Thidiazuron-induced high frequency of shoot induction and plant regeneration in protoplast derived pea callus

Protoplasts isolated from lateral shoot buds of cotyledon-free pea embryo axes were regenerated to callus. Protoplast derived calluses with a diameter of about 1cm were transferred to shoot induction media, containing different concentrations (1–50µM) of thidiazuron. Shoot formation was observed after 16 weeks up to 12% efficiency. Thidiazuron (10µM) was the most effective concentration in all experiments. Shoot buds elongated in medium supplemented with N-isopentenyl adenine and indole-3-butyric acid. Since rooting was almost impossible in these thidiazuron-induced shoots, shoots were grafted onto young pea seedlings and regenerated to fertile plants.Abbreviations 2ip N-isopentenyl adenine - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - IBA indole-3-butyric acid - MES 2-(Nmorpholino)ethane acid - NAA naphthaleneacetic acid - TDZ thidiazuron - BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - PEG polyethylene glycol     

Blocking antibodies induced by specific allergy vaccination prevent the activation of CD4+ T cells by inhibiting serum-IgE-facilitated allergen presentation.

Allergen-specific CD4+ T lymphocytes are activated at extremely low allergen concentrations in vivo as a result of serum-facilitated allergen presentation (S-FAP). It is not clear at present if specific allergy vaccination (SAV) has an effect on this mechanism. Here we show that birch allergen-specific serum-IgE facilitates the presentation of Bet v 1, the major birch pollen allergen, to Bet v 1-specific CD4+ T lymphocytes by a factor of >100. This process is CD23 mediated, could be detected in sera from the majority of birch-allergic patients, and was clearly dose dependent. S-FAP of Bet v 1 was inhibited in patients undergoing long-term birch SAV, but not by sera from patients undergoing grass SAV, indicating that birch-specific Abs are involved. This resulted in decreased proliferation and IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IFN-gamma production of Bet v 1-specific T cells. The inhibition was already noted after 3-9 mo of SAV and could not be solely explained by increased serum levels of birch-specific IgG4. When IgG- and IgA/IgM-containing fractions of long-term SAV sera were used to inhibit S-FAP, only IgG-containing fractions were shown to inhibit S-FAP. These results indicate that blocking IgG Abs induced by SAV inhibits the occurrence of S-FAP at very low allergen concentrations, resulting in significantly higher allergen threshold levels to obtain T cell proliferation and cytokine production and thus allergen-induced late-phase responses.     

Protoplast regeneration and organogenesis from pea protoplasts

Summary Protoplasts of young Pisum Sativum L. seedlings from 7 different genotypes were isolated and regenerated to the callus stage. Germinating embryos were cultivated with cotyledons removed, thus avoiding intracellular starch accumulation in donor tissue. The first lateral shoots provided a source of homogenous meristematic cells which gave rise to sustained protoplast division and resulted in callus formation within 4, weeks. Root formation occurred on hormone-free medium and shoots developed on medium containing kinetin, 2iP or zeatin in the third subculture, when subcultured in monthly intervals. This work was made possible by a joint GFP/BMFT—project to H.-J. Jacobsen (grant A 24/87-ZF).     

Relationship between amino acid changes in mitochondrial ATP6 and life-history variation in anguillid eels

Mitochondrial genes are part of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway and important for energy production. Although evidence for positive selection at the mitochondrial level exists, few studies have investigated the link between amino acid changes and phenotype. Here we test the hypothesis that differences in two life-history related traits, migratory distance between spawning and foraging areas and larval phase duration, are associated with divergent selection within the mitochondrial ATP6 gene in anguillid eels. We compare amino acid changes among 18 species with the sequence of the putative ancestral species, believed to have shown short migratory distance and larval phase duration. We find positive correlations between both life-history related traits and (i) the number of amino acid changes and (ii) the strength of the combined physico-chemical and structural changes at positions previously identified as candidates for positive selection. This supports a link between genotype and phenotype driven by positive selection at ATP6.