Clonal Fidelity and Variation in Plantain (Musa AAB) Regenerated from Vegetative Stem and Floral Axis Tips in vitro

Recognition of a phenotypically distinct 'French-type' plantain(Musa AAB) designated 'Superplatano' (Superplantain) promptedevaluation of in vitro micropropagation as a means of generatingsufficient numbers of plants for field evaluation in three locationsin Puerto Rico. A multi-faceted study designed to evaluate relationshipsbetween different aseptic culture procedures and morphologicalorigins of primary explants was carried out. Vegetative budsfrom various positions relative to the mother corm (definedby cardinal points on the compass) and explants from the floralaxis of 'Maricongo' (the 'False-Horn', or florally determinatetype 'progenitor' of 'Superplatano'), and 'Superplatano' (a'French-type') were used as starting materials. Responses underfield conditions were studied using a number of parameters includingyield of commercially marketable fruits. We compared four populationsof shoots, each of which derived from at least three differentshoots from within one mat, shoots derived from vegetative andfloral material from the same mat for both 'Maricongo' and 'Superplatano',and shoots derived from a number of floral buds of the sameclone ('Maricongo') all of which were in culture for the samelength of time. 'Superplatano' was stable whether from vegetativecorm or floral bud apex. This shows conclusively that if thestarting point in the micropropagation process is a stable Musaclone, our tissue culture procedure is reliable. Considerablevariation in bunch phenotype was observed, however, in plantsregenerated from ten of 12 shoot and floral meristems startedfrom the 'False-Horn'-type 'Maricongo'. Change from 'False-Horn'-type(determinate) to 'French'-phenotype (indeterminate) was evidentin each of the three locations. Frequency of bunch reversionvaried from 0·4 to 100%, but was confined to individualoriginating stem tips rather than clones. The most dramaticbunch phenotypic change occurred in plants regenerated fromclone 3. All plants regenerated from shoot 3-North bore 100%'French-type' bunches. However, reversion in plants regeneratedfrom shoot 3-West was only 1·8%, and no bunch phenotypicchange was observed in plants from shoot 3-East. Plants regeneratedfrom both shoot and male floral axis tips in 'Maricongo' clone4 also bore 'French-type' bunches. Frequency of bunch reversionfrom shoot 4-East was 0·4% as compared to 2·6%from 4-floral. Bunch reversion occurred at the frequency of2·0% when plants were regenerated from clone 6-floral.No bunch reversion was observed in plants regenerated from asingle shoot tip in clones 1-West and 5-floral. No dwarfismwas encountered in any of the tissue culture-derived plants.We conclude that tissue culture per se plays a very small role,if any, in the direct induction of off-types. Pre-existing characteristicsof the primary explant determines whether products of a multiplicationshow fidelity or not. Our data suggest that 'Maricongo' is achimera and that 'Superplatano' is revertant off-type that resultswhen breakdown of the chimera occurs. Large numbers of stable'Superplatano' were produced from unstable 'Maricongo' and thisaffirms the value of micropropagation for generation of cloneswith desirable bunch phenotype.Copyright 1993, 1999 AcademicPress Musa, plantains, bananas, tissue culture, clonal multiplication, somaclonal variation, phenotype     

Genetic transformation of blue grama grass with the <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">rolA</Emphasis> gene from <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Agrobacterium rhizogenes</Emphasis>: regeneration of transgenic plants involves a “hairy embryo” stage

Until recently, information about the effects of transforming plants with the rolA gene of Agrobacterium rhizogenes has been restricted mainly to dicots in which a severely wrinkled phenotype, reduced internode distances, and abnormal reproductive development were commonly observed. In this work, we analyzed the effects associated with the expression of this gene in a new genetic context: the forage grass genome. Transgenic P_35S•rolA plants of blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) were obtained by a biolistic approach employing embryogenic chlorophyllic cells as the target material. Four independent transgenic lines with regeneration capacity were recovered, which showed stable integration of this transgene as demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot hybridization. Growth of the rolA-transformed lines under greenhouse conditions provided evidence for a new biotechnological application for the rolA gene in plants, namely, the improvement of biomass production in forage grasses. Additionally, we described here a new phenotypic marker (referred to here as the “hairy embryo” syndrome) that can be instrumental for the early identification of transformation events when transforming grasses with this gene.     

Effect of stress on blood coagulation and haematology in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

The effect of short-term stress on blood clotting times, cell counts, haematocrits, and blood glucose levels was studied in a hatchery strain and wild type rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri. Blood clotting times declined and thrombocyte counts, haematocrits, and blood glucose levels increased after stress in both strains of trout. The wild type of rainbow trout, however, required less time to recover from the stress than the hatchery strain of rainbow trout. The implications of a stress activated blood coagulation system in fish are discussed.     

Thermal summer characteristics of lakes and ponds on Deception Island,Antarctica

During January and February 1981, water temperature measurements were made in lakes and ponds of Deception Island, Antarctica. The depth of these waterbodies varies between 0.88 m and 36 m, with maximum surface areas of over 290 000 m². Some ponds freeze completely during winter, and the lakes are covered by ice for 9–10 months of each year. The maximum ice thickness measured in early summer (December), dit not exceed 0.5 m. Solar radiation and geothermal heating largely determine the thermal structure of these aquatic environments. The water temperature of tributary meltwater streams did not exceed 3 °C, but the littoral waters reached 9 °C. The bottom water temperatures of meromictic lakes 5 (Irízar) and 9, are 12.3 °C and 19.9 °C respectively. These deep waters are heated from geothermal sources and it is possible that some ponds may be also influenced by their proximity to hot soils. With the exception of the meromictic lakes, the aquatic environments studied here did not show a vertical stratification of temperature. It is not possible to establish a general thermal classification for the waterbodies of Deception Island. The interaction of the lacustrine morphology, solar radiation and vulcanism produce contrasting thermal features. Taking into account only the upper layers of meromictic lakes (mixolimnion), and emphasizing the fact of that some ponds freeze completely during winter, the waterbodies of Deception Island would be classified as ‘pleomictics’ (Paschaslki, 1964). This work was supported by an agreement between the Instituto Antártico Argentino and the Instituto Nacional de Limnología (Programa Limnoantar). This work was supported by an agreement between the Instituto Antártico Argentino and the Instituto Nacional de Limnología (Programa Limnoantar).     

Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as inducer of mitochondrial Ca2+ release

The effect of the alkylating reagent dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) on mitochondrial Ca²⁺ content was studied. The results obtained indicate that DCCD at a concentration of 100 µM induces mitochondrial Ca²⁺ efflux. This reaction is accompanied by an increasing energy drain on the system, stimulation of oxygen consumption, and mitochondrial swelling. These DCCD effects can be partially suppressed by supplementing the incubation medium with 1 mM phosphate. By electrophoretic analysis on polyacrylamide-sodium dodecyl sulfate, it was found that DCCD binds to a membrane component with anM _r of 20 to 29 kDa.