Effect of genomic and subgenomic leader sequences of potato leafroll virus on gene expression

AbstractThe effect of the genomic and subgenomic leader sequence of potato leafroll polerovirus on the efficiency of translation of the downstream located genes has been studied. The results obtained in vitro and in vivo indicate that neither leader sequence functions as translational enhancer, a generally important feature of leader sequences. Deletion analyses demonstrated that both leader sequences not only decrease translation of the downstream located genes but also alter the ratio of the synthesized proteins. A correlation between the in vitro and in vivo results can be established in the case of the subgenomic leader sequence

Effects of new polymorphisms in the bovine myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D) gene on the expression rates of the longissimus dorsi muscle

Myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D), a product of the MEF2D gene, belongs to the myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) protein family which is involved in vertebrate skeletal muscle development and differentiation during myogenesis. The aim of the present study was to search for polymorphisms in the bovine MEF2D gene and to analyze their effect on MEF2D mRNA and on protein expression levels in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Polish Holstein–Friesian cattle. Overall, three novel variations, namely, insertion/deletion g.−818_−814AGCCG and g.−211C<A transversion in the promoter region as well as g.7C<T transition in the 5′untranslated region (5′UTR), were identified by DNA sequencing. A total, 375 unrelated bulls belonging to six different cattle breeds were genotyped, and three combined genotypes (Ins-C-C/Ins-C-C, Del-A-T/Del-A-T and Ins-C-C/Del-A-T) were determined. The frequency of the combined genotype Ins-C-C/Ins-C-C and Del-A-T/Del-A-T was varied between the breeds and the average frequency was 0.521 and 0.037, respectively. Expression analysis showed that the MEF2D variants were highly correlated with MEF2D mRNA and protein levels in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Polish Holstein–Friesian bulls carrying the three different combined genotypes. The highest MEF2D mRNA and protein levels were estimated in the muscle of bulls with the Ins-C-C/Ins-C-C homozygous genotype as compared to the Del-A-T/Del-A-T homozygotes (P < 0.01) and Ins-C-C/Del-A-T heterozygotes (P < 0.05). A preliminary association study showed no significant differences in the carcass quality traits between bulls with various MEF2D combined genotypes in the investigated population of Polish Holstein–Friesian cattle

Influence of mitochondrial genome rearrangement on cucumber leaf carbon and nitrogen metabolism

The MSC16 cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) mitochondrial mutant was used to study the effect of mitochondrial dysfunction and disturbed subcellular redox state on leaf day/night carbon and nitrogen metabolism. We have shown that the mitochondrial dysfunction in MSC16 plants had no effect on photosynthetic CO2 assimilation, but the concentration of soluble carbohydrates and starch was higher in leaves of MSC16 plants. Impaired mitochondrial respiratory chain activity was associated with the perturbation of mitochondrial TCA cycle manifested, e.g., by lowered decarboxylation rate. Mitochondrial dysfunction in MSC16 plants had different influence on leaf cell metabolism under dark or light conditions. In the dark, when the main mitochondrial function is the energy production, the altered activity of TCA cycle in mutated plants was connected with the accumulation of pyruvate and TCA cycle intermediates (citrate and 2-OG). In the light, when TCA activity is needed for synthesis of carbon skeletons required as the acceptors for NH4+ assimilation, the concentration of pyruvate and TCA intermediates was tightly coupled with nitrate metabolism. Enhanced incorporation of ammonium group into amino acids structures in mutated plants has resulted in decreased concentration of organic acids and accumulation of Glu

Obtaining of ethanol from rape straw in the process of simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation in fed-batch system

Przeprowadzono badania, których celem było określenie wpływu zastosowania półciągłego systemu hydrolizy i fermentacji polisacharydów zawartych w słomie rzepakowej na wydajność produkcji etanolu w systemie SSF. Słomę rzepakową po alkalicznej obróbce wstępnej poddano detoksykacji poprzez dwukrotne przepłukanie wodą. Po 24 i 48 h jednoczesnej hydrolizy i fermentacji do prób dodawano substrat poddany obróbce wstępnej i suszeniu, każdorazowo w ilości 25% początkowej zawartości substratu w zawiesinie. Porównawczo przeprowadzono symultaniczną hydrolizę i fermentację bez dodatkowego zasilania substratem (kontrolną). Efekty procesu fermentacji wyrażono ilością wytworzonego etanolu w medium pofermentacyjnym. W kontrolnym doświadczeniu hydrolizy i fermentacji uzyskano 1,60% (v/v) etanolu w medium. Natomiast w półciągłym systemie ilość uzyskanego alkoholu wynosiła 1,81% (v/v), co oznacza zwiększenie stężenia etanolu o 13%. Biorąc pod uwagę stężenie surowca w medium reakcyjnym, można stwierdzić, że zastosowana modyfikacja procesu symultanicznej hydrolizy i fermentacji nie wpłynęła na poprawę wydajności procesu biokonwersji.The research was carried out with the aim to determine the impact of the application of the fed-batch system of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of polysaccharides contained in rape straw on the production of ethanol in SSF system. Rape straw after alkaline pretreatment was subjected to detoxification by double rinsing with water. After 24 and 48 hours of simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation, pretreated and dried substrate was added to the samples, each in an amount of 25% of the initial amount of substrate in the slurry. Comparatively simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation without additional supply of substrate was carried out. The effects of the fermentation were expressed as the amount of ethanol produced in a fermentation medium. In the control experiment of hydrolysis and fermentation 1.60% (v/v) of ethanol was obtained. However, in the fed-batch system, ethanol concentration was 1.81% (v/v), which represented an increase in ethanol concentration of 13%