Expression of the human milk protein β-casein in transgenic potato plants

A 1177 bp cDNA fragment encoding the human milk protein -casein was introduced into Solanum tuberosum cells under control of the auxin-inducible, bidirectional mannopine synthase mas12) promoters using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated leaf disc transformation methods. Antibiotic-resistant plants were regenerated and transformants selected based on luciferase activity carried by the expression vector containing the human -casein cDNA. The presence of human -casein cDNA in the plant genome was detected by PCR and DNA hybridization experiments. Human -casein mRNA was identified in leaf tissues of transgenic plants by RT-PCR analysis. Human - casein was identified in auxin-induced leaf and tuber tissues of transformed potato plants by immunoprecipitation and immunoblot analysis. Human -casein produced in transgenic plants migrated in polyacrylamide gels as a single band with an approximate molecular mass of 30 kDa. Immunoblot experiments identified approximately 0.01% of the total soluble protein of transgenic potato leaf tissue as -casein. The above experiments demonstrate the expression of human milk - casein as part of an edible food plant. These findings open the way for reconstitution of human milk inedible plants for replacement of bovine milk in baby foods for general improvement of infant nutrition, and for prevention of gastric and intestinal diseases in children     

Effects of seed size, planting density and planting pattern on the severity of silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani) and black scurf (Rhizoctonia solani) diseases of potatoes

The effects of different seed sizes, planting densities and planting patterns on the transmission of silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani) and black scurf (Rhizoctonia solani) diseases of potatoes were examined in five field experiments with cv. Estima in 1991–93.
In all experiments, silver scurf was more severe with increase in seed size and planting density. At high planting density, silver scurf was less severe from a square planting pattern than from planting in wide rows. The incidence of black scurf also tended to increase with increase in seed size and was increased markedly high planting density.     

Factors determining the pest status of the rose-grain aphid, Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker), on winter barley in the United Kingdom

To test the hypothesis that early maturation of barley affords it some resistance to cereal aphids, the colonisation, survival, growth, reproduction and emigration of M. dirhodum on barley was measured and compared with previously published results for this aphid on wheat.
Barley plants were colonised as readily as wheat plants. Survival to maturity was similar on both hosts. Relative growth rate was higher on wheat than on barley for most of the season while reproduction was similar on both. Emigration, measured alate production, was significantly higher on mature wheat than on mature barley.
It is proposed that the increase of M. dirhodum populations on barley is normally terminated early in the year directly plant maturation and consequent drying out of the leaves, resulting in the death of aphids. This is different to the situation on wheat, which matures later, and where emigration following plant induced alate induction has been shown to be the major factor affecting the decline in population growth.
These results support the hypothesis that early maturation of barley provides some resistance to M. dirhodum.     

高必需氨基酸转基因马铃薯的研究

８０年代以来,马铃薯遗传转化系统日趋成熟,转基因工程植株已被广泛应用于基础科学研究［１］。作为食物蛋白和能量主要来源的马铃薯,提高其蛋白质含量及质量的遗传工程研究正受到人们的普遍关注［２］。Ｙａｎｇ等［２］将旨在改善氨基酸平衡的ＣＡＴ－ＨＥＡＡＥ（氯酶素乙酰转移酶－高含量人体必需氨基酸）融合基因导入马铃薯,获得了Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ、Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ、Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ的证据,但尚缺少氨基酸分析的资料。玉米醇溶蛋白（ｚｅｉｎ）［３］是一个富含甲硫氨酸的贮存蛋白,它和人工合成的ＨＥ…     

Polyploidization in leaf callus tissue and in regenerated plants of dihaploid potato

Cytological studies on leaf callus cells and regenerated potato plants suggest that it may be possible to utilize somatic chromosome doubling to obtain tetraploids from outstanding dihaploid breeding clones. The ploidy levels found in callus-derived plants were diploid, tetraploid, and octaploid, but the proportion of these was dependent on the donor genotype. L₁ and L₃ germ layers were studied in more than 300 plants; periclinal ploidy chimerism, an undesirable feature of colchicine doubling, was not found. Leaf callus was more efficiently induced using NAA than 2, 4-D as an auxin source in the Murashige and Skoog medium. A high proportion of dividing cells in young calli were polyploid. The frequency of doubled and octaploid plants regenerated was significantly dependent on donor genotype. The extent of polyploidization was marginally higher after callus growth on a medium containing 2, 4-D than in a medium containing NAA. In some genotypes the chromosome numbers of regenerated plants were variable, being less than tetraploid (mixohypotetraploid). After tuber propagation, the original ploidy level was maintained although mixohypotetraploidy persisted. In a few somatically doubled clones, male fertility was tested and found to be satisfactory with respect to seed-setting.     

Respiration,ATP level,and sugar accumulation in potato tubers during storage at 4°

A kinetic study was made of the relationship between respiration rate, sugar content and ATP levels, in fresh and aged potato tubers stored at 4°. The ATP content in tubers rose rapidly immediately after the chilling stress, while respiration rate decreased below the initial rate and sugar accumulation was not detected. After 4 days of storage, the ATP level declined and the sugars started to accumulate. The typical increase in respiration rate that usually follows chilling stress, appeared only in fresh tubers (at about the 6th day of storage). In dinitrophenol-treated tubers, the ATP level remained below the initial level and sugar accumulation was blocked completely. The evidence presented suggests that ATP elevation is not generated by the respiration burst.     

Further studies on the subcellular localization of lipid-degrading enzymes

Further work on the subcellular localization of two lipid-degrading enzymes, lipolytic acyl hydrolase (LAH) and lipoxygenase (LOX) has been carried out on brassica florets, potato shoots and pea roots. In all cases, the LAH profile on sucrose and Ficoll density gradients was coincident with ‘lysosomal’ acid phosphatase activity. However, the localization of LOX activity was different for each tissue. In pea roots the activity of LOX was localized in the ‘lysosomal’ fraction, whereas with brassica florets (cauliflower and calabrese) it was present in a heavy body with a similar density to plastids and in potato shoots LOX gave only low particulate recoveries.     

Decision to superparasitize based on larval survival: competition between aphid parasitoids Aphidius ervi and Aphidius smithi

Oviposition by a parasitoid wasp in an already parasitized host (= superparasitism) may result in larval competition and the loss of offspring. Consequently, in solitary species, the decision to superparasitize should be based on the probability of offspring survival. Females of Aphidius ervi Haliday and A. smithi Sharma & Subba Rao (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae), two parasitoids of the pea aphid, discriminated between conspecific-and heterospecific-parasitized hosts. Both species showed partial preference for aphids previously attacked by A. smithi, a result predicted from the fact that A. ervi is superior to A. smithi in larval competition under most conditions. Females of A. smithi selectively attacked conspecific-parasitized pea aphids when given a choice between these and self-parasitized hosts. Results indicated that females of both species responded to an external pheromone-like marker to discriminate between selfconspecific-and heterospecific-parasitized aphids. In addition, A. smithi may use internal cues to recognize, and avoid oviposition in, aphids previously parasitized by A. ervi.

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Résumé L'oviposition par une guêpe parasite dans un hôte qui a déjà été parasité (= superparasitisme) pourrait conduire à une compétition entre larves et à une perte de progéniture. Par conséquent, dans les espèces solitaires, la décision de superparasiter devrait être basée sur la probabilité de survie de la progéniture. Les femelles de Aphidius ervi Haliday et de A. smithi Sharma & Subba Rao (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae), deux parasites du puceron du pois, ont discriminé entre les hôtes parasités par des individus de la même espèce et ceux parasités par des individus d'une espèce différente. Les deux espèces de parasite ont montré une préférence partielle pour les pucerons préalablement parasités par A. smithi, résultat qui était prévisible du fait que, dans la majorité des cas, A. ervi est supérieur à A. smithi dans la compétition entre larves. Les femelles de A. smithi ont sélectivement attaqué les pucerons parasités par un individu de la même espèce lorsqu'il leur était donné de choisir parmi ceux-ci et ceux parasités par les même individu. Les résultats indiquaient que les femelles des deux espèces répondaient à une sorte de phéromone externe pour distinguer les pucerons parasités par le même individu de ceux parasités par un individu de la même espèce et ceux parasités d'une autre espèce. En plus, A. smithi pourrait utiliser des signaux internes pour reconnaître et éviter l'oviposition dans les pucerons préalablement parasités par A. ervi.