Global transcriptional responses of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas syringae</Emphasis> DC3000 to changes in iron bioavailability <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

Background  

Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 (DC3000) is a Gram-negative model plant pathogen that is found in a wide variety of environments. To survive in these diverse conditions it must sense and respond to various environmental cues. One micronutrient required for most forms of life is iron. Bioavailable iron has been shown to be an important global regulator for many bacteria where it not only regulates a wide variety of genes involved in general cell physiology but also virulence determinants. In this study we used microarrays to study differential gene regulation in DC3000 in response to changes in levels of cell-associated iron.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> flowering of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kniphofia leucocephala</Emphasis>: influence of cytokinins

The role of cytokinins in the promotion of flowering in the endangered species Kniphofia leucocephala Baijnath. was investigated using shoots maintained in culture for 3 years. The highest percentage flowering (65%) was obtained on media containing 20 μM benzyladenine (BA). The inclusion of isopentenyladenine and zeatin in the media also resulted in flowering, but these treatments were less effective than BA in inducing flowering. The effect of cytokinins on flowering was dose-dependent, with high concentrations of BA inhibiting flower formation. Treatments that resulted in rooting of explants produced no flowers. The resulting inflorescences in all treatments did not mature and senesced prematurely, even when gibberellic acid (GA₃) was applied post-flower-emergence.     

Molecular evolution of paclitaxel biosynthetic genes <Emphasis Type="Italic">TS</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">DBAT</Emphasis> of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Taxus</Emphasis> species

Evolutionary patterns of sequence divergence were analyzed in genes from the conifer genus Taxus (yew), encoding paclitaxel biosynthetic enzymes taxadiene synthase (TS) and 10-deacetylbaccatin III-10β-O-acetyltransferase (DBAT). N-terminal fragments of TS, full-length DBAT and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) were amplified from 15 closely related Taxus species and sequenced. Premature stop codons were not found in TS and DBAT sequences. Codon usage bias was not found, suggesting that synonymous mutations are selectively neutral. TS and DBAT gene trees are not consistent with the ITS tree, where species formed monophyletic clades. In fact, for both genes, alleles were sometimes shared across species and parallel amino acid substitutions were identified. While both TS and DBAT are, overall, under purifying selection, we identified a number of amino acids of TS under positive selection based on inference using maximum likelihood models. Positively selected amino acids in the N-terminal region of TS suggest that this region might be more important for enzyme function than previously thought. Moreover, we identify lineages with significantly elevated rates of amino acid substitution using a genetic algorithm. These findings demonstrate that the pattern of adaptive paclitaxel biosynthetic enzyme evolution can be documented between closely related Taxus species, where species-specific taxane metabolism has evolved recently.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pisum sativum in vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis>

Six pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars (Adept, Komet, Lantra, Olivin, Oskar, Tyrkys) were transformed via Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 with pBIN19 plasmid carrying reporter uidA (β-glucuronidase, GUS, containing potato ST-LS1 intron) gene under the CaMV 35S promoter, and selectable marker gene nptII (neomycin phosphotransferase II) under the nos promoter. Two regeneration systems were used: continual shoot proliferation from axillary buds of cotyledonary node in vitro, and in vivo plant regeneration from imbibed germinating seed with removed testa and one cotyledon. The penetration of Agrobacterium into explants during co-cultivation was supported by sonication or vacuum infiltration treatment. The selection of putative transformants in both regeneration systems carried out on media with 100 mg dm⁻³ kanamycin. The presence of introduced genes was verified histochemically (GUS assay) and by means of PCR and Southern blot analysis in T₀ putative transformants and their seed progenies (T₁ to T₃ generations). Both methods, but largely in vivo approach showed to be genotype independent, resulting in efficient and reliable transformation system for pea. The in vivo approach has in addition also benefit of time and money saving, since transgenic plants are obtained in much shorter time. All tested T₀ – T₃ plants were morphologically normal and fertile.This research was supported by the National Agency for Agricultural Research (grants No. QE 0046 and QF 3072) and Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic (grant No. ME 433).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> flowering of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perilla frutescens</Emphasis>

This study investigated the factors affecting in vitro flowering of Perilla frutescens. The shoots regenerated from cotyledonary and hypocotyl explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with benzyladenine (BA) and indole-3-acetic acid, each at 0.5 mg l⁻¹, were excised and transferred to MS medium containing 30 g l⁻¹ of sucrose, 8.25 g l⁻¹ of ammonium nitrate, and 1.0 mg l⁻¹ of BA. After 40 d of culture, 86.2% of shoots flowered and most of which self-fertilized in vitro and produced mature fruits with viable seeds. These seeds were germinated and plants were grown to maturity and flowered in soil under greenhouse conditions. The in vitro flowering system reported in this study may facilitate rapid breeding of P. frutescens and offers a model system for studying the physiological mechanism of flowering.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> propagation of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clivia</Emphasis>

We have developed a protocol for the in vitro propagation of the genus Clivia. Shoots were regenerated when fragments of the peduncle-pedicel junction (PP junction) from young inflorescences were used as explants. The optimal media for PP junction were Murashige and Skoog (MS)-based medium containing 10 M of 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 10 M of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or MS supplemented with 5 M BA, 10 M -naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 250 mg l^-1 glutamine and 500 mg l^–1 casein hydrolysate and their usage depended on the breeding lines. Multiplication from initiations and in vitro seedlings was the best when the explants were cut longitudinally through the meristem and placed on MS plus 44 M BA. Plantlets were transferred on to hormone -free MS medium with charcoal for rooting.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> culture studies on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stevia rebaudiana</Emphasis>

Summary Shoot apex, nodal, and leaf explants of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni can regenerate shoots when cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA; 8.87 μM) and indole-3-acetic acid (5.71 μM). Rooting of the in vitro-derived shoots could be achieved following subculture onto auxin-containing medium. A survival rate of 70% was recorded at the hardening phase on the substrate cocopeat. The presence of the sweet diterpene glycosides, viz. stevioside and rebaudioside, was confirmed in the in vitro-derived tissues of Stevia using HPTLC techniques. Callus cultured on agar-solidified MS medium supplemented with BA (8.87 μM) and indole-3-butyric acid (9.80 μM) showed the highest sweetener content.     

Neuropeptide Y reduces the expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">PLCB2</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">PLCD1</Emphasis> and selected <Emphasis Type="Italic">PLC</Emphasis> genes in cultured human endothelial cells

The ability of mycobacteria to grow and invade target tissues is the key component in the process of Mycobacterium bovis infection. Therefore, analysis of the proteins responsible for cell invasion will assist clinicians in combating bovine tuberculosis. The Mb1514 gene of M. bovis encodes a hypothetical invasion protein (designated here as MbINV protein), whose function has not yet been directly identified. In this study, the Mb1514 gene from M. bovis was cloned, and expressed in E. coli. The recombinant MbINV protein (a single band of approximately 28 kDa) was purified for biological analysis. Our data demonstrated that recombinant MbINV protein significantly inhibited the viability of RAW264.7 macrophages in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05), and induced cell necrosis, indicating that the protein is toxic. MbINV protein infection significantly enhanced the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and NOS2 (P < 0.01), suggesting that MbINV protein may be one of the virulence factors which directly interact with macrophages and modulate the host immune response to M. bovis. An invasion inhibition assay showed that MbINV-inhibited M. bovis invasion of RAW264.7 cells in a concentration-dependant manner, demonstrating it is an invasion protein.     

Cultivating <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> coconut palms (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cocos nucifera</Emphasis>) under glasshouse conditions with natural light,improves <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> photosynthesis nursery survival and growth

Plantlets of coconut were cultured in vitro under three different ambient conditions including a standard culture room, a culture room inside a glasshouse with natural light but controlled temperature, and a standard glasshouse with natural light and natural fluctuations of temperature. Plantlets from the 3 treatments were compared in terms of growth, plant survival as well as net photosynthesis and efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm ratio) both at the end of the in vitro stage and at 3 stages of ex vitro acclimatization. At the end of the in vitro stage, plantlets cultured in vitro under glasshouse conditions showed the best performance showing the highest photosynthesis rate, dry weight and number of leaves. Plantlets from the standard culture room showed the lowest photosynthesis and growth rate. After 6 months of ex vitro acclimatization, plantlets originally grown in vitro under glasshouse conditions maintained better field survival and growth rates in terms of fresh weight, dry weight and leaf number than plantlets originally grown in vitro in the standard culture room. Although more studies are required to define the reason for this effect, it is clear that the conditions of standard culture rooms are not the best for in vitro cultivation of coconut and perhaps other tropical species.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> micropropagation and alkaloids of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hippeastrum vittatum</Emphasis>

Different concentrations of methyl jasmonate, spermine, casein hydrolysate, or progesterone combined with 16 mg/l 2 iP + 4 mg/l naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) were investigated in order to obtain higher multiplication rate and growth of Hippeastrum vittatum bulbs in vitro on MS basal medium. The highest multiplication rate (8.2 bulbs/explant) was attained with 80 mg/l spermine, while the highest bulb fresh weight (1.23 g/bulblet) was obtained with 4 mg/l methyl jasmonate. Progesterone at 20 mg/l or casein hydrolysate at 2.0 g/l gave the highest leaf length (14.1 and 13.2 cm, respectively). So, it can be advised to use 80 mg/l spermine combined with 16 mg/l 2 iP + 4 mg/l NAA to obtain the highest number of bulbs per explant with moderate leaf length and bulb fresh weight. Chemical analysis showed alternations in the alkaloid type ratio and number of compounds in the bulbs treated with methyl jasmonate (4 mg/l).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> propagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acer grandidentatum</Emphasis> Nutt.

Bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum) is a promising ornamental tree that is not widely used in managed landscapes. Tissue culture has not been used successfully to propagate this taxon. We cultured single- and double-node explants from greenhouse-grown, 2-y old seedlings of bigtooth maples, which are indigenous to New Mexico, Texas, and Utah, on Murashige–Skoog (MS), Linsmaier–Skoog (LS), Driver–Kuniyuki Walnut (DKW), and Woody Plant (WPM) tissue culture media. Media affected shoot proliferation (P = 0.0242) but the zone of explant origin (P = 0.7594) did not. After four 30-d subcultures, explants on DKW media and WPM media produced 3.6 and 3.5 shoots per explant, respectively. Sprouting rates were highest on DKW, making DKW the best overall media for shoot proliferation. Double-node microshoots were rooted in vitro on DKW containing indole acetic acid (IAA). Microshoots represented six genotypes from three locations within Texas and New Mexico. Rooting percentage increased up to 15% as IAA concentration increased (P = 0.0040). There was 100% survival of rooted microshoots in vented Phytatrays containing one perlite: one peat moss (v/v). We conclude that DKW can be used to proliferate microshoots, and IAA induces rooting in microshoots of bigtooth maple.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> regeneration of medicinal plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Centella asiatica</Emphasis>

This paper describes multiple shoot regeneration from leaf and nodal segments of a medicinally important herb Centella asiatica L. on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium supplemented with a range of growth regulators. The highest number of multiple shoots was observed on MS augmented with 3.0 mg dm⁻³ N⁶-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 0.05 mg dm⁻³ α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Leaf explant showed maximum percentage of cultures regenerating shoots (81.6 %), with the highest shoot number (8.3 shoots per explant) and the shoot length (2.1 cm) whereas, nodal explant showed less number of shoots with callus formation at the base cut end. Successive shoot cultures were established by repeatedly sub-culturing the original explant on a fresh medium. Rooting of in vitro raised shoots was best induced on half strength MS supplemented with 0.5 mg dm⁻³ indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) with highest percentage of shoot regenerating roots (76.8 %) with 3–4 roots per shoot. Plantlets were acclimated in Vermi-compost and eventually established in soil. Contents of chlorophyll, total sugars, reducing sugars and proteins were estimated in leaf tissue from both in vivo and in vitro raised plants. Chlorophyll content was higher in in vivo plants, whereas other three components were higher in in vitro plants.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> propagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gentiana dinarica</Emphasis> Beck.

Gentiana dinarica Beck, rare and endangered species of Balkan Dinaric alps, was in vitro propagated (micropropagated) from axillary buds of plants collected at Mt. Tara, Serbia. G. dinarica preferred MS to WPM medium, with optimal shoot multiplication on MS medium with 3% sucrose, 1.0 mg l⁻¹ BA and 0.1 mg l⁻¹ NAA. Rooting was not clearly separated from shoot multiplication since BA did not completely inhibit root initiation. Spontaneous rooting on plant growth regulator-free medium occurred in some 30% of shoot explants. Rooting was stimulated mostly by decreased mineral salt nutrition and a medium with 0.5 MS salts, 2% sucrose and 0.5–1.0 mg l⁻¹ IBA was considered to be optimal for rooting. Rooted plantlets were successfully acclimated and further cultured in peat-based substrate.     

Collagen Synthesis on Polysomes <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

Polysomes synthesizing both α₁ and α₂ collagen chains have been identified by means of an in vitro system for completion and release of nascent polypeptides. Their size indicates that the mRNA for α chains is monocistronic.     

Comparative expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cbf</Emphasis> genes in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticeae</Emphasis> under different acclimation induction temperatures

In plants, the C-repeat binding factors (Cbfs) are believed to regulate low-temperature (LT) tolerance. However, most functional studies of Cbfs have focused on characterizing expression after an LT shock and have not quantified differences associated with variable temperature induction or the rate of response to LT treatment. In the Triticeae, rye (Secale cereale L.) is one of the most LT-tolerant species, and is an excellent model to study and compare Cbf LT induction and expression profiles. Here, we report the isolation of rye Cbf genes (ScCbfs) and compare their expression levels in spring- and winter-habit rye cultivars and their orthologs in two winter-habit wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars. Eleven ScCbfs were isolated spanning all four major phylogenetic groups. Nine of the ScCbfs mapped to 5RL and one to chromosome 2R. Cbf expression levels were variable, with stronger expression in winter- versus spring-habit rye cultivars but no clear relationship with cultivar differences in LT, down-stream cold-regulated gene expression and Cbf expression were detected. Some Cbfs were expressed only at warmer acclimation temperatures in all three species and their expression was repressed at the end of an 8-h dark period at warmer temperatures, which may reflect a temperature-dependent, light-regulated diurnal response. Our work indicates that Cbf expression is regulated by complex genotype by time by induction–temperature interactions, emphasizing that sample timing, induction–temperature and light-related factors must receive greater consideration in future studies involving functional characterization of LT-induced genes in cereals. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under the following accession numbers: EU194240 (ScCbfIa-11), EU194241 (ScCbfII-5), EU194242 (ScCbfIIIa-6), EU194243 (ScCbfIIIc-10), EU194244 (ScCbfIIIc-3A), EU194245 (ScCbfIIIc-3B), EU194246 (ScCbfIIId-12), EU194247 (ScCbfIIId-15), EU194248 (ScCbfIIId-19), EU194249 (ScCbfIVa-2A), EU194250 (ScCbfIVa-2B), EU525891 (ScVrn-1), EU525892 (ScActin).     

Propagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haemaria discolor</Emphasis> via <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> seed germination

In vitro propagation protocol for Haemaria discolor (Ker) Lindl. var. dawsoniana by artificial cross-pollination and asymbiotic germination of seeds has been developed. Fruit set (100 %) was obtained when the pollinia and ovules of various aged flowers were used for pollination. In vitro germination of seeds obtained from capsules of various ages was achieved on half-strength Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium supplemented with 3 % sucrose and 0.85 % agar. The germinated seedlings were cultured on half-strength MS medium with 0.2 % activated charcoal, 8 % banana homogenate, 0.1 mg dm⁻³ 1-phenyl-3-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl)urea (TDZ) and 1 mg dm⁻³ α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Ninety-six percent of plantlets survived after hardening in greenhouse.This research was supported by grant (91AS-3.1.1-CI-C3) from the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan of Taiwan and grants (NSC-89-2317-B055-002 and NSC-91-2317-B324-001) from the National Science Council of Taiwan. This paper is Agricultural Research Institute Contribution No. 2158.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>1<Emphasis Type="Italic">/copia</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>3<Emphasis Type="Italic">/gypsy</Emphasis>-like DNA sequences in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus </Emphasis>species

Two repeated DNA sequences isolated from a partial genomic DNA library of Helianthus annuus, p HaS13 and p HaS211, were shown to represent portions of the int gene of a Ty3 /gypsy retroelement and of the RNase-Hgene of a Ty1 /copia retroelement, respectively. Southern blotting patterns obtained by hybridizing the two probes to BglII- or DraI-digested genomic DNA from different Helianthus species showed p HaS13 and p HaS211 were parts of dispersed repeats at least 8 and 7 kb in length, respectively, that were conserved in all species studied. Comparable hybridization patterns were obtained in all species with p HaS13. By contrast, the patterns obtained by hybridizing p HaS211 clearly differentiated annual species from perennials. The frequencies of p HaS13- and p HaS211-related sequences in different species were 4.3x10(4)-1.3x10(5) copies and 9.9x10(2)-8.1x10(3) copies per picogram of DNA, respectively. The frequency of p HaS13-related sequences varied widely within annual species, while no significant difference was observed among perennial species. Conversely, the frequency variation of p HaS211-related sequences was as large within annual species as within perennials. Sequences of both families were found to be dispersed along the length of all chromosomes in all species studied. However, Ty3 /gypsy-like sequences were localized preferentially at the centromeric regions, whereas Ty1/ copia-like sequences were less represented or absent around the centromeres and plentiful at the chromosome ends. These findings suggest that the two sequence families played a role in Helianthusgenome evolution and species divergence, evolved independently in the same genomic backgrounds and in annual or perennial species, and acquired different possible functions in the host genomes.     

Tissue culture of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sinningia speciosa</Emphasis> and analysis of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>-generated <Emphasis Type="Italic">tricussate whorled phyllotaxis</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">twp</Emphasis>) variant

Two protocols were developed for the efficient regeneration of Sinningia speciosa from leaf explants via two developmental pathways. The first method involved formation of callus and buds, followed by subsequent root growth, in Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) containing 2.0 mg l⁻¹ 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 0.2 mg l⁻¹ α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), with a regeneration efficiency of 99.0%. The second method involved producing callus and roots, followed by subsequent formation of buds, in MS medium supplemented with 1.0–5.0 mg l⁻¹ NAA, and resulted in a regeneration efficiency of 90.4%. Our experiments indicate that the root-first pathway resulted in a lower plant regeneration efficiency. Through five continual generations using the buds-first method, a total of 215 regenerated plants were obtained in the last generation, and eight exhibited a phenotype we named tricussate whorled phyllotaxis (twp). Six of the regenerated twp variant plants maintained their tricussate whorled phyllotaxis phenotype, showing no other abnormalities, while one reverted to a wild type before flowering and another formed two rounds of sepals. Physiological analysis revealed that the twp plants responded differently than wild type to exogenous NAA and 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA), while high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that the levels of endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellin (GA) were lower in twp than wild-type plants. These results suggest that the formation of the twp mutant may be related to phytohormones and that the twp variant could be an important material for investigating the molecular mechanism of plant phyllotaxis patterning.