , Argentina. A total of 33 fungal species, with the exception of three that were mycelia sterilia, belonging to 11 genera were identified. Thirty two species belonged to Ascomycota (Eurotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes and one to Zygomycota (Zygomycetes. The genera with the greatest number of species were Penicillium (15, Aspergillus (5, and Cladosporium (2. Among the isolated fungi, some of the species were entomopathogenic or pathogens of humans and other animals.En el presente estudio se realizó un relevamiento de la flora fúngica microbiana en tractos digestivos de adultos de Triatoma infestans (Klug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae. Se disecaron insectos capturados del campo en diferentes provincias Argentinas, así como también se utilizaron individuos de una colonia artificial. Fueron realizados cultivos axénicos de las especies fúngicas aisladas, los que fueron identificados y luego depositados en las colecciones de hongos entomopatógenos del CEPAVE La Plata , Argentina. Fueron identificadas 33 especies fúngicas perteneciente a 11 géneros. Treinta y dos especies pertenecen a Ascomycota (Eurotiomycetes y Sordariomycetes y una a Zygomycota (Zygomycetes. Los géneros con mayor número de especies fueron Penicillium (15, Aspergillus (5, y Cladosporium (2. Entre los aislamientos fúngicos, algunas de las especies encontradas son entomopatogénicas o patógenas de humanos y otros animales.

  17. Phylogenetic fragrance patterns in Nicotiana sections Alatae and Suaveolentes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raguso, Robert A; Schlumpberger, Boris O; Kaczorowski, Rainee L; Holtsford, Timothy P

    2006-09-01

    We analyzed floral volatiles from eight tobacco species (Nicotiana; Solanaceae) including newly discovered Brazilian taxa (Nicotiana mutabilis and "Rastroensis") in section Alatae. Eighty-four compounds were found, including mono- and sesquiterpenoids, nitrogenous compounds, benzenoid and aliphatic alcohols, aldehydes and esters. Floral scent from recent accessions of Nicotiana alata, Nicotiana bonariensis and Nicotiana langsdorffii differed from previously published data, suggesting intraspecific variation in scent composition at the level of biosynthetic class. Newly discovered taxa in Alatae, like their relatives, emit large amounts of 1,8-cineole and smaller amounts of monoterpenes on a nocturnal rhythm, constituting a chemical synapomorphy for this lineage. Fragrance data from three species of Nicotiana sect. Suaveolentes, the sister group of Alatae, (two Australian species: N. cavicola, N. ingulba; one African species: N. africana), were compared to previously reported data from their close relative, N. suaveolens. Like N. suaveolens, N. cavicola and N. ingulba emit fragrances dominated by benzenoids and phenylpropanoids, whereas the flowers of N. africana lacked a distinct floral scent and instead emitted only small amounts of an aliphatic methyl ester from foliage. Interestingly, this ester also is emitted from foliage of N. longiflora and N. plumbaginifolia (both in section Alatae s.l.), which share a common ancestor with N. africana. This result, combined with the synapomorphic pattern of 1,8 cineole emission in Alatae s.s., suggests that phylogenetic signal explains a major component of fragrance composition among tobacco species in sections Alatae and Suaveolentes. At the intraspecific level, interpopulational scent variation is widespread in sect. Alatae, and may reflect edaphic specialization, introgression, local pollinator shifts, genetic drift or artificial selection in cultivation. Further studies with genetically and geographically well

  18. Primer registro de Triatoma infestans (Klug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae asociado a nidos de loros barranqueros (Cyanoliseus patagonus (Aves: Psittacidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María L. HERNÁNDEZ

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Triatoma infestans es el vector más importante de la enfermedad de Chagas de la Argentina. Se cita por primera vez la presencia de T. infestans (Klug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae asociado a nidos de loro barranquero Cyanoliseus patagonus (Psittasiformes: Psittacidae construidos en viviendas de adobe abandonadas. Se discuten las posibles implicancias de este hallazgo para la vigilancia entomológica del vector.

  19. Sincronización de Células de Tabaco (Nicotiana tabacum) NT-1 Synchronization of tobacco cells (Nicotiana tabacum) NT-1

    OpenAIRE

    León F Ruiz; Ana E Higareda; Marco A Pardo

    2010-01-01

    Se ha evaluado la capacidad sincronizante de afidicolina e hidroxiurea en cultivos de células de tabaco (Nicotiana tabacum) NT-1. Los cultivos sincronizados son poderosas herramientas en estudios moleculares y bioquímicos relacionados al ciclo celular y comúnmente se utilizan químicos para bloquear el ciclo celular. La línea celular de tabaco (Nicotiana tabacum) NT-1 proviene de la línea celular TBY-2, caracterizándose NT-1 por su menor velocidad de crecimiento y tamaño celular heterogéneo. L...

  20. Alguns aspectos da biologia de Triatoma pseudomaculata Corrêa & Espínola, 1964, em condições de laboratório (Hemiptera:Reduviidae:Triatominae

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    Teresa Cristina M Gonçalves

    1997-03-01

    Full Text Available Biology of Triatoma pseudomaculata Corrêa & Espínola, 1964, under Laboratory Conditions (Hemiptera:Reduviidae:Triatominae - Observations were made on the evolutive cycle of Triatoma pseudomaculata, held under laboratory conditions, fed weekly on bird (pigeon. Of 60 eggs obtained, only 34 nymphs reached the adult stage in a period of X(S=398±76 days. The following parameters were observed: the time immature stages took to develop from egg to adult emergence; the occurrence of the first meal; the time-lapse between the presenting of the blood-meal and the begining of feeding; time of feeding; amount of blood ingested; variation of weight 24 hr after the blood-meal and until the next blood-meal; and the defecation pattern. The experiment was carried out for 20 months, held in BOD incubator with the average of temperature and humidity of 28±1ºC and 80±5% RU, respectively

  1. A new species of Klabonosa Bouček (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) reared from eggs of Endochus sp. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) from India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Ankita; Yeshwanth, H M; Sureshan, P M

    2018-04-23

    The genus Klabonosa Bouček (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) is recorded for the first time from the Oriental region, with both sexes of K. indica Gupta, Sureshan Yeshwanth sp. n. reared from eggs of the assassin bug Endochus sp. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) on Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. (Moraceae). The male is formally described and illustrated for the first time for the genus.

  2. Genetic analysis of Phytophthora nicotianae populations from different hosts using microsatellite markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Two hundred thirty-one isolates of P. nicotianae representing 14 populations from different host genera, including agricultural crops (Citrus, Nicotiana, and Lycopersicon), potted ornamental species in nurseries (Lavandula, Convolvulus, Myrtus, Correa and Ruta) and other plant genera of lesser econo...

  3. Nicotiana glauca poisoning in ostriches (Struthio camelus)

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Botha, CJ

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Putative Nicotiana glauca (wild tobacco) poisoning was diagnosed in a flock of ostriches near Oudtshoorn, South Africa. Post mortem examinations (n = 7) were performed on ostriches (Struthio camelus) that had died. Suspicious leaf remnants (weighing...

  4. Efecto de la alternación de fuentes sanguíneas sobre la fecundidad y la fertilidad de Rhodnius prolixus Stal (Heteroptera: Reduviidae

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    Elis José Aldana

    2009-04-01

    blood ingested and the fecundity were differents according to alternation of blood sources offered in each meal. A linear relation was found between the fecundity and the time of oviposition in every alternation of meal sources. On the other hand there was a slope increase in the second feeding of every experiment. The fertility was above 95% in each experiment. Efeito da alternação de fontes sanguíneas sobre fecundidade e fertilidade de Rhodnius prolixus Stal (Heteroptera ReduviidaeNeste trabalho evidencia-se que o sucesso reprodutivo de Rhodnius prolixus Stal esta relacionado à fonte alimentícia, então as necessidades biológicas do inseto são satisfeitas em modos diferentes segundo o tipo de alternância entre ditas fontes de alimentação; tais diferenças são reveladas mediante mudanças em fertilidade e fecundidade do inseto. Realizaram-se nove testes, em cada um foram subministradas duas alimentações, sendo que em alguns foi alternada a fonte de alimentação e nos controles foram subministradas duas alimentações com a mesma fonte. As fontes alimentícias foram pomba, galinha e humano, esta ultima mediante um aparelho de alimentação artificial; estas fontes foram escolhidas no suposto que são fontes alimentícias encontradas nos ecótopos silvestres, peridomicilio e domicilio respectivamente. Em todos os tipos de alternância foi encontrada uma relação lineal entre a fecundidade e o tempo de oviposição, que a relação entre quantidade de sangue ingerida e a fecundidade variam, que a taxa de fecundidade aumenta na segunda alimentação respeito à primeira e que a fertilidade foi superior ao 95%.

  5. Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina. Pseudoseisura lophotes Reichenbach, 1853 and Anumbius annumbi (Vieillot, 1817) (Aves: Furnariidae), hosts of Triatoma platensis Neiva, 1913 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paola, Turienzo

    2014-02-24

    The insect fauna of the nests of Pseudoseisura lophotes (Reichenbach, 1853) (Aves: Furnariidae) from Argentina was investigated. A total of 110 species (68 identified to species, 22 identified to genus, 20 identified to family) in 40 families of 10 orders of insects was found in these nests. Triatoma platensis Neiva, 1913 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) was found again in nests of P. lophotes, corroborating after 73 years the first observations made by Mazza in 1936. The occurrence of the insects in nests of P. lophotes is compared with the previously known insect fauna in nests of A. annumbi, Furnarius rufus (Furnariidae), and Myiopsitta monachus (Psittacidae). The insect fauna in additional nests of Anumbius annumbi from the same and/or different localities is given, and used in comparisons. The first occurrence of Cuterebridae (Diptera) in birds' nests, their pupae as the overwintering stage, and the second simultaneous infestation by two species of Philornis (Diptera: Muscidae) on the same nestlings are presented. Other simultaneous infestations of different hematophagous arthropods (Hemiptera: Cimidae; Reduviidae: Triatominae, and Acari: Argasidae) are remarked and discussed.

  6. Melt With This Kiss: Paralyzing and Liquefying Venom of The Assassin Bug Pristhesancus plagipennis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Andrew A; Madio, Bruno; Jin, Jiayi; Undheim, Eivind A B; Fry, Bryan G; King, Glenn F

    2017-04-01

    Assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) are venomous insects, most of which prey on invertebrates. Assassin bug venom has features in common with venoms from other animals, such as paralyzing and lethal activity when injected, and a molecular composition that includes disulfide-rich peptide neurotoxins. Uniquely, this venom also has strong liquefying activity that has been hypothesized to facilitate feeding through the narrow channel of the proboscis-a structure inherited from sap- and phloem-feeding phytophagous hemipterans and adapted during the evolution of Heteroptera into a fang and feeding structure. However, further understanding of the function of assassin bug venom is impeded by the lack of proteomic studies detailing its molecular composition.By using a combined transcriptomic/proteomic approach, we show that the venom proteome of the harpactorine assassin bug Pristhesancus plagipennis includes a complex suite of >100 proteins comprising disulfide-rich peptides, CUB domain proteins, cystatins, putative cytolytic toxins, triabin-like protein, odorant-binding protein, S1 proteases, catabolic enzymes, putative nutrient-binding proteins, plus eight families of proteins without homology to characterized proteins. S1 proteases, CUB domain proteins, putative cytolytic toxins, and other novel proteins in the 10-16-kDa mass range, were the most abundant venom components. Thus, in addition to putative neurotoxins, assassin bug venom includes a high proportion of enzymatic and cytolytic venom components likely to be well suited to tissue liquefaction. Our results also provide insight into the trophic switch to blood-feeding by the kissing bugs (Reduviidae: Triatominae). Although some protein families such as triabins occur in the venoms of both predaceous and blood-feeding reduviids, the composition of venoms produced by these two groups is revealed to differ markedly. These results provide insights into the venom evolution in the insect suborder

  7. [Development of Rhodnius pictipes Stal, 1872 fed on mice and through a silicone membrane (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha, D da S; da Fonseca, A H; Costa, F A; Jurberg, J; Galvão, C

    1997-01-01

    Rhodnius pictipes (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) from Serra Norte, State of Pará, Brazil, acclimatized in an insectary at the Laboratório Nacional e Internacional de Referência em Taxonomia de Triatomíneos, Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, were fed through a silicone membrane. In order to know the viability and the efficiency of this membrane compared with insects fed on mice, the number of bloodmeals taken, period of development of the five nymphal instars, longevity of adults, average amount of blood intake in each meal and percent of mortality were observed. A total of 310 insects, were used, comprising 50 nymphs of each instar, as well as 30 male and 30 female adults. Insects fed artificially had reduced minimal and maximal periods of development than the group fed on mice. The largest relative increase of body weight was observed in the 2nd instar followed by the 1st, and the amount of blood ingested increased during the development, to the 5th instar for both groups. There were no significant differences between the groups fed artificially and in vivo according to Tukey's test for p > 0.05. The percent of mortality in the 1st instar was 18% for artificially fed and 16% for the group fed on mice; these percentages decreased as insects developed until the 4th instar, without mortality, returning to increase in the 5th instar. R. pictipes was shown to be easily adaptable to artificial feeding, and could be considered as an important and viable experimental model.

  8. Sincronización de Células de Tabaco (Nicotiana tabacum) NT-1

    OpenAIRE

    Ruiz, León F; Higareda, Ana E; Pardo, Marco A

    2010-01-01

    Se ha evaluado la capacidad sincronizante de afidicolina e hidroxiurea en cultivos de células de tabaco (Nicotiana tabacum) NT-1. Los cultivos sincronizados son poderosas herramientas en estudios moleculares y bioquímicos relacionados al ciclo celular y comúnmente se utilizan químicos para bloquear el ciclo celular. La línea celular de tabaco (Nicotiana tabacum) NT-1 proviene de la línea celular TBY-2, caracterizándose NT-1 por su menor velocidad de crecimiento y tamaño celular heterogéneo. L...

  9. First observation of alternative food usage (extrafloral nectar by the assassin bug Atopozelus opsimus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Assassin bugs (Reduviidae are voracious insects that prey on other arthropods. Recent evidences have pointed out that these predators also feed on plant derived substances in rare opportunities. The present study describes the feeding behavior of the reduviid Atopozelus opsimus on extrafloral nectaries of Inga vera (Fabaceae in a Neotropical savanna area. It was investigated if the insects feed more frequently of extrafloral nectar or prey, and if individuals of different stages of development vary according to feeding behavior. Notably, the results suggest that the diet of all instars and adults consist mainly of extrafloral nectar (N = 1013, in detriment of captured prey ingestion (N = 18. Also, there was no variation on feeding behavior and life stage.

  10. Stomatal Closure and SA-, JA/ET-Signaling Pathways Are Essential for Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 to Restrict Leaf Disease Caused by Phytophthora nicotianae in Nicotiana benthamiana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liming Wu

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 is a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium that induces resistance to a broad spectrum of pathogens. This study analyzed the mechanism by which FZB42 restricts leaf disease caused by Phytophthora nicotianae in Nicotiana benthamiana. The oomycete foliar pathogen P. nicotianae is able to reopen stomata which had been closed by the plant innate immune response to initiate penetration and infection. Here, we showed that root colonization by B. amyloliquefaciens FZB42 restricted pathogen-mediated stomatal reopening in N. benthamiana. Abscisic acid (ABA and salicylic acid (SA-regulated pathways mediated FZB42-induced stomatal closure after pathogen infection. Moreover, the defense-related genes PR-1a, LOX, and ERF1, involved in the SA and jasmonic acid (JA/ethylene (ET signaling pathways, respectively, were overexpressed, and levels of the hormones SA, JA, and ET increased in the leaves of B. amyloliquefaciens FZB42-treated wild type plants. Disruption of one of these three pathways in N. benthamiana plants increased susceptibility to the pathogen. These suggest that SA- and JA/ET-dependent signaling pathways were important in plant defenses against the pathogen. Our data thus explain a biocontrol mechanism of soil rhizobacteria in a plant.

  11. Levantamento entomofaunístico de artrópodes em algodoeiro de fibra naturalmente colorida em Ipanguaçu-RN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bárbara Karine de Albuquerque Silva

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Objetivou-se com esta pesquisa identificar a diversidade de artrópodes associados à cultura do algodão Gossypium hirsutum L. com pluma colorida, sendo realizados levantamentos entomofaunístico em Ipanguaçu-RN em áreas de produção. A área experimental foi composta por 15 variedades de algodão com pluma colorida: CNPA 2009-6; CNPA 2009-11; CNPA 2009-13; CNPA 2009-16; CNPA 2009-27; CNPA 2009-42; CNPA 2009-47; CNPA 2009-48; CNPA 2009-50; CNPA 2009-59; CNPA 2009-60; CNPA 2009-62; BRS RUBI; BRS AROEIRA; BRS TOPÁZIO. O levantamento foi realizado tendo como base três métodos de coleta ativa em pontos aleatórios da área experimental. As coletas consistiram da retirada manual de folhas e maçãs diretamente da planta, além da captura de insetos em pleno voo, com auxílio de rede entomológica. Foram encontrados um total 1884 insetos adultos e 66 larvas, dispostos em 8 ordens e 22 famílias. A família Aphididae: Hemiptera foi a mais numerosa entre o material coletado, com 1720 adultos dispersos nos três métodos de coleta aplicados. Além desta, outras famílias de pragas da cultura foram encontradas, como Curculionidae: Coleoptera. Também foram coletados organismos benéficos como os polinizadores Aphidae e Megachilidae, pertencentes a ordem Hymenoptera, predadores (Coccinellidae: Coleoptera; Vespidae: Hymenoptera; Reduviidae: Hemiptera; Chrysopidae: Neuroptera e Labiidae: Dermaptera e parasitoides, como os microhimenópteros. Foram encontrados três tipos de larvas, sendo classificadas como curculioniforme as mais numerosas, apresentando um total de 57 espécimes coletados.Entomofaunistic survey of artropods in naturally colored cotton fiber in Ipanguaçu-RNAbstract: The objective of this research was to identify the diversity of arthropods associated with cotton crop Gossypium hirsutum L. with colorful plume, it was conducted entomofaunístico survey in Ipanguaçu-RN in production areas. The experimental area was composed of 15 cotton

  12. Effect of Radiation Dosage on Efficiency of Chloroplast Transfer by Protoplast Fusion in Nicotiana

    OpenAIRE

    Menczel, László; Galiba, Gábor; Nagy, Ferenc; Maliga, Pál

    1982-01-01

    Chloroplasts of Nicotiana tabacum SR1 were transferred into Nicotiana plumbaginifolia by protoplast fusion. The protoplasts of the organelle donor were irradiated with different lethal doses using a 60Co source, to facilitate the elimination of their nuclei from the fusion products. After fusion induction, clones derived from fusion products and containing streptomycin-resistant N. tabacum SR1 chloroplasts were selected by their ability to green on a selective medium. When N. tabacum protopla...

  13. Characterization of Phytophthora nicotianae isolates in southeast Spain and their detection and quantification through a real-time TaqMan PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaya, Josefa; Lacasa, Carmen; Lacasa, Alfredo; Martínez, Victoriano; Santísima-Trinidad, Ana B; Pascual, Jose A; Ros, Margarita

    2015-04-01

    The soil-borne pathogens Phytophthora nicotianae and P. capsici are the causal agents of root and stem rot of many plant species. Although P. capsici was considered the causal agent in one of the main pepper production areas of Spain to date, evidence of the presence of P. nicotianae was found. We aimed to survey the presence of P. nicotianae and study the variability in its populations in this area in order to improve the management of Tristeza disease. A new specific primer and a TaqMan probe were designed based on the internal transcribed spacer regions of ribosomal DNA to detect and quantify P. nicotianae. Both morphological and molecular analysis showed its presence and confirmed it to be the causal agent of the Phytophthora disease symptoms in the studied area. The genetic characterization among P. nicotianae populations showed a low variability of genetic diversity among the isolates. Only isolates of the A2 mating type were detected. Not only is a specific and early detection of P. nicotianae essential but also the study of genetic variability among isolates for the appropriate management of the disease, above all, in producing areas with favorable conditions for the advance of the disease. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  14. Ecological Roles and Biological Activities of Specialized Metabolites from the Genus Nicotiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jassbi, Amir Reza; Zare, Somayeh; Asadollahi, Mojtaba; Schuman, Meredith C

    2017-10-11

    Species of Nicotiana grow naturally in different parts of the world and have long been used both medicinally and recreationally by human societies. More recently in our history, Nicotiana tabacum has attracted interest as one of the most economically important industrial crops. Nicotiana species are frequently investigated for their bioactive natural products, and the ecological role of their specialized metabolites in responses to abiotic stress or biotic stress factors like pathogens and herbivores. The interest of tobacco companies in genetic information as well as the success of a few wild tobacco species as experimental model organisms have resulted in growing knowledge about the molecular biology and ecology of these plants and functional studies of the plant's natural products. Although a large number of reviews and books on biologically active natural products already exists, mostly from N. tabacum, we focus our attention on the ecological roles and biological activity of natural products, versus products from cured and processed material, in this Review. The studied compounds include alkaloids, aromatic compounds, flavonoids, volatiles, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenes alcohols, and sugar esters from trichomes of the plants, and recently characterized acyclic hydroxygeranyllinalool diterpene glycosides (HGL-DTGs). In this Review (1800s-2017), we describe the above-mentioned classes of natural products, emphasizing their biological activities and functions as they have been determined either in bioassay-guided purification approaches or in bioassays with plants in which the expression of specific biosynthetic genes has been genetically manipulated. Additionally, a review on the history, taxonomy, ecology, and medicinal application of different Nicotiana species growing around the globe presented in this Review may be of interest for pharmacognosists, natural products, and ecological chemists.

  15. Acute toxicity of tobacco ( Nicotiana tobaccum ) leaf dust on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Experiments were conducted using dry tobacco (Nicotiana tobaccum) leaves aqueous extract to determine the acute toxicity and sub lethal effects on some haematological indices of Oreochromis niloticus using static renewable bioassay method. The extract was found to be toxic with a 48-h LC50 value of 109.6 mg/l.

  16. Simultaneous detection and quantification of Phytophthora nicotianae and P. cactorum, and distribution analyses in strawberry greenhouses by duplex real-time PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Mingzhu; Inada, Minoru; Watanabe, Hideki; Suga, Haruhisa; Kageyama, Koji

    2013-01-01

    Phytophthora nicotianae and P. cactorum cause Phytophthora rot of strawberry. A duplex real-time PCR technique for simultaneous detection and quantification of the two pathogens was developed. Species-specific primers for P. nicotianae and P. cactorum were designed based on the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of rDNA and the ras-related protein gene Ypt1, respectively. TaqMan probes were labeled with FAM for P. nicotianae and HEX for P. cactorum. Specificities were demonstrated using 52 isolates, including various soil-borne pathogens. Sensitivities for P. nicotianae and P. cactorum DNAs were 10 fg and 1 pg, respectively. The technique was applied to naturally infested soil and root samples; the two pathogens were detected and the target DNA concentrations were quantified. Significant correlations of DNA quantities in roots and the surrounding soils were found. The minimum soil DNA concentration predicting the development of disease symptoms was estimated as 20 pg (g soil)(-1). In three strawberry greenhouses examined, the target DNA concentrations ranged from 1 to 1,655 pg (g soil)(-1) for P. nicotianae and from 13 to 233 pg (g soil)(-1) for P. cactorum. The method proved fast and reliable, and provides a useful tool to monitor P. nicotianae and P. cactorum in plants or soils.

  17. Manduca sexta recognition and resistance among allopolyploid Nicotiana host plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lou, Yonggen; Baldwin, Ian T.

    2003-01-01

    Allopolyploid speciation occurs instantly when the genomes of different species combine to produce self-fertile offspring and has played a central role in the evolution of higher plants, but its consequences for adaptive responses are unknown. We compare herbivore-recognition and -resistance responses of the diploid species and putative ancestral parent Nicotiana attenuata with those of the two derived allopolyploid species Nicotiana clevelandii and Nicotiana bigelovii. Manduca sexta larvae attack all three species, and in N. attenuata attack is recognized when larval oral secretions are introduced to wounds during feeding, resulting in a jasmonate burst, a systemic amplification of trypsin inhibitor accumulation, and a release of volatile organic compounds, which function as a coordinated defense response that slows caterpillar growth and increases the probability of their being attacked. Most aspects of this recognition response are retained with modifications in one allotetraploid (N. bigelovii) but lost in the other (N. clevelandii). Differences between diploid and tetraploid species were apparent in delays (maximum 1 and 0.5 h, respectively) in the jasmonate burst, the elicitation of trypsin inhibitors and release of volatile organic compounds, and the constitutive levels of nicotine, trypsin inhibitors, diterpene glycosides, rutin, and caffeoylputrescine in the leaves. Resistance to M. sexta larvae attack was most strongly associated with diterpene glycosides, which were higher in the diploid than in the two allotetraploid species. Because M. sexta elicitors differentially regulate a large proportion of the N. attenuata transcriptome, we propose that these species are suited for the study of the evolution of adaptive responses requiring trans-activation mechanisms. PMID:14530394

  18. Differences in the Detoxification Metabolism between Two clonal Lineages of the Aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer (Hemiptera: Aphididae Reared on Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. Diferencias en el Metabolismo de Detoxificación entre dos Linajes Clonales del Áfido Myzus persicae (Sulzer (Hemiptera: Aphididae creados sobre tabaco (Nicotiana tabacum L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco A Cabrera-Brandt

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Myzus persicae (Sulzer is a highly polyphagous aphid species, with a subspecies (M. persicae nicotianae well adapted to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.. We evaluated the effect of this host plant on the aphid performance and detoxification enzymes, in order to test the participation of xenobiotic metabolism on the ability of this aphid to overcome the tobacco chemical defences. Two genotypes, one corresponding to the only M. persicae nicotianae genotype reported in Chile on tobacco, and one genotype belonging to M. persicae sensu stricto were reared on tobacco and pepper (Capsicum annuum L., respectively. M. persicae nicotianae showed a significantly higher intrinsic rate of increase (r m on pepper than on tobacco, and M. persicae s.s. performed similarly, but with no reproduction at all on tobacco. In order to evaluate the effect of tobacco on detoxification enzymes, esterases, glutathione S-transferases (GST and cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases (MO were determined in both selected aphid genotypes after 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 h of rearing on tobacco and pepper. M. persicae nicotianae exhibited the higher total esterase activities when reared on tobacco than on pepper after 48 h of rearing, while the activities of GST and MO did not show any significant difference between host-plants and duration of treatment. For M. persicae s.s., no significant differences were observed among host-plants for the studied enzymes. These results suggest a participation of the esterases, on the ability of this M. persicae nicotianae to overcome the tobacco defences.Myzus persicae (Sulzer es un áfido polífago que incluye a Myzus persicae nicotianae, una subespecie altamente adaptada sobre tabaco (Nicotiana tabacum L.. Evaluamos el efecto del tabaco sobre el desempeño biológico y sobre determinadas enzimas de detoxificación en áfidos, para estudiar su participación en la capacidad de M. persicae nicotianae de superar las defensas químicas del tabaco. Dos

  19. Some physiological aspects of nitrate reductase-deficient Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saux, C.; Morot-Gaudry, J.F.; Lemoine, Y.; Caboche, M.

    1986-01-01

    Chlorate-resistant Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (cv. Viviani) mutants were found to be defective in the nitrate reductase apoprotein (NR - nia). Because they could not grow with nitrate as sole nitrogen source, they were cultivated as graftings on wild type Nicotiana tabacum. The grafts of NR - plants were found to contain less malate but more amino acids, sugars and starch than the wild type. Moreover they were chlorotic, with a slight increase of the proportion of LH Chl a/b protein complexes and they exhibited a lowering of the efficiency of energy transfer between the light-harvesting complexes and the active centers. After 14 CO 2 pulse and chase experiments. The total 14 C incorporation of the mutant leaves was approximately 20% of that of the control. The NR - leaves mainly accumulated 14 C in the whole intermediates of the Calvin-cycle and in sucrose. In the most deficient NR leaves, chloroplasts were stuffed with large starch inclusions disorganizing the lamellar system

  20. Some physiological aspects of nitrate reductase-deficient Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saux, C.; Morot-Gaudry, J.F.; Lemoine, Y.; Caboche, M.

    1986-04-01

    Chlorate-resistant Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (cv. Viviani) mutants were found to be defective in the nitrate reductase apoprotein (NR/sup -/ nia). Because they could not grow with nitrate as sole nitrogen source, they were cultivated as graftings on wild type Nicotiana tabacum. The grafts of NR/sup -/ plants were found to contain less malate but more amino acids, sugars and starch than the wild type. Moreover they were chlorotic, with a slight increase of the proportion of LH Chl a/b protein complexes and they exhibited a lowering of the efficiency of energy transfer between the light-harvesting complexes and the active centers. After /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ pulse and chase experiments. The total /sup 14/C incorporation of the mutant leaves was approximately 20% of that of the control. The NR/sup -/ leaves mainly accumulated /sup 14/C in the whole intermediates of the Calvin-cycle and in sucrose. In the most deficient NR leaves, chloroplasts were stuffed with large starch inclusions disorganizing the lamellar system.

  1. Molecular characterization of natural hybrids of Phytophthora nicotianae and P. cactorum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bonants, P.J.M.; Hagenaar-de Weerdt, M.; Man in 't Veld, W.A.; Baayen, R.P.

    2000-01-01

    Hybrid isolates of Phytophthora nicotianae x P. cactorum from five different hosts (Cyclamen, Lavandula, Lewisia, Primula, and Spathiphyllum spp.) were identified by their atypical morphology and their well-defined heterozygous isozyme patterns. The hybrid nature of these isolates was tested by

  2. An Examination of the Plastid DNA of Hypohaploid Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cannon, Gordon C.; Van, K. Tran Thanh; Heinhorst, Sabine; Trinh, T. H.; Weissbach, Arthur

    1989-01-01

    DNA was extracted from different morphological types of hypohaploid Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants. The cellular levels of chloroplast DNA (expressed as percent of total DNA) were found to be approximately two- to threefold higher in two albino hypohaploids than in a green hypohaploid. The level of chloroplast DNA in the green hypohaploid was not significantly different from either in vitro or in vivo grown haploid N. plumbaginifolia plants. Molecular hybridization with DNA probes for the large subunit of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase from spinach and with Pvull fragments representing the entire Nicotiana tabacum chloroplast genome revealed no gross qualitative differences in the chloroplast DNAs of hypohaploid plants. Based on these observations we have concluded that the lack of chloroplast function observed in the albino forms of hypohaploid N. plumbaginifolia plants is not due to changes in the chloroplast genome. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:16666781

  3. SolCyc: a database hub at the Sol Genomics Network (SGN) for the manual curation of metabolic networks in Solanum and Nicotiana specific databases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foerster, Hartmut; Bombarely, Aureliano; Battey, James N D; Sierro, Nicolas; Ivanov, Nikolai V; Mueller, Lukas A

    2018-01-01

    Abstract SolCyc is the entry portal to pathway/genome databases (PGDBs) for major species of the Solanaceae family hosted at the Sol Genomics Network. Currently, SolCyc comprises six organism-specific PGDBs for tomato, potato, pepper, petunia, tobacco and one Rubiaceae, coffee. The metabolic networks of those PGDBs have been computationally predicted by the pathologic component of the pathway tools software using the manually curated multi-domain database MetaCyc (http://www.metacyc.org/) as reference. SolCyc has been recently extended by taxon-specific databases, i.e. the family-specific SolanaCyc database, containing only curated data pertinent to species of the nightshade family, and NicotianaCyc, a genus-specific database that stores all relevant metabolic data of the Nicotiana genus. Through manual curation of the published literature, new metabolic pathways have been created in those databases, which are complemented by the continuously updated, relevant species-specific pathways from MetaCyc. At present, SolanaCyc comprises 199 pathways and 29 superpathways and NicotianaCyc accounts for 72 pathways and 13 superpathways. Curator-maintained, taxon-specific databases such as SolanaCyc and NicotianaCyc are characterized by an enrichment of data specific to these taxa and free of falsely predicted pathways. Both databases have been used to update recently created Nicotiana-specific databases for Nicotiana tabacum, Nicotiana benthamiana, Nicotiana sylvestris and Nicotiana tomentosiformis by propagating verifiable data into those PGDBs. In addition, in-depth curation of the pathways in N.tabacum has been carried out which resulted in the elimination of 156 pathways from the 569 pathways predicted by pathway tools. Together, in-depth curation of the predicted pathway network and the supplementation with curated data from taxon-specific databases has substantially improved the curation status of the species–specific N.tabacum PGDB. The implementation of this

  4. Effect of lethal and sub-lethal concentrations of tobacco (Nicotiana ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Lethal and sub-lethal bioassays on Clarias gariepinus were conducted to evaluate the toxicity of tobacco (Nicotiana tobaccum) leaf dust on weight gain and haematological indices of Clarias gariepinus (mean weight 10.5±0.70g) in glass aquaria with aeration system. The concentrations used during the lethal exposure are: ...

  5. Omzettingen van koolhydraten in het blad van Nicotiana tabacum L.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tollenaar, D.

    1925-01-01

    Nicotiana tabacum L. was chosen as an experimental plant for several practical reasons. The plants were grown in large pots in a glasshouse at 22 °C and great humidity in February-March and September-October until 4 normal leaves were present. Each day at 16.00 h the plants were brought into

  6. Methylammonium-resistant mutants of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia are affected in nitrate transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godon, C; Krapp, A; Leydecker, M T; Daniel-Vedele, F; Caboche, M

    1996-02-25

    This work reports the isolation and preliminary characterization of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia mutants resistant to methylammonium. Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants cannot grow on low levels of nitrate in the presence of methylammonium. Methylammonium is not used as a nitrogen source, although it can be efficiently taken up by Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cells and converted into methylglutamine, an analog of glutamine. Glutamine is known to repress the expression of the enzymes that mediate the first two steps in the nitrate assimilatory pathway, nitrate reductase (NR) and nitrite reductase (NiR). Methylammonium has therefore been used, in combination with low concentrations of nitrate, as a selective agent in order to screen for mutants in which the nitrate pathway is de-repressed. Eleven semi-dominant mutants, all belonging to the same complementation group, were identified. The mutant showing the highest resistance to methylammonium was not affected either in the utilization of ammonium, accumulation of methylammonium or in glutamine synthase activity. A series of experiments showed that utilization of nitrite by the wild-type and the mutant was comparable, in the presence or the absence of methylammonium, thus suggesting that the mutation specifically affected nitrate transport or reduction. Although NR mRNA levels were less repressed by methylammonium treatment of the wild-type than the mutant, NR activities of the mutant remained comparable with or without methylammonium, leading to the hypothesis that modified expression of NR is probably not responsible for resistance to methylammonium. Methylammonium inhibited nitrate uptake in the wild-type but had only a limited effect in the mutant. The implications of these results are discussed.

  7. The stylar 120 kDa glycoprotein is required for S-specific pollen rejection in Nicotiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hancock, C Nathan; Kent, Lia; McClure, Bruce A

    2005-09-01

    S-RNase participates in at least three mechanisms of pollen rejection. It functions in S-specific pollen rejection (self-incompatibility) and in at least two distinct interspecific mechanisms of pollen rejection in Nicotiana. S-specific pollen rejection and rejection of pollen from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia also require additional stylar proteins. Transmitting-tract-specific (TTS) protein, 120 kDa glycoprotein (120K) and pistil extensin-like protein III (PELP III) are stylar glycoproteins that bind S-RNase in vitro and are also known to interact with pollen. Here we tested whether these glycoproteins have a direct role in pollen rejection. 120K shows the most polymorphism in size between Nicotiana species. Larger 120K-like proteins are often correlated with S-specific pollen rejection. Sequencing results suggest that the polymorphism primarily reflects differences in glycosylation, although indels also occur in the predicted polypeptides. Using RNA interference (RNAi), we suppressed expression of 120K to determine if it is required for S-specific pollen rejection. Transgenic SC N. plumbaginifolia x SI Nicotiana alata (S105S105 or SC10SC10) hybrids with no detectable 120K were unable to perform S-specific pollen rejection. Thus, 120K has a direct role in S-specific pollen rejection. However, suppression of 120K had no effect on rejection of N. plumbaginifolia pollen. In contrast, suppression of HT-B, a factor previously implicated in S-specific pollen rejection, disrupts rejection of N. plumbaginifolia pollen. Thus, S-specific pollen rejection and rejection of N. plumbaginifolia pollen are mechanistically distinct, because they require different non-S-RNase factors.

  8. Ecotope effect in Triatoma brasiliensis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) suggests phenotypic plasticity rather than adaptation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batista, V S P; Fernandes, F A; Cordeiro-Estrela, P; Sarquis, O; Lima, M M

    2013-09-01

    Triatoma brasiliensis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is an important vector of Chagas' disease in both sylvatic and peridomestic ecotopes. Discriminating between these populations of Triatominae has been proposed as a means of investigating re-infestation rates of human dwellings. Geometric morphometrics have been widely applied in the study of Triatominae polymorphisms at species and population levels. This study characterizes morphometric differences between sylvatic and peridomestic populations, as well as between sexes in T. brasiliensis specimens from Jaguaruana, Ceará, in northeastern Brazil. No differences in either the shape or size of the cephalic capsule were apparent between sexes or ecotopes. However, the wings showed differentiation in shape and size. Sexual dimorphism was detected, with females presenting significantly higher values and conformations. Size differentiation was also evident, with sylvatic specimens being generally larger than peridomestic examples. These results indicate that differences in the wings of T. brasiliensis may be related to the existence of phenotypic plasticity, and variations in size and shape may be associated with different ecotopes, possibly as a result of conditions in each micro-habitat, such as temperature, relative humidity, food supply and density. © 2012 The Royal Entomological Society.

  9. [A hydroponic cultivation system for rapid high-yield transient protein expression in Nicotiana plants under laboratory conditions].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mo, Qianzhen; Mai, Rongjia; Yang, Zhixiao; Chen, Minfang; Yang, Tiezhao; Lai, Huafang; Yang, Peiliang; Chen, Qiang; Zhou, Xiaohong

    2012-06-01

    To develop a hydroponic Nicotiana cultivation system for rapid and high-yield transient expression of recombinant proteins under laboratory conditions. To establish the hydroponic cultivation system, several parameters were examined to define the optimal conditions for the expression of recombinant proteins in plants. We used the green fluorescent protein (GFP) and the geminiviral plant transient expression vector as the model protein/expression vector. We examined the impact of Nicotiana species, the density and time of Agrobacterium infiltration, and the post-infiltration growth period on the accumulation of GFP. The expression levels of GFP in Nicotiana leaves were then examined by Western blotting and ELISA. Our data indicated that a hydroponic Nicotiana cultivation system with a light intensity of 9000 LX/layer, a light cycle of 16 h day/8 h night, a temperature regime of 28 degrees celsius; day/21 degrees celsius; night, and a relative humidity of 80% could support the optimal plant growth and protein expression. After agroinfiltration with pBYGFPDsRed.R/LBA4404, high levels of GFP expression were observed in both N. benthamiana and N. tobaccum (cv. Yuyan No.5) plants cultured with this hydroponic cultivation system. An optimal GFP expression was achieved in both Nicotiana species leaves 4 days after infiltration by Agrobacterium with an OD(600) of 0.8. At a given time point, the average biomass of N. tobaccum (cv. Yuyan No.5) was significantly higher than that of N. benthamiana. The leaves from 6-week-old N. benthamiana plants and 5-week-old N. tobaccum (cv. Yuyan No.5) plants could be the optimal material for agroinfiltration. We have established a hydroponic cultivation system that allows robust growth of N. benthamiana and N. tobaccum (cv. Yuyan No.5) plants and the optimal GFP expression in the artificial climate box.

  10. Ecological aspects of a Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae population in São Miguel do Iguaçu, PR./ Aspectos ecológicos da população de Cosmopolites sordidus, (Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae em São Miguel do Iguaçu, PR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristiane Rohde

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available The population dynamics of Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar was studied in banana crops (cultivar Nanicão at São Miguel do Iguaçu, PR, using roof-tile-like baits, between June/2003 and May/2004. Adults infected by entomopathogenic fungi were recorded, and predators were also found on the baits. A comparative bioassay was carried out between the Beauveria bassiana isolate obtained from the experiment area and from other regions in Brazil against C. sordidus adults. The population peaks of C. sordidus adults occurred in June and July, a period with mild temperatures and low precipitation. The population of C. sordidus larvae, however, was concentrated in December. The insect predators found in the area were insects of the following orders: Coleoptera (Carabidae, Dermaptera (Forficulidae, Hemiptera (Reduviidae, Hymenoptera (Formicidae, and spiders of the families Ctenidae, Clubionidae, and Lycosidae, with a population peak two months after the pest population peak. A low number of C. sordidus adults infected by B. bassiana was found, with an annual mean of 0.44%. In the laboratory, the B. bassiana isolates were pathogenic to the insects.Estudou-se a dinâmica populacional de Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar em cultivo de banana(cultivar Nanicão, em São Miguel do Iguaçu, PR, através de iscas do tipo telha, entre junho/2003 a maio/2004. Atribuiu-se conceito ao estado de conservação da isca, visando observar sua durabilidade e atratividade. Registraram-se adultos infectados por fungos entomopatogênicos, sendo também encontrados predadores nas iscas. Realizou-se um bioensaio com isolados de Beauveria bassiana da área experimental e de Centros de Pesquisa do Brasil, para avaliar a patogenicidade em C. sordidus. Verificou-se que os picos populacionais de adultos de C. sordidus ocorreram em junho e julho, período de temperaturas amenas e baixas precipitações, enquanto que as larvas foram mais abundantes em dezembro. Os insetos predadores

  11. Antinuclear human autoantibodies as markers in Nicotiana tabacum pollen tubes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Poggialini

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In the present paper we report on the use of antinuclear human autoantibodies as specific markers in Nicotiana tabacum pollen tubes. The antibodies have been tested by fluorescence techniques using a confocal laser scanning microscope. All the antibodies showed specifc labelling pattern and the results, although preliminary in nature, could open new perspectives of research.

  12. Nectar Sugar Modulation and Cell Wall Invertases in the Nectaries of Day- and Night- Flowering Nicotiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiedge, Kira; Lohaus, Gertrud

    2018-01-01

    Nectar composition varies between species, depending on flowering time and pollinator type, among others. Various models of the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying nectar production and secretion have been proposed. To gain insights into these mechanisms, day- and night-flowering tobacco ( Nicotiana ) species with high or low proportions of hexoses in the nectar were analyzed. Nectar and nectaries were simultaneously collected, throughout the day and night. Soluble sugars and starch were determined and the activity and expression level of cell wall invertase (CW-INVs) were measured in nectaries. Nectaries and nectar of the five Nicotiana species contained different amounts of sucrose, glucose, and fructose. CW-INV activity was detected in the nectaries of all Nicotiana species and is probably involved in the hydrolysis of sucrose in the nectary tissue and during nectar secretion. The larger differences in the sucrose-to-hexose-ratio between nectaries and nectar in diurnal species compared to nocturnal species can be explained by higher sucrose cleavage within the nectaries in night-flowering species, and during secretion in day-flowering species. However, cell wall invertase alone cannot be responsible for the differences in sugar concentrations. Within the nectaries of the Nicotiana species, a portion of the sugars is transiently stored as starch. In general, night-flowering species showed higher starch contents in the nectaries compared to day-flowering species. Moreover, in night flowering species, the starch content decreased during the first half of the dark period, when nectar production peaks. The sucrose concentrations in the cytoplasm of nectarial cells were extrapolated from nectary sucrose contents. In day-flowering species, the sucrose concentration in the nectary cytoplasm was about twice as high as in nectar, whereas in night-flowering species the situation was the opposite, which implies different secretion mechanisms. The secreted nectar

  13. Population structure and genetic diversity of Phytophthora nicotianae from tobacco in Georgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Black shank caused by Phytophthora nicotianae occurs worldwide and is responsible for significant yield loss in tobacco production in Georgia. Management of the disease has primarily relied on utilization of tobacco cultivars with resistance to race 0 of the pathogen and application of the fungicide...

  14. Ontwikkeling en demonstratie van een geintegreerd bestrijdingssysteem voor de rode luis Myzus nicotianae

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijken, van M.J.

    1998-01-01

    De geïntegreerde plaagbestrijding van de paprikateelt onder glas, wordt sinds 1993 verstoord door de opkomst van de rode luis, Myzus nicotianae. Deze luis is namelijk resistent tegen het selectieve chemische correctiemiddel pirimicarb en een effectieve biologische bestrijding was onvoldoende

  15. Inter Simple Sequence Repeat DNA (ISSR) Polymorphism Utility in Haploid Nicotiana Alata Irradiated Plants for Finding Markers Associated with Gamma Irradiation and Salinity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Fiki, A.; Adly, M.; El-Metabteb, G.

    2017-01-01

    Nicotiana alata is an ornamental plant. It is a member of family Solanasea. Tobacco (Nicotiana spp.) is one of the most important commercial crops in the world. Wild Nicotiana species, as a store house of genes for several diseases and pests, in addition to genes for several important phytochemicals and quality traits which are not present in cultivated varieties. Inter simple sequence repeat DNA (ISSR) analysis was used to determine the degree of genetic variation in treated haploid Nicotiana alata plants. Total genomic DNAs from different treated haploid plant lets were amplified using five specific primers. All primers were polymorphic. A total of 209 bands were amplified of which 135 (59.47%) polymorphic across the radiation treatments. Whilst, the level of polymorphism among the salinity treatments were 181 (85.6 %). Whereas, the polymorphism among the combined effects between gamma radiation doses and salinity concentrations were 283 ( 73.95% ). Treatments relationships were estimated through cluster analysis (UPGMA) based on ISSR data

  16. Highly Oxygenated Flavonoids from the Leaves of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (Solanaceae)

    OpenAIRE

    Md. Shafiullah Shajib; Bidyut Kanti Datta; Md. Hossain Sohrab; Mohammad Abdur Rashid; Lutfun Nahar; Satyajit Dey Sarker

    2017-01-01

    Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv. is an annual herb of the family Solanaceae, which grows abundantly in the weedy lands of Bangladesh . This plant possesses analgesic, antibacterial, anti-anxiety and hepatoprotective properties, and produces various phenolic compounds including flavonoids. The present study afforded determination of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and for the first time, the isolation and characterization of highly oxygenated flavonoids, e.g., 3,3' ,5,6,7,8-hexamethoxy- 4...

  17. 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.

  18. Anaerobic soil disinfestation reduces survival and infectivity of Phytophthora nicotianae chlamydospores in pepper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phytophthora nicotianae is the principal causal agent of root and crown rot disease of pepper plants in Extremadura (western Spain), a spring-summer crop in this region. Preplant soil treatment by anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) may effectively control plant pathogens in many crop production sys...

  19. Ecological costs and benefits correlated with trypsin protease inhibitor production in Nicotiana attenuata

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Glawe, G.A.; Zavala, J.A.; Kessler, A.; Van Dam, N.M.; Baldwin, I.T.

    2003-01-01

    Genotypes of the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata from different geographic regions in North America vary considerably in the level of constitutive and inducible trypsin protease inhibitors (TrypPIs), a potent direct defense, as well as in the production of herbivore-induced volatiles that function

  20. 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.

  1. Management of chili pepper root rot and wilt (caused by Phytophthora nicotianae by grafting onto resistant rootstock

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mourad SAADOUN

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Root rot and plant wilting caused by Phytophthora nicotianae is a severe disease of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L. in open fields and under greenhouse production in Tunisia. Chili pepper grafting for disease manage- ment is attracting increased interest in recent years. Using the tube grafting technique, different compatible scion/rootstock combinations were obtained with the wild-type pepper SCM334 and the local chili pepper cultivars ‘Beldi’ and ‘Baker’. SCM334 was resistant to P. nicotianae, while the cultivars Beldi and Baker were susceptible. Plant inoculations were performed with P. nicotianae zoospores, and severity of root rot was rated 30 days post- inoculation using a 0 (healthy plant to 5 (dead plant severity score. On SCM334 rootstock and with ‘Beldi’ or ‘Baker’ scions, the intensity of root rot was very low (mean score 0.1–0.2 and plants were healthy. However, with Baker or Beldi rootstocks and SCM334 scions, root rot was severe (mean score 3.1–4.6, leading to high numbers of wilting and dead plants. This severe root rot was similar to that observed on non-grafted plants of ‘Baker’ and ‘Beldi’ inoculated with the pathogen. Under greenhouse conditions, measurements of agronomic characters indicated non-consistent improvement of these features on the scion cultivar when SCM334 was the rootstock. Since plant foliage is not attacked by this pathogen, these results show that susceptible chili pepper scions grafted onto SCM334 rootstocks could be used for root rot management and improvement of pepper yields in P. nicotianae infested soils.

  2. Genome reorganization in Nicotiana asymmetric somatic hybrids analysed by in situ hybridization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parokonny, A.S.; Kenton, A.Y.; Gleba, Y.Y.; Bennett, M.D.

    1992-01-01

    In situ hybridization was used to examine genome reorganization in asymmetric somatic hybrids between Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Nicotiana sylvestris obtained by fusion of gamma-irradiated protoplasts from one of the parents (donor) with non-irradiated protoplasts from the other (recipient). Probing with biotinylated total genomic DNA from either the donor or the recipient species unequivocally identified genetic material from both parents in 31 regenerant plants, each originating from a different nuclear hybrid colony. This method, termed genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), allowed intergenomic translocations containing chromosome segments from both species to be recognized in four regenerants. A probe homologous to the consensus sequence of the Arabidopsis thaliana telomeric repeat (5'-TTTAGGG-3')n, identified telomeres on all chromosomes, including 'mini-chromosomes' originating from the irradiated donor genome. Genomic in situ hybridization to plant chromosomes provides a rapid and reliable means of screening for recombinant genotypes in asymmetric somatic hybrids. Used in combination with other DNA probes, it also contributes to a greater understanding of the events responsible for genomic recovery and restabilization following genetic manipulation in vitro

  3. 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.

  4. Synthesis of 'cineole cassette' monoterpenes in Nicotiana section Alatae: gene isolation, expression, functional characterization and phylogenetic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fähnrich, Anke; Brosemann, Anne; Teske, Laura; Neumann, Madeleine; Piechulla, Birgit

    2012-08-01

    The scent bouquets of flowers of Nicotiana species, particularly those of section Alatae, are rich in monoterpenes, including 1,8-cineole, limonene, β-myrcene, α- and β-pinene, sabinene, and α-terpineol. New terpene synthase genes were isolated from flowers of Nicotiana bonariensis, N. forgetiana, N. longiflora, and N. mutabilis. The recombinant enzymes synthesize simultaneously the characteristic 'cineole cassette' monoterpenes with 1,8-cineole as the dominant volatile product. Interestingly, amino acid sequence comparison and phylogenetic tree construction clustered the newly isolated cineole synthases (CIN) of section Alatae together with the catalytically similar CIN of N. suaveolens of section Suaveolentes, thus suggesting a common ancestor. These CIN genes of N. bonariensis, N. forgetiana, N. longiflora, and N. mutabilis are distinct from the terpineol synthases (TERs) of the taxonomically related N. alata and N. langsdorfii (both Alatae), thus indicating gene diversification of monoterpene synthases in section Alatae. Furthermore, the presence of CINs in species of the American section Alatae supports the hypothesis that one parent of the Australian section Suaveolentes was a member of the present section Alatae. Amino acid sequences of the Nicotiana CINs and TERs were compared to identify relevant amino acids of the cyclization reaction from α-terpineol to 1,8-cineole.

  5. [Molecular and structural-biological analysis of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia mutants for identification of the site of beta-tubulins interaction with dinitroanilines and phosphorotioamidates].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emets, A I; Baiard, U V; Nyporko, A Iu; Swire-Clark, G A; Blium, Ia B

    2009-01-01

    The identification of point mutation locations on beta-tubulin molecules of amiprophosmethyl- and trifluralin-resistant Nicotiana plumbaginifolia lines have described in the work. It was shown that in the first case this mutation is connected with the substitution ofserine residue on proline in position 248; in the second case--with the substitution of phenilalanine on serine in position 317 of beta-tubulin amino acid sequence. Three-dimensional models of beta-tubulin molecule from Chlamydomonas with well-known location of mutations conferring dinitroaniline- and phosphorotioamidate resistance (substitution of lysine residue to methionine on position 350), and beta-tubulin from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia have been reconstructed. On the basis of analysis of site of interaction with dinitroanilines and phosphorotioamides on Chlamydomonas beta-tubulin molecule it was concluded that the revealed mutations on Nicotiana plumbaginifolia beta-tubulin affect amino acid residues participating in formation of this site.

  6. Metabolic engineering to simultaneously activate anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthetic pathways in Nicotiana spp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Fresquet-Corrales

    Full Text Available Proanthocyanidins (PAs, or condensed tannins, are powerful antioxidants that remove harmful free oxygen radicals from cells. To engineer the anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthetic pathways to de novo produce PAs in two Nicotiana species, we incorporated four transgenes to the plant chassis. We opted to perform a simultaneous transformation of the genes linked in a multigenic construct rather than classical breeding or retransformation approaches. We generated a GoldenBraid 2.0 multigenic construct containing two Antirrhinum majus transcription factors (AmRosea1 and AmDelila to upregulate the anthocyanin pathway in combination with two Medicago truncatula genes (MtLAR and MtANR to produce the enzymes that will derivate the biosynthetic pathway to PAs production. Transient and stable transformation of Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum with the multigenic construct were respectively performed. Transient expression experiments in N. benthamiana showed the activation of the anthocyanin pathway producing a purple color in the agroinfiltrated leaves and also the effective production of 208.5 nmol (- catechin/g FW and 228.5 nmol (- epicatechin/g FW measured by the p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMACA method. The integration capacity of the four transgenes, their respective expression levels and their heritability in the second generation were analyzed in stably transformed N. tabacum plants. DMACA and phoroglucinolysis/HPLC-MS analyses corroborated the activation of both pathways and the effective production of PAs in T0 and T1 transgenic tobacco plants up to a maximum of 3.48 mg/g DW. The possible biotechnological applications of the GB2.0 multigenic approach in forage legumes to produce "bloat-safe" plants and to improve the efficiency of conversion of plant protein into animal protein (ruminal protein bypass are discussed.

  7. Suitability of Nicotiana tabacum 'Bel W3' for biomonitoring ozone in Sao Paulo, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sant'Anna, Silvia M.R.; Esposito, Marisia P.; Domingos, Marisa; Souza, Silvia R.

    2008-01-01

    Nicotiana tabacum 'Bel W3' is a widely used sensitive bioindicator for ambient ozone, but it is rarely used in tropical countries. Our goal was to determine the suitability of this plant for biomonitoring ozone in the city of Sao Paulo by evaluating the relationships between leaf necroses and ozone under field conditions and measurements of chlorophyll a fluorescence and antioxidants in plants exposed to different concentrations of ozone in closed chambers. While a weak linear relationship between leaf injury and ozone concentrations (R 2 = 0.10) was determined in the field, a strong linear relationship was observed in the chamber experiments. Maximum leaf injury was observed in plants submitted to 40 ppb, which coincided with a significant decrease in fluorescence and total ascorbic acid. The relationship between leaf damage observed in the field and ozone was improved when the concentrations were limited to 40 ppb (R 2 = 0.28). - Nicotiana tabacum 'Bel W3' is suitable for indicating low ozone levels in Brazil

  8. Perfil electroforético de proteínas presentes en la saliva de Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae:Triatominae Electrophoretic profile of salivary proteins of Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae:Triatominae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mónica Flórez

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Introducción: Los triatominos (Hemiptera: Reduviidae:Triatominae son insectos hematófagos que secretan una saliva rica en proteínas con propiedades anticoagulantes, antihistamínicas, vasodilatadoras y antiplaquetarias que facilitan su proceso de alimentación en el huésped vertebrado y favorecen la transmisión a éste de los protozoarios que se desarrollan en sus glándulas salivales. Estas proteínas son características de cada especie de triatomino y pueden ayudar a diferenciar especies, incluso aquellas fenotípicamente similares. Objetivo: Describir los perfiles electroforéticos de las proteínas salivales de Triatoma dimidiata encontrados en el intradomicilio, peridomicilio y extradomicilio en un área endémica en Santander. Materiales y métodos: Se disectaron las glándulas salivales de insectos adultos de T. dimidiata de tres municipios de Santander procedentes de colonias de laboratorio y de campo. Los perfiles de proteínas se visualizaron realizando una electroforesis de una dimensión en geles de poliacrilamida tenidos con azul de Coomassie. Resultados: Los perfiles electroforéticos de las proteínas presentes en la saliva de T. dimidiata muestran hasta 33 bandas en el rango de 23,7 a 228,8 kDa, con una alta concentración en la región 41 a 99,7 kDa. El índice de polimorfismo para T. dimidiata fue de 0,9646. Conclusión: El perfil electroforético de las proteínas salivares de T. dimidiata mostró una composición proteica compleja, donde las bandas más prominentes tienen pesos moleculares menores de 45 KDa. No se pudieron establecer agrupamientos basados en las regiones geográficas y lugares de captura, a pesar de la gran variabilidad intraespecífica observada. Sin embargo, se pudieron establecer diferencias claras a nivel de especie entre T. dimidiata y el grupo externo utilizado, P. geniculatus. Salud UIS 2009; 41: 121-127.Introduction: The triatomines (Heteroptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae are hematophagous insects

  9. Tissue-specific expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase gene variants in Nicotiana tabacum

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jurečková, J.; Sýkorová, Eva; Hafidh, Said; Honys, David; Fajkus, Jiří; Fojtová, M.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 245, č. 3 (2017), s. 549-561 ISSN 0032-0935 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-06943S; GA MŠk(CZ) LQ1601 Institutional support: RVO:68081707 ; RVO:61389030 Keywords : male gametophyte development * tobacco male gametophyte * allotetraploid nicotiana Subject RIV: EF - Botanics; EF - Botanics (UEB-Q) OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany; Plant sciences, botany (UEB-Q) Impact factor: 3.361, year: 2016

  10. Coniferyl alcohol hinders the growth of tobacco BY-2 cells and Nicotiana benthamiana seedlings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Väisänen, Enni E; Smeds, Annika I; Fagerstedt, Kurt V; Teeri, Teemu H; Willför, Stefan M; Kärkönen, Anna

    2015-09-01

    Externally added coniferyl alcohol at high concentrations reduces the growth of Nicotiana cells and seedlings. Coniferyl alcohol is metabolized by BY-2 cells to several compounds. Coniferyl alcohol (CA) is a common monolignol and a building block of lignin. The toxicity of monolignol alcohols has been stated in the literature, but there are only few studies suggesting that this is true. We investigated the physiological effects of CA on living plant cells in more detail. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Bright yellow-2 cells (BY-2) and Nicotiana benthamiana seedlings both showed concentration-dependent growth retardation in response to 0.5-5 mM CA treatment. In some cases, CA addition caused cell death in BY-2 cultures, but this response was dependent on the growth stage of the cells. Based on LC-MS/MS analysis, BY-2 cells did not accumulate the externally supplemented CA, but metabolized it to ferulic acid, ferulic acid glycoside, coniferin, and to some other phenolic compounds. In addition to growth inhibition, CA caused the formation of a lignin-like compound detected by phloroglucinol staining in N. benthamiana roots and occasionally in BY-2 cells. To prevent this, we added potassium iodide (KI, at 5 mM) to overcome the peroxidase-mediated CA polymerization to lignin. KI had, however, toxic effects on its own: in N. benthamiana seedlings, it caused reduction in growth; in BY-2 cells, reduction in growth and cell viability. Surprisingly, CA restored the growth of KI-treated BY-2 cells and N. benthamiana seedlings. Our results suggest that CA at high concentrations is toxic to plant cells.

  11. Molecular identification of catalases from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willekens, H; Villarroel, R; Van Montagu, M; Inzé, D; Van Camp, W

    1994-09-19

    We have isolated three different catalase cDNAs from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (cat1, cat2, and cat3) and a partial sequence of a fourth catalase gene (cat4) that shows no discernible expression based on Northern analysis. The catalase sequences were used to determine the similarity with other plant catalases and to study the transcriptional response to paraquat, 3-aminotriazole, and salicylic acid. 3-Aminotriazole induces mRNA levels of cat1, cat2 and cat3, indicating that a reduction in catalase activity positively affects catalase mRNA abundance. Salicylic acid that binds catalase in vitro, had no effect on catalase transcript levels at physiological concentrations. Paraquat resulted in the induction of cat1.

  12. Preliminary Observations on Zelus obscuridorsis (Stål (Hemiptera: Reduviidae as Predator of the Corn Leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae in Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo G. Virla

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The corn leafhopper Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae, is an important corn pest in most of tropical and subtropical America. This leafhopper has a rich natural enemy complex of which parasitoids and pathogens are the most studied; knowledge on its predators is limited. We noted the presence of the native assassin bug Zelus obscuridorsis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae predating diverse motile insects, including the corn leafhopper, on corn plants cultivated in household vegetable gardens in San Miguel de Tucumán (Argentina; in order to verify its predatory actions, we exposed lab-bred individuals of D. maidis to adults of Z. obscuridorsis. The predators were starved for 24 h before trials in which the corn leafhopper in different developmental stages were exposed. Zelus obscuridorsis is highly skilled in catching specimens in motion, but it was not able to prey on eggs. The predator was capable to catch and prey on nymphs and adults.

  13. Nicotiana small RNA sequences support a host genome origin of cucumber mosaic virus satellite RNA.

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    Kiran Zahid

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Satellite RNAs (satRNAs are small noncoding subviral RNA pathogens in plants that depend on helper viruses for replication and spread. Despite many decades of research, the origin of satRNAs remains unknown. In this study we show that a β-glucuronidase (GUS transgene fused with a Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV Y satellite RNA (Y-Sat sequence (35S-GUS:Sat was transcriptionally repressed in N. tabacum in comparison to a 35S-GUS transgene that did not contain the Y-Sat sequence. This repression was not due to DNA methylation at the 35S promoter, but was associated with specific DNA methylation at the Y-Sat sequence. Both northern blot hybridization and small RNA deep sequencing detected 24-nt siRNAs in wild-type Nicotiana plants with sequence homology to Y-Sat, suggesting that the N. tabacum genome contains Y-Sat-like sequences that give rise to 24-nt sRNAs capable of guiding RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM to the Y-Sat sequence in the 35S-GUS:Sat transgene. Consistent with this, Southern blot hybridization detected multiple DNA bands in Nicotiana plants that had sequence homology to Y-Sat, suggesting that Y-Sat-like sequences exist in the Nicotiana genome as repetitive DNA, a DNA feature associated with 24-nt sRNAs. Our results point to a host genome origin for CMV satRNAs, and suggest novel approach of using small RNA sequences for finding the origin of other satRNAs.

  14. The activity and isoforms of NADP-malic enzyme in Nicotiana benthamiana plants under biotic stress

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Doubnerová, V.; Jirásková, A.; Janošková, M.; Müller, Karel; Baťková, Petra; Synková, Helena; Čeřovská, Noemi; Ryšlavá, H.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 26, č. 4 (2007), s. 281-289 ISSN 0231-5882 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : NADP * malic enzyme isoforms * Nicotiana benthamiana Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.286, year: 2007 http://www.gpb.sav.sk/2007-4.htm

  15. The ups and downs of genome size evolution in polyploid species of Nicotiana (Solanaceae)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Leitch, I.J.; Hanson, L.; Lim, K.Y.; Kovařík, Aleš; Chase, M.W.; Clarkson, J.J.; Leitch, A.R.

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 101, č. 6 (2008), s. 805-814 ISSN 0305-7364 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA521/07/0116 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50040507; CEZ:AV0Z50040702 Keywords : genome size * allopolyploidy * evolution-Nicotiana Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 2.755, year: 2008

  16. Antioxidant isoenzyme responses to nickel-induced stress in tobacco cell suspension culture Resposta de isoenzimas antioxidantes ao estresse induzido por níquel em cultura de células em suspensão de fumo

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    Georgia Bertoni Pompeu

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Exposure to nickel (Ni at high concentrations can lead to production of reactive oxygen species (ROS resulting in oxidative damage at the cellular level. We investigated the antioxidative responses of Nicotiana tabacum cv BY-2 cell suspension to Ni stress (0.075 and 0.75 mM NiCl2 over a 72 h period with special attention to potential alterations in isoenzymes of superoxide dismutase (SOD, catalase (CAT and glutathione reductase (GR. Two main SOD isoenzymes were observed, a Mn-SOD (band I and a Fe-SOD (band II, as well as one CAT isoenzyme and four GR isoenzymes. Activity staining analysis revealed that CAT activity plays a major role in the early response to Ni-induced oxidative stress, particularly when the Ni concentration used was low, whilst a specific GR isoenzyme appears to respond to the Ni-induced oxidative stress when a much higher Ni concentration was used to induce the stress for the same period of treatment. These results illustrate the importance and advantages of determining individual isoenzyme activities.A exposição ao níquel (Ni, em altas concentrações, pode levar à produção de espécies reativas de oxigênio (EAOs, resultando em danos oxidativos em nível celular. Foram investigadas as respostas antioxidativas de células em suspensão do cultivar BY-2 de Nicotiana tabacum submetidas ao estresse por Ni (0.075 e 0.75 mM de NiCl2 por 72 h, com atenção especial às alterações potencias em isoenzimas de superóxido dismutase (SOD, catalase (CAT e glutatione redutase (GR. Duas principais isoenzimas de SOD foram observadas, uma Mn-SOD (banda I e outra Fe-SOD (banda II, bem como uma isoenzima CAT e quatro isoenzimas de GR. As análises revelaram que a atividade de CAT tem papel principal no momento inicial de resposta ao estresse oxidativo induzido por Ni, particularmente, quando sua concentração foi mais baixa, enquanto uma isoenzima específica de GR parece responder a este estresse na concentração mais alta de Ni

  17. Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants silenced for the ATP-binding cassette transporter gene NpPDR1 show increased susceptibility to a group of fungal and oomycete pathogens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bultreys, Alain; Trombik, Tomasz; Drozak, Anna; Boutry, Marc

    2009-09-01

    SUMMARY The behaviour of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants silenced for the ATP-binding cassette transporter gene NpPDR1 was investigated in response to fungal and oomycete infections. The importance of NpPDR1 in plant defence was demonstrated for two organs in which NpPDR1 is constitutively expressed: the roots and the petal epidermis. The roots of the plantlets of two lines silenced for NpPDR1 expression were clearly more sensitive than those of controls to the fungal pathogens Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum sp., F. oxysporum f. sp. nicotianae, F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis and Rhizoctonia solani, as well as to the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora nicotianae race 0. The Ph gene-linked resistance of N. plumbaginifolia to P. nicotianae race 0 was totally ineffective in NpPDR1-silenced lines. In addition, the petals of the NpPDR1-silenced lines were spotted 15%-20% more rapidly by B. cinerea than were the controls. The rapid induction (after 2-4 days) of NpPDR1 expression in N. plumbaginifolia and N. tabacum mature leaves in response to pathogen presence was demonstrated for the first time with fungi and one oomycete: R. solani, F. oxysporum and P. nicotianae. With B. cinerea, such rapid expression was not observed in healthy mature leaves. NpPDR1 expression was not observed during latent infections of B. cinerea in N. plumbaginifolia and N. tabacum, but was induced when conditions facilitated B. cinerea development in leaves, such as leaf ageing or an initial root infection. This work demonstrates the increased sensitivity of NpPDR1-silenced N. plumbaginifolia plants to all of the fungal and oomycete pathogens investigated.

  18. Fall and rise of satellite repeats in allopolyploids of Nicotiana over c. 5 million years

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Koukalová, Blažena; Moraes, A.P.; Renny-Byfield, S.; Matyášek, Roman; Leitch, A.R.; Kovařík, Aleš

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 186, č. 1 (2010), s. 148-160 ISSN 0028-646X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA521/07/0116 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50040507; CEZ:AV0Z50040702 Keywords : concerted evolution * interlocus homogenization * Nicotiana Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 6.516, year: 2010

  19. Impacts of 2 species of predatory Reduviidae on bagworms in oil palm plantations

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Syari Jamian; Ahmad Norhisham; Amal Ghazali; Azlina Zakaria; Badrul Azhar

    2017-01-01

    Integrated pest management (IPM) is widely practiced in commercial oil palm agriculture.This management system is intended to minimize the number of attacks by pest insects such as bagworms on crops,as well as curb economic loss with less dependency on chemical pesticides.One practice in IPM is the use of biological control agents such as predatory insects.In this study,we assessed the response of predatory natural enemies to pest outbreak and water stress,and document the habitat associations of potential pest predators.The abundances of 2 predatory insect species,namely Sycanus dichotomus and Cosmolestes picticeps (Hemiptera:Reduviidae),were compared bagworm outbreak sites and nonoutbreak sites within oil palm plantations.We also examined habitat characteristics that influence the abundances of both predatory species.We found that the abundance of C.picticeps was significantly higher in bagworm outbreak sites than in nonoutbreak sites.There were no significant differences in the abundance of S.dichotomus among outbreak and non-outbreak sites.Both species responded negatively to water stress in oil palm plantations.Concerning the relationship between predatory insect abundance and in situ habitat quality characteristics,our models explained 46.36% of variation for C.picticeps and 23.17% of variation for S.dichotomus.Both species of predatory insects thrived from the planting of multiple beneficial plants in oil palm plantations.The results suggest that C.picticeps can be used as a biological agent to control bagworm populations in oil palm plantations,but S.dichotomus has no or little potential for such ecosystem service.

  20. Gene conversion of ribosomal DNA in Nicotiana tabacum is associated with undermethylated, decondensed and probably active gene units.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, K Y; Kovarik, A; Matýăsek, R; Bezdĕk, M; Lichtenstein, C P; Leitch, A R

    2000-06-01

    We examined the structure, intranuclear distribution and activity of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) in Nicotiana sylvestris (2n = 2x = 24) and N. tomentosiformis (2n = 2x = 24) and compared these with patterns in N. tabacum (tobacco, 2n = 4x = 48). We also examined a long-established N. tabacum culture, TBY-2. Nicotiana tabacum is an allotetraploid thought to be derived from ancestors of N. sylvestris (S-genome donor) and N. tomentosiformis (T-genome donor). Nicotiana sylvestris has three rDNA loci, one locus each on chromosomes 10, 11, and 12. In root-tip meristematic interphase cells, the site on chromosome 12 remains condensed and inactive, while the sites on chromosomes 10 and 11 show activity at the proximal end of the locus only. Nicotiana tomentosiformis has one major locus on chromosome 3 showing activity and a minor, inactive locus on chromosome 11. In N. tabacum cv. 095-55, there are four rDNA loci on T3, S10, S11/t and S12 (S11/t carries a small T-genome translocation). The locus on S12 remains condensed and inactive in root-tip meristematic cells while the others show activity, including decondensation at interphase and secondary constrictions at metaphase. Nicotiana tabacum DNA digested with methylcytosine-sensitive enzymes revealed a hybridisation pattern for rDNA that resembled that of N. tomentosiformis and not N. sylvestris. The data indicate that active, undermethylated genes are of the N. tomentosiformis type. Since S-genome chromosomes of N. tabacum show rDNA expression, the result indicates rDNA gene conversion of the active rDNA units on these chromosomes. Gene conversion in N. tabacum is consistent with the results of previous work. However, using primers specific for the S-genome rDNA intergenic sequences (IGS) in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) show that rDNA gene conversion has not gone to completion in N. tabacum. Furthermore, using methylation-insensitive restriction enzymes we demonstrate that about 8% of the rDNA units remain of the N

  1. UV irradiation as a tool for obtaining asymmetric somatic hybrids between Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Lycopersicon esculentum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vlahova, M.; Hinnisdaels, S.; Frulleux, F.; Claeys, M.; Atanassov, A.; Jacobs, M.

    1997-01-01

    UV-irradiated kanamycin-resistant Lycopersicon esculentum leaf protoplasts were fused with wild-type Nicotiana plumbaginifolia leaf protoplasts. Hybrid calli were recovered after selection in kanamycin-containing medium and subsequently regenerated. Cytological analysis of these regenerants showed that several (2–4) tomato chromosomes, or chromosome fragments, were present in addition to a polyploid Nicotiana genome complement. All lines tested had neomycin phosphotransferase (NPTII) activity and the presence of the kanamycin gene was shown by Southern blotting. In two cases a different hybridization profile for the kanamycin gene, compared to the tomato donor partner, was observed, suggesting the occurence of intergenomic recombination events. The hybrid nature of the regenerants was further confirmed by Southernblotting experiments using either a ribosomal DNA sequence or a tomato-specific repeat as probes. The hybrids were partially fertile and some progeny could be obtained. Our results demonstrate that UV irradiation is a valuable alternative for asymmetric cell-hybridization experiments. (author)

  2. Ocorrência de Tuthillia cognata Hodkinson, Brown & Burckhardt, 1986(Hemiptera: Homoptera, Psyllidae em plantios experimentais de camu-camu Myrciaria dubia (H.B.K. Mc Vaugh em Manaus (Amazonas, Brasil Occurrence of Tuthillia cognata Hodkinson, Brown & Burckhardt, 1986 (Hemiptera: Homoptera, Psyllidae in experimental plantations of camu-camu Myrciaria dubia (H.B.K. Mc Vaugh in Manaus (Amazonas, Brazil

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    Márcio Luís Leitão Barbosa

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available O cultivo de camu-camu Myrciaria dubia (H.B.K. Mc Vaugh tem apresentado inúmeros problemas fitossanitários, dentre os quais, Tuthillia cognata Hodkinson et al. (Hemiptera: Homoptera, Psyllidae, que constantemente é citada como praga secundária. Os objetivos deste estudo foram determinar o nível e a intensidade de infestação (% por T. cognata e estudar aspectos do ciclo biológico e do comportamento de T. cognata, em plantios experimentais de camu-camu. Foram selecionados, de forma aleatória, 17 e 14 exemplares nos plantios I e II, respectivamente. Para cada uma das variáveis estudadas, foram calculados a média aritmética, o desviopadrão, a variância e a amplitude de variação. Foi verificado um nível de infestação de 82% (plantio I e 57% (plantio II, uma intensidade de infestação de 94% (plantio I e 75% (plantio II e uma média de seis ninfas/folha em cada plantio, o que indica que T. cognata representa uma das pragas-chave dessa cultura. Foram observados adultos de Chrysoperla sp. (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae e ninfas de Reduviidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera, que podem atuar como prováveis agentes de controle biológico de T. cognata.The cultivation of camu-camu Myrciaria dubia (H.B.K. Mc Vaugh has presented countless phytosanitary problems, among them, Tuthillia cognata Hodkinson et al. (Hemiptera: Homoptera, Psyllidae, which often is noticed as a secondary pest. This study aimed to determine the level and the intensity of infestation (% for T. cognata, as well as to study the biological cycle and behavioural aspects of T. cognata, in experimental plantation of camu-camu. 17 and 14 specimens from plantation I and II, respectively, were randomly selected. The arithmetic average, the standard deviation, the variance and the total amplitude were calculated for each studied variable. A level of infestation of 82% (plantation I and 57% (plantation II, an intensity of infestation of 94% (plantation I and 75% (plantation II and an

  3. NaStEP: a proteinase inhibitor essential to self-incompatibility and a positive regulator of HT-B stability in Nicotiana alata pollen tubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiménez-Durán, Karina; McClure, Bruce; García-Campusano, Florencia; Rodríguez-Sotres, Rogelio; Cisneros, Jesús; Busot, Grethel; Cruz-García, Felipe

    2013-01-01

    In Solanaceae, the self-incompatibility S-RNase and S-locus F-box interactions define self-pollen recognition and rejection in an S-specific manner. This interaction triggers a cascade of events involving other gene products unlinked to the S-locus that are crucial to the self-incompatibility response. To date, two essential pistil-modifier genes, 120K and High Top-Band (HT-B), have been identified in Nicotiana species. However, biochemistry and genetics indicate that additional modifier genes are required. We recently reported a Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor, named NaStEP (for Nicotiana alata Stigma-Expressed Protein), that is highly expressed in the stigmas of self-incompatible Nicotiana species. Here, we report the proteinase inhibitor activity of NaStEP. NaStEP is taken up by both compatible and incompatible pollen tubes, but its suppression in Nicotiana spp. transgenic plants disrupts S-specific pollen rejection; therefore, NaStEP is a novel pistil-modifier gene. Furthermore, HT-B levels within the pollen tubes are reduced when NaStEP-suppressed pistils are pollinated with either compatible or incompatible pollen. In wild-type self-incompatible N. alata, in contrast, HT-B degradation occurs preferentially in compatible pollinations. Taken together, these data show that the presence of NaStEP is required for the stability of HT-B inside pollen tubes during the rejection response, but the underlying mechanism is currently unknown.

  4. A jasmonate ZIM-domain protein NaJAZd regulates floral jasmonic acid levels and counteracts flower abscission in Nicotiana attenuata plants.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Youngjoo Oh

    Full Text Available Jasmonic acid is an important regulator of plant growth, development and defense. The jasmonate-ZIM domain (JAZ proteins are key regulators in jasmonate signaling ubiquitously present in flowering plants but their functional annotation remains largely incomplete. Recently, we identified 12 putative JAZ proteins in native tobacco, Nicotiana attenuata, and initiated systematic functional characterization of these proteins by reverse genetic approaches. In this report, Nicotiana attenuata plants silenced in the expression of NaJAZd (irJAZd by RNA interference were used to characterize NaJAZd function. Although NaJAZd transcripts were strongly and transiently up-regulated in the rosette leaves by simulated herbivory treatment, we did not observe strong defense-related phenotypes, such as altered herbivore performance or the constitutive accumulation of defense-related secondary metabolites in irJAZd plants compared to wild type plants, both in the glasshouse and the native habitat of Nicotiana attenuata in the Great Basin Desert, Utah, USA. Interestingly, irJAZd plants produced fewer seed capsules than did wild type plants as a result of increased flower abscission in later stages of flower development. The early- and mid-developmental stages of irJAZd flowers had reduced levels of jasmonic acid and jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine, while fully open flowers had normal levels, but these were impaired in NaMYB305 transcript accumulations. Previously, NaMYB305-silenced plants were shown to have strong flower abscission phenotypes and contained lower NECTARIN 1 transcript levels, phenotypes which are copied in irJAZd plants. We propose that the NaJAZd protein is required to counteract flower abscission, possibly by regulating jasmonic acid and jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine levels and/or expression of NaMYB305 gene in Nicotiana attenuata flowers. This novel insight into the function of JAZ proteins in flower and seed development highlights the diversity of functions

  5. Identification of a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase gene expressed in the pollen tube.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefebvre, Benoit; Arango, Miguel; Oufattole, Mohammed; Crouzet, Jérôme; Purnelle, Bénédicte; Boutry, Marc

    2005-08-01

    In Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, plasma membrane H(+)-ATPases (PMAs) are encoded by a gene family of nine members. Here, we report on the characterization of a new isogene, NpPMA5 (belonging to subfamily IV), and the determination of its expression pattern using the beta-glucuronidase (gusA) reporter gene. pNpPMA5-gusA was expressed in cotyledons, in vascular tissues of the stem (mainly in nodal zones), and in the flower and fruit. In the flower, high expression was found in the pollen tube after in vitro or in vivo germination. Northern blotting analysis confirmed that NpPMA5 was expressed in the pollen tube contrary to NpPMA2 (subfamily I) or NpPMA4 (subfamily II), two genes highly expressed in other tissues. The subcellular localization of PM H(+)-ATPase in the pollen tube was analyzed by immunocytodecoration. As expected, this enzyme was localized to the plasma membrane. However, neither the tip nor the base of the pollen tube was labeled, showing an asymmetrical distribution of this enzyme. This observation supports the hypothesis that the PM H(+)-ATPase is involved in creating the pH gradient that is observed along the pollen tube and is implicated in cell elongation. Compared to other plant PM H(+)-ATPases, the C-terminal region of NpPMA5 is shorter by 26 amino acid residues and is modified in the last 6 residues, due to a sequence rearrangement, which was also found in the orthologous gene of Nicotiana glutinosa, a Nicotiana species distant from N. plumbaginifolia and Petunia hybrida and Lycopersicon esculentum, other Solanacae species. This modification alters part of the PM H(+)-ATPase regulatory domain and raises the question whether this isoform is still regulated.

  6. Isolation and characterization of two cDNA clones encoding for glutamate dehydrogenase in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ficarelli, A; Tassi, F; Restivo, F M

    1999-03-01

    We have isolated two full length cDNA clones encoding Nicotiana plumbaginifolia NADH-glutamate dehydrogenase. Both clones share amino acid boxes of homology corresponding to conserved GDH catalytic domains and putative mitochondrial targeting sequence. One clone shows a putative EF-hand loop. The level of the two transcripts is affected differently by carbon source.

  7. C3HC4-type RING finger protein NbZFP1 is involved in growth and fruit development in Nicotiana benthamiana.

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    Wenxian Wu

    Full Text Available C3HC4-type RING finger proteins constitute a large family in the plant kingdom and play important roles in various physiological processes of plant life. In this study, a C3HC4-type zinc finger gene was isolated from Nicotiana benthamiana. Sequence analysis indicated that the gene encodes a 24-kDa protein with 191 amino acids containing one typical C3HC4-type zinc finger domain; this gene was named NbZFP1. Transient expression of pGDG-NbZFP1 demonstrated that NbZFP1 was localized to the chloroplast, especially in the chloroplasts of cells surrounding leaf stomata. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS analysis indicated that silencing of NbZFP1 hampered fruit development, although the height of the plants was normal. An overexpression construct was then designed and transferred into Nicotiana benthamiana, and PCR and Southern blot showed that the NbZFP1 gene was successfully integrated into the Nicotiana benthamiana genome. The transgenic lines showed typical compactness, with a short internode length and sturdy stems. This is the first report describing the function of a C3HC4-type RING finger protein in tobacco.

  8. Assessing the bioconfinement potential of a Nicotiana hybrid platform for use in plant molecular farming applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, J Hollis; Mundell, Richard E; Millwood, Reginald J; Chambers, Orlando D; Stewart, C Neal; Davies, H Maelor

    2013-08-06

    The introduction of pharmaceutical traits in tobacco for commercial production could benefit from the utilization of a transgene bioconfinement system. It has been observed that interspecific F1Nicotiana hybrids (Nicotiana tabacum × Nicotiana glauca) are sterile and thus proposed that hybrids could be suitable bioconfined hosts for biomanufacturing. We genetically tagged hybrids with green fluorescent protein (GFP), which was used as a visual marker to enable gene flow tracking and quantification for field and greenhouse studies. GFP was used as a useful proxy for pharmaceutical transgenes. Analysis of DNA content revealed significant genomic downsizing of the hybrid relative to that of N. tabacum. Hybrid pollen was capable of germination in vitro, albeit with a very low frequency and with significant differences between plants. In two field experiments, one each in Tennessee and Kentucky, we detected outcrossing at only one location (Tennessee) at 1.4%. Additionally, from 50 hybrid plants at each field site, formation of 84 and 16 seed was observed, respectively. Similar conclusions about hybrid fertility were drawn from greenhouse crosses. In terms of above-ground biomass, the hybrid yield was not significantly different than that of N. tabacum in the field. N. tabacum × N. glauca hybrids show potential to contribute to a bioconfinement- and biomanufacturing host system. Hybrids exhibit extremely low fertility with no difference of green biomass yields relative to N. tabacum. In addition, hybrids are morphologically distinguishable from tobacco allowing for identity preservation. This hybrid system for biomanufacturing would optimally be used where N. glauca is not present and in physical isolation of N. tabacum production to provide total bioconfinement.

  9. Optimization and utilization of Agrobacterium-mediated transient protein production in Nicotiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamloul, Moneim; Trusa, Jason; Mett, Vadim; Yusibov, Vidadi

    2014-04-19

    Agrobacterium-mediated transient protein production in plants is a promising approach to produce vaccine antigens and therapeutic proteins within a short period of time. However, this technology is only just beginning to be applied to large-scale production as many technological obstacles to scale up are now being overcome. Here, we demonstrate a simple and reproducible method for industrial-scale transient protein production based on vacuum infiltration of Nicotiana plants with Agrobacteria carrying launch vectors. Optimization of Agrobacterium cultivation in AB medium allows direct dilution of the bacterial culture in Milli-Q water, simplifying the infiltration process. Among three tested species of Nicotiana, N. excelsiana (N. benthamiana × N. excelsior) was selected as the most promising host due to the ease of infiltration, high level of reporter protein production, and about two-fold higher biomass production under controlled environmental conditions. Induction of Agrobacterium harboring pBID4-GFP (Tobacco mosaic virus-based) using chemicals such as acetosyringone and monosaccharide had no effect on the protein production level. Infiltrating plant under 50 to 100 mbar for 30 or 60 sec resulted in about 95% infiltration of plant leaf tissues. Infiltration with Agrobacterium laboratory strain GV3101 showed the highest protein production compared to Agrobacteria laboratory strains LBA4404 and C58C1 and wild-type Agrobacteria strains at6, at10, at77 and A4. Co-expression of a viral RNA silencing suppressor, p23 or p19, in N. benthamiana resulted in earlier accumulation and increased production (15-25%) of target protein (influenza virus hemagglutinin).

  10. Plant oxidosqualene metabolism: cycloartenol synthase-dependent sterol biosynthesis in Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gas-Pascual, Elisabet; Berna, Anne; Bach, Thomas J; Schaller, Hubert

    2014-01-01

    The plant sterol pathway exhibits a major biosynthetic difference as compared with that of metazoans. The committed sterol precursor is the pentacyclic cycloartenol (9β,19-cyclolanost-24-en-3β-ol) and not lanosterol (lanosta-8,24-dien-3β-ol), as it was shown in the late sixties. However, plant genome mining over the last years revealed the general presence of lanosterol synthases encoding sequences (LAS1) in the oxidosqualene cyclase repertoire, in addition to cycloartenol synthases (CAS1) and to non-steroidal triterpene synthases that contribute to the metabolic diversity of C30H50O compounds on earth. Furthermore, plant LAS1 proteins have been unambiguously identified by peptidic signatures and by their capacity to complement the yeast lanosterol synthase deficiency. A dual pathway for the synthesis of sterols through lanosterol and cycloartenol was reported in the model Arabidopsis thaliana, though the contribution of a lanosterol pathway to the production of 24-alkyl-Δ(5)-sterols was quite marginal (Ohyama et al. (2009) PNAS 106, 725). To investigate further the physiological relevance of CAS1 and LAS1 genes in plants, we have silenced their expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. We used virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) based on gene specific sequences from a Nicotiana tabacum CAS1 or derived from the solgenomics initiative (http://solgenomics.net/) to challenge the respective roles of CAS1 and LAS1. In this report, we show a CAS1-specific functional sterol pathway in engineered yeast, and a strict dependence on CAS1 of tobacco sterol biosynthesis.

  11. Evolution of rDNA in Nicotiana allopolyploids: A potential link between rDNa homogenization and epigenetics

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kovařík, Aleš; Nešpor Dadejová, Martina; Lim, Y.K.; Chase, M.W.; Clarkson, J.J.; Knapp, S.; Leitch, A.R.

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 101, č. 6 (2008), s. 815-823 ISSN 0305-7364 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA521/07/0116 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50040507; CEZ:AV0Z50040702 Keywords : rDNA * allopolyploidy * evolution-Nicotiana Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 2.755, year: 2008

  12. Purification of nitrate reductase from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia by affinity chromatography using 5'AMP-sepharose and monoclonal antibodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moureaux, T; Leydecker, M T; Meyer, C

    1989-02-15

    Nitrate reductase was purified from leaves of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia using either 5'AMP-Sepharose chromatography or two steps of immunoaffinity chromatography involving monoclonal antibodies directed against nitrate reductase from maize and against ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase from N. plumbaginifolia. Nitrate reductase obtained by the first method was purified 1000-fold to a specific activity of 9 units/mg protein. The second method produced an homogenous enzyme, purified 21,000-fold to a specific activity of 80 units/mg protein. SDS/PAGE of nitrate reductase always resulted in two bands of 107 and 99.5 kDa. The 107-kDa band was the nitrate reductase subunit of N. plumbaginifolia; the smaller one of 99.5 kDa is thought, as commonly reported, to result from proteolysis of the larger protein. The molecular mass of 107 kDa is close to the values calculated from the coding sequences of the two nitrate reductase genes recently cloned from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi).

  13. Chromosomal variation, macroevolution and possible parapatric speciation in Mepraia spinolai (Porter (Hemiptera: Reduviidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frias Daniel

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available Mepraia spinolai is an endemic species in Chile that lives in wild and domestic habitats. It is the only species of the Reduviidae family that shows alate polymorphism; females are always wingless, but males can be found with and without wings. The M. spinolai karyotype consists of 10 pairs of autosomes and a complex sex determination system. Males from the northernmost regions I and II (latitude 18°-26° South are always winged (braquipterous and are X1X2Y, with a large Y chromosome. From region III to the metropolitan region (latitude 26°-33° South, males may be either winged or wingless but appear to be polymorphic for a small neo-Y chromosome, which may have originated by fracture of the large holocentric Y chromosome found in populations from farther north. Experimental crosses suggest that the genes for wings are linked in the Y chromosome and also that there are two cytologically indistinguishable types of neo-Y chromosomes. One form (Y1 bears a gene or genes for wings while the other (Y2 lacks such genes. Males that are X1X2Y1, X1X2Y1Y1 and X1X2Y1Y2 are winged, while the absence of Y1 (X1X2Y2 and X1X2Y2Y2 results in a wingless male. These chromosomes and morphological changes are correlated with a shift of the southern population into more arid habitats of the interior in the metropolitan region and region III.

  14. Aspectos del comportamiento de los triatominos (Hemiptera: Reduviidae, vectores de la enfermedad de Chagas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana Castillo

    2000-03-01

    Full Text Available Se presenta una revisión actualizada sobre los triatominos, vectores de la enfermedad de Chagas, en aspectos como la ubicación taxonómica de las especies actualmente reconocidas, asi como de las especies encontradas en los domicilios en Colombia y del ciclo de vida del grupo en general, todo lo cual involucra el tamaño de las poblaciones, su dispersión y situaciones antrópicas que las están llevando a procesos de domiciliación. Igualmente, se hace un llamado de atención sobre las consecuencias epidemiológicas que pueden derivarse de dichas alteraciones. En Colombia, el Trypanosoma cruziafecta el 3,3% de la población y, aproximadamente, el 10% se encuentra en riesgo de adquirir la infección. En esta parasitosis intervienen tres componentes biológicos: el protozoo T.cruzi, el vector triatomino Reduviidae y el reservorio vertebrado. Debido a la alteración de los ecótopos naturales a la acción devastadora de la tala de bosques, a la construcción de viviendas con hojas de palmas y a la cacería indiscriminada de animales silvestres, entre otros, la conducta de los triatominos, insectos originalmente silvestres, ha sufrido cambios con el resultado de invasiones esporádicas o permanentes a las viviendas, lo cual está originando un cambio sustancial del comportamiento de la triada vector-huésped-parásito y, consecuentemente. de la enfermedad.

  15. De invloed van auxine, tryptofaan en enige anorganische zouten op de infectie van Nicotiana glutinosa met tabaksmozaiekvirus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liem, A.S.N.

    1963-01-01

    The number of necrotic spots arising on leaves of Nicotiana glutinosa after inoculation with tobacco mosaic virus was less than in controls without additives, if the water in which the leaves floated hadβ-indoleacetic acid (IAA),α-naphthylacetic acid (NAA) or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)

  16. In vitro and in vivo activities of eugenol against tobacco black shank caused by Phytophthora nicotianae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jing, Changliang; Gou, Jianyu; Han, Xiaobin; Wu, Qian; Zhang, Chengsheng

    2017-10-01

    Phytophthora nicotianae causes serious black shank disease in tobacco. Syringa oblata essential oil and its main components were evaluated to develop an effective and environmentally friendly biocontrol agent. Eugenol, which exhibited the strongest activity, was intensively investigated in vitro and in vivo. The mycelial growth of P. nicotianae was inhibited by eugenol at a minimum inhibitory concentration of 200μgmL -1 , and inhibition occurred in a dose-dependent manner. Extracellular pH and extracellular conductivity results indicated that eugenol increased membrane permeability. Flow cytometry and fluorescent staining results further showed that eugenol disrupted mycelial membranes but did not affect spore membrane integrity. The in vivo results confirmed that treatment of tobacco with various concentrations of eugenol formulations reduced disease incidence and better controlled against the disease. Our results suggested that the ability of eugenol to control tobacco black shank depended on its ability to damage mycelial membranes and that eugenol formulations have potential as an eco-friendly antifungal agent for controlling tobacco blank shank. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Suitability of Nicotiana tabacum 'Bel W3' for biomonitoring ozone in Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sant' Anna, Silvia M.R.; Esposito, Marisia P.; Domingos, Marisa [Instituto de Botanica, Secao de Ecologia, Caixa Postal 3005, 01061-970 Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Souza, Silvia R. [Instituto de Botanica, Secao de Ecologia, Caixa Postal 3005, 01061-970 Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)], E-mail: souzasrd@terra.com.br

    2008-01-15

    Nicotiana tabacum 'Bel W3' is a widely used sensitive bioindicator for ambient ozone, but it is rarely used in tropical countries. Our goal was to determine the suitability of this plant for biomonitoring ozone in the city of Sao Paulo by evaluating the relationships between leaf necroses and ozone under field conditions and measurements of chlorophyll a fluorescence and antioxidants in plants exposed to different concentrations of ozone in closed chambers. While a weak linear relationship between leaf injury and ozone concentrations (R{sup 2} = 0.10) was determined in the field, a strong linear relationship was observed in the chamber experiments. Maximum leaf injury was observed in plants submitted to 40 ppb, which coincided with a significant decrease in fluorescence and total ascorbic acid. The relationship between leaf damage observed in the field and ozone was improved when the concentrations were limited to 40 ppb (R{sup 2} = 0.28). - Nicotiana tabacum 'Bel W3' is suitable for indicating low ozone levels in Brazil.

  18. An arabinoxyloglucan isolated from the midrib of the leaves of Nicotiana tabacum

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eda, S; Kato, K

    1978-01-01

    The structure of an arabinoxyloglucan, separated from the hemicellulosic polysaccharides of the midrib of the leaves of Nicotiana tabacum, was investigated by methylation analyses before and after mild acid hydrolysis, acetolysis and cellulase-degradation. The arabinoxyloglucan consists of L-arabinose, D-xylose and D-glucose in a molar ratio of 13:33:54, and has a backbone of ..beta..-(1..-->..4)-linked D-glucopyranosyl residues. Some of the glucopyranosyl residues are attached at the 6 position by single ..cap alpha..-D-xylopyranosyl and ..cap alpha..-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1..-->..2)-..cap alpha..-D-xylopyranosyl side chains.

  19. Consequence of absence of nitrate reductase activity on photosynthesis in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saux, C.; Lemoine, Y.; Marion-Poll, A.; Valadier, M.H.; Deng, M.; Morot-Gaudry, J.F.

    1987-01-01

    Chlorate-resistant Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (cv Viviani) mutants were found to be deficient in the nitrate reductase apoprotein (NR - nia). Because they could not grow with nitrate as sole nitrogen source, they were cultivated as graftings on wild-type Nicotiana tabacum plants. The grafts of mutant plants were chlorotic compared to the grafts of wild type. Mutant leaves did not accumulate nitrogen but contained less malate and more glutamine than wild leaves. They exhibited a slight increase of the proportion of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein complexes and a lowering of the efficiency of energy transfer between these complexes and the active centers. After a 3 second 14 CO 2 pulse, the total 14 C incorporation of the mutant leaves was approximately 20 5 of that of the control. The 14 C was essentially recovered in ribulose bisphosphate in these plants. It was consistent with a decline of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase activity observed in the mutant. After a 3 second 14 CO 2 pulse followed by a 60 second chase with normal CO 2 , 14 C was mainly accumulated in starch which was labeled more in the mutant than in the wild type. These results confirm the observation that in the nitrate reductase deficient leaves, chloroplasts were loaded with large starch inclusions preceding disorganization of the photosynthetic apparatus

  20. Consequence of absence of nitrate reductase activity on photosynthesis in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saux, C.; Lemoine, Y.; Marion-Poll, A.; Valadier, M.H.; Deng, M.; Morot-Gaudry, J.F.

    1987-05-01

    Chlorate-resistant Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (cv Viviani) mutants were found to be deficient in the nitrate reductase apoprotein (NR/sup -/ nia). Because they could not grow with nitrate as sole nitrogen source, they were cultivated as graftings on wild-type Nicotiana tabacum plants. The grafts of mutant plants were chlorotic compared to the grafts of wild type. Mutant leaves did not accumulate nitrogen but contained less malate and more glutamine than wild leaves. They exhibited a slight increase of the proportion of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein complexes and a lowering of the efficiency of energy transfer between these complexes and the active centers. After a 3 second /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ pulse, the total /sup 14/C incorporation of the mutant leaves was approximately 20/sup 5/ of that of the control. The /sup 14/C was essentially recovered in ribulose bisphosphate in these plants. It was consistent with a decline of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase activity observed in the mutant. After a 3 second /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ pulse followed by a 60 second chase with normal CO/sub 2/, /sup 14/C was mainly accumulated in starch which was labeled more in the mutant than in the wild type. These results confirm the observation that in the nitrate reductase deficient leaves, chloroplasts were loaded with large starch inclusions preceding disorganization of the photosynthetic apparatus.

  1. Anti-sense expression of putrescine N-methyltransferase confirms defensive role of nicotine in Nicotiana sylvestris against Manduca sexta

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Voelckel, C.; Krugel, T.; Gase, K.; Heidrich, N.; Van Dam, N.M.; Winz, R.; Baldwin, I.T.

    2001-01-01

    Several lines of evidence support the defensive function of nicotine production in the Nicotiana genus against a range of herbivores, but the evidence is largely correlative. To suppress nicotine production in planta and to test its defensive function, we expressed DNA of putrescine N-methyl

  2. Expression of a cucumber class III chitinase and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia class I glucanase genes in transgenic potato plants

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Moravcikova, J.; Matusikova, I.; Libantova, J.; Bauer, M.; Mlynarova, L.

    2004-01-01

    The genes encoding for a cucumber class III chitinase and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia class I glucanase were co-introduced into Slovak potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) breeding line 116/86 using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. For both transgenes the number of integrated copies and level of RNA expression

  3. Spontaneous and induced loss of chromosomes in slow-growing somatic hybrid calli of Solanum tuberosum and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tempelaar, MJ; Drenth - Diephuis, L.J.; SAAT, TAWM; Jacobsen, E.

    Rate and extent of spontaneous and induced chromosome loss have been determined at the callus level of somatic hybrids of mutants of Solanum tuberosum and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. AEC (amino ethyl cystein) resistance in potato and Nitrate-Reductase deficiency in N. plumbaginifolia have been used

  4. Embryology of Triatoma infestans (KLUG, (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, a Chagas' disease vector Embriología del Triatoma infestans, vector de la enfermedad de Chagas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura E. Fichera

    1992-06-01

    Full Text Available This study reports the embryogenesis of T. infestans (Hemiptera, Reduviidae. Morphological parameters of growth sequences from oviposition until hatching (12-14 d 28ºC were established. Five periods, as percent of time of development (TD, were characterized from oviposition until hatching. The most important morphological features were: 1 formation of blastoderm within 7% of TD; 2 germ band and gastrulation within 30% of TD; 3 nerve cord, limb budding, thoracic and abdominal segmentation and formation of body cavity within 50% of TD; 4 nervous system and blastokinesis end, and development of embryonic cuticle within 65% of TD; 5 differentiation of the mouth parts, fat body, and Malphigian tubules during final stage and completion of embryo at day 12 to day 14 around hatching. These signals were chosen as appropriate morphological parameters which should enable the evaluation of embryologic modifications due to the action/s of different insecticidesEn este estudio se caracterizó el desarrollo embrionario del T. infestans (Hemiptera Reduviidae. Se establecieron parámetros morfológicos secuenciales de crecimiento desde la oviposición hasta la eclosión, (12-14 d 28ºC. Cinco períodos de crecimiento fueron determinados y expresados como fracciones porcentuales del tiempo total del desarrollo (TD hasta la eclosión. Los eventos morfológicos mas importantes fueron: 1 La formación del blastodermo hasta el 7% del TD; 2 La aparición de la banda germinativa y su gastrulación transcurridos un 30% del TD; 3 El comienzo de la formación del cordón nervioso, de las extremidades, la segmentación torácica y abdominal y la formación del mixocele cuando la embriogénesis alcanzó el 50% del TD; 4 La terminación de la blastoquinesis, el desarrollo completo del sistema nervioso y la aparición de la cutícula embrionaria hasta el 65% del TD; 5 En la etapa final de la embriogenesis se observó la diferenciación del aparato mandibular, el cuerpo graso

  5. Lupines, poison-hemlock and Nicotiana spp: toxicity and teratogenicity in livestock.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panter, K E; James, L F; Gardner, D R

    1999-02-01

    Many species of lupines contain quinolizidine or piperidine alkaloids known to be toxic or teratogenic to livestock. Poison-hemlock (Conium maculatum) and Nicotiana spp. including N. tabacum and N. glauca contain toxic and teratogenic piperidine alkaloids. The toxic and teratogenic effects from these plant species have distinct similarities including maternal muscular weakness and ataxia and fetal contracture-type skeletal defects and cleft palate. It is believed that the mechanism of action of the piperidine and quinolizidine alkaloid-induced teratogenesis is the same; however, there are some differences in incidence, susceptible gestational periods, and severity between livestock species. Wildlife species have also been poisoned after eating poison-hemlock but no terata have been reported. The most widespread problem for livestock producers in recent times has been lupine-induced "crooked calf disease." Crooked calf disease is characterized as skeletal contracture-type malformations and occasional cleft palate in calves after maternal ingestion of lupines containing the quinolizidine alkaloid anagyrine during gestation days 40-100. Similar malformations have been induced in cattle and goats with lupines containing the piperidine alkaloids ammodendrine, N-methyl ammodendrine, and N-acetyl hystrine and in cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs with poison-hemlock containing predominantly coniine or gamma-coniceine and N. glauca containing anabasine. Toxic and teratogenic effects have been linked to structural aspects of these alkaloids, and the mechanism of action is believed to be associated with an alkaloid-induced inhibition of fetal movement during specific gestational periods. This review presents a historical perspective, description and distribution of lupines, poison-hemlock and Nicotiana spp., toxic and teratogenic effects and management information to reduce losses.

  6. NaStEP: A Proteinase Inhibitor Essential to Self-Incompatibility and a Positive Regulator of HT-B Stability in Nicotiana alata Pollen Tubes1[W][OA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiménez-Durán, Karina; McClure, Bruce; García-Campusano, Florencia; Rodríguez-Sotres, Rogelio; Cisneros, Jesús; Busot, Grethel; Cruz-García, Felipe

    2013-01-01

    In Solanaceae, the self-incompatibility S-RNase and S-locus F-box interactions define self-pollen recognition and rejection in an S-specific manner. This interaction triggers a cascade of events involving other gene products unlinked to the S-locus that are crucial to the self-incompatibility response. To date, two essential pistil-modifier genes, 120K and High Top-Band (HT-B), have been identified in Nicotiana species. However, biochemistry and genetics indicate that additional modifier genes are required. We recently reported a Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor, named NaStEP (for Nicotiana alata Stigma-Expressed Protein), that is highly expressed in the stigmas of self-incompatible Nicotiana species. Here, we report the proteinase inhibitor activity of NaStEP. NaStEP is taken up by both compatible and incompatible pollen tubes, but its suppression in Nicotiana spp. transgenic plants disrupts S-specific pollen rejection; therefore, NaStEP is a novel pistil-modifier gene. Furthermore, HT-B levels within the pollen tubes are reduced when NaStEP-suppressed pistils are pollinated with either compatible or incompatible pollen. In wild-type self-incompatible N. alata, in contrast, HT-B degradation occurs preferentially in compatible pollinations. Taken together, these data show that the presence of NaStEP is required for the stability of HT-B inside pollen tubes during the rejection response, but the underlying mechanism is currently unknown. PMID:23150644

  7. Effect of gamma-radiation on callus initiation and oraganogenesis in the tissue culture of Nicotiana tabaccum L

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, S. H.; Kim, J. G.; Song, H. S.

    2004-01-01

    It is generally agreed that ionizing radiations stimulate cell division, growth and development in various organisms including animals and plants. Differentiating tissues are the most sensitive to radiation. The present experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of ionizing radiation on callus initiation and organogenesis from the stem in the culture of Nicotiana tabaccum L. cv. When the stem segments were cultured on a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 2 mg/L kinetin, with 1 mg/L 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), with 2 mg/L kinetin and 1 mg/L 2,4-D, the shoots and callus were differentiated 14 days after cultivation. Callus was especially formed on the MS medium with 2,4-D and/or kinetin and the formation was promoted by 1 Gy and 5 Gy of gamma radiation. The formation of the shoot clusters on the MS medium with 2 mg/L kinetin were prominent in the 5 Gy-irradiated groups. It is concluded that that gamma radiation enhanced the callus initiation and organogenesis in the tissue culture of Nicotiana tabaccum L

  8. Ozone, sulfur dioxide, and ultraviolet B have similar effects on mRNA accumulation of antioxidant genes in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia L.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Willekens, H.; Van Camp, W.; Van Montagu, M.; Inze, D. [Laboratoire Associe de l`Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (France); Langebartels, C.; Sandermann, H. Jr. [Universiteit Gent (Belgium)]|[Institut fuer Biochemische Pflanzenpathologie, Oberschleissheim (Germany)

    1994-11-01

    We have studied the expression of antioxidant genes in response to near ambient conditions of O{sub 3}, SO{sub 2}, and ultraviolet B (UV-B) in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia L. The genes analyzed encode four different superoxide dismutases (SODs), three catalases (Cat1, Cat2, and Cat3), the cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase (cyt APx), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The experimental setup for each treatment was essentially the same and caused no visible damage, thus allowing direct comparison of the different stress responses. Our data showed that the effects of O{sub 3}, SO{sub 2}, and UV-B on the antioxidant genes are very similar, although the response to SO{sub 2} is generally less pronounced and delayed. The effects of the different stresses are characterized by a decline in Cat1, a moderate increase in Cat3, and a strong increase in Cat2 and GPx. Remarkably, SODs and cyt APx were not affected. Analysis of SOD and APx expression in the ozone-sensitive Nicotiana tabacum L. cv PBD6 revealed that induction of the cytosolic copper/zinc SOD and cyt APx occurs only with the onset of visible damage. It is proposed that alterations in mRNA levels of catalases and GPx, but not of SODs and cyt APx, form part of the initial antioxidant response to O{sub 3}, SO{sub 2}, and UV-B in Nicotiana. 57 refs., 4 figs.

  9. First record of Triatoma maculata (Erichson, 1848 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatomini in Riohacha, La Guajira – Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edith Natalia Gómez-Melendro

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Knowledge of vector insect species, their habitat and geographical distribution is crucial for determining the risk of transmission of the etiologic agents that cause disease in humans, which allows defining strategies for prevention, surveillance and control in line with the characteristics of each area. Objective. To determine the presence and public health importance of vectors of Chagas disease in the indigenous settlements of Marbacella and El Horno of the Wayúu ethnic group in the municipality of Riohacha, La Guajira, Colombia. Materials and methods. From active search, installation and inspection of biosensors and occasional catches, Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatomini were collected intra and in the peridomicile housing of the indigenous settlements of El Horno and Marbacella of the the Wayúu ethnic group. Indices of intra and peridomestic infestation, colonization, density, dispersion and natural infection with Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, 1909 were calculated. Results. 79.6% (n = 90 of the specimens were collected around the homes and 20.3% (n = 23 inside the homes, all corresponding to Triatoma maculata (Erichson, 1848. The natural infection indices with T. cruzi accounted for 43.5% for Marbacella and 36% for El Horno. Conclusion. This is the first reported capture of individuals of T. maculata, considered a secondary vector of Chagas disease in Colombia, naturally infected with T. cruzi in the municipality of Riohacha expanding the geographical distribution of the species in the department of La Guajira.

  10. Esta que "é uma das delícias, e mimos desta terra...": o uso indígena do tabaco (N. rustica e N. tabacum nos relatos de cronistas, viajantes e filósofos naturais dos séculos XVI e XVII

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Fausto Moraes dos Santos

    Full Text Available O tabaco (Nicotiana sp. foi um dos elementos botânicos do Novo Mundo que mais aguçaram a curiosidade de diversos viajantes, eruditos, médicos e filósofos naturais em ambos os lados do Atlântico. As plantas do gênero Nicotiana rapidamente ganharam notoriedade entre homens de letras. O hiato entre as primeiras descrições sobre os diversos predicados do tabaco e sua introdução na Europa foi consideravelmente curto. É provável que os rumores a respeito das propriedades das plantas de Nicotiana tenham chegado à Europa concomitantente às primeiras folhas ou sementes. Muitos destes relatos incluíam informações a respeito de seu uso pelos povos indígenas. Sua relevância, em meio aos ameríndios, suscitou nos europeus, mesmo com todas as barreiras culturais, um considerável interesse por suas possíveis aplicações e uma irresistível disposição em justificar seu uso.

  11. Evolutionary time-scale of the begomoviruses: evidence from integrated sequences in the Nicotiana genome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pierre Lefeuvre

    Full Text Available Despite having single stranded DNA genomes that are replicated by host DNA polymerases, viruses in the family Geminiviridae are apparently evolving as rapidly as some RNA viruses. The observed substitution rates of geminiviruses in the genera Begomovirus and Mastrevirus are so high that the entire family could conceivably have originated less than a million years ago (MYA. However, the existence of geminivirus related DNA (GRD integrated within the genomes of various Nicotiana species suggests that the geminiviruses probably originated >10 MYA. Some have even suggested that a distinct New-World (NW lineage of begomoviruses may have arisen following the separation by continental drift of African and American proto-begomoviruses ∼110 MYA. We evaluate these various geminivirus origin hypotheses using Bayesian coalescent-based approaches to date firstly the Nicotiana GRD integration events, and then the divergence of the NW and Old-World (OW begomoviruses. Besides rejecting the possibility of a<2 MYA OW-NW begomovirus split, we could also discount that it may have occurred concomitantly with the breakup of Gondwanaland 110 MYA. Although we could only confidently narrow the date of the split down to between 2 and 80 MYA, the most plausible (and best supported date for the split is between 20 and 30 MYA--a time when global cooling ended the dispersal of temperate species between Asia and North America via the Beringian land bridge.

  12. Cloning the bacterial bphC gene into Nicotiana tabacum to improve the efficiency of phytoremediation of polychlorinated biphenyls

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nováková, Martina; Macková, M.; Antošová, Z.; Viktorová, J.; Szekeres, M.; Demnerová, K.; Macek, Tomáš

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 1, č. 6 (2010), s. 419-423 ISSN 1949-1018 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M06030 Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) ME09024 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : phytoremediation * transgenic plant * Nicotiana tabacum * bphC Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics

  13. Cytosolic calcium rises and related events in ergosterol-treated Nicotiana cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vatsa, Parul; Chiltz, Annick; Luini, Estelle; Vandelle, Elodie; Pugin, Alain; Roblin, Gabriel

    2011-07-01

    The typical fungal membrane component ergosterol was previously shown to trigger defence responses and protect plants against pathogens. Most of the elicitors mobilize the second messenger calcium, to trigger plant defences. We checked the involvement of calcium in response to ergosterol using Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi cells expressing apoaequorin in the cytosol. First, it was verified if ergosterol was efficient in these cells inducing modifications of proton fluxes and increased expression of defence-related genes. Then, it was shown that ergosterol induced a rapid and transient biphasic increase of free [Ca²⁺](cyt) which intensity depends on ergosterol concentration in the range 0.002-10 μM. Among sterols, this calcium mobilization was specific for ergosterol and, ergosterol-induced pH and [Ca²⁺](cyt) changes were specifically desensitized after two subsequent applications of ergosterol. Specific modulators allowed elucidating some events in the signalling pathway triggered by ergosterol. The action of BAPTA, LaCl₃, nifedipine, verapamil, neomycin, U73122 and ruthenium red suggested that the first phase was linked to calcium influx from external medium which subsequently triggered the second phase linked to calcium release from internal stores. The calcium influx and the [Ca²⁺](cyt) increase depended on upstream protein phosphorylation. The extracellular alkalinization and ROS production depended on calcium influx but, the ergosterol-induced MAPK activation was calcium-independent. ROS were not involved in cytosolic calcium rise as described in other models, indicating that ROS do not systematically participate in the amplification of calcium signalling. Interestingly, ergosterol-induced ROS production is not linked to cell death and ergosterol does not induce any calcium elevation in the nucleus. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. Changes in cytokinins are sufficient to alter developmental patterns of defense metabolites in Nicotiana attenuata

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bruetting, C.; Schaefer, N.; Vaňková, Radomíra; Gase, K.; Baldwin, I.T.; Meldau, S.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 89, č. 1 (2017), s. 15-30 ISSN 0960-7412 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LD14120 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : proteinase-inhibitor production * plant defense * arabidopsis-thaliana * leaf senescence * insect interactions * tobacco plants * jasmonic acid * manduca-sexta * cis-zeatin * responses * cytokinins * optimal defense * herbivores * inducible defense * Nicotiana attenuata * Manduca sexta * plant development * immunosenescence * phytohormones Subject RIV: ED - Physiology OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 5.901, year: 2016

  15. Differential expression of catalase genes in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willekens, H; Langebartels, C; Tiré, C; Van Montagu, M; Inzé, D; Van Camp, W

    1994-10-25

    We have analyzed the expression of three catalase (Cat; EC 1.11.1.6) genes from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia by means of RNA blot and in situ hybridizations. Our data demonstrate that the expression of each catalase is associated with a particular H2O2-producing process. Cat1 appears to be specifically involved in the scavenging of photorespiratory H2O2 and is under control of a circadian rhythm, Cat2 is uniformly expressed in different organs with a cellular preference for vascular tissues, and the expression profile of Cat3 points to a role in glyoxysomal processes. Differential expression of these catalases is also manifested in response to temperature changes. DNA sequence comparison with other dicotyledonous catalases led to the identification of at least three distinct classes, which indicates that the functional organization of catalases is generally conserved in dicotyledonous plants.

  16. Phylogeny and niche conservatism in North and Central American triatomine bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), vectors of Chagas' disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibarra-Cerdeña, Carlos N; Zaldívar-Riverón, Alejandro; Peterson, A Townsend; Sánchez-Cordero, Víctor; Ramsey, Janine M

    2014-10-01

    The niche conservatism hypothesis states that related species diverge in niche characteristics at lower rates than expected, given their lineage divergence. Here we analyze whether niche conservatism is a common pattern among vector species (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) of Trypanosoma cruzi that inhabit North and Central America, a highly heterogeneous landmass in terms of environmental gradients. Mitochondrial and nuclear loci were used in a multi-locus phylogenetic framework to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among species and estimate time of divergence of selected clades to draw biogeographic inferences. Then, we estimated similarity between the ecological niche of sister species and tested the niche conservatism hypothesis using our best estimate of phylogeny. Triatoma is not monophyletic. A primary clade with all North and Central American (NCA) triatomine species from the genera Triatoma, Dipetalogaster, and Panstrongylus, was consistently recovered. Nearctic species within the NCA clade (T. p. protracta, T. r. rubida) diverged during the Pliocene, whereas the Neotropical species (T. phyllosoma, T. longipennis, T. dimidiata complex) are estimated to have diverged more recently, during the Pleistocene. The hypothesis of niche conservatism could not be rejected for any of six sister species pairs. Niche similarity between sister species best fits a retention model. While this framework is used here to infer niche evolution, it has a direct impact on spatial vector dynamics driven by human population movements, expansion of transportation networks and climate change scenarios.

  17. Mass rearing and augmentative biological control evaluation of Rhynocoris fuscipes (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) against multiple pests of cotton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomson, Majesh; Sahayaraj, Kitherian; Kumar, Vivek; Avery, Pasco B; McKenzie, Cindy L; Osborne, Lance S

    2017-08-01

    Rhynocoris fuscipes (Fab.) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is a generalist predator of cotton pests and is commonly found inhabiting cotton-growing regions in southern India. With the goal of integrating this predator in standard management practices used against cotton pests on a commercial scale, (1) we developed a protocol for adult group rearing of this predator inside micro-environmental cages (MECs), and (2) we evaluated the biocontrol potential of mass-produced predators against cotton pests under potted and field conditions. Higher fecundity and adult longevity of R. fuscipes was recorded in the MECs than under natural growing conditions. The reduviid predator preferred stones and fallen leaves as hiding places in the MECs. The predator showed a higher biocontrol potential during the night hours against two pests, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley and Dysdercus cingulatus (Fab.), than during the day under potted conditions. Under field conditions, R. fuscipes significantly reduced the population of Aphis gossypii Glover, P. solenopsis, D. cingulatus and Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) by 28, 70, 29 and 50%, respectively. No negative impact of R. fuscipes was reported on other natural enemies present in the cotton agroecosystem. Significantly higher crop yield and cost benefit ratio were observed in R. fuscipes-released plots than in the control plots. The results suggest that R. fuscipes can be mass produced efficiently under controlled conditions in MECs, and used in an integrated management program for multiple cotton pests. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  18. A small asparagine-rich protein required for S-allele-specific pollen rejection in Nicotiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClure, B; Mou, B; Canevascini, S; Bernatzky, R

    1999-11-09

    Although S-locus RNases (S-RNases) determine the specificity of pollen rejection in self-incompatible (SI) solanaceous plants, they alone are not sufficient to cause S-allele-specific pollen rejection. To identify non-S-RNase sequences that are required for pollen rejection, a Nicotiana alata cDNA library was screened by differential hybridization. One clone, designated HT, hybridized strongly to RNA from N. alata styles but not to RNA from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, a species known to lack one or more factors necessary for S-allele-specific pollen rejection. Sequence analysis revealed a 101-residue ORF including a putative secretion signal and an asparagine-rich domain near the C terminus. RNA blot analysis showed that the HT-transcript accumulates in the stigma and style before anthesis. The timing of HT-expression lags slightly behind S(C10)-RNase in SI N. alata S(C10)S(C10) and is well correlated with the onset of S-allele-specific pollen rejection in the style. An antisense-HT construct was prepared to test for a role in pollen rejection. Transformed (N. plumbaginifolia x SI N. alata S(C10)S(C10)) hybrids with reduced levels of HT-protein continued to express S(C10)-RNase but failed to reject S(C10)-pollen. Control hybrids expressing both S(C10)-RNase and HT-protein showed a normal S-allele-specific pollen rejection response. We conclude that HT-protein is directly implicated in pollen rejection.

  19. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, NADP-malic enzyme, and pyruvate, phosphate dikinase are involved in the acclimation of Nicotiana tabacum L. to drought stress

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Doubnerová-Hýsková, V.; Miedzińska, L.; Dobrá, Jana; Vaňková, Radomíra; Ryšlavá, H.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 171, č. 5 (2014), s. 19-25 ISSN 0176-1617 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0505 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Drought * NADP-malic enzyme * Nicotiana tabacum L. Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics Impact factor: 2.557, year: 2014

  20. Back-transmission of a virus associated with apple stem pitting and pear vein yellows from Nicotiana occidentalis to apple and pear indicators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leone, G.; Lindner, J.L.; Jongedijk, G.; Meer, van der F.

    1995-01-01

    The successful back-transmission of the mechanically transmissible virus associated with apple stem pitting and pear vein yellows, from Nicotiana occidentalis to apple seedlings "Golden Delicious" under greenhouse conditions is reported. This result enabled a field experiment where isolates of apple

  1. The Cotton WRKY Gene GhWRKY41 Positively Regulates Salt and Drought Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoqian Chu

    Full Text Available WRKY transcription factors constitute a very large family of proteins in plants and participate in modulating plant biological processes, such as growth, development and stress responses. However, the exact roles of WRKY proteins are unclear, particularly in non-model plants. In this study, Gossypium hirsutum WRKY41 (GhWRKY41 was isolated and transformed into Nicotiana benthamiana. Our results showed that overexpression of GhWRKY41 enhanced the drought and salt stress tolerance of transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana. The transgenic plants exhibited lower malondialdehyde content and higher antioxidant enzyme activity, and the expression of antioxidant genes was upregulated in transgenic plants exposed to osmotic stress. A β-glucuronidase (GUS staining assay showed that GhWRKY41 was highly expressed in the stomata when plants were exposed to osmotic stress, and plants overexpressing GhWRKY41 exhibited enhanced stomatal closure when they were exposed to osmotic stress. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that GhWRKY41 may enhance plant tolerance to stress by functioning as a positive regulator of stoma closure and by regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS scavenging and the expression of antioxidant genes.

  2. Toxicity, repellency and flushing out in Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae exposed to the repellents DEET and IR3535

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mercedes M.N. Reynoso

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available DEET and IR3535 are insect repellents present worldwide in commercial products; their efficacy has been mainly evaluated in mosquitoes. This study compares the toxicological effects and the behavioral responses induced by both repellents on the blood-sucking bug Triatoma infestans Klug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae, one of the main vectors of Chagas disease. When applied topically, the Median Lethal Dose (72 h for DEET was 220.8 µg/insect. Using IR3535, topical application of 500 µg/insect killed no nymphs. The minimum concentration that produced repellency was the same for both compounds: 1,15 µg/cm2. The effect of a mixture DEET:IR3535 1:1 was similar to that of their pure components. Flushing out was assessed in a chamber with a shelter containing groups of ten nymphs. The repellents were aerosolized on the shelter and the number of insects leaving it was recorded for 60 min. During that time, 0.006 g/m3 of the positive control tetramethrin flushed out 76.7% of the nymphs, while 1.76 g/m3 of DEET or IR3535 flushed out 30 and 0%, respectively. The concentrations required for both compounds to produce toxicity or flushing out are too high to have any practical applications. However, they showed a promising repellency. Additional research should be done to evaluate their possible use for personal protection against T. infestans bites.

  3. Distribuição Geográfica e Dispersão Alti-latitudinal de Alguns Gêneros e Espécies da Tribo Triatomini Jeannel, 1919 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Galvão Cleber

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available Geographical Distribution and Alti-latitudinal Dispersion of Some Genera and Species of the Tribe Triatomini Jeannel, 1919 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae - With the currently known distribution of genera and species of the tribe Triatomini Jeannel, 1919, maps and diagrams were prepared, showing the geographical area occupied by the species and their respective dispersion in grades of latitude and altitude. Two genera are not treated: Panstrongylus Berg, 1879, already published and Triatoma Laporte, 1832, that is being published partially in several articles. Genus Eratyrus Stal, 1859, has two species, while Dipetalogaster Usinger, 1939, Mepraia Mazza, Gajardo & Joerg, 1940, Paratriatoma Barber, 1938 and recently created genus Hermanlentia Jurberg & Galvão, 1997, have only one each. The study of these maps and diagrams permits a better knowledge about some ecological requirements of Chagas' disease vectors and detects gaps in the geographical distribution, where the species were not found but probably they could be prevalent

  4. High-efficiency Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation of heat inducible sHSP18.2-GUS in Nicotiana tabacum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shih-Cheng; Liu, Hui-Wen; Lee, Kung-Ta; Yamakawa, Takashi

    2007-01-01

    The chimerical gene, Arabidopsis thaliana sHSP18.2 promoter fused to E. coli gusA gene, was Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformed into Nicotiana tabacum as a heat-regulatable model, and the thermo-inducible expression of GUS activity in N. tabacum transgenic hairy roots was profiled. An activation of A. rhizogenes with acetosyringone (AS) before cocultured with tobacco's leaf disc strongly promoted transgenic hairy roots formation. Transgenic hairy roots formation efficiency of A. rhizogenes precultured with 200 microM AS supplementation was 3.1-fold and 7.5-fold, respectively, compared to the formation efficiency obtained with and without AS supplementation in coculture. Transgenic hairy roots transformed with different AS concentration exhibited a similar pattern of thermo-inducibility after 10 min to 3 h heat treatments detected by GUS expression. The peak of expressed GUS specific activity, 399,530 pmol MUG per mg total protein per min, of the transgenic hairy roots was observed at 48 h after 3 h of 42 degrees C heat treatment, and the expressed GUS specific activity was 7-26 times more than that reported in A. thaliana, tobacco BY-2 cells and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. Interference caused by AS supplementation on the growth of transgenic hairy roots, time-course of GUS expression and its expression level were not observed.

  5. Avaliação de óleos essenciais de plantas aromáticas com atividade inseticida em Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae = Evaluation of essential oils with insecticidal activity in Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suellem Petilim Gomes

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available A doenca de Chagas e um dos maiores problemas de saude publica na America Latina. Neste trabalho, foi avaliada a acao inseticida de oleos essenciais de Anacardium humile Cymbopogon nardus, Ocimum basilicum e Eucalyptus urograndis em ninfas do 3‹ e 4‹ estadios dedesenvolvimento de Triatoma infestans por acao topica e pressao a vapor (fumigacao. Para o teste topico foram realizadas duas repeticoes cada uma com cinco ninfas de 3‹ e 4‹ estadios de desenvolvimento de T. infestans. Foi aplicado 1ƒÊL de cada concentracao na regiao dorsal de cada individuo. Para o teste de fumigacao foram utilizados potes de 2 L com tampa vedante. Os oleos essenciais de O. gratissimum e E. urograndis apresentaram atividadeinseticida para T. infestans, e A. humile e C. nardus apresentaram em media 5 e 15% de mortalidade, respectivamente. Para fumigacao, somente o oleo de E. urograndis teve efeito, com 100% de mortalidade sobre T. infestans , sendo que para os outros oleos nao foiobservado efeito de fumigacao. Esse trabalho relata pela primeira vez a acao inseticida de E. urograndis em potes fumigenos para o controle de triatomineos. Os resultados sao importantes devido a busca por novos modelos moleculares com acao inseticida em triatomineos resistentes aos inseticidas sinteticos.Chagas disease is a major public health problem in Latin America. This work aimed to evaluate the insecticide action of essential oils of Anacardium humile, Cymbopogon nardus, Ocimum basilicum and Eucalyptus urograndis on Triatoma infestans nymphs of third and fourth stages of development by topic action and steam pressure (fumigation. Two repetitions were performed at the topic test with five nymphs of third and fourth stages of development of T. infestans. It was applied 1ƒÊL of each concentration on the dorsal region of each nymph. Two-liter pots with sealing covers were used at the fumigation test. The essential oils of O. gratissimum and E. urograndis showed insecticidal

  6. Improved phytoaccumulation of cadmium by genetically modified tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.). Physiological and biochemical response of the transformants to cadmium toxicity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorinova, N.; Nedkovska, M.; Todorovska, E.; Simova-Stoilova, L.; Stoyanova, Z.; Georgieva, K.; Demirevska-Kepova, K.; Atanassov, A.; Herzig, R.

    2007-01-01

    The response of tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.)-non-transformed and transformed with a metallothionein gene MThis from Silene vulgaris L. - to increase cadmium supply in the nutrient solution was compared. The transgenic plants accumulated significantly more Cd both in the roots and the leaves. Visual toxicity symptoms and disturbance in water balance were correlated with Cd tissue content. Treatment with 300 μM CdCl 2 resulted in inhibition of photosynthesis and mobilization of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle. Treatment with 500 μM CdCl 2 led to irreversible damage of photosynthesis and oxidative stress. An appearance of a new peroxidase isoform and changes in the leaf polypeptide pattern were observed at the highest Cd concentration. The level of non-protein thiols gradually increased following the Cd treatment both in transgenic and non-transformed plants. - Genetic transformation of Nicotiana tabacum L. by metallothionein gene improved phytoaccumulation of cadmium

  7. Mechanisms of nitric-oxide-induced increase of free cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamotte, Olivier; Courtois, Cécile; Dobrowolska, Grazyna; Besson, Angélique; Pugin, Alain; Wendehenne, David

    2006-04-15

    In this study, we investigated a role for nitric oxide (NO) in mediating the elevation of the free cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](cyt)) in plants using Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cells expressing the Ca(2+) reporter apoaequorin. Hyperosmotic stress induced a fast increase of [Ca(2+)](cyt) which was strongly reduced by pretreating cell suspensions with the NO scavenger carboxy PTIO, indicating that NO mediates [Ca(2+)](cyt) changes in plant cells challenged by abiotic stress. Accordingly, treatment of transgenic N. plumbaginifolia cells with the NO donor diethylamine NONOate was followed by a transient increase of [Ca(2+)](cyt) sensitive to plasma membrane Ca(2+) channel inhibitors and antagonist of cyclic ADP ribose. We provided evidence that NO might activate plasma membrane Ca(2+) channels by inducing a rapid and transient plasma membrane depolarization. Furthermore, NO-induced elevation of [Ca(2+)](cyt) was suppressed by the kinase inhibitor staurosporine, suggesting that NO enhances [Ca(2+)](cyt) by promoting phosphorylation-dependent events. This result was further supported by the demonstration that the NO donor induced the activation of a 42-kDa protein kinase which belongs to SnRK2 families and corresponds to Nicotiana tabacum osmotic-stress-activated protein kinase (NtOSAK). Interestingly, NtOSAK was activated in response to hyperosmotic stress through a NO-dependent process, supporting the hypothesis that NO also promotes protein kinase activation during physiological processes.

  8. Pollination ecology of the invasive tree tobacco Nicotiana glauca: comparisons across native and non-native ranges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeff Ollerton

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Interactions with pollinators are thought to play a significant role in determining whether plant species become invasive, and ecologically generalised species are predicted to be more likely to invade than more specialised species. Using published and unpublished data we assessed the floral biology and pollination ecology of the South American native Nicotiana glauca (Solanaceae which has become a significant invasive of semi-arid parts of the world. In regions where specialised bird pollinators are available, for example hummingbirds in California and sunbirds in South Africa and Israel, N. glauca interacts with these local pollinators and sets seed by both out-crossing and selfing. In areas where there are no such birds, such as the Canary Islands and Greece, abundant viable seed is set by selfing, facilitated by the shorter stigma-anther distance compared to plants in native populations. Surprisingly, in these areas without pollinating birds, the considerable nectar resources are only rarely exploited by other flower visitors such as bees or butterflies, either legitimately or by nectar robbing. We conclude that Nicotiana glauca is a successful invasive species outside of its native range, despite its functionally specialised hummingbird pollination system, because it has evolved to become more frequently self pollinating in areas where it is introduced. Its invasion success is not predictable from what is known of its interactions with pollinators in its home range.

  9. Propuesta de medio de cultivo para el estudio de Phytophthora Nicotianae Breda de Haan

    OpenAIRE

    Vaillant Flores, Daymara I; González García, Marleny; Ramírez Ochoa, Rebeca

    2013-01-01

    El género Phytophthora representa un grupo difícil de aislar y conservar. Por lo que se han desarrollado varios medios de cultivo para su estudio. Se propone al medio Agar-tabaco como alternativa para el crecimiento y desarrollo de P. nicotianae. Para realizar este trabajo se emplearon dos cepas: Pp1 y Pp6 aislados de tabaco y piña respectivamente. Ambas se sembraron en discos en agar-tabaco, y se comparó con agar tomate y agar harina de maíz. Se determinó el crecimiento lineal del hongo, las...

  10. Detection of a Potential New Bartonella Species "Candidatus Bartonella rondoniensis" in Human Biting Kissing Bugs (Reduviidae; Triatominae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maureen Laroche

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Among the Reduviidae family, triatomines are giant blood-sucking bugs. They are well known in Central and South America where they transmit Trypanosoma cruzi to mammals, including humans, through their feces. This parasitic protozoan is the causative agent of Chagas disease, a major public health issue in endemic areas. Because of the medical and economic impact of Chagas disease, the presence of other arthropod-borne pathogens in triatomines was rarely investigated.In this study, seven triatomines species involved in the transmission of T. cruzi were molecularly screened for the presence of known pathogens generally associated with arthropods, such as Rickettsia, Bartonella, Anaplasmataceae, Borrelia species and Coxiella burnetii. Of all included triatomine species, only Eratyrus mucronatus specimens tested positive for Bartonella species for 56% of tested samples. A new genotype of Bartonella spp. was detected in 13/23 Eratyrus mucronatus specimens, an important vector of T. cruzi to humans. This bacterium was further characterized by sequencing fragments of the ftsZ, gltA and rpoB genes. Depending on the targeted gene, this agent shares 84% to 91% of identity with B. bacilliformis, the agent of Carrion's disease, a deadly sandfly-borne infectious disease endemic in South America. It is also closely related to animal pathogens such as B. bovis and B. chomelii.As E. mucronatus is an invasive species that occasionally feeds on humans, the presence of potentially pathogenic Bartonella-infected bugs could present another risk for human health, along with the T. cruzi issue.

  11. Biotechnological Reduction of Tobacco (Nicotiana Tabacum L. Toxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samane Sattar

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Nicotiana tobacco contains large amounts of alkaloid nicotine. Tobacco plant is used for smoking and causes many health problems since it is high in nicotine which is one of the widely-recognized toxic compounds with serious side effects for different body organs. Reducing nicotine content of this plant is a way to reduce its health hazards in cigarette smokers. Utilizing the new methods of genetic engineering can modify nicotine levels in the plant. In this study, through transferring the blocking gene, the pathway of nicotine biosynthesis was blocked to produce transgenic tobacco with low levels of nicotine. Methods: Transgenic plants carrying T DNA, and non-transgenic plants were grown on MS medium. Then their leaves were dried and powdered. The plants were extracted with alkali solution. Eventually, the nicotine content of the extract were analyzed using GC. Results: The analysis of extracts showed a reduction in the nicotine content of the transgenic plant (contain T-DNA in comparison with non-transgenic plants. Conclusion: Tobacco with lower nicotine reduction can reduce the toxic effects of smoking on smokers and can facilitate withdrawal from it.

  12. Highly Oxygenated Flavonoids from the Leaves of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (Solanaceae

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    Md. Shafiullah Shajib

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv. is an annual herb of the family Solanaceae, which grows abundantly in the weedy lands of Bangladesh . This plant possesses analgesic, antibacterial, anti-anxiety and hepatoprotective properties, and produces various phenolic compounds including flavonoids. The present study afforded determination of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and for the first time, the isolation and characterization of highly oxygenated flavonoids, e.g., 3,3' ,5,6,7,8-hexamethoxy- 4',5'-methylenedioxyflavone (1, 3,3' ,4' ,5',5,6,7,8-octamethoxyflavone (2, exoticin, 6,7,4',5'-dimethylenedioxy-3,5,3'-trimethoxyflavone (3 and ( 3,3' ,4',5,5',8-hexamethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone (4 from the leaves of N. plumbaginifolia . All these flavonoids are rather rare natural products, and only found in a few genera, e.g.,Polygonum and Murraya. The structures of the isolated flavonoids were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, e.g., UV, 1H, 13C NMR, DEPT, HSQC, HMBC and MS.

  13. Genetic and Biochemical Analysis of Intragenic Complementation Events among Nitrate Reductase Apoenzyme-Deficient Mutants of Nicotiana Plumbaginifolia

    OpenAIRE

    Pelsy, F.; Gonneau, M.

    1991-01-01

    Intragenic complementation has been observed between apoenzyme nitrate reductase-deficient mutants (nia) of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. In vivo as in vitro, the NADH-nitrate reductase (NR) activity in plants heterozygous for two different nia alleles was lower than in the wild type plant, but the plants were able to grow on nitrate as a sole nitrogen source. NR activity, absent in extracts of homozygous nia mutants was restored by mixing extracts from two complementing nia mutants. These obser...

  14. Assessment of 210Pb concentration in Nicotiana tabacum L., burley variety, cultivated in Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rocha, Rique J.F.X.; Silva, Carolina F.; Frujuele, Jonatan V.; Bovolini, Raquel R.; Damatto, Sandra R.

    2013-01-01

    Tobacco products are extensively used throughout the world and the most consumed are cigarettes, cigars and narghile. The damaging effects that these products cause to human health are discussed worldwide and many researches are performed with the aim of relating the use of these products with various diseases. Brazil is the largest exporter and second largest producer of tobacco worldwide, according to the crop year 2009/2010 production. The tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is used to manufacture all derivatives and the chemical composition of the resulting tobacco varies with the type of tobacco leaves, how they are grown, the region where they are cultivated, the characteristics of preparation and the temperature variations resulting from the tobacco incomplete combustion. There is lack of information about the chemical and radiological characterization of the tobacco plant both in international and Brazilian literature. Thus a project was established with the objectives of characterizing chemically and radiologically the three varieties most cultivated in Brazil of Nicotiana tobacum L., Virginia, Burley and Common; this paper presents the preliminary results of 210 Pb concentrations for the Burley variety. Plants from this variety were cultivated in pots with organic substrate and fertilizer and in a small farm in natural conditions. The entire plant was analyzed, the organic substrates, the fertilizers and the soil. The results obtained presented higher values for 210 Pb in leaves when compared with the other parts of the plant. Comparing the three study areas the highest results of 210 Pb concentration were obtained in the plants cultivated in the urban area probably due to its atmospheric deposition. (author)

  15. Comparative genomics and repetitive sequence divergence in the species of diploid Nicotiana section Alatae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, K Yoong; Kovarik, Ales; Matyasek, Roman; Chase, Mark W; Knapp, Sandra; McCarthy, Elizabeth; Clarkson, James J; Leitch, Andrew R

    2006-12-01

    Combining phylogenetic reconstructions of species relationships with comparative genomic approaches is a powerful way to decipher evolutionary events associated with genome divergence. Here, we reconstruct the history of karyotype and tandem repeat evolution in species of diploid Nicotiana section Alatae. By analysis of plastid DNA, we resolved two clades with high bootstrap support, one containing N. alata, N. langsdorffii, N. forgetiana and N. bonariensis (called the n = 9 group) and another containing N. plumbaginifolia and N. longiflora (called the n = 10 group). Despite little plastid DNA sequence divergence, we observed, via fluorescent in situ hybridization, substantial chromosomal repatterning, including altered chromosome numbers, structure and distribution of repeats. Effort was focussed on 35S and 5S nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and the HRS60 satellite family of tandem repeats comprising the elements HRS60, NP3R and NP4R. We compared divergence of these repeats in diploids and polyploids of Nicotiana. There are dramatic shifts in the distribution of the satellite repeats and complete replacement of intergenic spacers (IGSs) of 35S rDNA associated with divergence of the species in section Alatae. We suggest that sequence homogenization has replaced HRS60 family repeats at sub-telomeric regions, but that this process may not occur, or occurs more slowly, when the repeats are found at intercalary locations. Sequence homogenization acts more rapidly (at least two orders of magnitude) on 35S rDNA than 5S rDNA and sub-telomeric satellite sequences. This rapid rate of divergence is analogous to that found in polyploid species, and is therefore, in plants, not only associated with polyploidy.

  16. Wild Nicotiana Species as a Source of Cytoplasmic Male Sterility in Nicotianatabacum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikova V

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The results of our experiments executed to obtain tobacco male sterile lines through interspecific hybridization are summarized. Ten wild species from the genus Nicotiana: N. excelsior (exc, N. amplexicaulis (amp, N. rustica (rus, Nicotianaglauca (gla, N. velutina (vel, N. benthamiana (ben, N. maritima (mar, N. paniculata (pan, N. longiflora (lon and N. africana (afr were used as cytoplasmic donors and N. tabacum, cv. HarmanliiskaBasma (HB as a donor of the nucleus. Genetic effects of cytoplasmic-nuclear interaction of the studied species are discussed. Our results suggested that cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS was expressed when the cytoplasms of the above mentioned wild Nicotiana species were combined with the nucleus of N. tabacum. The 10 sources of CMS obtained in tobacco were characterized by altered flower phenotypes. Flowers are classified into types according the stamen, pistil and corolla modification. All these CMS sources were backcrossed to Oriental tobaccos, cvs. Tekne, Nevrokop B-12, Kroumovgrad 90 and Djebel 576, to develop corresponding CMS lines. The investigated cytoplasms produced compete male sterility in all those cultivars. The CMS lines preserved flower types, specific for every “sterile” cytoplasm. The extent of male organ modifications varied from apparently normal (but pollenless stamens in CMS (pan, (afr, some plants of (vel (mar through different degrees of malformations (shriveled anther on shortened filaments (lon, pinnate-like anthers on filaments of normal length (amp, petal - (ben, pistil- or stigma-like structures (rus, (gla to lack of male reproductive organs in (exc and in some plants of (vel, (mar, (rus and (gla. Most of the above mentioned cytoplasms had normal female gametophyte and good seed productivity. Alterations of the pistils were observed in CMS (rus, (exc and (ben causing reduction of the seed set. Electrophoresis of seed proteins of the tobacco cultivars and their CMS lines also suggested that

  17. Evolution of rDNA in Nicotiana Allopolyploids: A Potential Link between rDNA Homogenization and Epigenetics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovarik, Ales; Dadejova, Martina; Lim, Yoong K.; Chase, Mark W.; Clarkson, James J.; Knapp, Sandra; Leitch, Andrew R.

    2008-01-01

    Background The evolution and biology of rDNA have interested biologists for many years, in part, because of two intriguing processes: (1) nucleolar dominance and (2) sequence homogenization. We review patterns of evolution in rDNA in the angiosperm genus Nicotiana to determine consequences of allopolyploidy on these processes. Scope Allopolyploid species of Nicotiana are ideal for studying rDNA evolution because phylogenetic reconstruction of DNA sequences has revealed patterns of species divergence and their parents. From these studies we also know that polyploids formed over widely different timeframes (thousands to millions of years), enabling comparative and temporal studies of rDNA structure, activity and chromosomal distribution. In addition studies on synthetic polyploids enable the consequences of de novo polyploidy on rDNA activity to be determined. Conclusions We propose that rDNA epigenetic expression patterns established even in F1 hybrids have a material influence on the likely patterns of divergence of rDNA. It is the active rDNA units that are vulnerable to homogenization, which probably acts to reduce mutational load across the active array. Those rDNA units that are epigenetically silenced may be less vulnerable to sequence homogenization. Selection cannot act on these silenced genes, and they are likely to accumulate mutations and eventually be eliminated from the genome. It is likely that whole silenced arrays will be deleted in polyploids of 1 million years of age and older. PMID:18310159

  18. 210Pb and 210Po concentrations determined in Nicotiana tabacum L., Burley variety, cultivated in Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Damatto, Sandra R.; Rocha, Rique J.; Da Silva, Carolina F.; Frujuele, Jonatan V.

    2013-01-01

    Tobacco products are extensively used throughout the world and the most consumed are cigarettes cigars and narghile. The damaging effects that these products cause to human health are discussed worldwide and many researches are performed with the aim of relating the use of these products with various illnesses. Brazil is the largest exporter and second largest producer of tobacco worldwide, according to the crop year 2009/2010 production. The tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is used to manufacture all derivatives and the chemical composition of the resulting tobacco varies with the type of tobacco leaves, how they are grown, the region where they are cultivated, the characteristics of preparation (compression, filter and paper) and the temperature variation resulting from the incomplete combustion of tobacco. There is lack of information about the chemical and radiological characterization of the tobacco plant both in international and Brazilian literature. Thus a project was established with the objectives of characterizing chemically and radiologically the three varieties most cultivate in Brazil of Nicotiana tabacum L.; this paper presents the preliminary results of 210 Pb and 210 Po concentration for the Burley variety. Plants from this variety cultivated in open air, both in pots with special soil and fertilizer; and in small farms in natural conditions. The whole plant was analyzed; root, steam, leaves and flowers. The results obtained presented higher values for 210 Pb in leaves when compared with the other parts of the plant. (author)

  19. Avaliação de óleos essenciais de plantas aromáticas com atividade inseticida em Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae Evaluation of essential oils with insecticidal activity in Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvio Favero

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available A doença de Chagas é um dos maiores problemas de saúde pública na América Latina. Neste trabalho, foi avaliada a ação inseticida de óleos essenciais de Anacardium humile Cymbopogon nardus, Ocimum basilicum e Eucalyptus urograndis em ninfas do 3° e 4° estádios de desenvolvimento de Triatoma infestans por ação tópica e pressão a vapor (fumigação. Para o teste tópico foram realizadas duas repetições cada uma com cinco ninfas de 3° e 4° estádios de desenvolvimento de T. infestans. Foi aplicado 1µL de cada concentração na região dorsal de cada indivíduo. Para o teste de fumigação foram utilizados potes de 2 L com tampa vedante. Os óleos essenciais de O. gratissimum e E. urograndis apresentaram atividade inseticida para T. infestans, e A. humile e C. nardus apresentaram em média 5 e 15% de mortalidade, respectivamente. Para fumigação, somente o óleo de E. urograndis teve efeito, com 100% de mortalidade sobre T. infestans, sendo que para os outros óleos não foi observado efeito de fumigação. Esse trabalho relata pela primeira vez a ação inseticida de E. urograndis em potes fumígenos para o controle de triatomíneos. Os resultados são importantes devido à busca por novos modelos moleculares com ação inseticida em triatomíneos resistentes aos inseticidas sintéticos.Chagas disease is a major public health problem in Latin America. This work aimed to evaluate the insecticide action of essential oils of Anacardium humile, Cymbopogon nardus, Ocimum basilicum and Eucalyptus urograndis on Triatoma infestans nymphs of third and fourth stages of development by topic action and steam pressure (fumigation. Two repetitions were performed at the topic test with five nymphs of third and fourth stages of development of T. infestans. It was applied 1µL of each concentration on the dorsal region of each nymph. Two-liter pots with sealing covers were used at the fumigation test. The essential oils of O. gratissimum and E

  20. Biology, behaviour and functional response of Cydnocoris gilvus Brum. (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae a predator of Tea Mosquito Bug (Helopeltis antonii Sign. on cashew in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K.K. Srikumar

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Helopeltis spp. (Hemiptera: Miridae are major sucking pests of cashew (Anacardium occidentale L. in India. Cydnocoris gilvus Brum. (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae is recorded as a potential predator of Helopeltis spp. Biology, mating behaviour and functional response of C. gilvus were studied by rearing in the laboratory (temperature 26-28 0C; relative humidity 89-94 % with wax moth, Galleria mellonella, larvae. Based on laboratory rearing, the fecundity was 56.33 eggs in 8.67 batches per female. The average stadial period was 37.3 days, with a maximum of 11 days for V instar and a minimum of 4.5 days for III instars. C. gilvus took 45.5 days to complete a generation. The innate capacity of natural increase was 0.07 with a gross reproduction of 67.8 females per female. The adult exhibited a pin and jab mode of predation in a sequence of actions. The sequential action of mating comprised arousal (1.32 min, approach (12.30 min, riding over (140.48 min and copulation (85.40 min. The predator responded to increasing prey density by killing more prey than at lower prey densities

  1. Manutenção da infectividade de Tymovírus em extratos de plantas Maintenance of infectivity of Tymovirus in plant extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Mércia Barradas

    1992-12-01

    Full Text Available Quatro isolados do vírus do mosaico da berinjela (EMV - "eggplant mosaic virus" - grupo tymovírus foram armazenados a partir de extratos foliares de hospedeiras com sintomas sistêmicos. Os virus EMV-Al (isolado de Abelia, EMV-Sc (isolado da Escócia, -ts (estirpe-padrão e VNBT (vírus da necrose branca do tomateiro, que induzem sintomas em Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. murale, C. quinoa (Família Chenopodiaceae Datura stramonium, Lycopersicon esculentum e Nicotiana glutinosa (Solanaceae, foram conservados em extratos destas plantas, à temperatura ambiente, em geladeira e em congelador. A infectividade dos vírus, em diferentes períodos de armazenamento, foi testada em plantas de datura e glutinosa, para se determinar a longevidade in vitro. Constatou-se que, quando guardados em baixas temperaturas,os extratos preservam por mais tempo a infectividade dos vírus. No caso de datura e glutinosa, por exemplo, resultados positivos foram obtidos até 413 e 282 dias de armazenamento, respectivamente, em congelador. Entretanto, com relação às espécies de Chenopodium testadas, mesmo alguns extratos recém-preparados conduziram a resultados negativos, confirmando a presença de inibidores de infecção viral nestas plantas. Das três espécies, é sugerida a utilização apenas de C.quinoa para o preparo de extratos visando preservar estes vírus e, assim mesmo, por um período relativamente curto (entre 53 e 80 dias. A avaliação geral dos resultados mostra que, para os tymovírus estudados neste trabalho, é possível conservar a infectividade através da técnica de armazenamento de extratos foliares de plantas sistemicamente infectadas.Four isolates of EMV (eggplant mosaic virus - tymovirus group were preserved in crude extracts from systemically-infected plants. EMV-Al (Abelia strain, EMV-Sc (Scottish strain, EMV-ts (type-strain and TWNV (tomato white necrosis virus which induce symptoms in Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. murale, C. quinoa

  2. Nicotiana benthamiana MAPK-WRKY pathway confers resistance to a necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adachi, Hiroaki; Ishihama, Nobuaki; Nakano, Takaaki; Yoshioka, Miki; Yoshioka, Hirofumi

    2016-06-02

    MEK2-SIPK/WIPK cascade, a Nicotiana benthamiana mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, is an essential signaling pathway for plant immunity and involved in hypersensitive response (HR) accompanied by cell death. WRKY transcription factors as substrates of SIPK and WIPK have been isolated and implicated in HR cell death. Here, we show virus-induced gene silencing of WRKY genes compromised constitutively active MEK2-triggered cell death in N. benthamiana leaves. In general, HR cell death enhances susceptibility to necrotrophic pathogens such as Botrytis cinerea. However, the WRKY gene silencing elevated susceptibility to B. cinerea. These findings suggest that downstream WRKYs of MEK2-SIPK/WIPK cascade are required for cell death-dependent and -independent immunities in N. benthamiana.

  3. Maternal synthesis of abscisic acid controls seed development and yield in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frey, Anne; Godin, Béatrice; Bonnet, Magda; Sotta, Bruno; Marion-Poll, Annie

    2004-04-01

    The role of maternally derived abscisic acid (ABA) during seed development has been studied using ABA-deficient mutants of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viviani. ABA deficiency induced seed abortion, resulting in reduced seed yield, and delayed growth of the remaining embryos. Mutant grafting onto wild-type stocks and reciprocal crosses indicated that maternal ABA, synthesized in maternal vegetative tissues and translocated to the seed, promoted early seed development and growth. Moreover ABA deficiency delayed both seed coat pigmentation and capsule dehiscence. Mutant grafting did not restore these phenotypes, indicating that ABA synthesized in the seed coat and capsule envelope may have a positive effect on capsule and testa maturation. Together these results shed light on the positive role of maternal ABA during N. plumbaginifolia seed development.

  4. Pengaruh Pemberian Fungi Mikoriza Arbuskular (Fma) Terhadap Pertumbuhan Dan Produksi Beberapa Varietas Tembakau (Nicotiana Tabaccum L.) Di Lapangan

    OpenAIRE

    Sinaga, Parulian; Purba, Edison; Ginting, Jonis

    2014-01-01

    The growth and yield of a selected tobacco varieties (Nicotiana tabaccum L) treated withmycorhiza fungi arbuskular were evaluated in a field experiment. The aimed of the research was todetermine the effect of mycorhiza fungi on the growth and yield of several varieties of tobacco. Theresearch was conducted outdoor in the field at Balai Benih Penelitian Tembakau Deli Medan withaltitude of about 25 meters above sea level at the beginning of February until May 2012, with twotreatment factors. Th...

  5. Alberprosenia malheiroi Serra, Atzingen & Serra, 1987 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae: redescrição e bionomia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodolfo U. Carcavallo

    1995-12-01

    Full Text Available Sobre Alberprosenia malheiroi n. sp. deu-se a conhecer uma diagnose resumida em 1980, porém sem valor bibliográfico. Em 1987 publicou-se a mesma diagnose anexando uma foto e alguns comentários, porém sem realizar uma descrição formal. Descreve-se para esta espécie, os adultos, os estádios imaturos, determina-se a série sintípica e apresenta-se dados bionômicos e de criação em insetário. As diferenças mais evidentes com A. goyovargasi, a única espécie que se conhecia do gênero até então, são a coloração geral negra, o espaço interocular maior que o tamanho de um olho visto dorsalmente, os tubérculos do colar com o ápice agudo e o tamanho maior, na nova espécie, quase o dobro do da primeira espécie. Os ovos são pequenos, fixados ao substrato em grupos de 3 ou 4, elipsóides, não achatados lateralmente, com o opérculo proeminente, convexo, sem estruturas evidentes. As ninfas apresentam em todos os estádios caracteres típicos do gênero e da tribo, com região anteocular menos longa que a post-ocular e característica pilosidade do tegumento que vai se acentuando a cada estádio. A. malheiroi n. sp. foi capturado em ecótopos silvestres em palmeiras em floresta no Estado do Pará, associados com morcegos ou aves. Nenhum dos exemplares estava infectado com Trypanosoma cruzi. Esses triatomíneos foram mantidos em insetários a ± 25°C e ± 60% UR, são insetos ágeis e voam com relativa facilidade. Alimentaram-se bem em pombos e morcegos e não aceitaram alimentação em ratos, camundongos ou hamsters. O período de incubação dos ovos foi em média treze dias e o tempo de evolução do período ninfal foi em média cento e trinta e dois dias.

  6. Assessment of {sup 210}Pb concentration in Nicotiana tabacum L., burley variety, cultivated in Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rocha, Rique J.F.X.; Silva, Carolina F.; Frujuele, Jonatan V.; Bovolini, Raquel R.; Damatto, Sandra R., E-mail: rjrocha@ipen.br, E-mail: cfsilva@ipen.br, E-mail: jonatanfrujuele@hotmail.com, E-mail: ra_bovolini@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: damatto@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Lab. de Radiometria Ambiental

    2013-07-01

    Tobacco products are extensively used throughout the world and the most consumed are cigarettes, cigars and narghile. The damaging effects that these products cause to human health are discussed worldwide and many researches are performed with the aim of relating the use of these products with various diseases. Brazil is the largest exporter and second largest producer of tobacco worldwide, according to the crop year 2009/2010 production. The tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is used to manufacture all derivatives and the chemical composition of the resulting tobacco varies with the type of tobacco leaves, how they are grown, the region where they are cultivated, the characteristics of preparation and the temperature variations resulting from the tobacco incomplete combustion. There is lack of information about the chemical and radiological characterization of the tobacco plant both in international and Brazilian literature. Thus a project was established with the objectives of characterizing chemically and radiologically the three varieties most cultivated in Brazil of Nicotiana tobacum L., Virginia, Burley and Common; this paper presents the preliminary results of {sup 210}Pb concentrations for the Burley variety. Plants from this variety were cultivated in pots with organic substrate and fertilizer and in a small farm in natural conditions. The entire plant was analyzed, the organic substrates, the fertilizers and the soil. The results obtained presented higher values for {sup 210}Pb in leaves when compared with the other parts of the plant. Comparing the three study areas the highest results of {sup 210}Pb concentration were obtained in the plants cultivated in the urban area probably due to its atmospheric deposition. (author)

  7. Cloning of the Lycopene β-cyclase Gene in Nicotiana tabacum and Its Overexpression Confers Salt and Drought Tolerance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanmei Shi

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Carotenoids are important pigments in plants that play crucial roles in plant growth and in plant responses to environmental stress. Lycopene β cyclase (β-LCY functions at the branch point of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway, catalyzing the cyclization of lycopene. Here, a β-LCY gene from Nicotiana tabacum, designated as Ntβ-LCY1, was cloned and functionally characterized. Robust expression of Ntβ-LCY1 was found in leaves, and Ntβ-LCY1 expression was obviously induced by salt, drought, and exogenous abscisic acid treatments. Strong accumulation of carotenoids and expression of carotenoid biosynthesis genes resulted from Ntβ-LCY1 overexpression. Additionally, compared to wild-type plants, transgenic plants with overexpression showed enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stress with higher abscisic acid levels and lower levels of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species. Conversely, transgenic RNA interference plants had a clear albino phenotype in leaves, and some plants did not survive beyond the early developmental stages. The suppression of Ntβ-LCY1 expression led to lower expression levels of genes in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway and to reduced accumulation of carotenoids, chlorophyll, and abscisic acid. These results indicate that Ntβ-LCY1 is not only a likely cyclization enzyme involved in carotenoid accumulation but also confers salt and drought stress tolerance in Nicotiana tabacum.

  8. Isolation and molecular characterization of dTnp1, a mobile and defective transposable element of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, C; Pouteau, S; Rouzé, P; Caboche, M

    1994-01-01

    By Northern blot analysis of nitrate reductase-deficient mutants of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, we identified a mutant (mutant D65), obtained after gamma-ray irradiation of protoplasts, which contained an insertion sequence in the nitrate reductase (NR) mRNA. This insertion sequence was localized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the first exon of NR and was also shown to be present in the NR gene. The mutant gene contained a 565 bp insertion sequence that exhibits the sequence characteristics of a transposable element, which was thus named dTnp1. The dTnp1 element has 14 bp terminal inverted repeats and is flanked by an 8-bp target site duplication generated upon transposition. These inverted repeats have significant sequence homology with those of other transposable elements. Judging by its size and the absence of a long open reading frame, dTnp1 appears to represent a defective, although mobile, transposable element. The octamer motif TTTAGGCC was found several times in direct orientation near the 5' and 3' ends of dTnp1 together with a perfect palindrome located after the 5' inverted repeat. Southern blot analysis using an internal probe of dTnp1 suggested that this element occurs as a single copy in the genome of N. plumbaginifolia. It is also present in N. tabacum, but absent in tomato or petunia. The dTnp1 element is therefore of potential use for gene tagging in Nicotiana species.

  9. Radiosensitivity of Nicotiana protoplasts. Action on cell; cycle effects of low dose and fractionated irradiations; biological repair

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magnien, E.

    1981-10-01

    Leaf protoplasts of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Nicotiana sylvestris demonstrate five main qualities: they can be maintained as haploid lines; they constitute starting populations with a remarkable cytological homogeneity; they show a transient initial lag-phase; they yield very high plating efficiencies and retain permanently a complete differentiation capacity; being derived of a cell wall, they appear well adapted for fusion experiments or enzymatic dosages. The resumption of mitotic activity was followed by cytophotometric measurements, labelling experiments, nuclear sizing and enzymatic assays. The action of 5 Gy gamma-ray irradiations delayed entrance in the S-phase, provoked an otherwise not verified dependency between transcription, translation and protein synthesis, increased nuclear volumes in the G2-phase, and slightly stimulated the activity of a repair enzyme. The plating efficiency was a sensitive end-point which allowed the evaluation of the biological effectiveness of low to medium radiation-doses after gamma-ray and fast neutron irradiations. The neutron dose-RBE relationship increased from 3 to 25 when the dose decreased from 5 Gy to 5 mGy. When fractionated into low single doses only, a neutron dose of 300 mGy markedly increased its biological effectiveness: this phenomenon could not be explained by cell progression, and necessitated additional hypotheses involving other mechanisms in the specific action of low radiation doses. Radiation-induced UDS was measured in presence of aphidicolin. A beta-like DNA-polymerase was shown to be definitely involved in nuclear repair synthesis [fr

  10. Evaluation of <em>HER2em> Gene Amplification in Breast Cancer Using Nuclei Microarray <em>in em>S>itu em>Hybridization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuefeng Zhang

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Fluorescence<em> em>>in situ em>hybridization (FISH assay is considered the “gold standard” in evaluating <em>HER2/neu (HER2em> gene status. However, FISH detection is costly and time consuming. Thus, we established nuclei microarray with extracted intact nuclei from paraffin embedded breast cancer tissues for FISH detection. The nuclei microarray FISH (NMFISH technology serves as a useful platform for analyzing <em>HER2em> gene/chromosome 17 centromere ratio. We examined <em>HER2em> gene status in 152 cases of invasive ductal carcinomas of the breast that were resected surgically with FISH and NMFISH. <em>HER2em> gene amplification status was classified according to the guidelines of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP. Comparison of the cut-off values for <em>HER2em>/chromosome 17 centromere copy number ratio obtained by NMFISH and FISH showed that there was almost perfect agreement between the two methods (κ coefficient 0.920. The results of the two methods were almost consistent for the evaluation of <em>HER2em> gene counts. The present study proved that NMFISH is comparable with FISH for evaluating <em>HER2em> gene status. The use of nuclei microarray technology is highly efficient, time and reagent conserving and inexpensive.

  11. Changes induced by the Pepper mild mottle tobamovirus on the chloroplast proteome of Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pineda, M; Sajnani, C; Barón, M

    2010-01-01

    We have analyzed the chloroplast proteome of Nicotiana benthamiana using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry followed by a database search. In order to improve the resolution of the two-dimensional electrophoresis gels, we have made separate maps for the low and the high pH range. At least 200 spots were detected. We identified 72 polypeptides, some being isoforms of different multiprotein families. In addition, changes in this chloroplast proteome induced by the infection with the Spanish strain of the Pepper mild mottle virus were investigated. Viral infection induced the down-regulation of several chloroplastidic proteins involved in both the photosynthetic electron-transport chain and the Benson-Calvin cycle.

  12. Neonatal Phosphate Nutrition Alters <em>in em>Vivo> and <em>in em>Vitro> Satellite Cell Activity in Pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chad H. Stahl

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Satellite cell activity is necessary for postnatal skeletal muscle growth. Severe phosphate (PO4 deficiency can alter satellite cell activity, however the role of neonatal PO4 nutrition on satellite cell biology remains obscure. Twenty-one piglets (1 day of age, 1.8 ± 0.2 kg BW were pair-fed liquid diets that were either PO4 adequate (0.9% total P, supra-adequate (1.2% total P in PO4 requirement or deficient (0.7% total P in PO4 content for 12 days. Body weight was recorded daily and blood samples collected every 6 days. At day 12, pigs were orally dosed with BrdU and 12 h later, satellite cells were isolated. Satellite cells were also cultured <em>in vitroem> for 7 days to determine if PO4 nutrition alters their ability to proceed through their myogenic lineage. Dietary PO4 deficiency resulted in reduced (<em>P> < 0.05 sera PO4 and parathyroid hormone (PTH concentrations, while supra-adequate dietary PO4 improved (<em>P> < 0.05 feed conversion efficiency as compared to the PO4 adequate group. <em>In vivoem> satellite cell proliferation was reduced (<em>P> < 0.05 among the PO4 deficient pigs, and these cells had altered <em>in vitroem> expression of markers of myogenic progression. Further work to better understand early nutritional programming of satellite cells and the potential benefits of emphasizing early PO4 nutrition for future lean growth potential is warranted.

  13. A Microsatellite-Based Analysis of House Infestation With Triatoma Infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) After Insecticide Spraying in the Argentine Chaco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piccinali, Romina V; Gaunt, Michael W; Gürtler, Ricardo E

    2018-05-04

    Prevention of vector-borne transmission of Chagas disease mainly relies on residual insecticide spraying. Despite significant success at a regional scale, house infestation with Triatoma infestans (Klug) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) still persists in the Gran Chaco ecoregion. One key aspect is the identification of the sources of reinfestant triatomines. After detecting fine-scale genetic structure in two rural villages of Pampa del Indio, Argentine Chaco, we tested hypotheses on the putative origins of the triatomines collected at 4, 8, and 12 mo after insecticide house spraying. We genotyped 10 microsatellite loci in 262 baseline and 83 postspraying triatomines from different houses. Genetic variability was similar between baseline and postspraying populations, but 13 low-frequency alleles were not detected at postspraying. FSTs were not significant between insects collected before and after insecticide spraying at the same house in all but one case, and they clustered together in a neighbor-joining tree. A clustering algorithm detected seven genetic groups, four of them mainly composed of baseline and postspraying insects from the same house. Assignment tests suggested multiple putative sources (including the house of collection) for most postspraying insects but excluded a house located more than 9 km from the study area. The origin of three triatomines was attributed to immigration from other unaccounted sources. Our study is compatible with the hypothesis that house reinfestations in the Argentine Chaco are mostly related to residual foci (i.e., survival of insects within the same community), in agreement with field observations, spatial analysis, and morphometric studies previously published.

  14. Root-specific expression of opine genes and opine accumulation in some cultivars of the naturally occurring genetically modified organism Nicotiana tabacum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ke; de Borne, François Dorlhac; Julio, Emilie; Obszynski, Julie; Pale, Patrick; Otten, Léon

    2016-08-01

    Previous studies have shown that Nicotiana tabacum contains three Agrobacterium-derived T-DNA sequences inherited from its paternal ancestor Nicotiana tomentosiformis. Among these, the TB locus carries an intact mannopine synthase 2' gene (TB-mas2'). This gene is similar to the Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4-mas2' gene that encodes the synthesis of the Amadori compound deoxyfructosyl-glutamine (DFG or santhopine). In this study we show that TB-mas2' is expressed at very low levels in N. tomentosiformis and in most N. tabacum cultivars; however, some cultivars show high TB-mas2' expression levels. The TB-mas2' promoter sequences of low- and high-expressing cultivars are identical. The low/high level of expression segregates as a single Mendelian factor in a cross between a low- and a high-expression cultivar. pTB-mas2'-GUS and pA4-mas2'-GUS reporter genes were stably introduced in N. benthamiana. Both were mainly expressed in the root expansion zone and leaf vasculature. Roots of tobacco cultivars with high TB-mas2' expression contain detectable levels of DFG. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Symptoms on apple and pear indicators after back-transmission from Nicotiana occidentalis confirm the identity of apple stem pitting virus with pear vein yellows virus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leone, G.; Lindner, J.L.; Meer, van der F.A.; Schoen, C.D.; Jongedijk, G.

    1998-01-01

    Isolates of apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) from diseased apple trees were maintained in Nicotiana occidentalis then back-transmitted mechanically from the herbaceous host to apple seedlings and indexed by double budding on apple and pear indicators for the following syndromes: apple stem pitting,

  16. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of tobacco virus 2, a polerovirus from Nicotiana tabacum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Benguo; Wang, Fang; Zhang, Xuesong; Zhang, Lina; Lin, Huafeng

    2017-07-01

    The complete genome sequence of a new virus, provisionally named tobacco virus 2 (TV2), was determined and identified from leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) exhibiting leaf mosaic, yellowing, and deformity, in Anhui Province, China. The genome sequence of TV2 comprises 5,979 nucleotides, with 87% nucleotide sequence identity to potato leafroll virus (PLRV). Its genome organization is similar to that of PLRV, containing six open reading frames (ORFs) that potentially encode proteins with putative functions in cell-to-cell movement and suppression of RNA silencing. Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequence placed TV2 alongside members of the genus Polerovirus in the family Luteoviridae. To the best our knowledge, this study is the first report of a complete genome sequence of a new polerovirus identified in tobacco.

  17. Avaliação de biofertilizantes, extratos vegetais e diferentes substâncias alternativas no manejo de tripes em cebola em sistema orgânico Evaluation of biofertilizers, plant extracts, and some alternative substances to manage onion thrips in organic agriculture system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo A.S. Gonçalves

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available Avaliou-se substâncias alternativas no manejo de tripes (Thrips tabaci Lind., em cebola, cv, Crioula, no sistema orgânico. Os experimentos foram conduzidos na EPAGRI, Ituporanga (SC. Os períodos entre transplante e colheita foram de 11/09/1996 a 10/01/1997 e 13/08/1997 a 11/12/1997. O delineamento foi de blocos ao acaso com 8 tratamentos em 1996 e 12 tratamentos em 1997 e quatro repetições. Em 1996 os tratamentos incluíram o biofertilizante anaeróbico 50%, biofertilizante aeróbico 5%, sulfato de manganês 1%, extrato hidroalcoólico de própolis 0,2%, macerado de ervas ("fersoral" 2% e 4%, extrato de fumo (Nicotiana tabacum 2 L ha-1 + 1% detergente neutro, testemunha sem aplicação. Em 1997 os tratamentos incluíram o macerado de ervas ("fersoral" 5% 10%, enxofre pó molhável 0,25% + extrato hidroalcoólico de própolis 0,2% + extrato de samambaia 3%, biofertilizante anaeróbico 50%, biofertilizante aeróbico 5%, extrato de losna (Artemisia verlotorum 3%, extrato de timbó (Ateleia glazioviana 0,5%, extrato de samambaia (Pteridium aquilinum 10%, extrato de erva-de-santa-maria (Chenopodium ambrosioides 10%, extrato de cinamomo (Melia azedarach 10%, extrato de camomila (Matricaria chamomilla 5%, testemunha sem aplicação. Para aplicação dos produtos empregou-se pulverizador de pressão constante a base de CO2. Os tratamentos não causaram redução significativa na incidência de tripes e aumentos significativos na produtividade.Alternative substances to manage thrips population (Thrips tabaci Lind. on onion, in an organic agriculture system were evaluated. The experiments were carried out in Ituporanga, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Plants of onion cv. Crioula were transplanted into two fields on 9th September/96 and 13th August/97 and harvested respectively on 10th January/97 and 11th December/97. A randomized blocks with four replicates were used in both experiments. In 1996 the treatments included the anaerobic liquid

  18. Espécies de Phytophthora associadas à gomose em pomares de citros no Estado do Paraná, Brasil

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    Marilda Pereira Caixeta

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available A gomose dos citros é considerada uma doença de grande importância para a citricultura no Brasil e em nível mundial. A etiologia desta doença compreende um complexo de espécies de Phytophthora. Embora importante, pouco se conhece sobre a gomose nas regiões produtoras de citros no Estado do Paraná. Por isso, este trabalho teve como objetivo identificar espécies de Phytophthora associadas à gomose em pomares de citros no Paraná. Nas regiões Norte, Noroeste e Vale do Ribeira foram retiradas amostras de raízes de plantas com sintomas de gomose e também de solo da rizosfera. Em laboratório, empregando pêra cv. D'anjou como isca e meio de cultivo batata-dextrose-ágar, foram obtidos 21 isolados de Phytophthora spp. Todos os isolados infectaram mudas de limão 'Cravo', reproduzindo os sintomas de gomose e também apresentaram crescimento micelial a 8º C e a 36º C, com exceção do isolado PR20 para 36º C . "In vitro", esses isolados foram heterotálicos, sendo 20 compatíveis ao tipo padrão A2 e um compatível ao tipo padrão A1. Vinte isolados formaram esporângios persistentes e papilados, com 25,5 - 62,0 µm de comprimento (C e 27,9 - 49,6 µm de largura (L e a relação C/L foi de 1,38:1. Um isolado (PR20 apresentou esporângios medindo 40,3 - 55,8 µm de comprimento e 27,9 - 37,2 µm de largura, formando esporângios persistentes, papilados ou bipapilados e de formas distorcidas, não formando clamidósporos. A temperatura ótima para crescimento desse isolado foi entre 20 a 28º C, enquanto para os demais foi de 24 a 32º C, tendo estes produção abundante de clamidósporos globosos de diâmetro variando entre 21,7 a 43,4 µm. De acordo com as características morfofisiológicas apresentadas, dos 21 isolados analisados, 20 pertenceram à espécie P. nicotianae e um à espécie P. citrophthora. A análise de sequências de genes da região ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 do rDNA e usando o teste de "Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism

  19. The hemocytes of Panstrogyllus Megistus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae Os hemócitos de Panstrongylus megistus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae

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    Margherita Anna Barracco

    1987-09-01

    Full Text Available Five hemocyte types were identified in the hemolymph of Panstrongylus megistus by phase contrast and common light microscopy using some histochemical methods. These are: Prohemocytes, small cells presenting a great nucleus/cytoplasm ratio; Plasmatocytes, the most numerous hemocytes, are polymorphic cells mainly characterized by a large amount of lysosomes; Granulocytes, hemocytes very similar to plasmatocytes which contain cytoplasmic granules and are especially rich in polysaccharides; Oenocytoids, cells presenting a small nucleus and a thick cytoplasm; they show many small round vacuoles when observed in Giemsa smears and many cytoplasmic granules under phase microscopy; Adipohemocytes, very large hemocytes, presenting many fat droplet inclusions which could correspond to free fat bodies which entered the hemolymph. Only prohemocytes and plasmatocytes can be clearly classified; all the other hemocyte types have a more ambiguous classification.Cinco tipos de hemócitos foram identificados na hemolinfa de Panstrongylus megistus através da microscopia de constraste de fase e de luz, usando alguns testes histoquímicos: Pró-hemócitos-células pequenas que mostram uma grande relação núcleocitoplasmática; Plasmotócitos-células polimporficas, que se caracterizam principalmente pela sua grande abundância em lisossomos - são os hemócitos mais numerosos; Granulócitos-células muito semelhantes aos plasmatócitos que contêm grânulos citoplasmáticos particularmente ricos em polissacarídeos; Enocitóides-hemócitos que apresentam um núcleo pequeno e cujo citoplasma basofílico revela-se muito denso e homogênio - mostram uma série de pequenos vacúolos esféricos quando observados nos esfregaços corados pelo Giemsa, mas a microscopia de fase revela uma grande quantidade de pequenos grânulo ao invés de vacúolos; Adipo-hemócitos-hemócitos muito grandes que contêm uma grande quantidade de inclusões lípicas - poderiam corresponder a

  20. Infestation of Palm Trees by Triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae in the State of Bahia, Brazil

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    Rodrigo Gurgel-Gonçalves

    2012-12-01

    Resumo. As palmeiras desempenham papéis importantes como habitats de reprodução e alimentação para triatomíneos silvestres, vetores da doença de Chagas. A ocorrência de triatomíneos em palmeiras peridomiciliares pode aumentar o risco de invasão desses insetos em domicílios e deve ser considerada para desenvolver estratégias de prevenção. Com objetivo de investigar a infestação de palmeiras por triatomíneos no Estado da Bahia e determinar a infecção natural desses insetos por Trypanosoma spp., foram amostradas 183 palmeiras em 12 municípios entre 2006 e 2011 utilizando captura manual e/ou armadilhas adesivas iscadas com camundongos. Os triatomíneos foram detectados em 79 palmeiras (43% das espécies Copernicia prunifera (Mart. Becc., Mauritia flexuosa L. e Attalea spp. (Attalea burretiana Bondar ou Attalea salvadorensis Glassman. Em outras espécies de palmeiras (Syagrus coronata (Mill H.E. Moore, Attalea funifera Mart ex. Spreng e Elaeis guineensis Jacq não foram detectados triatomíneos. Rhodnius neglectus Lent, Triatoma sordida (Stål, e Triatoma pseudomaculata Corrêa & Espínola ocorreram em C. prunifera ao longo do rio São Francisco. No extremo oeste da Bahia, R. neglectus e Psammolestes tertius Lent & Jurberg foram detectados em M. flexuosa, enquanto Triatoma tibiamaculata (Pinto ocorreu em Attalea sp. em áreas urbanas de Salvador. No total, 180 triatomíneos foram capturados, principalmente R. neglectus. A maior taxa de infecção natural (61% foi observada em T. tibiamaculata. Os resultados indicam que pelo menos três espécies de palmeiras são habitats favoráveis para triatomíneos no estado da Bahia e ocorrem no ambiente peridomiciliar, o que pode aumentar a probabilidade de invasão de triatomíneos nas casas.

  1. MORFOMETRÍA COMPARADA DE SEMILLAS DE NICOTIANA (SOLANACEAE E IDENTIFICACIÓN DE SEMILLAS CARBONIZADAS PROVENIENTES DE UN SITIO ARQUEOLÓGICO EN CHILE CENTRAL

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    M. Teresa Planella

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available La presencia frecuente de pipas para fumar en sitios arqueológicos del Período Alfarero Temprano deChile central y las evidencias en relación con la costumbre de fumar especies de Nicotiana halladas en sitios prehispánicos de otros lugares de las Américas, muestran la necesidad de contar con una metodología para identificar las especies de este género usadas en Chile. En este trabajo se ha realizado un estudio morfométrico en semillas de especies de Nicotiana que sirve de referencia para comparaciones con semillas de origen arqueológico. La forma y tamaño de la semilla, el patrón de ornamentación dado por las células epidérmicas y la ubicación del hilum resultaron ser caracteres relevantes para identificaciones confiables. Utilizando estos caracteres, se determinaron como N. corymbosa a las semillas recuperadas en el sitio arqueológico Las Morrenas 1, ubicado en Chile central.

  2. Two tandemly repeated telomere-associated sequences in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, C M; Wang, C T; Wang, C J; Ho, C H; Kao, Y Y; Chen, C C

    1997-12-01

    Two tandemly repeated telomere-associated sequences, NP3R and NP4R, have been isolated from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. The length of a repeating unit for NP3R and NP4R is 165 and 180 nucleotides respectively. The abundance of NP3R, NP4R and telomeric repeats is, respectively, 8.4 x 10(4), 6 x 10(3) and 1.5 x 10(6) copies per haploid genome of N. plumbaginifolia. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed that NP3R is located at the ends and/or in interstitial regions of all 10 chromosomes and NP4R on the terminal regions of three chromosomes in the haploid genome of N. plumbaginifolia. Sequence homology search revealed that not only are NP3R and NP4R homologous to HRS60 and GRS, respectively, two tandem repeats isolated from N. tabacum, but that NP3R and NP4R are also related to each other, suggesting that they originated from a common ancestral sequence. The role of these repeated sequences in chromosome healing is discussed based on the observation that two to three copies of a telomere-similar sequence were present in each repeating unit of NP3R and NP4R.

  3. Expressing foreign genes in the pistil: a comparison of S-RNase constructs in different Nicotiana backgrounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murfett, J; McClure, B A

    1998-06-01

    Transgenic plant experiments have great potential for extending our understanding of the role of specific genes in controlling pollination. Often, the intent of such experiments is to over-express a gene and test for effects on pollination. We have examined the efficiency of six different S-RNase constructs in Nicotiana species and hybrids. Each construct contained the coding region, intron, and downstream sequences from the Nicotiana alata S(A2)-RNase gene. Among the six expression constructs, two utilized the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter with duplicated enhancer, and four utilized promoters from genes expressed primarily in pistils. The latter included promoters from the tomato Chi2;1 and 9612 genes, a promoter from the N. alata S(A2)-RNase gene, and a promoter from the Brassica SLG-13 gene. Some or all of the constructs were tested in N. tabacum, N. plumbaginifolia, N. plumbaginifolia x SI N. alata S(C10)S(c10) hybrids, N. langsdorffii, and N. langsdorffii x SC N. alata hybrids. Stylar specific RNase activities and S(A2)-RNase transcript levels were determined in transformed plants. Constructs including the tomato Chi2;1 gene promoter or the Brassica SLG-13 promoter provided the highest levels of S(A2)-RNase expression. Transgene expression patterns were tightly regulated, the highest level of expression was observed in post-anthesis styles. Expression levels of the S(A2)-RNase transgenes was dependent on the genetic background of the host. Higher levels of S(A2)-RNase expression were observed in N. plumbaginifolia x SC N. alata hybrids than in N. plumbaginifolia.

  4. In vitro growth response of Phytophthora cactorum, P. nicotianae and P. × pelgrandis to antibiotics and fungicides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pánek, M; Tomšovský, M

    2017-07-01

    The reactions of isolates of Phytophthora cactorum, P. nicotianae and P. × pelgrandis to metalaxyl, mancozeb, dimethomorph, streptomycin and chloramphenicol were tested to obtain information about the variability of resistance in these pathogens. Distinct genetic groups showed significant differences in resistance to all tested substances except streptomycin. In response to streptomycin, the growth inhibition rates of distinct groups did not differ significantly. The most remarkable differences were detected in the reactions to chloramphenicol and metalaxyl. Discriminant analysis evaluating the effect of all substances confirmed the differences among the groups, which are in agreement with the differences revealed by earlier DNA analyses.

  5. Production of human interferon alfa 2b in plants of Nicotiana excelsior by Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sindarovska, Y R; Gerasymenko, I M; Sheludko, Y V; Olevinskaya, Z M; Spivak, N Y; Kuchuk, N V

    2010-01-01

    Human interferon alpha2b gene was transiently expressed in Nicotiana excelsior plants. Fusion with N. plumbaginifolia calreticulin signal peptide for improved apoplast targeting and carrying out the expression under optimized conditions resulted in maximal interferon activity of 3.2 x 10(3) IU/g fresh weight (FW) with an average of 2.1 +/- 0.8 x 10(3) IU/g FW. It proves that N. excelsior is a suitable host for Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression of genes encoding physiologically active human proteins. The transient expression conditions optimized for GFP marker protein were confirmed to be preferable for hIFN alpha2b.

  6. Reference Gene Selection in the Desert Plant <em>Eremosparton songoricuem>m>

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    Dao-Yuan Zhang

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available <em>Eremosparton songoricum em>(Litv. Vass. (<em>E. songoricumem> is a rare and extremely drought-tolerant desert plant that holds promise as a model organism for the identification of genes associated with water deficit stress. Here, we cloned and evaluated the expression of eight candidate reference genes using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reactions. The expression of these candidate reference genes was analyzed in a diverse set of 20 samples including various <em>E. songoricumem> plant tissues exposed to multiple environmental stresses. GeNorm analysis indicated that expression stability varied between the reference genes in the different experimental conditions, but the two most stable reference genes were sufficient for normalization in most conditions.<em> EsEFem> and <em>Esα-TUB> were sufficient for various stress conditions, <em>EsEF> and <em>EsACT> were suitable for samples of differing germination stages, and <em>EsGAPDH>and <em>Es>UBQ em>were most stable across multiple adult tissue samples. The <em>Es18Sem> gene was unsuitable as a reference gene in our analysis. In addition, the expression level of the drought-stress related transcription factor <em>EsDREB2em>> em>verified the utility of<em> E. songoricumem> reference genes and indicated that no single gene was adequate for normalization on its own. This is the first systematic report on the selection of reference genes in <em>E. songoricumem>, and these data will facilitate future work on gene expression in this species.

  7. Polymethoxyflavones from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (Solanaceae) Exert Antinociceptive and Neuropharmacological Effects in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shajib, Md Shafiullah; Rashid, Ridwan B; Ming, Long C; Islam, Shanta; Sarker, Md Moklesur R; Nahar, Lutfun; Sarker, Satyajit D; Datta, Bidyut K; Rashid, Mohammad A

    2018-01-01

    Polymethoxylavones (PMFs) are known to exhibit significant anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Nicotiana plumbaginifolia , an annual Bangladeshi herb, is rich in polymethoxyflavones that possess significant analgesic and anxiolytic activities. The present study aimed to determine the antinociceptive and neuropharmacological activities of polyoxygenated flavonoids namely- 3,3',5,6,7,8-hexamethoxy-4',5'-methylenedioxyflavone ( 1 ), 3,3',4',5',5,6,7,8-octamethoxyflavone (exoticin) ( 2 ), 6,7,4',5'-dimethylenedioxy-3,5,3'-trimethoxyflavone ( 3 ), and 3,3',4',5,5',8-hexamethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone ( 4 ), isolated and identified from N. plumbaginifolia . Antinociceptive activity was assessed using the acetic-acid induced writhing, hot plate, tail immersion, formalin and carrageenan-induced paw edema tests, whereas neuropharmacological effects were evaluated in the hole cross, open field and elevated plus maze test. Oral treatment of compounds 1 , 3 , and 4 (12.5-25 mg/kg b.w.) exhibited dose-dependent and significant ( p Plumbaginifolia could be considered as suitable candidates for the development of analgesic and anxiolytic agents.

  8. Deciphering the complex leaf transcriptome of the allotetraploid species Nicotiana tabacum: a phylogenomic perspective

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    Bombarely Aureliano

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Polyploidization is an important mechanism in plant evolution. By analyzing the leaf transcriptomes taken from the allotetraploid Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco and parental genome donors, N. sylvesteris (S-Genome and N. tomentosiformis (T-Genome, a phylogenomic approach was taken to map the fate of homeologous gene pairs in this plant. Results A comparison between the genes present in the leaf transcriptomes of N. tabacum and modern day representatives of its progenitor species demonstrated that only 33% of assembled transcripts could be distinguished based on their sequences. A large majority of the genes (83.6% of the non parent distinguishable and 87.2% of the phylogenetic topology analyzed clusters expressed above background level (more than 5 reads showed similar overall expression levels. Homeologous sequences could be identified for 968 gene clusters, and 90% (6% of all genes of the set maintained expression of only one of the tobacco homeologs. When both homeologs were expressed, only 15% (0.5% of the total showed evidence of differential expression, providing limited evidence of subfunctionalization. Comparing the rate of synonymous nucleotide substitution (Ks and non-synonymous nucleotide substitution (Kn provided limited evidence for positive selection during the evolution of tobacco since the polyploidization event took place. Conclusions Polyploidization is a powerful mechanism for plant speciation that can occur during one generation; however millions of generations may be necessary for duplicate genes to acquire a new function. Analysis of the tobacco leaf transcriptome reveals that polyploidization, even in a young tetraploid such as tobacco, can lead to complex changes in gene expression. Gene loss and gene silencing, or subfunctionalization may explain why both homeologs are not expressed by the associated genes. With Whole Genome Duplication (WGD events, polyploid genomes usually maintain a high percentage of

  9. Jasmonate mediates salt-induced nicotine biosynthesis in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.

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    Xiaodong Chen

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Jasmonate (JA, as an important signal, plays a key role in multiple processes of plant growth, development and stress response. Nicotine and related pyridine alkaloids in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. are essential secondary metabolites. Whether environmental factors control nicotine biosynthesis and the underlying mechanism remains previously unreported. Here, we applied physiological and biochemical approaches to investigate how salt stress affects nicotine biosynthesis in tobacco. We found that salt stress induced the biosynthesis of JA, which subsequently triggered the activation of JA-responsive gene expression and, ultimately, nicotine synthesis. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the existence of many NtMYC2a-recognized G-box motifs in the promoter regions of NtLOX, NtAOS, NtAOC and NtOPR genes. Applying exogenous JA increased nicotine content, while suppressing JA biosynthesis reduced nicotine biosynthesis. Salt treatment could not efficiently induce nicotine biosynthesis in transgenic anti-COI1 tobacco plants. These results demonstrate that JA acts as the essential signal which triggers nicotine biosynthesis in tobacco after salt stress.

  10. Male meiosis, heterochromatin characterization and chromosomal location of rDNA in Microtomus lunifer (Berg, 1900 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Hammacerinae

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    María Poggio

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available In the present work, we analysed the male meiosis, the content and distribution of heterochromatin and the number and location of nucleolus organizing regions in Microtomus lunifer (Berg, 1900 by means of standard technique, C- and fluorescent bandings, and fluorescent in situ hybridization with an 18S rDNA probe. This species is the second one cytogenetically analysed within the Hammacerinae. Its male diploid chromosome number is 31 (2n=28+X1X2Y, including a minute pair of m-chromosomes. The diploid autosomal number and the presence of m-chromosomes are similar to those reported in M. conspicillaris (Drury, 1782 (2n=28+XY. However, M. lunifer has a multiple sex chromosome system X1X2Y (male that could have originated by fragmentation of the ancestral X chromosome. Taking into account that M. conspicillaris and M. lunifer are the only two species within Reduviidae that possess m-chromosomes, the presence of this pair could be a synapomorphy for the species of this genus. C- and fluorescent bandings showed that the amount of heterochromatin in M. lunifer was small, and only a small CMA3 bright band was observed in the largest autosomal pair at one terminal region. FISH with the 18S rDNA probe demonstrated that ribosomal genes were terminally placed on the largest autosomal pair. Our present results led us to propose that the location of rDNA genes could be associated with variants  of the sex chromosome systems in relation with a kind of the sex chromosome systems within this family. Furthermore, the terminal location of NOR in the largest autosomal pair allowed us to use it as a chromosome marker and, thus, to infer that the kinetic activity of both ends is not a random process, and there is an inversion of this activity.

  11. Distribuição espacial de populações de triatomíneos (Hemiptera: Reduviidae em palmeiras da espécie Mauritia flexuosa no Distrito Federal, Brasil Spatial distribution of Triatominae populations (Hemiptera: Reduviidae in Mauritia flexuosa palm trees in Federal District of Brazil

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    Rodrigo Gurgel-Gonçalves

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available Para determinar e analisar a distribuição espacial de populações silvestres de triatomíneos no Distrito Federal, Brasil, foram amostradas 150 palmeiras da espécie Mauritia flexuosa em seis veredas de diferentes paisagens (silvestre, rural e periurbana na estação chuvosa. Os triatomíneos foram identificados morfologicamente, separados por sexo e estadio ninfal e examinados para verificar infecção por Trypanosoma cruzi e Trypanosoma rangeli. Vinte e oito (18,6% palmeiras estavam infestadas por Rhodnius neglectus e 14 (9,5% por Psammolestes tertius. A freqüência dessas espécies em palmeiras com e sem ninhos foi significativamente diferente, sendo superior nas palmeiras com ninhos de aves e mamíferos na copa. O maior número médio de insetos/palmeira foi observado nas áreas rurais, com estimativas de até 838 insetos/hectare. A composição etária das espécies apresentou um padrão diferente, Rhodnius neglectus com predomínio de ninfas e Psammolestes tertius com predomínio de adultos, sendo que muitos ovos de Rhodnius neglectus foram coletados indicando um evento reprodutivo em fevereiro de 2003. Entre os ninhos encontrados nas palmeiras, o do pássaro Phacellodomus ruber (Furnariidae apresentou as maiores abundâncias de triatomíneos, ocorrendo em 42% das palmeiras. A abundância relativa de Rhodnius neglectus e Psammolestes tertius foi maior em áreas rurais que possuíram maior número de ninhos nas palmeiras e menor densidade de palmeiras por hectare. Nenhum dos 96 triatomíneos examinados estava infectado por Trypanosoma cruzi ou Trypanosoma rangeli, apesar de encontrarmos infecção de Rhodnius neglectus por esses parasitas em estudos anteriores.To determine and analyze the distribution of Triatominae sylvatic populations in the Federal District of Brazil, 150 Mauritia flexuosa palm trees were sampled in six veredas of different landscapes (sylvatic, rural and peri-urban in the rainy season. Triatomines were

  12. Complementation of a threonine dehydratase-deficient Nicotiana plumbaginifolia mutant after Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transfer of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ILV1 gene.

    OpenAIRE

    Colau, D; Negrutiu, I; Van Montagu, M; Hernalsteens, J P

    1987-01-01

    The Saccharomyces cerevisiae ILV1 gene, encoding threonine dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.16) was fused to the transferred DNA nopaline synthase promoter and the 3' noncoding region of the octopine synthase gene. It was introduced, by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer, into an isoleucine-requiring Nicotiana plumbaginifolia auxotroph deficient in threonine dehydratase. Functional complementation by the ILV1 gene product was demonstrated by the selection of several transformed lines on a ...

  13. Effect of virus infection on symplastic transport of fluorescent tracers in Nicotiana clevelandii leaf epidermis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Derrick, P M; Barker, H; Oparka, K J

    1990-07-01

    The molecular weight exclusion limit of plasmodesmata in subveinal epidermal cells of Nicotiana clevelandii (Gray) leaves was estimated by microinjection and fluorescence microscopy using fluorescein isothiocyanate-peptide conjugates, carboxyfluorescein and Lucifer Yellow CH. The largest fluorochrome which moved symplastically between cells had a molecular weight of 749, although movement did not appear to depend purely on molecular weight parameters. Systemic infection of plants by tobacco rattle tobravirus, tomato black ring nepovirus or potato Y potyvirus did not alter the limits of plasmodesmatal conductance of the fluorochromes. However, carrot mottle umbravirus and groundnut rosette umbravirus diminished the symplastic mobility of some fluorescent tracers. These results imply that intercellular movement of these viruses does not involve a long-lasting increase in the plasmodesmatal molecular size exclusion limit.

  14. Gene transfer in Nicotiana rustica by means of irradiated pollen II. Cytogenetical consequences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Werner, C.P.; Dunkin, I.M.; Cornish, M.A.; Jones, G.H.

    1984-01-01

    Pollen from Nicotiana paniculata and the V12 variety of N. rustica was irradiated with a range of high doses of gamma-rays up to 100 Krads. Both kinds of pollen were used to pollinate the V27 variety of N. rustica. Radiation treatments above 30 Krads gave no viable seed. A cytological examination of the M 1 progeny from the 20 Krad treatments of both crosses revealed conventional radiation damage in the form of losses of whole chromosomes and parts of chromosomes, and rearrangements. The plants possessed hybrid or aberrantly hybrid phenotypes. It was concluded that they were the products of a conventional fertilisation mechanism rather than the gene transfer mechanism proposed by Pandey (1980). The expression of mutational damage can probably account for most of the maternal trends observed in the intervarietal M 2 of N. rustica examined previously, although post-meiotic selection may also play a role. (author)

  15. Effet comparé des poudres de Nicotiana tabacum L, Cymbopogon citratus (D.C. Stapf et de l'huile de Ricinus communis L sur la conservation des graines de Vigna unguiculata (L Walp

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gakuru, S.

    1995-01-01

    Full Text Available Compared Effect of Nicotiana tabacum L, Cymbopogon citratus (D.C. Stapf Powders and Castor Oil Ricinus communis L. on Conservation of Cowpea Vigna Unguiculata (L. Walp Grains. The effect of powder of tobacco Nicotiana tabacum L. and citronella grass Cymbopogon citratus (D.C. Stapf and castor oil Ricinus communis L. on conservation of cowpea Vigna unguiculata (L. Walp. grains was investigated in Kisangani, Zaire. After 5 months of conservation, infestation rates by bean weevil Acanthoscelides obtectus Say were 72.5 %, 74.5 %, 49.5 % and 5 % respectively for the check, the samples treated by 1 % of citronella grass and tobacco powder and 1 % of castor oil. The powder dose of 7.5 % did not give more interesting results.

  16. A specimen of <em>Sorex> cfr. <em>samniticus> in Barn Owl's pellets from Murge plateau (Apulia, Italy / Su di un <em>Sorex> cfr. <em>samniticus> (Insectivora, Soricidae rinvenuto in borre di <em>Tyto albaem> delle Murge (Puglia, Italia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giovanni Ferrara

    1992-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In a lot of Barn Owl's pellets from the Murge plateau a specimen of <em>Sorex> sp. was detected. Thank to some morphological and morphometrical features, the cranial bones can be tentatively attributed to <em>Sorex samniticusem> Altobello, 1926. The genus <em>Sorex> was not yet included in the Apulia's fauna southwards of the Gargano district; the origin and significance of the above record is briefly discussed, the actual presence of a natural population of <em>Sorex> in the Murge being not yet proved. Riassunto Viene segnalato il rinvenimento di un esemplare di <em>Sorex> cfr. <em>samniticus> da borre di <em>Tyto albaem> delle Murge. Poiché il genere non era stato ancora segnalato nella Puglia a sud del Gargano, viene discusso il significato faunistico del reperto.

  17. Efecto de extractos vegetales de <em>Polygonum hydropiperoidesem>, <em>Solanum nigrumem> y <em>Calliandra pittieriem> sobre el gusano cogollero (<em>Spodoptera frugiperdaem>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lizarazo H. Karol

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available

    El gusano cogollero <em>Spodoptera frugiperdaem> es una de las plagas que más afectan los cultivos en la región de Sumapaz (Cundinamarca, Colombia. En la actualidad se controla principalmente aplicando productos de síntesis química, sin embargo la aplicación de extractos vegetales surge como una alternativa de menor impacto sobre el ambiente. Este control se emplea debido a que las plantas contienen metabolitos secundarios que pueden inhibir el desarrollo de los insectos. Por tal motivo, la presente investigación evaluó el efecto insecticida y antialimentario de extractos vegetales de barbasco <em>Polygonum hydropiperoidesem> (Polygonaceae, carbonero <em>Calliandra pittieriem> (Mimosaceae y hierba mora <em>Solanum nigrumem> (Solanaceae sobre larvas de <em>S. frugiperdaem> biotipo maíz. Se estableció una cría masiva del insecto en el laboratorio utilizando una dieta natural con hojas de maíz. Posteriormente se obtuvieron extractos vegetales utilizando solventes de alta polaridad (agua y etanol y media polaridad (diclorometano los cuales se aplicaron sobre las larvas de segundo instar. Los resultados más destacados se presentaron con extractos de <em>P. hydropiperoidesem>, obtenidos con diclorometano en sus diferentes dosis, con los cuales se alcanzó una mortalidad de 100% 12 días después de la aplicación y un efecto antialimentario representado por un consumo de follaje de maíz inferior al 4%, efectos similares a los del testigo comercial (Clorpiriphos.

  18. Rapid Development of Microsatellite Markers with 454 Pyrosequencing in a Vulnerable Fish<em>,> the Mottled Skate<em>, Raja em>pulchra>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jung-Ha Kang

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The mottled skate, <em>Raja pulchraem>, is an economically valuable fish. However, due to a severe population decline, it is listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. To analyze its genetic structure and diversity, microsatellite markers were developed using 454 pyrosequencing. A total of 17,033 reads containing dinucleotide microsatellite repeat units (mean, 487 base pairs were identified from 453,549 reads. Among 32 loci containing more than nine repeat units, 20 primer sets (62% produced strong PCR products, of which 14 were polymorphic. In an analysis of 60 individuals from two <em>R. pulchra em>populations, the number of alleles per locus ranged from 1–10, and the mean allelic richness was 4.7. No linkage disequilibrium was found between any pair of loci, indicating that the markers were independent. The Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium test showed significant deviation in two of the 28 single-loci after sequential Bonferroni’s correction. Using 11 primer sets, cross-species amplification was demonstrated in nine related species from four families within two classes. Among the 11 loci amplified from three other <em>Rajidae> family species; three loci were polymorphic. A monomorphic locus was amplified in all three <em>Rajidae> family species and the <em>Dasyatidae> family. Two <em>Rajidae> polymorphic loci amplified monomorphic target DNAs in four species belonging to the Carcharhiniformes class, and another was polymorphic in two Carcharhiniformes species.

  19. A New Natural Lactone from <em>Dimocarpus> <em>longan> Lour. Seeds

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    Zhongjun Li

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available A new natural product named longanlactone was isolated from <em>Dimocarpus> <em>longan> Lour. seeds. Its structure was determined as 3-(2-acetyl-1<em>H>-pyrrol-1-yl-5-(prop-2-yn-1-yldihydrofuran-2(3H-one by spectroscopic methods and HRESIMS.

  20. Purification, Characterization and Antioxidant Activities <em>in Vitroem>> em>and <em>in Vivoem> of the Polysaccharides from <em>Boletus edulisem> Bull

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    Yijun Fan

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available A water-soluble polysaccharide (BEBP was extracted from <em>Boletus edulis em>Bull using hot water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation. The polysaccharide BEBP was further purified by chromatography on a DEAE-cellulose column, giving three major polysaccharide fractions termed BEBP-1, BEBP-2 and BEBP-3. In the next experiment, the average molecular weight (Mw, IR and monosaccharide compositional analysis of the three polysaccharide fractions were determined. The evaluation of antioxidant activities both <em>in vitroem> and <em>in vivo em>suggested that BEBP-3 had good potential antioxidant activity, and should be explored as a novel potential antioxidant.

  1. <em>Angiostrongylus vasorumem> in red foxes (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> and badgers (<em>Meles melesem> from Central and Northern Italy

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    Marta Magi

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract During 2004-2005 and 2007-2008, 189 foxes (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> and 6 badgers (<em>Meles melesem> were collected in different areas of Central Northern Italy (Piedmont, Liguria and Tuscany and examined for <em>Angiostrongylus vasorumem> infection. The prevalence of the infection was significantly different in the areas considered, with the highest values in the district of Imperia (80%, Liguria and in Montezemolo (70%, southern Piedmont; the prevalence in Tuscany was 7%. One badger collected in the area of Imperia turned out to be infected, representing the first report of the parasite in this species in Italy. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role played by fox populations as reservoirs of infection and the probability of its spreading to domestic dogs.
    Riassunto <em>Angiostrongylus vasorumem> nella volpe (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> e nel tasso (<em>Meles melesem> in Italia centro-settentrionale. Nel 2004-2005 e 2007-2008, 189 volpi (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> e 6 tassi (<em>Meles melesem> provenienti da differenti aree dell'Italia settentrionale e centrale (Piemonte, Liguria Toscana, sono stati esaminati per la ricerca di <em>Angiostrongylus vasorumem>. La prevalenza del nematode è risultata significativamente diversa nelle varie zone, con valori elevati nelle zone di Imperia (80% e di Montezemolo (70%, provincia di Cuneo; la prevalenza in Toscana è risultata del 7%. Un tasso proveniente dall'area di Imperia è risultato positivo per A. vasorum; questa è la prima segnalazione del parassita in tale specie in Italia. Ulteriori studi sono necessari per valutare il potenziale della volpe come serbatoio e la possibilità di diffusione della parassitosi ai cani domestici.

    doi:10.4404/hystrix-20.2-4442

  2. Assessment of Genetic Fidelity in <em>Rauvolfia em>s>erpentina em>Plantlets Grown from Synthetic (Encapsulated Seeds Following <em>in Vitroem> Storage at 4 °C

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Anis

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available An efficient method was developed for plant regeneration and establishment from alginate encapsulated synthetic seeds of <em>Rauvolfia serpentinaem>. Synthetic seeds were produced using <em>in vitroem> proliferated microshoots upon complexation of 3% sodium alginate prepared in Llyod and McCown woody plant medium (WPM and 100 mM calcium chloride. Re-growth ability of encapsulated nodal segments was evaluated after storage at 4 °C for 0, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks and compared with non-encapsulated buds. Effects of different media <em>viz>; Murashige and Skoog medium; Lloyd and McCown woody Plant medium, Gamborg’s B5 medium and Schenk and Hildebrandt medium was also investigated for conversion into plantlets. The maximum frequency of conversion into plantlets from encapsulated nodal segments stored at 4 °C for 4 weeks was achieved on woody plant medium supplement with 5.0 μM BA and 1.0 μM NAA. Rooting in plantlets was achieved in half-strength Murashige and Skoog liquid medium containing 0.5 μM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA on filter paper bridges. Plantlets obtained from stored synseeds were hardened, established successfully <em>ex vitroem> and were morphologically similar to each other as well as their mother plant. The genetic fidelity of <em>Rauvolfia em>clones raised from synthetic seeds following four weeks of storage at 4 °C were assessed by using random amplified polymorphic<em> em>DNA (RAPD and inter-simple sequence repeat<em> em>(ISSR markers. All the RAPD and ISSR profiles from generated plantlets were monomorphic and comparable<em> em>to the mother plant, which confirms the genetic<em> em>stability among the clones. This synseed protocol could be useful for establishing a particular system for conservation, short-term storage and production of genetically identical and stable plants before it is released for commercial purposes.

  3. Development of SCAR markers and PCR assays for single or simultaneous species-specific detection of Phytophthora nicotianae and Pythium helicoides in ebb-and-flow irrigated kalanchoe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahonsi, Monday O; Ling, Yin; Kageyama, Koji

    2010-11-01

    Phytophthora nicotianae and Pythium helicoides are important water-borne oomycete pathogens of irrigated ornamentals particularly ebb-and-flow irrigated kalanchoe in Japan. We developed novel PCR-based sequence characterized amplified region markers and assays for rapid identification and species-specific detection of both pathogens in separate PCR reactions or simultaneously in a duplex PCR.

  4. Sulla presenza di <em>Sorex antinoriiem>, <em>Neomys anomalusem> (Insectivora, Soricidae e <em>Talpa caecaem> (Insectivora, Talpidae in Umbria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.M. Paci

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available Lo scopo del contributo è di fornire un aggiornamento sulla presenza del Toporagno del Vallese <em>Sorex antinoriiem>, del Toporagno acquatico di Miller <em>Neomys anomalusem> e della Talpa cieca <em>Talpa caecaem> in Umbria, dove le specie risultano accertate ormai da qualche anno. A tal fine sono stati rivisitati i reperti collezionati e la bibliografia conosciuta. Toporagno del Vallese: elevato di recente a livello di specie da Brünner et al. (2002, altrimenti considerato sottospecie del Toporagno comune (<em>S. araneus antinoriiem>. È conservato uno di tre crani incompleti (mancano mandibole ed incisivi superiori al momento prudenzialmente riferiti a <em>Sorex> cfr. <em>antinorii>, provenienti dall?Appennino umbro-marchigiano settentrionale (dintorni di Scalocchio - PG, 590 m. s.l.m. e determinati sulla base della pigmentazione rossa degli ipoconi del M1 e M2; Toporagno acquatico di Miller: tre crani (Breda in Paci e Romano op. cit. e un esemplare intero (Paci, ined. sono stati trovati a pochi chilometri di distanza gli uni dall?altro tra i comuni di Assisi e Valfabbrica, in ambienti mediocollinari limitrofi al Parco Regionale del M.te Subasio (Perugia. In provincia di Terni la specie viene segnalata da Isotti (op. cit. per i dintorni di Orvieto. Talpa cieca: sono noti una femmina e un maschio raccolti nel comune di Pietralunga (PG, rispettivamente in una conifereta a <em>Pinus nigraem> (m. 630 s.l.m. e nelle vicinanze di un bosco misto collinare a prevalenza di <em>Quercus cerrisem> (m. 640 s.l.m.. Recentemente un terzo individuo è stato rinvenuto nel comune di Sigillo (PG, all?interno del Parco Regionale di M.te Cucco, sul margine di una faggeta a 1100 m s.l.m. In entrambi i casi l?areale della specie è risultato parapatrico con quello di <em>Talpa europaeaem>.

  5. Natural variation in floral nectar proteins of two Nicotiana attenuata accessions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Pil Joon; Wielsch, Natalie; Kessler, Danny; Svatos, Ales; Park, Chung-Mo; Baldwin, Ian T; Kim, Sang-Gyu

    2013-07-13

    Floral nectar (FN) contains not only energy-rich compounds to attract pollinators, but also defense chemicals and several proteins. However, proteomic analysis of FN has been hampered by the lack of publically available sequence information from nectar-producing plants. Here we used next-generation sequencing and advanced proteomics to profile FN proteins in the opportunistic outcrossing wild tobacco, Nicotiana attenuata. We constructed a transcriptome database of N. attenuata and characterized its nectar proteome using LC-MS/MS. The FN proteins of N. attenuata included nectarins, sugar-cleaving enzymes (glucosidase, galactosidase, and xylosidase), RNases, pathogen-related proteins, and lipid transfer proteins. Natural variation in FN proteins of eleven N. attenuata accessions revealed a negative relationship between the accumulation of two abundant proteins, nectarin1b and nectarin5. In addition, microarray analysis of nectary tissues revealed that protein accumulation in FN is not simply correlated with the accumulation of transcripts encoding FN proteins and identified a group of genes that were specifically expressed in the nectary. Natural variation of identified FN proteins in the ecological model plant N. attenuata suggests that nectar chemistry may have a complex function in plant-pollinator-microbe interactions.

  6. Four Novel Cellulose Synthase (CESA Genes from <em>Birch> (<em>Betula platyphylla em>Suk. Involved in Primary and Secondary Cell Wall Biosynthesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuemei Liu

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Cellulose synthase (CESA, which is an essential catalyst for the generation of plant cell wall biomass, is mainly encoded by the <em>CesA> gene family that contains ten or more members. In this study; four full-length cDNAs encoding CESA were isolated from<em> Betula platyphyllaem> Suk., which is an important timber species, using RT-PCR combined with the RACE method and were named as <em>BplCesA3em>, <em>−4em>,> −7 em>and> −8em>. These deduced CESAs contained the same typical domains and regions as their <em>Arabidopsis> homologs. The cDNA lengths differed among these four genes, as did the locations of the various protein domains inferred from the deduced amino acid sequences, which shared amino acid sequence identities ranging from only 63.8% to 70.5%. Real-time RT-PCR showed that all four <em>BplCesAs> were expressed at different levels in diverse tissues. Results indicated that BplCESA8 might be involved in secondary cell wall biosynthesis and floral development. BplCESA3 appeared in a unique expression pattern and was possibly involved in primary cell wall biosynthesis and seed development; it might also be related to the homogalacturonan synthesis. BplCESA7 and BplCESA4 may be related to the formation of a cellulose synthase complex and participate mainly in secondary cell wall biosynthesis. The extremely low expression abundance of the four BplCESAs in mature pollen suggested very little involvement of them in mature pollen formation in <em>Betula>. The distinct expression pattern of the four <em>BplCesAs> suggested they might participate in developments of various tissues and that they are possibly controlled by distinct mechanisms in <em>Betula.>

  7. Pollination with heavily irradiated pollen in Nicotiana: induced parthenogenesis and embryological study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Musial, K.; Przywara, L.

    1999-01-01

    Nicotiana crosses were pollinated in situ and in vitro with heavily irradiated pollen (500, 700, 1000 Gy) to induce parthenogenesis and to study the development of embryo and endosperm. Haploids were obtained after in situ pollination only; however, parthenogenetic proembryos occurred also after in vitro pollination. It was demonstrated that ovule culture following pollination offers a better chance to produce haploids than undisturbed pollination does. Pollination with irradiated pollen (PwIP) stron gly decreased the number of endosperm cells and the size of embryo sacs, and it affected the development of embryos; no significant differences between applied irradiation doses were found. Ovules with endosperm only, embryo only, and with both embryo and endosperm were observed. The most frequent were the ovules with endosperm only, the rarest with embryo only. A small amount of storage products occurred in the endosperm cells. The diploid chromosome number counted in the endosperm produced after PwIP points to their origin without fertilization. An interesting phenomenon observed after PwIP was vigorous growth of endothelium. (author)

  8. Microsatellite Loci in the Gypsophyte <em>Lepidium subulatum em>(Brassicaceae, and Transferability to Other <em>Lepidieae>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Gabriel Segarra-Moragues

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for the Ibero-North African, strict gypsophyte <em>Lepidium subulatumem> to unravel the effects of habitat fragmentation in levels of genetic diversity, genetic structure and gene flow among its populations. Using 454 pyrosequencing 12 microsatellite loci including di- and tri-nucleotide repeats were characterized in <em>L. subulatumem>. They amplified a total of 80 alleles (2–12 alleles per locus in a sample of 35 individuals of <em>L. subulatumem>, showing relatively high levels of genetic diversity, <em>H>O = 0.645, <em>H>E = 0.627. Cross-species transferability of all 12 loci was successful for the Iberian endemics <em>Lepidium cardaminesem>, <em>Lepidium stylatumem>, and the widespread, <em>Lepidium graminifoliumem> and one species each of two related genera, <em>Cardaria drabaem> and <em>Coronopus didymusem>. These microsatellite primers will be useful to investigate genetic diversity, population structure and to address conservation genetics in species of <em>Lepidium>.

  9. Phosphorus acquisition by citrate- and phytase-exuding Nicotiana tabacum plant mixtures depends on soil phosphorus availability and root intermingling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giles, Courtney D; Richardson, Alan E; Cade-Menun, Barbara J; Mezeli, Malika M; Brown, Lawrie K; Menezes-Blackburn, Daniel; Darch, Tegan; Blackwell, Martin Sa; Shand, Charles A; Stutter, Marc I; Wendler, Renate; Cooper, Patricia; Lumsdon, David G; Wearing, Catherine; Zhang, Hao; Haygarth, Philip M; George, Timothy S

    2018-03-02

    Citrate and phytase root exudates contribute to improved phosphorus (P) acquisition efficiency in Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) when both exudates are produced in a P deficient soil. To test the importance of root intermingling in the interaction of citrate and phytase exudates, Nicotiana tabacum plant-lines with constitutive expression of heterologous citrate (Cit) or fungal phytase (Phy) exudation traits were grown under two root treatments (roots separated or intermingled) and in two soils with contrasting soil P availability. Complementarity of plant mixtures varying in citrate efflux rate and mobility of the expressed phytase in soil was determined based on plant biomass and P accumulation. Soil P composition was evaluated using solution 31 P NMR spectroscopy. In the soil with limited available P, positive complementarity occurred in Cit+Phy mixtures with roots intermingled. Root separation eliminated positive interactions in mixtures expressing the less mobile phytase (Aspergillus niger PhyA) whereas positive complementarity persisted in mixtures that expressed the more mobile phytase (Peniophora lycii PhyA). Soils from Cit+Phy mixtures contained less inorganic P and more organic P compared to monocultures. Exudate-specific strategies for the acquisition of soil P were most effective in P-limited soil and depended on citrate efflux rate and the relative mobility of the expressed phytase in soil. Plant growth and soil P utilization in plant systems with complementary exudation strategies are expected to be greatest where exudates persist in soil and are expressed synchronously in space and time. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  10. Constituents from <em>Vigna em>vexillata> and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guo-Feng Chen

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The seeds of <em>Vigna em>genus are important food resources and there have already been many reports regarding their bioactivities. In our preliminary bioassay, the chloroform layer of methanol extracts of<em> V. vexillata em>demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory bioactivity. Therefore, the present research is aimed to purify and identify the anti-inflammatory principles of <em>V. vexillataem>. One new sterol (1 and two new isoflavones (2,3 were reported from the natural sources for the first time and their chemical structures were determined by the spectroscopic and mass spectrometric analyses. In addition, 37 known compounds were identified by comparison of their physical and spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature. Among the isolates, daidzein (23, abscisic acid (25, and quercetin (40 displayed the most significant inhibition of superoxide anion generation and elastase release.

  11. Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Luminescent Property of Cd (II Complex with <em>N-Benzenesulphonyl-L>-leucine

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    Xishi Tai

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available A new trinuclear Cd (II complex [Cd3(L6(2,2-bipyridine3] [L =<em> Nem>-phenylsulfonyl-L>-leucinato] has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis. The results show that the complex belongs to the orthorhombic, space group<em> Pem>212121 with<em> aem> = 16.877(3 Å, <em>b> em>= 22.875(5 Å, <em>c em>= 29.495(6 Å, <em>α> em>= <emem>= <emem>= 90°, <em>V> em>= 11387(4 Å3, <em>Z> em>= 4, <em>Dc>= 1.416 μg·m−3, <emem>= 0.737 mm−1, <em>F> em>(000 = 4992, and final <em>R>1 = 0.0390, <em>ωR>2 = 0.0989. The complex comprises two seven-coordinated Cd (II atoms, with a N2O5 distorted pengonal bipyramidal coordination environment and a six-coordinated Cd (II atom, with a N2O4 distorted octahedral coordination environment. The molecules form one dimensional chain structure by the interaction of bridged carboxylato groups, hydrogen bonds and p-p interaction of 2,2-bipyridine. The luminescent properties of the Cd (II complex and <em>N-Benzenesulphonyl-L>-leucine in solid and in CH3OH solution also have been investigated.

  12. <em>N>-Substituted 5-Chloro-6-phenylpyridazin-3(2<em>H>-ones: Synthesis, Insecticidal Activity Against <em>Plutella xylostella em>(L. and SAR Study

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    Song Yang

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available A series of <em>N>-substituted 5-chloro-6-phenylpyridazin-3(2<em>H>-one derivatives were synthesized based on our previous work; all compounds were characterized by spectral data and tested for <em>in vitroem> insecticidal activity against <em>Plutella xylostellaem>. The results showed that the synthesized pyridazin-3(2<em>H>-one compounds possessed good insecticidal activities, especially the compounds 4b, 4d, and 4h which showed > 90% activity at 100 mg/L. The structure-activity relationships (SAR for these compounds were also discussed.

  13. Characterization of cDNA for PMT: a Partial Nicotine Biosynthesis-Related Gene Isolated from Indonesian Local Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Sindoro1

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    SESANTI BASUKI

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Nicotine is the major alkaloid compound in cultivated tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum that could potentially be converted into carcinogenic compound (nor-nicotine. The PMT gene encoding putrescine N-methyltransferase (PMT is one of the two key genes that play a prominent role in nicotine biosynthesis. The aimed of this study was to isolate and characterize the cDNA sequence originated from Indonesian local tobacco cv. Sindoro1 (Ntpmt_Sindoro1. The results showed that the Ntpmt_Sindoro1 was 1124 bp in length. This cDNA fragment encodes for 374 amino acid residues. The predicted polypeptide from the cDNA is a hidrophilic protein, and has a predicted molecular weight of 40.95 kDa. The predicted amino acids sequence also showed high similarity to the PMT gene product Nicotiana sp. available in the GenBank data base. The amino acid sequences also exert conserved residues specifically exhibited only by PMT gene originated from N. tabacum. Clustering analysis revealed that Ntpmt_Sindoro1 belongs to the same clade as the PMT3 gene, a member of the N. tabacum PMT gene family. The Ntpmt_Sindoro1 cDNA sequence covering exon1-exon8 of the PMT gene fragment has been registered in the GenBank data base, under the accession number JX978277.

  14. Alberprosenia malheiroi Serra, Atzingen & Serra, 1987 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae): redescrição e bionomia

    OpenAIRE

    Carcavallo, Rodolfo U.; Barata, José M. S.; Costa, Antônio I. P. da; Serra, Oswaldo P.

    1995-01-01

    Sobre Alberprosenia malheiroi n. sp. deu-se a conhecer uma diagnose resumida em 1980, porém sem valor bibliográfico. Em 1987 publicou-se a mesma diagnose anexando uma foto e alguns comentários, porém sem realizar uma descrição formal. Descreve-se para esta espécie, os adultos, os estádios imaturos, determina-se a série sintípica e apresenta-se dados bionômicos e de criação em insetário. As diferenças mais evidentes com A. goyovargasi, a única espécie que se conhecia do gênero até então, são a...

  15. Nicotiana plumbaginifolia: A Rich Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ajaib, M.; Perveen, S.

    2016-01-01

    Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of plant Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv. Were carried out using various techniques. The petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts of the N. plumbaginifolia were obtained by maceration technique. The maximum antibacterial potential was exhibited by chloroform leaves extract (76.3 ± 0.3 mm), methanolic root extract (69 ± 0.8 mm) and petroleum ether root extract (67 ± 1.7 mm) against P. aureginosa. Methanolic root extract possessed 64 ± 2.3 mm zone of inhibition against E. coli, whereas chloroform root extract displayed 49 ± 0.8 mm against B. subtilis. Chloroform root extract showed 48 ±1.2 against S. aureus. The maximum zone of inhibition of antifungal potential was displayed by methanolic extracts of leaves against A. niger (43 ± 0.8 mm) and F. solani (43 ± 1.6 mm). The MIC assay was determine for further analysis which showed the MIC value of methanolic root extract (0.04 ± 0.1 mg/mL) against E. coli and the MIC value was noticed (0.108 ± 0.04 mg/mL) against A. niger by methanolic root extract. Antioxidant potential was determined using four methods i.e. (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activity, total antioxidant activity (TAA), total phenolic contents (TPC) and metal chelating activity. The highest value of percent DPPH was observed 90.56 at 1000 microL concentration in petroleum ether extract. The maximum values of TAA, TPC, FRAP and FTC were 1.352 ± 0.01, 1.683 ± 0.09 and 80.66 ± 0.08, respectively. (author)

  16. Ectopic expression of class 1 KNOX genes induce and adventitious shoot regeneration and alter growth and development of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L) and European plum (Prunus domestica L)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Transgenic plants of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L) and plum (Prunus domestica L) were produced by transforming with apple class 1 KNOX genes (MdKN1 and MdKN2) or corn KN1 gene. Transgenic tobacco plants were regenerated in vitro from transformed leaf discs cultured in a tissue medium lacking cytoki...

  17. Nectar sugars and amino acids in day- and night-flowering Nicotiana species are more strongly shaped by pollinators' preferences than organic acids and inorganic ions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiedge, Kira; Lohaus, Gertrud

    2017-01-01

    Floral nectar contains mainly sugars but also amino acids, organic acids, inorganic ions and secondary compounds to attract pollinators. The genus Nicotiana exhibits great diversity among species in floral morphology, flowering time, nectar compositions, and predominant pollinators. We studied nectar samples of 20 Nicotiana species, composed equally of day- and night-flowering plants and attracting different groups of pollinators (e.g. hummingbirds, moths or bats) to investigate whether sugars, amino acids, organic acids and inorganic ions are influenced by pollinator preferences. Glucose, fructose and sucrose were the only sugars found in the nectar of all examined species. Sugar concentration of the nectar of day-flowering species was 20% higher and amino acid concentration was 2-3-fold higher compared to the nectar of night-flowering species. The sucrose-to-hexose ratio was significantly higher in night-flowering species and the relative share of sucrose based on the total sugar correlated with the flower tube length in the nocturnal species. Flowers of different tobacco species contained varying volumes of nectar which led to about 150-fold higher amounts of total sugar per flower in bat- or sunbird-pollinated species than in bee-pollinated or autogamous species. This difference was even higher for total amino acids per flower (up to 1000-fold). As a consequence, some Nicotiana species invest large amounts of organic nitrogen for certain pollinators. Higher concentrations of inorganic ions, predominantly anions, were found in nectar of night-flowering species. Therefore, higher anion concentrations were also associated with pollinator types active at night. Malate, the main organic acid, was present in all nectar samples but the concentration was not correlated with pollinator type. In conclusion, statistical analyses revealed that pollinator types have a stronger effect on nectar composition than phylogenetic relations. In this context, nectar sugars and amino

  18. Nectar sugars and amino acids in day- and night-flowering Nicotiana species are more strongly shaped by pollinators’ preferences than organic acids and inorganic ions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiedge, Kira; Lohaus, Gertrud

    2017-01-01

    Floral nectar contains mainly sugars but also amino acids, organic acids, inorganic ions and secondary compounds to attract pollinators. The genus Nicotiana exhibits great diversity among species in floral morphology, flowering time, nectar compositions, and predominant pollinators. We studied nectar samples of 20 Nicotiana species, composed equally of day- and night-flowering plants and attracting different groups of pollinators (e.g. hummingbirds, moths or bats) to investigate whether sugars, amino acids, organic acids and inorganic ions are influenced by pollinator preferences. Glucose, fructose and sucrose were the only sugars found in the nectar of all examined species. Sugar concentration of the nectar of day-flowering species was 20% higher and amino acid concentration was 2-3-fold higher compared to the nectar of night-flowering species. The sucrose-to-hexose ratio was significantly higher in night-flowering species and the relative share of sucrose based on the total sugar correlated with the flower tube length in the nocturnal species. Flowers of different tobacco species contained varying volumes of nectar which led to about 150-fold higher amounts of total sugar per flower in bat- or sunbird-pollinated species than in bee-pollinated or autogamous species. This difference was even higher for total amino acids per flower (up to 1000-fold). As a consequence, some Nicotiana species invest large amounts of organic nitrogen for certain pollinators. Higher concentrations of inorganic ions, predominantly anions, were found in nectar of night-flowering species. Therefore, higher anion concentrations were also associated with pollinator types active at night. Malate, the main organic acid, was present in all nectar samples but the concentration was not correlated with pollinator type. In conclusion, statistical analyses revealed that pollinator types have a stronger effect on nectar composition than phylogenetic relations. In this context, nectar sugars and amino

  19. Nectar sugars and amino acids in day- and night-flowering Nicotiana species are more strongly shaped by pollinators' preferences than organic acids and inorganic ions.

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    Kira Tiedge

    Full Text Available Floral nectar contains mainly sugars but also amino acids, organic acids, inorganic ions and secondary compounds to attract pollinators. The genus Nicotiana exhibits great diversity among species in floral morphology, flowering time, nectar compositions, and predominant pollinators. We studied nectar samples of 20 Nicotiana species, composed equally of day- and night-flowering plants and attracting different groups of pollinators (e.g. hummingbirds, moths or bats to investigate whether sugars, amino acids, organic acids and inorganic ions are influenced by pollinator preferences. Glucose, fructose and sucrose were the only sugars found in the nectar of all examined species. Sugar concentration of the nectar of day-flowering species was 20% higher and amino acid concentration was 2-3-fold higher compared to the nectar of night-flowering species. The sucrose-to-hexose ratio was significantly higher in night-flowering species and the relative share of sucrose based on the total sugar correlated with the flower tube length in the nocturnal species. Flowers of different tobacco species contained varying volumes of nectar which led to about 150-fold higher amounts of total sugar per flower in bat- or sunbird-pollinated species than in bee-pollinated or autogamous species. This difference was even higher for total amino acids per flower (up to 1000-fold. As a consequence, some Nicotiana species invest large amounts of organic nitrogen for certain pollinators. Higher concentrations of inorganic ions, predominantly anions, were found in nectar of night-flowering species. Therefore, higher anion concentrations were also associated with pollinator types active at night. Malate, the main organic acid, was present in all nectar samples but the concentration was not correlated with pollinator type. In conclusion, statistical analyses revealed that pollinator types have a stronger effect on nectar composition than phylogenetic relations. In this context

  20. INFLUÊNCIA ESTOICA NA CONCEPÇÃO DE <em>STATUS> E <em>DICTUM> COMO <em> QUASI RES EM> (ὡσανεì τινά EM ABERLARDO STOIC INFLUENCE IN ABELARD'S CONCEPTION OF <em>STATUS> AND <em>DICTUM> AS <em>QUASI RESem> (ὡσανεì τινά.

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    Guy Hamelin

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Na sua obra, Pedro Abelardo (1079-1142 destaca duas noções metafísicas que fundamentam sua teoria lógica: o <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">statusem> e o <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dictum propositionisem>, ao causar, respectivamente, a imposição (<em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">impositioem> dos termos universais e o valor de verdade das proposições. Trata-se de expressões que se referem a naturezas ontológicas peculiares, na medida em que não são consideradas coisas (<em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">resem>, mesmo que constituem causas. Todavia, também não são nada. Abelardo as chama de ‘quase coisas’ (<em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">quasi resem>. No presente artigo, explicamos, primeiro, essas duas noções essenciais da lógica abelardiana, antes de tentar, em seguida, encontrar a fonte dessa metafísica particular. Em oposição a comentadores importantes da lógica de Abelardo, que estimam que haja uma forte influência platônica sobre essa concepção específica, defendemos antes, com apoio de textos significativos e de acordo com o nominalismo abelardiano, que a maior ascendência sobre a metafísica do nosso autor é a do estoicismo, sobretudo, antigo.In his work, Peter Abelard (1079-1142 highlights two metaphysical notions, which sustain his logical theory: the <em>status> and the <em>dictum propositionisem>, causing respectively both the imposition (<em>impositio> of universal terms and the thuth-value of propositions. Both expressions refer to peculiar ontological natures, in so far as they are not considered things (<em>res>, even if they constitute causes. Nevertheless, neither are they ‘nothing’. Abelard calls them ‘quasi-things’ (<em>quasi resem>. In the present article, we expound first these two essential notions of Abelardian logic before then trying to find the source of this particular metaphysics. Contrary to some important

  1. Expression studies of the zeaxanthin epoxidase gene in nicotiana plumbaginifolia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Audran; Borel; Frey; Sotta; Meyer; Simonneau; Marion-Poll

    1998-11-01

    Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone involved in the control of a wide range of physiological processes, including adaptation to environmental stress and seed development. In higher plants ABA is a breakdown product of xanthophyll carotenoids (C40) via the C15 intermediate xanthoxin. The ABA2 gene of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia encodes zeaxanthin epoxidase, which catalyzes the conversion of zeaxanthin to violaxanthin. In this study we analyzed steady-state levels of ABA2 mRNA in N. plumbaginifolia. The ABA2 mRNA accumulated in all plant organs, but transcript levels were found to be higher in aerial parts (stems and leaves) than in roots and seeds. In leaves ABA2 mRNA accumulation displayed a day/night cycle; however, the ABA2 protein level remained constant. In roots no diurnal fluctuation in mRNA levels was observed. In seeds the ABA2 mRNA level peaked around the middle of development, when ABA content has been shown to increase in many species. In conditions of drought stress, ABA levels increased in both leaves and roots. A concomitant accumulation of ABA2 mRNA was observed in roots but not in leaves. These results are discussed in relation to the role of zeaxanthin epoxidase both in the xanthophyll cycle and in the synthesis of ABA precursors.

  2. Sobrevivência e ocorrência de muda em Triatoma infestans Klug (Hemiptera, Reduviidae após choque de temperatura Survival and molting occurrence in Triatoma infestans Klug (Hemiptera, Reduviidae after temperature shocks

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    Vera Lúcia C.C. Rodrigues

    1991-12-01

    Full Text Available A sobrevivência e a ocorrência de mudas em espécimes de Triatoma infestans foram estudados num período de 30 dias após choques de temperatura. Foi demonstrado que choques hipertérmico e hipotérmico interferem nesses processos, na dependência da temperatura do choque, tempo de sua duração, fase de desenvolvimento e sexo dos espécimes. Dentre as situações experimentais utilizadas, o choque a 0°C por 12 h pareceu produzir a ação mais deletéria, porém choques a 40°C e 0°C mesmo por uma hora são admitidos como afetando o desenvolvimento hormonal que controla a muda. Casos de aumento de sobrevivência pós-choque são sugeridos como tendo sido favorecidos por ação de proteínas de choque térmico.Survival and molting occurrence were studied in specimens of Triatoma infestans over 30 days after temperature shocks. Hyperthermal and hypotermal shocks could be found to affect both survival and molting incidence as a function of temperature and period of the developement phase and sex of the specimens. Considering the various test conditions, the shock at 0°C for 12 h was found to elicit the most deleterious effect, whereas shocks at 40°C and 0°C even for 1 h are interpreted as affecting the hormonal balance which controls molting. Cases of a rise in post-shock survival are suggested to have been favored by heat-shock protein action.

  3. Expression of a constitutively activated plasma membrane H+-ATPase in Nicotiana tabacum BY-2 cells results in cell expansion.

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    Niczyj, Marta; Champagne, Antoine; Alam, Iftekhar; Nader, Joseph; Boutry, Marc

    2016-11-01

    Increased acidification of the external medium by an activated H + -ATPase results in cell expansion, in the absence of upstream activating signaling. The plasma membrane H + -ATPase couples ATP hydrolysis with proton transport outside the cell, and thus creates an electrochemical gradient, which energizes secondary transporters. According to the acid growth theory, this enzyme is also proposed to play a major role in cell expansion, by acidifying the external medium and so activating enzymes that are involved in cell wall-loosening. However, this theory is still debated. To challenge it, we made use of a plasma membrane H + -ATPase isoform from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia truncated from its C-terminal auto-inhibitory domain (ΔCPMA4), and thus constitutively activated. This protein was expressed in Nicotiana tabacum BY-2 suspension cells using a heat shock inducible promoter. The characterization of several independent transgenic lines showed that the expression of activated ΔCPMA4 resulted in a reduced external pH by 0.3-1.2 units, as well as in an increased H + -ATPase activity by 77-155 % (ATP hydrolysis), or 70-306 % (proton pumping) of isolated plasma membranes. In addition, ΔCPMA4-expressing cells were 17-57 % larger than the wild-type cells and displayed abnormal shapes. A proteomic comparison of plasma membranes isolated from ΔCPMA4-expressing and wild-type cells revealed the altered abundance of several proteins involved in cell wall synthesis, transport, and signal transduction. In conclusion, the data obtained in this work showed that H + -ATPase activation is sufficient to induce cell expansion and identified possible actors which intervene in this process.

  4. Stereoselectivity of the demethylation of nicotine piperidine homologues by Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell suspension cultures.

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    Bartholomeusz, Trixie Ann; Molinié, Roland; Roscher, Albrecht; Felpin, François-Xavier; Gillet, Françoise; Lebreton, Jacques; Mesnard, François; Robins, Richard J

    2005-08-01

    The metabolism of (R,S)-N-methylanabasine and (R,S)-N-methylanatabine has been studied in a cell suspension culture of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. Both substrates are effectively demethylated, anabasine or anatabine, respectively, accumulating in the medium. Similarly, there is strong stereoselectivity for the (R)-isomers of both substrates. The kinetics of metabolism of (R,S)-N-methylanabasine differ significantly from those of nicotine in that no further degradation of the initial demethylation product occurs. (R,S)-N-Methylanatabine, however, shows kinetics closer to those of nicotine, with loss of alkaloid from the system. Further more, (R,S)-N-methylanabasine does not diminish (S)-nicotine demethylation, indicating a lack of competition. However, the metabolism of (S)-nicotine is affected by the presence of (R,S)-N-methylanabasine. Hence, the demethylation of the piperidine homologues of nicotine is seen to be similar but not identical to that of the pyridine analogues. The implications of these different metabolic profiles in relation to the demethylation activity are discussed.

  5. Constitutive expression of nitrate reductase allows normal growth and development of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants.

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    Vincentz, M; Caboche, M

    1991-01-01

    A nitrate reductase (NR) deficient mutant of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia totally impaired in the production of NR transcript and protein was restored for NR activity by transformation with a chimaeric NR gene. This gene was composed of a full-length tobacco NR cDNA fused to the CaMV 35S promoter and to termination signals from the tobacco NR gene. The transgenic plants we obtained were viable and fertile and expressed from one-fifth to three times the wild-type NR activity in their leaves. The analysis of chimeric NR gene expression in these plants showed, by comparison with wild-type plants, that the regulation of NR gene expression by light, nitrate and circadian rhythm takes place at the transcriptional level. However, unlike nitrate, light was required for the accumulation of NR protein in transgenic plants, suggesting that NR expression is also controlled at the translational and/or post-translational level. Images PMID:2022181

  6. Wheat bran soil inoculant of sumateran nematode-trapping fungi as biocontrol agents of the root-knot nematode meloidogyne incognita on deli tobacco (nicotiana tabaccum l) cv. deli 4

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dwi Sri Hastuti, Liana; Faull, Jane

    2018-03-01

    A pot experiment was carried out to test the effectiveness of nematode-trapping fungi (NTF) isolated from Sumatera for controlling infection by the root-knot nematode (RKN) on Deli tobacco plant. Wheat bran soil containing 109 conidia of Arthrobotrys. oligospora, Candellabrella musiformis and Dactylella eudermata was added to the soil as a dry inoculum. Carbofuran was also applied as chemical agent and comparison treatment. Seedling tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cv. Deli 4 was inoculated with root knot (Meloidogyne incognita Chitwood.) seven days after the plant were transplanted to the pots. A. oligospora, C. musiformis and D. eudermata were found to be reliable as biocontrol agents, reducing the number of vermiform nematodes, swollen root, sausage shaped and galls in tobacco plant after 7, 15 and 30 days of infection with M. incognita. Treatment with NTF produced results that were comparable with Carbofuran® as a control agent in the reduction of the number of infections in tobacco plant caused by M. incognita in Nicotiana tabacum var. Deli 4. They also optimize the growth of the tobacco plants especially up to 15 days after infection.

  7. Transient Expression and Purification of Horseradish Peroxidase C in Nicotiana benthamiana.

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    Huddy, Suzanne M; Hitzeroth, Inga I; Meyers, Ann E; Weber, Brandon; Rybicki, Edward P

    2018-01-01

    Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is a commercially important reagent enzyme used in molecular biology and in the diagnostic product industry. It is typically purified from the roots of the horseradish ( Armoracia rusticana ); however, this crop is only available seasonally, yields are variable and often low, and the product is a mixture of isoenzymes. Engineering high-level expression in transiently transformed tobacco may offer a solution to these problems. In this study, a synthetic Nicotiana benthamiana codon-adapted full-length HRP isoenzyme gene as well as C-terminally truncated and both N- and C-terminally truncated versions of the HRP C gene were synthesized, and their expression in N. benthamiana was evaluated using an Agrobacterium tumefaciens -mediated transient expression system. The influence on HRP C expression levels of co-infiltration with a silencing suppressor (NSs) construct was also evaluated. Highest HRP C levels were consistently obtained using either the full length or C-terminally truncated HRP C constructs. HRP C purification by ion exchange chromatography gave an overall yield of 54% with a Reinheitszahl value of >3 and a specific activity of 458 U/mg. The high level of HRP C production in N. benthamiana in just five days offers an alternative, viable, and scalable system for production of this commercially significant enzyme.

  8. Silencing Nicotiana attenuata LHY and ZTL alters circadian rhythms in flowers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yon, Felipe; Joo, Youngsung; Cortés Llorca, Lucas; Rothe, Eva; Baldwin, Ian T; Kim, Sang-Gyu

    2016-02-01

    The rhythmic opening/closing and volatile emissions of flowers are known to attract pollinators at specific times. That these rhythms are maintained under constant light or dark conditions suggests a circadian clock involvement. Although a forward and reverse genetic approach has led to the identification of core circadian clock components in Arabidopsis thaliana, the involvement of these clock components in floral rhythms has remained untested, probably because of the weak diurnal rhythms in A. thaliana flowers. Here, we addressed the role of these core clock components in the flowers of the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata, whose flowers open at night, emit benzyl acetone (BA) scents and move vertically through a 140° arc. We first measured N. attenuata floral rhythms under constant light conditions. The results suggest that the circadian clock controls flower opening, BA emission and pedicel movement, but not flower closing. We generated transgenic N. attenuata lines silenced in the homologous genes of Arabidopsis LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY) and ZEITLUPE (ZTL), which are known to be core clock components. Silencing NaLHY and NaZTL strongly altered floral rhythms in different ways, indicating that conserved clock components in N. attenuata coordinate these floral rhythms. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

  9. Congenital skeletal malformations and cleft palate induced in goats by ingestion of Lupinus, Conium and Nicotiana species.

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    Panter, K E; Keeler, R F; Bunch, T D; Callan, R J

    1990-01-01

    Three piperidine alkaloid containing plants, Conium maculatum (poison-hemlock), Nicotiana glauca (tree tobacco) and Lupinus formosus (lunara lupine), induced multiple congenital contractures (MCC) and palatoschisis in goat kids when their dams were gavaged with the plant during gestation days 30-60. The skeletal abnormalities included fixed extension or flexure of the carpal, tarsal, and fetlock joints, scoliosis, lordosis, torticollis and rib cage abnormalities. Clinical signs of toxicity included those reported in sheep, cattle and pigs--ataxia, incoordination, muscular weakness, prostration and death. One quinolizidine alkaloid containing plant, Lupinus caudatus (tailcup lupine), on the other hand, which is also known to cause MCC in cows, caused only slight signs of toxicity in pregnant goats and no teratogenic effects in their offspring.

  10. Natural Products from Antarctic Colonial Ascidians of the Genera <em>Aplidium> and <em>Synoicum>: Variability and Defensive Role

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    Conxita Avila

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Ascidians have developed multiple defensive strategies mostly related to physical, nutritional or chemical properties of the tunic. One of such is chemical defense based on secondary metabolites. We analyzed a series of colonial Antarctic ascidians from deep-water collections belonging to the genera <em>Aplidium> and <em>Synoicum> to evaluate the incidence of organic deterrents and their variability. The ether fractions from 15 samples including specimens of the species <em>A.> <em>falklandicum>, <em>A.> <em>fuegiense>, <em>A.> <em>meridianum>, <em>A.> <em>millari> and <em>S.> <em>adareanum> were subjected to feeding assays towards two relevant sympatric predators: the starfish <em>Odontaster> <em>validus>, and the amphipod <em>Cheirimedon> <em>femoratus>. All samples revealed repellency. Nonetheless, some colonies concentrated defensive chemicals in internal body-regions rather than in the tunic. Four ascidian-derived meroterpenoids, rossinones B and the three derivatives 2,3-epoxy-rossinone B, 3-epi-rossinone B, 5,6-epoxy-rossinone B, and the indole alkaloids meridianins A–G, along with other minoritary meridianin compounds were isolated from several samples. Some purified metabolites were tested in feeding assays exhibiting potent unpalatabilities, thus revealing their role in predation avoidance. Ascidian extracts and purified compound-fractions were further assessed in antibacterial tests against a marine Antarctic bacterium. Only the meridianins showed inhibition activity, demonstrating a multifunctional defensive role. According to their occurrence in nature and within our colonial specimens, the possible origin of both types of metabolites is discussed.

  11. Analysis of the function of the photoreceptors phytochrome B and phytochrome D in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández, Aurora Piñas; Gil, Patricia; Valkai, Ildiko; Nagy, Ferenc; Schäfer, Eberhard

    2005-05-01

    To investigate the mechanism of phytochrome action in vivo, NtPHYB, AtPHYB and phyD:green fluorescent protein (GFP) were overexpressed in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Arabidopsis thaliana. The expression of 35S:NtPHYB:GFP and 35S:AtPHYB:GFP complemented the tobacco hgl2 and Arabidopsis phyB-9 mutations, whereas the 35S:AtPHYD:GFP only rescued the hgl2 mutant. All three fusion proteins are transported into the nucleus in all genetic backgrounds. These data indicate that AtPHYD:GFP is biologically active and functions as the main red light receptor in transgenic tobacco, and establish an experimental system for the functional analysis of this elusive photoreceptor in vivo.

  12. DNA-A of a highly pathogenic Indian cassava mosaic virus isolated from Jatropha curcas causes symptoms in Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Gang; Sun, Yanwei; Xu, Ruirui; Qu, Jing; Tee, Chuansia; Jiang, Xiyuan; Ye, Jian

    2014-04-01

    Jatropha curcas mosaic disease (JcMD) is a newly emerging disease that has been reported in Africa and India. Here, we report the complete nucleotide sequence of a new Indian cassava mosaic virus isolate (ICMV-SG) from Singapore. Infection of ICMV-SG showed more severe JcMD in Jatropha curcas and Nicotiana benthamiana than the other ICMV isolates reported previously, though ICMV-SG shares high sequence identity with the other ICMV isolates. Agroinfectious DNA-A alone sufficiently induced systemic symptoms in N. benthamiana, but not in J. curcas. Results from agroinfection assays showed that systemic infection of ICMV-SG in J. curcas required both DNA-A and DNA-B components.

  13. Differentially expressed genes in healthy and plum pox virus-infected Nicotiana benthamiana plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vozárová, Z; Žilová, M; Šubr, Z

    2015-12-01

    Viruses use both material and energy sources of their hosts and redirect the production of disposable compounds in order to make viral replication more efficient. Metabolism of infected organisms is modified by these enhanced requirements as well by their own defense response. Resulting complex story consists of many regulation events on various gene expression levels. Elucidating these processes may contribute to the knowledge on virus-host interactions and to evolving new antiviral strategies. In our work we applied a subtractive cloning technique to compare the transcriptomes of healthy and plum pox virus (PPV)-infected Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Several genes were found to be induced or repressed by the PPV infection. The induced genes were mainly related to general stress response or photosynthesis, several repressed genes could be connected with growth defects evoked by the infection. Interestingly, some genes usually up-regulated by fungal or bacterial infection were found repressed in PPV-infected plants. Potential involvement of particular differently expressed genes in the process of PPV infection is discussed.

  14. Uridine 5'-Monophosphate Synthase Is Transcriptionally Regulated by Pyrimidine Levels in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santoso; Thornburg

    1998-02-01

    To understand the regulation and expression of pyrimidine biosynthesis in plants, we have examined the effect of the metabolic inhibitor 5-fluoroorotic acid (FOA) on uridine-5'-monophosphate synthase (UMPSase) expression in cell cultures of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. UMPSase is the rate-limiting step of pyrimidine biosynthesis in plants. Addition of FOA causes an up-regulation of UMPSase enzyme activity in cell cultures after a lag phase of several days. Western-blot analysis demonstrated that the up-regulation in enzyme activity was caused by increased expression of the UMPSase protein. Northern-blot analysis demonstrated a higher level of UMPSase mRNA in the FOA-induced tissues than in control tissues. Run-on transcriptional assays showed that the UMPSase gene was transcriptionally activated after FOA treatment. The mechanism of toxicity of FOA is through thymine starvation. We found that addition of thymine abrogated the FOA-mediated up-regulation of UMPSase. In addition, methotrexate and aminopterin, which affect thymine levels by inhibiting dihydrofolate reductase, also up-regulate UMPSase in N. plumbaginifolia cells.

  15. Retrotransposons of the Tnt1B family are mobile in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and can induce alternative splicing of the host gene upon insertion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leprinc, A S; Grandbastien, M A; Christian, M

    2001-11-01

    Active retrotransposons have been identified in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia by their ability to disrupt the nitrate reductase gene in chlorate-resistant mutants selected from protoplast-derived cultures. In mutants E23 and F97, two independent insertions of Tnp2, a new retrotransposon closely related to the tobacco Tnt1 elements, were detected in the nitrate reductase gene. These two Tnp2 elements are members of the Tnt1B subfamily which shows that Tnt1B elements can be active and mutagenic in the N. plumbaginifolia genome. Furthermore, these results suggest that Tnt1B is the most active family of Tntl elements in N. plumbaginifolia, whereas in tobacco only members of the Tnt1A subfamily were found inserted in the nitrate reductase gene. The transcriptional regulations of Tnp2 and Tnt1A elements are most probably different due to non-conserved U3 regions. Our results thus support the hypothesis that different Nicotiana species contain different active Tntl subfamilies and that only one active Tntl subfamily might be maintained in each of these species. The Tnp2 insertion found in the F97 mutant was found to be spliced out of the nitrate reductase mRNA by activation of cryptic donor and acceptor sites in the nitrate reductase and the Tnp2 sequences respectively.

  16. The effect of intermittent dosing of Nicotiana glauca on teratogenesis in goats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welch, K D; Panter, K E; Lee, S T; Gardner, D R

    2015-01-01

    Sustained inhibition of fetal movement in livestock species, induced by several poisonous plants, can result in numerous skeletal-contracture malformations. Lupines are responsible for a condition in cattle referred to as "crooked calf syndrome" that occurs when pregnant cattle graze teratogenic lupines. Similar malformations are also seen in animals poisoned by Conium maculatum (coniine) and Nicotiana glauca (anabasine). A proposed management strategy to limit these types of birth defects includes utilizing an intermittent grazing schedule to allow short durations of grazing lupine-infested areas interrupted by movement to a lupine-free pasture. The objective of this study was to use a goat model to determine if an intermittent schedule of five continuous days on treatment followed by two days off treatment would be sufficient to decrease, or prevent, the incidence of anabasine-induced malformations. The data from this study suggest that, for N. glauca in goats, the intermittent grazing program of five days exposure with two days of non-exposure is insufficient to prevent significant skeletal malformations from occurring. However, this study did demonstrate an inverse relationship between the amount of serum anabasine in the dam and the extent of fetal movement. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Nicotine demethylation in Nicotiana cell suspension cultures: N'-formylnornicotine is not involved.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartholomeusz, Trixie Ann; Bhogal, Ramneek K; Molinié, Roland; Felpin, François-Xavier; Mathé-Allainmat, Monique; Meier, Anna-Carolin; Dräger, Birgit; Lebreton, Jacques; Roscher, Albrecht; Robins, Richard J; Mesnard, François

    2005-10-01

    Nicotine or nornicotine enriched with stable isotopes in either the N'-methyl group or the pyrrolidine-N were fed to Nicotiana plumbaginifolia suspension cell cultures that do not form endogenous nicotine. The metabolism of these compounds was investigated by analysing the incorporation of isotope into other alkaloids using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Nicotine metabolism primarily resulted in the accumulation of nornicotine, the N'-demethylation product. In addition, six minor metabolites appeared during the course of nicotine metabolism, four of which were identified as cotinine, myosmine, N'-formylnornicotine and N'-carboethoxynornicotine. While cotinine was formed from [(13)C,(2)H(3)-methyl]nicotine without dilution of label, N'-formylnornicotine was labelled at only about 6% of the level of nicotine and N'-carboethoxynornicotine was unlabelled. Feeding with [1'-(15)N]nornicotine resulted in incorporation without dilution of label into both N'-formylnornicotine and N'-carboethoxynornicotine. This pattern strongly indicates that, while nornicotine and cotinine are derived directly from nicotine, N'-formylnornicotine and N'-carboethoxynornicotine are metabolites of nornicotine. Thus, it is directly demonstrated that N'-formylnornicotine is not an intermediate in nicotine demethylation.

  18. Fumigant Antifungal Activity of Myrtaceae Essential Oils and Constituents from <em>Leptospermum petersoniiem> against Three <em>Aspergillus> Species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Il-Kwon Park

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Commercial plant essential oils obtained from 11 Myrtaceae plant species were tested for their fumigant antifungal activity against <em>Aspergillus ochraceusem>, <em>A. flavusem>, and <em>A. nigerem>. Essential oils extracted from<em> em>Leptospermum> <em>petersonii> at air concentrations of 56 × 10−3 mg/mL and 28 × 10−3 mg/mL completely inhibited the growth of the three <em>Aspergillus> species. However, at an air concentration of 14 × 10−3 mg/mL, inhibition rates of <em>L. petersoniiem> essential oils were reduced to 20.2% and 18.8% in the case of <em>A. flavusem> and <em>A. nigerem>, respectively. The other Myrtaceae essential oils (56 × 10−3 mg/mL only weakly inhibited the fungi or had no detectable affect. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis identified 16 compounds in <em>L. petersoniiem>> em>essential> em>oil.> em>The antifungal activity of the identified compounds was tested individually by using standard or synthesized compounds. Of these, neral and geranial inhibited growth by 100%, at an air concentration of 56 × 10−3 mg/mL, whereas the activity of citronellol was somewhat lover (80%. The other compounds exhibited only moderate or weak antifungal activity. The antifungal activities of blends of constituents identified in <em>L. petersoniiem> oil indicated that neral and geranial were the major contributors to the fumigant and antifungal activities.

  19. Clinical Relevance of <em>CDH1em> and <em>CDH13em> DNA-Methylation in Serum of Cervical Cancer Patients

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    Günther K. Bonn

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available This study was designed to investigate the DNA-methylation status of <em>E>-cadherin (<em>CDH1em> and <em>H>-cadherin (<em>CDH13em> in serum samples of cervical cancer patients and control patients with no malignant diseases and to evaluate the clinical utility of these markers. DNA-methylation status of <em>CDH1em> and <em>CDH13em> was analyzed by means of MethyLight-technology in serum samples from 49 cervical cancer patients and 40 patients with diseases other than cancer. To compare this methylation analysis with another technique, we analyzed the samples with a denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC PCR-method. The specificity and sensitivity of <em>CDH1em> DNA-methylation measured by MethyLight was 75% and 55%, and for <em>CDH13em> DNA-methylation 95% and 10%. We identified a specificity of 92.5% and a sensitivity of only 27% for the <em>CDH1em> DHPLC-PCR analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that serum <em>CDH1em> methylation-positive patients had a 7.8-fold risk for death (95% CI: 2.2–27.7; <em>p> = 0.001 and a 92.8-fold risk for relapse (95% CI: 3.9–2207.1; <em>p> = 0.005. We concluded that the serological detection of <em>CDH1em> and <em>CDH13em> DNA-hypermethylation is not an ideal diagnostic tool due to low diagnostic specificity and sensitivity. However, it was validated that <em>CDH1em> methylation analysis in serum samples may be of potential use as a prognostic marker for cervical cancer patients.

  20. Efeito de extratos aquosos de plantas na oviposição da traça-das-crucíferas, em couve Effect of plants aqueous extracts on oviposition of the diamondback, in kale

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    Cesar Augusto Manfré Medeiros

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Avaliou-se o efeito de extratos aquosos de Achillea millefolium L. (folhas, Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (folhas, Bidens pilosa L. (folhas, frutos e ramos, Bougainvillea glabra Choisy (folhas, Chenopodium ambrosioides L. (folhas, frutos e ramos, Datura suaveolens Humb & Bonpl. ex. Willd (folhas, Enterolobium contortisilliquum (Vell. Morong (frutos, Mentha crispa L. (folhas e ramos, Nicotiana tabacum L. (folhas, Piper nigrum L. (folhas, Plumbago capensis Thunb. (folhas e ramos, Pothomorphe umbellata L. (folhas, Sapindus saponaria L. (folhas, S. saponaria (frutos, Solanum cernuum Vell. (folhas, Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart Coville (casca, Symphytum officinale L. (folhas, Trichilia catigua A. Juss. (folhas, T. catigua (ramos, Trichilia pallida Sw. (folhas e T. pallida (ramos, em relação à preferência para oviposição de Plutella xylostella. Discos de folhas de couve (Brassica oleracea var. acephala cultivar Georgia foram imersos em cada extrato à concentração de 10% (massa/volume por um minuto. Em seguida, foram divididos em quatro partes iguais e duas partes foram colocadas alternadamente com outras duas partes tratadas com água destilada, em uma gaiola. A contagem dos ovos foi feita após 24 horas. Os extratos apresentaram efeito deterrente na oviposição da praga, com exceção do extrato de S. adstringens, que não diferiu da testemunha, tratada apenas com água destilada. Os extratos de E. contortisilliquum, S. saponaria (frutos e T. pallida (folhas foram os mais eficientes, apresentando 100% de deterrência.The effect of aqueous extracts from Achillea millefolium L. (leaves, Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (leaves, Bidens pilosa L. (leaves, fruits e branches, Bougainvillea glabra Choisy (leaves, Chenopodium ambrosioides L. (leaves, fruits e branches, Datura suaveolens Humb & Bonpl. ex. Willd (leaves, Enterolobium contortisilliquum (Vell. Morong (fruits, Mentha crispa L. (leaves e branches, Nicotiana tabacum L. (leaves, Piper nigrum

  1. Extraction of Dihydroquercetin<em> em>from <em>Larix gmeliniem>i> em>with Ultrasound-Assisted and Microwave-Assisted Alternant Digestion

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    Yuangang Zu

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available An ultrasound and microwave assisted alternant extraction method (UMAE was applied for extracting dihydroquercetin (DHQ from <em>Larix gmeliniem>i> wood. This investigation was conducted using 60% ethanol as solvent, 1:12 solid to liquid ratio, and 3 h soaking time. The optimum treatment time was ultrasound 40 min, microwave 20 min, respectively, and the extraction was performed once. Under the optimized conditions, satisfactory extraction yield of the target analyte was obtained. Relative to ultrasound-assisted or microwave-assisted method, the proposed approach provides higher extraction yield. The effect of DHQ of different concentrations and synthetic antioxidants on oxidative stability in soy bean oil stored for 20 days at different temperatures (25 °C and 60 °C was compared. DHQ was more effective in restraining soy bean oil oxidation, and a dose-response relationship was observed. The antioxidant activity of DHQ was a little stronger than that of BHA and BHT. Soy bean oil supplemented with 0.08 mg/g DHQ exhibited favorable antioxidant effects and is preferable for effectively avoiding oxidation. The <em>L. gmeliniiem> wood samples before and after extraction were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the UMAE method is a simple and efficient technique for sample preparation.

  2. How <em>Varroa> Parasitism Affects the Immunological and Nutritional Status of the Honey Bee, <em>Apis melliferaem>

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    Katherine A. Aronstein

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the effect of the parasitic mite <em>Varroa destructorem> on the immunological and nutritional condition of honey bees, <em>Apis melliferaem>, from the perspective of the individual bee and the colony. Pupae, newly-emerged adults and foraging adults were sampled from honey bee colonies at one site in S. Texas, USA. <em>Varroa>‑infested bees displayed elevated titer of Deformed Wing Virus (DWV, suggestive of depressed capacity to limit viral replication. Expression of genes coding three anti-microbial peptides (<em>defensin1, abaecin, hymenoptaecinem> was either not significantly different between <em>Varroa>-infested and uninfested bees or was significantly elevated in <em>Varroa>-infested bees, varying with sampling date and bee developmental age. The effect of <em>Varroa> on nutritional indices of the bees was complex, with protein, triglyceride, glycogen and sugar levels strongly influenced by life-stage of the bee and individual colony. Protein content was depressed and free amino acid content elevated in <em>Varroa>-infested pupae, suggesting that protein synthesis, and consequently growth, may be limited in these insects. No simple relationship between the values of nutritional and immune-related indices was observed, and colony-scale effects were indicated by the reduced weight of pupae in colonies with high <em>Varroa> abundance, irrespective of whether the individual pupa bore <em>Varroa>.

  3. Real-Time PCR Detection and QUantification of Soilborne Fungal Pathogens : the Case of Rosellinia necatrix, Phytophthora nicotianae, P. citrophthora and Verticillium dahliae

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    L. Schena

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available Conventional and Scorpion primers were designed from the ITS regions to identify Rosellinia necatrix, Phytophthora nicotianae, and P. citrophthora and from the IGS regions to identify Verticillium dahliae and V. alboatrum. Specificity of primers and probes was assessed using genomic DNA from a large number of fungi from several hosts and by means of BLAST analyses, to exclude the presence of similar sequences in other micro-organisms among available DNA databases (GenBank. Simple and rapid procedures for DNA extraction from naturally infected matrices (soils, roots, bark, and/or woody tissues were utilised to yield DNA of a purity and quality suitable for PCR assays. Combining these protocols with a double amplification (nested Scorpion-PCR, the real-time detection of these pathogens was possible from naturally infested soils and from infected citrus roots (P. nicotianae and P. citrophthora, from the roots and bark of stone fruits and olive (R. necatrix and from olive branches (V. dahliae. For target pathogens, the limit of detection was 1 pg µl-1 in Scorpion-PCR and 1 fg µl-1 in nested Scorpion-PCR. High and significant correlations between pathogen propagule concentrations and real-time PCR cycle thresholds (Ct were obtained. Moreover, specific tests with R. necatrix seem to indicate that its DNA is quite rapidly degraded in the soil, excluding the risk of false positives due to the presence of dead cells.

  4. Trophic systems and chorology: data from shrews, moles and voles of Italy preyed by the barn owl / Sistemi trofici e corologia: dati su <em>Soricidae>, <em>Talpidae> ed <em>Arvicolidae> d'Italia predati da <em>Tyto albaem> (Scopoli 1769

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    Longino Contoli

    1986-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In small Mammals biogeography, available data are up to now by far too scanty for elucidate the distribution of a lot of taxa, especially with regard to the absence from a given area. In this respect, standardized quantitative sampling techniques, like Owl pellets analysis can enable not only to enhance faunistic knowledges, but also to estimate the actual absence probability of a given taxon "m", lacking from the diet of an individual raptor. For the last purpose, the relevant frequencies of "m" in the other ecologically similar sites of the same raptor species diets are averaged ($f_m$ : the relevant standard error (multiplicated by a coefficient, according to the desired degree of accuracy, in relation of the integral of probabilities subtracted ($overline{F}_m - a E$: then, the probability that a single specimen is not pertaining to "m" is obtained ($P_0 = 1 - F_m + a E$; lastly, the desiderate accuracy probability ($P_d$ is chosen. Now, "$N_d$" (the number of individuals of all prey species in a single site needed for obtain, with the desired probability, a specimen at least of "m" is obtained through $$N = frac{ln P_d}{ln P_0}$$ Obviously, every site-diet with more than "N" preyed individuals and without any "i" specimen is considered to be lacking of such taxon. A "usefulness index" for the above purposes is outlined and checked about three raptors. Some exanples about usefulness of the Owl pellet analysis method in biogeography are given, concerning <em>Tyto albaem> diets in peninsular Italy about: - <em>Sorex minutusem>, lacking in some quite insulated areas; - <em>Sorex araneusem> (sensu stricto, after GRAF et al., 1979, present also in lowland areas in Emilia-Romagna; - <em>Crocidura suaveolensem> and - <em>Suncus etruscusem>, present also in the southermost part of Calabria (Reggio province; - <em>Talpa caecaem>, present also in the Antiapennines of Latium (Cimini mounts; - <em>Talpa romanaem

  5. Two widely expressed plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase isoforms of Nicotiana tabacum are differentially regulated by phosphorylation of their penultimate threonine.

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    Bobik, Krzysztof; Duby, Geoffrey; Nizet, Yannick; Vandermeeren, Caroline; Stiernet, Patrick; Kanczewska, Justyna; Boutry, Marc

    2010-04-01

    The plasma membrane H(+)-ATPases PMA2 and PMA4 are the most widely expressed in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, and belong to two different subfamilies. Both are activated by phosphorylation of a Thr at the penultimate position and the subsequent binding of 14-3-3 proteins. Their expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed functional and regulatory differences. To determine whether different regulatory properties between PMA2 and PMA4 exist in plants, we generated two monoclonal antibodies able to detect phosphorylation of the penultimate Thr of either PMA2 or PMA4 in a total protein extract. We also raised Nicotiana tabacum transgenic plants expressing 6-His-tagged PMA2 or PMA4, enabling their individual purification. Using these tools we showed that phosphorylation of the penultimate Thr of both PMAs was high during the early exponential growth phase of an N. tabacum cell culture, and then progressively declined. This decline correlated with decreased 14-3-3 binding and decreased plasma membrane ATPase activity. However, the rate and extent of the decrease differed between the two isoforms. Cold stress of culture cells or leaf tissues reduced the Thr phosphorylation of PMA2, whereas no significant changes in Thr phosphorylation of PMA4 were seen. These results strongly suggest that PMA2 and PMA4 are differentially regulated by phosphorylation. Analysis of the H(+)-ATPase phosphorylation status in leaf tissues indicated that no more than 44% (PMA2) or 32% (PMA4) was in the activated state under normal growth conditions. Purification of either isoform showed that, when activated, the two isoforms did not form hetero-oligomers, which is further support for these two H(+)-ATPase subfamilies having different properties.

  6. Phylogenetic approach to the study of Triatomines (Triatominae, Heteroptera

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    E. Tartarotti

    Full Text Available Triatomines are insects belonging to the Hemiptera order, Heteroptera suborder, Reduviidae family and Triatominae subfamily. All members of this subfamily are hematophagous. Triatomines evolved from Reduviidae predators and they are probably polyphyletic in origin. The combination of anatomical, physiological and ethological factors observed in this group, as well as the plesiomorphic and apomorphic characters that differentiate the five tribes and fourteen triatomine genera reinforce the polyphiletic hypotesis. However if we consider the five groups of triatomines, the Rhodniini, Cavernicolini, Bolboderini, Linshcosteini and Alberproseniini tribes constitute monophyletic groups, while the Triatomini tribe is considered polyphyletic. The New World is the center of triatomine diversity and seems to be the point of group origin. Of approximately 137 triatomine species, 105 are only found in the Americas. It is now considered that triatomines represent a polyphyletic group defined according to their convergent apomorphic hematophagous characters, which have appeared several times in Reduviidae. This study revises the phylogeny of these vectors of Chagas' disease, covering such topics as the origin of hematophagy in triatomines and ancestral proposal for the group.

  7. Efeito de extratos de plantas com atividade inseticida no controle de Microtheca ochroloma Stal (Col.: Chrysomelidae, em laboratório

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    Sônia Thereza Bastos Dequech

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2008v21n1p41 Extratos de plantas com atividade inseticida foram testados no controle de  Microtheca ochroloma (Col.: Chrysomelidae, uma importante praga de brassicáceas nas fases larval e adulta. Duas larvas com três dias de idade, mantidas sob condições de laboratório (T:25ºC, U.R:70% e 14 horas de fotofase, foram colocadas em tubos de vidro contendo folha de  couve-chinesa (Brassica chinensis previamente tratada com extratos aquosos (10% p/v de folha de cinamomo (Melia azedarach, de ramo de  cinamomo e de pó-de-fumo (Nicotiana tabacum. O mesmo procedimento foi repetido em dois ensaios com insetos adultos. No primeiro, foram utilizados todos os extratos anteriormente citados mais o extrato de Dal- Neem (produto comercial à base de Azadirachta indica. No segundo, os insetos foram expostos a extratos de frutos de pimenta malagueta (Capsicum frutescens e de folhas de pitangueira (Eugenia uniflora, de jambolão (Syzygium cuminii e de eucalipto (Eucalyptus sp.. Todos os testes constaram de 10 insetos por tratamento, com cinco repetições no primeiro ensaio com insetos adultos e com seis repetições nos demais. As  observações foram realizadas diariamente até o quinto dia, objetivando avaliar a mortalidade dos insetos. Todos os extratos testados  resultaram num controle efetivo de larvas de M.ochroloma.Em  relação aos insetos adultos, apenas os extratos de pó-de-fumo e de Dal- Neem apresentaram efi ciência de controle.

  8. Proximate Composition, Nutritional Attributes and Mineral Composition of <em>Peperomia> <em>pellucida> L. (Ketumpangan Air Grown in Malaysia

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    Maznah Ismail

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available This study presents the proximate and mineral composition of <em>Peperomia> <em>pellucida> L., an underexploited weed plant in Malaysia. Proximate analysis was performed using standard AOAC methods and mineral contents were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. The results indicated <em>Peperomia> <em>pellucida> to be rich in crude protein, carbohydrate and total ash contents. The high amount of total ash (31.22% suggests a high-value mineral composition comprising potassium, calcium and iron as the main elements. The present study inferred that <em>Peperomia> <em>pellucida> would serve as a good source of protein and energy as well as micronutrients in the form of a leafy vegetable for human consumption.

  9. Identifying Growth Conditions for Nicotiana benthimiana Resulting in Predictable Gene Expression of Promoter-Gus Fusion

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    Sandoval, V.; Barton, K.; Longhurst, A.

    2012-12-01

    Revoluta (Rev) is a transcription factor that establishes leaf polarity inArabidopsis thaliana. Through previous work in Dr. Barton's Lab, it is known that Revoluta binds to the ZPR3 promoter, thus activating the ZPR3 gene product inArabidopsis thaliana. Using this knowledge, two separate DNA constructs were made, one carrying revgene and in the other, the ZPR3 promoter fussed with the GUS gene. When inoculated in Nicotiana benthimiana (tobacco), the pMDC32 plasmid produces the Rev protein. Rev binds to the ZPR3 promoter thereby activating the transcription of the GUS gene, which can only be expressed in the presence of Rev. When GUS protein comes in contact with X-Gluc it produce the blue stain seen (See Figure 1). In the past, variability has been seen of GUS expression on tobacco therefore we hypothesized that changing the growing conditions and leaf age might improve how well it's expressed.

  10. Tracking the potyviral P1 protein in Nicotiana benthamiana plants during plum pox virus infection.

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    Vozárová, Z; Glasa, M; Šubr, Z W

    The P1 protein is derived from the N terminus of potyvirus-coded polyprotein. In addition to the proteolytic activity essential for its maturation, it probably participates in suppression of host defense and/or in virus replication. Clear validation of the P1 in vivo function(s), however, is not yet available. We applied an infectious cDNA clone of plum pox virus (PPV), where the P1 was N-fused with a hexahistidine tag, to trace this protein in Nicotiana benthamiana plants during the PPV infection. Immunoblot analysis with the anti-his antibody showed a diffuse band corresponding to the molecular weight about 70-80 kDa (about twice larger than expected) in the root samples from early stage of infection. This signal culminated on the sixth day post inoculation, later it rapidly disappeared. Sample denaturation by boiling in SDS before centrifugal clarification was essential, indicating strong affinity of P1-his to some plant compound sedimenting with the tissue and cell debris.

  11. Control of seed dormancy in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia: post-imbibition abscisic acid synthesis imposes dormancy maintenance.

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    Grappin, P; Bouinot, D; Sotta, B; Miginiac, E; Jullien, M

    2000-01-01

    The physiological characteristics of seed dormancy in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv. are described. The level of seed dormancy is defined by the delay in seed germination (i.e the time required prior to germination) under favourable environmental conditions. A wild-type line shows a clear primary dormancy, which is suppressed by afterripening, whereas an abscisic acid (ABA)-deficient mutant shows a non-dormant phenotype. We have investigated the role of ABA and gibberellic acid (GA(3)) in the control of dormancy maintenance or breakage during imbibition in suitable conditions. It was found that fluridone, a carotenoid biosynthesis inhibitor, is almost as efficient as GA(3) in breaking dormancy. Dry dormant seeds contained more ABA than dry afterripened seeds and, during early imbibition, there was an accumulation of ABA in dormant seeds, but not in afterripened seeds. In addition, fluridone and exogenous GA(3) inhibited the accumulation of ABA in imbibed dormant seeds. This reveals an important role for ABA synthesis in dormancy maintenance in imbibed seeds.

  12. Regulation of carotenoid and ABA accumulation during the development and germination of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frey, Anne; Boutin, Jean-Pierre; Sotta, Bruno; Mercier, Raphaël; Marion-Poll, Annie

    2006-08-01

    Abscisic acid (ABA) is derived from epoxycarotenoid cleavage and regulates seed development and maturation. A detailed carotenoid analysis was undertaken to study the contribution of epoxycarotenoid synthesis to the regulation of ABA accumulation in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia developing seeds. Maximal accumulation of xanthophylls occurred at mid-development in wild type seeds, when total ABA levels also peaked. In contrast, in ABA-deficient mutants xanthophyll synthesis was delayed, in agreement with the retardation in seed maturation. Seed dormancy was restored in mutants impaired in the conversion of zeaxanthin into violaxanthin by zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP), by the introduction of the Arabidopsis AtZEP gene under the control of promoters inducing expression during later stages of seed development compared to wild type NpZEP, and in dry and imbibed seeds. Alterations in the timing and level of ZEP expression did not highly affect the temporal regulation of ABA accumulation in transgenic seeds, despite notable perturbations in xanthophyll accumulation. Therefore, major regulatory control of ABA accumulation might occur downstream of epoxycarotenoid synthesis.

  13. The Subcellular Localization and Functional Analysis of Fibrillarin2, a Nucleolar Protein in Nicotiana benthamiana

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    Luping Zheng

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Nucleolar proteins play important roles in plant cytology, growth, and development. Fibrillarin2 is a nucleolar protein of Nicotiana benthamiana (N. benthamiana. Its cDNA was amplified by RT-PCR and inserted into expression vector pEarley101 labeled with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP. The fusion protein was localized in the nucleolus and Cajal body of leaf epidermal cells of N. benthamiana. The N. benthamiana fibrillarin2 (NbFib2 protein has three functional domains (i.e., glycine and arginine rich domain, RNA-binding domain, and α-helical domain and a nuclear localization signal (NLS in C-terminal. The protein 3D structure analysis predicted that NbFib2 is an α/β protein. In addition, the virus induced gene silencing (VIGS approach was used to determine the function of NbFib2. Our results showed that symptoms including growth retardation, organ deformation, chlorosis, and necrosis appeared in NbFib2-silenced N. benthamiana.

  14. Heterologous Expression of Moss Light-harvesting Complex Stress-related 1 (LHCSR1), the Chlorophyll a-Xanthophyll Pigment-protein Complex Catalyzing Non-photochemical Quenching, in Nicotiana sp.*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinnola, Alberta; Ghin, Leonardo; Gecchele, Elisa; Merlin, Matilde; Alboresi, Alessandro; Avesani, Linda; Pezzotti, Mario; Capaldi, Stefano; Cazzaniga, Stefano; Bassi, Roberto

    2015-01-01

    Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms evolved mechanisms for thermal dissipation of energy absorbed in excess to prevent formation of reactive oxygen species. The major and fastest component, called non-photochemical quenching, occurs within the photosystem II antenna system by the action of two essential light-harvesting complex (LHC)-like proteins, photosystem II subunit S (PSBS) in plants and light-harvesting complex stress-related (LHCSR) in green algae and diatoms. In the evolutionary intermediate Physcomitrella patens, a moss, both gene products are active. These proteins, which are present in low amounts, are difficult to purify, preventing structural and functional analysis. Here, we report on the overexpression of the LHCSR1 protein from P. patens in the heterologous systems Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum using transient and stable nuclear transformation. We show that the protein accumulated in both heterologous systems is in its mature form, localizes in the chloroplast thylakoid membranes, and is correctly folded with chlorophyll a and xanthophylls but without chlorophyll b, an essential chromophore for plants and algal LHC proteins. Finally, we show that recombinant LHCSR1 is active in quenching in vivo, implying that the recombinant protein obtained is a good material for future structural and functional studies. PMID:26260788

  15. Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities of Aqueous Extracts and Fractionation of Different Parts of <em>Elsholtzia em>ciliata>

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    Yuangang Zu

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and free-radical scavenging activity of extract and fractions from various parts of <em>Elsholtzia ciliataem>. The inflorescences, leaves, stems and roots of <em>E. ciliataem> were extracted separately and two phenolic component enrichment methods: ethyl acetate-water liquid-liquid extraction and macroporous resin adsorption-desorption, were adopted in this study. The antioxidant activities of water extracts and fractions of <em>E. ciliataem> were examined using different assay model systems <em>in vitroem>. The fraction root E (purified by HPD300 macroporous resin exhibited the highest total phenolics content (497.2 ± 24.9 mg GAE/g, accompanied with the highest antioxidant activity against various antioxidant systems <em>in vitroem> compared to other fractions. On the basis of the results obtained, <em>E. ciliataem> extracts can be used potentially as a ready accessible and valuable bioactive source of natural antioxidants.

  16. Expression Studies of the Zeaxanthin Epoxidase Gene in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Audran, Corinne; Borel, Charlotte; Frey, Anne; Sotta, Bruno; Meyer, Christian; Simonneau, Thierry; Marion-Poll, Annie

    1998-01-01

    Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone involved in the control of a wide range of physiological processes, including adaptation to environmental stress and seed development. In higher plants ABA is a breakdown product of xanthophyll carotenoids (C40) via the C15 intermediate xanthoxin. The ABA2 gene of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia encodes zeaxanthin epoxidase, which catalyzes the conversion of zeaxanthin to violaxanthin. In this study we analyzed steady-state levels of ABA2 mRNA in N. plumbaginifolia. The ABA2 mRNA accumulated in all plant organs, but transcript levels were found to be higher in aerial parts (stems and leaves) than in roots and seeds. In leaves ABA2 mRNA accumulation displayed a day/night cycle; however, the ABA2 protein level remained constant. In roots no diurnal fluctuation in mRNA levels was observed. In seeds the ABA2 mRNA level peaked around the middle of development, when ABA content has been shown to increase in many species. In conditions of drought stress, ABA levels increased in both leaves and roots. A concomitant accumulation of ABA2 mRNA was observed in roots but not in leaves. These results are discussed in relation to the role of zeaxanthin epoxidase both in the xanthophyll cycle and in the synthesis of ABA precursors. PMID:9808747

  17. OBSERVATIONS ON THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF SOME WILD SPECIES OF THE GENUS NICOTINA AND OF SOME VARIETIES OF NICOTIANA TABACUM L. AND N. RUSTICA L. TO BLUE MOULD (PERONOSPORA TABACINA ADAM) -- PULAWY 1962

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicotiana , no manifestations of the mould were observed on the species of N. debneyi and N. exigua. Very weak symptoms appeared in N. paniculata and N... plumbaginifolia . In the group of cigarette-tobacco varieties only the Hicks Resistant and Hicks fixed A2 (varieties of Australian origin, obtained by

  18. Non-host Plant Resistance against Phytophthora capsici Is Mediated in Part by Members of the I2 R Gene Family in Nicotiana spp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vega-Arreguín, Julio C; Shimada-Beltrán, Harumi; Sevillano-Serrano, Jacobo; Moffett, Peter

    2017-01-01

    The identification of host genes associated with resistance to Phytophthora capsici is crucial to developing strategies of control against this oomycete pathogen. Since there are few sources of resistance to P. capsici in crop plants, non-host plants represent a promising source of resistance genes as well as excellent models to study P. capsici - plant interactions. We have previously shown that non-host resistance to P. capsici in Nicotiana spp. is mediated by the recognition of a specific P. capsici effector protein, PcAvr3a1 in a manner that suggests the involvement of a cognate disease resistance (R) genes. Here, we have used virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and transgenic tobacco plants expressing dsRNA in Nicotiana spp. to identify candidate R genes that mediate non-host resistance to P. capsici . Silencing of members of the I2 multigene family in the partially resistant plant N. edwardsonii and in the resistant N. tabacum resulted in compromised resistance to P. capsici . VIGS of two other components required for R gene-mediated resistance, EDS1 and SGT1 , also enhanced susceptibility to P. capsici in N. edwardsonii , as well as in the susceptible plants N. benthamiana and N. clevelandii . The silencing of I2 family members in N. tabacum also compromised the recognition of PcAvr3a1. These results indicate that in this case, non-host resistance is mediated by the same components normally associated with race-specific resistance.

  19. Structural characterisation of galactoglucomannan secreted by suspension-cultured cells of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sims, I M; Craik, D J; Bacic, A

    1997-08-25

    Galactoglucomannan (GGM) from cultures of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia has Man:Glc:Gal:Ara:Xyl in 1.0:1.1:1.0:0.1:0.04 ratio. Linkage analysis contained 4- and 4,6-Manp, 4-Glcp, terminal Galp and 2-Galp, small amounts and terminal Arap and terminal Xylp, and approximately 0.03 mol acetyl per mol of glucosyl residue. Treatment with alpha- and beta-D-galactosidases showed that the majority of the side-chains were either single Galp-alpha-(1-->residues or the disaccharide Galp-beta-(1-->2)-Galp-alpha-(1-->linked to O-6 of the 4-Manp residues of the glucomannan backbone. Analysis of the oligosaccharides generated by endo-(1-->4)-beta-mannanase digestion confirmed that the GGM comprises a backbone of predominantly alternating-->4)-D-Manp-beta-(1-->and-->4)-D-Glcp-beta-(1-->branch ed at O-6 of 65% of the 4-Manp residues. The major oligosaccharide identified was D-Glcp-beta-(1-->4)-[D-Galp-beta-(1-->2)-D-Galp-alpha-(1-->6)]-D-Man p-beta-(1-->4)-D-Glcp-beta-(1-->4)-[D-Galp-alpha-(1-->6)]-D-Manp -beta-(1-->(27%), and most of the other oligosaccharides produced in significant quantities were based on this structure.

  20. Allometric and Isometric variations in the Italian <em>Apodemus sylvaticusem> and <em>Apodemus flavicollisem> with respect to the conditions of allopatry and sympatry / Variazioni allometriche e isometriche in <em>Apodemus sylvaticusem> e <em>Apodemus flavicollisem> italiani, rispetto alle condizioni di allopatria e simpatria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giovanni Amori

    1986-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In Italy there are two species of <em>Apodemus> (<em>Sylvaemus>: <em>Apodemus sylvaticusem> on the mainland and the main island, and <em>Apodemus flavicollisem> only on the mainland. The trend of some morphometric characters of the skull (incisive foramen length - FI; interorbital breadth = IO; length of palatal bridge = PP; upper alveolar length = $M^1M^3$ was analized and some theoretical models verified for <em>A. sylvaticusem>. If one considers the sympatric population of <em>A. sylvaticusem> and <em>A. flavicollisem> simultaneously the characters PP, IO and $M^1M^3$ appear significantly isometric being directly correlated ($P leq O.O1$, while FI character results allometric with respect to the previous ones, as expected. If one considers the sympatric populations of each of the species separately, the scenario is different. For <em>A. sylvaticusem> only PP and $M^1M^3$ are isometric ($P leq 0.05$. For <em>A. flavicollisem> only $M^1M^3$ and FI appear to be correlated, although not as significantly as for <em>A. sylvaticusem> ($P le 0.05$; one tail. The insular populations of <em>A. sylvaticusem> do not show significant correlations, except for FI and $M^1M^3$ ($P le 0.05$. On the contrary, considering all populations, sympatric and allopatric, of <em>A. sylvaticusem> at the same time are significant correlations ($P le 0.05$ in all combinations of characters, except for those involving the IO. We suggest that the isometric relations in sympatric assemblages are confined within a morphological range available to the genus <em>Apodemus>. In such a space, the two species are split in two different and innerly homogeneous distributions. We found no evidence to confirm the niche variation hypothesis. On the contrary, the variability expressed as SO or CV's appears higher in the sympatric populations than in the allopatric ones, for three of the four characters, confirming previous results

  1. Efecto de la temperatura y de la luz sobre la germinación de Nicotiana longiflora Cavaniles y Oenothera indecora Camb. Effect of temperature and the light on germination of Nicotiana longiflora Cavaniles and Oenothera indecora Camb.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Faccini

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Nicotiana longiflora y Oenothera indecora son especies de reciente difusión en lotes agrícolas de la región pampeana argentina y se desconocen los factores ambientales que afectan su germinación. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar la influencia de la temperatura y de la luz sobre la germinación de ambas especies. Con temperaturas constantes la germinación fue mayor con luz entre los 20 y 35 °C para N. longiflora y entre 10 y 20 °C para O. indecora. Con temperaturas alternadas, N. longiflora presentó mayor germinación en un rango amplio rango con luz, y en oscuridad fue mayor sólo con 10-20 °C. O. indecora germinó sólo con luz en un amplio rango de temperaturas alternadas. La temperatura base en luz y en oscuridad fue de aproximadamente 14 °C para N. longiflora y de aproximadamente 6 °C para O. indecora. A partir de la temperatura base se puede inferir que N. longiflora es una especie con un ciclo de crecimiento primavero-estival y O. indecora otoño-primavero-estival.Nicotiana longiflora and Oenothera indecora are species of recent appearance in croplands in the Argentine humid pampa zone and there is a lack of knowledge about the environmental factors affecting their germination. The temperature and light requirements for germination and the base temperature of both species were determined. Under constant temperatures, germination was higher between 20 and 35 °C for N. longiflora and between 10 and 20 °C for O. indecora. Under fluctuating temperatures, N. longiflora showed higher germination rates in a wide range of temperatures with light. In darkness, germination was higher only between 10-20 °C for N. longiflora, whereas O. indecora germinated only with light, within a wide range of fluctuating temperatures. Base temperature under light and darkness conditions was approximately 14 °C for N. longiflora and approximately 6 °C for O. indecora. Base temperature indicates that N. longiflora is a species with a spring

  2. A Novel Apoptosis Correlated Molecule: Expression and Characterization of Protein Latcripin-1 from <em>Lentinula em>edodes> C91–3

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    Min Huang

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available An apoptosis correlated molecule—protein Latcripin-1 of <em>Lentinula> edodesem> C91-3—was expressed and characterized in <em>Pichia pastorisem> GS115. The total RNA was obtained from <em>Lentinula edodesem> C91–3. According to the transcriptome, the full-length gene of Latcripin-1 was isolated with 3'-Full Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE and 5'-Full RACE methods. The full-length gene was inserted into the secretory expression vector pPIC9K. The protein Latcripin-1 was expressed in <em>Pichia pastorisem> GS115 and analyzed by Sodium Dodecylsulfonate Polyacrylate Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The Western blot showed that the protein was expressed successfully. The biological function of protein Latcripin-1 on A549 cells was studied with flow cytometry and the 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-Diphenyl-tetrazolium Bromide (MTT method. The toxic effect of protein Latcripin-1 was detected with the MTT method by co-culturing the characterized protein with chick embryo fibroblasts. The MTT assay results showed that there was a great difference between protein Latcripin-1 groups and the control group (<em>p em>< 0.05. There was no toxic effect of the characterized protein on chick embryo fibroblasts. The flow cytometry showed that there was a significant difference between the protein groups of interest and the control group according to apoptosis function (<em>p em>< 0.05. At the same time, cell ultrastructure observed by transmission electron microscopy supported the results of flow cytometry. The work demonstrates that protein Latcripin-1 can induce apoptosis of human lung cancer cells A549 and brings new insights into and advantages to finding anti-tumor proteins.

  3. Cloning and characterization of a 9-lipoxygenase gene induced by pathogen attack from Nicotiana benthamiana for biotechnological application

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    Schwab Wilfried

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Plant lipoxygenases (LOXs have been proposed to form biologically active compounds both during normal developmental stages such as germination or growth as well as during responses to environmental stress such as wounding or pathogen attack. In our previous study, we found that enzyme activity of endogenous 9-LOX in Nicotiana benthamiana was highly induced by agroinfiltration using a tobacco mosaic virus (TMV based vector system. Results A LOX gene which is expressed after treatment of the viral vectors was isolated from Nicotiana benthamiana. As the encoded LOX has a high amino acid identity to other 9-LOX proteins, the gene was named as Nb-9-LOX. It was heterologously expressed in yeast cells and its enzymatic activity was characterized. The yeast cells expressed large quantities of stable 9-LOX (0.9 U ml-1 cell cultures which can oxygenate linoleic acid resulting in high yields (18 μmol ml-1 cell cultures of hydroperoxy fatty acid. The product specificity of Nb-9-LOX was examined by incubation of linoleic acid and Nb-9-LOX in combination with a 13-hydroperoxide lyase from watermelon (Cl-13-HPL or a 9/13-hydroperoxide lyase from melon (Cm-9/13-HPL and by LC-MS analysis. The result showed that Nb-9-LOX possesses both 9- and 13-LOX specificity, with high predominance for the 9-LOX function. The combination of recombinant Nb-9-LOX and recombinant Cm-9/13-HPL produced large amounts of C9-aldehydes (3.3 μmol mg-1 crude protein. The yield of C9-aldehydes from linoleic acid was 64%. Conclusion The yeast expressed Nb-9-LOX can be used to produce C9-aldehydes on a large scale in combination with a HPL gene with 9-HPL function, or to effectively produce 9-hydroxy-10(E,12(Z-octadecadienoic acid in a biocatalytic process in combination with cysteine as a mild reducing agent.

  4. Antimicrobial Activity of Bacteriophage Endolysin Produced in Nicotiana benthamiana Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovalskaya, Natalia; Foster-Frey, Juli; Donovan, David M; Bauchan, Gary; Hammond, Rosemarie W

    2016-01-01

    The increasing spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has raised the interest in alternative antimicrobial treatments. In our study, the functionally active gram-negative bacterium bacteriophage CP933 endolysin was produced in Nicotiana benthamiana plants by a combination of transient expression and vacuole targeting strategies, and its antimicrobial activity was investigated. Expression of the cp933 gene in E. coli led to growth inhibition and lysis of the host cells or production of trace amounts of CP933. Cytoplasmic expression of the cp933 gene in plants using Potato virus X-based transient expression vectors (pP2C2S and pGR107) resulted in death of the apical portion of experimental plants. To protect plants against the toxic effects of the CP933 protein, the cp933 coding region was fused at its Nterminus to an N-terminal signal peptide from the potato proteinase inhibitor I to direct CP933 to the delta-type vacuoles. Plants producing the CP933 fusion protein did not exhibit the severe toxic effects seen with the unfused protein and the level of expression was 0.16 mg/g of plant tissue. Antimicrobial assays revealed that, in contrast to gram-negative bacterium E. coli (BL21(DE3)), the gram-positive plant pathogenic bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis was more susceptible to the plant-produced CP933, showing 18% growth inhibition. The results of our experiments demonstrate that the combination of transient expression and protein targeting to the delta vacuoles is a promising approach to produce functionally active proteins that exhibit toxicity when expressed in plant cells.

  5. Momentos em freios e em embraiagens

    OpenAIRE

    Mimoso, Rui Miguel Pereira

    2011-01-01

    Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Mestrado Integrado em Engenharia Mecânica Nesta dissertação reúnem-se os modelos de cálculo utilizados na determinação dos momentos em freios e em embraiagens. Neste trabalho consideram-se os casos de freios e embraiagens de atrito seco e atrito viscoso. Nos freios de atrito viscoso são considerados casos em que as características dos fluidos não são induzidas, e outros em que são induzidas modificações a essas mesmas características. São a...

  6. Alamethicin permeabilizes the plasma membrane and mitochondria but not the tonoplast in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Bright Yellow) suspension cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Matic, S.; Geisler, D.A.; Møller, I.M.

    2005-01-01

    remained intact, as indicated by an unaffected tonoplast proton gradient. Low-flux permeabilization of plasma membranes and mitochondria at moderate AlaM concentrations was reversible and did not affect cell vigour. Higher AlaM concentrations induced cell death. After the addition of catalase that removes...... concentrations. Possible uses and limitations of this method for plant cell research are discussed.......The ion channel-forming peptide AlaM (alamethicin) is known to permeabilize isolated mitochondria as well as animal cells. When intact tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Bright Yellow-2 cells were treated with AlaM, the cells became permeable for low-molecular-mass molecules as shown by induced leakage...

  7. Parasitic zoonoses: survey in foxes (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> in the northern Apennines / Zoonosi parassitarie: indagini in volpi (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> dell'Appennino settentrionale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vittorio Guberti

    1991-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A parasitological survey on 153 foxes was carried out in the northern Apennines, during the period 1984-1987. The following parasites were identified: <em>Toxocara canisem> (46.4%, <em>Taenia> sp. (17%, <em>Uncinaria stenocephalaem> (11.8%, <em>Mesocestoides lineatusem> (11.1%, <em>Ancylostoma caninumem> (3.9%, <em>Taenia hydatigenaem> (3.3%, <em>Trichuris vulpisem> (3.3%, <em>Dipylidium caninumem> (2.6%, <em>Taenia crassicepsem> (2%. All foxes were negative for <em>Trichinella> sp. A statistical analysis was performed to evaluate differences in the parasitic fauna according to the sex and age classes of the hosts. The role that the fox could have as a reservoir of helminthic zoonoses is discussed. The results are compared with those of similar studies carried out in Italy. Riassunto Nel periodo 1984-1987 è stata condotta un'indagine parassitologica su 153 volpi abbattute nell'Appennino romagnolo. Sono stati reperiti i seguenti parassiti: <em>Toxocara canisem> (46,4%, <em>Taenia> sp. (17%, <em>Uncinaria stenocephalaem> (11,8%, <em>Mesocestoides lineatusem> (11,1%, <em>Ancylostoma caninumem> (3,9%, <em>Taenia hydatigenaem> (3,3%, <em>Trichuris vulpisem> (3,3%, <em>Dipylidium caninumem> (2,6%, <em>Taenia crassicepsem> (2%. Tutte le volpi esaminate sono risultate negative per <em>Trichinella> sp. È stata effettuata l'analisi statistica dei dati per evidenziare eventuali differenze della fauna parassitaria in relazione al sesso e all'età delle volpi. Sulla base dei dati ottenuti viene discussa l'importanza che la Volpe può assumere come serbatoio di zoonosi elmintiche. I risultati acquisiti sono inoltre comparati con quelli ottenuti in analoghe ricerche condotte in Italia.

  8. <em>In Vivoem> Histamine Optical Nanosensors

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    Heather A. Clark

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available In this communication we discuss the development of ionophore based nanosensors for the detection and monitoring of histamine levels <em>in vivoem>. This approach is based on the use of an amine-reactive, broad spectrum ionophore which is capable of recognizing and binding to histamine. We pair this ionophore with our already established nanosensor platform, and demonstrate <em>in vitroem> and <em>in vivoem> monitoring of histamine levels. This approach enables capturing rapid kinetics of histamine after injection, which are more difficult to measure with standard approaches such as blood sampling, especially on small research models. The coupling together of <em>in vivoem> nanosensors with ionophores such as nonactin provide a way to generate nanosensors for novel targets without the difficult process of designing and synthesizing novel ionophores.

  9. Variabilità morfologica ed ecologica in <em>Neomys fodiensem> e <em>Neomys anomalusem> nell'Appennino settentrionale

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    Dino Scaravelli

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available I due <em>Neomys> italiani sono ancora da chiarire dal punto di vista della loro caratterizzazione morfologica e ecologica. Il lavoro prende in considerazione un campione di entrambe le specie proveniente da habitat forestali dell?Appennino settentrionale per i quali sono stati identificati i principali parametri ambientali. Vengono quindi descritte la variabilità dei tratti morfologici delle due specie in aree localizzate nel Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona e Campigna nell?Appennino tosco-romagnolo. Risultano di sicuro effetto discriminatorio la maschera facciale, il rapporto piede posteriore/coda e i caratteri cranici. Sulla base dei criteri identificativi si sono realizzate rilevazioni di misure corporee per le due specie e una comparazione degli habitat utilizzati. <em>N. fodiensem> appare unica specie nelle faggete-abetine e dominante nei castagneti, mentre nell?Ontaneta e nelle zone aperte e termofile si registra la sola presenza di <em>N. anomalusem>. Mancano entrambi nei prati cespugliati, nella pecceta e nella cerreta. I gradienti presenti sono quindi illustrati. Non appare una differenza altitudinale nel campione esaminato, posto in stazioni tra i 400 e i 1300 m, ma per entrambe vi sono maggiori riscontri nella fascia tra 700 e 850 m. Nell?analisi multivariata rispetto alle altre specie e alle variabili ambientali si riscontra sempre una discreta correlazione con la presenza di acqua di una certa ampiezza, che comunque è significativa solo per <em>N. fodiensem>, mentre risulta di interesse la positiva correlazione di <em>N. anomalusem> con <em>Apodemus sylvaticusem>.

  10. Echolocation calls and morphology in the Mehelyi’s (<em>Rhinolophus mehelyiem> and mediterranean (<em>R. euryaleem> horseshoe bats: implications for resource partitioning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Egoitz Salsamendi

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract <em>Rhinolophus euryaleem> and <em>R. mehelyiem> are morphologically very similar species and their distributions overlap extensively in the Mediterranean basin. We modelled their foraging behaviour using echolocation calls and wing morphology and, assuming niche segregation occurs between the two species, we explored how it is shaped by these factors. Resting frequency of echolocation calls was recorded and weight, forearm length, wing loading, aspect ratio and wing tip shape index were measured. <em>R. mehelyiem> showed a significantly higher resting frequency than <em>R. euryaleem>, but differences are deemed insufficient for dietary niche segregation. Weight and forearm length were significantly larger in <em>R. mehelyiem>. The higher values of aspect ratio and wing loading and a lower value of wing tip shape index in <em>R. melehyiem> restrict its flight manoeuvrability and agility. Therefore, the flight ability of <em>R. mehelyiem> may decrease as habitat complexity increases. Thus, the principal mechanism for resource partitioning seems to be based on differing habitat use arising from differences in wing morphology. Riassunto Ecolocalizzazione e morfologia nei rinolofi di Mehely (<em>Rhinolophus mehelyiem> e euriale (<em>R. euryaleem>: implicazioni nella segregazione delle risorse trofiche. <em>Rhinolophus euryaleem> e <em>R. mehelyiem> sono specie morfologicamente molto simili, la cui distribuzione risulta largamente coincidente in area mediterranea. Il comportamento di foraggiamento delle due specie è stato analizzato in funzione delle caratteristiche dei segnali di ecolocalizzazione e della morfologia alare, ed è stata valutata l’incidenza di questi fattori nell’ipotesi di una segregazione delle nicchie. È stata rilevata la frequenza a riposo dei segnali ultrasonori, così come il peso, la lunghezza dell’avambraccio, il carico alare, e due

  11. Identification, isolation, and N-terminal sequencing of style glycoproteins associated with self-incompatibility in Nicotiana alata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahnen, W; Batterham, M P; Clarke, A E; Moritz, R L; Simpson, R J

    1989-05-01

    S-Gene-associated glycoproteins (S-glycoproteins) from styles of Nicotiana alata, identified by non-equilibrium two-dimensional electrophoresis, were purified by cation exchange fast protein liquid chromatography with yields of 0.5 to 8 micrograms of protein per style, depending on the S-genotype of the plant. The method relies on the highly basic nature of the S-glycoproteins. The elution profiles of the different S-glycoproteins from the fast protein liquid chromatography column were characteristic of each S-glycoprotein, and could be used to establish the S-genotype of plants in outbreeding populations. In all cases, the S-genotype predicted from the style protein profile corresponded to that predicted from DNA gel blot analysis using S-allele-specific DNA probes and to that established by conventional breeding tests. Amino-terminal sequences of five purified S-glycoproteins showed a high degree of homology with the previously published sequences of N. alata and Lycopersicon esculentum S-glycoproteins.

  12. Methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism-based genome-wide analysis of cytosine methylation profiles in Nicotiana tabacum cultivars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, J; Wu, J; Lv, Z; Sun, C; Gao, L; Yan, X; Cui, L; Tang, Z; Yan, B; Jia, Y

    2015-11-26

    This study aimed to investigate cytosine methylation profiles in different tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cultivars grown in China. Methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism was used to analyze genome-wide global methylation profiles in four tobacco cultivars (Yunyan 85, NC89, K326, and Yunyan 87). Amplicons with methylated C motifs were cloned by reamplified polymerase chain reaction, sequenced, and analyzed. The results show that geographical location had a greater effect on methylation patterns in the tobacco genome than did sampling time. Analysis of the CG dinucleotide distribution in methylation-sensitive polymorphic restriction fragments suggested that a CpG dinucleotide cluster-enriched area is a possible site of cytosine methylation in the tobacco genome. The sequence alignments of the Nia1 gene (that encodes nitrate reductase) in Yunyan 87 in different regions indicate that a C-T transition might be responsible for the tobacco phenotype. T-C nucleotide replacement might also be responsible for the tobacco phenotype and may be influenced by geographical location.

  13. Unpredictability of nectar nicotine promotes outcrossing by hummingbirds in Nicotiana attenuata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kessler, Danny; Bhattacharya, Samik; Diezel, Celia; Rothe, Eva; Gase, Klaus; Schöttner, Matthias; Baldwin, Ian T

    2012-08-01

    Many plants use sophisticated strategies to maximize their reproductive success via outcrossing. Nicotiana attenuata flowers produce nectar with nicotine at concentrations that are repellent to hummingbirds, increasing the number of flowers visited per plant. In choice tests using native hummingbirds, we show that these important pollinators learn to tolerate high-nicotine nectar but prefer low-nicotine nectar, and show no signs of nicotine addiction. Nectar nicotine concentrations, unlike those of other vegetative tissues, are unpredictably variable among flowers, not only among populations, but also within populations, and even among flowers within an inflorescence. To evaluate whether variations in nectar nicotine concentrations increase outcrossing, polymorphic microsatellite markers, optimized to evaluate paternity in native N. attenuata populations, were used to compare outcrossing in plants silenced for expression of a biosynthetic gene for nicotine production (Napmt1/2) and in control empty vector plants, which were antherectomized and transplanted into native populations. When only exposed to hummingbird pollinators, seeds produced by flowers with nicotine in their nectar had a greater number of genetically different sires, compared to seeds from nicotine-free flowers. As the variation in nectar nicotine levels among flowers in an inflorescence decreased in N. attenuata plants silenced in various combinations of three Dicer-like (DCL) proteins, small RNAs are probably involved in the unpredictable variation in nectar nicotine levels within a plant. © 2012 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant and Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Activities of <em>Amaranthus cruentusem> L. and <em>Amaranthus hybridusem> L. Extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeanne F. Millogo

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes a preliminary assessment of the nutraceutical value of <em>Amaranthus cruentus (A. cruentusem> and <em>Amaranthus hybridus (A. hybridusem>, two food plant species found in Burkina Faso. Hydroacetonic (HAE, methanolic (ME, and aqueous extracts (AE from the aerial parts were screened for <em>in vitroem> antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, saponins and betalains. Hydroacetonic extracts have shown the most diversity for secondary metabolites. The TLC analyses of flavonoids from HAE extracts showed the presence of rutin and other unidentified compounds. The phenolic compound contents of the HAE, ME and AE extracts were determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu method and ranged from 7.55 to 10.18 mg Gallic acid equivalent GAE/100 mg. Tannins, flavonoids, and flavonols ranged from 2.83 to 10.17 mg tannic acid equivalent (TAE/100 mg, 0.37 to 7.06 mg quercetin equivalent (QE /100 mg, and 0.09 to 1.31 mg QE/100 mg, respectively. The betacyanin contents were 40.42 and 6.35 mg Amaranthin Equivalent/100 g aerial parts (dry weight in <em>A. cruentusem> and <em>A. hybridusem>, respectively. Free-radical scavenging activity expressed as IC50 (DPPH method and iron reducing power (FRAP method ranged from 56 to 423 µg/mL and from 2.26 to 2.56 mmol AAE/g, respectively. Xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of extracts of <em>A. cruentus em>and <em>A. hybridusem> were 3.18% and 38.22%, respectively.<em> em>The> A. hybridusem> extract showed the best antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibition activities. The results indicated that the phytochemical contents of the two species justify their traditional uses as nutraceutical food plants.

  15. Dermatoses em renais cronicos em terapia dialitica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Alberto Batista Peres

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo: As desordens cutâneas e das mucosas são comuns em pacientes em hemodiálise a longo prazo. A diálise prolonga a expectativa de vida, dando tempo para a manifestação destas anormalidades. Os objetivos deste estudo foram avaliar a prevalência de problemas dermatológicos em pacientes com doença renal crônica (DRC em hemodiálise. Métodos: Cento e quarenta e cinco pacientes com doença renal crônica em hemodiálise foram estudados. Todos os pacientes foram completamente analisados para as alterações cutâneas, de cabelos, mucosas e unhas por um único examinador e foram coletados dados de exames laboratoriais. Os dados foram armazenados em um banco de dados do Microsolft Excel e analisados por estatística descritiva. As variáveis contínuas foram comparadas pelo teste t de Student e as variáveis categóricas utilizando o teste do qui-quadrado ou o teste Exato de Fischer, conforme adequado. Resultados: O estudo incluiu 145 pacientes, com idade média de 53,6 ± 14,7 anos, predominantemente do sexo masculino (64,1% e caucasianos (90,0%. O tempo médio de diálise foi de 43,3 ± 42,3 meses. As principais doenças subjacentes foram: hipertensão arterial em 33,8%, diabetes mellitus em 29,6% e glomerulonefrite crônica em 13,1%. As principais manifestações dermatológicas observadas foram: xerose em 109 (75,2%, equimose em 87 (60,0%, prurido em 78 (53,8% e lentigo em 33 (22,8% pacientes. Conclusão: O nosso estudo mostrou a presença de mais do que uma dermatose por paciente. As alterações cutâneas são frequentes em pacientes em diálise. Mais estudos são necessários para melhor caracterização e manejo destas dermatoses.

  16. Cytotoxicity and Glycan-Binding Properties of an 18 kDa Lectin Isolated from the Marine Sponge <em>Halichondria em>okadai>

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    Yasuhiro Ozeki

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available A divalent cation-independent lectin—HOL-18, with cytotoxic activity against leukemia cells, was purified from a demosponge, <em>Halichondria okadaiem>. HOL-18 is a 72 kDa tetrameric lectin that consists of four non-covalently bonded 18 kDa subunits. Hemagglutination activity of the lectin was strongly inhibited by chitotriose (GlcNAcβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-4GlcNAc, fetuin and mucins from porcine stomach and bovine submaxillary gland. Lectin activity was stable at pH 4–12 and temperatures lower than 60 °C. Frontal affinity chromatography with 16 types of pyridylaminated oligosaccharides indicated that the lectin had an affinity for <em>N>-linked complex-type and sphingolipid-type oligosaccharides with <em>N>-acetylated hexosamines and neuramic acid at the non-reducing termini. The lectin killed Jurkat leukemia T cells and K562 erythroleukemia cells in a dose- and carbohydrate-dependent manner.

  17. Over-Expression of CYP2E1 mRNA and Protein: Implications of Xenobiotic Induced Damage in Patients with <em>De Novoem> Acute Myeloid Leukemia with inv(16(p13.1q22; <em>CBFβ>-MYH11em>

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    Carlos E. Bueso-Ramos

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Environmental exposure to benzene occurs through cigarette smoke, unleaded gasoline and certain types of plastic. Benzene is converted to hematotoxic metabolites by the hepatic phase-I enzyme CYP2E1, and these metabolites are detoxified by the phase-II enzyme NQO1. The genes encoding these enzymes are highly polymorphic and studies of these polymorphisms have shown different pathogenic and prognostic features in various hematological malignancies. The potential role of different cytochrome p450 metabolizing enzymes in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML in an area of active interest. In this study, we demonstrate aberrant CYP2E1 mRNA over-expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 11 cases of <em>de novoem> AML with inv(16; CBFβ-MYH11. CYP2E1 mRNA levels correlated with <em>CBFβ>-MYH11 em>transcript levels and with bone marrow blast counts in all cases. CYP2E1 over-expression correlated positively with NQO1 mRNA levels (R2 = 0.934, n = 7. By immunohistochemistry, CYP2E1 protein was more frequently expressed in AML with inv(16 compared with other types of AML (<em>p> < 0.001. We obtained serial bone marrow samples from two patients with AML with inv(16 before and after treatment. CYP2E1 mRNA expression levels decreased in parallel with <em>CBFβ>-MYH11 em>transcript levels and blast counts following chemotherapy. In contrast, CYP1A2 transcript levels did not change in either patient. This is the first study to demonstrate concurrent over-expression of CYP2E1 and NQO1 mRNA in AML with inv(16. These findings also suggest that a balance between CYP2E1 and NQO1 may be important in the pathogenesis of AML with inv(16.

  18. Soft material-based microculture system having air permeable cover sheet for the protoplast culture of Nicotiana tabacum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ju, Jong Il; Ko, Jung-Moon; Kim, So Hyeon; Baek, Ju Yeoul; Cha, Hyeon-Cheol; Lee, Sang Hoon

    2006-08-01

    In plant cell culture, the delivery of nutrition and gas (mainly oxygen) to the cells is the most important factor for viability. In this paper, we propose a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microculture system that is designed to have good aeration. PDMS is known to have excellent air permeability, and through the experimental method, we investigated the relation between the degree of air delivery and the thickness of the PDMS sheet covering the culture chamber. We determined the proper thickness of the cover sheet, and cultured protoplasts of Nicotiana tabacum in a culture chamber covered with a PDMS sheet having thickness of 400 microm. The cells were successfully divided, and lived well inside the culture chamber for 10 days. In addition, protoplasts were cultured inside the culture chambers covered with the cover glass and the PDMS sheet, respectively, and the microcolonies were formed well inside the PDMS covered chamber after 10 days.

  19. Uridine 5′-Monophosphate Synthase Is Transcriptionally Regulated by Pyrimidine Levels in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santoso, Djoko; Thornburg, Robert

    1998-01-01

    To understand the regulation and expression of pyrimidine biosynthesis in plants, we have examined the effect of the metabolic inhibitor 5-fluoroorotic acid (FOA) on uridine-5′-monophosphate synthase (UMPSase) expression in cell cultures of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. UMPSase is the rate-limiting step of pyrimidine biosynthesis in plants. Addition of FOA causes an up-regulation of UMPSase enzyme activity in cell cultures after a lag phase of several days. Western-blot analysis demonstrated that the up-regulation in enzyme activity was caused by increased expression of the UMPSase protein. Northern-blot analysis demonstrated a higher level of UMPSase mRNA in the FOA-induced tissues than in control tissues. Run-on transcriptional assays showed that the UMPSase gene was transcriptionally activated after FOA treatment. The mechanism of toxicity of FOA is through thymine starvation. We found that addition of thymine abrogated the FOA-mediated up-regulation of UMPSase. In addition, methotrexate and aminopterin, which affect thymine levels by inhibiting dihydrofolate reductase, also up-regulate UMPSase in N. plumbaginifolia cells. PMID:9490773

  20. Growth of nicotiana in response to atmospheric CO sub 2 enrichment and various light regimes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pope, S.; Thomas, J.F. (North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh (USA))

    1989-04-01

    Nicotiana tabacum NCTG-22, N. tabacum Petite Havana and N. plumbaginifolia were grown in chambers (24 C, 12-h light) under daytime atmospheric CO{sub 2} levels of 340 ppm (ambient) or 1000 ppm (enriched). All 3 types of tobacco grew faster and had open flowers sooner under CO2 enrichment, but patterns of dry weight distribution varied with type of tobacco. In N. plumbaginifolia significant proportions of dry weight were allocated to stems and branches, while in tabacum types, less was allocated to stems and more to leaves and roots. Increases in dry weight due to CO2 enrichment were accompanied by increases in leaf area and thickness. Plants given a far-red low intensity night break exhibited few differences from controls except having thinner leaves under ambient CO2; but under enriched CO2, had greater total dry weight and thicker leaves containing a higher proportion of spongy mesophyll than controls. A 50% reduction in light intensity led to a comparable reduction in dry weight and leaf area across treatments.

  1. Genetic Diversity in Haploid Nicotiana alata Induced by Gamma Irradiation, Salt Tolerance and Detection of These Differences by RAPD

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    Ayman EL-FIKI

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Haploid plants of Nicotiana alata were cultured in vitro on MS medium with IAA + KIN. The resulting plantlets were irradiated using gamma radiation doses of 10, 15, 20 and 25 Gy. Single node pieces were cut and transferred onto fresh MS medium. Gamma radiation doses caused the death of 9% and up to 28% of explants. NaCl concentrations caused the death of 8% up to 36% of explants, while the combined effect between gamma radiation doses and salinity had an impact suffused on the percentage of survival. The combined effect of gamma radiation doses 20 Gy and 25 Gy on NaCl concentrations of 100, 150 and 200 mM were deadly. Even more, the combined effect of gamma radiation doses and salinity had a severe negative impact on both the proline content and total soluble protein. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD analysis was used to determine the degree of genetic variation in treated haploid Nicotiana alata plants. Total genomic DNAs from different haploid plantlets treated were amplified using five arbitrary primers. Two hundred and seventy bands were detected from plantlets irradiated with doses of 15, 20 and 25 Gy, with polymorphic band number 226 (83.7%. The total number of bands resulted from plant grew on 150 mM and 200 mM NaCl were 260 bands with polymorphic bands 185 (85.6%. However, the total number of bands produced from combined effects between gamma rays and salinity (20 Gy X 50 mM NaCl, 20 Gy X 100 mM NaCl and 25 Gy X 50 mM NaCl were 270, with polymorphic band number 231 (85.5%. High similarity between treatments was revealed. Treatments relationships were estimated through cluster analysis (UPGMA based on RAPD data.

  2. Ionome changes in Xylella fastidiosa-infected Nicotiana tabacum correlate with virulence and discriminate between subspecies of bacterial isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliver, J E; Sefick, S A; Parker, J K; Arnold, T; Cobine, P A; De La Fuente, L

    2014-10-01

    Characterization of ionomes has been used to uncover the basis of nutrient utilization and environmental adaptation of plants. Here, ionomic profiles were used to understand the phenotypic response of a plant to infection by genetically diverse isolates of Xylella fastidiosa, a gram-negative, xylem-limited bacterial plant pathogen. In this study, X. fastidiosa isolates were used to infect a common model host (Nicotiana tabacum 'SR1'), and leaf and sap concentrations of eleven elements together with plant colonization and symptoms were assessed. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that changes in the ionome were significantly correlated with symptom severity and bacterial populations in host petioles. Moreover, plant ionome modification by infection could be used to differentiate the X. fastidiosa subspecies with which the plant was infected. This report establishes host ionome modification as a phenotypic response to infection.

  3. [Induced expression of Serratia marcescens ribonuclease III gene in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. SR1 tobacco plants].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhirnov, I V; Trifonova, E A; Romanova, A V; Filipenko, E A; Sapotsky, M V; Malinovsky, V I; Kochetov, A V; Shumny, V K

    2016-11-01

    Transgenic Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. SR1 plants, characterized by an increase in the level of dsRNA-specific hydrolytic activity after induction by wounding, were obtained. The Solanum lycopersicum anionic peroxidase gene promoter (new for plant genetic engineering) was for the first time used for the induced expression of the target Serratia marcescens RNase III gene. Upon infection with the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), the transgenic plants of the obtained lines did not differ significantly from the control group in the level of TMV capsid protein accumulation. In general, no delay in the development of the infection symptoms was observed in transgenic plants as compared with the control group. The obtained transgenic plants represent a new model for the study of the biological role of endoribonucleases from the RNase III family, including in molecular mechanisms of resistance to pathogens.

  4. Transcriptome analysis of Nicotiana tabacum infected by Cucumber mosaic virus during systemic symptom development.

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    Jie Lu

    Full Text Available Virus infection of plants may induce a variety of disease symptoms. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of systemic symptom development in infected plants. Here we performed the first next-generation sequencing study to identify gene expression changes associated with disease development in tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi nc induced by infection with the M strain of Cucumber mosaic virus (M-CMV. Analysis of the tobacco transcriptome by RNA-Seq identified 95,916 unigenes, 34,408 of which were new transcripts by database searches. Deep sequencing was subsequently used to compare the digital gene expression (DGE profiles of the healthy plants with the infected plants at six sequential disease development stages, including vein clearing, mosaic, severe chlorosis, partial and complete recovery, and secondary mosaic. Thousands of differentially expressed genes were identified, and KEGG pathway analysis of these genes suggested that many biological processes, such as photosynthesis, pigment metabolism and plant-pathogen interaction, were involved in systemic symptom development. Our systematic analysis provides comprehensive transcriptomic information regarding systemic symptom development in virus-infected plants. This information will help further our understanding of the detailed mechanisms of plant responses to viral infection.

  5. Large-scale development of PIP and SSR markers and their complementary applied in Nicotiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, L; Cao, H; Yang, L; Yu, Yu; Wang, Yu

    2013-08-01

    PIP (Potential Intron Polymorphism) and SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats) were used in many species, but large-scale development and combined use of these two markers have not been reported in tobacco. In this study, a total of 12,388 PIP and 76,848 SSR markers were designed and uploaded to a web-accessible database (http://yancao.sdau.edu.cn/tgb/). E-PCR analysis showed that PIP and SSR rarely overlapped and were strongly complementary in the tobacco genome. The density was 3.07 PIP and 1.72 SSR markers per 10 kb of the known sequences. A total of 153 and 166 alleles were detectedby 22 PIP and 22 SSR markers in 64 Nicotiana accessions. SSR produced higher PIC (polymorphism information content) values and identified more alleles than PIP, whereas PIP could identify larger numbers of rare alleles. Mantel testing demonstrated a high correlation coefficient (r = 0.949, P SSR. The UPGMA dendrogram created from the combined PIP and SSR markers was clearer and more reliable than the individual PIP or SSR dendrograms. It suggested that PIP and SSR can make up the deficiency of molecular markers not only in tobacco but other plant.

  6. Sequence of the non-phosphorylating glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and phylogenetic origin of the gene family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habenicht, A; Quesada, A; Cerff, R

    1997-10-01

    A cDNA-library has been constructed from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia seedlings, and the non-phosphorylating glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GapN, EC 1.2.1.9) was isolated by plaque hybridization using the cDNA from pea as a heterologous probe. The cDNA comprises the entire GapN coding region. A putative polyadenylation signal is identified. Phylogenetic analysis based on the deduced amino acid sequences revealed that the GapN gene family represents a separate ancient branch within the aldehyde dehydrogenase superfamily. It can be shown that the GapN gene family and other distinct branches of the superfamily have its phylogenetic origin before the separation of primary life-forms. This further demonstrates that already very early in evolution, a broad diversification of the aldehyde dehydrogenases led to the formation of the superfamily.

  7. Thermal Studies of Zn(II, Cd(II and Hg(II Complexes of Some <em>N-Alkyl-N>-Phenyl-Dithiocarbamates

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    Peter A. Ajibade

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The thermal decomposition of Zn(II, Cd(II and Hg(II complexes of <em>N-ethyl-N>-phenyl and <em>N-butyl-N>-phenyl dithiocarbamates have been studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC. The products of the decomposition, at two different temperatures, were further characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX. The results show that while the zinc and cadmium complexes undergo decomposition to form metal sulphides, and further undergo oxidation forming metal oxides as final products, the mercury complexes gave unstable volatiles as the final product.

  8. Synthesis of viral DNA forms in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia protoplasts inoculated with cassava latent virus (CLV); evidence for the independent replication of one component of the CLV genome.

    OpenAIRE

    Townsend, R; Watts, J; Stanley, J

    1986-01-01

    Totipotent leaf mesophyll protoplasts of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, Viviani were inoculated with cassava latent virus (CLV) or with full length copies of CLV genomic DNAs 1 and 2 excised from replicative forms of M13 clones. Virus specific DNAs began to appear 48-72h after inoculation with virus or cloned DNAs, coincident with the onset of host cell division. Infected cells accumulated supercoiled forms of DNAs 1 and 2 as well as progeny single-stranded (ss) virion (+) sense DNAs representing...

  9. Estrutura de populações de Rhodnius neglectus Lent e Psammolestes tertius Lent & Jurberg (Hemiptera, Reduviidae em ninhos de pássaros (Furnariidae presentes na palmeira Mauritia flexuosa no Distrito Federal, Brasil Population structure of Rhodnius neglectus Lent and Psammolestes tertius Lent & Jurberg (Hemiptera, Reduviidae in bird nests (Furnariidae on Mauritia flexuosa palm trees in Federal District of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Gurgel-Gonçalves

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Rhodnius neglectus Lent, 1954 {Rn}e Psammolestes tertius Lent & Jurberg, 1965 {Pt} são triatomíneos que ocorrem em ninhos de aves, principalmente da família Furnariidae. O ciclo biológico dessas espécies é conhecido em condições de laboratório, sendo poucos estudos em ecótopos silvestres. Para analisar a infestação e estrutura de populações de Rn e Pt em ninhos de aves presentes na palmeira Mauritia flexuosa Linnaeus, em duas estações climáticas do Brasil Central, foram amostradas 41 palmeiras com evidências de nidificação de Phacellodomus ruber Vieillot, 1817 (22 na estação chuvosa e 19 na estação seca em quatro áreas do Distrito Federal. Os insetos foram capturados usando-se coleta manual na copa da palmeira, identificados morfologicamente, separados por sexo e estádio ninfal. Fezes e glândulas salivares de Rn foram examinadas para verificar infecção por Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, 1909 e/ou T. rangeli Tejera, 1920. Trinta e cinco palmeiras com ninhos de P. ruber estavam infestadas por Rn (85% e 22 por Pt (53%. 442 indivíduos foram coletados na estação seca (200 Rn e 242 Pt e 267 na estação chuvosa (136 Rn e 131 Pt. O único fator relacionado significativamente com a densidade de triatomíneos nas palmeiras foi a área. A estrutura etária das populações mostrou: a maior abundância de adultos nas populações de Pt, b maior abundância de machos em ambas as espécies e c presença de fêmeas ovipondo em ambas as estações. Nenhum dos 177 triatomíneos examinados estava infectado por T. cruzi ou T. rangeli. A estrutura etária das populações de Rn e Pt não diferiu significativamente entre as estações amostradas, indicando ausência de marcada sazonalidade para essas espécies.Rhodnius neglectus Lent, 1954 {Rn}and Psammolestes tertius Lent & Jurberg, 1965 {Pt} are triatomines that occur in bird nests, mainly furnarid nests. Their biological cycles are known in laboratory conditions and few studies were

  10. Toxicological, Enzymatic, and Molecular Assessment of the Insecticide Susceptibility Profile of Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae, Triatominae) Populations From Rural Communities of Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santo-Orihuela, Pablo L; Vassena, Claudia V; Carvajal, Guillermo; Clark, Eva; Menacho, Silvio; Bozo, Ricardo; Gilman, Robert H; Bern, Caryn; Marcet, Paula L

    2017-01-01

    A wide range of insecticide resistance profiles has been reported across Bolivian domestic and sylvatic populations of Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834) (Hemiptera, Reduviidae), including some with levels proven to be a threat for vector control. In this work, the insecticide profile of domestic T. infestans was studied with standardized toxicological bioassays, in an area that has not undergone consistent vector control. F1 first-instar nymphs hatched in laboratory from bugs captured in three communities from the Santa Cruz Department were evaluated with different insecticides. Moreover, the enzymatic activity of esterases and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases was measured in individual insects to evaluate the possible mechanism of metabolic resistance to pyrethroids. In addition, the DNA sequence of sodium channel gene (kdr) was screened for two point mutations associated with pyrethroid resistance previously reported in T. infestans.All populations showed reduced susceptibility to deltamethrin and α-cypermethrin, albeit the RR50 values varied significantly among them. Increased P450 monooxygenases and permethrate esterases suggest the contribution, as detoxifying mechanisms, to the observed resistance to deltamethrin in all studied populations. No individuals presented either mutation associated to resistance in the kdr gene. The level of susceptibility to α-cypermethrin, the insecticide used by the local vector control program, falls within an acceptable range to continue its use in these populations. However, the observed RR50 values evidence the possibility of selection for resistance to pyrethroids, especially to deltamethrin. Consequently, the use of pyrethroid insecticides should be closely monitored in these communities, which should be kept under entomological surveillance and sustained interventions. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email

  11. Conservazione e gestione della Lepre italica (<em>Lepus corsicanusem>

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    Francesco Riga

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available Il recente riconoscimento dello <em>status> specifico della Lepre italica (<em>Lepus corsicanusem> e l?accertamento dell?areale distributivo rappresentano le azioni più importanti per la conservazione di un <em>taxon endemicoem> che si era creduto estinto. Nella penisola la specie presenta un areale discontinuo, il cui limite settentrionale è dato dal comune di Manciano (GR, sul versante tirrenico e da una linea che dalla provincia de L'Aquila arriva al Gargano. In Sicilia la distribuzione è relativamente continua anche in aree non protette. Dati genetici hanno permesso di confermare la presenza in Corsica. Al contrario, nell?Isola d'Elba, a seguito di estese ricerche, sono stati identificati solo esemplari di <em>L. europaeusem>. Nell?Italia peninsulare <em>L. corsicanusem> è spesso presente in simpatria con popolazioni di <em>L. europaeusem>, mentre in Sicilia la lepre europea non ha originato popolazioni stabili, nonostante l?immissione di molte migliaia di individui. La distribuzione ecologica di <em>L. corsicanusem> ed analisi ambientali specifiche, suggeriscono l?adattamento prevalente agli ambienti a clima mediterraneo, benché essa sia presente anche a quote elevate (> 1.500 m s.l.m.. Dati preliminari di abbondanza relativa hanno evidenziato una situazione diversificata tra la penisola e la Sicilia e tra aree a diverso regime di gestione; un confronto tra le aree protette ha evidenziato rispettivamente valori di 5,54 e 11,73 ind./km². La riduzione quali-quantitativa e la frammentazione dell?<em>habitat> delle lepri è un fenomeno potenzialmente pericoloso per la sopravvivenza delle popolazioni, determinando fenomeni di estinzione locale dovuti alle basse densità di popolazione, inducendo fenomeni di erosione della variabilità genetica e di riduzione della <em>fitness> degli individui. L?introduzione di <em>L. europaeusem> può costituire un importante fattore limitante sia per la possibile competizione

  12. Methyl 2-Benzamido-2-(1<em>H>-benzimidazol-1-ylmethoxyacetate

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    Alami Anouar

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The heterocyclic carboxylic α-aminoester methyl 2-benzamido-2-(1<em>H>-benzimidazol-1-ylmethoxyacetate is obtained by <em>O>-alkylation of methyl α-azido glycinate <em>N>-benzoylated with 1<em>H>-benzimidazol-1-ylmethanol.

  13. Production of complex multiantennary N-glycans in Nicotiana benthamiana plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagels, Bieke; Van Damme, Els J M; Pabst, Martin; Callewaert, Nico; Weterings, Koen

    2011-03-01

    In recent years, plants have been developed as an alternative expression system to mammalian hosts for the production of therapeutic proteins. Many modifications to the plant glycosylation machinery have been made to render it more human because of the importance of glycosylation for functionality, serum half-life, and the safety profile of the expressed proteins. These modifications include removal of plant-specific β1,2-xylose and core α1,3-fucose, and addition of bisecting N-acetylglucosamine, β1,4-galactoses, and sialic acid residues. Another glycosylation step that is essential for the production of complex human-type glycans is the synthesis of multiantennary structures, which are frequently found on human N-glycans but are not generated by wild-type plants. Here, we report both the magnICON-based transient as well as stable introduction of the α1,3-mannosyl-β1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnT-IV isozymes a and b) and α1,6-mannosyl-β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnT-V) in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. The enzymes were targeted to the Golgi apparatus by fusing their catalytic domains to the plant-specific localization signals of xylosyltransferase and fucosyltransferase. The GnT-IV and -V modifications were tested in the wild-type background, but were also combined with the RNA interference-mediated knockdown of β1,2-xylosyltransferase and α1,3-fucosyltransferase. Results showed that triantennary Gn[GnGn] and [GnGn]Gn N-glycans could be produced according to the expected activities of the respective enzymes. Combination of the two enzymes by crossing stably transformed GnT-IV and GnT-V plants showed that up to 10% tetraantennary [GnGn][GnGn], 25% triantennary, and 35% biantennary N-glycans were synthesized. All transgenic plants were viable and showed no aberrant phenotype under standard growth conditions.

  14. Expression of an immunogenic Ebola immune complex in Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phoolcharoen, Waranyoo; Bhoo, Seong H; Lai, Huafang; Ma, Julian; Arntzen, Charles J; Chen, Qiang; Mason, Hugh S

    2011-09-01

    Filoviruses (Ebola and Marburg viruses) cause severe and often fatal haemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates. The US Centers for Disease Control identifies Ebola and Marburg viruses as 'category A' pathogens (defined as posing a risk to national security as bioterrorism agents), which has lead to a search for vaccines that could prevent the disease. Because the use of such vaccines would be in the service of public health, the cost of production is an important component of their development. The use of plant biotechnology is one possible way to cost-effectively produce subunit vaccines. In this work, a geminiviral replicon system was used to produce an Ebola immune complex (EIC) in Nicotiana benthamiana. Ebola glycoprotein (GP1) was fused at the C-terminus of the heavy chain of humanized 6D8 IgG monoclonal antibody, which specifically binds to a linear epitope on GP1. Co-expression of the GP1-heavy chain fusion and the 6D8 light chain using a geminiviral vector in leaves of N. benthamiana produced assembled immunoglobulin, which was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation and protein G affinity chromatography. Immune complex formation was confirmed by assays to show that the recombinant protein bound the complement factor C1q. Size measurements of purified recombinant protein by dynamic light scattering and size-exclusion chromatography also indicated complex formation. Subcutaneous immunization of BALB/C mice with purified EIC resulted in anti-Ebola virus antibody production at levels comparable to those obtained with a GP1 virus-like particle. These results show excellent potential for a plant-expressed EIC as a human vaccine. © 2011 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2011 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  15. Structural characterisation of xyloglucan secreted by suspension-cultured cells of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sims, I M; Munro, S L; Currie, G; Craik, D; Bacic, A

    1996-10-31

    Linkage analysis of a xyloglucan from the extracellular medium of suspension cultures of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia showed mostly 4-Glcp and 4,6-Glcp, terminal Xylp and 2-Xylp, and terminal Araf, along with approximately 10% (w/w) O-acetyl groups, equivalent to approximately 0.28 mol acetyl per mol of glycosyl residue. Methylation with methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate under neutral conditions, followed by re-methylation with CD3I under basic conditions, and conversion into partially methylated alditol acetates showed that O-acetyl groups were primarily attached to C-6 of approximately 44% of the 4-Glcp backbone not substituted with Xylp residues and to C-5 of approximately 15% of the terminal Araf residues. These positions of the O-acetyl groups were confirmed by 1H-NMR. Oligosaccharides generated by digestion of native xyloglucan with endo-(1-->4)-beta-glucanase were separated by a combination of gel-filtration chromatography and anion-exchange HPLC, and analysed by glycosyl linkage analysis and by electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The major oligosaccharide subunits were Glc4Xyl2 and Glc5Xyl2, of which 50-60% are substituted with one terminal Araf residue attached to O-2 of a Xylp residue, and a further 20-25% are substituted with two terminal Araf residues attached to O-2 of the Xylp residues. ESI-MS showed that many of the oligosaccharide subunits carried one, two, and, occasionally three O-acetyl groups.

  16. Analysis and effects of cytosolic free calcium increases in response to elicitors in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lecourieux, David; Mazars, Christian; Pauly, Nicolas; Ranjeva, Raoul; Pugin, Alain

    2002-10-01

    Cell suspensions obtained from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants stably expressing the apoaequorin gene were used to analyze changes in cytosolic free calcium concentrations ([Ca(2+)](cyt)) in response to elicitors of plant defenses, particularly cryptogein and oligogalacturonides. The calcium signatures differ in lag time, peak time, intensity, and duration. The intensities of both signatures depend on elicitor concentration and extracellular calcium concentration. Cryptogein signature is characterized by a long-sustained [Ca(2+)](cyt) increase that should be responsible for sustained mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, microtubule depolymerization, defense gene activation, and cell death. The [Ca(2+)](cyt) increase in elicitor-treated cells first results from a calcium influx, which in turns leads to calcium release from internal stores and additional Ca(2+) influx. H(2)O(2) resulting from the calcium-dependent activation of the NADPH oxidase also participates in [Ca(2+)](cyt) increase and may activate calcium channels from the plasma membrane. Competition assays with different elicitins demonstrate that [Ca(2+)](cyt) increase is mediated by cryptogein-receptor interaction.

  17. Seedling lethality in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia conferred by Ds transposable element insertion into a plant-specific gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majira, Amel; Domin, Monique; Grandjean, Olivier; Gofron, Krystyna; Houba-Hérin, Nicole

    2002-10-01

    A seedling lethal mutant of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (sdl-1) was isolated by transposon tagging using a maize Dissociation (Ds) element. The insertion mutation was produced by direct co-transformation of protoplasts with two plasmids: one containing Ds and a second with an Ac transposase gene. sdl-1 seedlings exhibit several phenotypes: swollen organs, short hypocotyls in light and dark conditions, and enlarged and multinucleated cells, that altogether suggest cell growth defects. Mutant cells are able to proliferate under in vitro culture conditions. Genomic DNA sequences bordering the transposon were used to recover cDNA from the normal allele. Complementation of the mutant phenotype with the cDNA confirmed that the transposon had caused the mutation. The Ds element was inserted into the first exon of the open reading frame and the homozygous mutant lacked detectable transcript. Phenocopies of the mutant were obtained by an antisense approach. SDL-1 encodes a novel protein found in several plant genomes but apparently missingfrom animal and fungal genomes; the protein is highly conserved and has a potential plastid targeting motif.

  18. Synthesis of C-Glucosylated Octaketide Anthraquinones in Nicotiana benthamiana by Using a Multispecies-Based Biosynthetic Pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersen-Ranberg, Johan; Kongstad, Kenneth Thermann; Nafisi, Majse; Staerk, Dan; Okkels, Finn Thyge; Mortensen, Uffe Hasbro; Lindberg Møller, Birger; Frandsen, Rasmus John Normand; Kannangara, Rubini

    2017-10-05

    Carminic acid is a C-glucosylated octaketide anthraquinone and the main constituent of the natural dye carmine (E120), possessing unique coloring, stability, and solubility properties. Despite being used since ancient times, longstanding efforts to elucidate its route of biosynthesis have been unsuccessful. Herein, a novel combination of enzymes derived from a plant (Aloe arborescens, Aa), a bacterium (Streptomyces sp. R1128, St), and an insect (Dactylopius coccus, Dc) that allows for the biosynthesis of the C-glucosylated anthraquinone, dcII, a precursor for carminic acid, is reported. The pathway, which consists of AaOKS, StZhuI, StZhuJ, and DcUGT2, presents an alternative biosynthetic approach for the production of polyketides by using a type III polyketide synthase (PKS) and tailoring enzymes originating from a type II PKS system. The current study showcases the power of using transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana for efficient and rapid identification of functional biosynthetic pathways, including both soluble and membrane-bound enzymes. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Development of 101 Gene-based Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Markers in Sea Cucumber, <em>Apostichopus japonicusem>>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Lu

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs are currently the marker of choice in a variety of genetic studies. Using the high resolution melting (HRM genotyping approach, 101 gene-based SNP markers were developed for <em>Apostichopus japonicusem>, a sea cucumber species with economic significance for the aquaculture industry in East Asian countries. HRM analysis revealed that all the loci showed polymorphisms when evaluated using 40 <em>A. japonicusem> individuals collected from a natural population. The minor allele frequency ranged from 0.035 to 0.489. The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.050 to 0.833 and 0.073 to 0.907, respectively. Thirteen loci were found to depart significantly from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE after Bonferroni corrections. Significant linkage disequilibrium (LD was detected in one pair of markers. These SNP markers are expected to be useful for future quantitative trait loci (QTL analysis, and to facilitate marker-assisted selection (MAS in <em>A. japonicusem>.

  20. Activity-Guided Isolation of Antioxidant Compounds from <em>Rhizophora apiculataem>

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    Hongbin Xiao

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available <em>Rhizophora apiculataem> (<em>R. apiculataem> contains an abundance of biologically active compounds due its special salt-tolerant living surroundings. In this study, the total phenolic content and antioxidant activities of various extract and fractions of stem of <em>R. apiculataem> were investigated. Results indicated that butanol fraction possesses the highest total phenolic content (181.84 mg/g GAE/g dry extract with strongest antioxidant abilities. Following <em>in vitroem> antioxidant activity-guided phytochemical separation procedures, lyoniresinol-3α-<em>O>-β-arabinopyranoside (1, lyoniresinol-3α-<em>O>-β-rhamnoside (2, and afzelechin-3-<em>O>-L-rhamno-pyranoside (3 were separated from the butanol fraction. These compounds showed more noticeable antioxidant activity than a BHT standard in the DPPH, ABTS and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays. HPLC analysis results showed that among different plant parts, the highest content of 13 was located in the bark (0.068%, 0.066% and 0.011%, respectively. The results imply that the <em>R. apiculataem> might be a potential source of natural antioxidants and 13 are antioxidant ingredients in <em>R. apiculataem>.

  1. Synthesis and Spectroscopic Analysis of Novel 1<em>H-Benzo[d>]imidazoles Phenyl Sulfonylpiperazines

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    Amjad M. Qandil

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available A group of benzimidazole analogs of sildenafil, 3-benzimidazolyl-4-methoxy-phenylsulfonylpiperazines 2–4 and 3-benzimidazolyl-4-methoxy-<em>N,N>-dimethyl- benzenesulfonamide (5, were efficiently synthesized. Compounds 2–5 were characterized by NMR and MS and contrary to the reported mass spectra of sildenafil, the spectra of the piperazine-containing compounds 2–4 showed a novel fragmentation pattern leading to an <em>m/z> = 316. A mechanism for the formation of this fragment was proposed.

  2. Osservazioni in cattività sul ciclo stagionale del peso corporeo e sull'efficienza digestiva di <em>Pipistrellus kuhliiem> e <em>Hypsugo saviiem> (Chiroptera: Verspertilionidae

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    Gianna Dondini

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Captivity observation on body weight cycle and digestive efficiency in <em>Pipistrellus kuhliiem> and <em>Hypsugo saviiem> (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae Many bat species of cold-temperate climate are subject to seasonal variation of temperature and food availability. Fat reserve during summer-autumn is therefore a physiological adaptation to spend the winter months by hibernating or to sustain migration. During a research on bats in urban areas, two juveniles of Kuhl's bat (<em>Pipistrellus kuhliiem>, 2 females and two juveniles of Savi's bat (<em>Hypsugo saviiem>, 1 male and 1 female were collected in 1997 in the urban area of Florence (central Italy. Bats were kept in a cage of 50x40x30 cm with a temperature between 17° and 22° C. Every day they were weighted with an electronic balance before eating mealworms (<em>Tenebrio molitorem>. Digestive efficiency, calculated on dry material, was about 90% for both species. In about six months <em>P. kuhliiem> and <em>H. saviiem> increased on the average of 450% and 280% in weight respectively. Deposition of fat reserve seemed to be faster in <em>P. kuhliiem> than in <em>H. saviiem>. Both species showed a circannual cycle in the variation of weight. Riassunto Molte specie di pipistrelli dei climi temperato-freddi sono soggette a marcate variazioni stagionali di temperatura e disponibilità di cibo. L'accumulo di grasso in tarda estate-autunno è quindi un adattamento fisiologico per trascorrere in ibernazione i mesi invernali o per intraprendere la migrazione. Nell'ambito di una ricerca pluriennale sui pipistrelli in ambienti urbani, 4 esemplari giovani, di cui 2 di Pipistrello albolimbato (<em>Pipistrellus kuhliiem>, 2 femmine e due di Pipistrello di Savi (<em>Hypsugo saviiem>, 1 maschio e 1 femmina, sono stati raccolti nella pianura di Firenze durante l'estate del 1997 e mantenuti in un contenitore di 50x40x30 cm ad

  3. GhWRKY68 reduces resistance to salt and drought in transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana.

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    Haihong Jia

    Full Text Available The WRKY transcription factors modulate numerous physiological processes, including plant growth, development and responses to various environmental stresses. Currently, our understanding of the functions of the majority of the WRKY family members and their possible roles in signalling crosstalk is limited. In particular, very few WRKYs have been identified and characterised from an economically important crop, cotton. In this study, we characterised a novel group IIc WRKY gene, GhWRKY68, which is induced by different abiotic stresses and multiple defence-related signalling molecules. The β-glucuronidase activity driven by the GhWRKY68 promoter was enhanced after exposure to drought, salt, abscisic acid (ABA and H2O2. The overexpression of GhWRKY68 in Nicotiana benthamiana reduced resistance to drought and salt and affected several physiological indices. GhWRKY68 may mediate salt and drought responses by modulating ABA content and enhancing the transcript levels of ABA-responsive genes. GhWRKY68-overexpressing plants exhibited reduced tolerance to oxidative stress after drought and salt stress treatments, which correlated with the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS, reduced enzyme activities, elevated malondialdehyde (MDA content and altered ROS-related gene expression. These results indicate that GhWRKY68 is a transcription factor that responds to drought and salt stresses by regulating ABA signalling and modulating cellular ROS.

  4. NMR solution structure of the mitochondrial F1beta presequence from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moberg, Per; Nilsson, Stefan; Ståhl, Annelie; Eriksson, Anna-Carin; Glaser, Elzbieta; Mäler, Lena

    2004-03-05

    We have isolated, characterized and determined the three-dimensional NMR solution structure of the presequence of ATPsynthase F1beta subunit from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. A general method for purification of presequences is presented. The method is based on overexpression of a mutant precursor containing a methionine residue introduced at the processing site, followed by CNBr-cleavage and purification of the presequence on a cation-exchange column. The F1beta presequence, 53 amino acid residues long, retained its native properties as evidenced by inhibition of in vitro mitochondrial import and processing at micromolar concentrations. CD spectroscopy revealed that the F1beta presequence formed an alpha-helical structure in membrane mimetic environments such as SDS and DPC micelles (approximately 50% alpha-helix), and in acidic phospholipid bicelles (approximately 60% alpha-helix). The NMR solution structure of the F1beta presequence in SDS micelles was determined on the basis of 518 distance and 21 torsion angle constraints. The structure was found to contain two helices, an N-terminal amphipathic alpha-helix (residues 4-15) and a C-terminal alpha-helix (residues 43-53), separated by a largely unstructured 27 residue long internal domain. The N-terminal amphipathic alpha-helix forms the putative Tom20 receptor binding site, whereas the C-terminal alpha-helix is located upstream of the mitochondrial processing peptidase cleavage site.

  5. Physiological and biochemical aspects of flower development and senescence in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv.

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    Nisar Shaziya

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Healthy buds of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia growing in the Kashmir University Botanic Garden were selected for the present study. Flower development and senescence was divided into seven stages, viz., tight bud stage (I, mature bud stage (II, pencil stage (III, partially open stage (IV, open stage (V, partially senescent stage (VI and senescent stage (VII. Various physiological and biochemical changes were recorded at each stage of flower development and senescence. Floral diameter, fresh mass, dry mass and water content showed an increase up to flower opening (stage V and thereafter a significant decrease was recorded as the flower development progressed towards senescence through stages VI and VII. An increase in α-amino acids, total phenols and sugars was registered towards anthesis (stage V and a decrease in these parameters was recorded with senescence. Protease activity showed a significant increase towards senescence with a concomitant decrease in soluble proteins. Based on the quantitative analysis of various biochemical parameters, the flower opening in N. plumbaginifolia seems to be accompanied by an increase in the water content, soluble proteins, α‑amino acids and phenols. A decrease in these parameters, besides an increase in protease activity induces senescence in the beautiful flowers of N. plumbaginifolia. Understanding flower senescence may help in improving the postharvest performance of this beautiful ornamental flower to make it a potential material for the floriculture industry.

  6. Larval Helicoverpa zea Transcriptional, Growth and Behavioral Responses to Nicotine and Nicotiana tabacum

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    Linus Gog

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The polyphagous feeding habits of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie, underscore its status as a major agricultural pest with a wide geographic distribution and host plant repertoire. To study the transcriptomic response to toxins in diet, we conducted a microarray analysis of H. zea caterpillars feeding on artificial diet, diet laced with nicotine and Nicotiana tabacum (L. plants. We supplemented our analysis with growth and aversion bioassays. The transcriptome reflects an abundant expression of proteases, chitin, cytochrome P450 and immune-related genes, many of which are shared between the two experimental treatments. However, the tobacco treatment tended to elicit stronger transcriptional responses than nicotine-laced diet. The salivary factor glucose oxidase, known to suppress nicotine induction in the plant, was upregulated by H. zea in response to tobacco but not to nicotine-laced diet. Reduced caterpillar growth rates accompanied the broad regulation of genes associated with growth, such as juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase. The differential expression of chemosensory proteins, such as odorant binding-protein-2 precursor, as well as the neurotransmitter nicotinic-acetylcholine-receptor subunit 9, highlights candidate genes regulating aversive behavior towards nicotine. We suggest that an observed coincidental rise in cannibalistic behavior and regulation of proteases and protease inhibitors in H. zea larvae signify a compensatory response to induced plant defenses.

  7. Properties of purified cytosolic isoenzyme I of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ragusa, S; Cambria, M T; Scarpa, M; Di Paolo, M L; Falconi, M; Rigo, A; Cambria, A

    2001-11-01

    The isoenzyme I of cytosolic Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (tobacco) leaves has been purified to apparent homogeneity. The relative molecular mass of the native isoenzyme, determined by gel filtration chromatography, is about 33.2 kDa. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows that the enzyme is composed of two equal subunits of 16.6 kDa The isolectric point, assayed by isoelectric focusing, in the pH range of 3.5-6.5, is 4.3. The enzyme stability was tested at different temperatures, pH, and concentration of inhibitors (KCN and H(2)O(2)). The catalytic constant (k(cat)) was 1.17 +/- 0.14 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) at pH 9.9 and 0.1 M ionic strength. The activation energy of the thermal denaturation process is 263 kJ mol(-1). The electrostatic surface potential of the modeled tobacco Cu,Zn-SOD I was calculated showing that the functional spatial network of charges on the protein surface has been maintained, independently of the amino acid substitution around the active sites. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  8. Comparative expression profiling of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves systemically infected with three fruit tree viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dardick, Christopher

    2007-08-01

    Plant viruses cause a wide array of disease symptoms and cytopathic effects. Although some of these changes are virus specific, many appear to be common even among diverse viruses. Currently, little is known about the underlying molecular determinants. To identify gene expression changes that are concomitant with virus symptoms, we performed comparative expression profiling experiments on Nicotiana benthamiana leaves infected with one of three different fruit tree viruses that produce distinct symptoms: Plum pox potyvirus (PPV; leaf distortion and mosaic), Tomato ringspot nepovirus (ToRSV; tissue necrosis and general chlorosis), and Prunus necrotic ringspot ilarvirus (PNRSV; subtle chlorotic mottling). The numbers of statistically significant genes identified were consistent with the severity of the observed symptoms: 1,082 (ToRSV), 744 (PPV), and 89 (PNRSV). In all, 56% of the gene expression changes found in PPV-infected leaves also were altered by ToRSV, 87% of which changed in the same direction. Both PPV- and ToRSV-infected leaves showed widespread repression of genes associated with plastid functions. PPV uniquely induced the expression of large numbers of cytosolic ribosomal genes whereas ToRSV repressed the expression of plastidic ribosomal genes. How these and other observed expression changes might be associated with symptom development are discussed.

  9. LAM-1 and FAT Genes Control Development of the Leaf Blade in Nicotiana sylvestris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McHale, NA

    1993-01-01

    Leaf primordia of the lam-1 mutant of Nicotiana sylvestris grow normally in length but remain bladeless throughout development. The blade initiation site is established at the normal time and position in lam-1 primordia. Anticlinal divisions proceed normally in the outer L1 and L2 layers, but the inner L3 cells fail to establish the periclinal divisions that normally generate the middle mesophyll core. The lam-1 mutation also blocks formation of blade mesophyll from distal L2 cells. This suggests that LAM-1 controls a common step in initiation of blade tissue from the L2 and L3 lineage of the primordium. Another recessive mutation (fat) was isolated in N. sylvestris that induces abnormal periclinal divisions in the mesophyll during blade initiation and expansion. This generates a blade approximately twice its normal thickness by doubling the number of mesophyll cell layers from four to approximately eight. Presumably, the fat mutation defines a negative regulator involved in repression of periclinal divisions in the blade. The lam-1 fat double mutant shows radial proliferation of mesophyll cells at the blade initiation site. This produces a highly disorganized, club-shaped blade that appears to represent an additive effect of the lam-1 and fat mutations on blade founder cells. PMID:12271096

  10. Recovery of Nicotiana benthamiana plants from a necrotic response induced by a nepovirus is associated with RNA silencing but not with reduced virus titer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jovel, Juan; Walker, Melanie; Sanfaçon, Hélène

    2007-11-01

    Recovery of plants from virus-induced symptoms is often described as a consequence of RNA silencing, an antiviral defense mechanism. For example, recovery of Nicotiana clevelandii from a nepovirus (tomato black ring virus) is associated with a decreased viral RNA concentration and sequence-specific resistance to further virus infection. In this study, we have characterized the interaction of another nepovirus, tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV), with host defense responses during symptom induction and subsequent recovery. Early in infection, ToRSV induced a necrotic phenotype in Nicotiana benthamiana that showed characteristics typical of a hypersensitive response. RNA silencing was also activated during ToRSV infection, as evidenced by the presence of ToRSV-derived small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that could direct degradation of ToRSV sequences introduced into sensor constructs. Surprisingly, disappearance of symptoms was not accompanied by a commensurate reduction in viral RNA levels. The stability of ToRSV RNA after recovery was also observed in N. clevelandii and Cucumis sativus and in N. benthamiana plants carrying a functional RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 1 ortholog from Medicago truncatula. In experiments with a reporter transgene (green fluorescent protein), ToRSV did not suppress the initiation or maintenance of transgene silencing, although the movement of the silencing signal was partially hindered. Our results demonstrate that although RNA silencing is active during recovery, reduction of virus titer is not required for the initiation of this phenotype. This scenario adds an unforeseen layer of complexity to the interaction of nepoviruses with the host RNA silencing machinery. The possibility that viral proteins, viral RNAs, and/or virus-derived siRNAs inactivate host defense responses is discussed.

  11. Heterologous expression of the isopimaric acid pathway in Nicotiana benthamiana and the effect of N-terminal modifications of the involved cytochrome P450 enzyme

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gnanasekaran, Thiyagarajan; Vavitsas, Konstantinos; Andersen-Ranberg, Johan

    2015-01-01

    in the infiltrated leaves. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a modified membrane anchor is a prerequisite for a functional CYP720B4 enzyme when the chloroplast targeting peptide is added. We report the accumulation of 45-55 μg/g plant dry weight of isopimaric acid four days after the infiltration with the modified...... in the chloroplast and subsequently oxidized by a cytochrome P450, CYP720B4. RESULTS: We transiently expressed the isopimaric acid pathway in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and enhanced its productivity by the expression of two rate-limiting steps in the pathway (providing the general precursor of diterpenes). This co...

  12. Transposition of a Ds element from a plasmid into the plant genome in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia protoplast-derived cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houba-Hérin, N; Domin, M; Pédron, J

    1994-07-01

    Nicotiana plumbaginifolia haploid protoplasts were co-transformed with two plasmids, one with a NPT-II/Ds element and one with a gene encoding an amino-terminal truncated Ac transposase. It is shown that Ds can efficiently transpose from extrachromosomal DNA to N. plumbaginifolia chromosomes when the Ac transposase gene is present in trans. Ds has been shown to have transposed into the plant genome in a limited number of copies (1.9 copies per genome), for 21/32 transgenic lines tested. The flanking sequences present in the original plasmid are missing in these 21 plants. In only two of 21 plants was part of the transposase construct integrated. By segregation analysis of transgenic progeny, Ds was shown to be present in the heterozygous state in 10 lines even though haploid protoplasts had been originally transformed. This observation could indicate that integration occurred after or during DNA replication that leads to protoplast diploidization.

  13. Glycosylation of Vanillin and 8-Nordihydrocapsaicin by Cultured <em>Eucalyptus perrinianaem> Cells

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    Naoji Kubota

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Glycosylation of vanilloids such as vanillin and 8-nordihydrocapsaicin by cultured plant cells of <em>Eucalyptus perrinianaem> was studied. Vanillin was converted into vanillin 4-<em>O>-b-D-glucopyranoside, vanillyl alcohol, and 4-<em>O>-b-D-glucopyranosylvanillyl alcohol by <em>E. perriniana em>cells. Incubation of cultured <em>E. perrinianaem> cells with 8-nor- dihydrocapsaicin gave 8-nordihydrocapsaicin 4-<em>O>-b-D-glucopyranoside and 8-nordihydro- capsaicin 4-<em>O>-b-D-gentiobioside.

  14. Preferencia alimenticia del ácaro depredador <em>Balaustium> sp. en condiciones controladas

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    Muñoz Karen

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available

    Se evaluó la preferencia de presas de <em>Balaustium> sp., enemigo natural de diferentes artrópodos plaga, y el cual es nativo de la Sabana de Bogotá. En unidades experimentales construidas con foliolos de plantas de rosa se colocaron independientemente individuos de <em>Balaustium> sp. y se registró el número de presas consumidas. De esta manera se determinó la preferencia de los tres estados móviles del ácaro depredador <em>Balaustium> sp. por diferentes edades de tres presas. Las especies y edades de las presas estudiadas fueron: huevos, ninfas y adultos de <em>Trialeurodes vaporariorumem>, huevos, ninfas y adultos de <em>Tetranychus urticaeem>, y larvas de primer y segundo instar y adultos de <em>Frankliniella occidentalisem>. Los estados menos desarrollados fueron preferidos, aunque se observó que los adultos del depredador tienen gran habilidad para consumir adultos de <em>T. vaporariorumem>. La presa preferida por las larvas de <em>Balaustium> sp. fue los huevos de <em>T. urticaeem> con una proporción de consumo de 0,54 de los huevos que se ofrecieron de esta presa; las deutoninfas del depredador eligieron huevos de <em>T. vaporariorumem> (0,537 o de <em>T. urticaeem> (0,497 y los adultos de <em>Balaustium> sp. prefrieron los huevos de <em>T. vaporariorumem> (0,588.

  15. Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Carnosic Acid and Rosmarinic Acid Using Ionic Liquid Solution from <em>Rosmarinus officinalisem>>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chunjian Zhao

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Ionic liquid based, ultrasound-assisted extraction was successfully applied to the extraction of phenolcarboxylic acids, carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid, from <em>Rosmarinus officinalisem>. Eight ionic liquids, with different cations and anions, were investigated in this work and [C8mim]Br was selected as the optimal solvent. Ultrasound extraction parameters, including soaking time, solid–liquid ratio, ultrasound power and time, and the number of extraction cycles, were discussed by single factor experiments and the main influence factors were optimized by response surface methodology. The proposed approach was demonstrated as having higher efficiency, shorter extraction time and as a new alternative for the extraction of carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid from <em>R. officinalisem>> em>compared with traditional reference extraction methods. Ionic liquids are considered to be green solvents, in the ultrasound-assisted extraction of key chemicals from medicinal plants, and show great potential.

  16. Developmental and environmental regulation of the Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cytosolic Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase promoter in transgenic tobacco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hérouart, D; Van Montagu, M; Inzé, D

    1994-03-01

    Superoxide dismutases (SODs) play a key role in the cellular defense against reactive oxygen species. To study the transcriptional regulation at the cellular level, the promoter of the Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cytosolic gene encoding Cu/ZnSOD (SODCc) was fused to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene (gusA) and analyzed in transgenic tobacco plants. The promoter was highly active in vascular bundles of leaves and stems, where it is confined to phloem cells. In flowers, GUS activity was detected in ovules and pollen grains, in pigmented tissues of petals, and in vascular tissue of ovaries and anthers. In response to treatment with the superoxide-generating herbicide paraquat, very strong GUS staining was observed in photosynthetically active cells of leaves and in some epidermal root cells of seedlings. The expression of the SODCc-gusA was also induced in seedlings after heat shock and chilling and after treatment with sulfhydryl antioxidants such as reduced glutathione and cysteine. It is postulated that SODCc expression is directly linked to a cell-specific production of excess superoxide radicals in the cytosol.

  17. Antioxidant Profile of <em>Trifolium pratenseem> L.

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    Heidy Schwartsova

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available In order to examine the antioxidant properties of five different extracts of <em>Trifolium pratenseem> L. (Leguminosae leaves, various assays which measure free radical scavenging ability were carried out: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, superoxide anion and nitric oxide radical scavenger capacity tests and lipid peroxidation assay. In all of the tests, only the H2O and (to some extent the EtOAc extracts showed a potent antioxidant effect compared with BHT and BHA, well-known synthetic antioxidants. In addition, <em>in vivo em>experiments were conducted with antioxidant systems (activities of GSHPx, GSHR, Px, CAT, XOD, GSH content and intensity of LPx in liver homogenate and blood of mice after their treatment with extracts of <em>T. pratenseem> leaves, or in combination with CCl4. Besides, in the extracts examined the total phenolic and flavonoid amounts were also determined, together with presence of the selected flavonoids: quercetin, luteolin, apigenin, naringenin and kaempferol, which were studied using a HPLC-DAD technique. HPLC-DAD analysis showed a noticeable content of natural products according to which the examined <em>Trifolium pratenseem> species could well be regarded as a promising new source of bioactive natural compounds, which can be used both as a food supplement and a remedy.

  18. Bioassay-Guided Antidiabetic Study of <em>Phaleria macrocarpaem> Fruit Extract

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    Mohd Z. Asmawi

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available An earlier anti-hyperglycemic study with serial crude extracts of <em>Phaleria macrocarpaem> (PM fruit indicated methanol extract (ME as the most effective. In the present investigation, the methanol extract was further fractionated to obtain chloroform (CF, ethyl acetate (EAF, <em>n>-butanol (NBF and aqueous (AF fractions, which were tested for antidiabetic activity. The NBF reduced blood glucose (<em>p> < 0.05 15 min after administration, in an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT similar to metformin. Moreover, it lowered blood glucose in diabetic rats by 66.67% (<em>p> em>< 0.05, similar to metformin (51.11%, glibenclamide (66.67% and insulin (71.43% after a 12-day treatment, hence considered to be the most active fraction. Further fractionation of NBF yielded sub-fractions I (SFI and II (SFII, and only SFI lowered blood glucose (<em>p em>< 0.05, in IPGTT similar to glibenclamide. The ME, NBF, and SFI correspondingly lowered plasma insulin (<em>p em>< 0.05 and dose-dependently inhibited glucose transport across isolated rat jejunum implying an extra-pancreatic mechanism. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, terpenes and tannins, in ME, NBF and SFI, and LC-MS analyses revealed 9.52%, 33.30% and 22.50% mangiferin respectively. PM fruit possesses anti-hyperglycemic effect, exerted probably through extra-pancreatic action. Magniferin, contained therein may be responsible for this reported activity.

  19. Identification and expression analyses of two genes encoding putative low-affinity nitrate transporters from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraisier, V; Dorbe, M F; Daniel-Vedele, F

    2001-01-01

    Higher plants have both high- and low-affinity nitrate uptake systems (HATS and LATS respectively). Here we report the isolation and characterization of two genes, NpNRT1.1 and NpNRT1.2, from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia whose structural features suggest that they both belong to the NRT1 gene family, which is involved in the LATS. Amino acid sequence alignment showed that the N. plumbaginifolia proteins have greater similarity to their corresponding tomato homologues than to each other. Genomic Southern blot analysis indicates that there are probably more than two members of this family in N. plumbaginifolia. Northern blot analysis shows that NpNRT1.2 expression is restricted strictly to roots, whereas NpNRT1.1, in addition to roots, is expressed at a basal level in all other plant organs. Likewise, differential expression in response to external treatments with various N sources was observed for these two genes: NpNRT1.1 can be considered as a constitutively expressed gene whereas NpNRT1.2 expression is dependent strictly on high nitrate concentrations. Finally, over-expression of a gene involved in the HATS does not lead to any modification of LATS gene expression.

  20. Extreme heterogeneity of polyadenylation sites in mRNAs encoding chloroplast RNA-binding proteins in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klahre, U; Hemmings-Mieszczak, M; Filipowicz, W

    1995-06-01

    We have previously characterized nuclear cDNA clones encoding two RNA binding proteins, CP-RBP30 and CP-RBP-31, which are targeted to chloroplasts in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. In this report we describe the analysis of the 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) in 22 CP-RBP30 and 8 CP-RBP31 clones which reveals that mRNAs encoding both proteins have a very complex polyadenylation pattern. Fourteen distinct poly(A) sites were identified among CP-RBP30 clones and four sites among the CP-RBP31 clones. The authenticity of the sites was confirmed by RNase A/T1 mapping of N. plumbaginifolia RNA. CP-RBP30 provides an extreme example of the heterogeneity known to be a feature of mRNA polyadenylation in higher plants. Using PCR we have demonstrated that CP-RBP genes in N. plumbaginifolia and N. sylvestris, in addition to the previously described introns interrupting the coding region, contain an intron located in the 3' non-coding part of the gene. In the case of the CP-RBP31, we have identified one polyadenylation event occurring in this intron.

  1. Hepatoprotective role of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Linn. against carbon tetrachloride-induced injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Abdus Saboor; Khan, Rahmat Ali; Ahmed, Mushtaq; Muhammad, Nawshad

    2016-02-01

    Nicotiana plumbignifolia (Linn) is used as folk medicine in the treatment of liver dysfunction in Pakistan. The present study was designed to investigate the hepatoprotective role of N. plumbignifolia methanolice extract (NPME) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative damage in liver of chicks. Methanolic extract of N. plumbignifolia was obtained and was further evaluated as a hepatoprotective agent against CCl4-induced oxidative damage in liver of chicks. For this study, 60-day-old 50 male chicks were divided into five groups. Chicks of group 1 (control) had free access to food and water. Group II received 1 mL/kg of CCl4 (30% in olive oil v/v) via the intraperitoneal route thrice a week for 4 weeks. Group III received 100 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) of silymarin via gavage after 48 h of CCl4 treatment, whereas group IV were given 200 mg/kg b.w. NPME after 48 h of CCl4 treatment. Hepatoprotective activity was assessed by measuring the activities of the antioxidant enzymes: catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)). Serum was analyzed for various biochemical parameters. The results revealed that CCl4 induced oxidative stress as evidenced by the significant decrease in the activity levels of antioxidant enzymes, while an increase in the levels of TBARS in liver samples is compared with the control group. Serum levels lactate dehydrogenase, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein was elevated while reducing high-density lipoprotein compared to controls. Cotreatment of NPME treatment reversed these alterations, which seems likely that NPME can protect the liver tissues against CCl4-mediated oxidative damage. © The Author(s) 2013.

  2. Characterization of secretory phospholipase A₂ with phospholipase A₁ activity in tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum (L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujikawa, Yukichi; Fujikawa, Ritsuko; Iijima, Noriaki; Esaka, Muneharu

    2012-03-01

    A cDNA encoding protein with homology to plant secretory phospholipase A₂ (sPLA₂), denoted as Nt1 PLA₂, was isolated from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The cDNA encodes a mature protein of 118 amino acid residues with a putative signal peptide of 29 residues. The mature form of Nt1 PLA₂ has 12 cysteines, Ca²⁺ binding loop and catalytic site domain that are commonly conserved in plant sPLA₂s. The recombinant Nt1 PLA₂ was expressed as a fusion protein with thioredoxin in E. coli BL21 cells and was purified by an ion exchange chromatography after digestion of the fusion proteins by Factor Xa protease to obtain the mature form. Interestingly, Nt1 PLA₂ could hydrolyze the ester bond at the sn-1 position of glycerophospholipids as well as at the sn-2 position, when the activities were determined using mixed-micellar phospholipids with sodium cholate. Both activities for the sn-1 and -2 positions of glycerophospholipids required Ca²⁺ essentially, and maximal activities were found in an alkaline region when phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol or phosphatidylethanolamine was used as a substrate. The level of Nt1 PLA₂ mRNA was detected at a higher level in tobacco flowers than stem, leaves and roots, and was induced by salicylic acid.

  3. A hyper-thermostable α-amylase from Pyrococcus furiosus accumulates in Nicotiana tabacum as functional aggregates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Hong; Reynolds, L Bruce; Menassa, Rima

    2017-06-19

    Alpha amylase hydrolyzes α-bonds of polysaccharides such as starch and produces malto-oligosaccharides. Its starch saccharification applications make it an essential enzyme in the textile, food and brewing industries. Commercially available α-amylase is mostly produced from Bacillus or Aspergillus. A hyper-thermostable and Ca 2++ independent α-amylase from Pyrococcus furiosus (PFA) expressed in E.coli forms insoluble inclusion bodies and thus is not feasible for industrial applications. We expressed PFA in Nicotiana tabacum and found that plant-produced PFA forms functional aggregates with an accumulation level up to 3.4 g/kg FW (fresh weight) in field conditions. The aggregates are functional without requiring refolding and therefore have potential to be applied as homogenized plant tissue without extraction or purification. PFA can also be extracted from plant tissue upon dissolution in a mild reducing buffer containing SDS. Like the enzyme produced in P. furiosus and in E. coli, plant produced PFA preserves hyper-thermophilicity and hyper-thermostability and has a long shelf life when stored in lyophilized leaf tissue. With tobacco's large biomass and high yield, hyper-thermostable α-amylase was produced at a scale of 42 kg per hectare. Tobacco may be a suitable bioreactor for industrial production of active hyperthermostable alpha amylase.

  4. Tissue-specific and pathogen-induced regulation of a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia beta-1,3-glucanase gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castresana, C; de Carvalho, F; Gheysen, G; Habets, M; Inzé, D; Van Montagu, M

    1990-01-01

    The Nicotiana plumbaginifolia gn1 gene encoding a beta-1,3-glucanase isoform has been characterized. The gn1 product represents an isoform distinct from the previously identified tobacco beta-1,3-glucanases. By expressing gn1 in Escherichia coli, we have determined directly that the encoded protein does, indeed, correspond to a beta-1,3-glucanase. In N. plumbaginifolia, gn1 was found to be expressed in roots and older leaves. Transgenic tobacco plants containing the 5'-noncoding region of gn1 fused to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene also showed maximum levels of GUS activity in roots and older leaves. No detectable activity was present in the upper part of the transgenic plants with the exception of stem cells at the bases of emerging shoots. The expression conferred by the gn1 promoter was differentially induced in response to specific plant stress treatments. Studies of three plant-bacteria interactions showed high levels of GUS activity when infection resulted in a hypersensitive reaction. Increased gene expression was confined to cells surrounding the necrotic lesions. The observed expression pattern suggests that the characterized beta-1,3-glucanase plays a role both in plant development and in the defense response against pathogen infection. PMID:2152158

  5. Alimentazione di <em>Marmota marmotaem> in praterie altimontane delle dolomiti bellunesi

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    Alessandro Rudatis

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The diet of <em>Marmota marmotaem> in the mountain prairie of south-eastern Italian Alps. Diet composition of two family groups of alpine marmots was investigated in two areas of the Agordino’s Dolomites (Italian Alps in June-September 2001, by means of microscopic analysis of faeces and of direct observation of feeding activity. During the whole period of activity, a high consume of Angiosperms was confirmed, especially plants in flower; among them the “graminoids” seemed to play an important role only during the initial part of the active period. Generally vegetative parts predominated over flowers. The ingestion of animal preys was not confirmed by the analysis of droppings. Comparing diet composition of the two groups, Graminaceae (<em>Poa>, <em>Phleum>, Compositae (<em>Achillea>, Cyperaceae/Juncaceae, Leguminosae (<em>Anthyllis>, Rosaceae, and Labiatae (<em>Prunella>, <em>Stachys> formed the bulk of marmot diet in the study areas. Diet showed low diversity considering the abundance of plant species in the surrounding environment. Food resources were probably used in relation to their easy digestibility, with a high content in proteins, sugar and water. The knowledge of vegetation features in relation to marmot trophic habits can represent a useful tool for the management of this species. Riassunto Il regime alimentare di due gruppi di Marmotta alpina è stato studiato in giugno-settembre 2001 in due aree delle Dolomiti agordine (SE Italia, attraverso l’analisi microscopica delle feci e l’osservazione diretta dell’attività alimentare. Durante tutto il periodo di attività si è notato un forte consumo di Angiosperme, specialmente piante a fiore, mentre le ”graminoidi” sembra giochino un ruolo importante all’inizio della stagione. In generale le parti vegetali predominano sui fiori. L’ingestione di prede animali non è stata

  6. Molecular characterization of two sweepoviruses from China and evaluation of the infectivity of cloned SPLCV-JS in Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, Huiping; Zhang, Peng

    2012-03-01

    Sweepoviruses are important begomoviruses that infect Ipomoea plants worldwide and cause sweet potato yield losses and cultivar decline. Two sweepoviruses, sweet potato leaf curl virus-Jiangsu (SPLCV-JS) and sweet potato leaf curl China virus-Zhejiang (SPLCCNV-ZJ), were cloned from diseased sweet potato plants collected in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces of China. Sequence characterization and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that both are typical monopartite begomoviruses and have close relationships to several reported SPLCV and SPLCCNV isolates, respectively, from Asian countries. Analysis of the protein alignments and subcellular localizations of the six SPLCV-JS proteins was also conducted to verify their putative functions. In Nicotiana benthamiana, an infectivity assay of the infectious SPLCV-JS clone resulted in mild symptoms and weak viral DNA accumulation. Interestingly, SPLCV-JS, together with a heterologous betasatellite DNA (tomato yellow leaf curl China virus isolate Y10 [TYLCCNV-Y10] DNA-β), showed a synergistic effect on enhanced symptom severity and viral DNA accumulation. This is the first reported infectious SPLCV clone.

  7. 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.

  8. Karyological and cytological effects of gamma rays on pollen ontogenesis and viability and on the tapetum of Nicotiana tabacum L. var. xanthi Dulieu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Muhanna, S.; Souvre, A.; Albertini, L. (Ecole Nationale Superieure Agronomique, 31 - Toulouse (France). Lab. de Cytologie et de Pathologie Vegetales)

    1991-03-01

    Gamma irradiation of seeds (100 to 1000 Gy) or inflorescences (3000 Gy) of Nicotiana tabacum L. var. xanthi Dulieu mainly induced chromatoclastic effects affecting the microspore mother cells (MMCs) during meiosis: chromosome fragmentation, chromosome stickiness promoting the formation of chiasmas even between non-homologous chromosomes, single or multiple chromosomal bridges during anaphases and telophases I and II and irregular chromosomal disjunction. In plants raised from irradiated seeds, the frequency of abnormal meiotic figures and the rate of pollen sterility were directly related to the gamma ray dose. Gamma irradiation also induced the early dysfunction of the tapetum (tapetal degeneration was already visible at pachytene) with nuclear pycnosis or an expanded and sticky chromatin network and this no doubt contributed to pollen sterility. (author).

  9. <em>Ipomoea aquaticaem> Extract Shows Protective Action Against Thioacetamide-Induced Hepatotoxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Hamid A. Hadi

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available In the Indian system of traditional medicine (Ayurveda it is recommended to consume <em>Ipomoea em>aquatica> to mitigate disorders like jaundice. In this study, the protective effects of ethanol extract of <em>I. aquaticaem> against liver damage were evaluated in thioacetamide (TAA-induced chronic hepatotoxicity in rats. There was no sign of toxicity in the acute toxicity study, in which Sprague-Dawley (SD rats were orally fed with <em>I. aquaticaem> (250 and 500 mg/kg for two months along with administration of TAA (i.p injection 200 mg/kg three times a week for two months. The results showed that the treatment of <em>I. aquaticaem> significantly lowered the TAA-induced serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers (ALP, ALT, AST, protein, albumin, bilirubin and prothrombin time. The hepatic content of activities and expressions SOD and CAT that were reduced by TAA were brought back to control levels by the plant extract supplement. Meanwhile, the rise in MDA level in the TAA receiving groups also were significantly reduced by <em>I. aquaticaem> treatment. Histopathology of hepatic tissues by H&E and Masson trichrome stains displayed that <em>I. aquaticaem> has reduced the incidence of liver lesions, including hepatic cells cloudy swelling, infiltration, hepatic necrosis, and fibrous connective tissue proliferation induced by TAA in rats. Therefore, the results of this study show that the protective effect of <em>I. aquaticaem> in TAA-induced liver damage might be contributed to its modulation on detoxification enzymes and its antioxidant and free radical scavenger effects. Moreover, it confirms a scientific basis for the traditional use of <em>I. aquaticaem> for the treatment of liver disorders.

  10. Classe social: conceitos e esquemas operacionais em pesquisa em saude

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    Rita Barradas Barata

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Discute-se a utilização do conceito de classe em pesquisas em saúde, as diferentes abordagens sociológicas de estratificação social e de estrutura de classes, o potencial explicativo do conceito em estudos de determinação social e desigualdades em saúde, os modelos de operacionalização elaborados para uso em pesquisas sociológicas, demográficas ou de saúde e os limites e possibilidades desses modelos. Foram destacados quatro modelos de operacionalização: de Singer para estudo da distribuição de renda no Brasil, adaptado por Barros para uso em pesquisas epidemiológicas; de Bronfman & Tuirán para o censo demográfico mexicano, adaptado por Lombardi et al para pesquisas epidemiológicas; de Goldthorpe para estudos socioeconômicos ingleses, adaptado pela Sociedade Espanhola de Epidemiologia; e o modelo de Wright para pesquisa em sociologia e ciência política, também usado em inquéritos populacionais em saúde. Em conclusão, conceitualmente cada um dos modelos apresentados é coerente com a concepção teórica que os embasam, mas não há como optar por qualquer deles, descartando os demais.

  11. Expression dynamics and ultrastructural localization of epitope-tagged Abutilon mosaic virus nuclear shuttle and movement proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kleinow, Tatjana; Tanwir, Fariha; Kocher, Cornelia; Krenz, Bjoern; Wege, Christina; Jeske, Holger

    2009-01-01

    The geminivirus Abutilon mosaic virus (AbMV) encodes two proteins which are essential for viral spread within plants. The nuclear shuttle protein (NSP) transfers viral DNA between the nucleus and cytoplasm, whereas the movement protein (MP) facilitates transport between cells through plasmodesmata and long-distance via phloem. An inducible overexpression system for epitope-tagged NSP and MP in plants yielded unprecedented amounts of both proteins. Western blots revealed extensive posttranslational modification and truncation for MP, but not for NSP. Ultrastructural examination of Nicotiana benthamiana tissues showed characteristic nucleopathic alterations, including fibrillar rings, when epitope-tagged NSP and MP were simultaneously expressed in leaves locally infected with an AbMV DNA A in which the coat protein gene was replaced by a green fluorescent protein encoding gene. Immunogold labelling localized NSP in the nucleoplasm and in the fibrillar rings. MP appeared at the cell periphery, probably the plasma membrane, and plasmodesmata.

  12. Pest and disease resistance enhanced by heterologous suppression of a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cytochrome P450 gene CYP72A2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smigocki, Ann C; Wilson, Dennis

    2004-12-01

    The functional role of the Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cytochrome P450 gene CYP72A2 was investigated in transgenic plants. N. tabacum plants transformed with a sense or antisense CYP72A2 construct exhibited diminished heights, branched stems, smaller leaves and deformed flowers. Western blot analysis revealed reduced levels of a 58 kDa protein corresponding to CYP72A2, suggesting that the CYP72A2 homolog was suppressed in the sense and antisense plants. Transgenic plants had increased resistance to Manduca sexta larvae that consumed about 35 to 90 less of transgenic versus control leaves. A virulent strain of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci induced a disease-limiting response followed by a delayed and decreased development of disease symptoms in the transgenics. CYP72A2 gene mediated resistance suggests that the plant-pest or -pathogen interactions may have been modified by changes in bioactive metabolite pools.

  13. Purification and biochemical characterization of NpABCG5/NpPDR5, a plant pleiotropic drug resistance transporter expressed in Nicotiana tabacum BY-2 suspension cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toussaint, Frédéric; Pierman, Baptiste; Bertin, Aurélie; Lévy, Daniel; Boutry, Marc

    2017-05-04

    Pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) transporters belong to the ABCG subfamily of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and are involved in the transport of various molecules across plasma membranes. During evolution, PDR genes appeared independently in fungi and in plants from a duplication of a half-size ABC gene. The enzymatic properties of purified PDR transporters from yeast have been characterized. This is not the case for any plant PDR transporter, or, incidentally, for any purified plant ABC transporter. Yet, plant PDR transporters play important roles in plant physiology such as hormone signaling or resistance to pathogens or herbivores. Here, we describe the expression, purification, enzymatic characterization and 2D analysis by electron microscopy of NpABCG5/NpPDR5 from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia , which has been shown to be involved in the plant defense against herbivores. We constitutively expressed NpABCG5/NpPDR5, provided with a His-tag in a homologous system: suspension cells from Nicotiana tabacum (Bright Yellow 2 line). NpABCG5/NpPDR5 was targeted to the plasma membrane and was solubilized by dodecyl maltoside and purified by Ni-affinity chromatography. The ATP-hydrolyzing specific activity (27 nmol min -1  mg -1 ) was stimulated seven-fold in the presence of 0.1% asolectin. Electron microscopy analysis indicated that NpABCG5/NpPDR5 is monomeric and with dimensions shorter than those of known ABC transporters. Enzymatic data (optimal pH and sensitivity to inhibitors) confirmed that plant and fungal PDR transporters have different properties. These data also show that N. tabacum suspension cells are a convenient host for the purification and biochemical characterization of ABC transporters. © 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  14. Gene discovery in Triatoma infestans

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    de Burgos Nelia

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Triatoma infestans is the most relevant vector of Chagas disease in the southern cone of South America. Since its genome has not yet been studied, sequencing of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs is one of the most powerful tools for efficiently identifying large numbers of expressed genes in this insect vector. Results In this work, we generated 826 ESTs, resulting in an increase of 47% in the number of ESTs available for T. infestans. These ESTs were assembled in 471 unique sequences, 151 of which represent 136 new genes for the Reduviidae family. Conclusions Among the putative new genes for the Reduviidae family, we identified and described an interesting subset of genes involved in development and reproduction, which constitute potential targets for insecticide development.

  15. The diet of the fox (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> in woodlands of Orobie Alps (Lombardy region, Northern Italy / Alimentazione della Volpe (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> in aree boscate delle Alpi Orobie

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    Marco Cantini

    1991-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The diet of the fox was investigated by analysis of 273 scats, collected along standard trails from April to November 1987 and 1988. Food habits of foxes were described for three altitudinal ranges. Mammals, mainly <em>Clethrionomys glareolusem> and <em>Microtus multiplexem>, were the staple food (percentage of frequency 42.8%, followed by fruits and other vegetables (26.7% and 37.3% respectively. Birds, Invertebrates (mainly Insects and garbage were little eaten. The game species (ungulates, hares, pheasants occurred with a low frequency (8.4% in the diet. The trophic niche breadth varied little through the altitudinal ranges and the seasons. The trophic niche overlap between the fox and the genus <em>Martes> (190 scats of <em>M. martesem> and <em>M. foinaem> were examined is relatively wide (O=0.868. Riassunto La dieta della Volpe (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> in aree boscate delle Alpi Orobie (Val Lesina è stata indagata nel periodo aprile-novembre 1987 e 1988 mediante l'analisi di 273 feci, raccolte lungo percorsi-campione ricadenti in tre piani vegetazionali. I Mammiferi, in particolare <em>Clethrionomys glareolusem> e <em>Microtus multiplexem>, sono la componente principale della dieta (frequenza percentuale 42,8%. Rilevante è anche il consumo di frutti (soprattutto in estate e autunno e di altri vegetali (26,7% e 37,3% rispettivamente, mentre poco frequente è quello di Uccelli, Invertebrati e rifiuti. Complessivamente ridotta è l'azione predatoria della Volpe nei confronti delle specie di interesse venatorio (Ungulati, lepri, Galliformi. L'ampiezza della nicchia trofica mostra modeste variazioni stagionali e altitudinali. I1 grado di sovrapposizione tra la nicchia trofica della Volpe e quella del genere <em>Martes>, quest'ultima ricavata dall'analisi di 190 feci di Martora (<em>M. martesem> e Faina (<em>M. foinaem>, è elevato (O=0,868. Tuttavia, poiché in condizioni di

  16. Osservazioni in cattività sul ciclo stagionale del peso corporeo e sull'efficienza digestiva di <em>Pipistrellus kuhliiem> e <em>Hypsugo saviiem> (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae

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    Gianna Dondini

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available Molte specie di pipistrelli delle fasce climatiche temperato-fredde sono soggette a marcate variazioni stagionali di temperatura e disponibilità di cibo. L'accumulo di grasso in autunno è quindi un adattamento per trascorrere, in uno stato di profondo torpore definibile ibernazione, i mesi invernali, aumentando così la probabilità di sopravvivenza durante tale periodo. Nell?ambito di una attività pluriennale relativa alla raccolta, studio e, quando possibile, riabilitazione di pipistrelli in ambienti urbani, due esemplari di <em>Pipistrellus kuhliiem> (2 femmine e due di <em>Hypsugo saviiem> (1 maschio e 1 femmina, in entrambi casi giovani che ancora non avevano acquisito una sufficiente capacità nel volo e quindi non liberabili, sono stati raccolti nella pianura di Firenze durante l?estate del 1998 e mantenuti in condizioni di temperatura ambientale oscillante tra i 17 e i 22°C, in un contenitore di 150x40x30 cm. Ogni sera sono stati pesati, prima della somministrazione di cibo e acqua, con una bilancia elettronica con precisione di 0.1 g (modello Tanita 1479. L'alimentazione è stata a base di vermi della farina (<em>Tenebrio molitorem>. L?efficienza digestiva è calcolata nel seguente modo, su materiale disidratato: (quantità ingerita ? quantità escrementi/quantità ingerita*100. Per il calcolo di tale indice gli esemplari delle due specie sono stati separati e mantenuti per 24 ore a partire dalla successiva sera dell?ultima somministrazione, favorendo così lo svuotamento dell?intestino. Successivamente, per due giorni è stato fornito del cibo <em>ad libitumem>, pesando i singoli esemplari una volta terminata la fase di alimentazione, per determinare la quantità ingerita. Al termine abbiamo mantenuto gli esemplari a digiuno per 24 ore successive all?ultima somministrazione per permettere lo svuotamento dell?intestino. Gli escrementi raccolti sono stati posti in forno elettrico a 90 °C per 24 ore e successivamente pesati

  17. Net Energy, CO2 Emission and Land-Based Cost-Benefit Analyses of <em>Jatropha> em>Biodiesel: A Case Study of the Panzhihua Region of Sichuan Province in China

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    Xiangzheng Deng

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Bioenergy is currently regarded as a renewable energy source with a high growth potential. Forest-based biodiesel, with the significant advantage of not competing with grain production on cultivated land, has been considered as a promising substitute for diesel fuel by many countries, including China. Consequently, extracting biodiesel from <em>Jatropha> curcasem> has become a growing industry. However, many key issues related to the development of this industry are still not fully resolved and the prospects for this industry are complicated. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the net energy, CO2 emission, and cost efficiency of <em>Jatropha> biodiesel as a substitute fuel in China to help resolve some of the key issues by studying data from this region of China that is well suited to growing <em>Jatropha>. Our results show that: (1 <em>Jatropha> biodiesel is preferable for global warming mitigation over diesel fuel in terms of the carbon sink during <em>Jatropha> tree growth. (2 The net energy yield of <em>Jatropha> biodiesel is much lower than that of fossil fuel, induced by the high energy consumption during <em>Jatropha> plantation establishment and the conversion from seed oil to diesel fuel step. Therefore, the energy efficiencies of the production of <em>Jatropha> and its conversion to biodiesel need to be improved. (3 Due to current low profit and high risk in the study area, farmers have little incentive to continue or increase <em>Jatropha> production. (4 It is necessary to provide more subsidies and preferential policies for <em>Jatropha> plantations if this industry is to grow. It is also necessary for local government to set realistic objectives and make rational plans to choose proper sites for <em>Jatropha> biodiesel development and the work reported here should assist that effort. Future research focused on breading high-yield varieties, development of efficient field

  18. Threatening “the Good Order”: West Meets East in Cecil B. DeMille’s <em>The Cheatem> and John Updike’s <em>Terrorist>

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    Bradley M. Freeman

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available

    Despite almost a hundred years of separation, both Cecil B. DeMille’s film <em>The Cheatem> (1915 and John Updike’s novel <em>Terrorist> (2006 deploy a clear-cut territorial divide between Western and Eastern spaces in order to envision a unified American space. These narratives superimpose a “natural” division on these historically opposed spaces and thereby suggest that any contact between these spaces will have dangerous consequences. These consequences include the potential dissolution and eventual destruction of American productivity, surveillance, and territorial integrity. DeMille’s film and Updike’s novel represent America as a nation-state that must be protected from the East. In 1915, <em>The Cheatem> warned against an interracial America and the upsurge in immigration that characterized the turn of the century. Nearly a century later, <em>Terrorist> presupposes an interracial America but still constructs an East that threatens the security of America. While registering the particular concerns of two distinct historical moments, these narratives represent a larger attempt in American aesthetics to imagine an East that jeopardizes the utopian possibilities of an overly idealized American space.

  19. <em>In Vitro em>Phytotoxicity and Antioxidant Activity of Selected Flavonoids

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    Rita Patrizia Aquino

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The knowledge of flavonoids involved in plant-plant interactions and their mechanisms of action are poor and, moreover, the structural characteristics required for these biological activities are scarcely known. The objective of this work was to study the possible <em>in vitro em>phytotoxic effects of 27 flavonoids on the germination and early radical growth of <em>Raphanus sativus em>L.> and <em>Lepidium sativumem> L., with the aim to evaluate the possible structure/activity relationship. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of the same compounds was also evaluated. Generally, in response to various tested flavonoids, germination was only slightly affected, whereas significant differences were observed in the activity of the various tested flavonoids against radical elongation. DPPH test confirms the antioxidant activity of luteolin, quercetin, catechol, morin, and catechin. The biological activity recorded is discussed in relation to the structure of compounds and their capability to interact with cell structures and physiology. No correlation was found between phytotoxic and antioxidant activities.

  20. Post-pollination mechanisms in Nicotiana longiflora and N. plumbaginifolia: pollen tube growth rate, offspring paternity and hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueroa-Castro, Dulce M; Holtsford, Timothy P

    2009-09-01

    In natural populations where interfertile species coexist, conspecific and heterospecific pollen can be delivered to the stigmas. Post-pollination mechanisms might determine the seed siring success of different pollen donors within species as well as the chances for hybridization between species. Nicotiana longiflora and N. plumbaginifolia occur in sympatry in Northwest Argentina, where they have overlapping flowering seasons and share floral visitors. We explored (1) pollen tube growth rates for outcross versus self pollen in single-donor pollinations; (2) siring success of self versus outcross pollen donors in competitive pollinations, and (3) possibilities for hybridization by performing two- (outcross conspecific vs. heterospecific) and three-pollen donor (self vs. outcross vs. heterospecific) crosses. In N. longiflora, both pollen tube growth rate and siring success favored outcross pollen over self pollen and strong rejection of heterospecific pollen. In N. plumbaginifolia, pollen tube growth rate was similar for self and outcross pollen, self pollen sired similar numbers of offspring than outcross pollen and heterospecific pollen sired roughly the same number of progeny than self pollen. Results suggest that in natural sympatric populations, interspecific crosses would likely lead to unidirectional hybridization with N. plumbaginifolia as the seed parent.

  1. Transfer of the cytochrome P450-dependent dhurrin pathway from Sorghum bicolor into Nicotiana tabacum chloroplasts for light-driven synthesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gnanasekaran, Thiyagarajan; Karcher, Daniel; Nielsen, Agnieszka Janina Zygadlo

    2016-01-01

    . For this purpose, we stably engineered the dhurrin pathway from Sorghum bicolor into the chloroplasts of Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco). Dhurrin is a cyanogenic glucoside and its synthesis from the amino acid tyrosine is catalysed by two membrane-bound cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP79A1 and CYP71E1) and a soluble...... glucosyltransferase (UGT85B1), and is dependent on electron transfer from a P450 oxidoreductase. The entire pathway was introduced into the chloroplast by integrating CYP79A1, CYP71E1, and UGT85B1 into a neutral site of the N. tabacum chloroplast genome. The two P450s and the UGT85B1 were functional when expressed...... compared to 6% in sorghum. The results obtained pave the way for plant P450s involved in the synthesis of economically important compounds to be engineered into the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts, and demonstrate that their full catalytic cycle can be driven directly by photosynthesis-derived electrons....

  2. Cloning and functional expression of the small subunit of acetolactate synthase from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hershey, H P; Schwartz, L J; Gale, J P; Abell, L M

    1999-07-01

    Acetolactate synthase (ALS) is the first committed step of branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis in plants and bacteria. The bacterial holoenzyme has been well characterized and is a tetramer of two identical large subunits (LSUs) of 60 kDa and two identical small subunits (SSUs) ranging in molecular mass from 9 to 17 kDa depending on the isozyme. The enzyme from plants is much less well characterized. Attempts to purify the protein have yielded an enzyme which appears to be an oligomer of LSUs, with the potential existence of a SSU for the plant enzyme remaining a matter of considerable speculation. We report here the discovery of a cDNA clone that encodes a SSU of plant ALS based upon the homology of the encoded peptide with various bacterial ALS SSUs. The plant ALS SSU is more than twice as large as any of its prokaryotic homologues and contains two domains that each encode a full-length copy of the prokaryotic SSU polypeptide. The cDNA clone was used to express Nicotiana plumbaginifolia SSU in Escherichia coli. Mixing a partially purified preparation of this SSU with the LSU of ALS from either N. plumbaginifolia or Arabidopsis thaliana results in both increased specific activity and increased stability of the enzymic activity. These results are consistent with those observed for the bacterial enzyme in similar experiments and represent the first functional demonstration of the existence of a SSU for plant ALS.

  3. Single-molecule diffusometry reveals the nucleotide-dependent oligomerization pathways of Nicotiana tabacum Rubisco activase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Quan; Serban, Andrew J.; Wachter, Rebekka M.; Moerner, W. E.

    2018-03-01

    Oligomerization plays an important role in the function of many proteins, but a quantitative picture of the oligomer distribution has been difficult to obtain using existing techniques. Here we describe a method that combines sub-stoichiometric labeling and recently developed single-molecule diffusometry to measure the size distribution of oligomers under equilibrium conditions in solution, one molecule at a time. We use this technique to characterize the oligomerization behavior of Nicotiana tabacum (Nt) Rubisco activase (Nt-Rca), a chaperone-like AAA-plus ATPase essential in regulating carbon fixation during photosynthesis. We directly observed monomers, dimers, and a tetramer/hexamer mixture and extracted their fractional abundance as a function of protein concentration. We show that the oligomerization pathway of Nt-Rca is nucleotide dependent: ATPγS binding strongly promotes tetramer/hexamer formation from dimers and results in a preferred tetramer/hexamer population for concentrations in the 1-10 μM range. Furthermore, we directly observed dynamic assembly and disassembly processes of single complexes in real time and from there estimated the rate of subunit exchange to be ˜0.1 s-1 with ATPγS. On the other hand, ADP binding destabilizes Rca complexes by enhancing the rate of subunit exchange by >2 fold. These observations provide a quantitative starting point to elucidate the structure-function relations of Nt-Rca complexes. We envision the method to fill a critical gap in defining and quantifying protein assembly pathways in the small-oligomer regime.

  4. Characterization of a pollen-specific cDNA clone from Nicotiana tabacum expressed during microgametogenesis and germination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weterings, K; Reijnen, W; van Aarssen, R; Kortstee, A; Spijkers, J; van Herpen, M; Schrauwen, J; Wullems, G

    1992-04-01

    This report describes the isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone representing a gene specifically expressed in pollen. A cDNA library was constructed against mRNA from mature pollen of Nicotiana tabacum. It was screened differentially against cDNA from mRNA of leaf and of pollen. One clone, NTPc303, was further characterized. On northern blot this clone hybridizes to a transcript 2100 nucleotides in length. NTPc303 is abundant in pollen. Expression of the corresponding gene is restricted to pollen, because no other generative or vegetative tissue contains transcripts hybridizing to NTPc303. Expression of NTP303 is evolutionarily conserved: homologous transcripts are present in pollen from various plant species. The first NTP303 transcripts are detectable on northern blot at the early bi-nucleate stage and accumulate until the pollen has reached maturity. During germination and pollen tube growth in vitro new NTP303 transcripts appear. This transcription has been proved by northern blots as well as by pulse labelling experiments. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that NTPc303 has an open reading frame coding for a predicted protein of 62 kDa. This protein shares homology to ascorbate oxidase and other members of the blue copper oxidase family. A possible function for this clone during pollen germination is discussed.

  5. Root jasmonic acid synthesis and perception regulate folivore-induced shoot metabolites and increase Nicotiana attenuata resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fragoso, Variluska; Rothe, Eva; Baldwin, Ian T; Kim, Sang-Gyu

    2014-06-01

    While jasmonic acid (JA) signaling is widely accepted as mediating plant resistance to herbivores, and the importance of the roots in plant defenses is recently being recognized, the role of root JA in the defense of above-ground parts remains unstudied. To restrict JA impairment to the roots, we micrografted wildtype Nicotiana attenuata shoots to the roots of transgenic plants impaired in JA signaling and evaluated ecologically relevant traits in the glasshouse and in nature. Root JA synthesis and perception are involved in regulating nicotine production in roots. Strikingly, systemic root JA regulated local leaf JA and abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations, which were associated with differences in nicotine transport from roots to leaves via the transpiration stream. Root JA signaling also regulated the accumulation of other shoot metabolites; together these account for differences in resistance against a generalist, Spodoptera littoralis, and a specialist herbivore, Manduca sexta. In N. attenuata's native habitat, silencing root JA synthesis increased the shoot damage inflicted by Empoasca leafhoppers, which are able to select natural jasmonate mutants. Silencing JA perception in roots also increased damage by Tupiocoris notatus. We conclude that attack from above-ground herbivores recruits root JA signaling to launch the full complement of plant defense responses. © 2014 Max Planck Society. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

  6. Busca de estruturas em grandes escalas em altos redshifts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boris, N. V.; Sodré, L., Jr.; Cypriano, E.

    2003-08-01

    A busca por estruturas em grandes escalas (aglomerados de galáxias, por exemplo) é um ativo tópico de pesquisas hoje em dia, pois a detecção de um único aglomerado em altos redshifts pode por vínculos fortes sobre os modelos cosmológicos. Neste projeto estamos fazendo uma busca de estruturas distantes em campos contendo pares de quasares próximos entre si em z Â3 0.9. Os pares de quasares foram extraídos do catálogo de Véron-Cetty & Véron (2001) e estão sendo observados com os telescópios: 2,2m da University of Hawaii (UH), 2,5m do Observatório de Las Campanas e com o GEMINI. Apresentamos aqui a análise preliminar de um par de quasares observado nos filtros i'(7800 Å) e z'(9500 Å) com o GEMINI. A cor (i'-z') mostrou-se útil para detectar objetos "early-type" em redshifts menores que 1.1. No estudo do par 131046+0006/J131055+0008, com redshift ~ 0.9, o uso deste método possibilitou a detecção de sete objetos candidatos a galáxias "early-type". Num mapa da distribuição projetada dos objetos para 22 escala. Um outro argumento em favor dessa hipótese é que eles obedecem uma relação do tipo Kormendy (raio equivalente X brilho superficial dentro desse raio), como a apresentada pelas galáxias elípticas em z = 0.

  7. Encapsulation-Induced Stress Helps <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae em>Resist Convertible Lignocellulose Derived Inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johan O. Westman

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The ability of macroencapsulated <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae em>CBS8066<em> em>to withstand readily and not readily <em>in situem> convertible lignocellulose-derived inhibitors was investigated in anaerobic batch cultivations. It was shown that encapsulation increased the tolerance against readily convertible furan aldehyde inhibitors and to dilute acid spruce hydrolysate, but not to organic acid inhibitors that cannot be metabolized anaerobically. Gene expression analysis showed that the protective effect arising from the encapsulation is evident also on the transcriptome level, as the expression of the stress-related genes <em>YAP1em>, <em>ATR1em> and <em>FLR1em> was induced upon encapsulation. The transcript levels were increased due to encapsulation already in the medium without added inhibitors, indicating that the cells sensed low stress level arising from the encapsulation itself. We present a model, where the stress response is induced by nutrient limitation, that this helps the cells to cope with the increased stress added by a toxic medium, and that superficial cells in the capsules degrade convertible inhibitors, alleviating the inhibition for the cells deeper in the capsule.

  8. Organization of cytoskeleton controls the changes in cytosolic calcium of cold-shocked Nicotiana plumbaginifolia protoplasts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazars, C; Thion, L; Thuleau, P; Graziana, A; Knight, M R; Moreau, M; Ranjeva, R

    1997-11-01

    Using Nicotiana plumbaginifolia constitutively expressing the recombinant bioluminescent calcium indicator, aequorin, it has been previously demonstrated that plant cells react to cold-shock by an immediate rise in cytosolic calcium. Such an opportune system has been exploited to address the regulatory pathway involved in the calcium response. For this purpose, we have used protoplasts derived from N. plumbaginifolia leaves that behave as the whole plant but with a better reproducibility. By both immunodetecting cytoskeletal components on membrane ghosts and measuring the relative change in cytosolic calcium, we demonstrate that the organization of the cytoskeleton has profound influences on the calcium response. The disruption of the microtubule meshwork by various active drugs, such as colchicin, oryzalin and vinblastin, leads to an important increase in the cytosolic calcium (up to 400 nM) in cold-shocked protoplasts over control. beta-Lumicolchicin, an inactive analogue of colchicin, is ineffective either on cytoplasmic calcium increase or on microtubule organization. A microfilament disrupting drug, cytochalasin D, exerts a slight stimulatory effect, whereas the simultaneous disruption of microtubule and microfilament meshworks results in a dramatic increase in the calcium response to cold-shock. The results described in the present paper illustrate the role of the intracellular organization and, more specifically, the role of cytoskeleton in controlling the intensity of calcium response to an extracellular stimulus.

  9. Morphological identification of the Soprano Pipistrelle (<em>Pipistrellus pygmaeusem> Leach, 1825 in Croatia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Igor Pavlinić

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract After the discovery of two different phonic types within the common pipistrelle (<em>Pipistrellus pipistrellusem>, mtDNA analysis confirmed the existence of two separate species named as common pipistrelle (<em>P. pipistrellusem> and soprano pipistrelle (<em>P. pygmaeusem>. The discrimination of these two cryptic species using external characters and measures has proved to be somewhat problematic. We examined two colonies of soprano pipistrelle from Donji Miholjac, Croatia. As a result, only two characters proved to be of help for field identification: wing venation (89% of cases and penis morphology and colour for males. The difference in length between the 2nd and 3rd phalanxes of the 3rd finger should be discarded as diagnostic trait between <em>P. pipistrellusem> and <em>P. pygmaeusem> in Croatia. Riassunto Identificazione su basi morfologiche del pipistrello pigmeo (<em>Pipistrellus pygmeausem>, Leach, 1825 in Croazia. A seguito della descrizione di due differenti "tipi fonici" nel pipistrello nano (<em>Pipistrellus pipistrellusem> e della successiva conferma su basi genetiche dell'esistenza di due specie distinte, designate come pipistrello nano (<em>P. pipistrellusem> e pipistrello pigmeo (<em>P. pygmaeusem>, la distinzione delle due specie in base a caratteristiche morfologiche esterne si è dimostrata un problema di difficile soluzione. Sulla base delle caratteristiche distintive e delle differenze biometriche proposte da altri Autori, sono state esaminate due colonie di pipistrello pigmeo a Donji Miholjac, in Croazia. I risultati ottenuti evidenziano che, tra tutti i potenziali caratteri sinora proposti, solo due risultano utili per un'identificazione diretta sul campo: la venatura delle ali, risultata utile alla discriminazione nell'89% degli esemplari analizzati, e la colorazione e morfologia del pene nei maschi. La

  10. Altitudinal distribution of the common longeared bat <em>Plecotus auritusem> (Linnaeus, 1758 and grey long-eared bat <em>Plecotus austriacusem> (J. B. Fischer, 1829 (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae in the Tatra mountains (southern Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Piksa

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Riassunto Distribuzione altitudinale di Orecchione bruno (<em>Plecotus auritusem> e Orecchione meridionale (<em>Plecotus austriacusem> nei Monti Tatra (Polonia meridionale. Vengono riportati nuovi dati relativi alla distribuzione altitudinale nei Monti Tatra (Polonia meridionale di <em>Plecotus auritusem> e <em>P. austriacusem>. Tali segnalazioni incrementano le conoscenze relative alla presenza di questi chirotteri a quote elevate, in particolare per la Polonia. In inverno <em>P. auritusem> è stato rinvenuto a 1921 m s.l.m. mentre in estate è stato rinvenuto a 2250 m s.l.m.; in aggiunta, sono stati ritrovati resti ossei a 1929 m s.l.m. <em>P. austriacusem> è stato segnalato in ibernazione a 1294 m s.l.m.

  11. Action of Chitosan Against <em>Xanthomonas> Pathogenic Bacteria Isolated from <em>Euphorbia pulcherrimaem>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanli Wang

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The antibacterial activity and mechanism of two kinds of chitosan were investigated against twelve <em>Xanthomonas> strains recovered from <em>Euphorbia pulcherrimaem>. Results indicated that both chitosans markedly inhibited bacterial growth based on OD loss. Furthermore, the release of DNA and RNA from three selected strains was increased by both chitosans. However, the release of intracellular proteins was inhibited by both chitosans at different concentration and incubation times, except chitosan A at 0.1 mg/mL for 0.5 h incubation and 0.2 mg/mL for 2.0 h incubation increased the release of proteins, indicating the complexity of the interaction and cell membranes, which was affected by incubation time, bacterial species, chitosan type and concentration. Transmission electron microscopic observations revealed that chitosan caused changes in protoplast concentration and surface morphology. In some cells, the membranes and walls were badly distorted and disrupted, while other cells were enveloped by a thick and compact ribbon-like layer. The contrary influence on cell morphology may explain the differential effect in the release of material. In addition, scanning electron microscope and biofilm formation test revealed that both chitosans removed biofilm biomass. Overall, this study showed that membrane and biofilm play an important role in the antibacterial mechanism of chitosan.

  12. Study of the <em>in Vitroem> Antiplasmodial, Antileishmanial and Antitrypanosomal Activities of Medicinal Plants from Saudi Arabia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nawal M. Al-Musayeib

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The present study investigated the <em>in vitroem> antiprotozoal activity of sixteen selected medicinal plants. Plant materials were extracted with methanol and screened <em>in vitroem> against erythrocytic schizonts of <em>Plasmodium falciparumem>, intracellular amastigotes of <em>Leishmania infantum em>and <em>Trypanosoma cruzi em>and free trypomastigotes of<em> T. bruceiem>. Cytotoxic activity was determined against MRC-5 cells to assess selectivity<em>. em>The criterion for activity was an IC50 < 10 µg/mL (4. Antiplasmodial activity was found in the<em> em>extracts of<em> em>>Prosopis julifloraem> and <em>Punica granatumem>. Antileishmanial activity<em> em>against <em>L. infantumem> was demonstrated in <em>Caralluma sinaicaem> and <em>Periploca aphylla.em> Amastigotes of<em> T. cruzi em>were affected by the methanol extract of<em> em>>Albizia lebbeckem>> em>pericarp, <em>Caralluma sinaicaem>,> Periploca aphylla em>and <em>Prosopius julifloraem>. Activity against<em> T. brucei em>was obtained in<em> em>>Prosopis julifloraem>. Cytotoxicity (MRC-5 IC50 < 10 µg/mL and hence non-specific activities were observed for<em> em>>Conocarpus lancifoliusem>.>

  13. The effect of synchrotron radiation on nicotiana tabacum-roots in oxygen atmosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avakyan, Ts.M.; Karagezyan, A.S.; Danielyan, A.Kh.

    1977-01-01

    The question of mutual action of sVnchrotron radiation (SR) and living objects and the influence of powerful radiations on the peculiarities of their functioning is a major problem in all fields where SR in applied, as well as in medicobiological aspects of space flights. The present report summarizes new experimental findings concerning the action of magnetic-inhibiting radiation on Nicotiana tabacum - roots in oxygen and helium atmosphere. Comparative studies have been carried out on ''oxygen effect'' of SR and X-ray radiation by traditional radiobiological equipment. The experiments have been performed on the 2 synchrotron channel of Yerevan Physical Institute Electron Accelerator. The circular current of the accelerator equals 1 ma at a maximal energy of electrons in the ring 4.5 GeV. Nonmonochromatized SR coming out from the beryllium window of the current conductor entered a special maylar chamber which was filled with oxygen and helium. 4-day old roots of tobacco seeds were radiated in the chamber. The radiation dose in X-ray, as well as in SR equals 500 rad/min. X-ray radiation was carried out with the use of a RUP-200/20 equipment at a regime of J=15 ma, E=183 kV. In applying 500, 00 and 2500 rad in oxygen atmosphere a marked maximum of chromosome aberration frequency was noted at 2500 rad. Comparative investigations have shown that in radiating the roots by X-ray in oxygen atmosphere, the percentage of chromosome aberrations constitutes 4.5 at 2500 rad, while in SR it equals 24. The ''oxygen effect'' has been demonstrated, and the protective effect in helium atmosphere. The question of dosimetry is discussed, and basing on modern views a working hypothesis is presented which explains the marked damaging effect of SR action in oxygen atmosphere

  14. <em>Trichoderma harzianumem> como promotor del crecimiento vegetal del maracuyá (<em>Passiflora edulisem> var. <em>flavicarpa> Degener

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cubillos-Hinojosa Juan

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available

    Se realizó un experimento en condiciones de laboratorio e invernadero, con el propósito de evaluar el efecto de la cepa nativa TCN-014 y la cepa comercial TCC-005 de <em>Trichoderma harzianumem> sobre la germinación y el crecimiento temprano del maracuyá. Se adecuaron inóculos de 104, 106 y 108 conidias/mL para cada cepa y se aplicaron a semillas de maracuyá; se evaluó el número de semillas germinadas durante 15 días; se calculó el porcentaje de germinación, el índice de velocidad de germinación y el tiempo medio de germinación. Posteriormente las semillas germinadas se llevaron a condiciones de invernadero y transcurridos dos meses se midió la altura de las plántulas, el grosor del tallo, el número de hojas, la longitud de la raíz y el peso seco total. Todos los tratamientos estimularon la germinación de las semillas y el desarrollo de las plántulas; sin embargo la cepa nativa en concentraciones 106 y 108 conidias/mL mostró resultados superiores frente a la cepa comercial. Los resultados sugieren una acción efectiva de <em>T. harzianumem> como promotor de crecimiento vegetal, mostrando que tiene potencial para la elaboración de un bioproducto útil para el manejo ecológico del cultivo de maracuyá.

  15. Response of the reduviid bug, <em>Rhynocoris marginatusem> (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) to six different species of cotton pests

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sahayaraj, Kitherian; Muthu Kumar, Subramanian; Enkegaard, Annie

    2016-01-01

    In Indian agro-ecosystems Rhynocoris marginatus (F.) is one of the most abundant predatory arthropods and feeds on a wide range of insect pests. We investigated the responses of R. marginatus to six species of cotton pests: Spodoptera litura (F.), Sylepta derogata (F.), Pericallia ricini (F.), My...

  16. Molecular cloning of a catalase cDNA from Nicotiana glutinosa L. and its repression by tobacco mosaic virus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, S Y; Yu, S H; Choi, D

    1999-06-30

    Recent reports revealed that catalase has a role in the plant defense mechanism against a broad range of pathogens through being inhibited by salicylic acid (SA). During an effort to clone disease resistance-responsive genes, a cDNA encoding catalase (Ngcat1; Nicotiana glutinosa cat1) was isolated from a tobacco cDNA library. In N. glutinosa, catalase is encoded by a small gene family. The deduced amino acid sequence of the Ngcat1 cDNA has 98% homology with the cat1 gene of N. plumbaginifolia. The Ngcat1 expression is controlled by the circadian clock, and its mRNA level is the most abundant in leaves. Both the expression of Ngcat1 mRNA and its enzyme activity in the tobacco plant undergoing a hypersensitive response (HR) to TMV infection were repressed. The repression of the mRNA level was also observed following treatment with SA. These results imply that SA may act as an inhibitor of catalase transcription during the HR of tobacco. Cloning and expression of the Ngcat1 in tobacco following pathogen infection and SA treatment are presented.

  17. Effect of β,β-Dimethylacrylshikonin on Inhibition of Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Growth <em>in Vitro em>and <em>in Vivoem>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ting Feng

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available In traditional Chinese medicine, shikonin and its derivatives, has been used in East Asia for several years for the prevention and treatment of several diseases, including cancer. We previously identified that β,β-dimethylacrylshikonin (DA could inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma growth. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of DA on human colorectal cancer (CRC cell line HCT-116 <em>in vitroem> and <em>in vivoem>. A viability assay showed that DA could inhibit tumor cell growth in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry showed that DA blocks the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase. Western blotting results demonstrated that the induction of apoptosis by DA correlated with the induction of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax, and Bid, and a decrease in the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl. Furthermore, treatment of HCT-116 bearing nude mice with DA significantly retarded the growth of xenografts. Consistent with the results <em>in vitroem>, the DA-mediated suppression of HCT-116 xenografts correlated with Bax and Bcl-2. Taken together, these results suggest that DA could be a novel and promising approach to the treatment of CRC.

  18. Enrichment and Purification of Syringin, Eleutheroside E and Isofraxidin from <em>Acanthopanax> <em>senticosus> by Macroporous Resin

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    Yuangang Zu

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available In order to screen a suitable resin for the preparative simultaneous separation and purification of syringin, eleutheroside E and isofraxidin from <em>Acanthopanax> <em>senticosus>, the adsorption and desorption properties of 17 widely used commercial macroporous resins were evaluated. According to our results, HPD100C, which adsorbs by the molecular tiers model, was the best macroporous resin, offering higher adsorption and desorption capacities and higher adsorption speed for syringin, eleutheroside E and isofraxidin than other resins. Dynamic adsorption and desorption tests were carried out to optimize the process parameters. The optimal conditions were as follows: for adsorption, processing volume: 24 BV, flow rate: 2 BV/h; for desorption, ethanol–water solution: 60:40 (v/v, eluent volume: 4 BV, flow rate: 3 BV/h. Under the above conditions, the contents of syringin, eleutheroside E and isofraxidin increased 174-fold, 20-fold and 5-fold and their recoveries were 80.93%, 93.97% and 93.79%, respectively.

  19. Training for Defense? From Stochastic Traits to Synchrony in Giant Honey Bees (<em>Apis dorsataem>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerald Kastberger

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available In Giant Honey Bees, abdomen flipping happens in a variety of contexts. It can be either synchronous or cascaded, such as in the collective defense traits of shimmering and rearing-up, or it can happen as single-agent behavior. Abdomen flipping is also involved in flickering behavior, which occurs regularly under quiescent colony state displaying singular or collective traits, with stochastic, and (semi- synchronized properties. It presumably acts via visual, mechanoceptive, and pheromonal pathways and its goals are still unknown. This study questions whether flickering is preliminary to shimmering which is subject of the <em>fs em>(flickering-shimmering-transition> hypothesis? We tested the respective prediction that trigger sites (<em>ts> at the nest surface (where shimmering waves had been generated show higher flickering activity than the alternative non-trigger sites (<em>nts>. We measured the flickering activity of <em>ts>- and <em>nts>-surface bees from two experimental nests, before and after the colony had been aroused by a dummy wasp. Arousal increased rate and intensity of the flickering activity of both <em>ts>- and <em>nts> cohorts (P < 0.05, whereby the flickering intensity of <em>ts>-bees were higher than that of <em>nts>-bees (P < 0.05. Under arousal, the colonies also increased the number of flickering-active <em>ts>- and <em>nts>-cohorts (P < 0.05. This provides evidence that cohorts which are specialist at launching shimmering waves are found across the quiescent nest zone. It also proves that arousal may reinforce the responsiveness of quiescent curtain bees for participating in shimmering, practically by recruiting additional trigger site bees for expanding repetition of rate and intensity of shimmering waves. This finding confirms the <em>fs-transition> hypothesis and constitutes evidence that flickering is part of a basal colony-intrinsic information system

  20. Complete BWR--EM LOCA analysis using the WRAP--EM system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beckmeyer, R.R.; Gregory, M.V.; Buckner, M.R.

    1979-01-01

    The Water Reactor Analysis Package, Evaluation Model (WRAP--EM), provides a complete analysis of postulated loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCA's) in light--water nuclear power reactors. The system is being developed at the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) for use by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to interpret and evaluate reactor vendor, evaluation model (EM) analyses. The initial version of the WRAP--EM system for analysis of boiling water reactors (BWR's) is operational. To demonstrate the complete capability of the WRAP--BWR--EM system, a LOCA analysis has been performed for the Hope Creek Plant

  1. Supercritical Fluid Extraction of <em>Eucalyptus globulusem> Bark—A Promising Approach for Triterpenoid Production<em>>

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    Carlos M. Silva

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Eucalyptus bark contains significant amounts of triterpenoids with demonstrated bioactivity, namely triterpenic acids and their acetyl derivatives (ursolic, betulinic, oleanolic, betulonic, 3-acetylursolic, and 3-acetyloleanolic acids. In this work, the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE of <em>Eucalyptus> <em>globulus> deciduous bark was carried out with pure and modified carbon dioxide to recover this fraction, and the results were compared with those obtained by Soxhlet extraction with dichloromethane. The effects of pressure (100–200 bar, co-solvent (ethanol content (0, 5 and 8% wt, and multistep operation were studied in order to evaluate the applicability of SFE for their selective and efficient production. The individual extraction curves of the main families of compounds were measured, and the extracts analyzed by GC-MS. Results pointed out the influence of pressure and the important role played by the co-solvent. Ethanol can be used with advantage, since its effect is more important than increasing pressure by several tens of bar. At 160 bar and 40 °C, the introduction of 8% (wt of ethanol greatly improves the yield of triterpenoids more than threefold.

  2. <em>Helicobacter pyloriem> Disrupts Host Cell Membranes, Initiating a Repair Response and Cell Proliferation

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    Hsueh-Fen Juan

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available <em>Helicobacter pyloriem> (<em>H. pyloriem>, the human stomach pathogen, lives on the inner surface of the stomach and causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. Plasma membrane repair response is a matter of life and death for human cells against physical and biological damage. We here test the hypothesis that <em>H. pyloriem> also causes plasma membrane disruption injury, and that not only a membrane repair response but also a cell proliferation response are thereby activated. Vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA and cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA have been considered to be major <em>H. pyloriem> virulence factors. Gastric cancer cells were infected with <em>H. pyloriem> wild type (vacA+/cagA+, single mutant (ΔvacA or ΔcagA or double mutant (ΔvacA/ΔcagA strains and plasma membrane disruption events and consequent activation of membrane repair components monitored. <em>H. pyloriem> disrupts the host cell plasma membrane, allowing localized dye and extracellular Ca2+ influx. Ca2+-triggered members of the annexin family, A1 and A4, translocate, in response to injury, to the plasma membrane, and cell surface expression of an exocytotic maker of repair, LAMP-2, increases. Additional forms of plasma membrane disruption, unrelated to <em>H.> pylori em>exposure, also promote host cell proliferation. We propose that <em>H. pyloriem> activation of a plasma membrane repair is pro-proliferative. This study might therefore provide new insight into potential mechanisms of <em>H. pyloriem>-induced gastric carcinogenesis.

  3. Ultrastructural studies of the hemocytes of Panstrongylus megistus (Hemiptera: Reduvidae Ultra-estrutura dos hemócitos de Panstrongylus megistus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae

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    Margherita A. Barracco

    1989-06-01

    Full Text Available Ultrastructural analyses revealed the presence of six hemocyte types in the hemolymph of Panstrogylus megistus, partially confirming our previous results obtained through light microscopy. Prohemocytes: small, round hemocytes with a thin cytoplasm layer, espcieally rich in free ribosomes and poor in membranous systems. Plasmatocytes: polymorphic cells, whose cytoplasm contains many lysosomes and a well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER.They are extremely phagocytic. Sometimes, they show a large vacuolation. Granulocytes: granular hemocytes whose granules show different degrees of electrondensity. Most of them, have an internal structuration. Coagulocytes: oval or elongated hemocytes, which show pronounced perinuclear cisternae as normally observed in coagulocytes. The cytoplasm is usually electrondense, poor in membranous systems and contains many labile granules. Oenocytoids: large and very stable hemocytes, whose homogeneous cytoplasme is rich in loose ribosomes and poor in membranous systems. Adipohemocytes: large cells, containing several characteristic lipid droplets. The cytoplasm is also rich in glycogen, RER and large mitochondria. The total and differential hemocyte count (THC and DHC were also calculated for this reduviid. THC increases from 2,900 hemocytes/cubic millimeter of hemolymph in the 4th intar to 4,350 in the 5th and then, decreases to 1,950 in the adults. Plasmatocytes and coagulocytes are the predominant hemocyte types.Estudos ao microscópio eletrônico de transmissão revelaram a presença de seis tipos de hemócitos na hemolinfa de Panstrongylus megistus. Estes resultados confirmam parcialmente os obtidos anteriormente através da microscopia de luz. Pró-hemócitos: células pequenas e arredondadas, cuja delgada faixa citoplasmática é especialmente rica em ribossomos livres e pobre em sistemas membranosos. Plasmatócitos: células polimórficas, cujo citoplasma caracteriza-se por um retículo endoplasm

  4. 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.

  5. NATURE AND LAW IN THE <em>INSTITUTAS> OF GAIO NATUREZA E DIREITO NAS <em>INSTITUTAS> DE GAIO

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    Alfredo Carlos Storck

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available

    In a very famous passage of his <em>Institutes>, the ancient jurist Gaius had divided the Roman Private Law in two parts: the Civil Law and the Law of People. The former is the Law created by the Roman people, whereas the latter is the Law followed by every nation.

    Despite its classical origin, there is some disagreement among specialists about the right way to interpret this distinction. By the beginning of the 20th century, historians like Michel Villey had seen in this distinction the influence of Greek philosophy (Stoic but even Aristotelian among the Roman jurists. But Levy and more recently Kelly have challenged this view and proposed that, in the roman period, philosophers and jurists had completely distinct notions of nature and natural law. The aim of this paper is not to prove the exact influence of Greek philosophy among jurists, but only to suggest that it is not possible to give an interpretation of the classical texts without ascribing to them a theoretical notion of the natural law.

    Em uma famosa passagem de suas <em>Institutas>, o jurista romano Gaio dividiu o direito privado em duas partes: o direito civil e o direito dos povos. O primeiro é o direito criado pelo povo romano enquanto o segundo é o direito seguido por todas as nações. A despeito de sua origem clássica, os especialistas discordam acerca do modo de interpretar essa tese. No início do século XX, historiadores como Michel Villey viram na distinção sinais da influência da filosofia grega (estóica e mesmo aristotélica entre os juristas romanos. Posteriormente Levy e mais recentemente Kelly contestaram essa afirmação e defenderam que filósofos e juristas possuíam, no período clássico, noções de natureza e direito natural completamente distintas. O objetivo desse artigo não está em provar a exata influência da filosofia grega entre os juristas, mas apenas em sugerir que não é possível fornecer uma interpretação dos

  6. Local feeding specialization of the red fox (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> in response to eastern cottontail (<em>Sylvilagus floridanusem> introduction (NW Italy

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    Alessandro Balestrieri

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract To appreciate the influence of the introduction of the Eastern cottontail (<em>Sylvilagus floridanusem> on the food habits of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes, between June 1998 and February 2000 fox diet was investigated by means of scat analysis (N=115 in a 250 ha wide Natural Reserve of NW Italy, and compared with data collected in the same area prior to cottontail colonization (1988-1989. Comparison included also the diet of badgers (<em>Meles melesem>, considered as potential competitors for food resources. Alien lagomorphs (mean percent volume, Vm% = 68% represented by far the most exploited resource, only three other food items reaching values of mean percent volume barely higher than 5%. Cottontails frequency of occurrence did not vary according either to season or to their reproductive cycle (II-IX vs. X-I, whilst diet niche breadth varied inversely proportional to the use of this key-resource. Overall fox trophic niche breadth varied from 0.64 in 1988-89 to 0.31 in 1998-00 (B, Levin’s index. These findings led us to consider the feeding habits of the fox in the study area as a result of local specialization of a typical generalist carnivore, according to the predictions of optimal foraging theory. No variation occurred in the badger niche breadth since cottontail introduction, whilst niche overlap between foxes and badgers decreased from 0.59 to 0.13 (O, Pianka’s index, possibly reducing competition for food in summer. Riassunto Specializzazione alimentare a livello locale della Volpe <em>Vulpes vulpesem> in risposta all’introduzione del Silvilago <em>Sylvilagus floridanusem> (Italia nord occidentale. Per valutare gli effetti dell’introduzione del Silvilago (<em>Sylvilagus floridanusem> sul comportamento alimentare della volpe (<em>Vulpes vulpesem>, nel periodo giugno 1998-febbraio 2000, la dieta del carnivoro è stata definita tramite l’analisi di 115

  7. Metabolic Profiling of <em>Lactococcus lactisem> Under Different Culture Conditions

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    Normah Mohd Noor

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS and headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS/GC-MS were used to study metabolites produced by <em>Lactococcus lactisem> subsp. <em>cremoris> MG1363 grown at a temperature of 30 °C with and without agitation at 150 rpm, and at 37 °C without agitation. It was observed that <em>L. lactisem> produced more organic acids under agitation. Primary alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and polyols were identified as the corresponding trimethylsilyl (TMS derivatives, whereas amino acids and organic acids, including fatty acids, were detected through methyl chloroformate derivatization. HS analysis indicated that branched-chain methyl aldehydes, including 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, and 2-methylpropanal are degdradation products of isoleucine, leucine or valine. Multivariate analysis (MVA using partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA revealed the major differences between treatments were due to changes of amino acids and fermentation products.

  8. Matérias estranhas em canela em pó e páprica em pó, comercializadas no estado de São Paulo

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    CORREIA Marlene

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Com objetivos de padronizar metodologias para matérias estranhas em canela em pó e páprica em pó e de avaliar as condições higiênicas desses condimentos, foram adquiridas, no período de agosto a novembro de 1998, 78 amostras de canela em pó e 56 de páprica em pó, em estabelecimentos comerciais de seis cidades do Estado de São Paulo. Foram utilizados métodos da Association of Official Analytical Chemists International (AOAC - 1995, 16.14.12/968.38b para canela em pó e 16.14.22/977.25B para páprica em pó. Os métodos mostraram-se adequados, sem resíduos interferentes no papel de filtro que dificultasse o diagnóstico da análise e viáveis de serem utilizados nos laboratórios de Microscopia de Alimentos. Os resultados obtidos indicaram 100% das amostras contendo fragmentos de insetos; pêlos de roedor foram isolados em 73,1% de amostras de canela em pó e 34,0% de páprica em pó, enquanto ácaros mortos apareceram, respectivamente, em 37,2% e 12,5% de amostras. É necessário revisão da legislação de alimentos em vigor, com o estabelecimento de níveis de tolerância para fragmentos de insetos.

  9. Introgression of a Tombusvirus Resistance Locus from Nicotiana edwardsonii var. Columbia to N. clevelandii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoelz, James E; Wiggins, B Elizabeth; Wintermantel, William M; Ross, Kathleen

    2006-05-01

    ABSTRACT A new variety of Nicotiana, N. edwardsonii var. Columbia, was evaluated for its capacity to serve as a new source for virus resistance genes. Columbia was developed from a hybridization between N. glutinosa and N. clevelandii, the same parents used for the formation of the original N. edwardsonii. However, in contrast to the original N. edwardsonii, crosses between Columbia and either of its parents are fertile. Thus, the inheritance of virus resistance genes present in N. glutinosa could be characterized by using Columbia as a bridge plant in crosses with the susceptible parent, N. clevelandii. To determine how virus resistance genes would segregate in interspecific crosses between Columbia and N. clevelandii, we followed the fate of the N gene, a single dominant gene that specifies resistance to Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Our genetic evidence indicated that the entire chromosome containing the N gene was introgressed into N. clevelandii to create an addition line, designated N. clevelandii line 19. Although line 19 was homozygous for resistance to TMV, it remained susceptible to Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) and Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) strain W260, indicating that resistance to these viruses must reside on other N. glutinosa chromosomes. We also developed a second addition line, N. clevelandii line 36, which was homozygous for resistance to TBSV. Line 36 was susceptible to TMV and CaMV strain W260, but was resistant to other tombusviruses, including Cucumber necrosis virus, Cymbidium ringspot virus, Lettuce necrotic stunt virus, and Carnation Italian ringspot virus.

  10. Uptake and translocation of 109Cd and stable Cd within tobacco plants (Nicotiana sylvestris)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosén, K.; Eriksson, J.; Vinichuk, M.

    2012-01-01

    The availability, uptake, and translocation of recently added ( 109 Cd) and naturally occurring (stable) soil Cd within tobacco plants were compared. 109 Cd was added to soil in two treatments, A (0.25 MBq kg soil −1 DW) and B (eight-fold dose): stable Cd was measured in both treatments. Both the added and the stable Cd were higher in leaves and reproductive structures of the plant than in stalks and roots. The uptake of 109 Cd was 5.3 kBq plant −1 for treatment A and 36.7 kBq plant −1 for treatment B, and about 26 μg plant −1 for stable Cd. Leaves of the tobacco plants accumulated 40–45% of the total 109 Cd and about 50% of total stable Cd taken up by the plant. Cadmium concentration in the plant was three times higher than in roots and two times higher than the concentration in soil: the concentration in roots was lower than in the soil. - Capsule: The availability, uptake, and translocation of recently added ( 109 Cd) and naturally occurring (stable) soil Cd within tobacco plants (Nicotiana sylvestris) were investigated. - Highlights: ► We compared uptake recently added and naturally occurring soil Cd by tobacco plant. ► Both added and stable Cd display similar uptake and translocation within the plant. ► Leaves of tobacco plants accumulate half of the total Cd taken up by the plant. ► Recently added 109 Cd to soil is more available than naturally occurring cadmium.

  11. Host-Pathogen Interactions : XXXII. A Fungal Glucan Preparation Protects Nicotianae against Infection by Viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kopp, M; Rouster, J; Fritig, B; Darvill, A; Albersheim, P

    1989-05-01

    A glucan preparation obtained from the mycelial walls of the fungus Phytophthora megasperma f.sp. glycinea and known as an elicitor of phytoalexins in soybean was shown to be a very efficient inducer of resistance against viruses in tobacco. The glucan preparation protected against mechanically transmitted viral infections on the upper and lower leaf surfaces. Whether the glucan preparation was applied by injection, inoculation, or spraying, it protected the plants if applied before, at the same time as, or not later than 8 hours after virus inoculation. At concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 10 micrograms per milliliter, the glucan preparation induced protection ranging from 50 to 100% against both symptom production (necrotic local lesions, necrotic rings, or systemic mosaic) and virus accumulation in all Nicotiana-virus combinations examined. However, no significant protection against some of the same viruses was observed in bean or turnip. The host plants successfully protected included N. tabacum (9 different cultivars), N. sylvestris, N. glutinosa, and N. clevelandii. The viruses belonged to several taxonomic groups including tobacco mosaic virus, alfalfa mosaic virus, and tomato black ring virus. The glucan preparation did not act directly on the virus and did not interfere with virus disassembly; rather, it appeared to induce changes in the host plant that prevented infections from being initiated or recently established infections from enlarging. The induced resistance does not depend on induction of pathogenesis-related proteins, the phenylpropanoid pathway, lignin-like substances, or callose-like materials. We believe the induced resistance results from a mechanism that has yet to be described.

  12. Identification of a cluster IV pleiotropic drug resistance transporter gene expressed in the style of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trombik, Tomasz; Jasinski, Michal; Crouzet, Jérome; Boutry, Marc

    2008-01-01

    ATP-binding cassette transporters of the pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) subfamily are composed of five clusters. We have cloned a gene, NpPDR2, belonging to the still uncharacterized cluster IV from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. NpPDR2 transcripts were found in the roots and mature flowers. In the latter, NpPDR2 expression was restricted to the style and only after pollination. A 1.5-kb genomic sequence containing the putative NpPDR2 transcription promoter was fused to the beta-glucuronidase reporter gene. The GUS expression pattern confirmed the RT-PCR results that NpPDR2 was expressed in roots and the flower style and showed that it was localized around the conductive tissues. Unlike other PDR genes, NpPDR2 expression was not induced in leaf tissues by none of the hormones typically involved in biotic and abiotic stress response. Moreover, unlike NpPDR1 known to be involved in biotic stress response, NpPDR2 expression was not induced in the style upon Botrytis cinerea infection. In N. plumbaginifolia plants in which NpPDR2 expression was prevented by RNA interference, no unusual phenotype was observed, including at the flowering stage, which suggests that NpPDR2 is not essential in the reproductive process under the tested conditions.

  13. Identification of <em>Colletotrichum> species causing anthracnose on Tahiti lime, tree tomato and mango

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martínez Erika P.

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available

    In Colombia, citrus, tree tomato and mango crops are likely to suffer considerable losses from anthracnose caused by several <em>Colletotrichum> species, which were identified by the present study on infected organs of the three fruit crops, sampled in different regions of the country. Identification was based on their morphological and molecular characteristics, as well as on fungicide (benomyl and copper hydroxide sensitivity and pathogenicity tests. The latter assessed infectivity on both the original hosting crop and the other two crops (crossed infection, by putting the fungi in contact with organs taken from the three fruit crops. Molecular identification of the <em>Colletotrichum> species was carried out through amplification of rDNA ITS regions by means of <em>C. gloeosporioidesem> (CgInt and <em>C. acutatumem> (CaInt2 specific primer PCR combining the use of ITS4 universal primer. The results indicate that <em>C. acutatumem> is the infectious agent in Tahiti lime and tree tomato, and so is <em>C. gloeosporioidesem> in mango. Although <em>C. acutatumem> is the infectious agent in two diferent fruit species, the strains proved to be specific of their original hosts.

  14. Molecular characterization and expression study of a histidine auxotrophic mutant (his1-) of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Malki, F; Jacobs, M

    2001-01-01

    The histidine auxotroph mutant his 1(-) isolated from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia haploid protoplasts was first characterized to be deficient for the enzyme histidinol phosphate aminotransferase that is responsible for one of the last steps of histidine biosynthesis. Expression of the mutated gene at the RNA level was assessed by northern analysis of various tissues. Transcriptional activity was unimpaired by the mutation and, in contrast, a higher level of expression was obtained when compared to the wild-type. The cDNA sequence encoding the mutated gene was isolated by RT-PCR and compared to the wild-type gene. A single point mutation corresponding to the substitution of a G nucleotide by A was identified at position 1212 starting from the translation site. The alignment of the deduced amino acid sequences from the mutated and wild-type gene showed that this mutation resulted in the substitution of an Arg by a His residue at position 381. This Arg residue is a conserved amino acid for histidinol phosphate aminotransferase of many species. These results indicate that the identified mutation results in an altered histidinol phosphate aminotransferase enzyme that is unable to convert the substrate imidazole acetol phosphate to histidinol phosphate and thereby leads to the blockage of histidine biosynthesis. Possible consequences of this blockage on the expression of other amino acid biosynthesis genes were evaluated by analysing the expression of the dhdps gene encoding dihydrodipicolinate synthase, the first key enzyme of the lysine pathway.

  15. Isolamento de micobactérias em Felis concolor em cativeiro

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    María Julia Traversa

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Este trabalho foi realizado em uma reserva natural da Argentina com antecedentes de tuberculose em uma suçuarana adulta. O objetivo foi identificar por meio de técnicas bacteriológicas e de biologia molecular as espécies isoladas da orofaringe de cinco suçuaranas que apresentavam sinais clínicos inespecíficos. As amostras foram colhidas das suçuaranas após sedação. Posteriormente foram processadas para obtenção do isolamento e identificação por meio de provas bioquímicas do gênero Mycobacterium pela técnica de PCR. Investigou-se a presença das seqüências de inserção IS6110 e IS1081 e hsp65. Obtiveram-se resultados positivos à coloração de Ziehl-Neelsen de quatro amostras, isolando cinco cepas de crescimento lento. As cepas foram classificadas como M. gordonae em dois casos e M. simiae, M scrofulaceum e M. avium/intracellulare em um. Por PRA, identificou-se o padrão de M. gordonae em três cepas e M. avium III ou M. simiae em dois.

  16. Marketing em moda

    OpenAIRE

    Leães, Sabrina Durgante

    2008-01-01

    Dissertação de mestrado em Design e Marketing O actual estado do Marketing em Moda é uma das questões ainda complexa com que se debate a sociedade global. As questões do Marketing em Moda percorrem alguns aspectos fundamentais tais como as constantes mutações do meio envolvente, a forma de como é percebida e comunicada a identidade das marcas de moda, em busca da melhor forma de segmentar o mercado e definir o seu posicionamento, bem como a reacção ao produto de moda do consumidor final. ...

  17. Synthesis and Antibacterial Evaluation of New <em>N>-acylhydrazone Derivatives from Dehydroabietic Acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen Gu

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available A series of new <em>N>-acylhydrazone derivatives were synthesized in good yields through the reactions of dehydroabietic acid hydrazide with a variety of substituted arylaldehydes. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR, ESI-MS, elemental analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction. From the crystal structure of compound 4l, the C=N double bonds of these <em>N>-acylhydrazones showed (<em>E>-configuration, while the NMR data of compounds 4aq indicated the existence of two rotamers for each compound in solution. The target compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial activities against four microbial strains. The result suggested that several compounds exhibited pronounced antibacterial activities. Particularly, compound 4p exhibited good antibacterial activity against <em>Staphylococcus aureusem> and <em>Bacillus subtilisem> comparable to positive control. The possible antibacterial metabolism and the strategy for further optimization of this compound were also discussed.

  18. RNaseI from Escherichia coli cannot substitute for S-RNase in rejection of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia pollen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beecher, B; Murfett, J; McClure, B A

    1998-03-01

    Unilateral incompatibility often occurs between self-incompatible (SI) species and their self-compatible (SC) relatives. For example, SI Nicotiana alata rejects pollen from SC N. plumbaginifolia, but the reciprocal pollination is compatible. This interspecific pollen rejection system closely resembles intraspecific S-allele-specific pollen rejection. However, the two systems differ in degree of specificity. In SI, rejection is S-allele-specific, meaning that only a single S-RNase causes rejection of pollen with a specific S genotype. Rejection of N. plumbaginifolia pollen is less specific, occurring in response to almost any S-RNase. Here, we have tested whether a non-S-RNase can cause rejection of N. plumbaginifolia pollen. The Escherichia coli rna gene encoding RNAseI was engineered for expression in transgenic (N. plumbaginifolia x SC N. alata) hybrids. Expression levels and pollination behavior of hybrids expressing E. coli RNaseI were compared to controls expressing SA2-RNase from N. alata. Immunoblot analysis and RNase activity assays showed that RNaseI and SA2-RNase were expressed at comparable levels. However, expression of SA2-RNase caused rejection of N. plumbaginifolia pollen, whereas expression of RNaseI did not. Thus, in this system, RNase activity alone is not sufficient for rejection of N. plumbaginifolia pollen. The results suggest that S-RNases may be specially adapted to function in pollen rejection.

  19. The grapevine VvWRKY2 gene enhances salt and osmotic stress tolerance in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mzid, Rim; Zorrig, Walid; Ben Ayed, Rayda; Ben Hamed, Karim; Ayadi, Mariem; Damak, Yosra; Lauvergeat, Virginie; Hanana, Mohsen

    2018-06-01

    Our study aims to assess the implication of WRKY transcription factor in the molecular mechanisms of grapevine adaptation to salt and water stresses. In this respect, a full-length VvWRKY2 cDNA, isolated from a Vitis vinifera grape berry cDNA library, was constitutively over-expressed in Nicotiana tabacum seedlings. Our results showed that transgenic tobacco plants exhibited higher seed germination rates and better growth, under both salt and osmotic stress treatments, when compared to wild type plants. Furthermore, our analyses demonstrated that, under stress conditions, transgenic plants accumulated more osmolytes, such as soluble sugars and free proline, while no changes were observed regarding electrolyte leakage, H 2 O 2 , and malondialdehyde contents. The improvement of osmotic adjustment may be an important mechanism underlying the role of VvWRKY 2 in promoting tolerance and adaptation to abiotic stresses. Principal component analysis of our results highlighted a clear partition of plant response to stress. On the other hand, we observed a significant adaptation behaviour response for transgenic lines under stress. Taken together, all our findings suggest that over-expression of VvWRKY2 gene has a compelling role in abiotic stress tolerance and, therefore, would provide a useful strategy to promote abiotic stress tolerance in grape via molecular-assisted breeding and/or new biotechnology tools.

  20. Fluoroorotic acid-selected Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell lines with a stable thymine starvation phenotype have lost the thymine-regulated transcriptional program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santoso, D; Thornburg, R

    2000-08-01

    We have selected 143 independent Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell lines that survive in the presence of 5-fluoroorotic acid. These lines show several diverse phenotypes. The majority of these cell lines showed reduced levels of UMP synthase. However, one particular phenotype, which represents 14% of the total independent lines (20 cell lines), showed an unexpected, high level of UMP synthase and was therefore analyzed in detail. The selected cell lines showed no differences with wild-type cells with respect to uptake of orotic acid, affinity of UMP synthase for its substrates, or UMP synthase gene-copy number. Alternative detoxification mechanisms were also excluded. The elevated enzyme activity was correlated with elevated UMP synthase protein levels as well as elevated UMP synthase mRNA levels. In contrast to wild-type cell lines, the fluoroorotic acid-selected cell lines did not respond to thymine or to other biochemicals that affect thymine levels. In addition, there was also a concomitant up-regulation of aspartate transcarbamoylase, however, dihydroorotase and dihydroorotate dehydrogenase are not up-regulated in these cell lines.

  1. Nicotiana tabacum as model for ozone - plant surface reactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jud, Werner; Fischer, Lukas; Wohlfahrt, Georg; Tissier, Alain; Canaval, Eva; Hansel, Armin

    2015-04-01

    Elevated tropospheric ozone concentrations are considered a toxic threat to plants, responsible for global crop losses with associated economic costs of several billion dollars per year. The ensuing injuries have been related to the uptake of ozone through the stomatal pores and oxidative effects damaging the internal leaf tissue. A striking question of current research is the environment and plant specific partitioning of ozone loss between gas phase, stomatal or plant surface sink terms. Here we show results from ozone fumigation experiments using various Nicotiana Tabacum varieties, whose surfaces are covered with different amounts of unsaturated diterpenoids exuded by their glandular trichomes. Exposure to elevated ozone levels (50 to 150 ppbv) for 5 to 15 hours in an exceptionally clean cuvette system did neither result in a reduction of photosynthesis nor caused any visible leaf damage. Both these ozone induced stress effects have been observed previously in ozone fumigation experiments with the ozone sensitive tobacco line Bel-W3. In our case ozone fumigation was accompanied by a continuous release of oxygenated volatile organic compounds, which could be clearly associated to their condensed phase precursors for the first time. Gas phase reactions of ozone were avoided by choosing a high enough gas exchange rate of the plant cuvette system. In the case of the Ambalema variety, that is known to exude only the diterpenoid cis-abienol, ozone fumigation experiments yield the volatiles formaldehyde and methyl vinyl ketone (MVK). The latter could be unequivocally separated from isomeric methacrolein (MACR) by the aid of a Selective Reagent Ion Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (SRI-ToF-MS), which was switched every six minutes from H3O+ to NO+ primary ion mode and vice versa. Consistent with the picture of an ozone protection mechanism caused by reactive diterpenoids at the leaf surface are the results from dark-light experiments. The ozone loss obtained from the

  2. Infracommunities of intestinal helminths of the Red Fox <em>Vulpes vulpesem> (Linnaeus, 1758 from Italian Alps

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    Anna Rita Di Cerbo

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available <em>Vulpes vulpesem> (Linnaeus, 1758 is one of the most common carnivore in Italy and its spread includes almost the whole national territory. The species shows an high ecological plasticity and a variable diet composition connected in part to human sources. This high adaptability permits the red foxes to colonize different habitats like the suburbs of large cities as well as the small villages located in mountain areas. On the other hand, the tourism pressure seems to assume a great importance in the Alps, also in those areas where the foxes live. So, indirect interactions could take place between these animals and the humans. The role of <em>V. vulpesem> in the zoonoses has not to be understated since this carnivore could transmit parasitic diseases that are able to cause serious pathologies in humans. This study aims just to investigate on intestinal communities of helmiths of <em>V. vulpesem> in order to make progress in current knowledge on epidemiological situation in Italian Alps. During 1998-2003, we have examined 450 foxes from Trentino Alto Adige, Veneto, Lombardia and Valle d'Aosta. The specimens collected were found dead or have been hunted (according to national law n. 157/92 in localities situated between 170 and 2200 m a.s.l. The carcasses were carried to the provincial sections of Zooprofilattici Institutes, where the intestine was drawn by each sample and all the material was sent to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Milan. Parasitological examination of the small intestines was performed by the analysis of the whole sediment and counting technique (SCT. Parasites were preserved in alcohol 70° before to be clarified or stained and identified by microscope (Zeiss Axioscop. Mean abundance, mean intensity and prevalence were calculated for each taxon of helminth. Dates of sampling were grouped within the four seasons. Statistic tests were performed with software package SPSS rel. 11.5 and spatial analysis with the

  3. Enzymatic Properties and Mutational Studies of Chalcone Synthase from <em>Physcomitrella patensem>

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    Mahiran Basri

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available <em>Pp>CHS is a member of the type III polyketide synthase family and catalyses the synthesis of the flavonoid precursor naringenin chalcone from <em>p>-coumaroyl-CoA. Recent research reports the production of pyrone derivatives using either hexanoyl-CoA or butyryl-CoA as starter molecule. The Cys-His-Asn catalytic triad found in other plant chalcone synthase predicted polypeptides is conserved in <em>Pp>CHS. Site directed mutagenesis involving these amino acids residing in the active-site cavity revealed that the cavity volume of the active-site plays a significant role in the selection of starter molecules as well as product formation. Substitutions of Cys 170 with Arg and Ser amino acids decreased the ability of the <em>Pp>CHS to utilize hexanoyl-CoA as a starter molecule, which directly effected the production of pyrone derivatives (products. These substitutions are believed to have a restricted number of elongations of the growing polypeptide chain due to the smaller cavity volume of the mutant’s active site.

  4. Gene expression analysis by cDNA-AFLP highlights a set of new signaling networks and translational control during seed dormancy breaking in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bove, Jérôme; Lucas, Philippe; Godin, Béatrice; Ogé, Laurent; Jullien, Marc; Grappin, Philippe

    2005-03-01

    Seed dormancy in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia is characterized by an abscisic acid accumulation linked to a pronounced germination delay. Dormancy can be released by 1 year after-ripening treatment. Using a cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) approach we compared the gene expression patterns of dormant and after-ripened seeds, air-dry or during one day imbibition and analyzed 15,000 cDNA fragments. Among them 1020 were found to be differentially regulated by dormancy. Of 412 sequenced cDNA fragments, 83 were assigned to a known function by search similarities to public databases. The functional categories of the identified dormancy maintenance and breaking responsive genes, give evidence that after-ripening turns in the air-dry seed to a new developmental program that modulates, at the RNA level, components of translational control, signaling networks, transcriptional control and regulated proteolysis.

  5. The chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA type are correlated with the nuclear composition of somatic hybrid calli of Solanum tuberosum and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

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    Wolters, A M; Koornneef, M; Gilissen, L J

    1993-09-01

    This paper describes the analysis of chloroplast (cp) DNA and mitochondrial (mt) DNA in 21 somatic hybrid calli of Solanum tuberosum and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia by means of Southern-blot hybridization. Each of these calli contained only one type of cpDNA; 14 had the N. plumbaginifolia (Np) type and seven the S. tuberosum (St) type. N. plumbaginifolia cpDNA was present in hybrids previously shown to contain predominantly N. plumbaginifolia chromosomes whereas hybrids in which S. tuberosum chromosomes predominated possessed cpDNA from potato. We have analyzed the mtDNA of these 21 somatic hybrid calli using four restriction enzyme/probe combinations. Most fusion products had only, or mostly, mtDNA fragments from the parent that predominated in the nucleus. The hybrids containing mtDNA fragments from only one parent (and new fragments) also possessed chloroplasts from the same species. The results suggest the existence of a strong nucleo-cytoplasmic incongruity which affects the genome composition of somatic hybrids between distantly related species.

  6. Structural and functional similarities between osmotin from Nicotiana tabacum seeds and human adiponectin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miele, Marco; Costantini, Susan; Colonna, Giovanni

    2011-02-02

    Osmotin, a plant protein, specifically binds a seven transmembrane domain receptor-like protein to exert its biological activity via a RAS2/cAMP signaling pathway. The receptor protein is encoded in the gene ORE20/PHO36 and the mammalian homolog of PHO36 is a receptor for the human hormone adiponectin (ADIPOR1). Moreover it is known that the osmotin domain I can be overlapped to the β-barrel domain of adiponectin. Therefore, these observations and some already existing structural and biological data open a window on a possible use of the osmotin or of its derivative as adiponectin agonist. We have modelled the three-dimensional structure of the adiponectin trimer (ADIPOQ), and two ADIPOR1 and PHO36 receptors. Moreover, we have also modelled the following complexes: ADIPOQ/ADIPOR1, osmotin/PHO36 and osmotin/ADIPOR1. We have then shown the structural determinants of these interactions and their physico-chemical features and analyzed the related interaction residues involved in the formation of the complexes. The stability of the modelled structures and their complexes was always evaluated and controlled by molecular dynamics. On the basis of these results a 9 residues osmotin peptide was selected and its interaction with ADIPOR1 and PHO36 was modelled and analysed in term of energetic stability by molecular dynamics. To confirm in vivo the molecular modelling data, osmotin has been purified from nicotiana tabacum seeds and its nine residues peptide synthesized. We have used cultured human synovial fibroblasts that respond to adiponectin by increasing the expression of IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta via ADIPOR1. The biological effect on fibroblasts of osmotin and its peptide derivative has been found similar to that of adiponectin confirming the results found in silico.

  7. Production of Complex Multiantennary N-Glycans in Nicotiana benthamiana Plants1[W][OA

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    Nagels, Bieke; Van Damme, Els J.M.; Pabst, Martin; Callewaert, Nico; Weterings, Koen

    2011-01-01

    In recent years, plants have been developed as an alternative expression system to mammalian hosts for the production of therapeutic proteins. Many modifications to the plant glycosylation machinery have been made to render it more human because of the importance of glycosylation for functionality, serum half-life, and the safety profile of the expressed proteins. These modifications include removal of plant-specific β1,2-xylose and core α1,3-fucose, and addition of bisecting N-acetylglucosamine, β1,4-galactoses, and sialic acid residues. Another glycosylation step that is essential for the production of complex human-type glycans is the synthesis of multiantennary structures, which are frequently found on human N-glycans but are not generated by wild-type plants. Here, we report both the magnICON-based transient as well as stable introduction of the α1,3-mannosyl-β1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnT-IV isozymes a and b) and α1,6-mannosyl-β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnT-V) in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. The enzymes were targeted to the Golgi apparatus by fusing their catalytic domains to the plant-specific localization signals of xylosyltransferase and fucosyltransferase. The GnT-IV and -V modifications were tested in the wild-type background, but were also combined with the RNA interference-mediated knockdown of β1,2-xylosyltransferase and α1,3-fucosyltransferase. Results showed that triantennary Gn[GnGn] and [GnGn]Gn N-glycans could be produced according to the expected activities of the respective enzymes. Combination of the two enzymes by crossing stably transformed GnT-IV and GnT-V plants showed that up to 10% tetraantennary [GnGn][GnGn], 25% triantennary, and 35% biantennary N-glycans were synthesized. All transgenic plants were viable and showed no aberrant phenotype under standard growth conditions. PMID:21233332

  8. Estudos sobre a resistência ao jejum e aspectos nutricionais de Triatoma lecticularia (Stal, 1859 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae Studies on the resistance to fasting and nutritional aspects of Triatoma lecticularia (Stal, 1859 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae

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    José Jurberg

    1989-09-01

    Full Text Available Foi feito um estudo sobre a resistência ao jejum em todas as fases evolutivas e pesagens em diferentes situações nutricionais de Triatoma lecticularia (alimentado; não alimentado; na morte após o jejum com temperatura e umidade registradas. Observou-se que os períodos de resistência das fases ninfais apresentaram médias (dias crescentes: 1º: 45,84; 2º: 61; 3º: 88,74; 4º: 123,47; 5º 162,30. Na fase adulta as médias foram aproximadas à do 3º estádio (para os machos 88,94 e para as fêmeas 83,66. O procedimento de pesagens permitiu registrar a quantidade de sangue ingerido, a perda de peso durante o jejum e o respectivo percentual em relação ao peso inicial. Esta espécie tem assinalada sua distribuição geográfica na região Neártica, onde tem sido encontrda infectada com Trypanosoma cruzi associada a Neotoma micropus Baird e Spermophilus variagatus (Erxeleben.The resistance to fasting of Triatoma lecticularia was studied in all phases of the life cycle and the insect weighed in different nutritional situations (fed, not fed, death after starvation. The temperature and humidity level were also recorded. The nymphal phases showed increasing resistance to fasting as demonstrated by the following averages (days 1st 45.84; 2nd 61; 3rd 88.74; 4th 123.44; 5th 162.30. Upon the adult phase, the averages were similar to those of the 3rd stage for the male insects 88.94 and for females 83.66. The weighing technique allowed for the measeurement of the quantity of blood ingested, the weight loss during the fast and the percentage weight lost as related to the initial weight. The species is found in the Neartic region where it has been found infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and is associated with the terrestial rodents Neotoma micropus Baird and Spermophilus variagatus (Erxelebem.

  9. A taxonomic monograph of the assassin bug genus Zelus Fabricius (Hemiptera: Reduviidae): 71 species based on 10,000 specimens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hart, Elwood R; Weirauch, Christiane

    2016-01-01

    Abstract The New World assassin bug genus Zelus Fabricius, 1803 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae: Harpactorini) is revised based on more than 10,000 specimens. Seventy-one species are recognized and twenty-four described as new: Zelus aithaleos sp. n., Zelus amblycephalus sp. n., Zelus antiguensis sp. n., Zelus auralanus sp. n., Zelus bahiaensis sp. n., Zelus banksi sp. n., Zelus casii sp. n., Zelus championi sp. n., Zelus cordazulus sp. n., Zelus fuliginatus sp. n., Zelus gilboventris sp. n., Zelus gracilipes sp. n., Zelus grandoculus sp. n., Zelus kartaboides sp. n., Zelus lewisi sp. n., Zelus panamensis sp. n., Zelus paracephalus sp. n., Zelus rosulentus sp. n., Zelus russulumus sp. n., Zelus spatulosus sp. n., Zelus truxali sp. n., Zelus umbraculoides sp. n., Zelus umbraculus sp. n., and Zelus xouthos sp. n. Five species, Zelus araneiformis Haviland, 1931, Zelus gradarius Bergroth, 1905, Zelus modestus (Stål, 1862), Zelus subfasciatus Stål, 1860 and Zelus vittaticeps Stål, 1866, are removed from Zelus and placed incertae sedis within Harpactorini. Nine new synonyms are recognized (senior synonym in parentheses): Zelus atripes Champion, 1898 syn. nov. (=Zelus conjungens [Stål, 1860]), Zelus dispar Fabricius, 1803 syn. nov. (=Zelus pedestris Fabricius, 1803), Zelus formosus Haviland, 1931 syn. nov. (=Zelus laticornis Herrich-Schaeffer, 1853), Zelus obscuridorsis (Stål, 1860) syn. nov. (=Zelus pedestris), Zelus pallidinervus Haviland, 1931 syn. nov. (=Zelus kartabensis Haviland, 1931), Zelus personatus Berg, 1879 syn. nov. (=Zelus versicolor Herrich-Schaeffer, 1848), Zelus trimaculatus Champion, 1898 syn. nov. (=Zelus means Fabricius, 1803), Zelus trimaculicollis (Stål, 1855) syn. nov. (=Zelus means), and Zelus tristis Haviland, 1931 syn. nov. (=Zelus laticornis). Zelus conjungens (Stål, 1860) stat. rev. Is resurrected from junior synonymy with zealous armillatus (Lepeletier & Seville, 1825). Zelus ambulans Stål, 1862 stat. rev

  10. A taxonomic monograph of the assassin bug genus Zelus Fabricius (Hemiptera: Reduviidae): 71 species based on 10,000 specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Guanyang; Hart, Elwood R; Weirauch, Christiane

    2016-01-01

    The New World assassin bug genus Zelus Fabricius, 1803 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae: Harpactorini) is revised based on more than 10,000 specimens. Seventy-one species are recognized and twenty-four described as new: Zelus aithaleos sp. n., Zelus amblycephalus sp. n., Zelus antiguensis sp. n., Zelus auralanus sp. n., Zelus bahiaensis sp. n., Zelus banksi sp. n., Zelus casii sp. n., Zelus championi sp. n., Zelus cordazulus sp. n., Zelus fuliginatus sp. n., Zelus gilboventris sp. n., Zelus gracilipes sp. n., Zelus grandoculus sp. n., Zelus kartaboides sp. n., Zelus lewisi sp. n., Zelus panamensis sp. n., Zelus paracephalus sp. n., Zelus rosulentus sp. n., Zelus russulumus sp. n., Zelus spatulosus sp. n., Zelus truxali sp. n., Zelus umbraculoides sp. n., Zelus umbraculus sp. n., and Zelus xouthos sp. n. Five species, Zelus araneiformis Haviland, 1931, Zelus gradarius Bergroth, 1905, Zelus modestus (Stål, 1862), Zelus subfasciatus Stål, 1860 and Zelus vittaticeps Stål, 1866, are removed from Zelus and placed incertae sedis within Harpactorini. Nine new synonyms are recognized (senior synonym in parentheses): Zelus atripes Champion, 1898 syn. nov. (=Zelus conjungens [Stål, 1860]), Zelus dispar Fabricius, 1803 syn. nov. (=Zelus pedestris Fabricius, 1803), Zelus formosus Haviland, 1931 syn. nov. (=Zelus laticornis Herrich-Schaeffer, 1853), Zelus obscuridorsis (Stål, 1860) syn. nov. (=Zelus pedestris), Zelus pallidinervus Haviland, 1931 syn. nov. (=Zelus kartabensis Haviland, 1931), Zelus personatus Berg, 1879 syn. nov. (=Zelus versicolor Herrich-Schaeffer, 1848), Zelus trimaculatus Champion, 1898 syn. nov. (=Zelus means Fabricius, 1803), Zelus trimaculicollis (Stål, 1855) syn. nov. (=Zelus means), and Zelus tristis Haviland, 1931 syn. nov. (=Zelus laticornis). Zelus conjungens (Stål, 1860) stat. rev. Is resurrected from junior synonymy with zealous armillatus (Lepeletier & Seville, 1825). Zelus ambulans Stål, 1862 stat. rev. and Zelus

  11. Accumulation, Biotransformation, Histopathology and Paralysis in the Pacific Calico Scallop <em>Argopecten ventricosusem> by the Paralyzing Toxins of the Dinoflagellate <em>Gymnodinium catenatumem>

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    Rosalba Alonso-Rodriguez

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The dinoflagellate <em>Gymnodinium catenatumem> produces paralyzing shellfish poisons that are consumed and accumulated by bivalves. We performed short-term feeding experiments to examine ingestion, accumulation, biotransformation, histopathology, and paralysis in the juvenile Pacific calico scallop <em>Argopecten ventricosusem> that consume this dinoflagellate. Depletion of algal cells was measured in closed systems. Histopathological preparations were microscopically analyzed. Paralysis was observed and the time of recovery recorded. Accumulation and possible biotransformation of toxins were measured by HPLC analysis. Feeding activity in treated scallops showed that scallops produced pseudofeces, ingestion rates decreased at 8 h; approximately 60% of the scallops were paralyzed and melanin production and hemocyte aggregation were observed in several tissues at 15 h. HPLC analysis showed that the only toxins present in the dinoflagellates and scallops were the <em>N>-sulfo-carbamoyl toxins (C1, C2; after hydrolysis, the carbamate toxins (epimers GTX2/3 were present. C1 and C2 toxins were most common in the mantle, followed by the digestive gland and stomach-complex, adductor muscle, kidney and rectum group, and finally, gills. Toxin profiles in scallop tissue were similar to the dinoflagellate; biotransformations were not present in the scallops in this short-term feeding experiment.

  12. Identification of Volatile Components of Liverwort (<em>Porella cordaeanaem> Extracts Using GC/MS-SPME and Their Antimicrobial Activity

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    Maria Elisabetta Guerzoni

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Chemical constituents of liverwort (<em>Porella cordaeanaem> extracts have been identified using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS. The methanol, ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts were rich in terpenoids such as sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (53.12%, 51.68%, 23.16%, and monoterpene hydrocarbons (22.83%, 18.90%, 23.36%, respectively. The dominant compounds in the extracts were β-phellandrene (15.54%, 13.66%, 12.10% and β-caryophyllene (10.72%, 8.29%, 7.79%, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated against eleven food microorganisms using the microdilution and disc diffusion methods. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC varied from 0.50 to 2.00 mg/mL for yeast strains (<em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae 635em>, <em>Zygosacharomyces bailii 45em>, <em>Aerobasidium pullulans L6Fem>, <em>Pichia membranaefaciens OC 71em>, <em>Pichia membranaefaciens OC 70em>, <em>Pichia anomalaem> <em>CBS 5759em>, <em>Pichia anomala DBVPG 3003em> and<em> em>>Yarrowia lipolytica RO13em>, and from 1.00 to 3.00 mg/mL for bacterial strains<em> em>(Salmonella> <em>enteritidis 155em>, <em>Escherichia coli 555em> and <em>Listeria monocytogenes 56Lyem>. Methanol extract showed better activity in comparison with ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts. High percentages of monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons could be responsible for the better antimicrobial activity.

  13. EM International. Volume 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1993-07-01

    It is the intent of EM International to describe the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management`s (EM`s) various roles and responsibilities within the international community. Cooperative agreements and programs, descriptions of projects and technologies, and synopses of visits to international sites are all highlighted in this semiannual journal. Focus on EM programs in this issue is on international collaboration in vitrification projects. Technology highlights covers: in situ sealing for contaminated sites; and remote sensors for toxic pollutants. Section on profiles of countries includes: Arctic contamination by the former Soviet Union, and EM activities with Germany--cooperative arrangements.

  14. Biologically active, magnICON®-expressed EPO-Fc from stably transformed Nicotiana benthamiana plants presenting tetra-antennary N-glycan structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagels, Bieke; Van Damme, Els J M; Callewaert, Nico; Zabeau, Lennart; Tavernier, Jan; Delanghe, Joris R; Boets, Annemie; Castilho, Alexandra; Weterings, Koen

    2012-08-31

    In the past two decades plants have emerged as a valuable alternative for the production of pharmaceutical proteins. Since N-glycosylation influences functionality and stability of therapeutic proteins, the plant N-glycosylation pathway should be humanized. Here, we report the transient magnICON(®) expression of the erythropoietin fusion protein (EPO-Fc) in Nicotiana benthamiana plants that produce multi-antennary N-glycans without the plant-specific β1,2-xylose and α1,3-fucose residues in a stable manner (Nagels et al., 2011). The EPO-Fc fusion protein consists of EPO with a C-terminal-linked IgG-Fc domain and is used for pulmonary delivery of recombinant EPO to patients (Bitonti et al., 2004). Plant expressed EPO-Fc was quantified using a paramagnetic-particle chemiluminescent immunoassay and shown to be active in vitro via receptor binding experiments in HEK293T cells. Mass spectrometry-based N-glycan analysis confirmed the presence of multi-antennary N-glycans on plant-expressed EPO-Fc. The described research is the next step towards the development of a production platform for pharmaceutical proteins in plants. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Home range dynamics of mountain hare (<em>Lepus timidusem> in the Swiss Alps

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    Anne-Sophie Genini-Gamboni

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Little is known on the ecology and behaviour of alpine mountain hare (<em>Lepus timidusem>. Between 1996 and 1997 we analysed by radiotracking the pattern of space use of 8 mountain hares from the Swiss Alps. We estimated home range size using both the kernel density estimator and the minimum convex polygon. We found smaller ranges (38 ha compared to those reported for the species in boreal or arctic habitats, but similar to ranges in Scotland. Hares did not use a centre of major activity (core area and showed high home range overlap, confirming their non-territorial behaviour. Smaller ranges were used during winter compared to the other seasons, whilst no difference in size was found between sexes. Riassunto Dinamica dell'uso dello spazio della lepre bianca (<em>Lepus timidusem> nelle Alpi Svizzere Le informazioni relative all'ecologia e al comportamento della lepre alpina (<em>Lepus timidusem> sono ad oggi scarse. In questo studio abbiamo analizzato l'utilizzo dello spazio di una popolazione di lepre bianca sulle Alpi Svizzere. Tra il 1996 e il 1997 sono stati marcati con redio collare 8 individui di lepre alpina. L'<em>home rangeem> è stato calcolato utilizzando lo stimatore di densità kernel (KDE ed il metodo del minimo poligono convesso (MCP. L'ampiezza degli <em>home rangeem> (38 ha è risultata inferiore a quella riportata per la specie in habitat boreali ed artici. ma simile a quella riscontrata in Scozia. All'interno dell <em>home rangeem> non è stato rilevato alcun centro di maggiore attività (<em>core areaem> ed è stata evidenziata una notevole sovrapposizione tra gli stessi, confermando la non territorialità della specie. Le aree frequentate in inverno sono risultate più piccole rispetto alle altre stagioni e non sono state riscontrate differenze tra i sessi.

  16. <em>Botulinum Neurotoxinem> A Injections Influence Stretching of the Gastrocnemius Muscle-Tendon Unit in an Animal Model

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    Christopher J. Tuohy

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available <em>Botulinum Neurotoxinem> A (BoNT-A injections have been used for the treatment of muscle contractures and spasticity. This study assessed the influence of (BoNT-A injections on passive biomechanical properties of the muscle-tendon unit. Mouse gastrocnemius muscle (GC was injected with BoNT-A (<em>n> = 18 or normal saline (<em>n> = 18 and passive, non-destructive, <em>in vivoem> load relaxation experimentation was performed to examine how the muscle-tendon unit behaves after chemical denervation with BoNT-A. Injection of BoNT-A impaired passive muscle recovery (15% <em>vs.> 35% recovery to pre-stretching baseline, <em>p> < 0.05 and decreased GC stiffness (0.531 ± 0.061 N/mm <em>vs.> 0.780 ± 0.037 N/mm, <em>p> < 0.05 compared to saline controls. The successful use of BoNT-A injections as an adjunct to physical therapy may be in part attributed to the disruption of the stretch reflex; thereby modulating <em>in vivoem> passive muscle properties. However, it is also possible that BoNT-A injection may alter the structure of skeletal muscle; thus modulating the <em>in vivoem> passive biomechanical properties of the muscle-tendon unit.

  17. Seasonal changes of trophic niche overlap in the stone marten (<em>Martes foinaem> and the red fox (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> in a mountainous area of the Northern Apennines (N-Italy

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    Anna Brangi

    1995-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Between 1989 and 1991, 284 scats of stone marten (<em>Martes foinaem> and 642 scats of red fox (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> were collected in a 280 km² mountainous area in the northern Apennines. The scats were analyzed to identify differences between the two species' diets. The prey were grouped in 6 food categories: Fruits, Other Vegetables, Small Mammals, Other Vertebrates, Invertebrates and Garbage. Annual trophic niche was wider in the Red fox (0.62 than in the stone marten (0.53. We also found a large overlap between the two species with some small differences: Other Vertebrates, Small Mammals and Other Vegetables were more used by the Red fox, while Fruits were more used by the stone marten. Riassunto Variazioni stagionali della sovrapposizione di nicchia trofica della faina (<em>Martes foinaem> e della volpe (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> in un'area montana degli Appennini settentrionali - Tra il 1989 e il 1991 sono state raccolte 284 feci di faina (<em>Martes foinaem> e 642 feci di volpe (<em>Vulpes vulpesem> in un'area montuosa di 280 km² situata nell'Appennino settentrionale. Le feci sono state analizzate per evidenziare le eventuali differenze nella dieta delle due specie. Le singole prede sono state raggruppate in 6 categorie alimentari: Frutta, Altri Vegetali, Micromammiferi, Altri Vertebrati, Invertebrati, Rifiuti. L'ampiezza annuale della dieta è risultata maggiore nella Volpe (0,62 che non nella Faina (0,53. È stata trovata inoltre una larga sovrapposizione tra le due specie con alcune differenze nell'uso degli Altri Vertebrati, dei Micromammiferi e degli Altri Vegetali che è maggiore nella Volpe e della Frutta, maggiore nella Faina.

  18. Biología y ciclo reproductivo de <em>Apanteles gelechiidivorisem> (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, parasitoide de <em>Tuta absolutaem> (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae

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    Bajonero Johanna

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available

    <em>Apanteles gelechiidivorisem> es un parasitoide de larvas de <em>Tuta absolutaem> (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae, una plaga importante de cultivos como el tomate y la papa. El uso de este insecto para el control biológico no se ha implementado eficientemente debido a la falta de conocimiento de la biología, específicamente del ciclo de vida y el efecto de factores externos, como la temperatura, en su capacidad parasítica. Se evaluó el desarrollo y la capacidad reproductiva de <em>A. gelechiidivorisem> en cuatro condiciones térmicas: 14, 20, 26 y 32 °C. En la evaluación del desarrollo se realizó una descripción del ciclo, se determinó la duración total de este, se estimaron los umbrales térmicos para cada estadio utilizando el modelo de Lactin y se hallaron los grados día. En la evaluación de la capacidad reproductiva se variaron las densidades del hospedero ofrecidas a una pareja recién emergida de la avispa de 5 hasta 160 y se contó el número de adultos emergidos con los cuales se evaluó longevidad y fecundidad. Adicionalmente se ajustó un modelo de respuesta funcional. La duración del ciclo de vida para las temperaturas evaluadas fue de 39 días en 14 °C, 34 en 20 °C, 19 en 26 °C y 17 en 32 °C. La longevidad fue de 7,5 (14 °C, 7 (20 °C, 5 (26 °C y 2,4 (32 °C días. La temperatura a la cual se pueden optimizar los parámetros reproductivos de esta avispa se encuentra entre 20 y 26 °C.

  19. Feeding habits of the genet <em>Genetta genettaem> in an Iberian continental wetland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maite Sánchez

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract This study quantified the diet of the genet <em>Genetta genettaem> in an Iberian continental wetland, the Galachos Nature Reserve, northern Spain, based on the frequency with which items appeared in five monthly-surveyed latrines during 2004-2005. Prey types were identified <em>de visuem> using identification keys and expert advice. the genet was confirmed as an opportunistic and generalist predator, its diet including mammals (95.0%, plants (68.3% and arthropods (60.0% as main prey. With the exception of a newly available prey species, the alien crayfish <em>Procambarus clarkiiem>, the genet probably consumed arthropods because of chance encounters rather than active search. The consumption of fruits and small mammals varied seasonally. Riassunto Alimentazione della genetta <em>Genetta genettaem> in un'area umida continentale della penisola iberica La dieta della genetta è stata investigata in un'area umida interna della Spagna settentrionale, la riserva Naturale dei Galachos. La frequenza di ciascuna categoria alimentare è stata espressa come numero di occorrenze mansili in cinque latrine monitorate per il periodo 2004-2005. Le categorie sono state identificate <em>de visuem> tramite chiavi per il riconoscimento o l'intervento di singoli esperti. I risultati confermano il comportamento alimentare generalista e opportunista della genetta. La dieta ha incluso principalmente mammiferi (95%, vegetali (68.3% e artropodi (60%. Questi ultimi, con l'eccezione del gambero <em>Procambarus clarkiiem>, introdotto e di recente presenza, sono probabilmente utilizzati in modo opportunistico, piuttosto che in seguito a ricerca attiva. L'uso dei frutti e dei micromammiferi varia stagionalmente.

  20. Polymethoxyflavones from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (Solanaceae Exert Antinociceptive and Neuropharmacological Effects in Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md. Shafiullah Shajib

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Polymethoxylavones (PMFs are known to exhibit significant anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, an annual Bangladeshi herb, is rich in polymethoxyflavones that possess significant analgesic and anxiolytic activities. The present study aimed to determine the antinociceptive and neuropharmacological activities of polyoxygenated flavonoids namely- 3,3′,5,6,7,8-hexamethoxy-4′,5′-methylenedioxyflavone (1, 3,3′,4′,5′,5,6,7,8-octamethoxyflavone (exoticin (2, 6,7,4′,5′-dimethylenedioxy-3,5,3′-trimethoxyflavone (3, and 3,3′,4′,5,5′,8-hexamethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone (4, isolated and identified from N. plumbaginifolia. Antinociceptive activity was assessed using the acetic-acid induced writhing, hot plate, tail immersion, formalin and carrageenan-induced paw edema tests, whereas neuropharmacological effects were evaluated in the hole cross, open field and elevated plus maze test. Oral treatment of compounds 1, 3, and 4 (12.5–25 mg/kg b.w. exhibited dose-dependent and significant (p < 0.01 antinociceptive activity in the acetic-acid, formalin, carrageenan, and thermal (hot plate-induced pain models. The association of ATP-sensitive K+ channel and opioid systems in their antinociceptive effect was obvious from the antagonist effect of glibenclamide and naloxone, respectively. These findings suggested central and peripheral antinociceptive activities of the compounds. Compound 1, 3, and 4 (12.5 mg/kg b.w. demonstrated significant (p < 0.05 anxiolytic-like activity in the elevated plus-maze test, while the involvement of GABAA receptor in the action of compound 3 and 4 was evident from the reversal effects of flumazenil. In addition, compounds 1 and 4 (12.5–25 mg/kg b.w exhibited anxiolytic activity without altering the locomotor responses. The present study suggested that the polymethoxyflavones (1–4 from N. Plumbaginifolia could be considered as suitable candidates for the development

  1. Roost selection by barbastelle bats (<em>Barbastella barbastellusem>, Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae in beech woodlands of central Italy

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    Danilo Russo

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available The barbastelle bat, <em>Barbastella barbastellusem> (Schreber, 1774 is a medium-sized, tree-dwelling vespertilionid classified as ?Endangered? in Italy; in western Europe it may be one of the rarest bat species. <em>B. barbastellusem> shows roosting preferences that should be regarded as a key point in conservation protocols. We examined roost selection in a breeding population of <em>B. barbastellusem> from the Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park (central Italy at three levels: woodland structure and management type; tree characteristics; and cavity characteristics. In 2001-2002, we fitted 31 adult <em>B. barbastellusem> (29 lactating females, one pregnant female and one male with 0.48g radio-tags and tracked them to their roost-trees. The bats were tracked for 4.5 ± 3.7 days (range: 0-12 days. We located 33 roosts used by 25 subjects (1.8±1.2 roosts/bat, range 1-5. The bats switched roosts frequently: 13 bats used more than one tree over the study period. A chi-square analysis showed that the roosts were not distributed at random across woodland categories: unmanaged woodland was positively selected, whereas shelterwood-harvested woodland was used in proportion to its availability, and ?pastures+scattered trees? was avoided. Twenty out of 33 roost trees were dead <em>Fagus sylvaticaem> trees; conversely, living <em>F. sylvaticaem> dominated in a tree sample obtained at random; dead trees were used more than expected (Χ² test, <em>P> <0.001. Overall, roost trees were significantly taller and had a larger diameter at breast?s height and more cavities than random trees; they also had a lower percent canopy closure than random trees. To highlight which variables were actually associated with selection, we devised a logistic regression model. The full model was significant (<em>P> <0.001; removal of tree type and tree height affected the model significantly, but the other variables did not produce detectable effects. The

  2. Synthesis and Sensory Evaluation of <em>ent>-Kaurane Diterpene Glycosides

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    Venkata Sai Prakash Chaturvedula

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Catalytic hydrogenation of the three <em>ent>-kaurane diterpene glycosides isolated from <em>Stevia rebaudianaem>, namely rubusoside, stevioside, and rebaudioside-A has been carried out using Pd(OH2 and their corresponding dihydro derivatives have been isolated as the products. Synthesis of reduced steviol glycosides was performed using straightforward chemistry and their structures were characterized on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectral data and chemical studies. Also, we report herewith the sensory evaluation of all the reduced compounds against their corresponding original steviol glycosides and sucrose for the sweetness property of these molecules.

  3. Pea early-browning virus -mediated genome editing via the CRISPR/Cas9 system in Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis

    KAUST Repository

    Ali, Zahir; Eid, Ayman; Ali, Shawkat; Mahfouz, Magdy M.

    2017-01-01

    The clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas9) system has enabled efficient genome engineering in diverse plant species. However, delivery of genome engineering reagents, such as the single guide RNA (sgRNA), into plant cells remains challenging. Here, we report the engineering of Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) and Pea early browning virus (PEBV) to deliver one or multiple sgRNAs into Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis thaliana (Col-0) plants that overexpress a nuclear localization signal containing Cas9. Our data showed that TRV and PEBV can deliver sgRNAs into inoculated and systemic leaves, and this resulted in mutagenesis of the targeted genomic loci. Moreover, in N. benthamiana, PEBV-based sgRNA delivery resulted in more targeted mutations than TRV-based delivery. Our data indicate that TRV and PEBV can facilitate plant genome engineering and can be used to produce targeted mutations for functional analysis and other biotechnological applications across diverse plant species.Key message: Delivery of genome engineering reagents into plant cells is challenging and inefficient and this limit the applications of this technology in many plant species. RNA viruses such as TRV and PEBV provide an efficient tool to systemically deliver sgRNAs for targeted genome modification.

  4. Pea early-browning virus -mediated genome editing via the CRISPR/Cas9 system in Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis

    KAUST Repository

    Ali, Zahir

    2017-10-17

    The clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas9) system has enabled efficient genome engineering in diverse plant species. However, delivery of genome engineering reagents, such as the single guide RNA (sgRNA), into plant cells remains challenging. Here, we report the engineering of Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) and Pea early browning virus (PEBV) to deliver one or multiple sgRNAs into Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis thaliana (Col-0) plants that overexpress a nuclear localization signal containing Cas9. Our data showed that TRV and PEBV can deliver sgRNAs into inoculated and systemic leaves, and this resulted in mutagenesis of the targeted genomic loci. Moreover, in N. benthamiana, PEBV-based sgRNA delivery resulted in more targeted mutations than TRV-based delivery. Our data indicate that TRV and PEBV can facilitate plant genome engineering and can be used to produce targeted mutations for functional analysis and other biotechnological applications across diverse plant species.Key message: Delivery of genome engineering reagents into plant cells is challenging and inefficient and this limit the applications of this technology in many plant species. RNA viruses such as TRV and PEBV provide an efficient tool to systemically deliver sgRNAs for targeted genome modification.

  5. Ploidia de DNA em astrocitomas: estudo em 66 pacientes brasileiros

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    KRUTMAN-ZVEIBIL DEBORAH

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available A determinação do conteúdo de DNA nuclear (fração de fase S e ploidia de DNA foi realizada por meio de análise de imagem em 66 astrocitomas, a partir de material fixado em formalina e seccionado em cortes de 5 micrômetros corados pela técnica de Feulgen. Nossos resultados mostraram forte relação entre a idade do paciente, grau histológico e sobrevida , com a ploidia de DNA e o percentual de células em fase de síntese. A análise da atividade proliferativa de astrocitomas intracranianos é a nosso ver muito útil no entendimento do comportamento biológico , do prognóstico e para o planejamento terapêutico dessas lesões.

  6. Monitores de diagnóstico em Mamografia : (Os 5MP em Portugal)

    OpenAIRE

    Timóteo, Maria Teresa

    2012-01-01

    O carcinoma da mama é o mais comum nas mulheres, em Portugal morrem cerca de 1500 mulheres por ano devido a esta patologia. Serviu o presente estudo para investigar se os Hospitais da Região de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo estão equipados, com monitores de diagnóstico em mamografia, que correspondam com as guidelines europeias. O serviço de Mamografia, em Portugal rege-se por estas guidelines, em que é referenciado que para um correcto diagnóstico, com toda a sensibilidade e especific...

  7. Fluoroorotic Acid-Selected Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Cell Lines with a Stable Thymine Starvation Phenotype Have Lost the Thymine-Regulated Transcriptional Program1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santoso, Djoko; Thornburg, Robert

    2000-01-01

    We have selected 143 independent Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell lines that survive in the presence of 5-fluoroorotic acid. These lines show several diverse phenotypes. The majority of these cell lines showed reduced levels of UMP synthase. However, one particular phenotype, which represents 14% of the total independent lines (20 cell lines), showed an unexpected, high level of UMP synthase and was therefore analyzed in detail. The selected cell lines showed no differences with wild-type cells with respect to uptake of orotic acid, affinity of UMP synthase for its substrates, or UMP synthase gene-copy number. Alternative detoxification mechanisms were also excluded. The elevated enzyme activity was correlated with elevated UMP synthase protein levels as well as elevated UMP synthase mRNA levels. In contrast to wild-type cell lines, the fluoroorotic acid-selected cell lines did not respond to thymine or to other biochemicals that affect thymine levels. In addition, there was also a concomitant up-regulation of aspartate transcarbamoylase, however, dihydroorotase and dihydroorotate dehydrogenase are not up-regulated in these cell lines. PMID:10938367

  8. Are EM's communication tools effective? Evaluation research of two EM publications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wight, Evelyn; Gardner, Gene; Harvey, Tony

    1992-01-01

    As a reflection of its growing culture of openness, and in response to the public's need for accurate information about its activities, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) has increased the amount of information available to the public through communication tools such as brochures, fact sheets, and a travelling exhibit with an interactive computer display. Our involvement with this effort has been to design, develop, and critique booklets, brochures, fact sheets and other communication tools for EM. This paper presents an evaluation of the effectiveness of two communication tools we developed: the EM Booklet and the EM Fact Sheets. We measured effectiveness using non-parametric testing. This paper describes DOE's culture change, EM's communication tools and their context within DOE'S new open culture, our research, test methods and results, the significance of our research, and our plans for future research. (author)

  9. ESTABILIDADE DO ÁCIDO ASCÓRBICO EM SUCO DE LARANJA (Citrus sinensis) IN NATURA, EM SUCO REFRIGERADO E EM PREPARADOS QUENTES

    OpenAIRE

    Alves, Ana Paula de Faria; Santos, Janine V.; Neves, Laudelina B.; Sereia, Maria Josiane

    2008-01-01

    Foi realizada avaliação comparativa da retenção da vitamina C (ácido Ascórbico – AA) em suco fresco de laranjas íntegras, suco de laranja estocada sob refrigeração e em bolo contendo suco de laranja após a cocção em forno culinário convencional. O teor de AA em suco de laranjas armazenadas sob refrigeração por oito semanas variou entre 74,94 e 51,55 mg% com taxa de redução de 0,92% ao dia. Em suco fresco de laranja armazenado sob refrigeração durante sete dias, o teor médio de AA foi de 49,62...

  10. Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of 13-<em>n>-Alkyl Berberine and Palmatine Analogues as Anticancer Agents

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    Lei Zhang

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available By introducing long carbon-chain alkyl groups at the C-13 position of berberine and palmatine, 13-<em>n>-hexyl/13-<em>n>-octyl berberine and palmatine chloride analogues 4ad were synthesized and examined by MTT assays for cytotoxic activity in seven human cancer cell lines (7701QGY, SMMC7721, HepG2, CEM, CEM/VCR, KIII, Lewis, yielding IC50 values of 0.02 ± 0.01–13.58 ± 2.84 μM. 13-<em>n>-Octyl palmatine (compound 4d gave the most potent inhibitor activity, with an IC50 of 0.02 ± 0.01 μM for SMMC7721. In all cases, the 13-<em>n>-alkyl berberine and palmatine analogues 4ad were more cytotoxic than berberine and palmatine. In addition, compounds 4ad also exhibited more potent cytotoxicity than berberine and palmatine in mice with S180 sarcoma xenografted<em> in vivoem>. The primary screening results indicated that the 13-<em>n>-hexyl/13-<em>n>-octyl berberine and palmatine analogues might be valuable source for new potent anticancer drug candidates.

  11. Plum pox virus accumulates mutations in different genome parts during a long-term maintenance in Prunus host plants and passage in Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vozárová, Z; Kamencayová, M; Glasa, M; Subr, Z

    2013-01-01

    Plum pox virus (PPV) isolates of the strain PPV-M prevalently infect peaches under natural conditions in Middle Europe. Comparison of complete genome sequences obtained from subisolates of a PPV-M isolate maintained experimentally over a 6-year period in different Prunus host species and passaged in Nicotiana benthamiana was performed with the aim to highlight the mutations potentially connected with the virus-host adaptation. The results showed that the lowest number of non-silent mutations was accumulated in PPV-M maintained in peach (original host species), approximately two times higher diversity was recorded in plum, apricot and N. benthamiana, indicating the genetic determination of the PPV host preference. The sequence variability of Prunus subisolates was distributed more or less evenly along the PPV genome and no amino acid motif could be outlined as responsible for the host adaptation. In N. benthamiana the mutations were accumulated notably in the P1 and P3 genes indicating their non-essentiality in the infection of this experimental host plant.

  12. Immunity to potato mop-top virus in Nicotiana benthamiana plants expressing the coat protein gene is effective against fungal inoculation of the virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reavy, B; Arif, M; Kashiwazaki, S; Webster, K D; Barker, H

    1995-01-01

    Nicotiana benthamiana stem tissue was transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring a binary vector containing the potato mop-top virus (PMTV) coat protein (CP) gene. PMTV CP was expressed in large amounts in some of the primary transformants. The five transgenic lines which produced the most CP were selected for resistance testing. Flowers on transformed plants were allowed to self-fertilize. Transgenic seedlings selected from the T1 seed were mechanically inoculated with two strains of PMTV. Virus multiplication, assayed by infectivity, was detected in only one transgenic plant of 98 inoculated. T1 plants were also highly resistant to graft inoculation; PMTV multiplied in only one plant of 45 inoculated. Transgenic T1 seedlings were challenged in a bait test in which they were grown in soil containing viruliferous spores of the vector fungus Spongospora subterranea. In these tests only two plants out of 99 became infected. Of the five transgenic lines tested, plants of three lines were immune to infection following manual, graft, or fungal inoculation.

  13. Isojacareubin from the Chinese Herb <em>Hypericum japonicumem>: Potent Antibacterial and Synergistic Effects on Clinical Methicillin-Resistant <em>Staphylococcus aureusem> (MRSA

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    Gen-Chun Wang

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Through bioassay-guided fractionation of the extracts from the aerial parts of the Chinese herb <em>Hypericum japonicumem> Thunb. Murray, Isojacareubin (ISJ was characterized as a potent antibacterial compound against the clinical methicillin-resistant S<em>taphylococcus aureusem> (MRSA. The broth microdilution assay was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs of ISJ alone. The results showed that its MICs/MBCs ranged from 4/16 to 16/64 μg/mL, with the concentrations required to inhibit or kill 50% of the strains (MIC50/MBC50 at 8/16 μg/mL. Synergistic evaluations of this compound with four conventional antibacterial agents representing different types were performed by the chequerboard and time-kill tests. The chequerboard method showed significant synergy effects when ISJ was combined with Ceftazidime (CAZ, Levofloxacin (LEV and Ampicillin (AMP, with the values of 50% of the fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICI50 at 0.25, 0.37 and 0.37, respectively. Combined bactericidal activities were also observed in the time-kill dynamic assay. The results showed the ability of ISJ to reduce MRSA viable counts by log10CFU/mL at 24 h of incubation at a concentration of 1 × MIC were 1.5 (LEV, additivity, 0.92 (CAZ, indifference and 0.82 (AMP, indifference, respectively. These <em>in vitroem> anti-MRSA activities of ISJ alone and its synergy with conventional antibacterial agents demonstrated that ISJ enhanced their efficacy, which is of potential use for single and combinatory therapy of patients infected with MRSA.

  14. Prevalência e fatores associados à obesidade abdominal em pacientes em hemodiálise em Goiânia - GO

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    Ana Tereza Vaz de Souza Freitas

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: A presença de excesso de peso, especialmente obesidade visceral, contribui para o maior risco de complicações metabólicas e cardiovasculares em pacientes com doença renal crônica. OBJETIVO: Determinar a prevalência e os fatores associados à obesidade abdominal em pacientes em hemodiálise (HD. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com 344 pacientes maiores de 18 anos. A obesidade abdominal foi definida pela circunferência da cintura > 94 cm nos homens e > 80 cm nas mulheres. As variáveis independentes envolveram aspectos socioeconômicos, demográficos, hábitos de vida, tempo em HD, consumo alimentar e índice de massa corporal (IMC. A análise dos fatores associados foi realizada por regressão de Poisson múltipla, permanecendo no modelo final as variáveis com p 25 kg/m². Nos homens, a classe econômica D/E também permaneceu associada à obesidade abdominal, p < 0,05. CONCLUSÃO: Observou-se alta prevalência de obesidade abdominal em pacientes em hemodiálise. Idade superior a 40 anos, classes econômicas mais baixas, ingestão proteica inferior ao recomendado e excesso de peso foram associados à obesidade abdominal.

  15. Variabilità microsatellitare in popolazioni italiane di martora, <em>Martes martesem>

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    Licia Colli

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available La martora, <em>Martes martesem>, è un mustelide storicamente presente su gran parte del territorio italiano, soprattutto dove siano presenti foreste mature altamente strutturate e ricche di risorse. Nel corso dei decenni passati, cause quali la deforestazione con conseguente frammentazione dell'habitat, la caccia e la persecuzione da parte dell'uomo hanno portato ad un sensibile declino sia nel numero d'individui sia di popolazioni in tutta l'Europa. Frammentazione degli areali e diminuzione del numero di soggetti costituiscono le cause principali di un limitato flusso genico con conseguente formazione di popolazioni isolate di martora e perdita di variabilità genetica (Kyle <em>et al.em>, 2003. Per queste ragioni la martora risulta attualmente tutelata secondo quanto previsto dalla Convenzione di Berna (appendice III e dalla Direttiva europea 92/43/CEE "Habitats & Species". Di fronte a prospettive di tipo conservazionistico, diventa necessario disporre di metodologie per la valutazione della variabilità residua nella specie a livello d'individui e di popolazioni. Secondo numerosi Autori, i microsatelliti costituiscono marcatori molto efficaci nella descrizione della struttura genetica e della storia demografica di specie (Beaumont & Bruford, 1999; Linares, 1999. Il presente lavoro propone i risultati ottenuti attraverso il confronto di due campioni costituiti da individui di <em>Martes martesem> provenienti dalla Sardegna (25 esemplari e dal territorio italiano (6 esemplari. L'analisi è stata condotta a livello di 7 loci microsatellitari dinucleotidici polimorfici. Il valore di FST calcolato dal confronto dei due gruppi è risultato pari a 0,102 e ricade nel <em>range> di variazione identificato di recente in popolazioni nord-europee di martora (Kyle <em>et al.em>, 2003. L'analisi della varianza molecolare (AMOVA, condotta a due livelli gerarchici, ha permesso in particolare di ripartire la varianza del campione

  16. Retratos em movimento.

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    Luiz Carlos Oliveira Junior

    Full Text Available resumo O artigo aborda aspectos da relação do cinema com a arte do retrato. Buscamos, em primeiro lugar, uma definição estética do que seria um retrato cinematográfico, sempre em tensão com os critérios formais e padrões estilísticos que historicamente constituíram o retrato pictórico. Em seguida, relacionamos essa questão com a importância que se deu à representação do close-up de rosto nas primeiras décadas do cinema, quando foi atribuído aos filmes um papel inédito no estudo da fisionomia e da expressão facial. Por fim, apresentamos exemplos de autorretratos na pintura e no cinema para expor a forma como a autorrepresentação põe em crise as noções de subjetividade e identidade em que a definição clássica do retrato se apoiava.

  17. Winter food of the fox <em>Vulpes vulpesem> in the Province of Cuneo (North-Western Italy / Alimentazione invernale della Volpe <em>Vulpes vulpesem> nell'Albese (Provincia di Cuneo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paolo Debernardi

    1991-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The diet of the Fox <em>Vulpes vulpesem> was studied by the analysis of 157 gastric contents coming from hilly areas of the Province of Cuneo. Samples were gathered during January-March of the years '86 (N. 41, '87 (N. 72 and '88 (N. 44. The mean percentage of frequency was determined for the following feeding categories: Fruits (26.1%, Other vegetable components (19.7%, Insects (2.5%, Wild birds (11.5%, Insectivores and Rodents (42.7%, <em>Lepus capensisem> (13.4%, Indeterminate Lagomorphs (17.2%, Domestic animals (59.2% and Other (2.5%. The diet is analysed in relation to some available trophic resources (dumps, restoking of hares and of pheasants. Riassunto Vengono presentati i dati dell'analisi di 157 contenuti gastrici di <em>Vulpes vulpesem>, provenienti da aree collinari della provincia di Cuneo; i campioni si riferiscono ai primi tre mesi delle annate '86 (N. 41, '87 (N. 72 e '88 (N. 44. Sono state determinate le frequenze percentuali delle seguenti categorie alimentari: Frutti (26,1%, Altre componenti vegetali (19,7%, Insetti (2,5%, Uccelli selvatici (11,5%, Insettivori e Roditori (42,7%, <em>Lepus capensisem> (13,4%, Lagomorfi indeterminati (17,2%, Animali domestici (59,2% e Altro (2,5%. La dieta viene esaminata in relazione ad alcuni aspetti legati alle disponibilità trofiche del territorio (presenza di discariche, ripopolamenti di selvaggina.

  18. Caratterizzazione genetica di alcune popolazioni di cinghiale (<em>Sus scrofaem> dell'Italia meridionale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.F. Caliendo

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available In Italia il Cinghiale ha subito varie oscillazioni numeriche per immissioni d?esemplari provenienti soprattutto dall'est europeo o da paesi vicini (Massei & Toso, 1993 e incrocio con esemplari di maiale domestico, allevato allo stato brado o semi brado in molte zone d'Italia (Apollonio <em>et al.em>, 1988. Questi fattori sono stati responsabili anche di un impoverimento genetico della forma autoctona italiana <em>Sus scrofa meridionalisem> e <em>majori> che sembrano persistere solo in Sardegna e Maremma (Apollonio <em>et al.em>, 1988. Tra le riserve in cui si ritiene possano trovarsi popolazioni ancora integre, figura la tenuta presidenziale di Castelporziano (Roma. Prendendo spunto da questo lavoro, con il nostro contributo riportiamo i risultati, a livello genetico, della ibridazione con il maiale da parte di cinghiali della Campania, basato sul DNA microsatellite di 4 loci polimorfi. Sono state studiate 9 popolazioni (allevate e libere, usando per riferimenti maiali allo stato brado e cinghiali di Castelporziano. Dall?analisi delle frequenze alleliche è stato eseguito il <em>test di assignmentem> (implementato in una sub routine del software Arlequin 2.0 che individua la possibile origine di un individuo, rispetto ad una rosa di probabili popolazioni di riferimento (Paetkau <em>et al.em>, 1998. Con i risultati del test di assignment si è costruito il grafico <em>log-log genotypeem>, rappresentato da un piano individuato dalle due variabili di riferimento (cinghiale e maiale brado. Le popolazioni esaminate evidenziano una generalizzata distribuzione a cavallo tra i due riferimenti con individui geneticamente simili al cinghiale ed altri al maiale. Questa ripartizione simmetrica è molto evidente nel caso dei cinghiali catturati a Punta Licosa e in quelli dell?allevamento di Polla. La distribuzione dei genotipi sul piano è spesso dispersa, ad eccezione dei cinghiali della Valle del Vento e quelli di Monteverde (individui

  19. Pré-resfriamento em água de lichia 'B3' mantida em armazenamento refrigerado

    OpenAIRE

    del Aguila,Juan Saavedra; Hofman,Peter; Campbell,Terrence; Marques,José Roberto; Heiffig-del Aguila,Lília Sichmann; Kluge,Ricardo Alfredo

    2009-01-01

    Este experimento visou a estudar o efeito de diferentes temperaturas e tempos de pré-resfriamento em água sobre a qualidade de lichias 'B3', após a frigoconservação. Os tratamentos foram: T1 = controle (sem pré-resfriamento); T2 = imersão por cinco minutos em água a 2,5°C; T3 = imersão por 10 minutos em água a 2,5°C; T4 = imersão por 20 minutos em água a 2,5°C; T5 = imersão por sete minutos em água a 6°C; T6 = imersão por 20 minutos em água a 8°C e T7 = imersão por 10 minu...

  20. Antioxidative Characteristics of <em>Anisomeles indicaem> Extract and Inhibitory Effect of Ovatodiolide on Melanogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li-Ling Chang

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to investigate the antioxidant characteristics of <em>Anisomeles indicaem> methanol extract and the inhibitory effect of ovatodiolide on melanogenesis. In the study, the antioxidant capacities of <em>A. indicaem> methanol extract such as DPPH assay, ABTS radical scavenging assay, reducing capacity and metal ion chelating capacity as well as total phenolic content of the extract were investigated. In addition, the inhibitory effects of ovatodiolide on mushroom tyrosinase, B16F10 intracellular tyrosinase and melanin content were determined spectrophotometrically. Our results revealed that the antioxidant capacities of <em>A. indicaem> methanol extract increased in a dose-dependent pattern. The purified ovatodiolide inhibited mushroom tyrosinase activity (IC50 = 0.253 mM, the compound also effectively suppressed intracellular tyrosinase activity (IC50 = 0.469 mM and decreased the amount of melanin (IC50 = 0.435 mM in a dose-dependent manner in B16F10 cells. Our results concluded that <em>A. indicaem> methanol extract displays antioxidant capacities and ovatodiolide purified from the extract inhibited melanogenesis in B16F10 cells. Hence, <em>A. indicaem> methanol extract and ovatodiolide could be applied as a type of dermatological whitening agent in skin care products.

  1. International EMS Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Langhelle, Audun; Lossius, Hans Morten; Silfvast, Tom

    2004-01-01

    exist, however, especially within the ground and air ambulance service, and the EMS systems face several challenges. Main problems and challenges emphasized by the authors are: (1) Denmark: the dispatch centres are presently not under medical control and are without a national criteria based system......Emergency medicine service (EMS) systems in the five Nordic countries have more similarities than differences. One similarity is the involvement of anaesthesiologists as pre-hospital physicians and their strong participation for all critically ill and injured patients in-hospital. Discrepancies do....... Access to on-line medical advice of a physician is not available; (2) Finland: the autonomy of the individual municipalities and their responsibility to cover for primary and specialised health care, as well as the EMS, and the lack of supporting or demanding legislation regarding the EMS; (3) Iceland...

  2. Effects of plant density on recombinant hemagglutinin yields in an Agrobacterium-mediated transient gene expression system using Nicotiana benthamiana plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujiuchi, Naomichi; Matsuda, Ryo; Matoba, Nobuyuki; Fujiwara, Kazuhiro

    2017-08-01

    Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression systems enable plants to rapidly produce a wide range of recombinant proteins. To achieve economically feasible upstream production and downstream processing, it is beneficial to obtain high levels of two yield-related quantities of upstream production: recombinant protein content per fresh mass of harvested biomass (g gFM -1 ) and recombinant protein productivity per unit area-time (g m -2 /month). Here, we report that the density of Nicotiana benthamiana plants during upstream production had significant impacts on the yield-related quantities of recombinant hemagglutinin (HA). The two quantities were smaller at a high plant density of 400 plants m -2 than at a low plant density of 100 plants m -2 . The smaller quantities at the high plant density were attributed to: (i) a lower HA content in young leaves, which usually have high HA accumulation potentials; (ii) a lower biomass allocation to the young leaves; and (iii) a high area-time requirement for plants. Thus, plant density is a key factor for improving upstream production in Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression systems. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1762-1770. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Targeting of a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia H+ -ATPase to the plasma membrane is not by default and requires cytosolic structural determinants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefebvre, Benoit; Batoko, Henri; Duby, Geoffrey; Boutry, Marc

    2004-07-01

    The structural determinants involved in the targeting of multitransmembrane-span proteins to the plasma membrane (PM) remain poorly understood. The plasma membrane H+ -ATPase (PMA) from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, a well-characterized 10 transmembrane-span enzyme, was used as a model to identify structural elements essential for targeting to the PM. When PMA2 and PMA4, representatives of the two main PMA subfamilies, were fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP), the chimeras were shown to be still functional and to be correctly and rapidly targeted to the PM in transgenic tobacco. By contrast, chimeric proteins containing various combinations of PMA transmembrane spanning domains accumulated in the Golgi apparatus and not in the PM and displayed slow traffic properties through the secretory pathway. Individual deletion of three of the four cytosolic domains did not prevent PM targeting, but deletion of the large loop or of its nucleotide binding domain resulted in GFP fluorescence accumulating exclusively in the endoplasmic reticulum. The results show that, at least for this polytopic protein, the PM is not the default pathway and that, in contrast with single-pass membrane proteins, cytosolic structural determinants are required for correct targeting.

  4. Effects of a petunia scaffold/matrix attachment region on copy number dependency and stability of transgene expression in Nicotiana tabacum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dietz-Pfeilstetter, Antje; Arndt, Nicola; Manske, Ulrike

    2016-04-01

    Transgenes in genetically modified plants are often not reliably expressed during development or in subsequent generations. Transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) as well as post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) have been shown to occur in transgenic plants depending on integration pattern, copy number and integration site. In an effort to reduce position effects, to prevent read-through transcription and to provide a more accessible chromatin structure, a P35S-ß-glucuronidase (P35S-gus) transgene flanked by a scaffold/matrix attachment region from petunia (Petun-SAR), was introduced in Nicotiana tabacum plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation. It was found that Petun-SAR mediates enhanced expression and copy number dependency up to 2 gene copies, but did not prevent gene silencing in transformants with multiple and rearranged gene copies. However, in contrast to the non-SAR transformants where silencing was irreversible and proceeded during long-term vegetative propagation and in progeny plants, gus expression in Petun-SAR plants was re-established in the course of development. Gene silencing was not necessarily accompanied by DNA methylation, while the gus transgene could still be expressed despite considerable CG methylation within the coding region.

  5. Locas al Rescate: The Transnational Hauntings of Queer <em>Cubanidad>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lázaro Lima

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available

    “Locas al Rescate: The Transnational Hauntings of Queer <em>Cubanidad>” (originally published in <em>Cuba Transnationalem> offers a significant contribution both to transnational American Studies and to gender studies. In telling the insider story of the alternative identity formation, practices, and forms of “rescue” initiated by the affective activism of the Cuban American society in drag in 1990s Miami/South Beach, Lima resuscitates the liberatory gestures of a subculture defined by its pursuit of its own acceptance, value, and freedom. With their aesthetic and political life on a raft, the gay micro-communities inside Cuban America asserted their own islandic space, Lima observes, performing “takeovers” in and of parks and bars and beaches—creating a post-Habermasian sphere of public activism focused on private parts, saving themselves from AIDS, from the disaffection and disaffiliation of the right-wing Cuban immigrant community, and from the failure of their own yearning to belong, to be wanted, to be embodied as the figure of their compelling <em>Cubanidad>. Against the hegemony of the invented collective politics of the sacrificing immigrants whose recognition of the queer side of being (of a being constituted by identity loss is yet to come, Lima suggests a spectral return—a personal and transnational reckoning of those whose lives the dream of freedom drowned.

  6. Cytological study of radiation induced alterations in cytoplasmic factors controlling male sterility in corn. Progress report, February 28, 1975--December 1, 1975

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Edwardson, J.R.

    1975-01-01

    Progress is reported on the following research projects: cytoplasmic constituents of the embryo of various gymnosperms and angiosperms; cytoplasmic male sterility in corn; modification of cytoplasmic sterility factors using gamma radiation, EMS, and ethidium bromide; selection for sterile, blight-resistant corn plants; electron microscopy study of abnormal mitochondria in cytoplasm of corn; cytoplasmic male sterility in Petunia; non-Mendelian variegation in Petunia and Nicotiana; graft transmission of cytoplasmic male sterility; cytoplasmic male sterility in Vicia faba; and studies on Blakeslee's I virus in Datura

  7. Frequência de Lettuce big-vein associated virus e Mirafiori lettuce big-vein virus em Plantas de alface no Estado de São Paulo e transmissão através de extrato vegetal e solo Frequency of Lettuce big-vein associated virus and Mirafiori lettuce big-vein virus in symptomatic and assymptomatic lettuce plants and sap and soil transmission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcio Martinello Sanches

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available A presença de sintomas de 'big vein' ou engrossamento das nervuras em alface e a associação do Lettuce big-vein associated virus (LBVaV e Mirafiori lettuce big-vein virus (MLBVV foram verificadas por RT-PCR utilizando-se oligonucleotídeos específicos para ambos os vírus. Foram coletadas 366 plantas sintomáticas nas regiões de Bauru, Campinas e Mogi das Cruzes no estado de São Paulo nos meses de junho e setembro de 2004 e abril e julho de 2005, e 18 plantas assintomáticas na região de Mogi das Cruzes no mês de dezembro de 2004. Infecção mista do LBVaV e MLBVV foi detectada em 76,2% das plantas sintomáticas, em 11,5% somente o MLBVV foi detectado e em 6,6% somente o LBVaV. Nas plantas assintomáticas coletadas em dezembro na região de Mogi das Cruzes, em áreas de alta incidência da doença durante o inverno, foi detectada a presença de MLBVV em 9 amostras e LBVaV em 7 amostras. Quatro dessas amostras apresentaram infecção mista, indicando que o desenvolvimento de sintomas depende de fatores abióticos, como temperatura. A inoculação via extrato vegetal a partir de plantas de alface com infecção mista pelo MLBVV e LBVaV foi realizada a 16°C/ 10°C (dia/noite e fotoperíodo de 11 horas, verificando-se que o MLBVV foi transmitido para Nicotiana tabacum TNN, N. rustica, N. occidentalis, Chenopodium quinoa e para as cultivares de alface Trocadero e White Boston, enquanto o LBVaV foi transmitido apenas para a alface White Boston. Entretanto, nenhuma destas plantas apresentou sintomas da doença, com exceção de C. quinoa que apresentou sintomas de lesões locais. Plantio em solo proveniente de áreas com histórico da doença de Mogi das Cruzes permitiu a transmissão do LBVaV para alface cv. White Boston e do MLBVV para alface cv. Trocadero e White Boston, embora apenas a cv. White Boston tenha apresentado sintomas da doença. Em conjunto, estes resultados demonstram a dificuldade de transmissão de ambos os vírus, mesmo em

  8. SD118-Xanthocillin X (1, a Novel Marine Agent Extracted from <em>Penicillium> communeem>, Induces Autophagy through the Inhibition of the MEK/ERK Pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caiguo Huang

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available A compound named SD118-xanthocillin X (1 (C18H12N2O2, isolated from <em>Penicillium> <em>commune> in a deep-sea sediment sample, has been shown to inhibit the growth of several cancer cell lines <em>in vitroem>. In the present study, we employed a growth inhibition assay and apoptotic analysis to identify the biological effect and detailed mechanism of SD118-xanthocillin X (1 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2 cells. SD118-xanthocillin X (1 demonstrated a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on the growth of HepG2 cells and caused slight cellular apoptosis and significantly induced autophagy. Autophagy was detected as early as 12 h by the conversion of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3-I to LC3-II, following cleavage and lipid addition to LC3-I. The pharmacological autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine largely attenuates the growth inhibition and autophagic effect of SD118-xanthocillin X (1 in HepG2 cells. Our data also indicated that the autophagic effect of SD118-xanthocillin X (1 occurs via the down-regulation of the MEK/ERK signaling pathway and the up-regulated class III PI3K/Beclin 1 signaling pathway.

  9. [Effect of metalaxyl on the synthesis of RNA, DNA and protein in Phytophthora nicotianae].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wollgiehn, R; Bräutigam, E; Schumann, B; Erge, D

    1984-01-01

    Metalaxyl is used to control diseases caused by fungi of the order of the Perenosporales. We investigated the action of this fungicid eon nucleic acid and protein synthesis in liquid cultures of Phytophthora nicotianae. The uptake of 32P, 3H-uridine, 3H-thymidine and 14C-leucine as precursors of nuclei acid and protein synthesis by the mycelium was not inhibited by metalaxyl. RNA synthesis as indicated by 3H-uridine incorporation was strongly inhibited (about 80%) by 0.5 micrograms/ml of metalaxyl. The inhibition was visible already few minutes after addition of the toxicant. Since the inhibition of incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA and of 14C-leucine into protein became significant 2-3 hours later, we conclude that metalaxyl primarily interfers with RNA synthesis. Synthesis of ribosomal RNA is more affected (more than 90%) than that of tRNA (about 55%) and poly(A)-containing RNA. Since in the presence of actinomycin, in contrast to metalaxyl, protein synthesis is inhibited immediately as a consequence of complete inhibition of RNA synthesis and of the short life-time of mRNA, it is also evident that mRNA synthesis is less strongly inhibited, at least during the early period of metalaxyl action. The molecular mechanism of metalaxyl inhibition of the transcription process remains open. The fungicide did not inhibit the activity of a partially purified RNA polymerase isolated from the fungus. On the other hand, the RNA synthesis (14C-UTP-incorporation) by a cell homogenate and by isolated nuclear fractions was inhibited significantly. Possibilities of the molecular action of metalaxyl are discussed. The RNA synthesis of some plant systems (cell cultures of Lycopersicon peruvianum, isolated nuclei from the same cell cultures, purified RNA polymerase from Spinacia oleracea chloroplasts) was not inhibited by metalaxyl, not even at high concentrations.

  10. Sorteio de domicílios em favelas em inquéritos por amostragem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Cecilia Goi Porto Alves

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Identificar vantagens e desvantagens do uso de segmentos em relação ao sorteio feito a partir da lista completa de endereços, para o sorteio de domicílios em amostragem por conglomerados em múltiplos estágios em favelas. PROCEDIMENTOS METODOLÓGICOS: Estudo qualitativo realizado em quatro favelas sorteadas no Inquérito de Saúde do Município de São Paulo, SP, 2008, nas quais foram aplicadas as duas técnicas. Foram realizados grupos focais com pesquisadores de campo - "arroladores" e entrevistadores do inquérito. Os conteúdos das conversações foram analisados, agrupados em categorias e organizados em núcleos temáticos. ANÁLISE DOS RESULTADOS: A utilização de segmentos de domicílios foi associada a numerosas vantagens e poucas desvantagens. Entre as vantagens, constaram a rapidez e facilidade na elaboração do cadastro de endereços e na localização e identificação de domicílios na etapa de realização das entrevistas, maior segurança dos entrevistadores e da população, maior acesso aos entrevistados, maior estabilidade e maior cobertura do cadastro produzido, e menor ocorrência de erros na identificação dos domicílios sorteados. CONCLUSÕES: A construção de cadastro de domicílios por meio da criação de segmentos é vantajosa em relação à listagem completa de endereços, quando feita em favelas. Por ter se mostrado uma opção econômica e fácil de ser aplicada, constitui alternativa para a simplificação do processo de amostragem em áreas com as suas características de desorganização e adensamento de domicílios.

  11. Anti-Tumour Promoting Activity and Antioxidant Properties of Girinimbine Isolated from the Stem Bark of<em> Murraya koenigii em>S.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yih Yih Kok

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Girinimbine, a carbazole alkaloid isolated from the stem bark of <em>Murraya koenigii em>was tested for the<em> in vitroem> anti-tumour promoting and antioxidant activities. Anti-tumour promoting activity was determined by assaying the capability of this compound to inhibit the expression of early antigen of Epstein-Barr virus (EA-EBV in Raji cells that was induced by the tumour promoter, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The concentration of this compound that gave an inhibition rate at fifty percent was 6.0 µg/mL and was not cytotoxic to the cells. Immunoblotting analysis of the expression of EA-EBV showed that girinimbine was able to suppress restricted early antigen (EA-R. However, diffused early antigen (EA-D was partially suppressed when used at 32.0 µg/mL. Girinimbine exhibited a very strong antioxidant activity as compared to a-tocopherol and was able to inhibit superoxide generation in the 12-<em>O>-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA-induced differentiated premyelocytic HL-60 cells more than 95%, when treated with the compound at 5.3 and 26.3 µg/mL, respectively. However girinimbine failed to scavenge the stable diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH-free radical.

  12. Solution NMR Structure of Hypothetical Protein CV_2116 Encoded by a Viral Prophage Element in <em>Chromobacterium violaceumem>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunhuang Yang

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available CV_2116 is a small hypothetical protein of 82 amino acids from the Gram-negative coccobacillus <em>Chromobacterium violaceumem>. A PSI-BLAST search using the CV_2116 sequence as a query identified only one hit (E = 2e−07 corresponding to a hypothetical protein OR16_04617 from <em>Cupriavidus basilensisem> OR16, which failed to provide insight into the function of CV_2116. The <em>CV_2116em> gene was cloned into the p15TvLic expression plasmid, transformed into <em>E. coliem>, and 13C- and 15N-labeled NMR samples of CV_2116 were overexpressed in <em>E. coliem> and purified for structure determination using NMR spectroscopy. The resulting high-quality solution NMR structure of CV_2116 revealed a novel α + β fold containing two anti-parallel β -sheets in the <em>N>-terminal two-thirds of the protein and one α-helix in the <em>C>-terminal third of the protein. CV_2116 does not belong to any known protein sequence family and a Dali search indicated that no similar structures exist in the protein data bank. Although no function of CV_2116 could be derived from either sequence or structural similarity searches, the neighboring genes of <em>CV_2116em> encode various proteins annotated as similar to bacteriophage tail assembly proteins. Interestingly, <em>C. violaceumem> exhibits an extensive network of bacteriophage tail-like structures that likely result from lateral gene transfer by incorporation of viral DNA into its genome (prophages due to bacteriophage infection. Indeed, <em>C. violaceumem> has been shown to contain four prophage elements and <em>CV_2116em> resides in the fourth of these elements. Analysis of the putative operon in which CV_2116 resides indicates that CV_2116 might be a component of the bacteriophage tail-like assembly that occurs in <em>C. violaceumem>.

  13. Risk-Association of <em>CYP11A1em> Polymorphisms and Breast Cancer Among Han Chinese Women in Southern China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minying Sun

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Exposure to endogenous sex hormones has been reported as a risk factor for breast cancer. The <em>CYP11A1em> gene encodes the key enzyme that catalyzes the initial and rate-limiting step in steroid hormone synthesis. In this study, the associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in <em>CYP11A1em> and breast cancer susceptibility were examined. Six SNPs in <em>CYP11A1 em>were genotyped using the MassARRAY IPLEX platform in 530 breast cancer patients and 546 healthy controls. Association analyses based on a χ2 test and binary logistic regression were performed to determine the odds ratio (<em>OR> and 95% confidence interval (95% <em>CI> for each SNP. Two loci (rs2959008 and rs2279357 showed evidence of associations with breast cancer risk. The variant genotype C/T-C/C of rs2959008 was significantly associated with a decreased risk (age-adjusted<em> ORem>, 0.75; 95% <em>CI>, 0.58–0.96; <em>P em>= 0.023 compared with the wild-type TT. However, the homozygous TT variant of rs2279357 exhibited increased susceptibility to breast cancer (age-adjusted<em> ORem>, 1.44; 95% <em>CI>, 1.05–1.98; <em>P em>= 0.022. The locus rs2959003 also showed an appreciable effect, but no associations were observed for three other SNPs. Our results suggest that polymorphisms of <em>CYP11A1em> are related to breast cancer susceptibility in Han Chinese women of South China.

  14. Acetylcholinesterase-Inhibiting Activity of Salicylanilide <em>N>-Alkylcarbamates and Their Molecular Docking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Josef Jampilek

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available A series of twenty-five novel salicylanilide <em>N>-alkylcarbamates were investigated as potential acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. The compounds were tested for their ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE from electric eel (<em>Electrophorus electricusem> L.. Experimental lipophilicity was determined, and the structure-activity relationships are discussed. The mode of binding in the active site of AChE was investigated by molecular docking. All the discussed compounds expressed significantly higher AChE inhibitory activity than rivastigmine and slightly lower than galanthamine. Disubstitution by chlorine in C'(3,4 of the aniline ring and the optimal length of hexyl-undecyl alkyl chains in the carbamate moiety provided the most active AChE inhibitors. Monochlorination in C'(4 exhibited slightly more effective AChE inhibitors than in C'(3. Generally it can be stated that compounds with higher lipophilicity showed higher inhibition, and the activity of the compounds is strongly dependent on the length of the <em>N>-alkyl chain.

  15. Transient expression of the influenza A virus PB1-F2 protein using a plum pox virus-based vector in Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamencayová, M; Košík, I; Hunková, J; Subr, Z W

    2014-01-01

    PB1-F2 protein of influenza A virus (IAV) was cloned in a plum pox virus (PPV) genome-based vector and attempts to express it in biolistically transfected Nicotiana benthamiana plants were performed. The vector-insert construct replicated in infected plants properly and was stable during repeated passage by mechanical inoculation, as demonstrated by disease symptoms and immunoblot detection of PPV capsid protein, while PB1-F2-specific band was more faint. We showed that it was due its low solubility. Modification of sample preparation (denaturation/solubilization preceding the centrifugation of cell debris) led to substantial signal enhancement. Maximal level of PB1-F2 expression in plants was observed 12 days post inoculation (dpi). Only 1% SDS properly solubilized the protein, other detergents were much less efficient. Solubilization with 8M urea released approximately 50% of PB1-F2 from the plant tissues, thus the treatment with this removable chaotropic agent may be a good starting point for the purification of the protein for eventual functional studies in the future.

  16. Truncated presequences of mitochondrial F1-ATPase beta subunit from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia transport CAT and GUS proteins into mitochondria of transgenic tobacco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaumont, F; Silva Filho, M de C; Thomas, D; Leterme, S; Boutry, M

    1994-02-01

    The mitochondrial F1-ATPase beta subunit (ATPase-beta) of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia is nucleus-encoded as a precursor containing an NH2-terminal extension. By sequencing the mature N. tabacum ATPase-beta, we determined the length of the presequence, viz. 54 residues. To define the essential regions of this presequence, we produced a series of 3' deletions in the sequence coding for the 90 NH2-terminal residues of ATPase-beta. The truncated sequences were fused with the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (cat) and beta-glucuronidase (gus) genes and introduced into tobacco plants. From the observed distribution of CAT and GUS activity in the plant cells, we conclude that the first 23 amino-acid residues of ATPase-beta remain capable of specifically targeting reporter proteins into mitochondria. Immunodetection in transgenic plants and in vitro import experiments with various CAT fusion proteins show that the precursors are processed at the expected cleavage site but also at a cryptic site located in the linker region between the presequence and the first methionine of native CAT.

  17. Transient Expression of Lumbrokinase (PI239 in Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum Using a Geminivirus-Based Single Replicon System Dissolves Fibrin and Blood Clots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexia Dickey

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Lumbrokinases, a group of fibrinolytic enzymes extracted from earthworm, have been widely used to prevent and treat various cardiovascular diseases. They specifically target fibrin to effectively degrade thrombi without major side effects. Plant expression systems are becoming potential alternative expression platforms for producing pharmaceutical proteins. In this work, a lumbrokinase (PI239 was produced from a plant system. Both wild-type (WT and plant codon-optimized (OP PI239 gene sequences were synthesized and cloned into a geminivirus-based single-vector DNA replicon system. Both vectors were independently expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum leaves transiently by agroinfiltration. Overexpressed PI239 resulted in sudden tissue necrosis 3 days after infiltration. Remaining proteins were purified through His-tag affinity chromatography and analyzed with SDS-PAGE and Western blot methods. Purified PI239 successfully degraded artificial fibrin with relative activity of 13,400 U/mg when compared with commercial lumbrokinase product. In vitro tests demonstrated that plant-derived PI239 dissolved human blood clots and that the plant expression system is capable of producing functional PI239.

  18. [The role of Cd-binding proteins and phytochelatins in the formation of cadmium resistance in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell lines].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenik, S I; Solodushko, V G; Kaliniak, T B; Blium, Ia B

    2007-01-01

    Nicotiana plumbaginifolia callus lines with the equal resistance to cadmium have been produced under different selective conditions--either without inhibition of the phytochelatin synthesis (line Cd-R) or in the presence of the inhibitor butionine sulfoximine (line Cd-Ri). The level of phytochelatin synthesis in the line Cd-R five-fold exceeded the control value and in the line Cd-Ri it was twice as much as in the control. It was shown that in the control line mainly three cadmium-binding proteins are expressed of the molecular weihgts 41, 34 and 19 kD. The common feature of the both resistant lines is the expression of the cadmium-binding proteins of 40, 37 and 19 kD. The resistant lines differ with respect to the synthesis of relatively low-molecular cadmium-binding proteins. The proteins of the molecular weights 12.5, 11.5 and 9 kD are expressed in the line Cd-R, while the proteins of 13 and 10 kD are expressed in the line Cd-Ri. It was supposed that both the phytochelatins and the Cd-binding proteins contribute to the resisitance of N. plumbaginifolia callus lines to cadmium and the lack of the phytochelatins can be equilibrated by the changes in the low-molecular Cd-binding protein synthesis.

  19. Molecular Identification of Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus Infection in <em>Apis melliferaem> Colonies in Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomomi Morimoto

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV infection causes chronic paralysis and loss of workers in honey bee colonies around the world. Although CBPV shows a worldwide distribution, it had not been molecularly detected in Japan. Our investigation of <em>Apis melliferaem> and <em>Apis cerana japonicaem> colonies with RT-PCR has revealed CBPV infection in <em>A. melliferaem> but not <em>A. c. japonicaem> colonies in Japan. The prevalence of CBPV is low compared with that of other viruses: deformed wing virus (DWV, black queen cell virus (BQCV, Israel acute paralysis virus (IAPV, and sac brood virus (SBV, previously reported in Japan. Because of its low prevalence (5.6% in <em>A. melliferaem> colonies, the incidence of colony losses by CBPV infection must be sporadic in Japan. The presence of the (− strand RNA in dying workers suggests that CBPV infection and replication may contribute to their symptoms. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrates a geographic separation of Japanese isolates from European, Uruguayan, and mainland US isolates. The lack of major exchange of honey bees between Europe/mainland US and Japan for the recent 26 years (1985–2010 may have resulted in the geographic separation of Japanese CBPV isolates.

  20. Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Stations

    Data.gov (United States)

    Kansas Data Access and Support Center — EMS Locations in Kansas The EMS stations dataset consists of any location where emergency medical services (EMS) personnel are stationed or based out of, or where...

  1. Consumo de energia em escalonadores de transações em sistemas de memória transacional em software

    OpenAIRE

    Marques Junior, Ademir [UNESP

    2016-01-01

    O conceito de Memória Transacional foi criado para simplificar a sincronização de dados em memória, necessária para evitar a computação de dados inconsistentes por processadores multinúcleos, que se tornaram padrão devido às limitações encontradas em processadores de um núcleo. Em evolução constante pela busca de desempenho, os escalonadores de transação foram criados como alternativa aos gerenciadores de contenção presentes nos Sistemas de Memória Transacional. O consumo de energia é preocup...

  2. In Vitro Assay of Ethanolic Heat Reflux Extract of Nicotiana tabacum L. var Virginia Against Nosocomial Bacteria Pathogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pramono, Andri; Fauzantoro, Ahmad; Rizki Hidayati, Irma; Hygea, Arina; Puspita, Oktaviani Sandra; Muktamiroh, Hikmah; Simanjuntak, Kristina; Gozan, Misri

    2018-03-01

    Tobacco plays an important role in international trade as one of the export commodities. Indonesia is one of the good quality export contributors of tobacco leaves in the world. Nevertheless, tobacco is used only as a raw material for the cigarette industries, and the rise on anti-cigarette regulations prompted the exploration of alternative product from tobacco plants. The content of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids and steroids in tobacco leaves were reported in literatures as antibacterial. Therefore, this study proposed in vitro assay of the ethanolic heat reflux extract (EHRE) of Nicotiana tabacum var. Virginia against nosocomial bacteria pathogen ((Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Eschericia coli (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212)). Kirby-bauer diffusion method was used for this assay. The concentration of the EHRE for Kirby-bauer assay were 20; 40; 60; 80; and 100%. The presence of clear zones on Kirby-bauer test, against the growth of each nosocomial bacteria pathogen show that tobacco extract has antibacterial effect. Statistical analysis result showed that each extract concentration had significant difference value (p steroids) of tobacco leaf extracts (N. tabacum) has potential as antibacterial against nosocomial bacteria pathogen. Nevertheless, optimization of tobacco leaf extract to obtain maximum active ingredient still needs to be done. This study is important for further development of the tobacco leaf extract as antibacterial

  3. Temporal and spatial resolution of activated plant defense responses in leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana infected with Dickeya dadantii

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    María Luisa ePérez-Bueno

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The necrotrophic bacteria Dickeya dadantii is the causal agent of soft-rot disease in a broad range of hosts. The model plant Nicotiana benthamiana, commonly used as experimental host for a very broad range of plant pathogens, is susceptible to infection by D. dadantii. The inoculation with D. dadantii at high dose seems to overcome the plant defense capacity, inducing maceration and death of the tissue, although restricted to the infiltrated area. By contrast, the output of the defense response to low dose inoculation is inhibition of maceration and limitation in the growth, or even eradication, of bacteria. Responses of tissue invaded by bacteria (neighbouring the infiltrated areas after 2-3 days post-inoculation included: i inhibition of photosynthesis in terms of photosystem II efficiency; ii activation of energy dissipation as non-photochemical quenching in photosystem II, which is related to the activation of plant defense mechanisms; and iii accumulation of secondary metabolites in cell walls of the epidermis (lignins and the apoplast of the mesophyll (phytoalexins. Infiltrated tissues showed an increase in the content of the main hormones regulating stress responses, including abscisic acid (ABA, jasmonic acid (JA and salicylic acid (SA. We propose a mechanism involving the three hormones by which N. benthamiana could activate an efficient defense response against D. dadantii.

  4. Spicing Up the N Gene: F. O. Holmes and Tobacco mosaic virus Resistance in Capsicum and Nicotiana Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholthof, Karen-Beth G

    2017-02-01

    One of the seminal events in plant pathology was the discovery by Francis O. Holmes that necrotic local lesions induced on certain species of Nicotiana following rub-inoculation of Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was due to a specific interaction involving a dominant host gene (N). From this, Holmes had an idea that if the N gene from N. glutinosa was introgressed into susceptible tobacco, the greatly reduced titer of TMV would, by extension, prevent subsequent infection of tomato and pepper plants by field workers whose hands were contaminated with TMV from their use of chewing and smoking tobacco. The ultimate outcome has many surprising twists and turns, including Holmes' failure to obtain fertile crosses of N. glutinosa × N. tabacum after 3 years of intensive work. Progress was made with N. digluta, a rare amphidiploid that was readily crossed with N. tabacum. And, importantly, the first demonstration by Holmes of the utility of interspecies hybridization for virus resistance was made with Capsicum (pepper) species with the identification of the L gene in Tabasco pepper, that he introgressed into commercial bell pepper varieties. Holmes' findings are important as they predate Flor's gene-for-gene hypothesis, show the use of interspecies hybridization for control of plant pathogens, and the use of the local lesion as a bioassay to monitor resistance events in crop plants.

  5. Estratégia e estrutura: em busca do alinhamento organizacional em um clube social esportivo

    OpenAIRE

    Cruz Junior,Augusto de Toledo; Carvalho,Marly Monteiro de; Laurindo,Fernando José Barbin

    2005-01-01

    A literatura descreve tipologias de formas organizações, que podem ser divididas em organização baseada em trabalho e organização baseada em conhecimento. A forma de representação mais utilizada é o organograma. Contudo, esta forma de representação não consegue ilustrar adequadamente a dinâmica de funcionamento da organização, sobretudo em organizações em que o conhecimento e a experiência são os ativos-chave. Com o objetivo de investigar o processo de alinhamento entre estratégia e estrutura...

  6. Silencing of a Germin-Like Gene in Nicotiana attenuata Improves Performance of Native Herbivores1[W

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lou, Yonggen; Baldwin, Ian T.

    2006-01-01

    Germins and germin-like proteins (GLPs) are known to function in pathogen resistance, but their involvement in defense against insect herbivores is poorly understood. In the native tobacco Nicotiana attenuata, attack from the specialist herbivore Manduca sexta or elicitation by adding larval oral secretions (OS) to wounds up-regulates transcripts of a GLP. To understand the function of this gene, which occurs as a single copy, we cloned the full-length NaGLP and silenced its expression in N. attenuata by expressing a 250-bp fragment in an antisense orientation with an Agrobacterium-based transformation system and by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). Homozygous lines harboring a single insert and VIGS plants had significantly reduced constitutive (measured in roots) and elicited NaGLP transcript levels (in leaves). Silencing NaGLP improved M. sexta larval performance and Tupiocoris notatus preference, two native herbivores of N. attenuata. Silencing NaGLP also attenuated the OS-induced hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), diterpene glycosides, and trypsin proteinase inhibitor responses, which may explain the observed susceptibility of antisense or VIGS plants to herbivore attack and increased nicotine contents, but did not influence the OS-elicited jasmonate and salicylate bursts, or the release of the volatile organic compounds (limonene, cis-α-bergamotene, and germacrene-A) that function as an indirect defense. This suggests that NaGLP is involved in H2O2 production and might also be related to ethylene production and/or perception, which in turn influences the defense responses of N. attenuata via H2O2 and ethylene-signaling pathways. PMID:16461381

  7. Both positive and negative regulatory elements mediate expression of a photoregulated CAB gene from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castresana, C; Garcia-Luque, I; Alonso, E; Malik, V S; Cashmore, A R

    1988-01-01

    We have analyzed promoter regulatory elements from a photoregulated CAB gene (Cab-E) isolated from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. These studies have been performed by introducing chimeric gene constructs into tobacco cells via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Expression studies on the regenerated transgenic plants have allowed us to characterize three positive and one negative cis-acting elements that influence photoregulated expression of the Cab-E gene. Within the upstream sequences we have identified two positive regulatory elements (PRE1 and PRE2) which confer maximum levels of photoregulated expression. These sequences contain multiple repeated elements related to the sequence-ACCGGCCCACTT-. We have also identified within the upstream region a negative regulatory element (NRE) extremely rich in AT sequences, which reduces the level of gene expression in the light. We have defined a light regulatory element (LRE) within the promoter region extending from -396 to -186 bp which confers photoregulated expression when fused to a constitutive nopaline synthase ('nos') promoter. Within this region there is a 132-bp element, extending from -368 to -234 bp, which on deletion from the Cab-E promoter reduces gene expression from high levels to undetectable levels. Finally, we have demonstrated for a full length Cab-E promoter conferring high levels of photoregulated expression, that sequences proximal to the Cab-E TATA box are not replaceable by corresponding sequences from a 'nos' promoter. This contrasts with the apparent equivalence of these Cab-E and 'nos' TATA box-proximal sequences in truncated promoters conferring low levels of photoregulated expression. Images PMID:2901343

  8. Mitochondrial respiratory pathways modulate nitrate sensing and nitrogen-dependent regulation of plant architecture in Nicotiana sylvestris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pellny, Till K; Van Aken, Olivier; Dutilleul, Christelle; Wolff, Tonja; Groten, Karin; Bor, Melike; De Paepe, Rosine; Reyss, Agnès; Van Breusegem, Frank; Noctor, Graham; Foyer, Christine H

    2008-06-01

    Mitochondrial electron transport pathways exert effects on carbon-nitrogen (C/N) relationships. To examine whether mitochondria-N interactions also influence plant growth and development, we explored the responses of roots and shoots to external N supply in wild-type (WT) Nicotiana sylvestris and the cytoplasmic male sterile II (CMSII) mutant, which has a N-rich phenotype. Root architecture in N. sylvestris seedlings showed classic responses to nitrate and sucrose availability. In contrast, CMSII showed an altered 'nitrate-sensing' phenotype with decreased sensitivity to C and N metabolites. The WT growth phenotype was restored in CMSII seedling roots by high nitrate plus sugars and in shoots by gibberellic acid (GA). Genome-wide cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis of leaves from mature plants revealed that only a small subset of transcripts was altered in CMSII. Tissue abscisic acid content was similar in CMSII and WT roots and shoots, and growth responses to zeatin were comparable. However, the abundance of key transcripts associated with GA synthesis was modified both by the availability of N and by the CMSII mutation. The CMSII mutant maintained a much higher shoot/root ratio at low N than WT, whereas no difference was observed at high N. Shoot/root ratios were strikingly correlated with root amines/nitrate ratios, values of <1 being characteristic of high N status. We propose a model in which the amine/nitrate ratio interacts with GA signalling and respiratory pathways to regulate the partitioning of biomass between shoots and roots.

  9. The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of the Pink Stem Borer, <em>Sesamia inferensem>, in Comparison with Four Other Noctuid Moths

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Zhou Du

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The complete 15,413-bp mitochondrial genome (mitogenome of <em>Sesamia inferensem> (Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae was sequenced and compared with those of four other noctuid moths. All of the mitogenomes analyzed displayed similar characteristics with respect to gene content, genome organization, nucleotide comparison, and codon usages. Twelve-one protein-coding genes (PCGs utilized the standard ATN, but the <em>cox1 em>gene used CGA as the initiation codon; <em>cox1em>, <em>cox2em>, and <em>nad4em> genes had the truncated termination codon T in the <em>S. inferens em>mitogenome. All of the tRNA genes had typical cloverleaf secondary structures except for <em>trnS1(AGNem>, in which the dihydrouridine (DHU arm did not form a stable stem-loop structure. Both the secondary structures of <em>rrnL> and <em>rrnS> genes inferred from the <em>S. inferens em>mitogenome closely resembled those of other noctuid moths. In the A+T-rich region, the conserved motif “ATAGA” followed by a long T-stretch was observed in all noctuid moths, but other specific tandem-repeat elements were more variable. Additionally, the <em>S. inferens em>mitogenome contained a potential stem-loop structure, a duplicated 17-bp repeat element, a decuplicated segment, and a microsatellite “(AT7”, without a poly-A element upstream of the<em> trnM em>in the A+T-rich region. Finally, the phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed based on amino acid sequences of mitochondrial 13 PCGs, which support the traditional morphologically based view of relationships within the Noctuidae.

  10. Evidence for the involvement of tetrahydrofolate in the demethylation of nicotine by Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell-suspension cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mesnard, François; Roscher, Albrecht; Garlick, Andrew P; Girard, Sandrine; Baguet, Evelyne; Arroo, Randolf R J; Lebreton, Jacques; Robins, Richard J; Ratcliffe, GeorgeR

    2002-04-01

    The conversion of nicotine to nornicotine by Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv. cells was investigated by analysing the redistribution of label during feeding experiments with (R,S)-[2H- methyl]nicotine, (R,S)-[13C- methyl]nicotine and (R,S)-[14C- methyl]nicotine, and the results show that the N-methyl group of nicotine can be recycled into primary metabolism. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of ethanolic extracts of cells grown in the presence of (R,S)-[13C- methyl]nicotine, using 1H-13C correlation spectroscopy (HMQC, HMBC), revealed the presence of [3-13C]serine and [13C- methyl]methionine. Label was also identified in a cysteinyl derivative and in several methoxylated compounds, but no evidence was obtained with either NMR or ion-trap mass spectrometry for the presence of any intermediate between nicotine and nornicotine. However, experiments with (R,S)-[14C- methyl]nicotine indicated that 70-75% of the metabolised label was released as carbon dioxide. These results are consistent with a pathway in which the oxidative hydrolysis of the nicotine methyl produces an unstable intermediate, N'-hydroxymethylnornicotine, that breaks down spontaneously to nornicotine and formaldehyde, with the formaldehyde being metabolised either directly to formate and carbon dioxide, or through the tetrahydrofolate-mediated pathways of one-carbon metabolism. However since the key intermediate, N-hydroxymethylnornicotine, could not be detected, the possibility of a direct methyl group transfer to tetrahydrofolate cannot be excluded.

  11. Screening Commercially Available Entomopathogenic Biocontrol Agents for the Control of <em>Aethina tumidaem> (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae in the UK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giles E. Budge

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The Small hive beetle, <em>Aethina tumidaem>, is an invasive pest of honey bees. Indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa, it has now become established in North America and Australia. It represents a serious threat to European honey bees. Commercially available entomopathogenic agents were screened for their potential to control beetle larvae. Entomopathogenic fungi investigated had minimal impact. The nematodes <em>Steinernema> krausseiem> and <em>S. carpocapsaeem> provided excellent control with 100% mortality of larvae being obtained. Sequential applications of the nematodes following larvae entering sand to pupate also provided excellent control for up to 3 weeks. The information gained supports the development of contingency plans to deal with <em>A. tumidaem> should it occur in the UK, and is relevant to the management of Small hive beetle where it is already present.

  12. Co-Autoria em Ensino e Pesquisa em Administração e Contabilidade no Brasil: Uma Década em Análise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lélis Balestrin Espartel

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Uma das principais tendências verificadas nos últimos anos é o aumento da colaboração científica, caracterizada pela co-autoria. Muitos autores destacam a importância do tema e indicam o crescimento da co-autoria na produção acadêmica. Entretanto, em âmbito nacional, nenhum trabalho considerou a análise de co-autoria no campo da Administração. Com base nisso, este estudo, de caráter bibliométrico, analisou os artigos publicados em co-autoria nos anais dos congressos promovidos pela ANPAD no período entre 2001 e 2010, perfazendo 12 eventos: 10 Encontros da ANPAD (EnANPAD e 2 Encontros de Ensino e Pesquisa em Administração e Contabilidade (EnEPQ. Ao total foram investigados 778 trabalhos. De uma forma geral, nota-se que grande parte dos trabalhos conduzidos em Administração no Brasil, na última década, utiliza a co-autoria. Quanto ao formato dos artigos, observa-se que a co-autoria prevalece nos estudos empíricos, enquanto os estudos teóricos são desenvolvidos, em sua maioria, por um único autor. No caso dos trabalhos teóricos, elaborados em co-autoria, nota-se, em média, um número menor de autores do que em trabalhos empíricos. Dentre os empíricos realizados em co-autoria, também há diferenças significativas, sendo que os trabalhos quantitativos apresentaram uma média de autores superior a dos artigos qualitativos. Também foi realizada uma análise da rede formada pelas 197 IES identificadas, fazendo considerações sobre a sua densidade, distância geodésica média, centralização e proximidade entre os elos. Acrescido a estas análises, discussões e considerações a respeito da co-autoria em Administração também são apresentadas no artigo. Sugestões de pesquisas futuras são propostas.

  13. Cloning, Phylogenetic Analysis and 3D Modeling of a Putative Lysosomal Acid Lipase from the Camel, <em>Camelus dromedariusem>

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farid Shokry Ataya

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Acid lipase belongs to a family of enzymes that is mainly present in lysosomes of different organs and the stomach. It is characterized by its capacity to withstand acidic conditions while maintaining high lipolytic activity. We cloned for the first time the full coding sequence of camel’s lysosomal acid lipase, <em>cLIPA em>using RT-PCR technique (Genbank accession numbers JF803951 and AEG75815, for the nucleotide and aminoacid sequences respectively. The cDNA sequencing revealed an open reading frame of 1,197 nucleotides that encodes a protein of 399 aminoacids which was similar to that from<em> em>other related mammalian species. Bioinformatic analysis was used to determine the aminoacid sequence, 3D structure and phylogeny of cLIPA. Bioinformatics analysis suggested the molecular weight of the translated protein to be 45.57 kDa, which could be decreased to 43.16 kDa after the removal of a signal peptide comprising the first 21 aminoacids. The deduced <em>cLIPA em>sequences exhibited high identity with <em>Equus caballus em>(86%, <em>Numascus leucogenysem> (85%, <em>Homo sapiensem> (84%,<em> Sus scrofaem> (84%, <em>Bos taurus em>(82% and <em>Ovis aries em>(81%. cLIPA shows high aminoacid sequence identity with human and dog-gastric lipases (58%, and 59% respectively which makes it relevant to build a 3D structure model for cLIPA. The comparison confirms the presence of the catalytic triad and the oxyanion hole in cLIPA. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that camel <em>cLIPA em>is grouped with monkey, human, pig, cow and goat. The level of expression of <em>cLIPA em>in five camel tissues was examined using Real Time-PCR. The highest level of <em>cLIPA em>transcript was found in the camel testis (162%, followed by spleen (129%, liver (100%, kidney (20.5% and lung (17.4%.

  14. The Development of DNA Based Methods for the Reliable and Efficient Identification of Nicotiana tabacum in Tobacco and Its Derived Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sukumar Biswas

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Reliable methods are needed to detect the presence of tobacco components in tobacco products to effectively control smuggling and classify tariff and excise in tobacco industry to control illegal tobacco trade. In this study, two sensitive and specific DNA based methods, one quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR assay and the other loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP assay, were developed for the reliable and efficient detection of the presence of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum in various tobacco samples and commodities. Both assays targeted the same sequence of the uridine 5′-monophosphate synthase (UMPS, and their specificities and sensitivities were determined with various plant materials. Both qPCR and LAMP methods were reliable and accurate in the rapid detection of tobacco components in various practical samples, including customs samples, reconstituted tobacco samples, and locally purchased cigarettes, showing high potential for their application in tobacco identification, particularly in the special cases where the morphology or chemical compositions of tobacco have been disrupted. Therefore, combining both methods would facilitate not only the detection of tobacco smuggling control, but also the detection of tariff classification and of excise.

  15. Silencing ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase expression does not disrupt nitrogen allocation to defense after simulated herbivory in Nicotiana attenuata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanton, Mariana A; Ullmann-Zeunert, Lynn; Wielsch, Natalie; Bartram, Stefan; Svatoš, Aleš; Baldwin, Ian T; Groten, Karin

    2013-01-01

    Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase (RuBisCO) is the most abundant protein on the planet and in addition to its central role in photosynthesis it is thought to function as a nitrogen (N)-storage protein and a potential source of N for defense biosynthesis in plants. In a recent study in the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata, we showed that the decrease in absolute N invested in soluble proteins and RuBisCO elicited by simulated herbivory was much larger than the N-requirements of nicotine and phenolamide biosynthesis; (15)N flux studies revealed that N for defensive phenolamide synthesis originates from recently assimilated N rather than from RuBisCO turnover. Here we show that a transgenic line of N. attenuata silenced in the expression of RuBisCO (asRUB) invests similar or even larger amounts of N into phenolamide biosynthesis compared with wild type plants, consistent with our previous conclusion that recently assimilated N is channeled into phenolamide synthesis after elicitation. We suggest that the decrease in leaf proteins after simulated herbivory is a tolerance mechanism, rather than a consequence of N-demand for defense biosynthesis.

  16. Descrição de ovos e ninfas de Triatoma klugi (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae Description of eggs and nymphs of Triatoma klugi (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Jurberg

    Full Text Available Os autores descreveram as características morfológicas de Triatoma klugi Carcavallo, Jurberg, Lent & Galvão, 2001 pertencente ao grupo de espécies que compõem o "complexo T. oliveirai". Até o presente tem sido difícil separar essas espécies com base nas características ninfais, o que justifica o desenvolvimento deste trabalho. Os espécimes foram coletados em frestas de rochas no morro Malavok na localidade de Linha Brasil, município de Nova Petrópolis, no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. O local de captura dos triatomíneos situa-se entre 700 e 800 m de altitude (29º18'38''S, 51º04'57''W. Juntamente com T. oliveirai (Neiva, Pinto & Lent, 1939, espécie morfologicamente mais próxima, são as únicas do complexo que não foram encontradas, até o momento, no Estado do Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul e Goiás, Brasil. Em condições experimentais, já foi testada e comprovada a sua susceptibilidade à infecção pelo Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909 e Trypanosoma rangeli (Tejera, 1920. A análise comparativa das ornamentações do exocório dos ovos e de três estádios ninfais de T. klugi por microscopia óptica e microscopia eletrônica de varredura mostrou algumas particularidades morfológicas, com destaque para: a face ventral da cabeça, o sulco estridulatório e os últimos segmentos abdominais (IX, X - futura genitália e XI - tubo anal. Esses dados contribuem para a ampliação dos parâmetros diferenciais visando à diagnose de T. klugi durante o seu desenvolvimento ninfal.The authors had described the morphologic characteristics of Triatoma klugi Carcavallo, Jurberg, Lent & Galvão, 2001 to the group of species belonging to "T. oliveirai complex". Until the moment it has been difficult to separate on the nymphs characteristics basis these species, what it justifies the development of this work. The specimens had been collected in openings of rocks in the Malavok mount in the locality of Linha Brazil, city of Nova Petr

  17. Paracoccidioidomicose em crianças em Belém do Pará

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fonseca Eliane R.S.

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available No período janeiro de 1985 e julho de 1996 foram observados 102 casos de paracoccidioidomicose em hospital de Belém, PA. Treze pacientes eram crianças entre 3 e 13 anos de idade, com predomínio do sexo feminino (8:5. Todos apresentavam a forma disseminada subaguda da micose. É comentada a alta prevalência da micose em crianças em áreas endêmicas da Região Amazônica.

  18. Development of Microsatellite Markers for the Korean Mussel, <em>Mytilus coruscusem> (Mytilidae Using Next-Generation Sequencing

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    Hye Suck An

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available <em>Mytilus coruscusem> (family Mytilidae is one of the most important marine shellfish species in Korea. During the past few decades, this species has become endangered due to the loss of habitats and overfishing. Despite this species’ importance, information on its genetic background is scarce. In this study, we developed microsatellite markers for <em>M.> coruscusem> using next-generation sequencing. A total of 263,900 raw reads were obtained from a quarter-plate run on the 454 GS-FLX titanium platform, and 176,327 unique sequences were generated with an average length of 381 bp; 2569 (1.45% sequences contained a minimum of five di- to tetra-nucleotide repeat motifs. Of the 51 loci screened, 46 were amplified successfully, and 22 were polymorphic among 30 individuals, with seven of trinucleotide repeats and three of tetranucleotide repeats. All loci exhibited high genetic variability, with an average of 17.32 alleles per locus, and the mean observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.67 and 0.90, respectively. In addition, cross-amplification was tested for all 22 loci in another congener species, <em>M.> <em>galloprovincialis.> None of the primer pairs resulted in effective amplification, which might be due to their high mutation rates. Our work demonstrated the utility of next-generation 454 sequencing as a method for the rapid and cost-effective identification of microsatellites. The high degree of polymorphism exhibited by the 22 newly developed microsatellites will be useful in future conservation genetic studies of this species.

  19. Design of Higher-<em>k> and More Stable Rare Earth Oxides as Gate Dielectrics for Advanced CMOS Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Zhao

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available High permittivity (<em>k> gate dielectric films are widely studied to substitute SiO2 as gate oxides to suppress the unacceptable gate leakage current when the traditional SiO2 gate oxide becomes ultrathin. For high-<em>k> gate oxides, several material properties are dominantly important. The first one, undoubtedly, is permittivity. It has been well studied by many groups in terms of how to obtain a higher permittivity for popular high-<em>k> oxides, like HfO2 and La2O3. The second one is crystallization behavior. Although it’s still under the debate whether an amorphous film is definitely better than ploy-crystallized oxide film as a gate oxide upon considering the crystal boundaries induced leakage current, the crystallization behavior should be well understood for a high-<em>k> gate oxide because it could also, to some degree, determine the permittivity of the high-<em>k> oxide. Finally, some high-<em>k> gate oxides, especially rare earth oxides (like La2O3, are not stable in air and very hygroscopic, forming hydroxide. This topic has been well investigated in over the years and significant progresses have been achieved. In this paper, I will intensively review the most recent progresses of the experimental and theoretical studies for preparing higher-<em>k> and more stable, in terms of hygroscopic tolerance and crystallization behavior, Hf- and La-based ternary high-<em>k> gate oxides.

  20. Syntheses of Enantiopure Aliphatic Secondary Alcohols and Acetates by Bioresolution with Lipase B from <em>Candida antarcticaem>

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    Richele P. Severino

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The lipase B from <em>Candida antarcticaem> (Novozym 435®, CALB efficiently catalyzed the kinetic resolution of some aliphatic secondary alcohols: (±-4-methylpentan-2-ol (1, (±-5-methylhexan-2-ol (3, (±-octan-2-ol (4, (±-heptan-3-ol (5 and (±-oct-1-en-3-ol (6. The lipase showed excellent enantioselectivities in the transesterifications of racemic aliphatic secondary alcohols producing the enantiopure alcohols (>99% <em>ee> and acetates (>99% <em>ee> with good yields. Kinetic resolution of <em>rac>-alcohols was successfully achieved with CALB lipase using simple conditions, vinyl acetate as acylating agent, and hexane as non-polar solvent.

  1. A poliomielite em Sergipe

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    Hélio A. Oliveira

    1994-06-01

    Full Text Available Os autores apresentam estudo retrospectivo da poliomielite em Sergipe. Dividem o estudo em três períodos levando em consideração a taxa de notificação de casos positivos e enfatizam o período que vai de 1979 a 1989, pelo estudo de 159 casos consecutivos. As seguintes informações foram levantadas para cada caso: sexo, idade, procedência, estado vacinai anterior e evolução clínica. São também avaliadas a incidência anual, relação incidência/cobertura vacinai e distribuição geográfica. Tecem comentários sobre os surtos epidêmicos ocorridos em 1984 e 1986, sobre as alterações na circulação do poliovírus selvagem (P1 para P3 e sobre problemas relacionados à não aquisição de imunidade em crianças com esquema vacinal completo. Consideram a poliomielite controlada no Estado, mas enfatizam a necessidade de manutenção de Vigilância epidemiológica efetiva para todos os casos de paralisia aguda e flácida em menores de 14 anos de idade.

  2. Alberprosenia malheiroi Serra, Atzingen & Serra, 1987 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae: redescrição e bionomia Alberprosenia malheiroi Serra, Atzingen & Serra, 1987 (Hemiptera, Rediviidae: redescription and bionomics

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    Rodolfo U. Carcavallo

    1995-12-01

    Full Text Available Sobre Alberprosenia malheiroi n. sp. deu-se a conhecer uma diagnose resumida em 1980, porém sem valor bibliográfico. Em 1987 publicou-se a mesma diagnose anexando uma foto e alguns comentários, porém sem realizar uma descrição formal. Descreve-se para esta espécie, os adultos, os estádios imaturos, determina-se a série sintípica e apresenta-se dados bionômicos e de criação em insetário. As diferenças mais evidentes com A. goyovargasi, a única espécie que se conhecia do gênero até então, são a coloração geral negra, o espaço interocular maior que o tamanho de um olho visto dorsalmente, os tubérculos do colar com o ápice agudo e o tamanho maior, na nova espécie, quase o dobro do da primeira espécie. Os ovos são pequenos, fixados ao substrato em grupos de 3 ou 4, elipsóides, não achatados lateralmente, com o opérculo proeminente, convexo, sem estruturas evidentes. As ninfas apresentam em todos os estádios caracteres típicos do gênero e da tribo, com região anteocular menos longa que a post-ocular e característica pilosidade do tegumento que vai se acentuando a cada estádio. A. malheiroi n. sp. foi capturado em ecótopos silvestres em palmeiras em floresta no Estado do Pará, associados com morcegos ou aves. Nenhum dos exemplares estava infectado com Trypanosoma cruzi. Esses triatomíneos foram mantidos em insetários a ± 25°C e ± 60% UR, são insetos ágeis e voam com relativa facilidade. Alimentaram-se bem em pombos e morcegos e não aceitaram alimentação em ratos, camundongos ou hamsters. O período de incubação dos ovos foi em média treze dias e o tempo de evolução do período ninfal foi em média cento e trinta e dois dias.Alberprosenia malheiroi n. sp. first became known through an informal publication of a paper submitted a Congress, in 1980. The same diagnosis with a photograph was published in 1987, but no formal description has yeet been made. The present authors describe adults and immature

  3. Determinação de hemogregarina em Boa constrictor constrictor mantidos em cativeiro

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    Monique A. Luz

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available O presente estudo teve como objetivo determinar a presença de hemogregarina em boídeos mantidos em cativeiro no Estado do Pará, bem como, relacionar a hemoparasitose com pre-disposição sexual, alterações clínicas e hematológicas e a presença de ectoparasitos. Esta pesquisa teve autorização do Sistema de Autorização e Informação em Biodiversidade do Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis para ser realizado. Utilizaram-se 19 serpentes da família Boidae mantidas em cativeiro, pertencentes ao "Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi" (Belém/PA e "Sítio Xerimbabo" (Santo Antônio do Tauá/PA. A pesquisa de hemogregarina foi realizada em esfregaços sanguíneos examinados no aumento de 400x, enquanto que a parasitemia foi determinada contando- se 550 hemácias em aumento de 1000x. Do total de animais estudados (n=19, nove encontraram-se parasitados (47,36%, não havendo correlação entre presença de hemogregarina, pré-disposição sexual, alterações clínicas e hematológicas nas serpentes hospedeiras. A correlação da hemoparasitose foi detectada apenas quanto à presença de ectoparasitas nas serpentes, no entanto, estudos adicionais são necessários para verificar a prevalência de hemogregarinas em animais mantidos em cativeiro no Estado do Pará, visto que, existe grande lacuna de dados na literatura veterinária especializada no que diz respeito à fauna da região amazônica.

  4. RENDENÇÃO E CONFORMISMO EM UMA LINDA MULHER Redenção e conformismo em Uma Linda Mulher

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    Alexander Martins Vianna

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available

    Este artigo pretende demonstrar a forma como os temas da rendenção individual e do conformismo social são acionados no desenvolvimento da trama nostálgica e na caracterização dos personagens principais do filme “<em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uma Linda Mulherem>”, assim como, visa a demonstrar o quanto que tais temas estão referidos a um <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">habitusem> <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">culturalem> que determina escolhas conjunturais de estereótipos raciais/morais e de formas estéticas que configuram um tipo de emoção para o enredo que leva à aceitação da <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">solução caridosa burguesa em>‘ style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Middle Classem>’, em chave protestante, de resgate moral e mobilidade social.

    Este artigo pretende demonstrar a forma como os temas da rendenção individual e do conformismo social são acionados no desenvolvimento da trama nostálgica e na caracterização dos personagens principais do filme “<em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uma Linda Mulherem>”, assim como, visa a demonstrar o quanto que tais temas estão referidos a um <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">habitusem> <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">culturalem> que determina escolhas conjunturais de estereótipos raciais/morais e de formas estéticas que configuram um tipo de emoção para o enredo que leva à aceitação da <em style

  5. Introgression Between Cultivars and Wild Populations of<em> Momordica charantiaem> L. (Cucurbitaceae in Taiwan

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    Yu-Chung Chiang

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The landrace strains of <em>Momordica charantia em>are widely cultivated vegetables throughout the tropics and subtropics, but not in Taiwan, a continental island in Southeast Asia, until a few hundred years ago. In contrast, the related wild populations with smaller fruit sizes are native to Taiwan. Because of the introduction of cultivars for agricultural purposes, these two accessions currently exhibit a sympatric or parapatric distribution in Taiwan. In this study, the cultivars<em> em>and wild samples from Taiwan, India, and Korea<em> em>were collected for testing of their hybridization and evolutionary patterns. The cpDNA marker showed a clear distinction between accessions of cultivars and wild populations of Taiwan and a long divergence time. In contrast, an analysis of eight selectively neutral nuclear microsatellite loci did not reveal a difference between the genetic structures of these two accessions. A relatively short divergence time and frequent but asymmetric gene flows were estimated based on the isolation-with-migration model. Historical and current introgression from cultivars to wild populations of Taiwan was also inferred using MIGRATE-n and BayesAss analyses. Our results showed that these two accessions shared abundant common ancestral polymorphisms, and the timing of the divergence and colonization of the Taiwanese wild populations is consistent with the geohistory of the Taiwan Strait land bridge of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM. Long-term and recurrent introgression between accessions indicated the asymmetric capacity to receive foreign genes from other accessions. The modern introduction of cultivars of <em>M>. <em>charantia> during the colonization of Taiwan by the Han Chinese ethnic group enhanced the rate of gene replacement in the native populations and resulted in the loss of native genes.

  6. Extraction Optimization of Water-Extracted Mycelial Polysaccharide from Endophytic Fungus <em>Fusarium oxysporumem> Dzf17 by Response Surface Methodology

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    Ligang Zhou

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Water-extracted mycelial polysaccharide (WPS from the endophytic fungus <em>Fusarium oxysporumem> Dzf17 isolated from <em>Dioscorea zingiberensisem> was found to be an efficient elicitor to enhance diosgenin accumulation in<em> D. zingigerensisem> cultures, and also demonstrated antioxidant activity. In this study, response surface methodology (RSM was employed to optimize the extraction process of WPS from <em>F>. oxysporumem> Dzf17 using Box-Behnken design (BBD. The ranges of the factors investigated were 1–3 h for extraction time (<em>X>1, 80–100 °C for extraction temperature (<em>X>2, and 20–40 (v/w for ratio of water volume (mL to raw material weight (g (<em>X>3. The experimental data obtained were fitted to a second-order polynomial equation using multiple regression analysis. Statistical analysis showed that the polynomial regression model was in good agreement with the experimental results with the determination coefficient (<em>R>2 of 0.9978. By solving the regression equation and analyzing the response surface contour plots, the extraction parameters were optimized as 1.7 h for extraction time, 95 °C for extraction temperature, 39 (v/w for ratio of water volume (mL to raw material weight (g, and with 2 extractions. The maximum value (10.862% of WPS yield was obtained when the WPS extraction process was conducted under the optimal conditions.

  7. Terapia pulpar em dentes decíduos: possibilidades terapêuticas baseadas em evidências

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    Natalino Lourenço Neto

    Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: A pulpotomia em dentes decíduos é uma técnica conservadora de terapia pulpar amplamente utilizada em Odontopediatria, sendo de fundamental importância para evitar a perda prematura desses dentes, quer seja por alterações provocadas pela cárie dentária ou traumatismo dentário. Apesar de ser uma técnica estudada há muitos anos, causa muitas controvérsias e discussões, principalmente em termos de biocompatibilidade dos medicamentos empregados e pelas dificuldades e falhas no diagnóstico da condição pulpar. OBJETIVO: Por meio de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, no período compreendido entre 2000 e 2011, e com enfoque em estudos clínicos randomizados, revisões sistemáticas e meta-análises, este trabalho teve como objetivo discutir, com base em evidências científicas, alternativas para o tratamento de pulpotomia em dentes decíduos humanos. CONCLUSÃO: As evidências científicas fidedignas com o uso de materiais capeadores pulpares e as técnicas de Eletrocirurgia e Laser de Baixa Potência foram escassas. Desta forma, sugere-se a realização de estudos complementares bem delineados estatisticamente para maiores esclarecimentos. As informações geradas em tais experimentos poderão contribuir para um melhor entendimento dos mecanismos da terapia pulpar, podendo gerar o desenvolvimento de protocolos com novas formas terapêuticas, que visam a melhorar a terapia pulpar em dentes decíduos.

  8. A bricolage na pesquisa em educação em enfermagem: Relato de experiência

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    Leonara Raddai Gunther de Campos

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available RESUMO Introdução: Este artigo apresenta um relato de experiência sobre a utilização da bricolage em uma pesquisa educacional em enfermagem. Objetivo: Relatar a experiência do uso da bricolage. Métodos: Primeiramente, foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico sobre o termo e sua utilização em meio científico, em seguida, as autoras apresentam a experiência da aplicação do método em uma pesquisa de Mestrado em Enfermagem. A bricolage possibilitou a combinação de estratégias para a construção dos dados, como a observação participante, entrevista semiestruturada, análise documental e gravação em áudio das sessões tutoriais. A análise dos dados foi uma etapa bem peculiar e criativa, onde as autoras, amparadas pela bricolage criaram seu próprio processo de análise. Conclusões: Dentre os principais resultados são ressaltados as vantagens proporcionadas pela utilização da bricolage, como a captação dos aspectos multilógicos dos fenômenos e desafios. Implicações para a prática: Este relato contribui com novas opções metodológicas para estudos em enfermagem.

  9. Some remarks about biometric characters of skulls of <em>Hippopotamus pentlandiem> Von Meyer (Cannita Cave, Sicily and pleistocene hippopotami of Western Europe / Osservazioni sui caratteri biometrici del cranio di <em>Hippopotamus pentlandiem> Von Meyer della grotta della Cannita (Sicilia e degli ippopotami pleistocenici dell'Europa Occidentale

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    Lucia Caloi

    1986-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Biometric data from the examination of skulls of <em>Hippopotamus pentlandiem> Von Meyer (Canninita cave, Palermo, Sicily are compared with the data relative to the skulls of two fossil hippos of european Pleistocene and of the living species <em>Hippopotamus amphibiusem> Linnaeus. Even taking into account the inhomogeneity of the fossil specimens and the deformation suffered by the skulls of <em>H. pentlandiem> from Cannita cave, the examination confirms on one hand the stronger affinity of the sicilian species with the living <em>H. amphibiusem> and from the other hand the peculiarities that characterize this form with respect to the european continental ones. A comparative examination of the biometric characters of the skull of these latter species confirms the greater distance of <em>H. antiquusem> Desmarest from the living species. It is stressed how the relations between the less bulky Pleistocene species (<em>Hippopotamus incognitusem> Faure with <em>H. antiquusem> and with the living <em>H. amphibiusem> have not yet been completely clarified, owing both to the scantiness of the documentation and to the strong variability observed in the biometric characters of the few known skulls. It is noted how, in any case, this fossil form appears more similar to the living <em>H. amphibiusem>. For the moment its distinction at a specific level is accepted, even if with reservation, taking into account also the distinctive elements recognized in the post-cranial skeleton (FAURE, 1985, not examined here. Riassunto Vengono analizzati e posti a confronto i dati biometrici ricavati dall'analisi dei crani di <em>Hippopotamus pentlandiem> Von Heyer della Grotta della Cannita (Palermo, Sicilia, degli ippopotami fossili del Pleistocene continentale europeo e della specie vivente <em>Hippopotamus amphibiusem> Linnaeus. Vengono da un lato confermate le maggiori affinità tra <em>H. pentlandiem

  10. Enfermagem em cardiologia baseada em evidência

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    Eneida Rejane Rabelo da Silva

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Neste artigo apresentamos, dentro do cenário cardiovascular, estudos recentes do nosso grupo. Buscando melhores evidências de enfermagem investigamos por meio de ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECR estratégias de educação e acompanhamento destes pacientes (pctes. O primeiro ECR avaliou o impacto da educação individual e da orientação em grupo no conhecimento sobre doença e autocuidado em pctes com insuficiência cardíaca (IC. No grupo intervenção, houve uma melhora do conhecimento dos cuidados essenciais (controle de sal e da ingesta hídrica, peso diário, realização de atividade física P=0,008, demonstrando que o atendimento em grupo é semelhante ao individual. No ambiente hospitalar, segundo ECR, comparamos o efeito da educação de enfermagem e seguimento telefônico após alta versus educação sem a monitorização por telefone. Demonstramos que intervenção educativa durante a internação melhora o conhecimento da doença, autocuidado e qualidade de vida (P

  11. A new karyotype of <em>Calomyscus> from the Khorasan Province, Iran

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    Esmaeeli Somayeh

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract We report a new karyotype of <em>Calomyscus> from two localities of the Khorasan Province (Aghdarband, 36° 11’ 3”N, 60° 44’ 6” E and Khajemorad, 36° 8’ 5” N, 59° 41’ 58” E. Chromosomes were examined by conventional staining and C-banding techniques. The diploid chromosome number (2n and the fundamental autosomal arm number (FNa were 44 and 60 respectively. The autosomal set consisted of 12 pairs of telocentrics, 5 pairs of acrocentrics and 4 pairs of sub-metacentrics. Both heterosomes were small telocentrics. Riassunto Un nuovo cariotipo del genere <em>Calomyscus> dalla provincia di Khorasan, Iran. Si descrive un nuovo cariotipo appartenente al genere <em>Calomyscus>, scoperto in due località della provincia di Khorasan (Aghdarband, 36° 11’ 3”N, 60° 44’ 6” E e Khajemorad, 36° 8’ 5” N, 59° 41’ 58” E. I cromosomi sono stati analizzati con le tecniche standard di colorazione e bandeggio. Il numero diploide di cromosomi (2n e il numero fondamentale di bracci autosomici sono risultati pari a 44 e 60 rispettivamente. Il set di cromosomi autosomici è composto da 12 paia di telocentrici, 5 di acrocentrici e 4 di sub-metacentrici. Entrambi i cromosomi sessuali si presentano come piccoli telocentrici.

  12. Protective Effect of <em>T. violaceaem> Rhizome Extract Against Hypercholesterolemia-Induced Oxidative Stress in Wistar Rats

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    Olorunnisola Sinbad Olorunnisola

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The present study examines the effect of methanolic extract of <em>T. violaceaem> rhizomes on high cholesterol (2% diet fed rats (HCD. At the end of 4 weeks, serum total protein, albumin, reduced glutathione (GSH, and markers of oxidative stress viz., catalase (CAT, superoxide dismutase (SOD, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS—a marker of lipid peroxidation, glutathione-S-transferase (GST and glutathione peroxidase (GPx in the serum, aorta, liver and heart of HCD and normal rats were assessed and compared. A significant (<em>p> < 0.05 elevation in TBARS, and a reduction (<em>p> < 0.05 in serum total protein, albumin, GSH and antioxidant enzyme activities was observed in tissues of HCD fed rats compared with the normal group. Co-administration of crude extracts of <em>T. violaceaem> rhizomes protected the liver, heart, serum and aorta against HCD-induced lipid peroxidation in a dose dependant manner. The activities of the extract (500 mg/kg compared favorably with gemfibrozil. The extracts also protected against HCD-induced reduction in serum total protein, GSH and restored the activities of antioxidant tissues (liver, heart and aorta enzymes to near normal values. This result suggested that consumption of <em>T. violaceaem> rhizome may help to protect against hypercholesterolemia- induced oxidative stress diseases in the heart and liver.

  13. Nitrite reductase expression is regulated at the post-transcriptional level by the nitrogen source in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crété, P; Caboche, M; Meyer, C

    1997-04-01

    Higher plant nitrite reductase (NiR) is a monomeric chloroplastic protein catalysing the reduction of nitrite, the product of nitrate reduction, to ammonium. The expression of this enzyme is controlled at the transcriptional level by light and by the nitrogen source. In order to study the post-transcriptional regulation of NiR, Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Arabidopsis thaliana were transformed with a chimaeric NiR construct containing the tobacco leaf NiR1 coding sequence driven by the CaMV 35S RNA promoter. Transformed plants did not show any phenotypic difference when compared with the wild-type, although they overexpressed NiR activity in the leaves. When these plants were grown in vitro on media containing either nitrate or ammonium as sole nitrogen source, NiR mRNA derived from transgene expression was constitutively expressed, whereas NiR activity and protein level were strongly reduced on ammonium-containing medium. These results suggest that, together with transcriptional control, post-transcriptional regulation by the nitrogen source is operating on NiR expression. This post-transcriptional regulation of tobacco leaf NiR1 expression was observed not only in the closely related species N. plumbaginifolia but also in the more distant species A. thaliana.

  14. Rapid Transient Production of a Monoclonal Antibody Neutralizing the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) in Nicotiana benthamiana and Lactuca sativa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rattanapisit, Kaewta; Srijangwad, Anchalee; Chuanasa, Taksina; Sukrong, Suchada; Tantituvanont, Angkana; Mason, Hugh S; Nilubol, Dachrit; Phoolcharoen, Waranyoo

    2017-12-01

    Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes acute diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, weight loss, and high mortality rate in neonatal piglets. Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) has been reported in Europe, America, and Asia including Thailand. The disease causes substantial losses to the swine industry in many countries. Presently, there is no effective PEDV vaccine available. In this study, we developed a plant-produced monoclonal antibody (mAb) 2C10 as a prophylactic candidate to prevent the PEDV infection. Recently, plant expression systems have gained interest as an alternative for the production of antibodies because of many advantages, such as low production cost, lack of human and animal pathogen, large scalability, etc. The 2C10 mAb was transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana and lettuce using geminiviral vector. After purification by protein A affinity chromatography, the antibody was tested for the binding and neutralizing activity against PEDV. Our result showed that the plant produced 2C10 mAb can bind to the virus and also inhibit PEDV infection in vitro . These results show excellent potential for a plant-expressed 2C10 as a PEDV prophylaxis and a diagnostic for PEDV infection. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  15. SGS3 Cooperates with RDR6 in Triggering Geminivirus-Induced Gene Silencing and in Suppressing Geminivirus Infection in Nicotiana Benthamiana

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    Fangfang Li

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available RNA silencing has an important role in defending against virus infection in plants. Plants with the deficiency of RNA silencing components often show enhanced susceptibility to viral infections. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRs mediated-antiviral defense has a pivotal role in resistance to many plant viruses. In RDR6-mediated defense against viral infection, a plant-specific RNA binding protein, Suppressor of Gene Silencing 3 (SGS3, was also found to fight against some viruses in Arabidopsis. In this study, we showed that SGS3 from Nicotiana benthamiana (NbSGS3 is required for sense-RNA induced post-transcriptional gene silencing (S-PTGS and initiating sense-RNA-triggered systemic silencing. Further, the deficiency of NbSGS3 inhibited geminivirus-induced endogenous gene silencing (GIEGS and promoted geminivirus infection. During TRV-mediated NbSGS3 or N. benthamiana RDR6 (NbRDR6 silencing process, we found that their expression can be effectively fine-tuned. Plants with the knock-down of both NbSGS3 and NbRDR6 almost totally blocked GIEGS, and were more susceptible to geminivirus infection. These data suggest that NbSGS3 cooperates with NbRDR6 against GIEGS and geminivirus infection in N. benthamiana, which provides valuable information for breeding geminivirus-resistant plants.

  16. Ultrasound-Promoted One-Pot, Three-Component Synthesis of Spiro[indoline-3,1'-pyrazolo[1,2-<em>b>]phthalazine] Derivatives<em>>

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    Daqing Shi

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available A series of 3'-aminospiro[indoline-3,1'-pyrazolo[1,2-<em>b>]phthalazine]-2,5',10'-trione derivatives have been synthesized by a one-pot three-component reaction of isatin, malononitrile or ethyl cyanoacetate and phthalhydrazide catalyzed by piperidine under ultrasound irradiation. For comparison the reactions were carried out under both conventional and ultrasonic conditions. In general, improvement in rates and yields were observed when the reactions were carried out under sonication compared with classical conditions.

  17. Expression of Aspergillus nidulans phy Gene in Nicotiana benthamiana Produces Active Phytase with Broad Specificities

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    Tae-Kyun Oh

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available A full-length phytase gene (phy of Aspergillus nidulans was amplified from the cDNA library by polymerase chain reaction (PCR, and it was introduced into a bacterial expression vector, pET-28a. The recombinant protein (rPhy-E, 56 kDa was overexpressed in the insoluble fraction of Escherichia coli culture, purified by Ni-NTA resin under denaturing conditions and injected into rats as an immunogen. To express A. nidulans phytase in a plant, the full-length of phy was cloned into a plant expression binary vector, pPZP212. The resultant construct was tested for its transient expression by Agrobacterium-infiltration into Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Compared with a control, the agro-infiltrated leaf tissues showed the presence of phy mRNA and its high expression level in N. benthamiana. The recombinant phytase (rPhy-P, 62 kDa was strongly reacted with the polyclonal antibody against the nonglycosylated rPhy-E. The rPhy-P showed glycosylation, two pH optima (pH 4.5 and pH 5.5, an optimum temperature at 45~55 °C, thermostability and broad substrate specificities. After deglycosylation by peptide-N-glycosidase F (PNGase-F, the rPhy-P significantly lost the phytase activity and retained 1/9 of the original activity after 10 min of incubation at 45 °C. Therefore, the deglycosylation caused a significant reduction in enzyme thermostability. In animal experiments, oral administration of the rPhy-P at 1500 U/kg body weight/day for seven days caused a significant reduction of phosphorus excretion by 16% in rat feces. Besides, the rPhy-P did not result in any toxicological changes and clinical signs.

  18. Expression of Aspergillus nidulans phy Gene in Nicotiana benthamiana Produces Active Phytase with Broad Specificities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Tae-Kyun; Oh, Sung; Kim, Seongdae; Park, Jae Sung; Vinod, Nagarajan; Jang, Kyung Min; Kim, Sei Chang; Choi, Chang Won; Ko, Suk-Min; Jeong, Dong Kee; Udayakumar, Rajangam

    2014-01-01

    A full-length phytase gene (phy) of Aspergillus nidulans was amplified from the cDNA library by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and it was introduced into a bacterial expression vector, pET-28a. The recombinant protein (rPhy-E, 56 kDa) was overexpressed in the insoluble fraction of Escherichia coli culture, purified by Ni-NTA resin under denaturing conditions and injected into rats as an immunogen. To express A. nidulans phytase in a plant, the full-length of phy was cloned into a plant expression binary vector, pPZP212. The resultant construct was tested for its transient expression by Agrobacterium-infiltration into Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Compared with a control, the agro-infiltrated leaf tissues showed the presence of phy mRNA and its high expression level in N. benthamiana. The recombinant phytase (rPhy-P, 62 kDa) was strongly reacted with the polyclonal antibody against the nonglycosylated rPhy-E. The rPhy-P showed glycosylation, two pH optima (pH 4.5 and pH 5.5), an optimum temperature at 45~55 °C, thermostability and broad substrate specificities. After deglycosylation by peptide-N-glycosidase F (PNGase-F), the rPhy-P significantly lost the phytase activity and retained 1/9 of the original activity after 10 min of incubation at 45 °C. Therefore, the deglycosylation caused a significant reduction in enzyme thermostability. In animal experiments, oral administration of the rPhy-P at 1500 U/kg body weight/day for seven days caused a significant reduction of phosphorus excretion by 16% in rat feces. Besides, the rPhy-P did not result in any toxicological changes and clinical signs. PMID:25192284

  19. Chemical Composition of Essential Oils of <em>Litsea cubebaem> Harvested from Its Distribution Areas in China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qinqin Cui

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available <em>Litsea cubebaem> (Lour. Pers. is a promising industrial crop with fruits rich in essential oils. The chemical composition of essential oils of <em>L. cubebaem> (EOLC were determined for fruits harvested from eight regions in China. The overall essential oil content, obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS, ranged from 3.04% to 4.56%. In total, 59 compounds were identified, the dominant components being monoterpenes (94.4–98.4%, represented mainly by neral and geranial (78.7–87.4%. D-Limonene was unexpectedly a lesser constituent (0.7–5.3% in fruits, which differed from previous reports (6.0–14.6%. Several components were only detected in certain regions and compounds such as <em>o>-cymene and eremophilene have never before been reported in EOLC. These results demonstrate significant regional variation in the chemical composition of EOLC. This investigation provides important information with regard to the bioactivity, breeding work and industrial applications of <em>L. cubebaem>.

  20. Sinularones A–I, New Cyclopentenone and Butenolide Derivatives from a Marine Soft Coral <em>Sinularia> sp. and Their Antifouling Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leen van Ofwegen

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Nine new compounds, namely sinularones A–I (19, characterized as cyclopentenone and butenolide-type analogues, were isolated from a soft coral <em>Sinularia> sp., together with a known butenolide (10. Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic (IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR, CD analysis. The absolute configurations were determined on the basis of CD and specific rotation data in association with the computed electronic circular dichroism (ECD by time dependent density functional theory (TD DFT at 6-31+G(<em>d,p>//DFT B3LYP/6-31+G(<em>d,p> level. Compounds 12 and 710 showed potent antifouling activities against the barnacle <em>Balanus amphitriteem>.

  1. Estimativa do plastocrono em meloeiro (Cucumis melo L. cultivado em estufa plástica em diferentes épocas do ano

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Streck Nereu Augusto

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available O meloeiro (Cucumis melo L. é uma hortaliça de alto valor econômico. A emissão de nós é um componente importante em modelos matemáticos de simulação do crescimento e desenvolvimento de culturas de hábito de crescimento decumbente como o meloeiro e outras cucurbitáceas. A emissão de nós pode ser calculada utilizando-se o conceito do plastocrono, que é o intervalo de tempo entre o aparecimento de nós sucessivos em uma haste de dicotiledôneas. Quando a soma térmica é usada como medida de tempo fisiológico em plantas, o plastocrono tem como unidades degreesC dia nó-1. Estudos anteriores mostraram que o plastocrono em meloeiro varia com o genótipo e a época de cultivo. Este trabalho teve por objetivo estimar o plastocrono em meloeiro transplantado em diferentes épocas de cultivo no interior de estufa plástica. Foram realizadas 12 épocas de semeadura e transplante no interior de uma estufa plástica de 10m X 25m, coberta com polietileno transparente de baixa densidade, localizada no Campo Experimental do Departamento de Fitotecnia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS. O híbrido utilizado foi o HY-MARK (grupo Cantaloupe. Em 12 plantas etiquetadas por época de transplante, contou-se o número de nós visíveis (NN na haste principal da planta duas vezes por semana. A soma térmica diária (STd, degreesC dia foi calculada levando-se em conta as temperaturas cardinais de aparecimento de nós em meloeiro (10, 34 e 45degreesC. A soma térmica acumulada (STa, degreesC dia, a partir da data de transplante das plântulas, foi calculada somando-se a STd. O plastocrono foi calculado como sendo o inverso do coeficiente angular da regressão linear entre NN e STa para cada época. O plastocrono calculado variou entre as épocas de cultivo de 13,4 a 21,8degreesC dia nó-1, com um valor médio de 18,6 (?2,3degreesC dia nó-1. Esta diferença de plastocrono entre as épocas de cultivo pode representar vários dias do calendário civil

  2. Immediate effects of nectar robbing by Palestine sunbirds (Nectarinia osea) on nectar alkaloid concentrations in tree tobacco (Nicotiana glauca).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaczorowski, Rainee L; Koplovich, Avi; Sporer, Frank; Wink, Michael; Markman, Shai

    2014-04-01

    Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), such as alkaloids, are often found in many parts of a plant, including flowers, providing protection to the plant from various types of herbivores or microbes. PSMs are also present in the floral nectar of many species, but typically at lower concentrations than in other parts of the plant. Nectar robbers often damage floral tissue to access the nectar. By doing so, these nectar robbers may initiate an increase of PSMs in the floral nectar. It is often assumed that it takes at least a few hours before the plant demonstrates an increase in PSMs. Here, we addressed the question of whether PSMs in the floral tissue are immediately being released into the floral nectar following nectar robbing. To address this research question, we investigated whether there was an immediate effect of nectar robbing by the Palestine Sunbird (Nectarinia osea) on the concentration of nectar alkaloids, nicotine and anabasine, in Tree Tobacco (Nicotiana glauca). We found that the concentration of anabasine, but not nicotine, significantly increased in floral nectar immediately following simulated nectar robbing. These findings suggest that nectar robbers could be ingesting greater amounts of PSMs than they would if they visit flowers legitimately. As a consequence, increased consumption of neurotoxic nectar alkaloids or other PSMs could have negative effects on the nectar robber.

  3. Antibacterial Secondary Metabolites from the Cave Sponge <em>Xestospongia em>sp.

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    Sridevi Ankisetty

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Chemical investigation of the cave sponge <em>Xestospongia em>sp. resulted in the isolation of three new polyacetylenic long chain compounds along with two known metabolites. The structures of the new metabolites were established by NMR and MS analyses. The antibacterial activity of the new metabolites was also evaluated.

  4. Nitrogen Supply Influences Herbivore-Induced Direct and Indirect Defenses and Transcriptional Responses in Nicotiana attenuata[w

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lou, Yonggen; Baldwin, Ian T.

    2004-01-01

    Although nitrogen (N) availability is known to alter constitutive resistance against herbivores, its influence on herbivore-induced responses, including signaling pathways, transcriptional signatures, and the subsequently elicited chemical defenses is poorly understood. We used the native tobacco, Nicotiana attenuata, which germinates in the postfire environment and copes with large changes in soil N during postfire succession, to compare a suite of Manduca sexta- and elicitor-induced responses in plants grown under high- and low-N (LN) supply rates. LN supply decreased relative growth rates and biomass by 35% at 40 d compared to high-N plants; furthermore, it also attenuated (by 39 and 60%) the elicitor-induced jasmonate and salicylate bursts, two N-intensive direct defenses (nicotine and trypsin proteinase inhibitors, albeit by different mechanisms), and carbon-containing nonvolatile defenses (rutin, chlorogenic acid, and diterpene glycosides), but did not affect the induced release of volatiles (cis-α-bergamotene and germacrene A), which function as indirect defenses. M. sexta and methyl jasmonate-induced transcriptional responses measured with a microarray enriched in herbivore-induced genes were also substantially reduced in plants grown under LN supply rates. In M. sexta-attacked LN plants, only 36 (45%) up-regulated and 46 (58%) down-regulated genes showed the same regulation as those in attacked high-N plants. However, transcriptional responses frequently directly countered the observed metabolic changes. Changes in a leaf's sensitivity to elicitation, an attacked leaf's waning ability to export oxylipin wound signals, and/or resource limitations in LN plants can account for the observed results, underscoring the conclusion that defense activation is a resource-intensive response. PMID:15133153

  5. REQUERIMENTO EM FRIO, DINÂMICA E HETEROGENEIDADE DE DORMÊNCIA DE GEMAS EM RAMOS DE Salix x rubens CULTIVADO EM LAGES, SC

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    Tássio Dresch Rech

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available A intensidade de dormência e o requerimento em frio do vimeiro (Salix x rubens Shrank foram avaliados pelo método de estacas de gema isolada. As observações foram realizadas em ramos coletados em Lages, SC, a intervalos regulares de 21 dias, de 29/03/2004 a 2/08/2004. A brotação de gemas dos segmentos basal, mediano e distal de ramos do ano foi avaliada na ausência ou após suplementação de frio (500 ou de 1000 horas a 5  3ºC. A brotação de gemas foi avaliada nos estádios: a gemas inchadas; b início da abertura das gemas; c broto alongado e; d broto alongado com folha aberta. A intensidade de dormência das gemas foi crescente da base para a ponta dos ramos e foi máxima em 10 de maio, para todas as regiões do ramo. O tratamento com 500 horas de frio foi efetivo em reduzir o tempo para a brotação, em todas as épocas e posições das gemas no ramo. A avaliação até o aparecimento de folhas abertas foi importante para identificar a real capacidade de brotação das gemas.

  6. Resistance-related gene transcription and antioxidant enzyme ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The two tobacco relatives of Nicotiana alata and Nicotiana longiflora display a high level of resistance against Colletotrichum nicotianae and the two genes NTF6 and NtPAL related to pathogen defense transcription were higher in N. alata and N. longiflora than the commercial cv. K326. Inoculation with C. nicotianae ...

  7. Exploring the Role of Rhodtestolin, A Cardio-Inhibitor from the Testes of Rhodnius prolixus, in Relation to the Structure and Function of Reproductive Organs in Insect Vectors of Chagas Disease

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    Marli Maria Lima

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Rhodtestolin is a cardio-inhibitor that was first discovered in testes extracts of the blood-feeding insect, Rhodnius prolixus. Its role in reproduction remains unconfirmed, but if delivered to the female during spermatophore formation, it may serve to calm the female and/or relax the vaginal muscles to facilitate delivery and storage of the spermatophore. We describe here the anatomy of reproductive organs in R. prolixus and show that rhodtestolin is present in a low-molecular weight fraction of testes extracts separated by gel filtration, as well as in spermatophores delivered to the female during spermatophore formation. We also report that a rhodtestolin-like factor is present in the testes of R. brethesi, Triatoma dimidiata, T. klugi and Nesotriatoma bruneri, other Reduviidae, which are vectors of Chagas disease. Male secretions in insects are known to modify female behavior after copulation, and the presence of rhodtestolin in several genera of Reduviidae suggests that it plays an important role in reproductive success. Determining this role could lead to developing additional population control strategies for these bugs.

  8. Selezione invernale dell'habitat e densità del cervo (<em>Cervus elaphusem> e del capriolo (<em>Capreolus capreolusem> nel Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo

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    R. Latini

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available Nel Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo è stata studiata la selezione dell'habitat invernale di cervo e capriolo da aprile a maggio del 2000 e del 2002, in un'area caratterizzata da boschi di faggio, rimboschimenti a pino nero e pascoli. È stata utilizzata la tecnica del <em>pellet group countem>, su transetti lineari larghi 2 metri, individuati ogni 100 m di quota, lungo le isoipse da 1350 a 1950 m s.l.m. Sono stati percorsi 61 km ed è stata campionata un'area di 12 ha. Per ogni gruppo di escrementi (1583 per il cervo e 946 per il capriolo sono state rilevate l'altitudine, la pendenza, l'esposizione e il tipo di vegetazione. È stato assunto che tutti gli habitat fossero ugualmente disponibili ed accessibili e che le disponibilita fossero conosciute (Alldredge <em>et al.em>, 1998. I dati raccolti sono stati elaborati applicando il test del Χ², la statistica di Bonferroni (Neu <em>et al.em>, 1974 e l'indice Jacobs (Jacobs, 1974. Il cervo ha selezionato aree comprese tra 1300 e 1500 m s.l.m. (p<0.01, un range altimetrico più ristretto rispetto al capriolo che seleziona anche le quote piu elevate, comprese cioè tra 1300 e 1700 m s.l.m. (p<0.01. Entrambi i cervidi selezionano le zone più scoscese (21°-60° (p<0.01: Il cervo seleziona le classi d'esposizione comprese tra sud-est ed ovest (p<0.01, mentre il capriolo i versanti sud-ovest e ovest (p<0.01. Entrambe le specie preferiscono ambienti di transizione ed evitano le zone di bosco maturo ed i pascoli d'alta quota (p<0.01. Utilizzando il tasso di defecazione è stata calcolata la densità delle due specie (Mayle, 1999 che è risultata di 2.7 cervi/100 ha e 1.0 caprioli/100 ha. Le due specie selezionano le stesse risorse, suggerendo, così come riscontrato da altri autori (Welch, 1989, una convergenza per quanto riguarda l'uso invernale dell'habitat. La scelta d'aree poste a quote medio-basse, di zone scoscese e di versanti meridionali potrebbe essere legata alla minore altezza e persistenza

  9. Entrevistas devolutivas em pesquisa em avaliação Psicológica

    OpenAIRE

    Nunes, Maiana Farias Oliveira; Noronha, Ana Paula Porto; Ambiel, Rodolfo Augusto Matteo

    2012-01-01

    Apesar de ser um direito dos participantes, não é comum se observar ações de devolução dos resultados de pesquisas em Psicologia com seres humanos. O presente trabalho consiste em um relato de experiência que tem como objetivo apresentar um processo de devolutiva de dados coletados para um projeto de doutorado, com foco na construção de um instrumento para uso em orientação profissional. Os participantes da pesquisa foram 747 estudantes dos ensinos médio e técnico, de escolas públicas e parti...

  10. Conjuntivite em animais de companhia

    OpenAIRE

    Gonçalves, Mariana Inês Pereira Coelho

    2015-01-01

    Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterinária, Ciências Veterinárias A conjuntivite é a doença ocular mais frequentemente diagnosticada em Medicina Veterinária, tanto em cães como em gatos. O facto de a conjuntiva ser uma membrana mucosa tão exposta a agentes externos faz com que esteja bastante suscetível a sofrer lesões, com consequente inflamação. Nesta dissertação abordam-se os diferentes tipos de conjuntivite, que são classificados de acordo com a sua etiologia. No Hospita...

  11. Selective Somatic Elimination of NICOTIANA GLUTINOSA Chromosomes in the F(1) Hybrids of N. SUAVEOLENS and N. GLUTINOSA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, S B; Gupta, P

    1973-04-01

    The F(1) hybrids of Nicotiana suaveolens (subgenus Petunioides, 2n = 32) and N. glutinosa (subgenus Tabacum, 2n = 24), were examined during their development, from seedlings to mature plants. It was observed that in the hybrids, there was a progressive change of dominant N. glutinosa morphological characteristics towards those of N. suaveolens, in leaf shape, stem, flower color and branching pattern. A study of mitotic chromosomes in the root-tips and in very young anthers of the mature plants indicated a significantly high average frequency of aberrant mitotic anaphases (bridges and fragments, 12% and 11% respectively). As a consequence of this phenomenon, variability in the number and size of chromosomes was observed in the PMC's and in mitotic metaphases (29-24 chromosomes). In order to establish whether the N. glutinosa chromosomes were preferentially lost, a karyological study of the parents and their F(1) hybrids was carried out and it was established that the F(1) hybrids were losing N. glutinosa chromosomes preferentially. A mechanism was suggested for the loss of these chromosomes by means of a chromatid type of breakage-fusion-bridge cycle (b-f-b cycle) and initiation of the b-f-b cycle in the hybrid due to an interaction of the regulatory mechanism of DNA replication in the haploid genomes of the parental species. However, loss of these chromosomes owing to interaction of certain genes from the two parental species cannot be ruled out.

  12. BEING AND DISCOURSE IN PLATO’S PARMENIDES SER E DISCURSO NO <em>PARMÊNIDES> DE PLATÃO

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    Eliane Christina Souza

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The <em>Parmenides> is known as the dialogue in which Plato makes a criticism of his theory of forms. Through paradoxes, the character Parmenides criticizes the theory of forms presented by Socrates in the dialogue, targeting the relation they have with sensibles and with each other, call for participation, and the discoursive consequences of this relation. I present a reading of the Parmenides that suggests that the self-criticism points out inconsistencies in the Platonic theory of participation as it is presented in the Parmenides, and that will be corrected later in the Sophist.O <em>Parmênides> é conhecido como o diálogo em que Platão faz uma crítica de sua teoria das formas. Através de paradoxos, a personagem Parmênides critica a teoria das formas apresentada por Sócrates no diálogo, tendo como alvo a relação que as formas mantêm com os sensíveis e entre si, chamada de participação, e as consequências discursivas dessa relação. Eu apresento uma leitura do <em>Parmênides> que sugere que a autocrítica platônica aponta inconsistências na teoria da participação tal como ela é apresentada no <em>Parmênides> e que serão corrigidas posteriormente no <em>Sofista>.

  13. Salicylic acid and jasmonic acid are essential for systemic resistance against tobacco mosaic virus in Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Feng; Xi, De-Hui; Yuan, Shu; Xu, Fei; Zhang, Da-Wei; Lin, Hong-Hui

    2014-06-01

    Systemic resistance is induced by pathogens and confers protection against a broad range of pathogens. Recent studies have indicated that salicylic acid (SA) derivative methyl salicylate (MeSA) serves as a long-distance phloem-mobile systemic resistance signal in tobacco, Arabidopsis, and potato. However, other experiments indicate that jasmonic acid (JA) is a critical mobile signal. Here, we present evidence suggesting both MeSA and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) are essential for systemic resistance against Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), possibly acting as the initiating signals for systemic resistance. Foliar application of JA followed by SA triggered the strongest systemic resistance against TMV. Furthermore, we use a virus-induced gene-silencing-based genetics approach to investigate the function of JA and SA biosynthesis or signaling genes in systemic response against TMV infection. Silencing of SA or JA biosynthetic and signaling genes in Nicotiana benthamiana plants increased susceptibility to TMV. Genetic experiments also proved the irreplaceable roles of MeSA and MeJA in systemic resistance response. Systemic resistance was compromised when SA methyl transferase or JA carboxyl methyltransferase, which are required for MeSA and MeJA formation, respectively, were silenced. Moreover, high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis indicated that JA and MeJA accumulated in phloem exudates of leaves at early stages and SA and MeSA accumulated at later stages, after TMV infection. Our data also indicated that JA and MeJA could regulate MeSA and SA production. Taken together, our results demonstrate that (Me)JA and (Me)SA are required for systemic resistance response against TMV.

  14. Extrinsic and Intrinsic Frequency Dispersion of High-<em>k> Materials in Capacitance-Voltage Measurements

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    S. Taylor

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available In capacitance-voltage (C-V measurements, frequency dispersion in high-<em>k> dielectrics is often observed. The frequency dependence of the dielectric constant (<em>k>-value, that is the intrinsic frequency dispersion, could not be assessed before suppressing the effects of extrinsic frequency dispersion, such as the effects of the lossy interfacial layer (between the high-<em>k> thin film and silicon substrate and the parasitic effects. The effect of the lossy interfacial layer on frequency dispersion was investigated and modeled based on a dual frequency technique. The significance of parasitic effects (including series resistance and the back metal contact of the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS capacitor on frequency dispersion was also studied. The effect of surface roughness on frequency dispersion is also discussed. After taking extrinsic frequency dispersion into account, the relaxation behavior can be modeled using the Curie-von Schweidler (CS law, the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW relationship and the Havriliak-Negami (HN relationship. Dielectric relaxation mechanisms are also discussed.

  15. GhWRKY25, a group I WRKY gene from cotton, confers differential tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses in transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiufang; Song, Yunzhi; Xing, Fangyu; Wang, Ning; Wen, Fujiang; Zhu, Changxiang

    2016-09-01

    WRKY transcription factors are involved in various processes, ranging from plant growth to abiotic and biotic stress responses. Group I WRKY members have been rarely reported compared with group II or III members, particularly in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). In this study, a group I WRKY gene, namely, GhWRKY25, was cloned from cotton and characterized. Expression analysis revealed that GhWRKY25 can be induced or deduced by the treatments of abiotic stresses and multiple defense-related signaling molecules. Overexpression of GhWRKY25 in Nicotiana benthamiana reduced plant tolerance to drought stress but enhanced tolerance to salt stress. Moreover, more MDA and ROS accumulated in transgenic plants after drought treatment with lower activities of SOD, POD, and CAT. Our study further demonstrated that GhWRKY25 overexpression in plants enhanced sensitivity to the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea by reducing the expression of SA or ET signaling related genes and inducing the expression of genes involved in the JA signaling pathway. These results indicated that GhWRKY25 plays negative or positive roles in response to abiotic stresses, and the reduced pathogen resistance may be related to the crosstalk of the SA and JA/ET signaling pathways.

  16. Enteroparasitoses em manipuladores de alimentos de escolas públicas em Uberlândia (Minas Gerais, Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Henrique A. de Rezende

    1997-12-01

    Full Text Available Procedeu-se ao controle das enteroparasitoses em manipuladores de alimentos de escolas públicas de primeiro grau de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, a partir de estudo prospectivo baseado em inquérito parasitológico. Foram acompanhados 264 indivíduos de 57 escolas, com três coletas de fezes (C, sendo C1 em setembro de 1989, C2 em abril de 1990 e C3 em setembro de 1990. Entre os participantes 259 eram do sexo feminino e cinco do sexo masculino, com idades entre 20 e 66 anos. As 792 amostras de fezes foram conservadas em formol a 10% e analisadas pelo método de Hoffman, Pons e Janer. A ocorrência de parasitas intestinais foi de 17, 10 e 10% para C1, C2, e C3, respectivamente. Em C1 detectou-se: Giardia lamblia (8%, ancilostomídeos (6%, Ascaris lumbricoides (3%, Entamoeba histolytica, (2%, Strongyloides stercoralis, Hymenolepis nana, Taenia sp. e Trichuris trichiura (menos de 1% cada um deles. Em C2 detectou-se: ancilostomídeos (5%, G. lamblia (2%, A. lumbricoides (1%, S. stercoralis, H. nana, Taenia sp., Enterobius vermicularis (menos de 1% cada um deles. Em C3 observou-se: ancilostomídeos (5%, G. lamblia (3%, A. lumbricoides (2%, S. stercoralis e E. vermicularis (menos de 1% cada um deles. Os indivíduos infectados receberam tratamento específico após o diagnóstico em cada coleta. Recomendamos a implantação de vigilância epidemiológica através do exame parasitológico periódico, tratamento específico e treinamento sobre manejo higiênico de alimentos e higiene pessoal para todos os manipuladores de alimentos.

  17. <em>In Situem> Fabrication of AlN Coating by Reactive Plasma Spraying of Al/AlN Powder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Shahien

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Reactive plasma spraying is a promising technology for the <em>in situem> formation of aluminum nitride (AlN coatings. Recently, it became possible to fabricate cubic-AlN-(<em>c>-AlN based coatings through reactive plasma spraying of Al powder in an ambient atmosphere. However, it was difficult to fabricate a coating with high AlN content and suitable thickness due to the coalescence of the Al particles. In this study, the influence of using AlN additive (<em>h>-AlN to increase the AlN content of the coating and improve the reaction process was investigated. The simple mixing of Al and AlN powders was not suitable for fabricating AlN coatings through reactive plasma spraying. However, it was possible to prepare a homogenously mixed, agglomerated and dispersed Al/AlN mixture (which enabled in-flight interaction between the powder and the surrounding plasma by wet-mixing in a planetary mill. Increasing the AlN content in the mixture prevented coalescence and increased the nitride content gradually. Using 30 to 40 wt% AlN was sufficient to fabricate a thick (more than 200 µm AlN coating with high hardness (approximately 1000 Hv. The AlN additive prevented the coalescence of Al metal and enhanced post-deposition nitriding through N2 plasma irradiation by allowing the nitriding species in the plasma to impinge on a larger Al surface area. Using AlN as a feedstock additive was found to be a suitable method for fabricating AlN coatings by reactive plasma spraying. Moreover, the fabricated coatings consist of hexagonal (<em>h>-AlN, <em>c>-AlN (rock-salt and zinc-blend phases and certain oxides: aluminum oxynitride (Al5O6N, cubic sphalerite Al23O27N5 (ALON and Al2O3. The zinc-blend <em>c>-AlN and ALON phases were attributed to the transformation of the <em>h>-AlN feedstock during the reactive plasma spraying. Thus, the zinc-blend<em> cem

  18. ANTRACNOSE DO CAQUIZEIRO CAUSADA POR Colletotrichum horii: INCIDÊNCIA EM RAMOS, FOLHAS, FLORES E FRUTOS EM CAMPO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    RENATO REZENDE YOUNG BLOOD

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a incidência em várias partes da planta e o desenvolvimento da antracnose do caquizeiro causada por Colletotrichum horiinas cultivares Fuyu e Kakimel produzidas sob os sistemas orgânico e convencional, respectivamente, nas safras de 2010/2011 e 2011/2012, em Campina Grande do Sul, Paraná, Brasil. Em cada pomar, 10 plantas foram selecionadas aleatoriamente, e 10 ramos do ano por planta, distribuídos ao redor dacopa, foram marcados para as avaliações de incidência de antracnose em ramos e folhas, a cada 15 dias. A quantificação de frutos caídos com ou sem sintomas da doença foi a cada 15 dias, durante o período de crescimento de frutos até a colheita, relacionada com a produção total. C. horii em flores foi avaliada em campo e também após incubação no laboratório. Infecção latente foi observada em frutos verdes coletados aos 90; 120 e 150 dias após a floração. Em ambas as safras, observou-se a queda de frutos com sintomas de antracnose entre os meses de janeiro e abril. C. horii é capaz de infectar flores, permanecer latente e provocar sintomas de antracnose em frutos imaturos. Frutos colhidos sadios apresentaram sintomas em pós-colheita após a incubação.

  19. EMS applications integration in a SCADA; Integracion de aplicaciones EMS en un SCADA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roses, Rodolfo; Colome, D.G.; Orduna, E.; Vega, C. de la; Camisay, G. [Universidad Nacional de San Juan (Argentina). Inst. de Energia Electrica]. E-mail: roses@iee.unsj.edu.ar

    2001-07-01

    This paper presents the methodology to integrate EMS (Energy Management System) functions in a SCADA system (System Control and Data Acquisition). The implementation methodology of the EMS applications has included the design and database implementation, EMS-SCADA communication, results presentation, logics definition of execution and processing ways. The applications portability characteristics allow integration with different SCADA system with some adaptations on the data communication interface. Thus, a open system has been obtained and implemented successfully in the control center of an Argentine 132 kV network.

  20. N-Glycosylation of an IgG antibody secreted by Nicotiana tabacum BY-2 cells can be modulated through co-expression of human β-1,4-galactosyltransferase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navarre, Catherine; Smargiasso, Nicolas; Duvivier, Laurent; Nader, Joseph; Far, Johann; De Pauw, Edwin; Boutry, Marc

    2017-06-01

    Nicotiana tabacum BY-2 suspension cells have several advantages that make them suitable for the production of full-size monoclonal antibodies which can be purified directly from the culture medium. Carbohydrate characterization of an antibody (Lo-BM2) expressed in N. tabacum BY-2 cells showed that the purified Lo-BM2 displays N-glycan homogeneity with a high proportion (>70%) of the complex GnGnXF glycoform. The stable co-expression of a human β-1,4-galactosyltransferase targeted to different Golgi sub-compartments altered Lo-BM2N-glycosylation and resulted in the production of an antibody that exhibited either hybrid structures containing a low abundance of the plant epitopes (α-1,3-fucose and β-1,2-xylose), or a large amount of galactose-extended N-glycan structures. These results demonstrate the suitability of stable N-glycoengineered N. tabacum BY-2 cell lines for the production of human-like antibodies.

  1. Chromosomal rearrangements in interspecific hybrids between Nicotiana gossei Domin and N. tabacum L., obtained by crossing with pollen exposed to helium ion beams or gamma-rays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitamura, S.; Inoue, M.; Ohmido, N.; Fukui, K.; Tanaka, A.

    2003-01-01

    It is very difficult to obtain interspecific hybrids between Nicotiana tabacum L. (2n=48) and N. gossei Domin (2n=36), because of strong cross incompatibility. We had already obtained interspecific hybrids between these two species, crossing N. gossei flower with N. tabacum pollen exposed to He ions or gamma-rays. Here, we analyze chromosome constitution of these hybrids by genomic in situ hybridization. In root tip cells of the two hybrids obtained with He ion exposure, most mitotic cells contained 18 chromosomes of N. gossei and 24 chromosomes of N. tabacum. However, in some cells, translocations and insertions between parental genomes were observed. On the other hand, in a hybrid obtained by gamma-ray irradiation, intergenomic rearrangements were not observed, although mitotic cells showed 19 hybridization signals with N. gossei DNA in 41 chromosomes. Such chromosomal changes in structure or constitution may be related to overcoming cross incompatibility between these two species

  2. Effect of Calcium and Potassium on Antioxidant System of <em>Vicia fabaem> L. Under Cadmium Stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hayssam M. Ali

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Cadmium (Cd in soil poses a major threat to plant growth and productivity. In the present experiment, we studied the effect of calcium (Ca2+ and/or potassium (K+ on the antioxidant system, accumulation of proline (Pro, malondialdehyde (MDA, and content of photosynthetic pigments, cadmium (Cd and nutrients, <em>i.e.>, Ca2+ and K+ in leaf of <em>Vicia faba em>L. (cv. TARA under Cd stress. Plants grown in the presence of Cd exhibited reduced growth traits [root length (RL plant−1, shoot length (SL plant−1, root fresh weight (RFW plant−1, shoot fresh weight (SFW plant−1, root dry weight (RDW plant−1 and shoot dry weight (SDW plant−1] and concentration of Ca2+, K+, Chlorophyll (Chl <em>a> and Chl <em>b em>content, except content of MDA, Cd and (Pro. The antioxidant enzymes [peroxidase (POD and superoxide dismutase (SOD] slightly increased as compared to control under Cd stress. However, a significant improvement was observed in all growth traits and content of Ca2+, K+, Chl <em>a>, Chl <em>b em>,Pro and activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT, POD and SOD in plants subjected to Ca2+ and/or K+. The maximum alleviating effect was recorded in the plants grown in medium containing Ca2+ and K+ together. This study indicates that the application of Ca2+ and/or K+ had a significant and synergistic effect on plant growth. Also, application of Ca2+ and/or K+ was highly effective against the toxicity of Cd by improving activity of antioxidant enzymes and solute that led to the enhanced plant growth of faba bean plants.

  3. Uso de digital em idosos admitidos em unidade de geriatria de um hospital geral

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cunha Ulisses Gabriel de Vasconcelos

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETVO: Detectar a freqüência da prescrição do digital, assim como as suas indicações, em idosos admitidos em unidade de geriatria de um hospital geral. MÉTODOS: Foram investigados, consecutivamente, 130 pacientes não selecionados, de ambos os sexos (100 mulheres e 30 homens, com idades > ou = 65 (média 80±9 anos. Os pacientes foram avaliados através de exame clínico completo, rotina básica de sangue, radiografia simples de tórax, eletrocardiograma e ecocardiograma Doppler. Baseados na avaliação clínica e exames complementares, o uso do digital foi considerado adequado, questionável ou inadequado. RESULTADOS: Estavam em uso de digital 27,6% dos pacientes. A indicação foi considerada adequada em 36,1%, questionável em 11,1% e inadequada em 52,7%. CONCLUSÃO: Uma alta prevalência de prescrição do digital foi detectada nos idosos admitidos, sendo que a maior parte a adotava por razões consideradas inadequadas ou questionáveis. Devido ao risco aumentado de intoxicação digitálica nessa faixa etária, a droga deveria ser prescrita sob indicações mais criteriosas.

  4. Host-plant-mediated effects of Nadefensin on herbivore and pathogen resistance in Nicotiana attenuata

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baldwin Ian T

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The adage from Shakespeare, "troubles, not as single spies, but in battalions come," holds true for Nicotiana attenuata, which is commonly attacked by both pathogens (Pseudomonas spp. and herbivores (Manduca sexta in its native habitats. Defense responses targeted against the pathogens can directly or indirectly influence the responses against the herbivores. Nadefensin is an effective induced defense gene against the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato (PST DC3000, which is also elicited by attack from M. sexta larvae, but whether this defense protein influences M. sexta's growth and whether M. sexta-induced Nadefensin directly or indirectly influences PST DC3000 resistance are unknown. Results M. sexta larvae consumed less on WT and on Nadefensin-silenced N. attenuata plants that had previously been infected with PST DC3000 than on uninfected plants. WT plants infected with PST DC3000 showed enhanced resistance to PST DC3000 and decreased leaf consumption by M. sexta larvae, but larval mass gain was unaffected. PST DC3000-infected Nadefensin-silenced plants were less resistant to subsequent PST DC3000 challenge, and on these plants, M. sexta larvae consumed less and gained less mass. WT and Nadefensin-silenced plants previously damaged by M. sexta larvae were better able to resist subsequent PST DC3000 challenges than were undamaged plants. Conclusion These results demonstrate that Na-defensin directly mediates defense against PST DC3000 and indirectly against M. sexta in N. attenuata. In plants that were previously infected with PST DC3000, the altered leaf chemistry in PST DC3000-resistant WT plants and PST DC3000-susceptible Nadefensin-silenced plants differentially reduced M. sexta's leaf consumption and mass gain. In plants that were previously damaged by M. sexta, the combined effect of the altered host plant chemistry and a broad spectrum of anti-herbivore induced metabolomic responses was more

  5. Ionomic profiling of Nicotiana langsdorffii wild-type and mutant genotypes exposed to abiotic stresses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardini, Francisco; Soggia, Francesco; Abelmoschi, Maria Luisa; Magi, Emanuele; Grotti, Marco

    2013-01-01

    To provide a new insight into the response of plants to abiotic stresses, the ionomic profiles of Nicotiana langsdorffii specimens have been determined before and after exposure to toxic metals (chromium) or drought conditions. The plants were genetically transformed with the rat glucocorticoid receptor (GR) or the gene for Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolC, because these modifications are known to produce an imbalance in phytohormone equilibria and a significant change in the defence response of the plant. Elemental profiles were obtained by developing and applying analytical procedures based on inductively coupled plasma atomic emission and mass spectrometry (ICP-AES/MS). In particular, the removal of isobaric interferences affecting the determination of Cr and V by ICP-MS was accomplished by use of a dynamic reaction cell, after optimization of the relevant conditions. The combined use of ICP atomic emission and mass spectrometry enabled the determination of 29 major and trace elements (Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Eu, Fe, Ga, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Pb, Pt, Rb, S, Sb, Sn, Sr, Te, V, W, Y, and Zn) in different parts of the plants (roots, stems, and leaves), with high accuracy and precision. Multivariate data processing and study of element distribution patterns provided new information about the ionomic response of the target organism to chemical treatment or water stress. Genetic modification mainly affected the distribution of Bi, Cr, Mo, Na, and S, indicating that these elements were involved in biochemical processes controlled by the GR or rolC genes. Chemical stress strongly affected accumulation of several elements (Ba, Ca, Fe, Ga, K, Li, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Pb, Rb, S, Sn, Te, V, and Zn) in different ways; for Ca, Fe, K, Mn, Na, and P the effect was quite similar to that observed in other studies after treatment with other transition elements, for example Cu and Cd. The effect of water deficit was less evident, mainly consisting in a decrease of Ba, Cr, Na, and Sr

  6. Estratégias de marketing no fitness: estudo de caso da Vivafit em Portugal e em Singapura

    OpenAIRE

    Silva, Sara Durão da

    2012-01-01

    Mestrado em Gestão do Desporto - Organizações Desportivas Este estudo pretende aferir as diferenças na elaboração das estratégias de marketing de uma empresa da área do fitness, actuante em diferentes países (nomeadamente em países emergentes) ao nível dos Quatro Pilares do Marketing (4 P.): a) produto, b) promoção, c) local, d) preço. Esta pesquisa é num estudo de caso de uma empresa nacional: a Vivafit, comparandose as estratégias utilizadas em Portugal e em Singapura. For...

  7. Molecular identification of zeaxanthin epoxidase of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, a gene involved in abscisic acid biosynthesis and corresponding to the ABA locus of Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marin, E; Nussaume, L; Quesada, A; Gonneau, M; Sotta, B; Hugueney, P; Frey, A; Marion-Poll, A

    1996-05-15

    Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone which plays an important role in seed development and dormancy and in plant response to environmental stresses. An ABA-deficient mutant of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, aba2, was isolated by transposon tagging using the maize Activator transposon. The aba2 mutant exhibits precocious seed germination and a severe wilty phenotype. The mutant is impaired in the first step of the ABA biosynthesis pathway, the zeaxanthin epoxidation reaction. ABA2 cDNA is able to complement N.plumbaginifolia aba2 and Arabidopsis thaliana aba mutations indicating that these mutants are homologous. ABA2 cDNA encodes a chloroplast-imported protein of 72.5 kDa, sharing similarities with different mono-oxigenases and oxidases of bacterial origin and having an ADP-binding fold and an FAD-binding domain. ABA2 protein, produced in Escherichia coli, exhibits in vitro zeaxanthin epoxidase activity. This is the first report of the isolation of a gene of the ABA biosynthetic pathway. The molecular identification of ABA2 opens the possibility to study the regulation of ABA biosynthesis and its cellular location.

  8. Phenolics and Flavonoids Compounds, Phenylanine Ammonia Lyase and Antioxidant Activity Responses to Elevated CO2 in <em>Labisia pumilaem> (Myrisinaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hawa Z.E. Jaafar

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available A split plot 3 × 3 experiment was designed to examine the impact of three concentrations of CO2 (400, 800 and 1,200 µmol·mol−1 on the phenolic and flavonoid compound profiles, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL and antioxidant activity in three varieties of <em>Labisia pumilaem> Benth. (var. <em>alata,> pumila em>and> lanceolataem> after 15 weeks of exposure. HPLC analysis revealed a strong influence of increased CO2 concentration on the modification of phenolic and flavonoid profiles, whose intensity depended on the interaction between CO2 levels and <em>L. pumilaem> varieties. Gallic acid and quercetin were the most abundant phenolics and flavonoids commonly present in all the varieties. With elevated CO2 (1,200 µmol·mol−1 exposure, gallic acid increased tremendously, especially in var. <em>alata> and <em>pumila em>(101–111%, whilst a large quercetin increase was noted in var. <em>lanceolata> (260%, followed closely by <em>alata> (201%. Kaempferol, although detected under ambient CO2 conditions, was undetected in all varieties after exposure. Instead, caffeic acid was enhanced tremendously in var. <em>alata> (338~1,100% and <em>pumila em>(298~433%. Meanwhile, pyragallol and rutin were only seen in var. <em>alata> (810 µg·g−1 DW and <em>pumila> (25 µg·g−1 DW, respectively, under ambient conditions; but the former compound went undetected in all varieties while rutin continued to increase by 262% after CO2 enrichment. Interestingly, naringenin that was present in all varieties under ambient conditions went undetected under enrichment, except for var. <em>pumila em>where it was enhanced by 1,100%. PAL activity, DPPH and FRAP also increased with increasing CO2 levels implying the possible improvement of health-promoting quality of Malaysian <em>L. pumilaem

  9. Estudo sobre variações em métodos de análise de compostos fibrosos em alimentos

    OpenAIRE

    Gomes, Daiany Iris

    2012-01-01

    A presente tese foi elaborada com base quatro artigos científicos. No primeiro artigo objetivou-se avaliar os teores de fibra insolúvel em detergente neutro (FDN) e de fibra insolúvel em detergente ácido (FDA) em alimentos volumosos e concentrados e em fezes bovinas utilizando-se sacos filtrantes sob dois diferentes ambientes físicos de extração: pressurizado e não pressurizado. Vinte amostras de cada material foram utilizadas. Os conteúdos obtidos em diferentes ambientes foram comparados po...

  10. Engineering and expression of a human rotavirus candidate vaccine in Nicotiana benthamiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pêra, Francisco F P G; Mutepfa, David L R; Khan, Ayesha M; Els, Johann H; Mbewana, Sandiswa; van Dijk, Alberdina A A; Rybicki, Edward P; Hitzeroth, Inga I

    2015-12-02

    Human rotaviruses are the main cause of severe gastroenteritis in children and are responsible for over 500 000 deaths annually. There are two live rotavirus vaccines currently available, one based on human rotavirus serotype G1P[8], and the other a G1-G4 P[8] pentavalent vaccine. However, the recent emergence of the G9 and other novel rotavirus serotypes in Africa and Asia has prompted fears that current vaccines might not be fully effective against these new varieties. We report an effort to develop an affordable candidate rotavirus vaccine against the new emerging G9P[6] (RVA/Human-wt/ZAF/GR10924/1999/G9P[6]) strain. The vaccine is based on virus-like particles which are both highly immunogenic and safe. The vaccine candidate was produced in Nicotiana benthamiana by transient expression, as plants allow rapid production of antigens at lower costs, without the risk of contamination by animal pathogens. Western blot analysis of plant extracts confirmed the successful expression of two rotavirus capsid proteins, VP2 and VP6. These proteins assembled into VLPs resembling native rotavirus particles when analysed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Expression of the rotavirus glycoprotein VP7 and the spike protein VP4 was also tried. However, VP7 expression caused plant wilting during the course of the time trial and expression could never be detected for either protein. We therefore created three fusion proteins adding the antigenic part of VP4 (VP8*) to VP6 in an attempt to produce more appropriately immunogenic particles. Fusion protein expression in tobacco plants was detected by western blot using anti-VP6 and anti-VP4 antibodies, but no regular particles were observed by TEM, even when co-expressed with VP2. Our results suggest that the rotavirus proteins produced in N. benthamiana are candidates for a subunit vaccine specifically for the G9P[6] rotavirus strain. This could be more effective in developing countries, thereby possibly providing a higher

  11. Fatores de risco cardiovascular em alcoolistas em tratamento

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mayla Cardoso Fernandes Toffolo

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a presença de fatores de risco cardiovascular, com ênfase na hipertensão e na adiposidade corporal, em alcoolistas abstinentes ou não abstinentes em tratamento. MÉTODO: Trata-se de um estudo transversal com 65 pacientes alcoolistas em tratamento no CAP-Sad. O grau de dependência do álcool foi avaliado pelo SADD (Short Alcohol Dependence Data e o uso de outras drogas, pelo ASSIST (Alcohol Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test. Foram avaliados o perfil bioquímico e o antropométrico dos usuários. RESULTADOS: Participaram do estudo 42 homens e 23 mulheres. A maioria dos participantes (67,74% apresentou dependência alcoólica grave, com uso de álcool associado principalmente a cigarro (66,15%. A média da circunferência da cintura (CC foi significativamente maior entre os abstinentes, em comparação aos não abstinentes (AB: 88,15 ± 15,95 x NA: 81,04 ± 9,86; p = 0,03. Pacientes abstinentes há mais tempo tiveram maior sobrepeso/obesidade e adiposidade abdominal (CC do que os não abstinentes e abstinentes recentes, com razão de chances de 5,25. Os abstinentes apresentaram razão de chances de 3,38 para %GC acima da média, independente do tempo de abstinência. CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes alcoolistas abstinentes apresentam mais sobrepeso/ obesidade, adiposidade corporal (%GC e abdominal (CC do que os não abstinentes. É importante o acompanhamento multiprofissional no tratamento de alcoolistas com abordagem para fatores de risco cardiovasculares, principalmente evitando o ganho de peso.

  12. Response of antioxidant enzymes in Nicotiana tabacum clones during phytoextraction of heavy metals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyubenova, Lyudmila; Nehnevajova, Erika; Herzig, Rolf; Schröder, Peter

    2009-07-01

    Tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum, is a widely used model plant for growth on heavy-metal-contaminated sites. Its high biomass and deep rooting system make it interesting for phytoextraction. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidative activities and glutathione-dependent enzymes of different tobacco clones optimized for better Cd and Zn accumulation in order to characterize their performance in the field. The improved heavy metal resistance also makes the investigated tobacco clones interesting for understanding the plant defense enzyme system in general. Freshly harvested plant material (N. tabacum leaves) was used to investigate the antioxidative cascade in plants grown on heavy metal contaminated sites with and without amendments of different ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate fertilizers. Plants were grown on heavily polluted soils in north-east Switzerland. Leaves were harvested at the field site and directly deep frozen in liquid N(2). Studies were concentrated on the antioxidative enzymes of the Halliwell-Asada cycle, and spectrophotometric measurements of catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6), ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), glutathione peroxidase (GPX, EC 1.11.1.9), glutathione reductase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2), glutathione S-transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18) were performed. We tried to explain the relationship between fertilizer amendments and the activity of the enzymatic defense systems. When tobacco (N. tabacum) plants originating from different mutants were grown under field conditions with varying fertilizer application, the uptake of cadmium and zinc from soil increased with increasing biomass. Depending on Cd and Zn uptake, several antioxidant enzymes showed significantly different activities. Whereas SOD and CAT were usually elevated, several other enzymes, and isoforms of GST were strongly inhibited. Heavy metal uptake represents severe stress to plants, and specific antioxidative enzymes are induced at the

  13. Sightings of <em>Delphinus delphisem> (Cetacea, Odontoceti in the Otranto Channel (Southern Adriatic Sea and Northern Ionian Sea / Avvistamenti di <em>Delphinus delphisem> (Cetacea, Odontoceti nel Canale d'Otranto (Mar Adriatico Meridionale e Mar Ionio Settentrionale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesco Maria Angelici

    1992-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Two sightings of Common dolphin <em>Delphinus delphisem> in the Channel of Otranto are reported, and the status of this species in the Mediterranean Sea is briefly discussed. Riassunto Sono riportati due avvistamenti di Delfino comune <em>Delphinus delphisem> nel Canale d'Otranto, lungo la costa greca e quella italiana. Viene inoltre brevemente commentata la frequenza degli avvistamenti e degli spiaggiamenti di tale specie nel Mar Mediterraneo.

  14. Associativismo negro em terras sulinas: das irmandades aos clubes para negros em Pelotas (1820-1943

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Oliveira da Silva

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available O artigo analisa as associações negras pelotenses que permitiram a constituição de uma identidade negra positiva percebida em relação direta com o contexto relacional vivenciado em âmbito nacional e internacional. Destacamos ainda a busca por um entrelaçamento entre diferentes associações tendo como ponto em comum a identificação racial mediada pela busca por uma posição social diferenciada. Diretamente vinculado ao período do pós-Abolição almejava-se a cidadania em uma sociedade ainda muito preconceituosa racialmente. A delimitação espacial focaliza o estudo na cidade de Pelotas, localizada no extremo sul do Rio Grande do Sul, entre os anos de 1820 a 1943. Tem inicio com a criação da primeira irmandade negra em 1820. Dentre as associações destacamos o surgimento dos clubes sociais negros (1917-1931 e suas atividades em conjunto, com ênfase para o surgimento da Frente Negra Pelotense (1933 e a busca por uma identidade racial que fosse comungada por todo o grupo negro local.

  15. Vitamina A em dieta de juvenis de pacu cultivados em tanques-rede

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arcangelo Augusto Signor

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da suplementação de vitamina A na alimentação de juvenis de pacu cultivados em tanques-rede. Foram utilizados 2.000 peixes, com peso inicial médio de 66,93±15,03 g, distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em 20 tanques-rede de 5,0 m³, com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições. As rações foram formuladas com 0, 3.000, 6.000, 9.000 e 12.000 UI de vitamina A por quilograma de dieta, por meio da suplementação com acetato de retinol. O arraçoamento foi realizado às 8:30, 13:30 e 17:30 h, até a saciedade aparente dos animais. Não foram observadas diferenças quanto aos parâmetros de desempenho produtivo, rendimento e composição química da carcaça, e aos parâmetros hematológicos e lipídios no fígado dos peixes que foram alimentados com diferentes níveis de vitamina A. A suplementação de vitamina A em dietas para juvenis de pacu criados em tanques-rede não influencia o desempenho produtivo dos peixes.

  16. NaJAZh Regulates a Subset of Defense Responses against Herbivores and Spontaneous Leaf Necrosis in Nicotiana attenuata Plants[C][W][OA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Youngjoo; Baldwin, Ian T.; Gális, Ivan

    2012-01-01

    The JASMONATE ZIM DOMAIN (JAZ) proteins function as negative regulators of jasmonic acid signaling in plants. We cloned 12 JAZ genes from native tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata), including nine novel JAZs in tobacco, and examined their expression in plants that had leaves elicited by wounding or simulated herbivory. Most JAZ genes showed strong expression in the elicited leaves, but NaJAZg was mainly expressed in roots. Another novel herbivory-elicited gene, NaJAZh, was analyzed in detail. RNA interference suppression of this gene in inverted-repeat (ir)JAZh plants deregulated a specific branch of jasmonic acid-dependent direct and indirect defenses: irJAZh plants showed greater trypsin protease inhibitor activity, 17-hydroxygeranyllinalool diterpene glycosides accumulation, and emission of volatile organic compounds from leaves. Silencing of NaJAZh also revealed a novel cross talk in JAZ-regulated secondary metabolism, as irJAZh plants had significantly reduced nicotine levels. In addition, irJAZh spontaneously developed leaf necrosis during the transition to flowering. Because the lesions closely correlated with the elevated expression of programmed cell death genes and the accumulations of salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide in the leaves, we propose a novel role of the NaJAZh protein as a repressor of necrosis and/or programmed cell death during plant development. PMID:22496510

  17. Phenylpropanoid Defences in Nicotiana tabacum Cells: Overlapping Metabolomes Indicate Common Aspects to Priming Responses Induced by Lipopolysaccharides, Chitosan and Flagellin-22.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Msizi I Mhlongo

    Full Text Available Plants have evolved both constitutive and inducible defence strategies to cope with different biotic stimuli and stresses. Exposure of a plant to a challenging stress can lead to a primed state that allows it to launch a more rapid and stronger defence. Here we applied a metabolomic approach to study and compare the responses induced in Nicotiana tabacum cells by microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP molecules, namely lipopolysaccharides (LPS, chitosan (CHT and flagellin-22 (FLG22. Early response metabolites, extracted with methanol, were analysed by UHPLC-MS/MS. Using multivariate statistical tools the metabolic profiles induced by these elicitors were analysed. In the metabolic fingerprint of these agents a total of 19 cinnamic acid derivatives conjugated to quinic acids (chlorogenic acids, shikimic acid, tyramine, polyamines or glucose were found as discriminant biomarkers. In addition, treatment with the phytohormones salicylic acid (SA, methyljasmonic acid (MJ and abscisic acid (ABA resulted in differentially-induced phenylpropanoid pathway metabolites. The results indicate that the phenylpropanoid pathway is activated by these elicitors while hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives are commonly associated with the metabolic response to the MAMPs, and that the activated responses are modulated by both SA and MJ, with ABA not playing a role.

  18. Molecular methods (digital PCR and real-time PCR) for the quantification of low copy DNA of Phytophthora nicotianae in environmental samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaya, Josefa; Lloret, Eva; Santísima-Trinidad, Ana B; Ros, Margarita; Pascual, Jose A

    2016-04-01

    Currently, real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is the technique most often used to quantify pathogen presence. Digital PCR (dPCR) is a new technique with the potential to have a substantial impact on plant pathology research owing to its reproducibility, sensitivity and low susceptibility to inhibitors. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of using dPCR and qPCR to quantify Phytophthora nicotianae in several background matrices, including host tissues (stems and roots) and soil samples. In spite of the low dynamic range of dPCR (3 logs compared with 7 logs for qPCR), this technique proved to have very high precision applicable at very low copy numbers. The dPCR was able to detect accurately the pathogen in all type of samples in a broad concentration range. Moreover, dPCR seems to be less susceptible to inhibitors than qPCR in plant samples. Linear regression analysis showed a high correlation between the results obtained with the two techniques in soil, stem and root samples, with R(2) = 0.873, 0.999 and 0.995 respectively. These results suggest that dPCR is a promising alternative for quantifying soil-borne pathogens in environmental samples, even in early stages of the disease. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  19. Regional Suppression of <em>Bactrocera> Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae in the Pacific through Biological Control and Prospects for Future Introductions into Other Areas of the World

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roger I. Vargas

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available <em>Bactrocera> fruit fly species are economically important throughout the Pacific. The USDA, ARS U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center has been a world leader in promoting biological control of <em>Bactrocera> spp. that includes classical, augmentative, conservation and IPM approaches. In Hawaii, establishment of <em>Bactrocera> <em>cucurbitae> (Coquillett in 1895 resulted in the introduction of the most successful parasitoid, <em>Psyttalia> <em>fletcheri> (Silvestri; similarly, establishment of <em>Bactrocera> <em>dorsalis> (Hendel in 1945 resulted in the introduction of 32 natural enemies of which <em>Fopius> <em>arisanus> (Sonan, <em>Diachasmimorpha> <em>longicaudata> (Ashmead and <em>Fopius> <em>vandenboschi> (Fullaway were most successful. Hawaii has also been a source of parasitoids for fruit fly control throughout the Pacific region including Australia, Pacific Island Nations, Central and South America, not only for <em>Bactrocera> spp. but also for <em>Ceratitis> and <em>Anastrepha> spp. Most recently, in 2002, <em>F.> <em>arisanus> was introduced into French Polynesia where <em>B.> <em>dorsalis> had invaded in 1996. Establishment of <em>D.> <em>longicaudata> into the new world has been important to augmentative biological control releases against <em>Anastrepha> spp. With the rapid expansion of airline travel and global trade there has been an alarming spread of <em>Bactrocera> spp. into new areas of the world (<em>i.e.>, South America and Africa. Results of studies in Hawaii and French Polynesia, support parasitoid introductions into South America and Africa, where <em>B.> <em>carambolae> and <em>B.> <em>invadens>, respectively, have become established. In addition, <em>P.> <em>fletcheri> is a candidate for biological control of <em>B.> <em>cucurbitae> in Africa. We review past and more

  20. Mulheres em idade fértil: causas de internação em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva e resultados

    OpenAIRE

    Cátia Millene Dell Agnolo; Angela Andréia França Gravena; Tiara Cristina Romeiro-Lopes; Sheila Cristina Rocha-Brischiliari; Maria Dalva de Barros Carvalho; Sandra Marisa Pelloso

    2014-01-01

    Introdução: Pacientes obstétricas representam uma fração significativa das admissões em unidades de cuidado intensivo e consistem em um desafio para a equipe. Objetivo: Analisar as principais causas de internação e morte materna de mulheres em idade fértil ocorridas em unidades de terapia intensiva de hospitais de um município do Noroeste do Paraná, Sul do Brasil. Métodos: Estudo exploratório, descritivo, retrospectivo, realizado com mulheres em idade fértil (10 a 49 anos) internadas em três ...