Morphological analysis of female gametophyte development in the bel1 stk shp1 shp2 mutant

Abstract

In Arabidopsis thaliana, cell fate in developing ovules is determined by the action of the homeodomain factor BELL1 (BEL1) and of the MADS-box factors SEEDSTICK (STK), SHATTERPROOF1 (SHP1) and SHP2. The analysis of the bel1 and the stk shp1 shp2 mutants revealed that the functional megaspore is formed, however, it does not proceed into megagametogenesis. In the bel1 stk shp1 shp2, quadruple mutant megasporogenesis does not take place. In this article we describe a detailed morphological analysis of the quadruple mutant, and we discuss the possibility that BELL1, STK, SHP1 and SHP2 not only control integument identity determination and development, but that they might also play a role during megasporogenesis.     

Immunocytochemical characterisation of endophytic bacteriaAzospirillum brasilense, Herbaspirillum seropedicae, Burkholderia ambifaria andGluconacetobacter diazotrophicus

In the present work an immunocytochemical characterisation of four endophytic bacterial species has been made by using polyclonal antiserum produced against each of the four bacterial strains previously heated at 60 °C. The aim of this researchsito identify common elements among bacteria associated with their endophytic behaviour. Analysis of extracts of each strain by immunoblotting and ELISA confirmed the presence of proteins from different bacterial strains made up of common epitopes. However, antisaproduced againstHerbaspirillum seropedicae andBurkholderia ambifaria show a high number of bands recognised on each extracts, while antisera againstAzospirillum brasilense andGluconacetobacter diazotrophicus show a low number of bands recognised on each extract. Immunogold labelling showed that epitopes are located both on the cell wall and in the cytoplasm; most likely they could be preursor cell wall proteins synthesized inside the cytoplasm and subsequently transported onto cell wall. Finally, the common bands amog bacterial strains revealed by immunoblotting could play a role as active hydrolases involved in host tissue penetration.     

Mutagenicity of 4-hydroxynonenal in V79 Chinese hamster cells

4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE), a major product of the peroxidation of liver microsomal lipids, was examined for mutagenic activity at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase locus in V79 Chinese hamster lung cells. At concentrations ranging from 10 to 45 microM, HNE induced a dose-dependent increase in the number of mutations to 6-thioguanine resistance, which reached the level of 4.7X baseline at the highest concentration tested.     

De novo root formation in thin cell layers of tobacco: changes in free and bound polyamines

Thin cell layers excised from tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samsun) stem internodes, with an appropriate exogenous hormonal balance, were able to form a greater number of roots, and in a larger percentage of the explants (93%) than when they were excised from pedicels (40%). The developmental sequence of root formation and explant growth were followed by histological analysis. Free and bound [trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-soluble and -insoluble] putrescine and spermidine increased in the explants, particularly when root meristemoids appeared. These meristemoids originated in the superficial (day 6 in culture) or deep (days 10–11) layers and inside the newly formed callus (day 25). At those times, TCA-soluble and, to a lesser extent, TCA-insoluble bound putrescine predominated over the other polyamines. Spermine was always present in trace amounts. Polyamines decreased again when root and callus formation was completed (day 30). The involvement of these three classes of polyamines (free, TCA-soluble and -insoluble) in morphogenic processes is discussed.     

Effect of the different dimeric forms of the platelet-derived growth factor on cellular responses in mouse Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts

PDGF consists of two polypeptide chains, A and B, and all three possible dimers have been isolated from different sources. Human PDGF, essentially AB, porcine PDGF (BB) and recombinant PDGF-AA were tested on Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts for their ability to stimulate mitogenesis, phosphoinositide turnover and tyrosine phosphorylation of the PDGF receptor. When used in saturating amounts, the three isoforms were equally active in inducing mitogenesis. However, PDGF-AA was less active than AB and BB to induce the phosphorylation of the receptor and the turnover of phosphoinositides (30% and 50%, respectively). These findings suggest that, in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts, PDGF receptors of the alpha-type are present in a slightly lower amount than beta-type. In addition, the two types of receptor appear to have similar physiological functions.     

Characterization and molecular cloning of Bifidobacterium longum cryptic plasmid pMB1

The small cryptic plasmid pMB1 (1.9 kb), previously isolated from Bifidobacterium longum, has been characterized by physical mapping. Two cloning vectors, pMR3 and pDG7, carrying chloramphenicol and ampicillin resistances derived from pJH101, have been electroporated in Escherichia coli.     

Accumulation and Interconversion of Amino Acids in Rice Roots under Anoxia

In excised rice roots, anaerobic degradation of proteins gaverise to an increase of free-amino acids. Anoxic accumulationof alanine, -aminobutyric acid and proline was the consequenceof the interconversion of glutamate, aspartate and amides. Theshift in the composition of the amino acid pool appears to becaused by changes in keto acid levels. The role of reactionsinvolved in amino acid interconversion and the physiologicalsignificance of these interconversions are considered and discussed. (Received November 25, 1988; Accepted June 9, 1988)     

Genotoxicity testing of chloramphenicol in rodent and human cells

The results of this work, carried out to extend the limited information at present available on the genotoxic potential of chloramphenicol (CAP), indicate that in millimolar concentrations this antibacterial agent produced a minimal amount of DNA fragmentation in both V79 cells and metabolically competent rat hepatocytes. Moreover, a level of DNA-repair synthesis indicative of a weak but positive response was detected in primary cultures of liver cells obtained from 2 of 3 human donors, and a borderline degree of repair was present in those prepared from rats. The promutagenic character of CAP-induced DNA lesions was confirmed by a low but significant increase in the frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant clones of V79 cells, which, however, was absent when the exposure was done in the presence of co-cultured rat hepatocytes. Finally, oral administration to rats of 1/2 LD50 CAP did not increase the incidence of either micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes or micronucleated hepatocytes. Taken as a whole these findings suggest that CAP should be considered a compound intrinsically capable of producing a very weak genotoxic effect, but only at concentrations about 25 times higher than those occurring in patients treated with maximal therapeutic dosages.     

cdc2 phosphorylation is required for its interaction with cyclin.

Activation of the cdc2 protein kinase at different stages of the cell cycle is regulated by post-translational modifications and interactions with cyclins. We show that in vitro translated human cdc2 binds very poorly to A and B cyclins, unless it has been preincubated with a Xenopus egg extract. This results in the phosphorylation of cdc2 which allows binding to cyclins. The replacement of Thr161, a residue conserved and phosphorylated in other protein kinases, with valine inhibits cdc2 association with A and B cyclins. In addition, mutations in the amino-terminus of cdc2 and within the conserved 'PSTAIR' region strongly inhibit binding. The Thr161Val mutation causes a lethal phenotype in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, while replacement of Thr161 with glutamic acid, potentially mimicking phosphorylation, causes uncoordination of mitosis and multiple cytokinesis. These results suggest that a threonine phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycle is involved in regulating cdc2 function.     

DNA fragmentation by N-nitrosodimethylamine and methyl methanesulfonate in human hepatocyte primary cultures

The ability of N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) and methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) to induce DNA damage in primary cultures of human hepatocytes was examined by the alkaline elution technique. Both the agents induced a dose-dependent increase in DNA elution rate, but appreciable differences in the degree of response to the procarcinogen DMN were observed among cultures obtained from the livers of four patients. A comparative analysis of DNA fragmentation indicated a substantial similarity between human and concurrently studied rat hepatocytes in their response to both DMN and MMS.