Ultrastructure of the developing pigment strand of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in relation to its role in solute transport

Summary The developing pigment strand of rice (Oryza sativa L.) was studied by conventional electron microscopy and also by use of thick sections post-fixed with zinc iodide and osmium (ZIO).When the rice caryopsis achieves maximum length, a suberised adcrusting wall layer is laid down over the original primary walls of the pigment strand. Concomitant with suberin deposition a proliferation of tubular endoplasmic reticulum occurs in the cytoplasm giving rise to numerous interconnected vesicles which bear ribosomes. The vesicles in the general cytoplasm retain their ribosomes while those close to the wall become smooth and contain an electron-opaque granular material which is eventually deposited to the outside of the plasmalemma. This granular material may be the precursor(s) from which suberin is polymerised. The suberised wall attains about six times the width of the original primary wall and plasmodesmata, which traverse both primary wall and suberised wall layers, become greatly elongated.Lipid bodies increase in both size and frequency during development, eventually coalescing to form a complete plug across the pigment strand and occluding the symplast of this tissue. The significance of these ultrastructural observations is discussed in relation to the previously demonstrated role of the pigment strand as a translocation pathway for water and assimilates during grain filling.Abbreviations ER endoplasmic reticulum - ZIO zinc iodide-osmium fixation     

Reactive oxygen-mediated damage to murine mammary tumor cells

We have shown, in a preliminary report, that macrophages can induce strand breaks in the DNA of co-cultured tumor cells (Chong et al., 1988). The present study is designed to determine if oxygen-centered species generated by the cell-free enzyme-substrate combination of hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase can induce similar lesions and to identify the specific mediator(s). We report that co-incubation of murine mammary tumor cell lines with hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase leads to the induction of DNA-strand breaks as determined by fluorescence analysis of DNA unwinding (FADU) assay or alkaline elution techniques. This damage is preventable by catalase which removes hydrogen peroxide but no protection is provided by agents to remove or prevent the formation of superoxide anion (superoxide dismutase), or hydroxyl radical (mannitol or the iron chelator o-phenanthroline). Likewise, cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase inhibitors of arachidonate metabolism (indomethacin, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, caffeic acid) or bromophenacyl bromide do not alter the degree of DNA scission. Treatment with higher doses of oxygen species leads to significant toxicity as determined by evaluation of cell growth potential or colony-forming ability. Again, toxicity is prevented only by the presence of catalase. Tumor cells are able to rejoin strand breaks at lower, less toxic doses. When comparing different tumor cell subpopulations at various stages of progression, i.e., metastatic vs. nonmetastatic, for sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide-induced strand breakage, we found that at lower concentrations (less than 5μM) metastatic populations are sensitive whereas nonmetastatic populations exhibit no significant breakage. At higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, all lines were sensitive, suggesting that a lower threshold of sensitivity may exist for more progressed tumour cell lines.     

Enzyme etching treatment as an aid in the study of seed surface sculpture in Justicia and Rue Ilia (Acanthaceae)

LESTER, R. N. & EZCURRA, C, 1991. Enzyme etching treatment as an aid in the study of seed surface sculpture in Justicia and Ruellia (Acanthaceae). Enzyme etching treatment of seeds of Justicia was tested before scanning electron microscope examination. On all species tested the treatment removed the outer periclinal walls of the epidermal cells of the seeds, revealing the shape and morphology of the anticlinal walls. This treatment provides additional characters of the structure of the testa that may be useful in assessing relationships between species in this large and complex genus, but it proved useless in Ruellia. Here the seeds produce a coat of mucilage when moistened that completely protects the testa from the action of even extensive enzyme treatment.     

The mechanism of extrachromosomal homologous DNA recombination in plant cells

Summary By cotransfecting plasmids carrying particular mutations in the -glucuronidase (GUS) gene into Nicotiana plumbaginifolia protoplasts and by monitoring the recombination rates using a recently developed transient assay, we were able to obtain insights into the mechanism of extrachromosomal recombination operating in plant cells. An exchange of flanking markers takes place in over 90% of the recombination events. In most of the remaining cases two consecutive, independent single crossover events occur. These events involve the same DNA substrate and lead to two successive exchanges of flanking markers, thus mimicking a presumed double crossover intermediate. A comparison of the outcome of our experiments with the predictions of two recombination models originally proposed for mammalian cells indicates that extrachromosomal recombination in plant cells is best described by the single strand annealing model. According to this model all recombination events result in an exchange of flanking markers. Our results rule out the double strand break repair model which predicts that flanking markers are exchanged in only half of all events.     

Influence of maize root mucilage on soil aggregate stability

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of root exudates on soil aggregate stability. Root mucilage was collected from two-month old maize plants (Zea mays L.) Mucilage and glucose solutions were added at a rate of 2.45 g C kg⁻¹ dry soil to silty clay and silt loam soils. Amended soils, placed in serum flasks, were incubated for 42 d with a drying-wetting cycle after 21 d. Evolved CO₂ was measured periodically as well as the water-stable aggregates and soluble sugar and polysaccharide content of the soil. In mucilage-amended soils CO₂ evolution started with a lag phase of 2–3 days, which was not observed in glucose-amended soils. There was then a sharp increase in evolved CO₂ up to day 7. During the second incubation period there were only small differences in evolved C between treatments. Incorporation of mucilage in both soils resulted in a spectacular and immediate increase in soil aggregate stability. Thereafter, the percent of water-stable aggregates quickly decreased parallel to microbial degradation. On completion of the incubation, aggregate stability in the silty clay soil was still significantly higher in the presence of mucilage than in the control. This work supports the assumption that freshly released mucilage is able to stick very rapidly to soil particles and may protect the newly formed aggregates against water destruction. On the silty clay, microbial activity contributes to a stabilization of these established organo-mineral bounds.     

激光、血卟啉对肿瘤细胞DNA单链断裂及其重接的影响

用简化的Kohn氏碱洗脱法,观察了光敏剂血卟啉衍生物(HPD)对小鼠S-180肿瘤细胞DNA单链断裂及其重接修复的影响。激光HPD能导致S-180细胞DNA单链断裂明显增加,而且这种断裂随着保温时间的延长,继续增多。在本实验条件下没有观察到HPD对X线的增敏作用,HPD不能增加X线所致的DNA单链断裂,也不能影响其重接。单链断裂重接动力学的实验进一步证明了这个论点。     

Enhancement of the repair of carcinogen-induced DNA damage in the hamster pancreas by dietary selenium

We measured single strand breaks (SSB) in pancreas DNA produced by N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP) in hamsters fed purified diets containing added sodium selenite (Se) at 0.0, 0.1 and 5.0 ppm. There were fewer SSB in those given the 5.0 ppm Se diet throughout the experiment. One hour after dosing with BOP (20 mg/kg), there were 2.26 ± 0.47, 2.83 ± 0.43 and 1.74 ± 0.43 SSB per 10⁸ daltons (mean ± S.E.M.) respectively in the three groups. The SSB were repaired faster in the 5.0 ppm Se-fed group. The approximate half-lives of the SSB were 33, 30 and 8 days, respectively. In the hamsters fed 5.0 ppm Se there was a small, statistically significant increase in pancreatic DNA synthesis. Autoradiographic analysis indicated that this was repair synthesis. In a second experiment, hamsters were fed one of the three diets prior to and for 2 days after administration of a single dose of BOP (20 mg/kg). They were then fed the 5.0 ppm Se diet for 5 days. The number of SSB was compared with those in hamsters fed their original diet for 7 days after BOP dosing. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of SSB in the hamsters fed 0.1 ppm Se before and for 2 days after BOP. In these hamsters there were 1.21 ± 0.24 SSB per 10⁸ daltons compared with 3.19 ± 0.4 (mean ± S.E.M.). These results suggest high levels of dietary Se stimulate the repair of carcinogen-induced DNA damage.