Fruit and seed ontogeny related to the seed behaviour of two tropical species of Caesalpinia (Leguminosae)

Caesalpinia echinata and C ferrea var. ferrea have different seed behaviours and seed and fruit types. Comparison of the seed ontogeny and anatomy partly explained the differences in seed behaviour between these two species of Brazilian legumes; some differences were also related to fruit development. The seed coat in C. ferrea consisted of two layers of osteosclereids, as well as macrosclereids and fibres, to form a typical legume seed coat, whereas C. echinata had only macrosclereids and fibres. In C. echinata, the developing seed coat had paracytic stomata, a feature rarely found in legume seeds. These seed coat features may account for the low longevity of C. echinata seeds. The embryogeny was similar in both species, with no differences in the relationship between embryo growth and seed growth. The seeds of both species behaved as typical endospermic seeds, despite their different morphological classification (exendospermic orthodox seeds were described for C. echinata and endospermic orthodox seeds for C. ferrea). Embryo growth in C. ferrea accelerated when the sclerenchyma of the pericarp was developing, whereas embryonic growth in C. echinata was associated with the conclusion of spine and secretory reservoir development in the pericarp. Other features observed included an endothelial layer that secreted mucilage in both species, a nucellar summit, which grew up into the micropyle, and a placental obturator that connected the ovarian tissue to the ovule in C. ferrea. (C) 2004 the Linnean Society of London

The Arabidopsis AtbZIP9 protein fused to the VP16 transcriptional activation domain alters leaf and vascular development

The Arabidopsis group C bZIP transcriptional regulatory factors includes four members that are homologous to the maize Opaque-2 regulatory locus. These four Arabidopsis bZIP were organized into three groups of orthologues each of which possibly representing an ancestral angiosperm function. To better define the evolution of group C functions we initiated the characterization of AtbZIP9, a single Arabidopsis gene corresponding to one of the three group C ancestral functions and for which little functional information is available. Promoter fusion with GUS revealed that AtbZIP9 expression is restricted to the phloem of all organs analyzed and in situ hybridization confirmed this conclusion. AtbZIP9 mRNA accumulation was also shown to be repressed by glucose and induced by abscissic acid and cytokinin. Knockout T-DNA mutant or transgenic lines overexpressing AtbZIP9 mRNA were undi sting ui shable from the wild type indicating that post-transcriptional regulation and/or genetic redundancy act on AtbZIP9. To overcome the redundancy aspect, we produced transgenic plants expressing a fusion between AtbZIP9 cDNA and the VP16 transcriptional activator domain. These plants displayed leaf developmental defects and accumulation of phenolic compounds in the mesophyl. These alterations may be the consequence of changes in the phloem developmental process. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.17261148115

Ontogeny and Structure of the Pericarp of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Anacardiaceae)

The fruit of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi is a globose red drupe with friable exocarp when ripe and composed of two lignified layers: the epidermis and hypodermis. The mesocarp is parenchymatous with large secretory ducts associated with vascular bundles. In the mesocarp two regions are observed: an outer region composed of only parenchymatous cells and an inner region, bounded by one or more layers of druse-like crystals of calcium oxalate, composed of parenchymatous cells, secretory ducts and vascular bundles. The mesocarp detaches itself from the exocarp due to degeneration of the cellular layers in contact with the hypodermis. The lignified endocarp is composed of four layers: the outermost layer of polyhedral cells with prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate, and the three innermost layers of sclereids in palisade.<br>O fruto de Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi é uma drupa vermelha, globosa, com exocarpo friável quando maduro e composto de duas camadas lignificadas: a epiderme e a hipoderme. O mesocarpo é parenquimático com grandes canais secretores associados aos feixes vasculares. No mesocarpo distinguem-se duas regiões uma externa composta apenas de células parenquimáticas e uma interna, delimitada por uma ou mais camadas de células contendo cristais de oxalato de cálcio do tipo drusa, composta de células parenquimáticas, canais secretores e feixes vasculares. O mesocarpo desprende-se do exocarpo devido à degeneração das camadas celulares em contato com a hipoderme. O endocarpo é lignificado e composto de quatro camadas: uma mais externa de células poliédricas com cristais prismáticos de oxalato de cálcio e três mais internas de esclereides em paliçada

Propriedades mecânicas e estrutura celular de melão desidratado osmoticamente em soluções de sacarose ou maltose, com adição de lactato de cálcio Mechanical properties and cellular structure of osmodehydrated melon in sucrose or maltose solutions with calcium lactate addition

Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, estudar a influência do lactato de cálcio e do tipo de açúcar nas propriedades mecânicas e na estrutura celular de pedaços de melão desidratados osmoticamente. O processo foi conduzido por duas horas com agitação de 120 rpm e temperatura controlada (30º C), utilizando-se soluções desidratantes de sacarose ou maltose a 40ºBrix, contendo lactato de cálcio em concentrações de 0, 0,5, 1,0 e 1,5% (p/v). As amostras foram submetidas às determinações de perda de água, ganho de sólidos, incorporação de cálcio, propriedades mecânicas (tensão e deformação na ruptura) e microscopia óptica. Os ensaios com maltose, em ação conjunta com o sal, promoveram uma maior perda de água e um menor ganho de sólidos. A adição de lactato de cálcio na solução osmótica de sacarose ou maltose resultou em maiores valores de tensão na ruptura para as frutas, sendo que tal aumento foi mais pronunciado nos ensaios com sacarose, devido à maior incorporação de cálcio observada nesses tratamentos. O lactato de cálcio mostrou-se eficiente na preservação da estrutura celular das amostras, quando utilizado em concentrações de até 1,0%. A maltose apresentou um maior efeito protetor na manutenção da funcionalidade da membrana celular, enquanto que o processo realizado apenas com soluções de sacarose, assim como os ensaios realizados com concentração de sal igual a 1,5% provocaram danos na parede celular e intensa plasmólise do citoplasma.<br>The purpose of this work was to study the influence of calcium lactate and sugar type on mechanical properties and cellular structure of osmodehydrated melon pieces. The process was carried out for two hours under controlled temperature (30º C) and agitation (120 rpm), using a 40ºBrix sucrose or maltose solution containing calcium lactate (0 to 2,0%). Samples were analyzed with respect to water loss, solids and calcium gain, mechanical properties (stress and strain at rupture) and structure by light microscopy. Maltose treatments in combination with the salt action promoted higher water loss and lower solids gain rates. The calcium lactate addition in the sucrose or maltose solution resulted in higher stress at rupture values. This increase was more pronounced for sucrose treatments, due to the higher calcium uptake observed in these experiments. Calcium lactate was efficient in the maintenance of melon cellular structure when used at concentrations up to 1,0%. Maltose showed a higher protector effect in cellular membrane functionality, while the treatment performed only with sucrose solution as well as both treatments with salt concentration at 1,5%caused an intense cytoplasm plasmolysis and cell wall damages