Quality of a stress-sensitive Cucurbita pepo L. pollen

The quality of Cucurbita pepo L. pollen was studied using field pollinations and the fluorochromatic-reaction test. The extreme sensitivity of this pollen to dehydration and ageing is demonstrated. Controlled stress applied to mature pollen leads to the development of seedless fruits. Molecular signals seem to be involved in the induction of this parthenocarpy. These results indicate the existence of distinct sequences involved in the completion of the fertilization program of pollen. With pollen altered by stress, the fertilization process may be stopped at different stages of its completion. We bring evidence that Cucurbita pepo plants have developed special adaptations in order to compensate for the poor viability of their pollen.Abbreviation FCR fluorochromatic reaction     

Intracellular localisation of phytochrome and ubiquitin in red-light-irradiated oat coleoptiles by electron microscopy

The intracellular localisation of phytochrome and ubiquitin in irradiated oat coleoptiles was analysed by electron microscopy. We applied indirect immunolabeling with polyclonal antibodies against phytochrome from etiolated oat seedlings or polyclonal antibodies against ubiquitin from rabbit reticulocytes, together with a goldcoupled second antibody, on serial ultrathin sections of resin-embedded material. Immediately after a 5-min pulse of red light-converting phytochrome from the red-absorbing (Pr) to the far-redabsorbing (Pfr) form-the label for phytochrome was found to be sequestered in electron-dense areas. For up to 2 h after irradiation, the size of these areas increased with increasing dark periods. The ubiquitin label was found in the same electrondense areas only after a dark period of 30 min. A 5 min pulse of far-red light, which reverts Pfr to Pr, given immediately after the red light did not cause the electron-dense structures to disappear; moreover, they contained the phytochrome label immediately after the far-red pulse. In contrast, after the reverting far-red light pulse, ubiquitin could only be visualised in the electron-dense areas after prolonged dark periods (i.e. 60 min). The relevance of these data to light-induced phytochrome pelletability and to the destruction of both Pr and Pfr is discussed.Abbreviations FR far-red light; Pfr - Pr far-red-absorbing and red-absorbing forms of phytochrome, respectively - R red light     

Light-induced changes in the amounts of the 36000-Mr polypeptide of NADPH-protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase and its mRNA in barley plants grown under a diurnal light/dark cycle

Seedlings of barley were grown either in continuous darkness or under a diurnal 12 h light/12 h dark cycle and the effects on NADPH-protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase were followed at two different levels. Firstly, the relative content of the mRNA encoding the NADPH-protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase was measured by dot-blot hybridization. Secondly, changes in the enzyme polypeptide were monitored either by the method of immunoblotting or by immunogold labelling of ultrathin sections of Lowicryl-embedded leaf tissue. Our results demonstrate that drastic diurnal changes in the level of mRNA sequences and the enzyme protein are unlikely to occur in plants which have been grown under natural light/dark conditions. In the dark, protein and mRNA accumulation occurs at an early developmental stage. These results are difficult to reconcile with the suggestion that the massive accumulation of mRNA and enzyme protein in dark-grown seedlings is primarily the consequence of an artificially extended darkperiod. In addition to the plastid-specific NADPH-protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase a closely related polypeptide has been detected outside the plastid in the surrounding cytoplasm (Dehseh et al. 1986b, Planta 169, 172–183). During the diurnal light/dark treatment of seedlings the concentrations of the two protein populations did not show any variation indicative of an exchange between the two protein populations across the plastid envelope.Abbreviation poly(A)⁺RNA polyadenylated RNA     

Cooperation of epidermis and inner tissues in auxin-mediated growth of maize coleoptiles

The function of the epidermis in auxinmediated elongation growth of maize (Zea mays L.) coleoptile segments was investigated. The following results were obtained: i) In the intact organ, there is a strong tissue tension produced by the expanding force of the inner tissues which is balanced by the contracting force of the outer epidermal wall. The compression imposed by the stretched outer epidermal wall upon the inner tissues gives rise to a wall-pressure difference which can be transformed into a water-potential difference between inner tissues and external medium (water) by removal of the outer epidermal wall. ii) Peeled segments fail to respond to auxin with normal growth. The plastic extensibility of the inner-tissue cell walls (measured with a constant-load extensiometer using living segments) is not influenced by auxin (or abscisic acid) in peeled or nonpeeled segments. It is concluded that auxin induces (and abscisic acid inhibits) elongation of the intact segment by increasing (decreasing) the extensibility specifically in the outer epidermal wall. In addition, tissue tension (and therewith the pressure acting on the outer epidermal wall) is maintained at a constant level over several hours of auxin-mediated growth, indicating that the inner cells also contribute actively to organ elongation. However, this contribution does not involve an increase of cell-wall extensibility, but a continuous shifting of the potential extension threshold (i.e., the length to which the inner tissues would extend by water uptake after peeling) ahead of the actual segment length. Thus, steady growth involves the coordinated action of wall loosening in the epidermis and regeneration of tissue tension by the inner tissues. iii) Electron micrographs show the accumulation of striking osmiophilic material (particles of approx. 0.3 m diameter) specifically at the plasma membrane/cell-wall interface of the outer epidermal wall of auxin-treated segments. iv) Peeled segments fail to respond to auxin with proton excretion. This is in contrast to fusicoccin-induced proton excretion and growth which can also be readily demonstrated in the absence of the epidermis. However, peeled and nonpeeled segments show the same sensitivity to protons with regard to the induction of acid-mediated in-vivo elongation and cell-wall extensibility. The observed threshold at pH 4.5–5.0 is too low to be compatible with a second messenger function of protons also in the growth response of the inner tissues. Organ growth is described in terms of a physical model which takes into account tissue tension and extensibility of the outer epidermal wall as the decisive growth parameters. This model states that the wall pressure increment, produced by tissue tension in the outer epidermal wall, rather than the pressure acting on the inner-tissue walls, is the driving force of growth.Abbreviations and symbols E _el, E _pl elastic and plastic in-vitro cell-wall extensibility, respectively - E _tot E _el+E _pl - FC fusicoccin - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - IT inner tissue - ITW inner-tissue walls - OEW outer epidermal wall - osmotic pressure - P wall pressure - water potential     

Comparison of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry,radioimmunoassay and bioassay for the quantification of gibberellin A9 in norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.)

Quantitative estimates of gibberellin A₉ in Norway spruce extracts obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, radioimmunoassay (RIA_ and bioassay were compared after successive purifications of the extracts. The extracts were assayed in several dilutions with and without the addition of standard gibberellin A₉, thus showing the effect of extract components on the response of the assays. Radioimmunoassay produced estimates comparable to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after one purification step by high-performance liquid chromatography. Extracts purified by polyvinylpyrrolidone-column chromatography and solvent partitioning but not high-performance liquid chromatography resulted in inaccurate RIA estimates. The performance of the RIA could be monitored by logit-log transformations of the standard curve and extract dilution curve and by calculating the slope of the standard addition curve. It was, however, not possible to correct for the interference caused by extract components by the standard addition procedure. Quantifications by Tan-ginbozu dwarf-rice bioassay were accurate, but a large and unpredictable variation makes it unsuitable for quantitative determinations.Abbreviations FW fresh weight - GA₉ gibberellin A₉ - GA₉–Me methylated GA₉ - GC-MS gas chromatography-mass spectrometry - HPLC high performance liquid chromatography - MID multiple-ion detection - RIA radioimmunoassay     

Activation of fatty acids by non-glyoxysomal peroxisomes

Ethylene treatment (approx. 20 l ·1^-1 in air for 2 d) of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Havana 425) plants markedly increases the endo--1,3-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.39) content of leaves. The antigenic form of the enzyme induced is the same one whose production is blocked by treating cultured cells with combinations of auxin (1.1 · 10^-5 M -naphthaleneacetic acid) and cytokinin (1.4 · 10^-6 M kinetin). Evidence is presented that cultured tobacco cells require ethylene for -1,3-glucanase accumulation: i) ethylene treatment increased the accumulation of \-1,3-glucanase in callus tissues >10 d after subculturing and in cell-suspension cultures; ii) callus tissues can produce ethylene; iii) conditions known to inhibit ethylene production (1 mM CoCl₂; 33° C treatment) or ethylene action (approx. 1.6 mmol · 1^-1 norbornadiene in air) inhibited -1,3-glucanase accumulation by callus tissues treated for 4 d following subculturing; and, these inhibitory effects were prevented by exogenous ethylene. Combinations of auxin and cytokinin blocked ethylene-induced accumulation of -1,3-glucanase by cell-suspension cultures. The results favor a model in which ethylene induces results favor a model in which ethylene induces 1,3-glucanase accumulation, and auxin and cytokinin inhibit this induction process.Abbreviations NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid - NDE norbornadiene     

Inhibition and promotion by light of the accumulation of translatable mRNA of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein of photosystem II

The amount of in-vitro translatable mRNA of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (LHCP) of photosystem II strongly increases in darkness (D) after a 5-min red-light pulse while continuous illumination of mustard seedlings with far-red (FR), red or white light leads only to a slight increase in the amount of translatable LHCP-mRNA. No increase can be observed after a long-wavelength FR (RG9-light) pulse. However, a FR pretreatment prior to the RG9-light pulse strongly increase LHCP-mRNA accumulation in subsequent D. This is not observed in the case of the mRNA for the small subunit of ribulose-1.5-bisphosphate carboxylase. The increase of LHCP-mRNA in D after a FR pretreatment can be inhibited by a reillumination of the seedlings with FR. The inhibition of LHCP-mRNA accumulation during continuous illumination with FR and the strong increase in D following a FR illumination was found to be independent of chlorophyll biosynthesis since no correlation between chlorophyll biosynthesis and translatable LHCP-mRNA levels could be detected. Even strong changes in the amount of intermediates of chlorophyll biosynthesis caused by application of levulinic acid or 5-aminolevulinic acid did not affect LHCP-mRNA levels. Therefore, we conclude that the appearance of LHCP-mRNA is inhibited during continuous illumination, even though illumination leads to a storage of a light singal which promotes accumulation of translatable LHCP-mRNA in D.Abbreviations c continuous - Chl chlorophyll - D darkness - FR far-red light (3.5 W·m^-2) - LHCP light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein of photosystem II - NF Norfluration - PChl protochlorophyll(ide) - Pfr far-red absorbing form of phytochrome - Ptot total phytochrome - R red light (6.8 W·m^-2) - RG9-light long-wavelength FR (10 W·m^-2) - SSU small subunit of ribulose-1.5-bisphosphate carboxylase - WL white light - () Pfr/Ptot=wavelength-dependent photoequilibrium of the phytochrome system     

Effect of cytokinins on ribosomal RNA gene expression in excised cotyledons of Cucurbita pepo L.

Excised pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) cotyledons were used to investigate the effects of two different types of cytokinins: N⁶-benzyladenine and N₁-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N₂-phenylurea on RNA synthesis in isolated nuclei. Treatment of cotyledons with both cytokinins resulted in a rapid enhancement of nuclear RNA-polymerase-I activity (EC 2.7.7.6). Maximum stimulation of RNA polymerase I, responsible for rRNA synthesis, was observed 4–6 h after the start of cytokinin action. The activity of RNA polymerase II was stimulated much more slowly and to a lesser extent. Uridine 5-monophosphate-uridine analysis of the alkalidigested nascent pre-rRNA chains showed that the stimulation of RNA-polymerase-I activity was the consequence of an increase of the polyribonucleotide-clongation rate. No significant change in the number of transcribing enzyme molecules was defected after hormone treatment (86·10³ RNA-polymerase-I molecules per diploid genome).Indications that de-novo protein synthesis is necessary for cytokinin-mediated RNA-polymerase stimulation were derived from experiments showing inhibition by cycloheximide.Abbreviations BA N⁶-benzyladenine - [PU]-30 N₁-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N₂-phenylurea - UMP undine 5-monophosphate - UTP udine 5-triphosphate     

True potato seed quality

Summary Environmental influence on physiological factors that determine seed quality is discussed in relation to true potato seed (TPS). This review has been motivated by the need for high quality seed for the proper evaluation of TPS technology. The objectives of tuber production may not be in harmony with those required for the production of high quality TPS. The production of high quality TPS may be influenced by the stronger sink strength ability of fast developing tubers for assimilation of available nutrients. Earliness of tuber formation, which is needed in TPS progenitors, may tend to result in incomplete TPS development. Limiting conditions during seed development decrease the potential of the seed for field establishment. Seed vigor is the most important attribute of seed quality since it is essential for seedling performance under the adverse conditions commonly encountered during field development. The attractiveness of TPS technology for tropical areas, where potato production is limited by low-quality seed tuber availability, is decreased by the lack of seedling vigor and uniformity of seedlings derived from TPS. Current research indicates that considerable genetic improvement of TPS vigor and uniformity is possible. It is suggested that significant immediate improvement of TPS quality would result from agronomic techniques that reflect understanding of the physiological factors that influence the production and maintenance of high quality seed. Research areas needed to develop methodologies for TPS production with optimum expression of genotype are identified.Abbreviations TPS True potato seed - CIP International Potato Center, Lima, Peru - SD Short day - LD Long day - INIA Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Chile - GA Gibberellic acid