PLMItRNA, a database for mitochondrial tRNA genes and tRNAs in photosynthetic eukaryotes

The PLMItRNA database for mitochondrial tRNA molecules and genes in VIRIDIPLANTAE: (green plants) [Volpetti,V., Gallerani,R., DeBenedetto,C., Liuni,S., Licciulli,F. and Ceci,L.R. (2000) Nucleic Acids Res., 28, 159-162] has been enlarged to include algae. The database now contains 436 genes and 16 tRNA entries relative to 25 higher plants, eight green algae, four red algae (RHODOPHYTAE:) and two STRAMENOPILES: The PLMItRNA database is accessible via the WWW at http://bio-www.ba.cnr.it:8000/PLMItRNA.     

CYTOTAXONOMY OF THREE SONCHUS SPECIES

All hybrid plants from interspecific crosses among the three species, Sonchus asper (L.) Hill, S. oleraceus L., and S. arvensis L., were male-sterile, but the progeny of the cross S. arvensis X S. oleraceus and reciprocal cross produced seed after backcrossing to the male parent. Hybrid plants from crosses between S. oleraceus and S. asper lacked vigor. Cytological data indicated that S. arvensis has one genome in common with S. asper and that S. oleraceus is an autotetraploid (2n = 36) with no genomes in common with S. arvensis or S. asper.     

An Antibody to the Castor Bean Glyoxysomal Lipase (62 kD) also Binds to a 62 kD Protein in Extracts from Many Young Oilseed Plants

An antibody raised against purified glyoxysomal lipase (triacylglycerol hydrolase EC 3.1.1.3.) from castor bean (relative molecular weight of 62,000) also binds to a protein with a relative molecular weight of 62,000 in extracts of food reserve tissues from many young oilseed plants. These plants include Brassica napus L., Zea mays L., Arachis hypogaea L., Glycine max L., Gossipium hirsutum L., Cucurbita pepo L., Helianthus annuus L., Pisum sativum L., and Cicer arietinum L. The antibody caused inhibition of triacylglycerol hydrolysis by the lipases in extracts from seedlings of corn, oilseed rape, castor bean, soybean, and peanut. The pattern of antilipase binding to the 62 kilodalton protein in subcellular fractions from these other seedlings was consistent with the patterns of lipase activity reported in the literature and it is suggested that lipases from these oil seeds all have a subunit with a molecular weight of 62,000. The protein was only found in the food reserve tissues and was not present in extracts of roots and leaves of mature plants. In addition, the immunoreactive 62 kilodalton polypeptide was not detectable in lima beans and only at very low levels in kidney beans. Both these seeds are known to contain very little storage lipid and would not be expected to contain lipase. With the exception of the acid lipase of castor bean, ungerminated seeds do not generally contain active lipases. The immunoreactive 62 kilodalton protein could not be detected in the ungerminated seeds of most plants and only at very low low levels in others.     

Using Contaminated Plants Involved in Phytoremediation for Anaerobic Digestion

This study investigated the anaerobic digestion capability of five plants and the effects of copper (Cu) and S,S’-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS, a chelator widely used in chelant-assisted phytoremediation) on biogas production to determine a feasible disposal method for plants used in remediation. The results showed that in addition to Phytolacca americana L., plants such as Zea mays L., Brassica napus L., Elsholtzia splendens Nakai ex F. Maekawa, and Oenothera biennis L. performed well in biogas production. Among these, O. biennis required the shortest period to finish anaerobic digestion. Compared to normal plants with low Cu content, the plants used in remediation with increased Cu levels (100 mg kg^?1) not only promoted anaerobic digestion and required a shorter anaerobic digestion time, but also increased the methane content in biogas. When the Cu content in plants increased to 500, 1000, and 5000 mg kg^?1, the cumulative biogas production decreased by 12.3%, 14.6%, and 41.2%, respectively. Studies also found that EDDS conspicuously restrained biogas production from anaerobic digestion. The results suggest that anaerobic digestion has great potential for the disposal of contaminated plants and may provide a solution for the resource utilization of plants used in remediation.     

Identifying sources and mechanisms of resistance in crucifers for control of cabbage maggot (Diptera: Anthomyiidae)

The cabbage maggot, Delia radicum (L.) is an important insect pest of eruciferous crops in upstate New York. This species causes considerable damage to seedlings and young plants by feeding on roots and stems, resulting in plant stand loss and yield loss. Five crucifer accessions (Brassica oleracea variety italica L.,'Green Comet'; B. oleracea L.,'Rapid Cycling' [Crucifer Genetics Cooperative 3-1 ]; B. oleracea variety botrytis L., a standard cauliflower cultivar'Amazing'; B. carinata L.; and Sinapis alba L., 'Cornell Alt 543') were evaluated to identify sources and mechanisms of resistance for D. radicum. Of the accessions tested, S. alba Cornell Alt 543 demonstrated reduced oviposition by D. radicum, reduced weights and survivorship of larvae, pupae or adults, and reduced damage to plants. Thus, S. alba Cornell Alt 543 could be a potential source for resistance to be bred into cruciferous crops for control of D. radicum.     

Co-transformed, diploid Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass), Lolium multiflorum (Italian ryegrass) and Lolium temulentum (darnel) plants produced by microprojectile bombardment

A total of 37 plants (30 Lolium multiflorum Lam., 6 L. perenne L., 1 L. temulentum L.) were regenerated from cell suspension colonies bombarded with plasmid DNAs encoding a hygromycin resistance gene (HYG) expressed under a CaMV35S promoter and a β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene expressed under a truncated rice actin1 promoter and first intron, or a maize ubiquitin promoter and first intron. Resistant plants were regenerated under hygromycin selection and transferred to soil. PCR analysis showed that the co-transformation frequency of the GUS gene varied from 33% to 78% of transformants, while histochemical staining of leaf tissue from soil-grown plants showed that the co-expression frequency varied from 37% to 50%. The transgenic nature of the plants was demonstrated by Southern hybridisation analysis, which also showed that the non-selected (GUS) gene was generally present at a higher copy number than the selected (HYG) gene. Received: 10 October 1997 / Revision received: 18 March 1998 / Accepted: 29 November 1998     

Metal content in higher aquatic plants in a small siberian water reservoir

The dynamics of metal content in higher aquatic plants (macrophytes) in a small Bugach water reservoir in 1998–2006 was studied. A comparative estimation of the metal content in six macrophyte species (Typha latifolia L., Typha angustifolia L., Polygonium amphibium L., Potamogeton perfoliatus L., Potamogeton pectinatus L., Phragmites australis (Cav) Trin. Ex Steud.) showed that their metal concentrations do not generally exceed those known from the literature. Cluster analysis showed that the macrophyte species under study form two ecological groups with respect to the metal content, i.e., submerged plants (hydrophytes) and emergent aquatic plants (heliophytes).     

Soil factors influencing the distribution of macrofungi in oak forests of southern Sweden

The macrofungal flora (species producing fruitbodies) of oak forest in Scania and N.E. Småland, south Sweden, is compared on the basis of soil chemical and stand structural properties and general differences in the deposition of acid and acidifying pollutants between these two regions. Deposition in Scania is, on average, twice as high and the mean base saturation of the oak forest humus only half of that in Småland. Species characteristic of soils with high base saturation/pH values (e.g. Cortinarius nemorensis, Entoloma nidorosum, Camarophyllus spp., Marasmius epiphyllus ) were usually more common in Småland, whereas the opposite was true for most species characteristic of highly acidic soils (e.g. Entoloma cetratum, Lactarius camphoratus, L. theiogalus, Mycena sanguinolenta ). Known changes of soil acidity and base saturation in south Sweden during recent decades and information from this and related studies suggest that the species composition of the macrofungal flora in deciduous forest of south Sweden is gradually changing as a result of changing soil chemistry.     

Olfactory Responses of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anaphes iole</Emphasis> (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) to Volatile Signals Derived from Host Habitats

Anaphes iole Girault is a frequent parasitoid of Lygus spp. eggs in the United States, and has potential as a biological control agent against Lygus hesperus Knight in different crops. Feeding and oviposition by L. hesperus induce emission of plant volatiles, but studies to date do not address the role of plant volatiles in the host-searching behavior of A. iole. In this study, a four-arm olfactometer was used to test the responses of female parasitoids to odors emanating from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L., Malvaceae) plants damaged by L. hesperus females, L. hesperus males, larvae of the nonhost Spodoptera exigua Hubner, or mechanically, or to odors from L. hesperus females alone. In addition, various plants damaged by L. hesperus females were evaluated in the olfactometer: cotton, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L., Fabaceae), common groundsel (Senecio vulgaris L., Asteraceae), annual ragweed (Ambrosia artemisifolia L., Asteraceae), and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L., Amaranthaceae). In all olfactometry bioassays, treatment odors were compared against three controls (humidified air). Results showed that A. iole females were consistently attracted to odors derived from different plant–L. hesperus complexes, while odors from plants subjected to nonhost (S. exigua) or mechanical damage and L. hesperus females alone were not attractive or only variably attractive. These findings suggest that while searching for hosts A. iole females use specific volatiles induced by L. hesperus feeding and oviposition to locate hosts inhabiting a wide variety of plants, including annual and perennial species from four plant families. It was suggested that future research should seek to identify the chemical elicitors involved in the release of plant volatiles attractive to A. iole females.     

A chimeric gene encoding the methionine-rich 2S albumin of the Brazil nut (Bertlrolletia excelsa H.B.K.) is stably expressed and inherited in transgenic grain legumes

The coding region of the 2S albumin gene of Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.) was completely synthesized, placed under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter and inserted into the binary vector plasmid pGSGLUC1, thus giving rise to pGSGLUC1-2S. This was used for transformation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Petit Havanna) and of the grain legume Vicia narbonensis L., mediated by the supervirulent Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA 101. Putative transformants were selected by screening for neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT II) and β-glucuronidase (GUS) activities. Transgenic plants were grown until flowering and fruiting occurred. The presence of the foreign gene was confirmed by Southern analysis. GUS activity was found in all organs of the regenerated transgenic tobacco and legume plants, including the seeds. In the legume, the highest expression levels of the CaMV 35S promoter-controlled 2S albumin gene were observed in leaves and roots. 2S albumin was localized in the vacuoles of leaf mesophyll cells of transgenic tobacco. The Brazil nut protein was present in the 2S fraction after gel filtration chromatography of the legume seed proteins and could be clearly identified by immunoblotting. Analysis of seeds from the R₂ progenies of the legume and of transgenic tobacco plants revealed Mendelian inheritance of the foreign gene. Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain RifR 15834 harbouring the binary vector pGSGLUCl2S was also used to transform Pisum sativum L. and Vicia faba L. Hairy roots expressed the 2S albumin-specific gene. Several shoots were raised but they never completely rooted and no fertile plants were obtained from these transformants.     

7种獐牙菜属植物花粉形态的研究

本文应用光学显微镜和扫描电子显微镜,对龙胆科(Gentianaceae)獐牙菜属(Swertia L.)7种植物(獐牙菜Swertia bimaculata(S.et z.)HK.f.Thoms.、水灵芝S.davidii Franch.、江浙獐牙菜S.hickinii Burkill.、贵州獐牙菜S.kouitchensisFranch.、大籽獐牙菜S.macrosperma C.B.Clarke.、翼梗獐牙菜S.nervosa Wall.、紫红獐牙菜S.punicea Hemsl.)的花粉形态作了比较观察,找出了它们的鉴别特征,阐明了獐牙菜属植物花粉的外壁外层表面纹饰的三种类型为条纹—网状、网状和瘤状雕纹。     

中国及其东北植物区系新资料

本文报道了8种中国东北地区地理分布新记录的植物,其中5种亦为中国地理分布新记录。     

Columnar cacti-shrub relationships in an Andean semiarid valley in western Venezuela

Spatial associations between columnar cacti and mimosoid shrubs were evaluated in an Andean semidesert enclave. An analysis on the capacity of other deciduous shrub species and medium-sized ephemeral plants to modify the spatial distribution of cacti was also included. The number of Stenocereus griseus (Haw.) F. Buxb., Cereus repandus (L.) Backeb. and Pilosocereus tillianus Gruber & Schaftzl that grow below the canopies of perennial plants were assessed and compared with open areas. Comparison of observed and expected number of cactus individuals shows a positive spatial association between S. griseus and Prosopis juliflora DC. Moreover, abundance of C. repandus and P. tillianus under the canopies of mimosoid shrubs were not statistically different from what was expected by chance. Positive spatial association between S. griseus and Capparis odoratissima Jacq., Cassia emarginata L., Cordia curassavica (Jacq.) Roem. & Schult., Croton rhamnifolius H.B.K. and Jatropha gossypifolia L. was also found. Evidence suggests that positive columnar cacti-shrub spatial association may occur either in the cactus thickets or in the thornscrubs. Due to the clumped distributions of S. griseus beneath P. juliflora and other perennial plants, we here postulate that S. griseus is the primary nursed columnar cactus of the enclave. The presence of cacti in open areas suggests that facilitation may be less important for establishment of columnar cacti species in this Andean semidesert landscape than in other temperate and tropical semiarid zones. We here discuss the importance of the nurse syndrome phenomenon for recruitment of S. griseus and for the conservation of this Andean semiarid environment.     

A chimeric gene encoding the methionine-rich 2S albumin of the Brazil nut (Bertlrolletia excelsa H.B.K.) is stably expressed and inherited in transgenic grain legumes

The coding region of the 2S albumin gene of Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.) was completely synthesized, placed under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter and inserted into the binary vector plasmid pGSGLUC1, thus giving rise to pGSGLUC1-2S. This was used for transformation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Petit Havanna) and of the grain legume Vicia narbonensis L., mediated by the supervirulent Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA 101. Putative transformants were selected by screening for neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT II) and -glucuronidase (GUS) activities. Transgenic plants were grown until flowering and fruiting occurred. The presence of the foreign gene was confirmed by Southern analysis. GUS activity was found in all organs of the regenerated transgenic tobacco and legume plants, including the seeds. In the legume, the highest expression levels of the CaMV 35S promoter-controlled 2S albumin gene were observed in leaves and roots. 2S albumin was localized in the vacuoles of leaf mesophyll cells of transgenic tobacco. The Brazil nut protein was present in the 2S fraction after gel filtration chromatography of the legume seed proteins and could be clearly identified by immunoblotting. Analysis of seeds from the R₂ progenies of the legume and of transgenic tobacco plants revealed Mendelian inheritance of the foreign gene. Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain RifR 15834 harbouring the binary vector pGSGLUCl2S was also used to transform Pisum sativum L. and Vicia faba L. Hairy roots expressed the 2S albumin-specific gene. Several shoots were raised but they never completely rooted and no fertile plants were obtained from these transformants.     

Inhibition of sulphur redistribution into new leaves of vegetative soybean by excision of the maturing leaf

When soybean plants are pulsed with [³⁵S]sulphate, label is subsequently redistributed from the roots to the leaves. This confounds studies to measure the redistribution of label from leaves. Accordingly, soybean plants ( Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv. Stephens) were grown in 20 μ M sulphate and a small portion of the root system (donor root) was pulsed with [³⁵S]sulphate for 24 h. After removing the donor root, the plants were transferred into unlabelled solution, either without sulphate (S20→SO) or with 20 μ M sulphate (S20→20) (intact plants). Also at this time, the expanding leaf (L3) was excised from half of the plants in each treatment (excised plants). Immediately after the pulse, only ca 15% of the label occurred in the roots and ca 40% in the expanding leaf, L3, mostly in the soluble fraction. In intact S20→20 plants, ³⁵S-label was exported from the soluble fraction of L3, mostly as sulphate, whilst L4 and L5 imported label. Similar responses occurred in S20→SO plants except that export of label from L3 was more rapid. Excision of L3 from S20→S20 plants inhibited labelling of leaves L4-L6 but not total sulphur, whereas in S20→SO plants, excision of L3 inhibited the import of both total sulphur and ³⁵S-label in leaves L4, L5 and L6. The data suggest that the soluble fraction of almost fully expanded leaves is an important reserve of sulphur for redistribution to growing leaves. The ³⁵S-label in the root system exhibited fluctuations consistent with its proposed role in the recycling of soluble sulphur from the leaves.     

宁夏枸杞苯丙氨酸解氨酶基因的cDNA克隆及其表达分析

为探讨宁夏枸杞(Lycium barbarum)苯丙氨酸解氨酶基因(LbPAL)的表达特征,采用PCR法克隆了宁夏枸杞LbPAL基因的cDNA,并用实时定量PCR法分析了其表达特征。结果表明:宁夏枸杞的LbPAL基因的全长cDNA为2321 bp,包含2163 bp、编码720个氨基酸的开放阅读框;LbPAL与茄科其他物种的PAL氨基酸序列及三维结构具有较高保守性;与茄科物种的PAL聚类在同一个分支中。LbPAL在叶、花瓣、S1期果实的表达量较高,而在根及S2~S5期果实的表达水平较低。在NaCl胁迫处理下,LbPAL在根和茎中的表达量均有下调的趋势;而在叶片中,LbPAL表达量先急剧增加而后急剧下降并趋于稳定。这为解析宁夏枸杞中类黄酮化合物的生物合成调节及生理功能提供了参考。     

Systematic position of Polygonatum simizui (Convallariaceae) based on morphological, cytological and chloroplast DNA sequence data

Polygonatum simizui has been treated as a synonym of P. odoratum s.L , but can be distinguished from P. odoratum by having a terete stem, more leaves on each individual, and relatively small flowers. The results of morphological study showed that there exist some regular and correlated variations in plants of P. odoratum s.L , and some of them can be identified as P. simizui based on the main key characteristics. The results obtained from this study indicate that the morphological differences in plants of P. odoratum s.L are paralleled by some cytological and molecular characteristics. Four NOR loci are observed in the chromosomes of plants that can be identified as P. simizui by in situ hybridization with the 18S-5.8S-26S rDNA probes. The basic number of chromosome of them is n = 9 , which is very different from that of the other plants of P. odoratum s.L The same variation patterns are found in PCR-RFLP analysis of trnK and rpllG genes. As it seems to be unreasonable to include all these plants in a single species, P. simizui should be considered to be a distinct species.     

Phenological observations on shrubs to predict weed emergence in turf

Phenology is the study of periodic biological events. If we can find easily recognizable events in common plants that precede or coincide with weed emergences, these plants could be used as indicators. Weed seedlings are usually difficult to detect in turf, so the use of phenological indicators may provide an alternative approach to predict the time when a weed appears and consequently guide management decisions. A study was undertaken to determine whether the phenological phases of some plants could serve as reliable indicators of time of weed emergence in turf. The phenology of six shrubs (Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Forsythia viridissima Lindl., Sambucus nigra L., Syringa vulgaris L., Rosa multiflora Thunb., Ziziphus jujuba Miller) and a perennial herbaceous plant [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] was observed and the emergence dynamics of four annual weed species [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop., Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertner, Setaria glauca (L.) Beauv., Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv.] were studied from 1999 to 2004 in northern Italy. A correlation between certain events and weed emergence was verified. S. vulgaris and F. viridissima appear to be the best indicators: there is a quite close correspondence between the appearance of D. sanguinalis and lilac flowering and between the beginning of emergence of E. indica and the end of lilac flowering; emergences of S. glauca and S. viridis were predicted well in relation to the end of forsythia flowering. Base temperatures and starting dates required to calculate the heat unit sums to reach and complete the flowering phase of the indicators were calculated using two different methods and the resultant cumulative growing degree days were compared.     

Heterozygous microspore-derived plants in rye

Summary In a particular experimental series involving anthers from F₁ hybrid plants of Secale cereale L., it was possible to induce the formation of 68 microspore-derived plantlets of which 61 were albinos and 7 green. 6 of the albino plants were haploid, whereas most of the others were diploid. All green rye plants were directly diploid and, after extensive screening, proved to be heterozygous. Evidence is presented suggesting that these latter plants arose from unreduced microspores. The significance of this finding is discussed.     

PARTHENOGENESIS IN TETRAPLOID LILIUM LONGIFLORUM

Emsweller , S. L., and Joseph Uhring . (U.S.D.A., Beltsville, Md.) Parthenogenesis in tetraploid Lilium longiflorum. Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(9): 978–984. Illus. 1962.—Nine maternal polyhaploids from 1 capsule and 1 tetraploid from another were produced following pollination of 2 tetraploid Lilium longiflorum plants with pollen from diploids of the same species. One of the 9 plants had 25 chromosomes; the extra chromosome was identified as a modified D. Two other plants had 2 new chromosomes each and the remaining 6 had 24 unmodified chromosomes. Translocations in meiosis of the tetraploid produced the new chromosomes. One plant obtained from a second capsule had 48 chromosomes. The 9 plants were smaller than diploids and the 48-chromosome plant was considered a diploid until mitosis was observed. The 9 plants originated from unfertilized eggs of the tetraploid, and the 48-chromosome plant presumably from chromosome doubling of an egg cell.