Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity in callus cultures of Pinus elliotii

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity increased 8- to 12-fold in pine (Pinus elliotii Engelm.) callus tissue within 2 days after subculturing on fresh medium. Factors such as increasing the sucrose content of the media, imposing additional tissue in jury or subculturing more frequently did not cause additional stimulation of PAL activity. The rapid increase in PAL activity appeared to be due to enzyme activation, since cycloheximide did not appreciably reduce the stimulation of PAL activity. The subsequent loss of increased PAL activity with age was reduced by cycloheximide and a cool growth environment.     

Biosynthesis of a ubiouitin-related peptide in rat brain and in human and mouse pituitary tumors

A biosynthetic labeled peptide structurally related to the thymic peptide ubiquitin was first identified fortuitously in bovine pars intermedia cells in regard to its partial NH₂ terminal amino acid sequence (Met 1, Leu 8, 15 and Lys 6, 11, 27, 29, 33) after a protein segment data bank search. A peptide with the same behavior on carboxymethylcellulose chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis has been purified after labeling experiments in two areas of rat brain, hypothalamus and striatum, and in a mouse and a human ACTH-secreting pituitary tumors. It represents about 1 to 10% of the total labeled proteins in the various experiments. Its identity with the above mentioned bovine pituitary peptide was confirmed by microsequence analysis with respect to Met 1, Lys 6, 11 in hypothalmus, Met 1 in striatum, and Lys 6, 11, 27, 29, 33 in the two pituitary tumors. The availability of standard purified ubiquitin allowed us to show that labeled and cold peptides have the same electrophoretic mobility and elution volume on Sephadex G-50 chromatography this further confirms their identity. Possible interests of such a biosynthetic characterization of a ubiquitin-related peptide are discussed, particularly in view of the structural relationship of ubiquitin to the non histone component of nuclear protein A-24, and as a test of tissue viability and biosynthetic efficiency in our in vitro biosynthetic systems.     

Plant growth-promoting activities of alkoxycarbonylisoureas in relation to their chemical structures

A number of alkoxycarbonylisourea derivatives were synthesized and their plant growth-promoting activities examined by the rice (Oryza sativa) seedling test. Isourea compounds with an appropriate substituent such as a halogen atom or a methyl, ethyl or methoxy group at the para-position on a benzene ring in 1-alkoxycarbonyl-2-alkyl-3-phenylcarbamoylisoureas promoted the growth of rice seedlings and acted as a highly active gibberellic acid-synergist when used in combination with gibberellic acid. The common structural requirements of isourea derivatives applied well for a growth promoter and a gibberellic acid-synergist.     

Does transpiration have an essential function in long-distance ion transport in plants?

Abstract. Long-term effects of transpiration on growth and on long-distance ion transport were investigated in maize over a whole growth cycle. Maize plants were grown with nutrients supplied at adequate levels in hydroculture or in soil at 50–60% and at >95% relative humidity. Although the amount of water lost by the plants under these conditions differed by a factor 2 to 3, there was neither a decrease in growth (fresh weight and dry weight) nor in ash content of the 'humid'plants. This was also found when the upper part of the shoot (70–150 cm) was tested separately. It is suggested that transpiration is not essential for long-distance transport of mineral elements in plants. Alternatives are discussed.     

The effect of salinity on the survival,growth, sporulation and infection of Phytophthora ramorum

Phytophthora ramorum has been found in waterways outside infested nurseries, but little is known about its behavior in water. This study examined the effect of salinity on survival, growth, sporulation, and infection. P. ramorum survival and growth was negatively correlated with salt concentration (range of 0–45 g l⁻¹), but showed a level of tolerance even at 45 g l⁻¹. No sporangia were observed in cultures with higher than 20 g l⁻¹ of salt and zoospores were not released from sporangia above 14 g l⁻¹. Water sources with different salinity were used to understand the environment where P. ramorum can survive and infect host material. Water from natural bodies and water amended with different salt concentrations were added to P. ramorum-infested sand and baited with rhododendron leaf disks. Infection decreased with increasing salt concentration and increased with higher initial concentration of P. ramorum. This research helps to better understand the effects of water quality on survival and infectivity of P. ramorum, expanding the potential survey range.     

Identification of Avramr1 from Phytophthora infestans using long read and cDNA pathogen-enrichment sequencing (PenSeq)

Potato late blight, caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans, significantly hampers potato production. Recently, a new Resistance to Phytophthora infestans (Rpi) gene, Rpi-amr1, was cloned from a wild Solanum species, Solanum americanum. Identification of the corresponding recognized effector (Avirulence or Avr) genes from P. infestans is key to elucidating their naturally occurring sequence variation, which in turn informs the potential durability of the cognate late blight resistance. To identify the P. infestans effector recognized by Rpi-amr1, we screened available RXLR effector libraries and used long read and cDNA pathogen-enrichment sequencing (PenSeq) on four P. infestans isolates to explore the untested effectors. Using single-molecule real-time sequencing (SMRT) and cDNA PenSeq, we identified 47 highly expressed effectors from P. infestans, including PITG_07569, which triggers a highly specific cell death response when transiently coexpressed with Rpi-amr1 in Nicotiana benthamiana, suggesting that PITG_07569 is Avramr1. Here we demonstrate that long read and cDNA PenSeq enables the identification of full-length RXLR effector families and their expression profile. This study has revealed key insights into the evolution and polymorphism of a complex RXLR effector family that is associated with the recognition by Rpi-amr1.     

Changes in spatial and temporal distributions of Monochamus beetles along the fire severity in burned Pinus densiflora forests

Wildfire is an important disturbance factor in forest ecosystem and could affect the distribution of insects. Because Monochamus beetles are known vector insects of pine wood nematodes in Korea and burnt pine trees can be used as oviposition habitats for Monochamus beetles, we investigated changes in the spatial (among fire severity classes) and temporal (between years) distributions of M. alternatus and M. saltuarius. From late May 2017 to early October 2018, four multi-funnel traps with pheromone lure were installed in each fire severity class (unburned, light, light-moderate edge, moderate-severe edge, and severe). All traps were replaced fortnightly from May to October for two years. The spatial distribution of the two Monochamus beetles was significantly affected by fire severity. In particular, M. alternatus showed higher catches in the severely burned sites and responded positively to the fire. A similar number of M. saltuarius individuals were observed between 2017 and 2018, while more M. alternatus were caught in 2018 compared to 2017. Consequently, it was confirmed that the dead wood of P. densiflora caused by the wildfire had a great influence on the density of insects, especially M. alternatus.     

Rice leaf extract synthesized silver nanoparticles: An in vitro fungicidal evaluation against Rhizoctonia solani,the causative agent of sheath blight disease in rice

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NP) were synthesized using rice leaf extract and optimized synthetic conditions were found to be 0.4 % leaf extract, 0.6 mM AgNO₃ and 30 min of autoclaving. Produced NP were characterized using UV–vis, DLS, zeta potential, XRD, TEM and FTIR. Ag NP formation was established from UV–vis spectra and NP showed zeta potential value of −27.4 mV. NP were spherical, polydisperse and average size was 16.5 ± 6.2 nm. Antifungal activity of Ag NP was assessed by poisoned food technique and resazurin broth dilution against mycelium and sclerotia of fungus R. solani, the causative agent of sheath blight disease in rice. Results confirmed effective hyphal growth inhibition and % growth inhibition was dose dependent (2.5–10 μg/mL). Ag NP showed enhanced mycelial inhibition (81.7–96.7 %) at 10 μg/mL. MIC values of Ag NP were in the range of 5–10 and 15–20 μg/mL towards fungal mycelium and sclerotia, respectively. Ag NP treatment (20 μg/mL) completely inhibited the disease incidence at 20 μg/mL. Ag NP treatment (10 μg/mL) caused 1.3 and 1.5 times enhancement in seedling vigor index. Hence, Ag NP can be utilized towards management and control of various fungal diseases of crops.     

Morphological and molecular identification of Colletotrichum siamense,a novel leaf pathogen associated with Sterculia lanceolata recorded in China

Sterculia lanceolata, an important tropical woody plant, has high ornamental and medicinal value. To our knowledge, only brown root disease in this plant has been reported. In Nanning, Guangxi, China, an outbreak of leaf blight disease was observed on S. lanceolata in June 2019, with the leaf infection rate ranging from 80% to 100%. The disease seriously affected the leaves of trees and caused economic loss. Eight isolates were recovered from the infected leaves of different trees, and the pathogenicity was then determined by the methods of mycelial disc and conidial suspension, fulfilling Koch's postulates. According to the morphological and molecular biological characteristics of isolates, the pathogen causing leaf blight on S. lanceolata was identified as Colletotrichum siamense. Accurate identification of the pathogen provides a reliable basis for the control of the disease.