THE INFLUENCE OF GROWTH SUBSTANCES ON THE INDUCTION OF APOGAMY IN PTERIDIUM GAMETOPHYTES

Experiments employing sequences of three media demonstrated the effect of growth substances on the induction of apogamy. The most effective sequence was 4% sucrose 1–14 days, 4% sucrose plus growth substance 15–28 days, and 0.1% sucrose 29–56 days. In this sequence concentrations of NAA, IAA, and GA promoted apogamous shoot formation. A higher NAA concentration than optimal for shoot formation stimulated apogamous root formation in all medium sequences. Kinetin was without effect or inhibitory to apogamy. Combination of kinetin/GA or GA/NAA concentrations did not increase the apogamous response. One combination of the kinetin/NAA concentrations had a synergistic effect on the apogamous shoot formation. Additions of GA to the synergistic kinetin/NAA combination had an antagonistic effect on the apogamous response.     

Sugar-Dependent Gibberellin-Induced Chalcone Synthase Gene Expression in Petunia Corollas

The induction of anthocyanin synthesis and anthocyanin biosynthetic gene expression in detached petunia (Petunia hybrida) corollas by gibberellic acid (GA3) requires sucrose. Neither sucrose nor GA3 alone can induce these processes. We found that GA3 enhances sucrose uptake by 20 to 30%, and we tested whether this is the mechanism by which the hormone induces gene expression. Changing the intracellular level of sucrose with the inhibitors p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid and vanadate did not inhibit the induction of chalcone synthase gene (chs) expression by GA3. Growing detached corollas in various sucrose concentrations did not affect the induction of the gene but did affect its level of expression and the level of anthocyanin accumulated. Only metabolic sugars promoted GA3-induced anthocyanin accumulation. Mannitol and sorbitol had no effect and 3-O-methylglucose only slightly promoted chs expression and anthocyanin accumulation. Our results do not support the suggestion that sugars act as specific signals in the activation of anthocyanin biosynthetic gene expression during petunia corolla development. We suggest that sugars are essential as general sources of carbohydrates for carbon metabolism, upon which the induction of pigmentation is dependent.     

Taste confusions following gymnemic acid rinse.

The effect of a gymnemic acid (GA) rinse, which simulated a sweet-taste deficit, was measured on human taste perception and identification. Taste ratings showed that GA reduced the intensities of sucrose and aspartame to 14% of pre-rinse levels; over the recovery interval of 30 min, these values increased linearly to 63% of the pre-rinse levels. Repeated presentations of a set of 10 stimuli (five primarily or partly sweet--sucrose, aspartame, and NaCl-sucrose, acid-sucrose and quinine-sucrose mixtures; and five nonsweet--NaCl, KCl, Na glutamate (MSG), quinine HCl and citric acid) for identification following water and GA rinses produced 'taste confusion matrices' (TCMs). Correct identification of the sweet-tasting stimuli was reduced by 23% in presentations closely following the GA rinse, an effect that dissipated with time. Most misidentifications involved sucrose and mixtures containing sucrose. In a second TCM experiment, GA was presented frequently within each session to maintain the sweet taste deficit, which revealed itself as specific confusions. Rinsing with GA impaired discriminability of sweet-nonsweet pairs of stimuli but enhanced discriminability of the aspartame-(NaCl-sucrose) pair. GA had no effect on discriminability of nonsweet stimulus pairs. The results suggest that specific error patterns in the TCM could be used to identify quality-specific taste disorders.     

Sugar accumulation in growing subhooks of etiolated Pisum sativum seedlings - Stimulation of sugar exudation and invertase activity in epicotyls by gibberellic acid

The epicotyl of 5-day-old derooted cuttings of pea ( Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska) with and without cotyledons exuded sucrose and glucose in the presence of EDTA. The amount of sugars exuded was greatly affected by the position at which the epicotyl was cut. The largest amount of sugars was exuded when the epicotyl was cut 2 mm below the hook, leaving the growing subhook. Gibberellic acid (GA) substantially increased the amount of sugars exuded from the epicotyl in the presence of cotyledons but only slightly in their absence. GA stimulated sugar exudation from the cotyledonary node as well as from the epicotyl. In cuttings with cotyledons, GA enhanced invertase activity in the apoplast, and in the intraceUular soluble and bound fractions in the growing subhook. In decotylized cuttings, GA enhanced only soluble invertase activity. GA did not affect invertase activity in the epicotyl below the subhook. These results suggest that GA stimulates sugar accumulation in the growing subhook by stimulating not only phloem loading of sucrose in the cotyledons but also unloading in the subhook.     

In vitro bulb development in shallot (Allium cepa L. Aggregatum Group): effects of anti-gibberellins,sucrose and light

Bulbing was studied in shallot plants cultured in vitro. Bulbing occurred under a 16 h photoperiod with fluorescent + incandescent light and 30-50 g 1(-1) sucrose in the culture medium. Exogenous gibberellin (10 microM GA3) inhibited leaf and root growth and bulbing. When added to the medium at a concentration of 10 microM, three inhibitors of gibberellin biosynthesis (ancymidol, flurprimidol and paclobutrazol) promoted bulb formation and the percentage of bulbing. When ancymidol was used in combination with GA3, it did not reverse the effect of GA3 applied alone. Under treatments with 30-70 g l(-1) sucrose, bulbing ratios greater than those found in control plants were achieved by addition of ancymidol, and bulb fresh weight was increased in the same way. Ancymidol caused a 66% decrease in sucrose content in leaf bases but greatly increased the glucose, fructose and fructan contents. The increase in fructan content by ancymidol could result from the three-fold rise in total [14C]sucrose uptake per plant from the culture medium associated with a marked increase in leaf base labelling at the expense of root labelling. The possible role of ancymidol is discussed and evidence supports a major regulatory role for gibberellins in bulbing.     

糖、GA3及ABA对印度娃儿藤(Tylophora indica(Burm.f.)Merrill)体细胞胚发生的影响

从印度娃儿藤节间外植体获取愈伤组织,分析了糖、赤霉素(GA3)及脱落酸(ABA)对愈伤组织形成体细胞的影响。实验证明,含4μmol/L2,4-二氯苯氧乙酸(2,4-D)的MS培养基是获得具有成胚功能的愈伤组织的最佳培养基。在含有6μmol/L激动素(Kn)的MS培养基上,高达69%的愈伤组织分化为体细胞胚,平均单位外植体(每克愈伤组织)产胚25个。在6μmol/LKn存在的条件下,分析了蔗糖、葡糖糖对胚产生的影响,不同的糖及不同糖浓度对体细胞胚的发生影响很大。6μmol/L Kn与200mmol/L蔗糖处理胚胎发生率最大(71%),单位外植体生成49个胚。然而葡萄糖与Kn、或者葡糖糖、蔗糖与Kn三者加在一起则降低成胚率及产胚数。一定浓度的GA3和ABA能促进体细胞胚的产生。在含200mmol/L蔗糖的培养基中加10μmol/LGA3胚的生成率为98%,单位外植体产胚51个。在含200mmol/L蔗糖的培养基中加2μmol/L ABA能显著增加体细胞胚的量,该培养基上每外植体平均生成44个胚,产率为95%。本研究显示,含200mmol/L蔗糖的培养基中分别加入6μmol/L Kn、10μmol/L GA3或者2μmol/L ABA能显著提高印度娃儿藤体细胞胚发生率,而单独的葡萄糖或葡糖糖和蔗糖则有抑制作用。得到的胚均能正常发育并分化为植株。     

Changes in invertase activities precede ovary growth induced by gibberellic acid in

Developing pods of pea ( Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska no 7) were used to study the enzymes of sucrose metabolism. Acid and neutral invertase (EC 3.2.1.26). sucrose synthase (SS, EC 2.4.1.13) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS, EC 2.4.1.14) have been localized in the soluble fraction. Acid invertase activity was also present in the insoluble fraction and in pea ovary apoplast. In pea pods, sucrose breakdown was dominated by the invertase pathway. SS specific activity only increased at late stages of parthenocarpic pod development, while SPS did so in pods obtained by pollination. Changes in time course of invertase activities have been correlated with the growth rate of fruits induced to develop either by fertilization or by exogenous application of giberellic acid (GA), 2,4-dichloro-phenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) or 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BAP). The soluble neutral activities might be associated with pod elongation, while the acid ones were rather related to assimilate import by the induced fruits. Application of gibberellic acid to non-pollinated ovaries significantly enhanced the soluble neutral invertase activity before any ovary outgrowth was detected (up to 2 h after treatment). Within the same period of time. GA-treated ovaries showed a decrease in the acid invertase activity of the soluble fraction and an increase of the acid invertase activity in the apopiast. preceding in time the increment of the acid invertase activity associated with the insoluble fraction. Our results suggest that the early GA response may be mediated through a promotion of processes of protein secretion.     

Catecholamine stimulation of the gibberellin action that induces lettuce hypocotyl elongation

Effects of catecholamines and their derivatives on gibberellicacid (GA)-induced lettuce hypocotyl elongation was studied,because catecholamines have a chemical structure similar tothe dihydroconiferyl alcohol that has been isolated from lettucecotyledons as a GA synergist. Epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamineand 3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid synergistically enhanced thepromoting effect of GA on hypocotyl elongation. In contrast,metanephrine, normetanephrine, DOPA and 3-methoxy-4- hydroxymandelicacid did not enhance the GA effect. The action of catecholamineswas inhibited by trans-cinnamic acid which competitively inhibitedthe action of dihydroconiferyl alcohol; this suggests that thereceptor site for catecholamines is the same as that for dihydroconiferylalcohol. The basic ethyl acetate fraction from lettuce seedlingssynergistically enhanced the GA effect. TLC analyses of thisbasic ethyl acetate fraction revealed that the chromatographicarea corresponding to authentic catecholamines could enhancethe GA effect. From these results, a possible role for catecholamines in theregulation of lettuce hypocotyl elongation caused by GA wasposited, and is discussed here. (Received May 15, 1979; )     

Roles of auxin and gibberellic acid in growth and maturation of epicotyls of Vigna angularis: Cell wall changes

The effects of auxin and gibberellic acid on cell wall composition in various regions of epicotyls of azuki bean ( Vigna angularis Ohwi and Ohashi cv. Takara) were investigated with the following results. (1) Young segments excised from apical regions of the epicotyl elongated in response to added 10⁻⁴ M indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). When the segments were supplied with 50 m M sucrose, the IAA-induced segment growth was accompanied by enhanced overall synthesis of cell wall polysaccharides, such as xyloglucans, polyuronides and cellulose. This IAA effect on the cell wall synthesis is a consequence of extension growth induced by IAA. Gibberellic acid (GA) at 10⁻⁴ M synergistically enhanced the IAA-induced cell wall synthesis as well as IAA-induced extension growth, although GA by itself neither stimulated the cell wall synthesis nor extension growth. In the absence of sucrose, cell wall synthesis was not induced by IAA or GA. (2) In mature segments excised from basal regions of the epicotyl, no extension growth was induced by IAA or GA. GA enhanced the synthesis of xylans and cellulose when the segments were supplied with 50 m M sucrose. IAA had no effect on the cell wall synthesis. These findings indicate that synthesis of polyuronides, xyloglucans and cellulose, which occurs during extension growth of the apical region of the epicotyl, is regulated chiefly by auxin whereas synthesis of xylans and cellulose during cell maturation in the basal region of the epicotyl is regulated by GA.     

The effect of cultural conditions on the accumulation of formononetin by suspension cultures of Glycyrrhiza glabra

Secondary product accumulation by suspension cultures of Glycyrrhiza glabra has been studied. The cultures did not accumulate either glycyrrhizin of glycyrrhetic acid but did produce the isoflavonoid formononetin. The effect of initial pH, sucrose concentrations, medium composition, auxin and cytokinins on formononetin accumulation was studied. Initially formononetin accumulation was non-growth related but this changed to growth associated when the medium was modified.Abbreviations 2,4-d dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - NAA napthalenacetic acid - IAA indoleacetic acid - GA glycyrrhizic acid - -GA -glycyrrhetic acid     

Gibberellin A3 reverses the effect of salt stress in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seedlings by enhancing amylase activity and mobilization of starch in cotyledons

The percentage germination of chickpea seeds (Cicer arietinum L.cv. PBG-1) gradually decreased with increasing concentration of NaCl in the growth medium and was completely inhibited with 200 mM NaCl. In the presence of 75 mM NaCl, only 51% of the seeds germinated. Gibberellic acid (GA3) and kinetin at 6 µM concentration induced the maximum increase in % germination and seedling growth under salt stress. However, IAA further inhibited both the germination and growth of stressed seedlings. The reduction in amylase activity in cotyledons of stressed seedlings was partially reversed with GA3 and kinetin whereas IAA did not show any positive effect. GA3 was more effective than kinetin in enhancing the reduced germination and seedling growth of chickpea seeds along with amylase activity in cotyledons under NaCl induced saline conditions. The reduced uptake of radiolabelled 14C sucrose by cotyledons and its reduced distribution in the shoots and roots of stressed seedlings was increased with addition of GA3 in the medium. Cotyledonary amylase was separated into amylase 1 and amylase 2 by sephadex G 150 column chromatography. The reduced activities of both amylase 1 and amylase 2 in cotyledons under salt stress was returned to near normal levels with GA3 and there was also an increase in starch utilization, resulting in its lower concentration in cotyledons of GA3-supplemented stressed cotyledons.     

Possible mechanisms for antioxidant activity of glycyrrhizinic acid

Possible mechanisms of antioxidant activity of glycyrrhizinic acid (GA) were studied. GA did not exhibit antiradical properties in the experiments with stable radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl at the concentration range of 1–100 μM. These data were confirmed by the study of GA effect on luminol chemiluminescence in a cell-free system in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. At the same time, GA decreases (in a dose-dependent manner) the generation of reactive oxygen species by neutrophils activated with both phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and the chemotactic peptide, N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (FMLP). Using dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence it has been demonstrated that direct addition of GA to neuron culture did not decrease the level of free radical formation. However, preincubation of cells with GA resulted in the decrease in free radical production rate and increase in reduced intracellular glutathione level.     

Gluconic acid production from sucrose in an airlift reactor using a multi-enzyme system

Sucrose from sugarcane is produced in abundance in Brazil, which provides an opportunity to manufacture other high-value products. Gluconic acid (GA) can be produced by multi-enzyme conversion of sucrose using the enzymes invertase, glucose oxidase, and catalase. In this process, one of the byproducts is fructose, which has many commercial applications. This work concerns the batch mode production of GA in an airlift reactor fed with sucrose as substrate. Evaluation was made of the influence of temperature and pH, as well as the thermal stability of the enzymes. Operational conditions of 40 °C and pH 6.0 were selected, based on the enzymatic activity profiles and the thermal stabilities. Under these conditions, the experimental data could be accurately described by kinetic models. The maximum yield of GA was achieved within 3.8 h, with total conversion of sucrose and glucose and a volumetric productivity of around 7.0 g L^?1 h^?1.     

外源脱落酸和赤霉素对红肉脐橙果肉糖含量的影响

在红肉脐橙幼果期和着色前分2次喷施不同浓度的外源ABA和GA3,研究其对红肉脐橙果肉糖含量的影响.结果表明:10mg.L-1ABA处理显著或极显著提高了果实成熟时的葡萄糖、果糖和总糖含量,50mg.L-1ABA处理极显著提高了果实蔗糖含量,而100mg.L-1ABA处理极显著降低了果实葡萄糖含量;中低浓度的GA3(10、50和250mg.L-1)极显著提高了果实蔗糖含量,10mg.L-1GA3处理对果实葡萄糖和果糖含量无明显影响,但极显著提高了果实总糖含量,50、250和500mg.L-1GA3处理极显著降低了果实葡萄糖、果糖和总糖含量.表明着色前较低浓度的外源ABA处理(10和50mg.L-1)可提高果实中一种或几种糖的含量,而较高浓度的GA3处理(250和500mg.L-1)则严重阻碍了果肉中糖的积累.     

生长调节物质和可溶性糖含量对丹参中丹酚酸类物质积累的影响

采用盆栽实验研究了生长调节物质水杨酸（SA）、茉莉酸甲酯（MeJA）、赤霉素（GA3）对不同生长时期丹参植株中非结构糖含量、碳/氮比及根中丹酚酸类物质积累的影响;并进一步测定培养基中不同浓度蔗糖、葡萄糖、果糖对丹参毛状根中丹酚酸类物质积累的影响,对盆栽实验的结论进行了验证。结果显示,SA处理的丹参幼苗及花后期植株中蔗糖含量有增加趋势,而MeJA处理的丹参幼苗及花后期植株及GA3处理的丹参花后期植株中蔗糖积累均有降低趋势;且SA、MeJA和GA3处理对花后期植株地上和地下部分碳/氮比的影响不同。然而,SA和MeJA处理的丹参幼苗及花后期植株地上部分和根中还原糖含量、GA3处理的花后期植株根中还原糖含量均显著增加;同时,SA和MeJA处理的丹参幼苗根中迷迭香酸含量,以及SA、MeJA、GA3处理的花后期植株根中迷迭香酸含量和丹酚酸类总量显著增加。毛状根培养结果进一步证明,葡萄糖促进毛状根中迷迭香酸的产生,增加丹酚酸类总量,毛状根中迷迭香酸、丹酚酸B的积累及丹酚酸类总量与培养基中蔗糖浓度不相关。可见,丹参（植株）根中丹酚酸类物质的产生和积累受SA、MeJA和GA3的诱导,其与碳/氮比及植株中蔗糖含量没有相关性,推测植株中葡萄糖含量的增加促进根中丹酚酸类物质的积累。     

Study of the effect of gymnemic acid on taste in hamster

Behavioral and electrophysiological experiments with 10 sweetenershave been made to test if gymnemic acid (GA) is able to blockthe response to sweet stimuli in single taste fibres of thechorda tympani proper nerve in hamsters. The hamster was chosenbecause earlier studies show that it is more sensitive to GAthan any other non-human species. Since GA has been shown toaffect the sweetness of many different substances, its effectswere studied on an array of sweeteners. To avoid, however, theinclusion of sweeteners unpalatable to the hamster, the hamsters'liking of this array was tested with two-bottle preference techniquefor –24 h. It was found that acesulfam-K, fructose, glucose,sucrose and xylitol were strongly liked, while the animals showedno preference for aspartame, D-tryptophane, sodium cyclamate,sodium saccharin and thaumatin over water. The summated nerveresponse of these stimuli was then recorded. It was found thatneither thaumatin nor aspartame elicited a response, while theother stimuli gave a good response. Finally, the sweetenerswhich were both preferred in the two-bottle tests and gave anerve response were used as taste stimuli in single fibre experimentstogether with sodium chloride, quinine hydrochloride, citricacid and saccharin. The single fibre recordings were made beforeand after application of 5 mg GA for 3 min on the tongue. Itwas found that GA did not cause any dramatic decrease or disappearanceof the responses to either the sweet or the non-sweet substances.The responses to the sweeteners, however, were more depressedthan those to the non-sweet stimuli.     

Eco-physiological studies on Indian arid zone plants

Summary The separate and combined effects of sodium chloride and gibberellin (GA) on growth and the activities of alanine aminotransferase (GPT), aspartate aminotransferase (GOT) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) have been studied in the aerial parts of Pennisetum typhoides seedlings. Salt concentrations higher than 8.55×10³ M inhibited growth and reduced GLDH activity, but strongly stimulated the activity of GPT and, to a lesser extent, that of GOT. GA alone, on the other hand, stimulated growth but did not affect activity of any of the enzymes tested. In combination with salt, however, GA tended to counteract the effect of salt on both growth and enzyme activity. The possible significance of the results in explaining adaptation of plants under conditions of stress has been discussed.