Thaumatin-like proteins are differentially expressed and localized in phloem tissues of hybrid poplar

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Two thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) were previously identified in phloem exudate of hybrid poplar (<it>Populus trichocarpa </it>× <it>P. deltoides) </it>using proteomics methods, and their sieve element localization confirmed by immunofluorescence. In the current study, we analyzed different tissues to further understand TLP expression and localization in poplar, and used immunogold labelling to determine intracellular localization.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Immunofluorescence using a TLP antiserum confirmed the presence of TLP in punctate, organelle-like structures within sieve elements. On western blots, the antiserum labeled two constitutively expressed proteins with distinct expression patterns. Immunogold labelling suggested that TLPs are associated with starch granules and starch-containing plastids in sieve elements and phloem parenchyma cells. In addition, the antiserum recognized TLPs in the inner cell wall and sieve plate region of sieve elements.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>TLP localization in poplar cells and tissues is complex. TLP1 is expressed predominantly in tissues with a prominent vascular system such as midveins, petioles and stems, whereas the second TLP is primarily expressed in starch-storing plastids found in young leaves and the shoot apex.</p

Estrategias para el mejoramiento de bananos y plátanos.

La producción de cultivares mejorados por cualquier método es un proceso que se basa en los principios de variación genética, selección y evaluación. Con el método tradicional estas etapas han sido en extremo laboriosas y lentas, además, poco han sido los resultados obtenidos que permitan ofrecer nuevas variedades al productor. Hoy en día la biotecnología ofrece varias alternativas, que se mencionan a través del artículo, para ampliar la variación genética y obtener en corto tiempo nuevas líneas para seleccionar y evaluar. Los avances biotecnológicos logrados en los últimos veinte años, se han alcanzado con el desarrollo de los sistemas in vitro y la ingeniería genéticaBanano- Musa acuminata - Musa paradisiacaPlátano-Musa sapientu

Phytochemical analysis of salal berry (Gaultheria shallon Pursh.), a traditionally-consumed fruit from western North America with exceptionally high proanthocyanidin content

Salal (Gaultheria shallon Pursh.) is a wild perennial shrub of the Ericaceae and common in coastal forests of western North America, and its berries were an important traditional food for First Nations in British Columbia. Salal berries were investigated for phytochemical content and antioxidant capacity over the course of fruit development. The proanthocyanidin content was extremely high in young berries (280.7 mg/g dry wt) but dropped during development to 52.8 mg/g dry wt. By contrast, anthocyanins accumulated only at the late berry stages. Total antioxidant capacity, as measured by the 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) method, reflected both proanthocyanidin and anthocyanin content, and in mature berries reached 36 mmol Trolox equivalents/100 g dry wt. More detailed phytochemical analysis determined that delphinidin 3-O-galactoside is the dominant anthocyanin, and that the berries are also rich in procyanidins, including procyanidin A2 which has been implicated in anti-adhesion activity for uropathogenic E. coli. Proanthocyanidins were 60% prodelphinidin, and overall concentrations were higher than reported for many Vaccinium species including blueberry, lingonberry, and cranberry. Overall, the phenolic profile of salal berries indicates that these fruit contain a diversity of health-promoting phenolics. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Discovery of salicyl benzoate UDP-glycosyltransferase, a central enzyme in poplar salicinoid phenolic glycoside biosynthesis

The salicinoids are anti-herbivore phenolic glycosides unique to the Salicaceae (Populus and Salix). They consist of a salicyl alcohol glucoside core, which is usually further acylated with benzoic, cinnamic or phenolic acids. While salicinoid structures are well known, their biosynthesis remains enigmatic. Recently, two enzymes from poplar, salicyl alcohol benzoyl transferase and benzyl alcohol benzoyl transferase, were shown to catalyze the production of salicyl benzoate, a predicted potential intermediate in salicinoid biosynthesis. Here, we used transcriptomics and co-expression analysis with these two genes to identify two UDP-glucose-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGT71L1 and UGT78M1) as candidate enzymes in this pathway. Both recombinant enzymes accepted only salicyl benzoate, salicylaldehyde and 2-hydroxycinnamic acid as glucose acceptors. Knocking out the UGT71L1 gene by CRISPR/Cas9 in poplar hairy root cultures led to the complete loss of salicortin, tremulacin and tremuloidin, and a partial reduction of salicin content. This demonstrated that UGT71L1 is required for synthesis of the major salicinoids, and suggested that an additional route can lead to salicin. CRISPR/Cas9 knockouts for UGT78M1 were not successful, and its in vivo role thus remains to be determined. Although it has a similar substrate preference and predicted structure as UGT71L1, it appears not to contribute to the synthesis of salicortin, tremulacin and tremuloidin, at least in roots. The demonstration of UGT71L1 as an enzyme of salicinoid biosynthesis will open up new avenues for the elucidation of this pathway

Early above- and below-ground responses of subboreal conifer seedlings to various levels of deciduous canopy removal

We examined the growth of understory conifers, following partial or complete deciduous canopy removal, in a field study established in two regions in Canada. In central British Columbia, we studied the responses of three species (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss x Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm., and Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.), and in northwestern Quebec, we studied one species (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.). Stem and root diameter and height growth were measured 5 years before and 3 years after harvesting. Both root and stem diameter growth increased sharply following release but seedlings showed greater root growth, suggesting that in the short term, improvement in soil resource capture and transport, and presumably stability, may be more important than an increase in stem diameter and height growth. Response was strongly size dependent, which appears to reflect greater demand for soil resources as well as higher light levels and greater tree vigour before release for taller individuals. Growth ratios could not explain the faster response generally attributed to true fir species or the unusual swift response of spruces. Good prerelease vigour of spruces, presumably favoured by deciduous canopies, could explain their rapid response to release

Overstory influences on light attenuation patterns and understory plant community diversity and composition in southern boreal forests of Quebec

We have characterized overstory light transmission, understory light levels, and plant communities in mixedwood boreal forests of northwestern Quebec with the objective of understanding how overstory light transmission interacts with composition and time since disturbance to influence the diversity and composition of understory vegetation, and, in turn, the further attenuation of light to the forest floor by the understory. Overstory light transmission differed among three forest types (aspen, mixed deciduous-conifer, and old cedar-dominated), with old forests having higher proportions of high light levels than aspen and mixed forests, which were characterized by intermediate light levels. The composition of the understory plant communities in old forests showed the weakest correlation to overstory light transmission, although those forests had the largest range of light transmission. The strongest correlation between characteristics of overstory light transmission and understory communities was found in aspen forests. Species diversity indices were consistently higher in aspen forests but showed weak relationships with overstory light transmission. Light attenuation by the understory vegetation and total height of the understory vegetation were strongly and positively related to overstory light transmission but not forest type. Therefore, light transmission through the overstory influenced the structure and function of understory plants more than their diversity and composition. This is likely due to the strong effect of the upper understory layers, which tend to homogenize light levels at the forest floor regardless of forest type. The understory plant community acts as a filter, thereby reducing light levels at the forest floor to uniformly low levels

Comprehensive genetic assessment of a functional TLR9 promoter polymorphism: no replicable association with asthma or asthma-related phenotypes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Prior studies suggest a role for a variant (rs5743836) in the promoter of toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) in asthma and other inflammatory diseases. We performed detailed genetic association studies of the functional variant rs5743836 with asthma susceptibility and asthma-related phenotypes in three independent cohorts.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>rs5743836 was genotyped in two family-based cohorts of children with asthma and a case-control study of adult asthmatics. Association analyses were performed using chi square, family-based and population-based testing. A luciferase assay was performed to investigate whether rs5743836 genotype influences TLR9 promoter activity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Contrary to prior reports, rs5743836 was not associated with asthma in any of the three cohorts. Marginally significant associations were found with FEV₁and FVC (p = 0.003 and p = 0.008, respectively) in one of the family-based cohorts, but these associations were not significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. Higher promoter activity of the CC genotype was demonstrated by luciferase assay, confirming the functional importance of this variant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although rs5743836 confers regulatory effects on TLR9 transcription, this variant does not appear to be an important asthma-susceptibility locus.</p

The Transcriptome of Compatible and Incompatible Interactions of Potato (Solanum tuberosum) with Phytophthora infestans Revealed by DeepSAGE Analysis

Late blight, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, is the most important disease of potato (Solanum tuberosum). Understanding the molecular basis of resistance and susceptibility to late blight is therefore highly relevant for developing resistant cultivars, either by marker-assissted selection or by transgenic approaches. Specific P. infestans races having the Avr1 effector gene trigger a hypersensitive resistance response in potato plants carrying the R1 resistance gene (incompatible interaction) and cause disease in plants lacking R1 (compatible interaction). The transcriptomes of the compatible and incompatible interaction were captured by DeepSAGE analysis of 44 biological samples comprising five genotypes, differing only by the presence or absence of the R1 transgene, three infection time points and three biological replicates. 30.859 unique 21 base pair sequence tags were obtained, one third of which did not match any known potato transcript sequence. Two third of the tags were expressed at low frequency (<10 tag counts/million). 20.470 unitags matched to approximately twelve thousand potato transcribed genes. Tag frequencies were compared between compatible and incompatible interactions over the infection time course and between compatible and incompatible genotypes. Transcriptional changes were more numerous in compatible than in incompatible interactions. In contrast to incompatible interactions, transcriptional changes in the compatible interaction were observed predominantly for multigene families encoding defense response genes and genes functional in photosynthesis and CO2 fixation. Numerous transcriptional differences were also observed between near isogenic genotypes prior to infection with P. infestans. Our DeepSAGE transcriptome analysis uncovered novel candidate genes for plant host pathogen interactions, examples of which are discussed with respect to possible function