Effect of Ambiol on Stem Growth in Regenerants of Source and Transgenic Potato Plants

The effects of ambiol, a new growth regulator, on stem growth and morphological features of stem development have been compared in regenerants of potato (Solanum tuberosum L., var. Desire) plants transgenic for a defensin gene and in original potato plants. The original and transgenic plants exhibited differences in shoot development, which were observed both in control settings (no ambiol) and in the presence of various ambiol concentrations. In addition to normal plants of both forms, plant regenerants with morphological deviations were present in ambiol-treated groups. It is suggested that the abnormal shoot development observed in original and transgenic potato plants treated with ambiol is associated with (a) hormonal changes caused by expression of the defensin gene in the transgenic plants and (b) effects of ambiol on the hormonal balance of the plants.     

Modification of duplex poly(G).poly(C) by platinum (II) compounds.

The modification of the double-stranded poly(G).poly(C) complex by cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) was studied by two modes: the action of cis-DDP on poly(G) before formation of the duplex with poly(C) and that on the prepared duplex. It was shown that in the latter case modification disordered the integrity of the duplex only negligibly at rb less than or equal to 0.05 and led to improved interferon-inducing and antiviral activity tested on mice infected by Influenza and Herpes viruses.     

Inhibition of human granulocyte elastase and kininogenase

Using an inhibitory analysis, the different enzymatic nature of kininogenase and elastase activities in serine proteinase fractions (pI 8.3-10.75) isolated from human granulocyte lysates by isoelectrofocusing was demonstrated. The thermo- and acid-stable serine proteinase inhibitor from rabbit serum was shown to completely inhibit the kininogenase activity in these fractions but to have no inhibiting action on the elastase activity. On the contrast, the specific granulocyte elastase inhibitor, N-3-carbomethoxypropanoyl-L-alanyl-L-alanyl-L-prolyl-L-valyl-chloromethylketone , inhibits granulocyte elastase and does not inhibit the kininogenase activity in lysate fractions. The efficiency of granulocyte elastase inhibition by this chloromethylketone is evaluated by the kinetic parameters k3, Ki. The values of k3/Ki for granulocyte elastase forms with pI of 10.75, 8.9 and 8.0 are 1430, 670 and 360 M-1 S-1, respectively and show effective inhibition of the three forms by this inhibitor. Based on the different degree of inhibition of the three elastase forms by chloromethylketone inhibitor the existence of the family of elastaselike enzymes in human granulocytes is postulated.     

Morphogenetic Changes in Ambiol-Treated Regenerants of Parent and Transgenic Potato Plants

The effects of ambiol, a new growth regulator, on the formation of leaves and roots in parent and defensin-gene-transformed regenerants of potato Solanum tuberosum L. (cultivarDesire) were studied. Various concentrations of ambiol induced differences in morphogenetic parameters between parent and transgenic plants. In some cases, ambiol caused the formation of shoots without leaves or with rudimentary leaves. The data suggest that features of root and leaf formation in parent and transgenic regenerants induced by ambiol are due to changes in hormone balance in transgenic plants caused by expression of the defensin gene and the effect of ambiol on the plant hormonal balance.