Chitinous components of the cell wall of Fusarium oxysporum.

The cell wall of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici was digested with chitinase to analyze the structure of its chitinous components. In spite of a similar acetylation degree of the cell wall components to that of 25-35% acetylated chitosan, only N-acetylglucosamine disaccharide [(GlcNAc)2] was obtained from chitinase hydrolyzate of the fungal cell wall by CM-Sephadex C-25 column chromatography, while (GlcNAc)2 and several types of deacetylated chitooligosaccharides were separated from that of 25-35% acetylated chitosan. The results indicate that N-acetylglucosamine residues in the polysaccharide chains of the fungal cell wall are most likely condensed into some region, while acetylated residues are more scattered in 25-35% acetylated chitosan.     

Induction of delayed hypersensitivity in guinea pigs by staphylococcal cell wall components

The subcutaneous injection of 100 micrograms of staphylococcal cell-wall peptidoglycan in Freund's incomplete adjuvant leads to the development of sensitization which can be detected on days 7-35 by the splenocyte migration inhibition test. Sensitization can be detected with peptidoglycan, as well as with staphylococcal cell walls. Teichoic acids produce no such effect. The sensitization of guinea pigs with whole staphylococcal cells introduced in three injections also leads to the development of delayed hypersensitivity specific to staphylococcal cell walls, peptidoglycan, but not teichoic acids.     

Responses of alfalfa pollen and callus to filtrates from two isolates of Fusarium oxysporum

Summary For 25 Medicago sativa plants, measurements were made of in vitro pollen germination and growth and callus growth on mediums containing culture filtrate from two isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. medicaginis. In vivo resistance was determined by field inoculation with one isolate. There was no correlation between any in vitro measurement and in vivo resistance, and none of the in vitro measurements on control mediums were correlated. The only significant correlation for the same measurement between the two isolates was for pollen-tube length (r = 0.65). Percent of pollen germination was negatively correlated with callus growth for both isolates. Earlier work showed that callus growth in the presence of culture filtrate was linked to plant resistance, thus it appeared that percent pollen germination on culture filtrate had decreased for the more resistant plants. The haploid pollen may be used as a progeny test for identifying heterotic loci conferring resistance to Fusarium, but if the pollen of this plant species is used in direct selection by exposure to culture filtrate, the level of resistance to Fusarium may decrease.     

The cell wall of Fusarium oxysporum.

Sugar analysis of isolated cell walls from three formae speciales of Fusarium oxysporum showed that they contained not only glucose and (N-acetyl)-glucosamine, but also mannose, galactose, and uronic acids, presumably originating from cell wall glycoproteins. Cell wall glycoproteins accounted for 50-60% of the total mass of the wall. X-ray diffraction studies showed the presence of alpha-1, 3-glucan in the alkali-soluble cell wall fraction and of beta-1, 3-glucan and chitin in the alkali-insoluble fraction. Electron microscopy and lectin binding studies indicated that glycoproteins form an external layer covering an inner layer composed of chitin and glucan.     

Induction of hemolin gene expression by bacterial cell wall components in eri-silkworm, Samia cynthia ricini

A cDNA clone encoding hemolin was isolated from fat body of immunized Samia cynthia ricini larvae based on subtractive suppression hybridization method. The cDNA encodes 413 amino acid residue open reading frame with an 18 residue predicted signal peptide. The expression of the gene was strongly induced in fat body and midgut by an injection of bacterial cells or peptidoglycans, but very weakly by lipopolysaccharide. The mRNA expression in the fat body was detected as early as 3 h post-injection, and reached the peak level at 12 h.     

Induction of efficient cell division in alfalfa protoplasts

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) protoplasts derived from cell suspension cultures divided inefficiently in liquid culture. The onset of cell division activity occurred synchronously among the protoplasts; however, many were blocked at cytokinesis and therefore did not complete first division. Very few of the cells that began to divide continued to do so. Immobilization of protoplasts in agarose after 1 to 4 days in liquid culture overcame this inhibition of division. Continuous growth in agarose was restricted and therefore microcolonies were transferred to agar medium to complete callus development. Plating efficiencies of 2–10% were achieved within 30 days of protoplast isolation. The agarose treatment was responsible for a 5- to 30-fold improvement in plating efficiency.Contribution No. 774 Ottawa Research Station     

Induction of freezing tolerance in alfalfa cell suspension cultures

The effects of ABA, 2,4-D, kinetin and cold exposure on the cold hardiness of Medicago sativa L. cell suspensions were investigated. Cultures treated with 5×10^–5 M ABA at 2°C for 4 weeks in the absence of kinetin showed a 50% survival after freezing to –12.5°C, whereas cultures grown at 25°C under normal conditions tolerated freezing to only –3°C. The optimum ABA treatment of 5×10^–5 M for 4 weeks was effective only in combination with cold exposure. Of six cell lines tested, all showed different degrees of induced cold hardiness. The results suggest that ABA alone cannot induce freezing tolerance on alfalfa cell suspension cultures and that the deletion of kinetin and combination of low temperature and ABA is critical for the induction of cold hardiness in alfalfa cell suspension cultures.Abbreviations ABA abscisic acid - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - LT₅₀ 50% killing temperature     

Kinetin induced changes in cell wall composition of tobacco callus

Culture of tobacco callus on high or low kinetin in light or darkness leads to changed tissue texture and associated changes in cell wall composition. In particular, friable callus (low kinetin, darkness) cell walls have a greater extensin content and an altered composition of arabinose and xylose containing hemicelluloses compared with cell walls of compact callus (high kinetin, darkness). The possible importance of these differences in determining callus friability is discussed.     

植物源物质诱导的斜纹夜蛾细胞凋亡

为了研究植物源物质对斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura离体培养细胞系SL-1的凋亡诱导作用,采用倒置相差显微镜观察了印楝素、喜树碱等9种物质各自对SL-1凋亡小体的浓度效应及时序性。结果表明：印楝素0.1～5.0 μg/mL和喜树碱0.5～20.0 μmol/L处理SL-1,24～48 h后均产生大量典型的凋亡小体;茶皂素、蓖麻碱、黄樟油、丹皮酚、烟碱、苦参碱和博落回碱0.1～20.0 μg/mL处理SL-1后,整个观察期72 h内均无明显凋亡小体出现,凋亡诱导作用不明显。印楝素0.75 μg/mL诱导SL-1 细胞凋亡,从凋亡小体判断,处理后0～36 h属细胞凋亡早期,36～60 h属细胞凋亡中期,60 h后为细胞凋亡晚期。喜树碱 5.0 μmol/L诱导SL-1细胞凋亡,处理后0～24 h属细胞凋亡前期,24～54 h属细胞凋亡中期,54 h后进入细胞凋亡晚期。初步认为印楝素和喜树碱对SL-1有凋亡诱导作用,并具有一定的浓度依赖性和时序性。     

Crystallinity of lyophilised carrot cell wall components

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of removal of cell wall components on the crystallinity of cell walls using X-ray diffraction. Various insoluble cell wall residues were prepared following a sequential extraction of carrot cell wall material. X-ray diffraction patterns were typical of cellulose although there was a possible contribution of pectic polysaccharides to the crystallinity. As more amorphous material was removed to produce a cellulose rich residue, the crystallinity index increased from 12 to 16%, larger than that estimated from cellulose alone. For the last residue treated with 4M KOH, a lower value of crystallinity was found (14%) which resulted from the change of some crystalline domains of cellulose into amorphous regions. Pressing conditions (temperature, water content) have been investigated and did not alter the crystallinity index significantly.     

Induction of defense responses in cultured parsley cells by plant cell wall fragments

Cell suspension cultures of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) accumulated coumarin phytoalexins and exhibited increased β-1,3-glucanase activity when treated with either a purified α-1,4-d-endopolygalacturonic acid lyase from Erwinia carotovora or oligogalacturonides solubilized from parsley cell walls by endopolygalacturonic acid lyase. Coumarin accumulation induced by the plant cell wall elicitor was preceded by increases in the activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL) and S-adenosyl-l-methionine:xanthotoxol O-methyltransferase (XMT). The time courses for the changes in these three enzyme activities were similar to those observed in cell cultures treated with a fungal glucan elicitor. The plant cell wall elicitor was found to act synergistically with the fungal glucan elicitor in the induction of coumarin phytoalexins. As much as a 10-fold stimulation in coumarin accumulation above the calculated additive response was observed in cell cultures treated with combinations of plant and fungal elicitors. The synergistic effect was also observed for the induction of PAL, 4CL, and XMT activities. These results demonstrate that plant cell wall elicitors induce at least two distinct biochemical responses in parsley cells and further support the role of oligogalacturonides as important regulators of plant defense.     

Induction of ethylene biosynthesis in tobacco leaf discs by cell wall disesting enzymes

Cellulysin induces ethylene production in tobacco leaf discs by initiating the formation of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid. Induction occurred within 30 to 60 min of incubation and was inhibited by aminoethoxyvinylglycine, and the antiproteases, PMSF and soybean trypsin inhibitor. Cycloheximide (CHI) at 2.8 μg/ml and chloramphenicol (CAP) at 100 μg/ml did not inhibit this induction although incorporation of the label from (3,4-¹⁴C)methionine into the acid-insoluble fraction was inhibited by 57%. At 14 μg/ml CHI, and CAP, ethylene production was inhibited by 25% while protein synthesis was inhibited by 75%. We suggest that either the low amounts of protein synthesis that appear to be insensitive to CHI is sufficient to induce ethylene biosynthesis or that Cellulysin activates a preexisting but inactive form of ACC synthase to promote ethylene biosynthesis. Also, induction of ethylene production by microbial enzymes that digests plant cell walls may be an initial protective response of plants that serves to combat microbial infection.     

Induction of alcohol dehydrogenase by plant hormones in alfalfa seedlings

Six-day-old alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seedlings were treated with auxin, abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinin and gibberellin to determine the effect of these plant hormones on induction of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). The ADH activity was increased at concentrations greater than 1 M for auxin and ABA and 3 M for cytokinin, respectively, and all increases were found within 6 h after treatments. However, ADH activity remained almost unchanged in the seedlings treated with gibberellin. At 100 M doses, the activities in the seedlings were 4.0-, 3.6- and 2.1-fold greater than that of non-treated seedlings for auxin, ABA and cytokinin, respectively.     

Stress compounds in tobacco callus infiltrated by Pseudomonas solanacearum

Two sesquiterpenoids, phytuberin and phytuberol, have been identified in tobacco callus infiltrated by Pseudomonas solanacearum.     

Role of the cell wall in the ability of tobacco protoplasts to form callus

Cellular membranes from dark grown hypocotyls of Phaseolus aureus Roxb. were separated by centrifugation on a continuous sucrose gradient. Each gradient fraction was monitored for activity of inosine diphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.6) and the ability to transfer glucose from UDP-[¹⁴C]glucose to endogenous lipids in vitro. The highest incorporation of radioactivity into lipids occurred in a particulate fraction correlated with the Golgi apparatus, sedimenting at sucrose densities of 31.5–33% w/w. Three endogenous lipids were glucosylated in vitro. The two main lipids were characterized as steryl glucoside and acylated steryl glucoside; data from chromatography and hydrolysis of the third lipid suggests that it is dolichyl-monophosphate-glucoside. Steryl glucoside was found to be the main glucoside synthesized, but the proportion of the acylated form increased with time. The results are discussed in the context of the role of the Golgi apparatus as a centre of membrane modification within the plant cell.Abbreviations DMP-mannose dolichyl monophosphate mannose - ER endoplasmic reticulum - GA Golgi apparatus - ID-Pase inosine diphosphatase