Induction of Furano-terpenoids in Sweet Potato Roots by the Larval Components of the Sweet Potato Weevils

When sweet potato root tissues were infested by the larvae of sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius and West Indian sweet potato weevil, Euscepes postfasciatus, furano-terpenoids and coumarins were produced in brown necrotic layer formed during the infestation.

The larval homogenates of both weevils also induced in the tissue the production of furano-terpenoids and coumarins, as well as the formation of necrotic layer. The larval homogenate of sweet potato weevil induced also ethylene formation, the marker of injury in the tissue. Investigations on the furano-terponoid inducing factor demonstrated that the factor was 20 mm KCl-soluble, non-dialyzable, acetone-precipitable, (NH₄)₂SO₄-precipitable, heat-unstable, passing through Sephadex G–25 column without sieving and partially inactivated by pronase, indicating that the factor was a high molecular weight compound, perhaps of a proteinacious property. It is likely that the factor causes injury or death to sweet potato root tissue, leading to the formation of ethylene and necrotic layer, and then to production of furano-terpenoids and coumarins.     

Potato in the age of biotechnology

Biotechnology-based tools are now widely used to enhance and expand the traditional remit of potato in food production. By modifying its functionality, the capacity of the potato to produce, for example, therapeutic or industrial compounds is now a reality, and its ability to resist disease can also be radically improved. Two developments have been crucial to expanding the role of potato: the recent advances in the fields of structural and functional potato genomics and the ability to integrate genes of interest into the potato genome. In this review we discuss how both developments have diversified the remit of this crop.     

Isolation of the Sweet Potato Weevil Factor Causing Terpene Induction in Sweet Potato Roots

The larval homogenate of sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius, induced terpene formation in sweet potato root tissue. We indicated that the terpene-inducing factor of the larvae consisted of high molecular weight component(s) and low molecular weight component(s). The high molecular weight component(s) was heat-unstable and partially inactivated by pronase, indicating proteinacious properties. The low molecular weight components) was heat-stable.     

Chemotherapeutical Elimination of Potato Virus X from Potato Stem Cuttings

Potato virus X was completely eliminated from all infected potato stem cuttings grown in nutrient media containing 0.02 or 0.03 % 2,4-dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (DHT). When DHT was added to the media in concentrations of 0.01 and 0.005% the efficiency by which the virus was eliminated differed between the varieties tested. The method is less time-consuming than the generally used meristem (axillary-) tip culture in combination with chemo- or thermotherapy.     

Isolation of a Specific Potato Tuber-Inducing Substance from Potato Leaves

Potato tuberization is induced by an unidentified "tuberizationstimulus" which is produced in the leaves. Recently, we confirmedthe occurrence of two acidic substances in the leaves whichappear to be the stimulus (Koda and Okazawa 1988). We reporthere the isolation of one of the substances from potato leaves.The molecular weight of the substance is 388. The substanceis active in inducing tuberization in vitro at a concentrationof 0.01 mg- liter^-11 (ca. 3 ? 10^-8 M). (Received April 15, 1988; Accepted June 28, 1988)     

The Effect of Gamma-Irradiation on the Sucrose Content in Sweet Potato Roots and Potato Tubers

The sucrose content in both potato tubers and sweet potato roots was considerably increased by gamma-irradiation. The maximum increase was achieved by an irradiation dose of 3 to 4 kGy for potatoes and 0.8 to 2 kGy for sweet potatoes. Cooling treatment (15°C, 2 weeks) for sweet potato roots also enhanced the sucrose content (almost 2 times) but was not additive to the irradiation treatment; the maximum sucrose content in irradiated sweet potato roots was in the range of 7 to 12% irrespective of the cooling treatment, depending on the variety of sweet potatoes. Irradiation made the sucrose content in the roots 2 to 4 times higher.     

马铃薯卷叶病毒基因间隔区转化的马铃薯抗病性研究

将本室合成、克隆的马铃薯卷叶病毒（ＰｏｔａｔｏＬｅａｆｒｏｌＶｉｒｕｓ,ＰＬＲＶ）中国分离株的基因间隔区（ｉｎｔｅｒｇｅｎｉｃｓｅｑｕｅｎｃｅ,ＩＳ）双链ｃＤＮＡ以正、反向两种方式分别构建于转化载体ｐＲＯＫ２中,通过致瘤农杆菌介导,以马铃薯叶圆片为转化材料,转化马铃薯栽培品种Ｄｅｓｉｒｅ,获得了转基因植株。卡那霉素抗性分析和ＰＣＲ检测目的基因,证明ＰＬＲＶＩＳ双链ｃＤＮＡ已经整合到转基因马铃薯的染色体基因组中。将转基因植株移栽网棚用蚜虫接种ＰＬＲＶ,观察症状并用酶联免疫吸附测定（ＥＬＩＳＡ）检测转基因植株中ＰＬＲＶ含量。结果表明,表达ＰＬＲＶＩＳ正意和反意ＲＮＡ的转基因植株,接种病毒后表现无症状或症状轻微,ＰＬＲＶ平均滴度均较未转基因对照植株低。表达正意ＲＮＡ的转基因植株ＰＬＲＶ滴度降低４３％～７２％,表达反意ＲＮＡ的转基因植株ＰＬＲＶ滴度降低７２％～８６％,由此可见,表达ＰＬＲＶＩＳ反意ＲＮＡ的转基因马铃薯对ＰＬＲＶ抗性较强。     

马铃薯卷叶病毒基因间隔区转化的马铃薯抗病性研究

将本室合成、克隆的马铃薯卷叶病毒(Potato Leafroll Virus, PLRV)中国分离株的基因间隔区(intergenic sequence, IS)双链cDNA以正、反向两种方式分别构建于转化载体pROK2中,通过致瘤农杆菌介导,以马铃薯叶圆片为转化材料,转化马铃薯栽培品种Desiree,获得了转基因植株.卡那霉素抗性分析和PCR检测目的基因,证明PLRV IS双链cDNA已经整合到转基因马铃薯的染色体基因组中.将转基因植株移栽网棚用蚜虫接种PLRV,观察症状并用酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)检测转基因植株中PLRV含量.结果表明,表达PLRV IS正意和反意RNA的转基因植株,接种病毒后表现无症状或症状轻微,PLRV平均滴度均较未转基因对照植株低.表达正意RNA的转基因植株PLRV滴度降低43%～72%,表达反意RNA的转基因植株PLRV滴度降低72%～86%,由此可见,表达PLRV IS反意RNA的转基因马铃薯对PLRV抗性较强.     

Detection of Potato Tuber-Inducing Activity in Potato Leaves and Old Tubers

Potato tuberization is induced under short days but substancewhich triggers it is still unknown. Tuber-inducing activitywas detected in leaves and old tubers using single-node stemsegment culture in vitro as a bioassay method. The activityin leaves increased under short days, but remained almost constantunder long days. It was also found in physiologically old tubers.Anion exchange chromatography of the ethanol extract gave aneluate that exhibited strong tuber-inducing activity. Partialpurification revealed the presence of two kinds of active substances,one of which seemed to be a glycoside of the other. These substancesappear to be different from known plant hormones. (Received October 19, 1987; Accepted June 9, 1988)     

Physiological Gradients in the Potato Tuber

The distribution of the major cations and anions, together with citric acid, malic acid and iron, has been studied in tubers of Solanum tuberosum cv. Golden Wonder, by analysis of longitudinal cores divided into 16 equal cylindrical sections. In immature daughter tubers the constituents studied were evenly distributed along the tuber, but in mature tubers a considerable polarity had developed. The concentrations of potassium, phosphorus and citric acid each rose from the heel to the rose end of the tuber. Iron showed a gradient in the opposite direction. These gradients were maintained in sprouting tubers, and although after 25 days the levels of these constituents were reduced, the patterns of distribution were unchanged. In the exhausted mother tubers all these constituents were much depleted and only potassium exhibited any pattern of polar distribution. Malic acid was barely detectable at any stage, and calcium, sodium, magnesium, chloride, sulphate and nitrate were always at low levels and showed no polarity of distribution. At each developmental stage potassium was correlated with the difference in electrical potential measured between cells at points across the tuber. A close correlation was apparent between potassium and citric acid content in young, mature and sprouting tubers. In all stages a considerable discrepancy existed between total anions and total cations and this was attributed to the presence of organic acids other than citric acid.     

Biochemical Effects of Gamma Radiation on Potato and Sweet Potato Tissues

Relationship between the chemical constituents of tobacco leaves and the gaseous constituents of cigarette smoke from which K value¹⁾ was computed was discussed and the following presuppositions were demonstrated to be correct.

1. Fibrous substances in tobacco leaves are the main precursors of acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, methylethylketone, diacetyl, methanol, furan, an unknown compound, No. 6 and an unknown compound, No. 16 in cigarette smoke.

2. Sugars in tobacco leaves are the main precursors of 2-methylfuran and 2,5-dimethyl- furan in cigarette smoke.

3. Resinous substances in tobacco leaves are the main precursors of isoprene and an unknown compound, No. 2 in cigarette smoke.

     

Expression of Potato Virus Y Coat Protein Gene in Transgenic Potato

Potato virus Y (PVY) N coat protein (CP) coding sequence was cloned into a plant expression vector pMON316 under the CaMV 35S promoter. Leaf discs of potato (Solanum tuberosum) were used to Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer. A large number of regenerated putative transgenic plants were obtained based on kanamycin resistance. Using total DNA purified from transgenic plants as templates and two oligonucleotides synthesized from 5' and 3' of the PVY coat protein gene as primers, the authors carried out polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to check the presence of this gene and obtained a 0. 8 kb specific DNA fragment after 35 cycles of amplification. Southern blot indicated that the PCR product was indeed PVY CP gene which had been integrated into the potato genome. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of our transgenic plants showed that CP gene was expressed in at least some transgenic potato plants.     

马铃薯转化效率的因素探讨

经农杆菌介导转化了5个马铃薯品种。结果表明不同品种的马铃薯转化效率不同试管薯度过2-3个月的休眠期后转化效率明显提高。转化效率亦随T-DNA长度的增加而减少,这可能与T-DNA整合时的断裂或重组有关。