Coming to America: Acclimation in macaque body structures and Bergmann’s rule

I analyzed somatometric measurements from subsets of the Texas and Oregon transplanted troops of Japanese macaques(Macaca fuscata) to reveal secular changes in body size and shape. Body weights of the Texas population (N = 59) are lower than those of the Oregon population(N = 49) and the founding population from Arashiyama. The adult weights of the Oregon population are significantly higher than the founding population from Mihara. There are significant differences in adult circumferential measures and in skinfolds, which are correlated with the increased weight of the Oregon macaques. The adult Texas macaques have longer limb segments in comparison with the adult Oregon troop members, while the latter have significantly longer heads and trunks. Examination of the developing morphological trends through regression analyses on the complete sample suggests distinctive growth patterns for each population. Members of the Texas population start with smaller initial measurements but hold a steeper growth pattern for limb segments, while the Oregon macaques start larger in most measures and show lower growth rates. I argue that these differences in both somatometry and growth patterns are related to the differing climatic conditions under which the translocated macaques have lived. This set of analyses supports the basic arguments for Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule.     

Plant regeneration from ryegrass ovules cultivated on endosperm-derived feeder cells

An efficient method for the regeneration of zygote-derived plants via ovule culture is desirable for overcoming postzygotic cross incompatibility as well as for the development of certain methods for genetic manipulation. High-frequency plantlet regeneration from ovules of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and a hybrid Italian/perennial ryegrass excised 1 to 4 days post pollination was obtained by culture on endosperm-derived feeder cells. Ovules excised 3 or 4 days after anthesis and grown on feeder cells generally regenerated about twice as frequently as ovules grown directly on nutrient medium. In one of the genotypes tested, ovules excised 1, 2 and 3 days post pollination developed into plantlets at percentages of 38.1, 52.0 and 52.8, respectively, using the feeder-cell system.Abbreviations EM endosperm multiplications - OC ovule culture - R regeneration - 2,4-d 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid     

Mapping economic trait loci for somatic cell score in Holstein cattle using microsatellite markers and selective genotyping

Marker-assisted selection (MAS) uses genetic marker genotypes to predict an animal's production potential and will provide additional selection information for progeny testing. With the discovery of highly polymorphic microsatellite markers, the tools now exist to begin the search for economic trait loci (ETL), which is the first step toward MAS. The objective of this study was to identify ETL for somatic cell score in an existing Holstein population. Using the granddaughter design, sons from seven grandsire families were genotyped with 20 autosomal microsatellites from five chromosomes (4, 8, 13, 17, 23), with an emphasis on chromosome 23, which is the location of the bovine major histocompatibility complex (BoLA). Selective genotyping was used to reduce the number of genotypes required, in which the 10 highest and 10 lowest sons from the phenotypic distribution curve were tested (140 sons in seven families). One marker (513), located near BoLA, showed evidence of an ETL in three of five polymorphic families. Additional sons were genotyped from the five families to estimate the effect and to compare selective and ‘complete’ genotyping. Both methods detected an ETL at marker 513, but in different families. This study provides evidence of the usefulness of microsatellite markers and the granddaughter design in the detection of ETL; however, additional markers need to be evaluated to determine the usefulness of selective genotyping. Based on the results from the 20 studied markers, the most likely position of a somatic cell score ETL lies near marker 513, located on chromosome 23.     

Role of purine metabolism in thidiazuron-induced somatic embryogenesis of geranium (Pelargonium × hortorum) hypocotyl cultures

Somatic embryogenesis in geranium ( Pelargonium × hortorum Bailey cv. Scarlet Orbit Improved) was achieved by culturing hypocotyl sections on Murashige and Skoog (1962) (MS) medium containing 10 μ M thidiazuron (TDZ) (induction medium) for 3 days and subsequently transferring the sections onto a basal medium lacking any plant growth regulators (expression medium). Addition of the purine analogue 2.6-diaminopurine (DAP) to the somatic embryo induction medium completely inhibited the embryogenic response as well as chlorophyll accumulation without affecting enlargement of the treated tissues. Addition of 20 μ M adenine sulphate to the expression medium, i.e during embryo growth and development phase, completely reversed the DAP-induced inhibition of the embryogenic response while addition during the induction phase caused only a 50% reversal of the inhibition. Analysis of endogenous levels of plant growth substances indicated that TDZ alone elevated the levels of auxins, cy-tokinins and abscisic acid while the presence of DAP during the induction phase caused a further increase in the levels of adenine and adenosine. These findings indicate a possible critical role for purines in embryogenesis from geranium hypocotyl tissues. However, the conversion of cytokinin bases to their corresponding nucleotide forms was not evident as the levels of isopentenyl adenine and zeatin increased during the second day of culture.     

Photocontrol of somatic embryogenesis and polyamine content in Araujia sericifera petals

The effects of photoperiod and end-of-day phytochrome control on somatic embryogenesis and polyamine (PA) content in Araujia sericifera petals have been studied. Petals from immature flowers were cultured under 16- and 8-h photoperiods. Far red (FR), red (R) and FR followed by R light treatments were applied at the end of the photoperiods for three weeks. The number of somatic embryos, callus weight and the levels of free and bound PAs in the cultured petal explants were determined 40 days after the beginning of light treatments. Long day (LD) promoted somatic embryogenesis but did not have any significant effect on PA content. Short day (SD) reduced somatic embryogenesis and enhanced total PAs, mainly in the form of bound spermidine. End-of-day FR treatment increased PA content and inhibited somatic embryogensis under LD but had no significant effect under SD. This effect of FR on PA levels was cancelled by R and was independent of the presence of silver thiosulphate in the medium. End-of-day R treatment reduced the total PA content under SD. However, end-of-day R increased or reduced somatic embryogenesis under SD depending on the presence or absence of silver in the medium. The results suggest a photoperiodic control of somatic embryogenesis and PA content in A. sericifera. The effects of end-of-day R and FR treatments depend on the length of the photoperiod. This finding and the FR/R photoreversibility of end-of-day treatments indicate that phytochrome may be involved in both somatic embryogenesis and accumulation of PA.     

Genetically stable cell lines of cucumber for the large-scale production of diploid somatic embryos

For the initiation of embryogenic cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.) cell lines, from excised radicles, directly in liquid medium, the culture regime, explant density and type and concentration of hormones were adjusted so that pro-embryogenic masses (PEMs) were formed within about 8 weeks. The established cucumber cell lines were maintained tor several years without loss of embryogenic and genetic stability. The ploidy level of somatic embryos from different cucumber eell lines was either diploid or tetraploid and depended on the ploidy level of Ihe cell line. Cucumber cell lines that produced only diploid embryos were obtained by selecting completely diploid explant material and growing it in the dark during the initiation phase. Mixoploid explains could lead to tetraploid or mixoploid ceil lines. Isolation and additional selection and subculturing of single PEMs resulted in either completely diploid or tetraploid cell lines, indicating that all cells of individual PEMs are either diploid or tetraploid. The ernbryogenic cucumber cell Imes, differing only in ploidy level, were indistinguishable in growth rate and embryogetiic potential and were genetically stable over several years.     

Intergeneric somatic hybrid plantlets between Dianthus barbatus and Gypsophila paniculata obtained by electrofusion

Hypocotyl-derived protoplasts of Dianthus barbatus that had been pretreated with iodoacetamide were fused electrically with cell suspension culture-derived protoplasts of Gypsophila paniculata that could divide to form callus but could not regenerate shoots under the culture conditions used in this study. Electrofusion-derived calli which produced shoots were selected as putative somatic hybrids, and plantlets were subsequently regenerated from 2 of these selected calli. These plantlets, which in vitro produced flowers precociously, were identified as intergeneric somatic hybrids by nuclear ribosomal DNA analysis. Normal plants have not been established up to the present.     

Effect of abscisic acid, osmolarity and partial desiccation on the development of recalcitrant mango somatic embryos

Inhibition of mango somatic embryo growth was inducedin vitro by treatments for 4 or more weeks with abscisic acid (0–100 M ABA) with and without high osmolarity provided by mannitol (0–10%). High osmolarity and ABA significantly affected somatic embryo length, precocious germination and the production of good quality secondary somatic embryos. High osmolarity also affected root elongation. Abscisic acid was more effective in suppressing growth and development of 0.5 cm-length somatic embryos than smaller somatic embryos. Development beyond the heart stage was significantly inhibited by both ABA and mannitol treatments. The recovery of good quality somatic embryos was enhanced by high levels of ABA (100 M) with and without mannitol (0–5%). Somatic embryos that had been pulsed with ABA were partially desiccated at different relative humidities. Weight loss was affected only by relative humidity; and ABA did not enhance desiccation tolerance.Abbreviations ABA Abscisic acid - 2,4-D 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - MM1 Mango maturation medium - RH Relative humidity