Pepper is a vegetable of importance in human nutrition. Currently, one of the most interesting properties of natural products is their antioxidant content. In this work, the purification and characterisation of peroxisomes from fruits of a higher plant was carried out, and their antioxidative enzymatic and non-enzymatic content was investigated. Green and red pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L., type Lamuyo) were used in this study. The analysis by electron microscopy showed that peroxisomes from both types of fruits contained crystalline cores which varied in shape and size, and the presence of chloroplasts and chromoplasts in green and red pepper fruits, respectively, was confirmed.
Peroxisomes were purified by differential and sucrose density-gradient centrifugations. In the peroxisomal fractions, the activity of the photorespiration, β-oxidation and glyoxylate cycle enzymes, and the ROS-related enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, xanthine oxidase, glutathione reductase and NADP+-dehydrogenases, was determined. Most enzymes studied had higher specific activity and protein content in green than in red fruits. By native PAGE and western blot analysis, the localisation of a Mn-SOD in fruit peroxisomes was demonstrated. The ascorbate and glutathione levels were also determined in crude extracts and in peroxisomes purified from both green and red peppers. The total ascorbate content (200-220 mg per 100 g FW) was similar in crude extracts from the two types of fruits, but higher in peroxisomes from red peppers. The glutathione concentration was 2-fold greater in green pepper crude extracts than in red fruits, whereas peroxisomes from both tissues showed similar values. The presence in pepper peroxisomes of different antioxidative enzymes and their corresponding metabolites implies that these organelles might be an important pool of antioxidants in fruit cells, where these enzymes could also act as modulators of signal molecules (O2˙-, H2O2) during fruit maturation. 相似文献
Incompatible plant-pathogen interactions result in the rapid cell death response known as hypersensitive response (HR) and activation of host defense related genes. To understand the cellular mechanism controlling defense response better, a novel pathogenesis-related (PR) gene and putative cell wall protein gene, CaTin2, was isolated through differential screening of a hot pepper cDNA library and characterized. CaTin2 gene was locally and systemically induced in hot pepper plants upon TMV-P0 inoculation which induces HR. However, CaTin2 gene wasn't regulated by bacterial HR-specific signal pathway. The full-length cDNA for CaTin2, which is 864 nucleotides long, contained the open reading frame of 200 amino acids including cell wall targeting sequences of 26 amino acids. CaTin2 gene has no sequence similarity with other cell wall protein genes except the signal sequence and exists as only one copy in hot pepper genome. CaTin2 gene contains repeated helix-turn-helix motif consisting of 39 amino acids. CaTin2 mRNA accumulation was induced in response to various treatments such as ethylene, SA, MeJA, ABA, methyl viologen, NaCl and wounding at early time points. Subcelluar localization of CaTin2 was confirmed in the cell wall in hot pepper leaves by making CaTin2::smGFP fusion protein. The transgenic plants overexpressing CaTin2 cDNA were resistant to TMV and CMV inoculation. From these results, CaTin2 gene may encode a virus-related new cell wall protein member. 相似文献
Bacterial antagonists of Phytophthora capsici were isolated from underground shoot portions of rooted cuttings of black pepper. Initially isolates were screened by dual culture on potato dextrose agar and carrot agar. Further, a screening was done on black pepper shoots for supression of lesion caused by the pathogen. Most of the antagonists showed varying levels of antagonism in the dual culture and the shoot assay. Isolate PN-026, showing the highest suppression of lesion development in the shoot assay was found to be the most efficient antagonist in reducing Phytophthora capsici induced nursery wilt of black pepper. This screening involving the host, pathogen, and the antagonist, performed on black pepper shoot (the planting material for this vegetatively propagated crop), could be used as a rapid and reliable method for the isolation of efficient bacterial antagonists of P. capsici. 相似文献
To better understand gene expression at very low levels, we have designed a method to eliminate cDNA clones representing abundant
mRNAs. A cDNA library for drought-stressed hot pepper (Capsicum annuum) (Choi et al., 2002) underwent double-negative screening, once with probes made from a drought-stressed plant, the second
time, with probes from a non-stressed plant. The cDNA clones that showed very weak or negative signals were isolated for further
analysis, which resulted in 1399 cDNA clones from about 20,000 screened clones. When nucleotide sequences were determined,
we obtained 1142 tentative unique genes, with a redundancy rate of 20.41%. An homology database search for the deduced amino
acid sequences revealed that about 79% of the cDNA clones could not be matched for functioning with previously characterized
sequences. However, when these uncategorized clones were subjected to classification based on functional domains, most could
be cited. Notably, clones with possible functions in RNA transport, protein synthesis, and regulation of protein activity
showed a dramatic increase in appearance while those coding for transposable elements, viral proteins, and plasmid proteins
occupied a much smaller portion compared with those in theArabidopsis thaliana genome. In addition, those coding for proteins targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum were dramatically more abundant in our
clones compared with theArabidopsis database. 相似文献
Different methods of sweet pepper cultivation (organic, integrated and conventional farming) were evaluated under greenhouse conditions. Organic treatment was defined as only 4‐kg manure application at the preplanting stage. Conventional and integrated treatments consisted of application of the manure dosage plus chemical fertiliser at 100% and 50% of the local farmers’ amount, respectively, to avoid nutrient depletion. Plant growth parameters such as shoot dry matter, total leaf area and leaf weight fraction were all reduced in the organic treatment compared with the conventional. Leaf expansion was dramatically reduced in the organic treatment 155 days after transplanting. Relative growth rates were significantly affected by the nitrogen concentration in each organ and were directly related to the cultivation method. Chlorophylls (a + b) contents in the leaves were reduced in the organic treatment and were directly correlated with the nondestructive quantification of chlorophylls using a portable chlorophyll meter. Net photosynthesis was also reduced in the organic treatment, but chlorophyll fluorescence was not affected. This study shows that biometric monitoring and fast and non‐invasive techniques of plant nutrient status analysis could help to improve growth as easy and useful tools to follow the nutrient status at different phenological stages, especially when no chemical fertilisers are applied. 相似文献
Reproduction of artificially selected near isogenic Meloidogyne incognita lineages virulent and avirulent against the Mi resistance gene of tomato was assessed on host and resistant lines and cultivars of pepper. Egg mass production following inoculation of individual potted seedlings with second-stage juveniles was studied in experiments conducted in controlled environment. Artificially selected Mi-virulent nematode populations were unable to develop on resistant pepper lines PM 217 and PM 687. This suggests that the genetic systems governing resistance to root-knot nematodes are differently expressed in tomato and pepper, in spite of the very close phylogenetic relationships and structural genomic homologies occurring between these two vegetable crops. Moreover, these artificially selected nematode populations were also found unable to develop on the susceptible pepper cultivars California Wonder and Doux Long des Landes, while their pathogenicity was not significantly affected on susceptible tomatoes. Due to the existence of naturally virulent Meloidogyne populations, these results enhance the need for a better understanding of the mechanisms involved, in order to develop new forms of management of plant resistance to root-knot nematodes. 相似文献
Mating disruption using pheromone dispensers is an emerging insect control method in greenhouses in the Netherlands. For routine measurements of the pheromone level in greenhouses a portable and compact device based on electroantennography (EAG) was developed. The instrument was tested in different greenhouses under varying conditions using antennae of males of the noctuid moth Chrysodeixis chalcites. Relative differences in pheromone concentration between greenhouses loaded with pheromone dispensers and control greenhouses could be measured in a reliable way. Changes in pheromone concentration were clearly demonstrated by measurements during the growing season. The advantages of the instrument presented over previously described devices are its true portableness, ease of use and uncomplicated measuring principle. The device can be operated routinely by non-experts, and many measurements can be made in a short period of time. Preliminary outdoor measurements using antennae of male Cydia pomonella as sensor showed the potential of the instrument for use in the open field. The portable EAG sensor described here may provide a practical means for monitoring pheromone concentration and dispersal from dispensers applied for mating disruption. 相似文献