Studies on the polyphenol metabolism of tissue cultures derived from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.)

1. The growth characteristics on various media of solid and liquid suspension cultures derived from the stem of the tea plant are described; chlorophyll and anthocyanin synthesis occurred in the light. 2. Only the simplest catechins and leucoanthocyanins were present in callus tissue, although oligomeric and polymeric leucoanthocyanin fractions were also represented. Light caused an increase in all monomeric components analysed, but inhibited polymerization of the leucoanthocyanins. 3. The polyphenol oxidase activity of cultures was comparable with that of the apical regions of the intact plant, and was inversely correlated with growth rate. 4. Growth was stimulated by hormonal variation, and inhibited by high concentrations of sucrose and by high light-intensity; polyphenol concentrations were generally inversely correlated with growth rate. 5. From the inability of callus tissue and of cultured root apices to synthesize complex catechins, it is inferred that complex catechin formation in intact plants is associated with the process of cell vacuolation.     

The distribution of polyphenols in the tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.)

1. Methods for the separation and determination of the polyphenolic components of the tea plant by thin-layer chromatography and colorimetric reactions have been devised. 2. High concentrations of catechins, flavonols and depsides were found to be restricted to the young vegetative and floral shoots, whereas leucoanthocyanins or flavylogens were characteristic of the more bulky axial tissues of the plant. 3. In the young shoots cell growth was correlated with an increasing degree of flavonoid B-ring hydroxylation. 4. Maximal flavylogen concentrations occurred in the outer protective layers of stem and of seed coat. 5. Mature leaves were shown to contain derivatives of the flavones apigenin and luteolin. 6. Developing seedlings showed a steady increase in polyphenol complexity; flavylogens were concentrated at shoot and root apices and accumulated at the stem base. 7. It is postulated that the flavanols (leucoanthocyanins and catechins), because they can co-polymerize, are of use to the plant for protection of wood and bark against infection and decay.     

Effect of different nitrogen nutrients on the viability, protein synthesis and tannin production of Scots pine callus

The effect of two different media on the growth, metabolism and viability of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris ) callus cultures was studied. Inorganic nitrogen in the culture media (modified MS) was in the form of either KNO₃ or NH₄NO₃. The cultures were started from buds of mature Scots pine. Growth was poor on the medium with KNO₃, but this compound had a noticeable effect on the metabolism of the callus, which was reflected in alterations in protein and polyphenol synthesis and the pH of the culture medium. Although the fresh mass, water content and viability of the callus decreased when KNO₃ was the exclusive inorganic nitrogen nutrient, protein synthesis was more abundant. Electrophoretic analyses indicated alterations in the patterns of soluble proteins and purified glycoproteins. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.5) activities were high in all the calluses, and concentrations of condensed tannins and their precursors, catechins, were higher than in intact buds. The role of inorganic nitrogen nutrition in the deterioration of tissues is discussed on the basis of the effect of ammonium on the metabolism of pine callus.     

Nicotine Production by Tobacco Callus Tissues and Effect of Plant Growth Regulators

Relationships between callus origin and the nicotine contents as well as conditions of nicotine production in tobacco tissue cultures were investigated. Nicotine contents of callus tissues were remarkably affected by plant growth regulators in the culture medium. Thus, nicotine production was promoted by the regulators at lower concentrations, but gradually inhibited when the concentrations increased over an optimal region which was different among several kinds of the regulators. The nicotine contents also considerably depended on conditions of the callus induction as well as organ from which they were derived, at least just after callus induction. The differences due to the induction conditions were considered to be gradually lost during successive cultures. Thus, the nicotine contents appeared gradually to change to a certain level which mainly depended on the concentration of the regulators added to the culture medium. When such stabilized callus tissues were transferred to a culture medium containing another regulator or different concentration of the regulator, their nicotine contents rapidly changed to a new level depending on the culture conditions during a few successive cultures. The stabilized callus tissues grown on a medium containing 0.1 ppm α-NAA contained 0.5% of nicotine or more, which was almost the same level in root of the intact plant.     

烟草愈伤组织多酚氧化酶研究

柳叶烟草愈伤组织中多酚氧化酶氧化邻苯二酚的活性明显高于氧化对苯二酚的活性。当以邻苯二酚为底物时,烟草愈伤组织多酚氧化酶分别在pH 5.6和pH 7.4有两个活性高峰。KCN、Dieca和m-CLAM对烟草愈伤组织多酚氧化酶活性都有明显抑制效应。根据凝胶电泳分析,继代培养愈伤组织多酚氧化酶同工酶有5条酶带,而巳分化出芽原基的愈伤组织和新分化长出的小叶都有7—8条酶带。继代培养的愈伤组织多酚氧化酶主要存在于除去线粒体的上清液中,线粒体部分也可测出酶活性。继代培养愈伤组织在接种后18天内,多酚氧化酶活性无重大改变。在此期间,Dieca对呼吸的抑制效应也变化不大。分化组织多酚氧化酶活性显著高于继代培养愈伤组织,在芽原基形成后,酶活性明显升高;此时Dieca对呼吸的抑制也由32%上升到47%。     

Habituation: cultural curiosity or developmental determinant?

The induction and reversal of habituation for auxin or cytokinin have been brought about by exposure of callus tissue to low or high concentrations of the growth substance in question. Since the growth rate of the tissues must be measured in the presence or absence of the growth substance being tested, habituation can be demonstrated only in callus. However some developmental processes in the intact plant seem to imply the possible involvement of habituation-like processes in normal development. Evidence for this, and the implications for the action of growth substances in plant development are considered.     

Accumulation of red elemental selenium nanoparticles and their biological effects in Nicotinia tabacum

The uptake, accumulation and biological effects of red nano-sized elemental selenium (nanoSe) in comparison to selenate were investigated in plant system at the first time. The data clearly indicated that red nanoSe was taken up by tobacco callus cultures and rooted tobacco plantlets. The roots of regenerated plantlets accumulated selenium in very high concentrations, 2,947 ± 99 mg/kg DW, from the medium containing 530 μM nanoSe. The biological effects of nanoSe were different from the selenate ion in plant tissue culture. NanoSe (265–530 μM concentration range) stimulated the organogenesis and the growth of root system significantly (~40 %) while selenate did not show these effects at any concentration moreover inhibited both callus growth and root regeneration totally in 265–530 μM concentrations.     

Callus growth and somatic embryogenesis in thalamus tissue ofRanunculus asiaticus L. CultivatedIn vitro: Cytokinin effect and phenol metabolism

Summary The effect of cytokinin on growth and plant regeneration of thalamus-derived calluses ofRanunculus asiaticus L. has been investigated with various concentrations of 6-benzyladenine and 6-furfurylaminopurine (kinetin), in a medium containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid levels, which was decreased to 0 over three subcultures. Cytokinins, although not essential, for initiating callus production, improved subsequent callus growth and plant regeneration. No somatic embryogenesis was observed on calluses grown on media lacking cytokinins or containing only kinetin. Calluses manifested embryogenesis on media containing 6-benzyladenie plus kinetin or only 6-benzyladenine. Nondifferentiating callus was characterized by a high content of phenolic polymers and an elevated peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activity in comparison with differentiating callus. Differences in simple phenol concentrations were observed in the two kinds of callus.     

Rosmarinic acid synthesis in transformed callus culture of Coleus blumei benth

Agrobacteria mediated Coleus blumei tumour tissues were cultured in vitro on MS medium. Sixteen diversified transformed callus cultures were maintained for several years in the absence of plant growth regulators and antibiotics without affecting the growth rate. Rosmarinic acid was detected spectrophotometrically in all tissue lines but in different quantities. The highest rosmarinic acid accumulation detected was 11% of dry tissue mass. The relation between culture growth and rosmarinic acid production was investigated in three callus lines. The lines showed different rosmarinic acid accumulation in relation to their growth rate; it was either parallel or inversely related to the tissue growth. The effects of certain medium constituents on the callus growth and rosmarinic acid accumulation were examined in four tumour cell lines. Addition of 4% or 5% sucrose stimulated rosmarinic acid synthesis and decreased callus growth. Nitrogen reduction to one half or one quarter of initial concentration did not affect rosmarinic acid synthesis and decreased callus growth in three lines, while it increased rosmarinic acid accumulation and callus growth in one line. Addition of 0.1 mg/l Phe stimulated rosmarinic acid production in two lines but had little effect on the rosmarinic acid level in others. Rosmarinic acid production was significantly improved on modified macronutrients, where the Ac2 line produced 16.5 mg of rosmarinic acid per tube (0.2 g of dry wt) after being in culture for 35 days.     

Partial desiccation augments plant regeneration from irradiated embryogenic cultures of sugarcane

Partial desiccation treatment was applied to improve plant regeneration response in irradiated in vitro cultures. Embryogenic callus cultures of sugarcane cv. Co-671 were exposed to different doses of gamma radiation (0–80 Gy) and radiation effect was evaluated in terms of post-irradiation callus recovery, growth and regeneration of plants. Proliferative capacity of cultures was inversely correlated with radiation dose as the percentage surviving cultures or white proliferating clumps (WPC) decreased as the radiation dose increased up to 80 Gy. LD50 was found to be around 20–30 Gy and at higher doses, poor regeneration frequency was observed after 4–6 weeks of post-irradiation culture. To stimulate regeneration response, irradiated cultures were subjected to partial desiccation for 6 h and the treatment resulted in enhanced plant regeneration response. The study suggests that partial desiccation treatment can be useful in stimulating regeneration response of irradiated in vitro cultures.     

Effects of light and darkness on polyphenol distribution in the tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.)

1. Flavonoid synthesis was able to proceed in darkness in young shoots and seedlings of the tea plant, but was increased by light. 2. The initial effect of darkness was to inhibit synthesis of the A ring or its linkage to the phenylpropane moiety of the flavonoid, but later the hydroxylation state of the flavanols was affected, leading to smaller proportions of gallocatechins and of complex leucoanthocyanins. 3. The esterification of catechins with gallic acid was less affected, so that the ratio of catechin gallates to simple catechins also increased. 4. The flavylogen content of darkened stems, especially in seedlings, was much less decreased than that of leaves; however, a short subsequent light-treatment caused an increase in polymerization.     

Effects of streptomycin on diploid tobacco callus cultures and the isolation of resistant mutants

Summary Diploid callus cultures from four genetic lines of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) were grown in the presence of 0–2 mg/ml streptomycin sulfate. These genetic lines are closely related with regard to nuclear genes, but differ in their respective cytoplasmic genomes. In calli from all these four lines, the formation of green color was inhibited at 0.5 mg/ml streptomycin. Small differences were observed between the four lines in their respective growth on medium containing streptomycin. Streptomycin resistant mutants were isolated from cultures at high drug concentrations, using as criteria for isolation either the ability of the callus to grow green, or a better rate of growth as indicated by the size of white callus.     

The Involvement of Fusaric Acid in the Bulb-rot of Gladiolus

Tissue cultures of Gladiolus have been used successfully to determine host specific properties of fusaric acid, a phytotoxin produced by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. gladioli (Mas.) Sny. et Hn. Ten Gladiolus genotypes, including three wild South African species, varying in resistance to Fusarium-rot . were differentiated based on the expressed insensitivity to fusaric acid. Shoots and callus cultures were challenged in vitro with various concentrations of fusaric acid. The ion-release caused by the toxin was measured with callus and intact cormels. In all above mentioned bioassays resistant and susceptible genotypes could be generally discriminated. However, only two of the developed bioassays, the shoot assay and the ion-release with intact cormels, gave significantly coinciding results with the Fusarium-resistance assessed in a greenhouse experiment. When using callus tissue in the assays, the obtained answer correlated less with the Fusarium-resistance . It is concluded that a part of the Fusarium-resistance is based on fusaric acid insensitivity.     

两个苏丹草品系成熟种子的组织培养和植株再生研究

该研究以苏丹草品系S722和Sa的成熟种子为外植体、MS培养基为基础培养基,2,4-D和NAA各3个浓度共6个处理对这两个苏丹草品系成熟种子进行愈伤诱导,探讨不同品系在不同植物生长物质浓度及植物生长物质组合中诱导愈伤组织和继代培养以及分化的能力。结果表明：苏丹草S722和Sa成熟种子的愈伤诱导率差异不显著,平均诱导率为17.19％。诱导培养基中2,4-D浓度为0.5或1 mg?L-1时,诱导效果最佳,而添加NAA不能提高愈伤诱导率。在继代培养中,设定2,4-D和6-BA各两个浓度共4个处理组合,处理1(2,4-D 1 mg?L-1＋6-BA 0 mg?L-1)的继代培养效果最佳。为了解不同植物生长物质对愈伤分化的影响,设定6-BA、NAA 各两个不同浓度、KT 3个不同浓度共5个处理组合对继代培养的愈伤进行分化培养。在5个处理中,处理1(6-BA 2 mg?L-1＋NAA 0 mg?L-1＋KT 0 mg?L-1)对 S722成熟种子诱导的愈伤分化率最高,达33.3％。在这两个苏丹草品系中,S722更容易分化培养。综上结果表明,2,4-D浓度为1 mg?L-1时诱导愈伤和继代培养效果较好,6-BA浓度为2 mg?L-1时分化效果较好。另外,针对不同苏丹草品系进行组织培养和植株再生时,适当调整植物生长物质浓度能提高植株再生的成功率。     

Characteristics of infection of plants and their cultured tissue with cyanobacterial-bacterial symbiotic associations]

The infection of tobacco, nightshade, rice plants, and their tissue cultures with the cyanobacteria-bacteria symbiotic associations (CBSA) isolated from natural syncyanoses (the ferns Azolla pinnata and Azolla sp. and the cycad Encephalartos ferox) was studied. The inoculation of the intact plants or their cuttings with CBSA led to the colonization of the plant roots, stems, and leaves by cyanobacteria and their bacterial symbionts (referred to as satellite bacteria, SB). The sites of the long-term contact of plant organs with cyanobacteria were characterized by the formation of copious slime. On the roots of infected plants, one could observe the callus growth of cortical parenchyma cells and the formation of pseudonodules, in which SB cells gradually accumulated. In mixed cultures of plant callus tissues and the CBSA isolated from the ferns A. pinnata and Azolla sp., the callus tissue specifically influenced the growth of the CBSA components, causing (depending on the plant species and strain) either their balanced growth, or their cyclic growth, or the predominant growth of one of the CBSA components (either cyanobacteria or satellite bacteria). This phenomenon is proposed to be used for the dissociation of stable multicomponent natural symbiotic complexes and the selection of their particular components.     

Analysis of the protein expression profiling during rice callus differentiation under different plant hormone conditions

Plant hormones function to coordinate plant growth and development. While the plant hormones, mainly auxin and cytokinin, are exogenously added to various plant tissue cultures, their effects on the organogenesis are apparent, but little is known concerning the molecular mechanisms by which they function in cultured cells. Rice, as a model plant in monocots, is also suitable to tissue culture studies. Here, we used four types of regeneration mediums with different relative concentrations of cytokinin and auxin for rice callus differentiation, the calli at different differentiation stages were collected for proteomic analysis. 2-dimensional electrophoresis revealed that 213 protein spots significantly differentially expressed during callus differentiation under different hormone conditions. By using mass spectrometry, 183 differentially expressed protein spots were identified to match 157 unique proteins. Most of these differential proteins were cellular/metabolic process-related proteins, whose different expression patterns may be correlated with the cytokinin and auxin regulation. Several hormone-related proteins were prominently featured in differentiated calli as compared with the initiated calli, such as alpha-amylase isoforms, mannose-binding rice lectin, putative dehydration stress-induced protein, cysteine endopeptidase and cystatin. All these results provide a novel insight into how the two plant hormones effect the callus differentiation in rice on the proteomic level.     

Effect of heavy metals on the growth of tissue cultures (II)

The effect of toxic concentrations of three heavy metal compounds on the growth of the secondary callus tissue of Nicotiana tabacum L. and Ruta graveolens L. was studied. The metal compounds examined were ZnSO4, NiSO4, CuSO4. The metal compounds used were placed in Murashige, Skoog (1962) and White (1943) culture medium at 10(-6) and 10(-4) M concentration, respectively, before autoclaving. The culture media containing macro- and microelements and vitamins were completed with carbon source and regulators (IAA, GA, kinetin for Nicotiana and IAA, 2, 4-D for Ruta). The cultures were kept for 4 weeks at 25 (+2) degrees C under 16/8 n light/dark conditions. The value of pH was 5.6 before the autoclave treatment. The increase in fresh weight of the secondary callus tissue was inhibited by the metal compounds applied with both plant species (to 75-87% by zinc, 7-97% by nickel, 5-98% by copper with tobacco; to 47-69% by zinc, 5-88% by nickel, 57-90% by copper with rue). The cell number and dry weight per g of callus tissue partly increased, partly decreased compared to the control in response to the heavy metal treatment. The growth values obtained with various concentrations of the heavy metals were different in the two plant species due to differences in metabolism and organization potential between them.     

Solute concentrations of the phloem and parenchyma cells present in squash callus

Abstract. Glutaraldehyde fixation was used to determine the solute concentrations in the various cell types present in tissue cultures of squash ( Cucurbita pepo ). Small pieces of callus were plasmolyzed in a graded series of mannitol solutions and fixed in 20 kg m⁻³ glutaraldehyde adjusted to be isosmotic with the particular plasmolysing solution. The callus samples were further processed using standard electron microscopy techniques. Using this procedure, mature sieve elements that form in squash callus have an osmotic potentional of -2.4MPa. The osmotic potential of the callus sieve elements was comparable to values reported for the sieve tube members of the phloem in intact plants. This ability of callus sieve elements to develop high internal hydrostatic pressures demonstrates that they are capable of phloem loading. However, the osmotic potentials of the surrounding parenchymatous cells and companion cells were only –1.15 and –1.5 MPa, respectively. In contrast to the companion cells of the phloem in intact plant tissues, the osmotic potential of the callus companion cells indicated that they were not directly involved in phloem loading. Several immature sieve elements containing distinct nuclei and vacuoles were observed in the callus granules. These immature sieve elements were plasmolyzed in weaker mannitol solutions (below 0.6kmol m⁻³) than the enucleate sieve elements (1.01 kmol m⁻³ mannitol). The low solute concentrations in immature sieve elements indicated that the ability to load sugars occurs concomitantly with the maturation of the sieve element protoplast.     

Hormonal Regulation of the Lectin Biosynthesis in Callus Culture of the Phaseolus vulgaris Plant

Callus cultures established from Phaseolus vulgaris seedlings were used to investigate hormonal influence on lectin biosynthesis. The plant tissue cultures were initiated using defined levels of both a cytokinin (kinetin) and an auxin (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and were then transferred to media containing different amounts of these hormones. The lectin content of each callus culture was determined using an enzyme immunoassay specific for the seed lectin of the P. vulgaris plant. The lectin biosynthesis was directly affected by the levels of auxin and cytokinin in the culture media and no lectin was detected in hormone-free medium. This enabled us to compose culture media yielding a maximal or minimal lectin content of the callus cultures, illustrating the ability to induce an enhancement or suppression of the in vitro lectin biosynthesis. The lectin level of callus tissue during the growth cycle of a culture was, furthermore, related to the cellular growth rate which might indicate an involvement of the lectin in cellular events during rapid cell division.     

Internal Zinc Accumulation Is Correlated with Increased Growth in Rice Suspension Culture

A high zinc concentration of 520 μm, approximately 100 times that used most often in standard plant tissue culture media, was found to be superior in liquid callus cultures of japonica rice, increasing growth to 146% compared with standard N6 medium. At the same time, the internal zinc concentration increased 40 times in fast growing cells; soluble protein doubled, and free amino acids decreased. Under zinc-free conditions the cultures slowed in growth, and several free amino acids such as aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, and glutamine accumulated. We suggest that zinc acts as a direct regulatory factor in inducing auxin activity, but not auxin levels, making high internal zinc accumulation mandatory if high auxin concentrations are required as in rice callus cultures. Received July 16, 1997; accepted September 22, 1997