Segmental differences in the protein content of Drosophila imaginal discs

The protein content of various Drosophila imaginal discs was analysed by two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by silver-staining. Three proteins, identified as tropomyosins α and β and actin I, are more abundant in the metathoracic discs (haltere and third leg) than in the mesothoracic discs (wing and second leg). In the case of the wing disc, these proteins are probably contributed by the adepithelial (muscle precursor) cells, as indicated by their non-uniform localisation within the disc. Mutations in the bithorax complex have no effect on the difference between second and third leg discs. We conclude that there is a segmental difference in the protein content of homologous discs, that this difference is probably localized in the adepithelial cells, and that it is not under the direct control of known alleles of the bithorax complex.     

基于光谱指数的植物叶片叶绿素含量的估算模型

叶绿素是光合作用能力和植被发育阶段的指示器,是监测湿地植被生长健康状况的重要指标之一;高光谱遥感技术可以为植物叶绿素含量的定量化诊断提供简便有效、非破坏性的数据采集和处理方法。为保证被探测叶片面积相同,消除背景反射、叶片表面弯曲造成的光谱波动及叶片内部变异造成的影响,研究采用Field Spec 3光谱仪加载手持叶夹式叶片光谱探测器,测定野鸭湖湿地典型植物的叶片高光谱反射率数据,同时通过分光光度计室内测定相应叶片的叶绿素含量。采用相关性及单变量线性拟合分析技术,建立二者的关系模型,包括叶绿素含量与"三边"参数的相关模型以及比值光谱指数(SR)模型和归一化差值光谱指数(ND)模型,并采用交叉检验中的3K-CV方法对估算模型进行模型精度检验。结果表明:植物叶片叶绿素含量与"三边"参数大多都呈极显著相关,相关系数最大达到0.867;计算光谱反射率组成的比值(SR)和归一化(ND)光谱指数与叶绿素含量的决定系数,总体相关性比较高,较好的波段组合均为550—700nm与700—1400nm以及550—700nm与1600—1900nm,与叶绿素含量相关性最好的指数分别是SR(565nm,740nm)和ND(565nm,735nm)。并通过选取相关性最佳的光谱特征参数,分别基于"三边"参数和ND模型指数构建了植物叶片叶绿素含量的估算模型。其中,基于红边位置(WP_r)光谱特征参数和ND(565nm,735nm)光谱指数建立的叶绿素含量估算模型,取得了较好的测试效果,检验拟合方程的决定系数(R2)都达到0.8以上,估算模型分别为y=0.113x-78.74,y=5.5762x+4.4828。通过3K-CV方法进行测试和检验,植物叶绿素含量估算模型均取得了较为理想的预测精度,预测精度的分别为93.9%及90.7%。高光谱遥感技术对植被进行微弱光谱差异的定量分析,在植被遥感研究与应用中表现出强大优势,为植物叶绿素含量诊断中的实际应用提供了重要的理论依据和技术支持。     

Sugar content in the sap of birches, hornbeams and maples in southeastern Poland

There is very little data on the sugar content of tree sap in Central Europe. In order to fill this gap we measured sugar content in the spring sap of 55 trees from 8 species (six native and two introduced). Sugar content was measured chromatographically using an HPLC Dionex Ultimate 3000 system and CAD detection. The proportion of sugar was highly genus-specific: maples contained sucrose, birches a mix of glucose, fructose and sucrose and hornbeams glucose and fructose. Acer saccharinum had the sweetest sap (4.0%), followed by A. platanoides (3.2%), A. pseudoplatanus (3.2%), A. negundo (2.9%) and A. campestre (2.8%). Birches were slightly less sweet (Betula pendula 2.5% and B. pubescens 2.6%). Carpinus betulus sap contained only 0.9% sugar. The reported values for birches are higher than those reported in other European studies and the values for maples are similar to those for sugar maples in North America. As southeastern Poland has many large populations of maples and birches, a small-scale sugar syrup industry could become an additional source of income for forest owners.     

Nuclear DNA content variation within the genusTaraxacum (Asteraceae)

Nuclear DNA content was estimated using flow cytometry in 13 sections represented by 18 species of the genusTaraxacum using propidium iodide as the DNA stain. Investigated plants represented diploid, triploid and tetraploid species from sections considered both primitive and advanced, i.e.,T. sect.Dioszegia, Piesis, Glacialia, Mongolica, Scariosa, Obovata, T. pyrenaicum group,T. sect.Coronata, Palustria, Taraxacum (=Crocea),Kashmirana, Ruderalia andErythrosperma. Estimated nuclear 2C DNA content ranged from 1.74 pg in diploidT. linearisquameum (T. sect.Ruderalia) to 6.91 pg in tetraploidT. albidum (T. sect.Mongolica), demonstrating 3.97-fold variation. The lowest monoploid genome size 1C_x=0.87 pg was recorded inT. linearisquameum (T. sect.Ruderalia) together withT. brachyglossum (T. sect.Erythrosperma), and the highest one (1.73 pg) was recorded inT. albidum (T. sect.Mongolica), giving a 1.99-fold difference in the genus. No significant differences in genome size were observed withinT. sect.Ruderalia, similarly no intraspecific variation was observed inT. paludosum (T. sect.Palustria) andT. serotinum (T. sect.Dioszegia). These results indicate a high intraspecific stability of the trait. Preliminary comparisons of genome size in species/sections considered to be close relatives were made. These data give tentative additional evidence for the close phylogenetic relationship between sectionsPalustria andPiesis and against the close relationship between sectionsPiesis andDioszegia.     

A selenite-induced decrease in the lipid content of a red alga

Two unicellular marine algae (Dunaliella primolecta and Porphyridium cruentum) have been found to contain a selenium-inducible, non-enzymatic glutathione peroxidase activity when cultured in the presence of selenite. To test the possibility that selenium functions in vivo as an antioxidant in these algae, a detailed examination of the lipid content of algae cultured in the presence or absence of selenite was conducted. If selenium augments the antioxidant defenses of algal cells, an increase in the content of oxidation-sensitive lipids would be expected. The fatty acid, chlorophyll, phospholipid and glycolipid content of the green alga D. primolecta was not affected by growth in selenite. At low light intensity there was a moderate decrease in the chlorophyll and polyunsaturated fatty acid content of the red alga P. cruentum when cultured in selenite. At higher light intensity the content of all fatty acids, phospholipid, glycolipid, chlorophyll, carotenoid and phycoerythrin decreased in P. cruentum grown in selenite. Since growth in selenite did not increase the quantity of oxidation-sensitive lipids in either alga, there is no evidence for an in vivo functioning of selenium as an antioxidant. Instead, the observed decrease in lipids of the red alga P. cruentum can best be explained as a selenite-induced oxidative effect.     

Variations of plasmid content in Rickettsia felis

Background

Since its first detection, characterization of R. felis has been a matter of debate, mostly due to the contamination of an initial R. felis culture by R. typhi. However, the first stable culture of R. felis allowed its precise phenotypic and genotypic characterization, and demonstrated that this species belonged to the spotted fever group rickettsiae. Later, its genome sequence revealed the presence of two forms of the same plasmid, physically confirmed by biological data. In a recent article, Gillespie et al. (PLoS One. 2007;2(3):e266.) used a bioinformatic approach to refute the presence of the second plasmid form, and proposed the creation of a specific phylogenetic group for R. felis.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In the present report, we, and five independent international laboratories confirmed unambiguously by PCR the presence of two plasmid forms in R. felis strain URRWXCal₂ ^T, but observed that the plasmid content of this species, from none to 2 plasmid forms, may depend on the culture passage history of the studied strain. We also demonstrated that R. felis does not cultivate in Vero cells at 37°C but generates plaques at 30°C. Finally, using a phylogenetic study based on 667 concatenated core genes, we demonstrated the position of R. felis within the spotted fever group.

Significance

We demonstrated that R. felis, which unambiguously belongs to the spotted fever group rickettsiae, may contain up to two plasmid forms but this plasmid content is unstable.     

Characterization of the quantitative trait locus OilA1 for oil content in Brassica napus

Increasing seed oil content has become one of the most important breeding criteria in rapeseed (Brassica napus). However, oil content is a complex quantitative trait. QTL mapping in a double haploid population (SG population) emerging from a cross between a German (Sollux) and Chinese (Gaoyou) cultivars revealed one QTL for oil content on linkage group A1 (OilA1), which was mapped to a 17 cM genetic interval. To further validate and characterize the OilA1, we constructed a high-resolution map using B. rapa sequence resources and developed a set of near-isogenic lines (NILs) by employing a DH line SG-DH267 as donor and Chinese parent Gaoyou as recurrent background. The results showed highly conserved synteny order between B. rapa and B. napus within the linkage group A1 and revealed a possible centromere region between two markers ZAASA1-38 and NTP3 (2.5 cM). OilA1 was firstly validated by 250 BC₅F₂ plants and was confirmed in a 10.6 cM interval between the markers ZAASA1-47 and ZAASA1-77. Further substitution mapping was conducted by using two generations of QTL-NILs, 283 lines from eight BC₅F_3:4 families and 428 plants from six BC₅F₄ sub-NILs and thus narrowed the OilA1 interval to 6.9 cM and 4.3 cM (1.4 Mb), respectively. Field investigations with two replications using homozygous BC₅F_3:4 sister sub-NILs indicated that NILs, which carry a Sollux chromosome segment across the target region showed significant higher oil content (1.26 %, p < 0.001) than their sister NILs containing Gaoyou chromosome. The OilA1 locus is of particular interest for breeding purpose in China because 80 % of Chinese cultivars do not carry this desirable allele.     

Altitudinal changes in the content of bioactive substances in Hypericum orientale and Hypericum pallens

Altitudinal changes in the content of hypericin, pseudohypericin, hyperforin, adhyperforin, chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 2,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid, amentoflavone, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, quercitrin, quercetin, avicularin, rutin, (+)-catechin and (?)-epicatechin among Hypericum orientale L. and Hypericum pallens Banks and Sol. populations from Northern Turkey were investigated for the first time. Thirty flowering individuals were collected from five different altitudes (400, 950, 1,150, 1,620 and 2,150 m) for H. pallens and six different altitudes (500, 1,150, 1,650, 2,100, 2,720 and 3,250 m) for H. orientale. The plant materials were dried at room temperature and subsequently assayed for chemical contents by HPLC. All chemicals were detected in both species at various levels depending on altitude of growing sites except for caffeic acid which was absent in H. pallens. It was found that plants from higher altitudes produced significantly higher amount of the bioactive compounds tested. The results were discussed as a possible protective response of plants to the different abiotic stress factors as high ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation and low temperature which were prevalent in higher altitudes.     

Effect of PEG-6000 imposed drought stress on RNA content,relative water content (RWC), and chlorophyll content in peanut leaves and roots

Drought, one of the environmental stresses, plays crucial role in reduction in plant production on majority of agricultural fields of world, In order to evaluate drought stress on RNA content Relative water content (RWC), and chlorophyll content, Water deficit was induced by Polyethylene glycol (PEG) in peanut (Arachis hypogaea), accession number ICGV 91114. In this current study we evaluate RNA content and Relative water content (RWC) both in leaves and roots and chlorophyll content in leaf. The present study was undertaken with the aim to investigate the effect of water deficit imposed by PEG-6000, 40 old day seedlings were treated with varying concentrations of polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000; w/v-5%, 10%, 15% & 20%) for 24 h. The results showed that RNA content and Relative water content (RWC) content was significantly reduced in both leaves and roots with increased concentration of PEG, In leaves, a concentration dependent decline in chlorophyll content with increasing concentration of polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000). Reduction in chlorophyll ‘a’ level was to a greater extent than the chlorophyll ‘b’. Thus, this attributes can be used as screening tool for drought tolerance in peanut.     

Alkaloidal content of argentine Argemone

The alkaloid content of different Argentine Argemone has been determined. Two varieties of A. subfusiformis subsp. subfusiformis Ownb. and A. subfusiformis subsp. subinermis Ownb. yielded a similar ratio and content of the following alkaloids: protopine, allocrytopine, berberine, sanguinarine, and chelerythrine. The A. subfusiformis taxa showed a markedly high sanguinarine content in roots as opposed to aerial parts. A. polyanthemos (Fedde) Ownb. showed a different ratio between alkaloids but a qualitative similar result. N-Norchelerythrine was isolated from A. polyanthemos. The chemotaxonomic value of the alkaloid analyses is discussed.     

The content of water and potassium in fat cells

The distribution spaces at equilibrium for ³H₂O, [¹⁴C]urea and $\text{3-O-[}{}^{14}\text{C]-}\text{methylglucose}$ were measured in white fat cells using centrifugation through silicone oil at 2500 × g; no significant differences were observed. l-[¹⁴C] Glucose added immediately before the centrifugation was used as a marker for the extracellular water space. The calculated intracellular water content of the cells after the centrifugation through oil (e.g. ³H₂O space minus l-[¹⁴C] glucose space) is an unbiased measure of the water content of the cells in suspension as judged by the following criteria: (1) The intracellular distribution space for $\text{3-O-[}{}^{14}\text{C}\text{]}$methylglucose at equilibrium (methylglucose space minus l-glucose space) was not different from that calculated from a methylglucose wash-out curve. (2) The intracellular content of l-[¹⁴C]glucose (half time of efflux about 60 min) in cells preloaded during incubation of the tissue with collagenase was not different in cells recovered by (a) centrifugation through oil at 2500 × g, (b) centrifugation through oil at 600 × g, (c) centrifugation at 600 × g in the absence of oil and (d) filtration on Millipore filters.The intracellular content of water determined on cells from single rats weighing 120–150 g was 2.75 ± 0.55 μl/100 μl fat cells (± S.D., n = 30). The intracellular content of potassium, determined on cells from the same rats, was 252 ± 62 nmols/100 μl fat cells (± S.D., n = 30). The concentration of potassium in the intracellular water was calculated as 104 ± 15 mM (± S.D., n = 30).     

Prediction of the energy value of rabbit feeds varying widely in fibre content

Digestibility trials of 23 pelleted diets, with one or two ingredients and having 8.7–53.5% acid detergent fibre (ADF) on a dry matter (DM) basis, were carried out in adult rabbits fed ad libitum. Using a step-wise linear regression approach, the relationship between the digestible energy content (DE) or the coefficient of digestibility of gross energy (dGE) and the chemical composition of diets was established. Excluding beet pulp, with a very high crude fibre digestibility (54.8%), the prediction equations obtained were: DE (MJ kg⁻¹ DM) = 14.2 − 0.205 ADF + 0.218 EE + 0.057 CP (R² = 0.965, RSD = 0.494) and dGE (%) = 83.2 − 1.07 ADF (R² = 0.951, RSD = 3.15) where ADF, ether extract (EE) and crude protein (CP) are expressed as a percentage on a DM basis. When diets with level of EE or CP higher than 6% or 18% respectively (grape marc, olive oil cake, brewer's grains, sunflower meal) were also removed, the prediction equations became: DE = 15.9 − 0.219 ADF (R² = 0.974, RSD = 0.391) and dGE = 85.6 − 1.20 ADF (R² = 0.977, RSD = 2.02). The contents in DE, digestible crude protein and undigestible crude fibre of 21 ingredients are presented and discussed in comparison with other studies.     

Clostridiaceae and Enterobacteriaceae as active fermenters in earthworm gut content

The earthworm gut provides ideal in situ conditions for ingested heterotrophic soil bacteria capable of anaerobiosis. High amounts of mucus- and plant-derived saccharides such as glucose are abundant in the earthworm alimentary canal, and high concentrations of molecular hydrogen (H₂) and organic acids in the alimentary canal are indicative of ongoing fermentations. Thus, the central objective of this study was to resolve potential links between fermentations and active fermenters in gut content of the anecic earthworm Lumbricus terrestris by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-based stable isotope probing, with [¹³C]glucose as a model substrate. Glucose consumption in anoxic gut content microcosms was rapid and yielded soluble organic compounds (acetate, butyrate, formate, lactate, propionate, succinate and ethanol) and gases (carbon dioxide and H₂), products indicative of diverse fermentations in the alimentary canal. Clostridiaceae and Enterobacteriaceae were users of glucose-derived carbon. On the basis of the detection of 16S rRNA, active phyla in gut contents included Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadetes, Nitrospirae, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, Tenericutes and Verrucomicrobia, taxa common to soils. On the basis of a 16S rRNA gene similarity cutoff of 87.5%, 82 families were detected, 17 of which were novel family-level groups. These findings (a) show the large diversity of soil taxa that might be active during gut passage, (b) show that Clostridiaceae and Enterobacteriaceae (fermentative subsets of these taxa) are selectively stimulated by glucose and might therefore be capable of consuming mucus- and plant-derived saccharides during gut passage and (c) indicate that ingested obligate anaerobes and facultative aerobes from soil can concomitantly metabolize the same source of carbon.     

Cytokinin-induced changes in the chlorophyll content and fluorescence of in vitro apple leaves

Cytokinins (CKs) are one of the main regulators of in vitro growth and development and might affect the developmental state and function of the photosynthetic apparatus of in vitro shoots. Effects of different cytokinin regimes including different types of aromatic cytokinins, such as benzyl-adenine, benzyl-adenine riboside and 3-hydroxy-benzyladenine alone or in combination were studied on the capacity of the photosynthetic apparatus and the pigment content of in vitro apple leaves after 3 weeks of culture. We found that the type of cytokinins affected both chlorophyll a and b contents and its ratio. Chlorophyll content of in vitro apple leaves was the highest when benzyl-adenine was applied as a single source of cytokinin in the medium (1846–2176 μg/1 g fresh weight (FW) of the leaf). Increasing the concentration of benzyl-adenine riboside significantly decreased the chlorophyll content of the leaves (from 1923 to 1183 μg/1 g FW). The highest chl a/chl b ratio was detected after application of meta-topolin (TOP) at concentrations of 2.0 and 6.0 μM (2.706 and 2.804). Chlorophyll fluorescence was measured both in dark-adapted (F_v/F_m test) and in light-adapted leaf samples (Yield test; Y(II)). The maximum quantum yield and efficiency of leaves depended on the cytokinin source of the medium varied between 0.683 and 0.861 (F_v/F_m) indicating a well-developed and functional photosynthetic apparatus. Our results indicate that the type and concentration of aromatic cytokinins applied in the medium affect the chlorophyll content of the leaves in in vitro apple shoots. Performance of the photosynthetic apparatus measured by chlorophyll fluorescence in the leaves was also modified by the cytokinin supply. This is the first ever study on the relationship between the cytokinin supply and the functionability of photosystem II in plant tissue culture and our findings might help to increase plantlet survival after transfer to ex vitro conditions.     

Measurement of the pyrophosphate content of plant tissues

Pyrophosphate (PPi) was measured in pea (Pisum sativum L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) tissues by using an enzymic method based on PPi-dependent phosphofructokinase (PPi-PFK). Different organs of pea and corn seedlings were extracted to determine if PPi is present in sufficient amounts to serve as a substrate for the PPi-PFK activity in these tissues. The amount of PPi is at least 14% to 70% that of the ATP content in shoots and roots of peas and corn; and, for various plant tissues, ranges from 5 to 39 nanomoles of PPi per gram fresh tissue weight. We conclude that PPi is available as a substrate for the glycolytic function of PPi-PFK in plants. Furthermore, the presence of substrate amounts of PPi in plant tissues implies that plant energetics also must be evaluated in terms of PPi as an energy source and phosphate donor.     

Novel major quantitative trait loci regulating the content of isoflavone in soybean seeds

Despite their medicinal, pharmaceutical, and nutritional importance of isoflavones, the genetic basis controlling the amounts of isoflavones in soybean seeds is still not well understood. The main obstacle is the great variability in the content of isoflavone in seeds harvested from different environments. In this study, quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the content of different isoflavones including daidzein, genistein, and glycitein were investigated in a population of recombinant inbred lines derived from the cross of “Hwangkeum” (Glycine max) by “IT182932” (Glycine soja). Seeds analyzed were harvested in three different experimental environments. QTL analyses for isoflavone content were conducted by composite interval mapping across a genomewide genetic map. Two major QTL were mapped to soybean chromosomes 5 and 8, which were designated QDZGT1 and QDZGT2, respectively. Both loci have not been previously reported in other isoflavone sources. The results from this study will be useful in cloning genes that can control the contents of isoflavones in soybean and for the development of soybean lines containing a high or low isoflavone content.     

Changes in the potassium content of sea urchin eggs on fertilization

In the eggs of Arbacia lixula and Paracentrotus lividus an uptake of K occurs during the first 10 minutes following fertilization. Between 10 and 40 minutes K is then released. Both in Arbacia and in Paracentrotus the minimum point of the curve coincides with the nuclear streak stage. A maximum loss of 25 per cent in Arbacia and 20 per cent in Paracentrotus with respect to the amount present in the unfertilized eggs has been found. From 40 minutes up to 1 hour K undergoes a further increase and when the first cleavage sets in the same amount of K is present as in the unfertilized eggs. By treating the eggs with K-free artificial sea water it has been established that about 60 per cent of the K content of the eggs is in a non-diffusible condition. Also under such conditions the eggs when fertilized are able to take up even the very small amount of K present in the medium that was released by them prior to fertilization.     

Temperature sensitivity of the low-moisture-content limit to negative seed longevity--moisture content relationships in hermetic storage

• Background and Aims The negative logarithmic relationship between orthodox seed longevity and moisture content in hermetic storage is subject to a low-moisture-content limit (m_c), but is m_c affected by temperature?• Methods Red clover (Trifolium pratense) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) seeds were stored hermetically at 12 moisture contents (2–15 %) and five temperatures (–20, 30, 40, 50 and 65 °C) for up to 14·5 years, and loss in viability was estimated.• Key Results Viability did not change during 14·5 years hermetic storage at −20 °C with moisture contents from 2·2 to 14·9 % for red clover, or 2·0 to 12·0 % for alfalfa. Negative logarithmic relationships between longevity and moisture contents >m_c were detected at 30–65 °C, with discontinuities at low moisture contents; m_c varied between 4·0 and 5·4 % (red clover) or 4·2 and 5·5 % (alfalfa), depending upon storage temperature. Within the ranges investigated, a reduction in moisture content below m_c at any one temperature had no effect on longevity. Estimates of m_c were greater the cooler the temperature, the relationship (P < 0·01) being curvilinear. Above m_c, the estimates of C_H and C_Q (i.e. the temperature term of the seed viability equation) did not differ (P > 0·10) between species, whereas those of K_E and C_W did (P < 0·001).• Conclusions The low-moisture-content limit to negative logarithmic relationships between seed longevity and moisture content in hermetic storage increased the cooler the storage temperature, by approx. 1·5 % over 35 °C (4·0–4·2 % at 65 °C to 5·4–5·5 % at 30–40 °C) in these species. Further reduction in moisture content was not damaging. The variation in m_c implies greater sensitivity of longevity to temperature above, compared with below, m_c. This was confirmed (P < 0·005).