Novel routes towards bioplastics from plants: elucidation of the methylperillate biosynthesis pathway from Salvia dorisiana trichomes

Plants produce a large variety of highly functionalized terpenoids. Functional groups such as partially unsaturated rings and carboxyl groups provide handles to use these compounds as feedstock for biobased commodity chemicals. For instance, methylperillate, a monoterpenoid found in Salvia dorisiana, may be used for this purpose, as it carries both an unsaturated ring and a methylated carboxyl group. The biosynthetic pathway of methylperillate in plants is still unclear. In this work, we identified glandular trichomes from S. dorisiana as the location of biosynthesis and storage of methylperillate. mRNA from purified trichomes was used to identify four genes that can encode the pathway from geranyl diphosphate towards methylperillate. This pathway includes a (–)-limonene synthase (SdLS), a limonene 7-hydroxylase (SdL7H, CYP71A76), and a perillyl alcohol dehydrogenase (SdPOHDH). We also identified a terpene acid methyltransferase, perillic acid O-methyltransferase (SdPAOMT), with homology to salicylic acid OMTs. Transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana of these four genes, in combination with a geranyl diphosphate synthase to boost precursor formation, resulted in production of methylperillate. This demonstrates the potential of these enzymes for metabolic engineering of a feedstock for biobased commodity chemical

Herbivore-Mediated Effects of Glucosinolates on Different Natural Enemies of a Specialist Aphid

The cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae is a specialist herbivore that sequesters glucosinolates from its host plant as a defense against its predators. It is unknown to what extent parasitoids are affected by this sequestration. We investigated herbivore-mediated effects of glucosinolates on the parasitoid wasp Diaeretiella rapae and the predator Episyrphus balteatus. We reared B. brassicae on three ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana that differ in glucosinolate content and on one genetically transformed line with modified concentrations of aliphatic glucosinolates. We tested aphid performance and the performance and behavior of both natural enemies. We correlated this with phloem and aphid glucosinolate concentrations and emission of volatiles. Brevicoryne brassicae performance correlated positively with concentrations of both aliphatic and indole glucosinolates in the phloem. Aphids selectively sequestered glucosinolates. Glucosinolate concentration in B. brassicae correlated negatively with performance of the predator, but positively with performance of the parasitoid, possibly because the aphids with the highest glucosinolate concentrations had a higher body weight. Both natural enemies showed a positive performance-preference correlation. The predator preferred the ecotype with the lowest emission of volatile glucosinolate breakdown products in each test combination, whereas the parasitoid wasp preferred the A. thaliana ecotype with the highest emission of these volatiles. The study shows that there are differential herbivore-mediated effects of glucosinolates on a predator and a parasitoid of a specialist aphid that selectively sequesters glucosinolates from its host plant

Generativity of Autobiography illustrated by Christa Wolf: “Kindheitsmuster”

Autobiographien werden einerseits geschrieben, damit die Erzähler sich ihrer Identität vergewissern, andererseits um gewonnene Erfahrungen an die nächste Generation weiterzugeben. Dieses Potenzial der Literatur für die Bildung wird Generativität genannt. Am Beispiel von Christa Wolfs "Kindheitsmuster" wird diskutiert, inwieweit die Darstellung der Kindheit zur Zeit des Nationalsozialismus sowie der Reise nach Polen im Jahre 1971 Gestaltung wirklicher Ereignisse oder Fiktion ist. Bei der Analyse erweist sich, dass der Realitätsbezug nachweisbar, zugleich aber das Werk kunstvoll komponiert ist. Damit können wir von einer Autobiographie zweiter Ordnung sprechen, die aus individueller Geschichte allgemeine Leitsätze und Denkimpulse anbietet. Dieses Wirkungspotenzial erzeugt Generativität: Ein Vermächtnis für die nachfolgenden Generationen.On the one hand autobiographies are written to make the narrators sure of their identity, on the other hand to transmit their acquired experiences to the next generation. This potential of literature is called generativity. Illustrated by Christa Wolf’s "Kindheitsmuster" it will be discussed to what extent the description of events in the childhood during the time of National Socialism and of the trip to Poland in 1971 is a reproduction of reality or invented fiction. By interpretation it will be proved that reconstruction of reality is as evident as the composition of a complex work of art. So we can describe Kindheitsmuster as autobiography of second order, which is offering general lessons and thought patterns by the means of an individual story. This potential creates generativity: a legacy for the coming generations.Autobiografie powstają z jednej strony dlatego, że narratorzy chcą się umocnić w swej tożsamości, z drugiej zaś, by własne doświadczenia przekazywać następnym generacjom. Ten potencjał literatury dla procesu kształcenia określany jest mianem generatywności. Na przykładzie "Wzorców dzieciństwa" Christy Wolf w artykule podjęto rozważania nad kwestią, na ile opisane w powieści lata dzieciństwa w okresie narodowego socjalizmu oraz ukazana tu podróż do Polski w 1971 roku opierają się na rzeczywistych wydarzeniach, a na ile są fikcją literacką. Przeprowadzona analiza wykazuje, że związek z rzeczywistością jest udokumentowany, lecz jednocześnie utwór ten ma bardzo wyszukaną kompozycję. W tym przypadku można zatem mówić o ‘autobiografii drugiego rzędu’, w której na bazie własnych doświadczeń formułowane są ogólne zasady i przemyślenia. Dzięki temu uwidacznia się generatywność: dziedzictwo dla następnych generacji

OSTRALE'O16: Katalog

Diese Publikation erscheint anlässlich der 10. Internationalen Ausstellung zeitgenössischer Künste in Dresden, error:x OSTRALE'O16. Wendebuch. OSTRALE weht ODER : Artyści z Drezna we Wrocławiu, 13.05.-31.07.2016, Browar Mieszczański Wrocła

OSTRALE'O16: Katalog

Diese Publikation erscheint anlässlich der 10. Internationalen Ausstellung zeitgenössischer Künste in Dresden, error:x OSTRALE'O16. Wendebuch. OSTRALE weht ODER : Artyści z Drezna we Wrocławiu, 13.05.-31.07.2016, Browar Mieszczański Wrocła

OSTRALE'O16: Katalog

Diese Publikation erscheint anlässlich der 10. Internationalen Ausstellung zeitgenössischer Künste in Dresden, error:x OSTRALE'O16. Wendebuch. OSTRALE weht ODER : Artyści z Drezna we Wrocławiu, 13.05.-31.07.2016, Browar Mieszczański Wrocła