Plant cell separation and adhesion. Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 25.

Since the publication of Addicott's book Abscission (1982) andKoslowsky's book Shedding of Plant Parts (1973) no text bookhas appeared charting the subsequent progress in our understandingof the physiological and hormonal control of abscission andadhesion. The present volume is thus very timely and is an excellentexample of how molecular genetics had enhanced plant biologyat both basic and applied levels. While the authors fail totell us who this book is aimed at, there is no question thatit has intrinsic scientific interest and contributes stronglyto improving our understanding through new molecular experimentalmethods. It may also be important in agriculture and horticulture.However, in many chapters, the molecular and genetic informationis too introverted for readers whose interest is not primarilyin molecular genetics. A list of the titles of the chapters alone indicates the widescope of this     

Plant Epigenetics. Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 19

Recently there have been remarkable advances in our understandingof epigenetic mechanisms in plants. Given the rapid increasein publication of scientific papers involved in plant epigenetics,a book that provides comprehensive coverage of recent knowledgeis earnestly     

Plant enolase: gene structure, expression, and evolution.

Enolase genes were cloned from tomato and Arabidopsis. Comparison of their primary structures with other enolases revealed a remarkable degree of conservation, except for the presence of an insertion of 5 amino acids unique to plant enolases. Expression of the enolase genes was studied under various conditions. Under normal growth conditions, steady-state messenger and enzyme activity levels were significantly higher in roots than in green tissue. Large inductions of mRNA, accompanied by a moderate increase in enzyme activity, were obtained by an artificial ripening treatment in tomato fruits. However, there was little effect of anaerobiosis on the abundance of enolase messenger. In heat shock conditions, no induction of enolase mRNA was observed. We also present evidence that, at least in Arabidopsis, the hypothesis that there exists a complete set of glycolytic enzymes in the chloroplast is not valid, and we propose instead the occurrence of a substrate shuttle in Arabidopsis chloroplasts for termination of the glycolytic cycle.     

Plant pathogen forensics: capabilities, needs, and recommendations.

A biological attack on U.S. crops, rangelands, or forests could reduce yield and quality, erode consumer confidence, affect economic health and the environment, and possibly impact human nutrition and international relations. Preparedness for a crop bioterror event requires a strong national security plan that includes steps for microbial forensics and criminal attribution. However, U.S. crop producers, consultants, and agricultural scientists have traditionally focused primarily on strategies for prevention and management of diseases introduced naturally or unintentionally rather than on responding appropriately to an intentional pathogen introduction. We assess currently available information, technologies, and resources that were developed originally to ensure plant health but also could be utilized for postintroduction plant pathogen forensics. Recommendations for prioritization of efforts and resource expenditures needed to enhance our plant pathogen forensics capabilities are presented.     

Taiz, L. and Zeiger, E. Plant physiology. 3rd edn.

Plant physiology is part of the essential core curriculum everybotanist has to master. As usually non-motile organisms thatare, in most cases, fixed to a single locality for their entirelifetime, plants have special needs to cope with widely disparate,and often highly changeable environmental conditions. Physiologicaladaptations play as great a role in     

Plant diversity in Lythrum,Phragmites, and Typhamarshes,Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Concern about colonization of marshesby plant species such as Phragmites australisand Lythrum salicariahas highlighted the needfor management strategies. However, there is a lack ofinformation in the literature on which to base thesedecisions. This study compares the alpha diversity ofmarshes to assess the impact of invasion by Phragmitesand Lythrum. Species occurrence andstem density were measured in marshes dominated by Phragmites, Lythrum, Typhaspp., or otherherbaceous perennials in the Charles River watershedin eastern Massachusetts, USA, and species richness,Shannon's H, Simpson's reciprocal (1/D), and Pielou'sJ were compared among six community types. The threediversity indices had significantly higher values forTypha-Lythrummarshes than for any of the othermarsh types (Tukey test, p< 0.05), with mean values(± s.d.) of H = 2.00 ± 0.74, 1/D = 3.51± 1.68 and J = 0.69 ± 0.1. Marshes dominatedby Phragmiteshad the lowest diversity, with H= 0 and D = 1, i.e. they were monospecific. Typhadominated marshes had the second lowest values,with H = 0.17 ± 0.05, 1/D = 1.05 ± 0.01, andJ = 0.11 ± 0.03. These results support the ideathat a reduction in diversity can be expected inmarshes colonized by Phragmites. However, thehigh diversity found in the Typha-Lythrummarshes contradicts the expectation of lower diversityafter invasion by Lythrum. This information mayalter marsh management decisions.     

Langenheim, J.H. Plant resins: chemistry, evolution, ecology and ethnobotany.

When I agreed to review this book, I did so because I thoughtit would be an opportunity to bring myself up-to-date in a fieldI felt I ought to know more about. I had no idea that it wouldmake such compulsive reading. Jean Langenheim has spent hercareer working on plant resins and she has done a great serviceby assembling her wealth of knowledge and experience into thismarvellous book. The blandness of the title     

Plant acyl-CoA oxidase. Purification, characterization, and monomeric apoprotein

Purified glyoxysomes from cotyledons of germinating cucumber seedlings were used as a source to separate matrix enzymes of the organelle by hydrophobic chromatography. Glyoxysomal acyl-CoA oxidase eluted from the column like hydrophobic proteins and exhibited an Mr of 150,000. An oxidase with identical properties could be prepared in large quantities by a purification procedure starting with crude extracts from cotyledons of 4-day-old etiolated seedlings. The purification procedure included chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose and hydroxylapatite and molecular sieving. 1500-fold purification led to an enzyme of apparent homogeneity characterized by a specific activity of 27 units/mg of protein. Plant acyl-CoA oxidase is a homodimer with a subunit of Mr 72,000. Monospecific antibodies raised in rabbits were used to reveal dissimilarity to the fungal oxidase. The plant enzyme also differed markedly in molecular structure and amino acid composition from the liver peroxisomal enzyme. Glyoxysomal acyl-CoA oxidase acts selectively on fatty acyl-CoAs with 16 or 18 C atoms, cis-9-unsaturated esters with a C16 or C18 acyl moiety being converted with higher rates than saturated or polyunsaturated fatty acyl-CoAs. Besides the enzymatically active organellar form of acyl-CoA oxidase, the monomeric apoprotein was detected when short-term labeling of cotyledons in vivo was performed. The apoprotein (immunoprecipitable by antibodies raised against the glyoxysomal enzyme) did not differ in size from the subunit of the glyoxysomal dimeric enzyme.