Ethylene production by loblolly pine seedlings associated with water stress

Effects of water stress on production of ethylene and its precursor, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), by loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda L.) seedlings from a Texas drought-hardy and a Virginia Coastal Plain source were investigated. Ethylene production rates in needles from the Virgnia source increased slightly with initial stress (-1.3 MPa), declined until water potential reached -1.6 MPa and then increased sharply at -2.5 MPa. The ethylene production rates in needles from the Texas also increased slightly with initial stress, then decreased with decreasing water potential. Ethylene production by root tissue was two to three times higher than needle tissue and decreased with decreasing water potential. ACC concentrations in needles of both seed sources decreased as water potential began decreasing. Below -1.4 MPa, ACC levels started increasing (Texas source) or remained constant until -2.8 MPa (Virginia source) at which time its level increased three-fold. Mean ACC levels in root tissue [122 nmol (g dry weight)⁻¹] were slightly higher than the mean levels in the needle tissue [92 nmol (g dry weight) ⁻¹]; roots apparently were more efficient in converting it to ethylene since ethylene production was two to three times higher than needle tissue. The modulation of ethylene synthesis by ACC synthase and ethyleneforming enzyme appeared to be influenced by stress level, organ and seed source.     

Characterization of a promoter up mutation in the -35 region of the promoter of the primer for ColE1 replication

Summary A point mutation in the -35 region of the promoter of the primer for initiation of DNA replication in the plasmid pMB1 was characterized. This base change causes a promoter up phenotype. The analysis of a second mutant obtained by site-directed mutagenesis allowed the exclusion of a role in the phenotype for the potential intrastrand secondary structure as well as for the methylation state of the DNA in the promoter region. The promoter up phenotype is concluded to be due to a change in the primary structure of the — 35 element with the consequent production of a better cluster of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors for the RNA polymerase.     

Factors encoded by and affecting the holding stability of yeast plasmid pSR1

Summary A 2 m DNA-like plasmid, pSR1, isolated from a strain of Zygosaccharomyces rouxii has three coding frames, P, S and R. Insertional inactivation of R completely abolished the intramolecular recombination, and the defect was complemented by an intact R frame on a coexistent plasmid molecule. The P and S regions were also transactive and important, but not essential, for the stable maintenance of the plasmid molecules. Insertional disruption of the P frame suggested that it produces a protein factor. Similar insertional disruption of the S frame affected the plasmid stability in Z. rouxii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae hosts differently, depending on whether the inserted DNA fragment was a short 8 bp SalI linker or a long (2.2 kb) DNA fragment. Results strongly suggested that the S region encodes two factors, one RNA and the other a protein, and that the S protein is compatible with a sprecific hostfactor in Z. rouxii, but not in S. cerevisiae. In addition, a cis-acting locus, Z, was found at a site in the plasmid molecule where no distinct open reading frames were located. No long direct repeats or inverted repeats were observed in the Z region, such as are found in the REP3 locus of 2 m DNA.     

Auxin-stimulated ethylene production in fern gametophytes and sporophytes

The auxins indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) stimulated ethylene production from gametophytes of the fern Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn. var. latiusculum (Desv) underw. ex Heller and sporophytes of the ferns Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.)Todaro and Polystichum munitum (Kaulf.) Presl. Treatment with Co²⁺ or l -α -(2-aminoethoxyvinyl)-glycine (AVG) eleminated or significantly reduced the stimulatory effects of IAA. Treatment with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) resulted in significantly greater rates of ethylene production from all tissues tested. Based on their response to auxin, ACC, AVG and Co²⁺, the ethylene biosynthetic pathway in these three lower vascular plants appears similar to that existing in angiosperms.     

Inheritance and linkage relationships of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase isoenzymes in apple

Summary Four zones of enzymatic activity for glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) were found in apple tissue. A dimeric gene, GOT-1, determining the fastest migrating zone, was identified. Six alleles were found, including a near null allelle which produced detectable heterodimeric bands but not homodimeric bands. A marked deficit or absence of certain geno-types in all backcrosses and in some crosses between unrelated varieties was attributed to the close linkage (r=0.02±0.005) of GOT-1 with the incompatibility S locus. GOT-1 was also closely linked with the isocitrate dehydrogenase locus IDH-1 (0.03±0.01). Proposed incompatibility genotypes for four cultivars, and the linked GOT-1 alleles are Cox: S ₁ b/S ₂ d, Idared: S ₃ a/S ₄ c, Fiesta: S ₃ a/S ₂ d and Kent: S ₃ a/S ₁ b.The results reported in this paper are part of a PhD Thesis by the first author     

Comparison of the electron spin polarized spectrum found in plant photosystem I and in iron-depleted bacterial reaction centers with time-resolved K-band EPR; evidence that the photosystem I acceptor A1 is a quinone

The suggestion that the electron acceptor A₁ in plant photosystem I (PSI) is a quinone molecule is tested by comparisons with the bacterial photosystem. The electron spin polarized (ESP) EPR signal due to the oxidized donor and reduced quinone acceptor (P ₈₇₀ ⁺ Q^-) in iron-depleted bacterial reaction centers has similar spectral characteristics as the ESP EPR signal in PSI which is believed to be due to P ₇₀₀ ⁺ A ₁ ^- , the oxidized PSI donor and reduced A₁. This is also true for better resolved spectra obtained at K-band (24 GHz). These same spectral characteristics can be simulated using a powder spectrum based on the known g-anisotropy of reduced quinones and with the same parameter set for Q^- and A₁ ^-. The best resolution of the ESP EPR signal has been obtained for deuterated PSI particles at K-band. Simulation of the A₁ ^- contribution based on g-anisotropy yields the same parameters as for bacterial Q^- (except for an overall shift in the anisotropic g-factors, which have previously been determined for Q^-). These results provide evidence that A₁ is a quinone molecule. The electron spin polarized signal of P₇₀₀ ⁺ is part of the better resolved spectrum from the deuterated PSI particles. The nature of the P₇₀₀ ⁺ ESP is not clear; however, it appears that it does not exhibit the polarization pattern required by mechanisms which have been used so far to explain the ESP in PSI.Abbreviations hf hyperfine - A₀ A₀ acceptor of photosystem I - A₁ A₁ acceptor of photosystem I - Brij-58 polyoxyethylene 20 cetyl ether - CP1 photosystem I particles which lack ferridoxin acceptors - ESP electron spin polarized - EPR electron paramagnetic resonance - I intermediary electron acceptor, bacteriopheophytin - LDAO lauryldimethylamine - N-oxide, P₇₀₀ primary electron donor of photosystem I - PSI photosystem I - P₇₀₀ ^T triplet state of primary donor of photosystem I - P₈₇₀ primary donor in R. sphaeroides reaction center - Q quinore-acceptor in photosynthetic bacteria - RC reaction center     

盾叶薯蓣地上部分的三个新甾体皂甙

从盾叶薯蓣Dioscorea zingiberensis Wright地上部分分离鉴定了四个甾体皂甙,经鉴定甙A为约莫皂甙元-3-O-[α-L-鼠李吡喃糖基(1→2)]-β-D-葡萄吡喃糖甙;甙B为24α-羟基约莫皂甙元-3-O-[α-L-鼠李吡喃糖基(1→2)]β-D-葡萄吡喃糖甙;甙C为约莫皂甙元-3-O-[α-L-鼠李吡喃糖基(1→2)][β-D-葡萄吡喃糖基(1→4)]-β-D-葡萄吡喃糖基;甙D为约莫皂甙元-3-O-[α-L-鼠李吡喃糖基(1→2)][β-D-葡萄吡喃糖基(1→3)]-β-D-葡萄吡喃糖甙。前三者为新化合物,分别命名为盾叶皂甙A_1、A_2、A_3(zingiberoside A_1、A_2、A_3),其中盾叶皂甙A_2的甙元为一新甾体皂甙元,命名为盾叶皂甙元(zingiberogenin)。     

Interaction of iodinated vinculin, metavinculin and α-actinin with cytoskeletal proteins

Iodinated vinculin, metavinculin and α-actinin were used to probe the interaction of these proteins with electrophoretically separated cytoskeletal proteins. Using the gel overlay technique, we detected strong binding of ¹²⁵I-vinculin and ¹²⁵I-metavinculin to α-actinin, 175 kDa polypeptide, talin, vinculin and metavinculin themselves, and moderate binding to actin.¹²⁵I-α-actinin was capable of interacting with vinculin and metavinculin. The specific binding of ¹²⁵-I-α-actinin to vinculin and metavinculin immobilized on a polysterene surface was also demonstrated. We suggest that the ability of vinculin and α-actinin to form a complex may be realized in microfilament-membrane linkages.