Nutritive role of different carbohydrates for the growth and survial of Oryzaephilus mercator Fauvel (Coleoptera).

Recent investigations on the nutritive role of different carbohydrates for the survival and growth of Oryzaephilus mercator show that fructose, glucose, dextrin and glycogen are of high nutritive value, fructose being even better than natural control diet (wheat + 5% yeast). Maltose, soluble starch, mannitol and sorbitol, although support some growth, are not of as good nutritive value as control diet. All pentoses, sorbose, galactose, lactose, raffinose, potato starch, inulin and dulcitol are of no nutritive value.     

Primary amino acid sequence of follicle-stimulating hormone from human pituitary glands. I. alpha subunit.

Follicle-stimulating hormone of a high state of physicochemical and biological purity was isolated from acetone-preserved human pituitary glands. The follicle-stimulating hormone was dissociated into alpha and beta subunits by treatment with 8 M urea and the subunits were separated by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-25. The subunits were freed of undissociated or reassociated follicle-stimulating hormone by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. For the establishment of the primary amino acid sequence, the alpha subunit was reduced and either carboxyamidomethylated or S-aminoethylated prior to a thermolytic or a tryptic digestion. Each digest was gel filtered on a column of Sephadex G-50 to separate the glycopeptides from the peptides. The glycopeptides and the peptides were purified further by sequential gel filtration on Sephadex G-25, G-15, and Bio-Gel-P-2 and were isolated by high voltage electrophoresis at pH 6, 3.5, and 2. The purity of the isolated peptides was ascertained further by amino acid analysis. The amino acid sequences of the peptides were determined by Edman degradation followed by subtractive amino acid analysis. COOH-terminal sequences were established by digestion with carboxypeptidases A and B. The primary amino acid sequence of human follicle-stimulating hormone-alpha is identical to that of human chorionic gonadotropin-alpha and differs from that of human luteinizing hormone-alpha in having the tripeptide Ala-Pro-Asx- at the NH2-terminal end.     

QTL-seq for the identification of candidate genes for days to flowering and leaf shape in pigeonpea

To identify genomic segments associated with days to flowering (DF) and leaf shape in pigeonpea, QTL-seq approach has been used in the present study. Genome-wide SNP profiling of extreme phenotypic bulks was conducted for both the traits from the segregating population (F₂) derived from the cross combination- ICP 5529 × ICP 11605. A total of 126.63 million paired-end (PE) whole-genome resequencing data were generated for five samples, including one parent ICP 5529 (obcordate leaf and late-flowering plant), early and late flowering pools (EF and LF) and obcordate and lanceolate leaf shape pools (OLF and LLS). The QTL-seq identified two significant genomic regions, one on CcLG03 (1.58 Mb region spanned from 19.22 to 20.80 Mb interval) for days to flowering (LF and EF pools) and another on CcLG08 (2.19 Mb region spanned from 6.69 to 8.88 Mb interval) for OLF and LLF pools, respectively. Analysis of genomic regions associated SNPs with days to flowering and leaf shape revealed 5 genic SNPs present in the unique regions. The identified genomic regions for days to flowering were also validated with the genotyping-by-sequencing based classical QTL mapping method. A comparative analysis of the identified seven genes associated with days to flowering on 12 Fabaceae genomes, showed synteny with 9 genomes. A total of 153 genes were identified through the synteny analysis ranging from 13 to 36. This study demonstrates the usefulness of QTL-seq approach in precise identification of candidate gene(s) for days to flowering and leaf shape which can be deployed for pigeonpea improvement.Subject terms: Genetic association study, Plant hybridization

QTL-seq approach was utilized for mapping of genomic regions/genes associated with days to flowering and leaf shape in pigeonpea. Analysis of genomic regions and associated SNPs with days to flowering and leaf shape revealed 1 and 4 non-synonymous SNPs, respectively. The study demonstrated sequencing-based trait mapping approach can accelerate trait mapping of the targeted traits.     

The mode of action of thidiazuron: auxins,indoleamines, and ion channels in the regeneration of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Echinacea purpurea</Emphasis> L.

The biochemical mechanisms underlying thidiazuron (TDZ)-induced regeneration in plant cells have not been clearly elucidated. Exposure of leaf explants of Echinacea purpurea to a medium containing TDZ results in undifferentiated cell proliferation and differentiated growth as mixed shoot organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. The current studies were undertaken to determine the potential roles of auxin, indoleamines, and ion signaling in the dedifferentiation and redifferentiation of plant cells. E. purpurea leaf explants were found to contain auxin and the related indoleamine neurotransmitters, melatonin, and serotonin. The levels of these endogenous indoleamines were increased by exposure to TDZ associated with the induction of regeneration. The auxin-transport inhibitor 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid and auxin action inhibitor, p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid decreased the TDZ-induced regeneration but increased concentrations of endogenous serotonin and melatonin. As well, inhibitors of calcium and sodium transport significantly reduced TDZ-induced morphogenesis while increasing endogenous indoleamine content. These data indicate that TDZ-induced regeneration is the manifestation of a metabolic cascade that includes an initial signaling event, accumulation, and transport of endogenous plant signals such as auxin and melatonin, a system of secondary messengers, and a concurrent stress response.     

Isolation and sequencing of cDNA clones encoding Drosophila chromosomal protein D1. A repeating motif in proteins which recognize at DNA

Drosophila melanogaster D1 is a satellite DNA-associated protein which preferentially binds DNA sequences containing runs of AT base pairs. Clones encoding this polypeptide have been isolated from a lambda gt11 cDNA library by immunological screening with a D1 antiserum. The deduced sequence of the D1 polypeptide is 355 amino acids long and contains 10 copies of a repeating motif consisting of a glycine-arginine-proline (GRP) tripeptide located within a cluster of basic amino acids. Three copies of a similar motif have previously been observed in a mammalian satellite DNA-binding protein, high mobility group protein I (Lund, T., Dahl, K. H., Mork, E., Holtlund, J., and Laland, S. G. (1987) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 146, 725-730), suggesting that this motif may be a general feature of proteins which bind AT-rich satellite DNA and perhaps other AT-containing DNA as well.     

Isolation and sequencing of cDNA clones encoding alpha and beta subunits of Drosophila melanogaster casein kinase II.

Cloned cDNAs encoding both subunits of Drosophila melanogaster casein kinase II have been isolated by immunological screening of lambda gt11 expression libraries, and the complete amino acid sequence of both polypeptides has been deduced by DNA sequencing. The alpha cDNA contained an open reading frame of 336 amino acid residues, yielding a predicted molecular weight for the alpha polypeptide of 39,833. The alpha sequence contained the expected semi-invariant residues present in the catalytic domain of previously sequenced protein kinases, confirming that it is the catalytic subunit of the enzyme. Pairwise homology comparisons between the alpha sequence and the sequences of a variety of vertebrate protein kinase suggested that casein kinase II is a distantly related member of the protein kinase family. The beta subunit was derived from an open reading frame of 215 amino acid residues and was predicted to have a molecular weight of 24,700. The beta subunit exhibited no extensive homology to other proteins whose sequences are currently known.     

Iron supplementation promotes in vitro shoot induction and multiplication of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Baptisia australis</Emphasis>

C₄ plants can efficiently accumulate CO₂ in leaves and thus reduce wasteful oxygen fixation by the RuBisCO enzyme. Three C₄ enzymes, namely carbonic anhydrase (CA), phosphoenol pyruvate (PEPC) and pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK), were over expressed in Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica var. Khitish under the control of green tissue specific promoters PD_54o, PEPC and PPDK, respectively. Integration of these genes was confirmed by Southern hybridization. The relative expression of PEPC, CA and PPDK were, respectively, 6.75, 6.57 and 3.6-fold higher in transgenic plants compared to wild type plants (control). Photosynthetic efficiency of the transgenic plants increased significantly along with a 12?% increase in grain yield compared to wild type plants. Compared to control plants, transgenic plants also showed phenotypic changes such as increased leaf blade size, root biomass, and plant height and anatomical changes such as greater leaf vein number, bundle sheath cells, and bulliform cells. Our findings indicate that the combined over expression of these three enzymes is an efficient strategy for incorporating beneficial physiological and anatomical features that will enable subsequent yield enhancement in C₃ rice plants.