Rheological and structural properties of starches from γ-irradiated and stored potatoes

Starch was extracted from irradiated and stored potato tubers and the properties were compared to CIPC (chlorpropham) treated tubers. The granule properties and dynamic viscoelasticity in temperature ramp and frequency sweep modes were studied while heating the samples. Starch structural characteristics were investigated by high performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Gamma-irradiation of potato tubers at a dosage of 0.1 kGy induced some degradation of starch molecules, resulting in earlier swelling of starch granules, and greater extents of amylose and total carbohydrate leaching. The early swelling phenomenon was also enhanced with tuber storage time. The retrogradation rate and extent for a concentrated starch gel also increased with tuber storage time whereas γ-irradiation delayed the gel retrogradation. Sprout inhibiting methods could be selected based on the specific processing and texture requirements of the end products.     

Effects of carbanilates on the growth and development of cell suspension cultures of Acer pseudoplatanus

The effects of three isopropyl carbanilate derivatives (propham, chlorpropham, 3,4-diCl isopropyl carbanilate) were studied on Acer pseudoplatanus L. cell suspension cultures (Lamport's strain). At 0.1 m M , three types of effects were observed: the 3,4-diCl derivative rapidly killed the cells; chlorpropham inhibited mitosis, but the cells remained alive without any significant increase in fresh or dry matter; and propham strongly inhibited mitosis, but not cell growth.
Ultrastructural analysis indicated that no observable changes in mitochondrial or plastid density occurred during the cytoplasmic expansion in the presence of propham. Size increase was also accompanied by vacuolar expansion and morphological changes of the nuclei. In Acer cell cultures, isopropyl carbanilates clearly show selective inhibition of mitosis only when the phenyl ring is not substituted by chlorine.     

Ultrastructural effects of the herbicide chlorpropham (CIPC) in root tip cells of wheat

The present ultrastructural investigation on the effects of 50 M chlorpropham (previously called CIPC) on growing roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum (L.) Thell cv. Vergina) was undertaken to clarify the mechanism of a carbamate herbicide action in plant cells, since the wide range of responses of plant cells to carbamate herbicides is based mainly on immunofluorescence studies. Cells of control roots contained abundant microtubules both in interphase and mitotic arrays. In chlorpropham-treated roots, however, no microtubules could be detected at all, neither in dividing nor in differentiating cells. Cycling cells became binucleate, polyploid or contained incomplete cell walls, the result of inhibition of cytokinesis. In long-term drug treatments (24 h or more) the affected cells entered a new cycle, which, however, did not progress beyond mid-metaphase. The nuclei of binucleate cells initiated prophase synchronously. Small vacuoles and Golgi vesicles were trapped within the nucleoplasm of the multilobed nuclei. In roots recovering from 8 h chlorpropham treatment, cells continued to exhibit polyploid nuclei, intranuclear vacuoles and incomplete walls. Microtubules reappeared but they were sparse and lacked a definite orientation. Preprophase cells did not form normal preprophase bands of microtubules, while mitotic cells occasionally contained microtubules bound to chromosomes and converged to minipoles. It is concluded that chlorpropham disorganized directly microtubules in addition to irreversibly affecting microtubule organizing centres, which failed to further support microtubule arrays.     

Anti-herbicide single-chain antibody expression confers herbicide tolerance in transgenic plants

An anti-chlorpropham single-chain variable-fragment (scFv) gene was introduced into Arabidopsis in a manner to express the antibody fragment in each of four different subcellular compartments. The accumulation of scFv in transgenic plants was detected by targeting the fragment in the endoplasmic reticulum or apoplastic space, or by expressing the fragment as a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein, while no accumulation could be detected by targeting the fragment in the cytosol. Transgenic plants accumulating the scFv gene at a high level in the endoplasmic reticulum had enhanced tolerance to chlorpropham in comparison with the non-transformants.