The CCAAT binding factor can mediate interactions between CONSTANS-like proteins and DNA

CONSTANS-Like (COL) proteins are plant-specific nuclear regulators of gene expression but do not contain a known DNA-binding motif. We tested whether a common DNA-binding protein can deliver these proteins to specific cis-acting elements. We screened for proteins that interact with two members of a subgroup of COL proteins. These COL proteins were Tomato COL1 (TCOL1), which does not seem to be involved in the control of flowering time, and the Arabidopsis thaliana CONSTANS (AtCO) protein which mediates photoperiodic induction of flowering. We show that the C-terminal plant-specific CCT (CO, CO-like, TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1) domain of both proteins binds the trimeric CCAAT binding factor (CBF) via its HAP5/NF-YC component. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that TCOL is recruited to the CCAAT motifs of the yeast CYC1 and HEM1 promoters by HAP5. In Arabidopsis, each of the three CBF components is encoded by several different genes that are highly transcribed. Under warm long days, high levels of expression of a tomato HAP5 (THAP5a) gene can reduce the flowering time of Arabidopsis. A mutation in the CCT domain of TCOL1 disrupts the interaction with THAP5 and the analogous mutation in AtCO impairs its function and delays flowering. CBFs are therefore likely to recruit COL proteins to their DNA target motifs in planta.     

The Effects of Root-knot Nematode Infection and Mi-mediated Nematode Resistance in Tomato on Plant Fitness

The Mi-1.2 resistance gene in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) confers resistance against several species of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). This study examined the impact of M. javanica on the reproductive fitness of near-isogenic tomato cultivars with and without Mi-1.2 under field and greenhouse conditions. Surprisingly, neither nematode inoculation or host plant resistance impacted the yield of mature fruits in field microplots (inoculum=8,000 eggs/plant), or fruit or seed production in a follow-up greenhouse bioassay conducted with a higher inoculum level (20,000 eggs/plant). However, under heavy nematode pressure (200,000 eggs/plant), greenhouse-grown plants carrying Mi-1.2 had more than ten-fold greater fruit production than susceptible plants and nearly forty-fold greater estimated lifetime seed production, confirming prior reports of the benefits of Mi-1.2. In all cases Mi-mediated resistance significantly reduced nematode reproduction. These results indicated that tomato can utilize tolerance mechanisms to compensate for moderate levels of nematode infection, but that the Mi-1.2 resistance gene confers a dramatic fitness benefit under heavy nematode pressure. No significant cost of resistance was detected in the absence of nematode infection.     

Nucleotide sequence and expression of a ripening and water stress-related cDNA from tomato with homology to the MIP class of membrane channel proteins

The nucleotide sequence and derived amino acid sequence were determined for a full-length version of the tomato cDNA clone, pTOM75, the mRNA for which has previously been shown to accumulate in roots, ripening fruit and senescing leaves. Computer analysis of the predicted protein product, which we have named tomato ripening-associated membrane protein (TRAMP) indicates strong homology to known transmembrane channel proteins from other organisms. Northern analysis showed that this gene was induced by waterstress and that this induction was unaffected in an ABA-deficient genetic back-ground.     

Scanning Electron Microscope Study of the Root-knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) on Tomato Root

This study examines the types of structural information that can be gained by utilizing the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a cryofracture technique to examine the host-parasite interaction. Roots of tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Marglobe, were cultured aseptically and inoculated with the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. Twenty-four hours to four weeks after inoculation, developing galls were removed from the cultures and processed for SEM observation. The cryofracture technique was used to reveal internal structural features within the developing galls. The results illustrate structural details concerning penetration of the roots, differentiation of syncytia, and development of the nematodes beginning with the second-stage larvae and ending with adult egg-laying females.     

Purification and characterization of a glucokinase from young tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. Mill.) fruit

In order to clearly establish the properties of the enzymes responsible for hexose phosphorylation we have undertaken the separation and characterization of these enzymes present in tomato fruit (Martinez-Barajas and Randall 1996). This report describes the partial purification and characterization of glucokinase (EC. 2.7.1.1) from young green tomato fruit. The procedure yielded a 360-fold enrichment of glucokinase. Tomato fruit glucokinase is a monomer with a molecular mass of 53 kDa. Glucokinase activity was optimal between pH 7.5 and 8.5, preferred ATP as the phosphate donor (K _m = 0.223 mM) and exhibited low activity with GTP or UTP. The tomato fruit glucokinase showed highest affinity for glucose (K _m = 65 μM). Activity observed with glucose was 4-fold greater than with mannose and 50-fold greater than with fructose. The tomato fruit glucokinase was sensitive to product inhibition by ADP (K _i = 36 μM). Little inhibition was observed with glucose 6-phosphate (up to 15 mM) at pH 8.0; however, at pH 7.0 glucokinase activity was inhibited 30–50% by physiological concentrations of glucose 6-phosphate. Received: 4 October 1997 / Accepted: 10 January 1998     

Plant-growth regulators derived from the sweetener stevioside

A series of isosteviol derivatives such as aromatic esters and amino acid amides were synthesized. Their effects on seed germination and root elongation of the crop plants, Capsicum annuum, Lens culinaris medicus, Lycopersicon esculentum, Trifollium spp. and Triticum vulgare, were studied. The derivatives could be arranged into four groups: (1) seed germination inhibitors (2) root elongation inhibitors (3) root elongation inducers (4) general inhibitors.     

番茄是烟青虫的寄主植物吗？

长期以来,国内有关文献一直将番茄列为烟青虫Helicoverpa assulta的寄主植物,但田间调查结果往往与此矛盾,本研究的目的是阐明番茄是否为烟青虫的寄主植物。室内试验表明,虽然烟青虫成虫在盆栽番茄植株上产卵较多,但无论是用番茄离体嫩叶还是用盆栽植株饲养,初孵幼虫绝大部分在1龄死亡,平均存活时间很短,不会对番茄造成有经济意义的危害;即使用番茄青果饲养的3龄幼虫也不能活到6龄。根据人工饲料饲养结果估测,番茄苷对初孵幼虫的致死中浓度LC₅₀为0.0744%,叶和青果中报道的番茄苷含量已接近或超过此水平,这是幼虫不能存活的主要原因之一。田间调查也表明,烟青虫并不危害番茄。因此,番茄不是烟青虫的寄主植物。文献中的记载很可能是将棉铃虫误判为烟青虫。     

Increased Growth and Yield of Hydroponically Grown Greenhouse Tomato Plants Inoculated with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici

The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Glomus monosporum, G. vesiculiferum, G. deserticola, G. intraradices, G. mosseae, and two unidentified species were tested to determine their effect on plant growth and fruit production of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cv. Trust inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (FORL) under near-commercial greenhouse conditions. Inoculation with G. monosporum and G. mosseae significantly increased fruit yield and fruit number of tomato plants grown hydroponically in sawdust. Plant height and plant dry weight increased significantly when inoculated with G. monosporum and G. mosseae. Further, plants inoculated with G. monosporum and G. mosseae showed significantly lower FORL root infection than the untreated control plants.