Regulation of the Osmotin Gene Promoter

By introducing a chimeric gene fusion of the osmotin promoter and [beta]-glucuronidase into tobacco by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, we have demonstrated a very specific pattern of temporal and spatial regulation of the osmotin promoter during normal plant development and after adaptation to NaCl. We have found that the osmotin promoter has a very high natural level of activity in mature pollen grains during anther dehiscence and in pericarp tissue at the final, desiccating stages of fruit development. GUS activity was rapidly lost after pollen germination. The osmotin promoter thus appears to be unique among active pollen promoters described to date in that it is active only in dehydrated pollen. The osmotin promoter was also active in corolla tissue at the onset of senescence. Adaptation of plants to NaCl highly stimulated osmotin promoter activity in epidermal and cortex parenchyma cells in the root elongation zone; in epidermis and xylem parenchyma cells in stem internodes; and in epidermis, mesophyll, and xylem parenchyma cells in developed leaves. The spatial and temporal expression pattern of the osmotin gene appears consistent with both osmotic and pathogen defense functions of the gene.     

Chromosome number and nuclear DNA content of plants regenerated from salt adapted plant cells

Plants regenerated from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Wisconsin 38) cells that were adapted to 428 mM NaCl were found to have hexaploid or near-hexaploid chromosome numbers compared to the normal tetraploid, 2N(2C)=4X=48 chromosome numbers of plants regenerated from unadapted cells. Even though cells with chromosome numbers other than hexaploid were found in the cell population only hexaploid plants were regenerated. The hexaploid condition may impart some karyotypic stability that allows more efficient morphogenic activity. The hexaploid condition could not be correlated with several phenotypic alterations associated with plants regenerated from adapted cells, including male sterility and increased salt tolerance.     

A higher plant extracellular vitronectin-like adhesion protein is related to the translational elongation factor-1 alpha.

Higher plant proteins immunologically related to the animal substrate adhesion molecule vitronectin have recently been observed and implicated in a variety of biological processes, such as plasma membrane-cell wall adhesion, pollen tube extension, and bacterium-plant interaction. We provide evidence that, similar to vitronectin, one of these proteins, PVN1 (plant vitronectin-like 1), isolated from 428 mM NaCl-adapted tobacco cells binds to glass surfaces an heparin. PVN1 was isolated by glass bead affinity chromatography. Isolated PVN1 has adhesive activity based on results from a baby hamster kidney cell-spreading assay. This plant adhesion protein was detected in all tissues examined but was most abundant in roots and salt-adapted cultured cells. Immunogold labeling indicated that PVN1 is localized in the cell wall of cortical and transmitting tissue cells of pollinated mature styles. A partial amino acid sequence of PVN1 revealed no similarity with vitronectin but, instead, was nearly identical to the translational elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1 alpha). A clone isolated by screening a tobacco cDNA expression library with anti-PVN1 encoded a protein with greater than 93% identity to sequences of EF-1 alpha from plants of numerous species. Immunological cross-reactivity between tobacco PVN1 and EF-1 alpha as well as the reaction between the EF-1 alpha antibody and the 65- and 75-kD vitronectin-like proteins of a fucoidal alga supported the conclusion that the plant extracellular adhesion protein PVN1 is related to EF-1 alpha.     

Pattern of Resource Allocation of Six Plantago Species with Different Breeding Systems

Plantago exhibit great deal of differences in the breeding system. The reproductive effort calculated on the basis of, (i) dry biomass of foliar and floral parts and (ii) seed output-weight (mg) per unit leaf area (cm²), exhibits relation with breeding system. The predominantly inbreeding taxa invest higher reproductive effort compared to their outbreeding allies. In terms of sex allocation strategies, the outbreeding species like P. lanceolata, P. lagopus invest more to the development of floral features and to male functions. On the contrary, inbreeding species such as P. patagonica, P. drummondii, and P. ovata invest greater resources to the female function. Received 13 April 1998/ Accepted in revised form 6 November 1998     

Airborne Pollen Grains of Gurdur,Turkey

Ｔｈｃ ｐｏｌｌｅｎ ｇｒａｉｎｓ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ａｔｍｏｓｐｈｅｒｅ ｏｆ Ｂｕｒｄｕｒ ｈａｖｅ ｂｅｅｎ ｓｔｕｄｉｅｄ ｆｏｒ ａ ｔｗｏ－ｙｅａｒ ｐｅｒｉｏｄ（１９９６ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ １９９７）ｗｉｔｈ ａ Ｄｕｒｈａｍ ｓａｍｐｌｅｒ．Ａ ｔｏｔａｌ ｏｆ １１ ８８１ ｐｏｌｌｅｎ ｇｒａｉｎｓ ｂｅｌｏｎｇｉｎｓ ｔｏ ３９ ｔａｘａ ｈａｖｅ ｂｅｅｎ ｉｄｅｎｔｉ－ｆｉｅｄ     

Autoradiographic study of 3H-uridine incorporation into nucleoli and DNA/3H-5S DNA in situ hybridization in root nodules and uninfected Lupinus luteus L. tissues.

The autoradiographic method was used to compare the 3H-uridine incorporation and the number of hybridization sites with 3H-5S DNA in yellow lupin root apical meristem, root hair of uninfected roots as well as in root nodule cortex and bacteriod-containing tissue. It has been shown that the number of hybridization sites is proportional to the ploidy level, but not to rRNA synthesis, which is most intense in root apical meristem and young bacteriod-containing cells.     

Whole Grain Intakes in the Diets Of Malaysian Children and Adolescents – Findings from the MyBreakfast Study

Background

Diets rich in whole grain are associated with several health benefits. Little is known however, about whole grain consumption patterns in Malaysia. The aim of this study was to assess whole grain intakes and dietary source in Malaysian children and adolescents.

Methods

This analysis is from the MyBreakfast study, a national cross sectional study investigating eating habits among primary and secondary school children throughout Malaysia, conducted in 2013. Children (n = 5,165) and adolescents (n = 2,947) who completed two days of dietary assessment using a food record or recall respectively were included. The whole grain content of foods was estimated mainly through the use of quantitative ingredient declarations on food labels. All wholegrain foods were considered irrespective of the amount of whole grain they contained.

Results

Overall, only 25% of children and 19% of adolescents were wholegrain consumers. Mean daily intakes in the total sample were 2.3g/d (SD 5.8g/d) in children and 1.7g/d (SD 4.7g/d) in adolescents and in the consumer’s only sample, mean intakes reached 9.1g/d (SD 8.6) and 9.2g/d (SD 7.1g/d) respectively. Wheat was the main grain source of whole grain while ready to eat breakfast cereals and hot cereals were the main food contributors. Less than 3% of the children and adolescents reached the US quantitative whole grain recommendation of 48g/day.

Conclusion

Whole grain is consumed by only a minority of Malaysian children and adolescents and even among consumers, intakes are well below recommendations. Efforts are needed to firstly understand the barriers to whole grain consumption among Malaysian children in order to design effective health promotion initiatives to promote an increase in whole grain consumption.